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Scroll down for history, music, where to get one, preparation, insurance and safety,DVD performance and instruction and about shamadan workshops with me if you fancy something different for your group or event.
The music for the shamadan dance is very lively. It is a celebration dance. It is accepted that finger cymbals are also part of the dance. Music for show performance
Music for Weddings Traditional Zeffa Etmakhtari ya helwa Zeina- Translated on www.shira.net This tradtional zeffa is on many Cds as an instrumental e.g Cairo Cassics with Fifi Abdo CD Showtime- track zeffa/Zaina- very useful track for weddings. Begins with the tradional zeffa described above and then goes into a spirited version of Zaina by Mohamed Abdel Waheb-the whole track is just over 5 mins, perfect for wedding receptions. Download from www.emusic.com CD Soul of Cairo. Track-Arous Wa Arees it starts with a Zeffa and then goes into a jolly song with a saedi rhythm. Good for weddings with or without shamadan.Just under 5mins. Download from www.emusic.com Unless stated buy from www.aladdinscave.com
Most shamadans are not made with brilliant workmanship and need a bit of work to make them safe to use. Make sure the head piece is deep enough to fit down on your head. The bottom of the band needs to come just above your eyebrows.
First you need to make sure your shamadan is safe and will stay securely on your head.Depending on the design of the shamadan, extra washers might be needed to secure joints. Nothing must wobble. It is a good idea to keep a screwdriver with it for running repairs. You might want to solder the joints to make it extra rigid. It is important that it fits tightly on the head. I usually take the foam padding out and adjust the headpiece so it nearly fits then pad it out with layers of black self adhesive Fab Foam that you can get from Hobbycraft , putting in more at the back to keep it level. Fix whatever kind of candles you use firmly in the holders with blu tac
Before you dance anywhere check ceiling height,fire regulations and agree what you are going to do with the shamadan after you finish dancing with it - if its an entrance number.All performers should have public liability insurance and your insurance company should be aware that you are dancing with lit candles. I am insured with Towergate www.towergate.co.uk
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Decorators-Friend-Outlet
It is so much more spectacular to use real lit candles, if you can. I use 9 inch ones. Get non drip if you can. Don't light the candles till just before you start dancing. The longer they are lit the more they drip. They also drip less the first time they are used, so use new candles everytime.It looks better anyway.
If you or your group fancy having a go I do 2 types of workshops General Shamadan workshop-covering the history,advice on choosing your shamadan,leading a zeffa procession and how to build your own shamadan dance. I have 9 shamadan which is enough for 24 people. it is best to share because they are heavy and you don't want to be wearing the shamadan for long the first time. More Intensive Workshop designed for people who actually want to use the shamadan for performance or Zeffa. For 9 people/more if people have their own shamadan contact candidadance@btinternet.com
Instruction Faten Salama Shamadan DVD.Which has a lot of practical advice about leading a Zeffa,balancing it-although she suggests padding it out with cardboard and wrapping a scarf round the base to hide it-i prefer my fabfoam method.Then she teaches a choreography-which is quite fun but I never find other peoples choreographies that helpful. Performance. Stars of Egyptian Dance. Anyone who is serious about doing shamadan should watch Nadia Hamdi doing her version. she learned it from her grandmother who learned it directly from Zouba el Klobatiyya, reputed to be the first dancer to do shamadan.Nadia as a child often watched Zouba dance it-so she is as authentic as it gets.Buy the DVD from Morocco (the dancer) www.casbahdance.org it is not the best quality footage as it is from a video Morocco filmed in the 1970s but worth it for the serious danceaholic. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Picture by artist Nikki
Nobody knows the origins of raks shamadan for sure. Mahmoud Reda has said that Turkish Court dancers of Egypt's Ottaman rulers introduced the candelabra dance to Egypt. Originally the shamadan had no headband to support them. One story has it that the famous Lebanese nightclub owner Badia Masabni invented the candelabra dance at her nightclub, Casino Opera during the 1920's. However in Mohammad Ali Street legend the originator of the Shamadan Dance is Zouba el Klobatiyya, reputed to be the first dancer to balance a klob (lantern) on her head during a Zeffa al arousa (procession of the bride) and also Shafia el Koptia "The Coptic Christian".
Shamadan as part of the wedding procession began in the 1920's. Before that time the zeffa was led by dancers and musicians but light was provided by 3ft long wedding candles and lanterns. The special wedding candles are still an important part of the procession and are carried by the bridesmaids.There is special music to be used during the procession known as the Zeffa. 
The dancer may also perform the shamadan dance as part of the wedding entertainment. This is different from the Zeffa and, unusually for Egyptian dance, may include floorwork. In the old Almeh style this included the splits.This is also sometimes done in a nightclub setting if shamadan is the dancers speciality.It is a nice entrance to a second or third set.
Do not despair if somebody asks you to dance for their wedding celebrations and you don't dance with a shamadan.You can still do the zeffa procession to bring the Bride and Groom into the reception. Finger cymbals are good because they get everyones attention and to have a dancer at their wedding makes it so special . Here is a photo of the lovely Vashti (Cathy Selford) delighting eveyone at my wedding celebrations making it a really wonderful day
1. CD Cairo Delights with Nagwa Fouad
4 CD Rakset Badia 
5.CD Music for an Egyptian dance 
I am sorry to update this page with this information but World of Bellydance no longer sell the lovely shamadan I used to recommend. I recently bought four more for use in my workshops and they were a different design and not as good as before. They don't advertise them in their ebay shop. So I'm back on the trail of finding a good easily obtainable shamadan on the internet that actually is safe to have lit candles in without having to go to Egypt to get one.
If you can't use real candles there are battery ones. I am really pleased to tell everyone that on my quest for good, lightweight and realistic looking battery candles I have found the best yet. The trouble with most battery candles is that the batteries are so heavy which really makes the shamadan top heavy and throws the balence out.These candles are powered with 3 small round LED batteries and weigh about the same as a real candle. The light is bright and flickers realisticly. The candles themselves also look waxy. They are available from an Ebay store in the US called Decorators Friend Outlet.-Search for "battery candle white taper flickering wedding" and there are 3 sizes to choose from 7inch 12inch and 16inch. I have the 7inch ones for normal use and the 12 inch ones for stagework. The site also sells spare batteries. These are absolutely perfect for shamadan.
The candles switch on and off by turning the bottom of the candles.The 3 small batteries are in the bottom of the candle which again helps with the balence.The shamadan does not weigh significantly more using these candles. I'm so pleased to have discovered them. They are the candles I thought I ought to be able to buy.
You need a costume that won't break your heart if you get candlewax on it. I suggest the galabeas that are available from 
Shamadan Workshop at Huntingdon,Cambridge.Leading a Zeffa