Arab Singer Haifa Wehbe

h5, originally uploaded by rsxvscell1.

The internationally famous designer, model, actress, dancer and singer Haifa Wehbe rose to fame in the Arab world as the runner up for Miss Lebanon.

Born in Mahrouna, a small Shia farming town in Southern Lebanon, she won the title of Miss South Lebanon at the age of sixteen. Wehbe won another title at the Miss Lebanon competition that she had to relinquish when it was found that she had already been married at age 18, and had a baby girl, Zeinab.

By 1996 Wehbe had appeared on over a hundred magazine covers, and in 2002 she released her first album, Houwa El-Zaman (It Is Time), which became a commercial success, and which had her popular first single Agoul Ahwak (I Say I Love You).

In July 2005, Wehbe, along with 14 other Arab celebrities, appeared on the live pan-Arab reality series Al-Wadi (The Farm‎), based on the French reality show La Ferme Célébrités.

Wehbe’s second album Baddi Eesh (I Want to Live) was released in 2005 and it was a success due to the success of its lead single Ya Hayat Albi. Released after the assassination of the Lebanese politician Rafik Hariri, the title single of the album is about "freedom, considered to be among the most basic of human rights". Her follow-up single became her biggest hit to date, Ana Haifa (I Am Haifa). In 2006 she released a follow up single Bus al-Wawa (Kiss the Booboo) from her upcoming album Baby Haifa.

Wehbe was the first Arab artist to appear on Italian TV channel Rai Uno at Piazza Navona in Rome. On June 10, 2006, she became the first artist in the Arab world to perform with rapper 50 Cent when she performed for his first concert in Lebanon, at BIEL in Beirut. On July 4, 2008, Wehbe released the album Habibi Ana (My Love) which contains 15 songs.

There are a number of movie roles to her credit and she has worked as a television host. Wehbe has also designed her own selection of diamond jewelry. She has been a spokesperson for Pepsi, and worked on Pepsi ads with football star Thierry Henry which were aired on Lebanese television during the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Also Wehbe starred in the film Sea of Stars, produced by Pepsi and released in 2008, along with Carole Samaha, Brigitte Yaghi, Ahmad el Sherif, Wael Kfoury, and Ruwaida al-Mahrooqi.

Wehbe released a children's album, Baby Haifa, in March 2010 under Rotana Records. In April 2010, Wehbe was featured on French DJ David Vendetta's album Vendetta on the song Yama Layali.

On June 25, 2007, Wehbe survived an accident while filming a music video in Lebanon, in which a single engine airplane was to chase Wehbe as she drove a car. But the plane inadvertently hit her car taking off the front windshield of her car. But Wehbe suffered only minor injuries.

Wehbe is a Shia Muslim, and has three sisters, though Haifa's mother is an Egyptian Muslim. Wehbe's adopted daughter has been living with her father since her parents divorce. In 2008 Wehbe's daughter was married in a private ceremony. As of 2010, Zeinab Zaza and her father are living in Kuwait.

In 2005, Wehbe announced her engagement to a Saudi businessman Tariq Al-Jaffali, only to split after only a few weeks for personal reasons and family issues.

Wehbe married Egyptian businessman Ahmad Abu Husheima on April 24, 2009 in Beirut, and is currently living in Egypt with him.

Wehbe was ranked 49th in the 2006 Edition of the Top 99 Most Desirable Women by the website AskMen.com.

Turkish belly dancer in pink costume

Turkish Belly Dancer in hot pink, originally uploaded by Peace Correspondent.

The author of this Flickr photo adds: "Turkish Belly Dancer in hot pink - This performer shares her traditional Turkish belly dance interpretation during a show of the performing arts of Turkey in an Istanbul night club and restaurant. The audience this evening is a typical mix of tourists and visitors from dozens of countries around the world."

Belly dance forms currently being performed in Turkey, Greece and Cyprus is believed to have been influenced by Arabs before the Ottoman Empire as much as by the Egyptian Syrian and Lebanese belly dance forms.

It is understood that Turkish law does not impose restrictions on belly dancers, whereas in Egypt dancers are required to cover their midriffs and the dancers cannot perform some floor work and certain pelvic movements. This difference has resulted in a marked difference in style of belly dancing - ‘Egyptian belly dance is noted for its restraint and elegance, whereas Turkish belly dance is playful and uninhibited’. Costumes of Turkish belly dancers have been very revealing, but now there seems to be a move towards making the dancers wear more modest costumes similar to Egyptian-style belly dance costumes.

It has been noted that many professional belly dancers and musicians in Turkey are influenced by Romani heritage. Also styles from Kurdistan have an influence as Kurdish people too were mixed with the Ottoman Empire, because of which there is a lot of elements of fusion styles in Turkish belly dance. It is also to be noted that there is a distinct Turkish-Romani dance style which is different from Turkish oriental dance style. Turkish dancers are known for their energetic, athletic including even gymnastic styles, and their adept use of finger cymbals (zills).

Belly Dance: Raqs Baladi

El Gali, originally uploaded by Nico Nelson.

Raqs Baladi is the folkloric style of Middle Eastern dance, commonly called belly dance, performed socially by men and women of all ages in some Middle East countries at festive occasions and at ceremonies such as weddings.