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Bellydancing
is
a western term which covers every dance of the Middle East. In
Arabic this dance is called Raqs Sharqi. This translates
as "Oriental Dance" or "Eastern Dance".
Each country has its own folklore dances and a particular style
of Oriental. Classic Turkish Arabic was the prevalent style during
the Ottoman Empire rule of the Middle East. After World War 1
when the Middle East became colonial territories and divided
into separate and arbitrary countries, very distinct styles developed.
They basically divide into Turkish, Lebanese, Gulf-Khaligie,
Egyptian, Morrocan, Berber, Tunisian, and Algerian.
Asmahan has been a professional
Egyptian Dancer for twenty years and her experience of
dancing in shows with all the most famous dancers in the Middle
East has allowed her to learn directly from the stage. She is
the first foreign dancer to ever work in the five star hotels
in Cairo. She is the first dancer to perform the sword
dance in Cairo for a hundred years. Having danced to the music
of the most prestigious musicians and for the most discriminating
Arabic audiences in the world, she is in an excellent position
to share her knowledge and teach others to dance.
Asmahan
has been teaching Egyptian Dance for nine years. She studied
with Jamila Salimpour, the founder of Bal Anat,
for three years. In London she trained with Soroya. While
dancing in Cairo over a ten year period she trained with
Madame Raqia Hassan, who choreographed her shows. She
also trained a year in Cairo with Ibrahim Akef.
She has attended workshops with Usri Sharif, Mamoud
Reda, and Bobby Farrah. The influence of these
trainers and choreographers has given her a combination of classical,
folklore, and modern Egyptian stage technique.
The
dance originates from a posture which must be present in all
movements. The foundation training developes this structural
posture and helps students learn to think and move like a dancer.
There is an extensive vocabulary of steps from the begining,
providing the full range of movement possibilities. The steps
are taught with an understanding of rhythmic patterns and are
combined in the distinctive sequences that are used by dancers
in Arabic Countries. An extensive repetoire of music is taught
from the beginning. There is a body of music that is the basis
of a dancers knowledge. This is used in different combinations
to create a show format. A dancer must first hear the music and
then dance to her interpretation of the music. No dancer can
be intelligent about this art form without a knowledge of the
music.
The Foundation Class starts with a brief warm-up,
correct posture, arm positions, and then steps to create a Taksim.
Then the class proceeds to Beledie, with
hip movemets, arabic lifts, and creating circles. The next section
of the class covers Classic steps for dancing to songs
which include traveling steps, turning, more intricate hip movements.
The final section of the class lesson is doing basic Veil
work. This covers a few traveling steps with a turn. The
amount of technique is formidable, at first it seems daunting,
but the result is a dancer who can move every part of her body
using negative spacing and have the authentic look that Middle
Eastern dancers have. This dance brings out the individuality
of each woman, each dancer finds her own way making the dance
her own and expressing her unique style.
The Level 2 Class covers learning more complicated
step patterns, putting steps into choreographies, and expanding
the technique in more sophisticated combinations. More music
is studied including knowledge of the songs that make up a dancers
repetoire of pieces that are expected. Dancing the entrance,
magency, using a veil is included. Turning and starting to do
Arabesque is part of this routine. The begining of expanding
the endurance of a dancer is developed preparing her to dance
for five to ten minutes at a time.
The Level 3 Class covers learning the basic music
for performing the Magency and more sophisticated songs that
form the classic repetoire of the Oriental Dancer. The formats
are presented: Entrace, Taksims, Songs, Beledie, Drum Solo and
Finales. Students are learning to use different cominations of
music to create show routines. Each dancer is encouraged to develope
her own style and dance from her own personality and spirit.
She should express and develope her own character as an Oriental
Dancer, she should make it her own.
Women have
used this dance for thousands of years to empower there lives
and find liberation.
The
emphasis of the class training is to teach authentic Middle Eastern
dance. This is based on the experience of understanding and participating
in the culture. The influences are Egyptian, Lebanese,
Classical Arabic, and Turkish. The dance style
is that which you would actually see Middle Eastern women doing
at a wedding, a five star hotel production show, at a cultural
theatrical production, at a first class night club, or at a national
folklore show. This is dancing as it is performed in the context
of the Arabic Culture.
Asmahan is teaching at:
Pineapple Studios
7 Langley St.
Covent Garden
London, WC2H 9JA,
0207 836 4004
Covent Garden
Tube
or
Leicester Square Tube
Class
Timetable
Foundation
Level
Monday:
7-8 pm (Studio 5)
Tuesday: 7-8 pm (Studio 1)
Wednesday: 7-8 pm (Studio 1)
Level 2
Tuesday:
8-9 pm (Studio 1)
Level 3
Wednesday:
8-9 pm (Studio 1) |
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