Seven Days: Vermont's Independent Voice

Arabian Nights

40 Days and 1001 Nights ... No, it’s not a sequel to that Josh Hartnett movie about Lent. It’s world-renowned belly dancer Tamalyn Dallal’s latest project. Having immersed herself in Middle Eastern dance since 1976, Dallal thought it was time to test the Arabic proverb, “To understand a people, you must live amongst them for 40 days.” She traveled alone to Indonesia, Zanzibar, Egypt, Jordan and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China and spent 40 days in each to gain insight into the lives of ordinary people in the Muslim world. Now, back from her travels afar, Dallal is sharing her stories, Scheherazade-style, through a book, documentary and music album (on which she collaborated with Africa’s 103-year-old orchestra, the Ikhwani Safaa Musical Club of Zanzibar). On her stop in Vermont, she’ll present selections from each before leading a community midriff-movin’ dance.