Links to sites selling costumes, props, other kit and music or instrument.

In general with coin belts you get what you pay for, very expensive coin belts tend to have each set of coins/beads separately tied off so any damage is minimal; normal ones tend to have strings of sets together, the cheapest tend to be all on one thread so if you loose one coin you'd better fix it quick or it will unravel as you dance. They are however absolutely fine for cheap practice belts. I have bought from some of these companies but I can't take responsibility for your purchases from them - please let me know if you have serious problems with any of them.

If you want a basic belt I do keep a few belts for sale for students in my classes, and I can supply large numbers of belts for workshops.

Mode Mystique - formerly known as "treasures of bellydancing" where my cotton choli tops (and lots of other skirts etc come from) Lots of belly dance and tribal style skirts tops and veils and a reasonable selection of belts. Fair value, allow for shipping from india which can sometimes take a little while. Great at doing any design you chose in any colour combi you want.

Aladdins Cave - great belly dance supplies site with everything from coin belts to veils, skirts and dresses, also with a good music selection. Very reliable, good quality. Based in UK.

An eby trader Linda recommends (reasonable prices but UK delivery times) is Best4Buy on Ebay

wonder-deal the chinese company Mandy from wednesday class got her lovely harem pants from both through auctiva and ebay and another chinese company I came across in my search for them on ebay. who do a similar line in reasonably priced pretty pretty chiffon stuff. Be aware - Stuff from China or hongkong seems to take at least 3 weeks to arrive from order if not longer.

By contrast an indian store I have bought belly dance belts from on ebay manages to fedex stuff over within a week- almost as fast as some uk postage.

Footless (and other tights) can be found at tightsplease

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Other Links

various different connections to these:

My Partner Cliff who provided the story for our xmas dinner is a professional storyteller as The Travelling Talesman. We're always looking for more local work for him so if any of you have birthday parties, weddings, pub nights, schools workshops, halloween events, scout camps, grown-ups parties, and need a professional storyteller look no further than www.thetravellingtalesman.co.uk

Almost all of my studio photos are taken by Robert Babylon, he creates beautiful fantastic fetish and erotic digital artwork well as having done my dance pictures.

Assassins of Silence - the Hawkwind tribute act I used to dance with until they disbanded in 2009 :(

Catspaw Authentic Entertainment - belly dancers, storytellers, jugglers, medieval banquet shows, and much more - unusual and special entertainment for very special events. (Also workshops for schools etc)

Links to other bellydance information sites:

Let's Belly dance - a great organisation with classes around North Hampshire and Berkshire, home of Mersin dance troupe, Sara Shrapnell (my main teacher) and lots of useful information.

Celebrating Dance - Devon based (torquay) weekend belly dance festival - fantastic fun, freindly and some great teachers.

WAFA music - free online middle eastern music radio station. Keep dancing whilst you housework

WADA - Wessex Arabic Dance Association (reasonable membership price, lots of events, lively mailing list, mostly based out of Salisbury area at the moment but growing

Majma - Glastonbury based dance festival

Hossam and Serena Ramzy - he drums, she dances, they are fairly legendary in the world of UK belly dance

Oojami - great fusion band who's music I often use for shimmy in class

Bellydance Superstars - american polished belly dance troupe, mostly young and slim but stunning dancers and fantastic showmanship. Worth seeing at least once, fantastic show for non-bellydancers to watch too (bit like a west end musical with belly dance of all sorts instead of singing). There store is a temptation, not the cheapest, but some really nice stuff, like full length hip skirts (that's an ankle length coin belt!) .

Raqs Brittania - weekend of belly dance heaven with workshops, partys, shows, bazaar and all sorts in Blackpool with The Belly dance Superstars and Oojami. There is a good chance I will be going in 2010 and might even be able to offer lifts from Devon to Blackpool (for a share of the petrol cost) you will have to arrange your own accomodation tho. Usually first weekend in June.