Guide to being really Arab: The Table Dance

There comes a moment in every Arab's life when they don't want to dance so one engages in the act of the infamous "table dance." Both men and women partake in this. Here's how you can join in too. This post is dedicated to all the Waterloo boys, you know who you are.

Name: The Snap

Action: Snap your fingers. Make sure to close your eyes and wave your head.

Performed when: Arabic pop songs come on and you should be crossing the dancefloor.

Name: The Khaliji Wave

Action: Shake your hand like you're having convulsions, mostly placed near your head.

Performed when: Khaliji songs come on. Substitutes you having to wave your hair from side to side. Also when there's a lot of drumming and some dabkeh songs.

Name: The Shamee Dabkeh Finger

Action: Wave your index finger. Again, near your head.

Performed when: Dabkeh songs come on. Instead of stomping your feet, you're showing solidarity by waving the index finger.

Name: The Clap

Action: This move is versatile. If you're a girl and you really like the song that's playing but no one wants to dance, stick to the table and do the clap. You'll be called a bad name if you get up and start dancing by yourself. For dudes, if you can't dance and really like the song, again, table. Merely clapping is evidence enough you want to be on the dance floor. The clap is also used when a woman is dancing and a group of men surround her by going down on their knees and clapping by placing their hands towards her. This can be performed at the table also, just make sure there's a girl doing "The Snap" across from you.

Performed when: Arabic pop songs, the really belly dance worthy ones. Shik. Shak. Shok.