Tarik Sultan

My show is between 15 and 20 minutes in length, which is standard for all Belly Dance performances. I begin with an introduction, followed by an upbeat and exciting opening song. I play the finger cymbals, (sagat), which adds excitement to the show. The second number is a slower piece in which I utilize a prop, most often a hookah which I balance on my head. Other prop options are a sword, cane, or candle tray. This segment is followed by an upbeat song which I use to engage the audience or perform a choreography if they prefer not to interact. The show concludes with a drum solo and finale. I can also do the drum solo standing on a drum as well. The amount of audience participation depends on the clients and the mood of the crowd.

If requested, I can also bring a female dancer. We each do a 10-minute solo, followed by a duet for one song, and then audience participation for a total of 20min to 30 mins.

Tarik is one of the pioneering professional male Oriental Dancers in the World. His introduction to Oriental Dance began with his love of Arabic music as a child. After many years of listening to the various styles of music from Egypt, Lebanon and Turkey, he decided it would be fun to dance to it. Three years after graduating high school, he traveled to Egypt for the first time where he saw not only legendary stars such as Sohair Zaki and Nagwa Fouad, but also the dance as done by the ordinary people, which is the foundation of the performance style. He emerged himself in it and would practice everything he saw for hours until he perfected his movements.

Back in the States though, he was disappointed at the stereotypical ideas that people had about the dance. He wanted them to admire and respect it as an art and legitimate cultural dance the same way he did. In order to help educate the American public about it, Tarik began performing in local night clubs and restaurants in NYC. He is one of only a handful of male Oriental Dancers World-wide to have had a viable career performing in the general public.

Tarik began his career in the early 90s while continually expanding his knowledge and understanding of dance. Over the years his talent and dedication to the art earned him a reputation as a dynamic performer, patient, inspiring teacher, and choreographer. He has taught and performed across the USA as well as The UK, Japan, Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, Jerusalem, Australia, Trinidad, and Argentina. In 2003 he became one of the first male dancers to perform at the Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival in Cairo, Egypt. He has also performed at the United Nations, Lincoln Center, and The Museum of Natural History. Tarik continues to teach and perform regularly in the NY/NJ area. He has also been a featured performer in some of the top nightclubs in New York City such as LeSouk, where he was the featured dancer for 12yrs, Casbah Rouge, Mehenata, Horus, The Habibi Lounge, 1001Nights, and countless private functions.

For most performances, there are no lighting specifications unless requested by the client. As far as costuming, I'm flexible. If the client wishes, I can wear more covered traditional outfits versus the flashier nightclub-style outfits. These include Ottoman period style outfits consisting of shirt, vest, and baggy trousers. The traditional Egyptian outfit consists of a white robe with a scarf around the hips. Modern Egyptian Street style consists of a decorated tee shirt, with decorated jeans, (which can include LED lights).