I created Itzpapalotl because I have always believed that there is a connection between the pyramids of Egypt and South America it is my belief that Egyptians(being the most skilled shipbuilders of their time) traveled to South America and influenced their culture. This is a theory which is actually being taken more seriously since a recent discovery of a mummy who had in him the residue of a tobacco which can only be found in South America. Although nothing can be proved it is my belief that they would also have had influence over each others dances in some way or another. This is my interpretation of a Mayan or Aztec "Belly Dancer". Just as a disclaimer there is no proof of a connection between the ancient Egyptian and Mayan or Aztec cultures. Their pyramids served very different purposes and there is not really any physical evidence of a connection so please take this picture to be more of a what if... picture.
By: Cassandra Strand 1999
By: Cassandra Strand 1999
"Cassandra Shore" of Jawaahir Dance Company
Cassandra Shore is truly one of the most beautiful dancers I have ever seen. I am fortunate enough to have had her as a teacher. Her performances are nothing less then awe inspiring. She is always tasteful and she tries to preserve the authenticity of the dance. She is the dancer who inspired my journey into the dance as she has inspired countless others. I wanted to preserve this memory on paper and what better way to do it than with a picture. After all a picture's worth a thousand words, right? I drew this picture from a brochure that I found in the Dance School's St. Paul studio. The brochure is titled Yalla! Dance and Music of the Middle East. The brochure did not say who took the original photo but, it's copyright is 1998 Jawaahir Dance Company. This drawing is a freehand of that photo. I felt that the photo really expressed the joy you feel from dancing. In the picture Cassandra is performing a traditional dance called Khaleegy. I hope that the picture will bring joy to all those who see it.
Bast, Isis, and Hathor
By: Cassandra Strand 2000
This is just a cute little cartoonish drawing of my three favorite Egyptian goddesses. Bast is in there because she is the goddess of the home and of (my personal favorite) cats. I just love cats. Isis is here because she is the mother goddess, protector of all and the goddess of magick, which is what makes the world so spectacular. And finally, there is Hathor, who is the goddess of love, beauty, music, and of course DANCE. You gotta love a goddess in charge of dancing!
Nawaar Dancer
By: Cassandra Strand 2000
Nawaar is Arabic for flower. Nawaar uses her body gracefully and her hands are like two flowers opening to praise the sun. She is my rendition of a gypsy from India. It's is believed by some that the Gypsies started mainly in India as outcasts who were forced to leave their home in search of a new one, as history shows they continuously kept moving. These gypsies traveled throughout the world as nomads. Although they traveled in many directions a vast majority traveled east. They brought their dancing and music with them and each country they visited adopted some of these traits just as the gypsies adopted some traits of that country. They are believed to be largely, although not solely, responsible for the spread of Bellydance and I think that this drawing is my small tribute to them for making the dance what it is today.
Cabaret Dancer
Middle Eastern Woman
By: Cassandra Strand 2001
Turkish Dancer
By: Cassandra Strand 2001
By: Cassandra Strand 2001
By: Cassandra Strand 2001
Faery Dancer
Mata Hari
If you have some middle eastern or dance related art or poems of some sort that you would like to add to this page you can submit it to me with your name, the title of your work, the date(optional), and anything you want to say about the piece.
This is just a drawing of a modern day cabernet dancer as she tosses away her veil so she can start on her drum solo.
This is a freehand drawing that I did from the cover of the 1999 Arabian Fest brochure. There was just something about the girl that I couldn't help but stare at her. She looks so calm and serene and yet she stared at me in a mysterious way and you could see in her eyes there was some sort of secret that she held. That or staying up late at night makes me paranoid... I'm not sure which (just joking).
This is a freehand drawing from the cover of Best of Belly Dance from Turkey by Esin Engin Orkestrasi. I wanted to practice drawing cabernet costumes and this was the only thing I had with me at the time.
I love faerie's and I know that faerie's like to dance so I figured there's probably some faerie's out there who do Middle Eastern Dance. Especially the ones in the Middle East(where they are called peris{like pair e's}).
Although Mata Hari was really just a glorified stripper, I still feel that she played a small part in the popularity of Middle Eastern Dance. Even Hollywood copied the type of clothes she wore and labeled them as Middle Eastern. Those costumes in turn influenced the costumes in Egypt, eventually producing the costumes you see today. Whether or not she did anything close to middle eastern dance while she stripped I cannot say as I have never seen her perform and doubt I ever will, for obvious reasons.
By: Cassandra Strand 2000
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I've done another faery before but I felt like drawing another Middle Eastern Fairy. This one I think feels more like a Middle Eastern Gypsy Faery. She practically drew herself. I was holding the pencil but it was like she guided it the whole time.
I wanted to do some experimenting with figures in motion. So, here's a dancer spinning around fringe flying and all.
I wanted to do some experimenting with figures in motion. So, here's a dancer Performing Hip Drops. I was not as pleased with this result as I was with spinning but... it works!
I just felt like drawing a dancer with a veil and this is what emerged onto the paper. The costume is actually based on one of the costumes I own.
Belly dance is magical and powerful and possibly even a dance of fertility and childbirth, so who better to perform it than Isis, Egypt's Mother Goddess, the Goddess of Magick and Mystery; for she share all of these qualities.
Floor Work is one of the best parts of bellydance. It requires strength and control. It's amazing to watch if it's done well and I felt I had to draw it because of this.
Because I feel a connectedness with the universe when I dance I wanted to somehow express this in my artwork. I truly feel renewed as if all the energy of the universe is coursing through my veins and empowering me.
This is another one of Cassandra Shore of Jawaahir Dance Company. She really is inspirational to watch and so I drew another one of her from a picture off of a donation form that Jawaahir sends out.
This is Cassandra Shore again. This image I go off of another donation form from Jawaahir but it's also used on their flyer from when the did a show called "Laylet al-Tarab Night of Enchantment".
Isis is an amazing being she has such power and mystery I can never get enough of drawing her. Every time she's new and different yet exactly the same.
*Please do not use the images on this page without permission. All artworks are the property of the artist and using them without permission is unlawful... it's stealing!*
