Time to fess up -- dancing to live music can be about as popular as pulling rotting teeth out of an alligator.   Dancing to live music can be exciting, but it can also come back and bite you.  The clever dancers have an easy solution which I'll provide at the end. But to bring this story home, let me offer a couple of examples:  

Challenge One:  What can happen when musicians are bored? After an evening with dozens of dancers, one particular drummer looked bored out of his mind.   During my drum solo,  the drummer decided he was going to play 'test the dancer', and changed the rhythm every 8 counts.   With a maniacal grin on his face, he finally settled into a rhythm that precisely matched the rhythm of "jingle bells" --it was after all December.    I struggled through -- twisting, stepping, and pop, locking with everything I had -- I think I pulled a hamstring and distended my colon in the process (only kidding).  

Challenge Two:   What can happen when musicians get nervous? Usually musicians have played together numerous times before they are in front of a live audience.   However, I recall one dark evening when a substitute musician was called in and they all stared at each other trying figure out what they were going to do. (Really a bad sign).   When the music started, the anxiety was noticeable because the music was being played at 3x the normal speed -- always a challenge for the dancers.    

So is there a trick to live music?     The clever dancers typically will ask the musicians to play one song they know --so know matter what they are dished out they have one polished performance they can hang their hats on.    To help you in this process, I've listed a number of popular songs for live musicians that they will most likely know.   


:A Ya Zein
Alf Lelya WahLeyla
Al Atlal
Ana Fi Intizarak
Ayeela Tayha (Lost Daughter)
Ayoub
Aziza
Bahlam Beek (I saw You In My Dreams)
Banat Iskandria
Batwanis Beek (I Desire You)
Bir Demet
Yasamin
Dala'a el Helween
Daret al Ayam
Enta Omri (You Are My Life)
El Houbbi Koullou
Fakkarouni
Gamil Gamal (Such Beauty)
Gan al Hawa
Ghannili Shwayyi Shwayyi
Habibi Ya Eini (My Love, My Eye)
Habibi Ya Nour El Ein (You Are The Light In My Eye)
HaniHarrraml Ahebbak
Hazar Fazar
Hebbina
HIzzi Ya Nawaeem
Hoss Bass or Hes Bes
Istemen Babajim
Lamma Bada
Lissa Fakir (Do You Still Remember?)
Leylet Hob
Mashaal
Me 'Alli Oultilu
Nebtidi Menein el Heykaya
Nour el Nain
Noura Noura
Rezah Rezah
Rompi Rompi
Salam Allay (My Lover Greeted Me)

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