Özel Türkbas: How to Make Your Husband a Sultan

Shake It, Baby! Shake It!

Özel Türkbas was a huge talent and a huge star! After starting out as a child star (at the age of seven), in her native Turkey, she went on to play starring roles in fourteen Turkish movies. She was brought to the US by Italian director Franco Zeffirelli, in 1959, in order to appear in the role of La Oriental in his production of Opera Thais.

This is the first of five Belly Dance records she released. She also wrote and published two Belly Dancing books and a Turkish Cookbook.

As Belly Dancing became a huge fad in the United States through the 60s and 70s, Özel was extremely influential in it's promotion. As a Turk, she wore the traditional Turkish Belly Dancer costume (generally regarded to be considerably "sexier" than some other outfits, but probably the best known type in the rest of the world), but she was always careful to emphasize the beauty and discipline of the dance as opposed to it's more sensual aspects.

Well… Except for the title of this record, I suppose.

Özel Türkbas: How to Make Your Husband a Sultan

1. Özel's Dance Music
2. Hoplada
3. Tín Tín
4. Tokat
5. Kandirali Çíftetellí
6. Taksímler
7. Anadolu
8. Fasulya

Note: Each of Özel's albums included at least one selection that was nearly the length of an entire side. If you are going to use this record as a Belly Dancing beginner, let me advise that you might want to skip to the second track as the first is about 14 minutes long and may result in Gut Bustage.