IndiaPost.com - Belly dancing twins

India Post News Service

LOS ANGELES: A sweeping hybrid of musical styles, influences, and extravagant ideas with elaborate atmospheric effects. The props for the shows are named Ginger, Nagin, Jezabel, Shiva, Aladdin and Snakey. These are not alluring backup dancers but a few of the 12 pet boa-constrictors, who slither all over the exotic bodies of the internationally acclaimed Belly Twins Veena & Neena. Meet the innovative, dazzling professionals, the strikingly, glamorous, identical twins, and celebrities on the entertainment circuit around the world.

The sisters have performed on hundreds of prestigious theater and concert stages, television, and films worldwide including the American Music Awards, VH-1, The Academy Awards, and numerous music videos featuring Ricky Martin, Aerosmith, Dr Dre, OutKast, and Michael Jackson. Magazines like Vogue and People have featured them and they have staged performances for movie stars, royalty and dignitaries, including the famed Sting, and Hugh Hefner.

Neena & Veena have appeared on Extra, E!, Entertainment Tonight, and multiple segments on CNN, VH-1 , MTV and BBC (UK), CTV (Canada), Univision (Latin), ZeeTV (Asia), Sony (India) and RTN (Russia). They have been featured in newspapers including In Style, YM, Time, Muscle & Fitness, New York Daily News, India Today, England's Hello, and Australia's Harper Bazaar. Veena & Neena grew up in Northern California performing classical and folk dances from India, entertaining family and community at weddings and gatherings.

Of Punjabi parentage, they were fascinated with belly dancing. Belly dancing they found was not "just an exotic dance, but a form of exercise, a fun hobby, a way to reconnect with their femininity and the ideals of ancestors who respected their bodies and Mother Earth." "The term "belly dance" explains the notes on their website, "is said to come from the French "danse du ventre', which means "dances of the stomach".

This fertility ceremonial dance was taught to young girls to prepare for childbirth. There are hundreds of styles of Middle Eastern dance-Kaleeji from Saudi Arabia, Saiidi the Folk dance from upper Egypt, Bandari in Iran , Debke from Lebanon and Guedra from Morocco .Belly dance, had roots in all ancient cultures from eastern Mediterranean, and the Middle East. Apart from taking belly dancing into bold new territory, the twins also have extensive training in other forms of dance and movement, including ballet, jazz, and yoga.

Veena has studied Bharatanatyam and Kathak, and Neena has trained in Kuchipudi, Odissi, Mohiniattam and western classical singing. Ten years ago, the multidimensional artists, Neena and Veena established a dance company making it the first Bollywood dance company in the US. Now it is a famed theatrical company, featuring 40 lavishly costumed performers who will not only dance with energy and panache, and dazzling artistry, but exhibit their skills with fire, swords and snakes apart from aerial gymnastics as they perform to Bollywood's mind blowing mega musical numbers.

The company has a broad repertoire, exciting theatrical skills and showcases dancers trained in jazz, ballet, hip-hop, tap dancing, classical and folk dancing. They have performed all over the world, including contracts on Broadway and Las Vegas, and world tours with top artists, such as JLo, and Britney Spears.

Veena & Neena the two superstars have explored the boundaries of different dance forms , scored memorable triumphs, and have now released very popular, 12 workout DVDS and videos which not merely teach dance moves but tone the body and keep it fit , endorsing a positive spin on healthy living.

Talking to Veena

India Post: Why is dance such an important part of your life?

V: Not only is dance a creative expression, but it is fun. More importantly there are health benefits. Belly dance is excellent not just for cardio, but stretching, toning, shaping. It is not a grim workout but a fun and joyous thing. I

P: Did you have problems with the family when you first started dancing?

V: There were negative connotations about belly dancing. We were asked why we did not become doctors and there was pretty much an adverse attitude from friends and family. But It all started when our mother fell ill and that made us question the body's potential , so we tapped into exercise and healthy movement and keeping the body fit and discovered that belly dancing was a kind of intuitive dance, it had historical associations and there was so much of a cultural connect. We also loved music and grew up listening to the old melodies and songs of the 60's and 70's that were so much a part of our parents' lives.

IP: Who were your teachers/ or were you self taught?

V: We took classes from local teachers and then when we became passionate about becoming professional, we visited Egypt, Istanbul, and Lebanon and studied under various artists. We also became deeply interested in Indian classical and folk dance.

IP: Who is your audience when you perform?

V: In the beginning Indian audiences were neither receptive nor encouraging, but now we are acclaimed everywhere. We have performed to conservative Iraqis as well as Catholic priests and nuns. Of course, we had to do a bit of cover up. Event planners know our skills and potential and use our talents effectively.

IP: How do you work with snakes?

V: Our snakes don't have fangs nor are they poisonous. Their diet consists of rats and water and their gentle nature makes them great pets. We have about 18 snakes we use regularly. When we had seven or eight, we kept them in our home but now they are housed in another place.

We had a pet snake and a bird and when the bird passed away we thought the snake would be lonely and got it a companion. People were always getting rid of their pet snakes and we would offer to take care of them. Some we adopted because we found they were being abused. Onstage we cannot predict what they can do.

I have been bitten 10 times, there is a lot of blood at that time but I never blame the snake for being aggressive. I feel that I have done something wrong or handled the snake roughly. So I just wipe off the blood and keep on dancing. Snakes are more in danger when they bite as their teeth tear as they pull away and they feel more pain than I do. Neena and I have always had a deep connection with animals. I wish I could have a pet lion.

IP: Where do you see yourself five years from now?

V: Let God decide. We were the first professional dance company in 1995 and opened up doors for others. We are so proud and happy to be the forerunners of this art form.