Iraqi dance, رقص عراقيRaqs Al Khashaba by Assala Ibrahim رقص الخشابه مع اصاله ابراهيم

Raqs el Khashaba رقص الخشابه The Richness of the Khashaba music makes the kahshaba dance very rich as well. Over the time several styles are developed out of the Iraqi dance to interpret the Khashaba music; -The most famous style is the one that the Iraqi national troop has created for stages and shows. -The style of the Kawliya which is loaded with the spirit of the Gypsy dance. -The style that the Iraqi people has developed with the time at homes in private festivities which is characterized by lot of Raqs sharqi moves, as Raqs sharqi is deeply rooted in the Iraqi dance unfortunately due to many circumstance in Iraq this style got less attention, but the khashaba music open the door wide to lot of raqs sharqi moves. I would call this style as the shaabi Khasahaba dance (People’s Khashaba dance) All these styles are totally melted in the Iraqi dance tradition and it’s spirit. The khashaba dance is a very interesting challenge for any dancer, as you have to keep the typical iraqi dance spirit even when you dance um kolthoum music, as i wrote in my recent article about the khashaba that it’s music included lot of arabic famous songs. In term of costumes, generally for Iraqi dance belly dance costumes are not used neither at families parties at homes nor at stages. For Khashaba dance male dancers wear the Iraqi Dishdasha and keffieh or Cheffieh ( head scarf for men) a traditional way of dressing that you could see in many parts of Iraq specially in the south. Women wear a colourful Dishdasha. I prefer the white colour which is typical colour for khashaba dance with male head scarf :) Enjoy!