I grew up mostly dancing to Arabic music because taarab music wasn’t accessible in the US. We’d buy mixed CDs on the streets of NYC and play them at our belly dance parties. My mom still passed down her dance traditions and stories (including how my Uncle Chaki used to be a famous taarab singer in Tanzania.) To learn more about the history of taarab, I highly encourage you to look up Siti Binti Saab and Bi Kidude, women who were both pioneers with incredible stories of resistance and resilience

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