12 months in 12 sentences for 2012

This time last year I was inspired to write a post reviewing 2011 in just 12 sentences.  I like the format and wanted do it again.  So here's my write up of 12 in 12 for 2012.  Wishing you a Happy New Year and I hope that 2013 brings you lots of shimmy and sparkle. 

In January, I started learning Awareness Through Movement and was a busy bee planning for Baladi Blues.  

February was a successful sell out NADA and Habiba Dance event in Edinburgh with the Baladi Blues Ensemble, and I had a wonderful time teaching and dancing with the band.  

Baladi solo by James Campbell

Daughters of Isis by James Campbell

Baladi Blues Ensemble by James Campbell

 

March was a mixed bag of teaching taster classes and a chance to be in the audience for a change.

In April, I experienced another joyous JoY and treated myself to some goodies from the Farida Dance souk. 

In May, I got a little bit hooked on my new pair of zills.

June brought Big Dance and an unusual gig.   

In July, I went to train in Dusseldorf in my first ever trip to the annual Hilal Dance Week with Suraya Hilal and Alessandro Bascioni.

Hilal Dance Week

In August, I managed to fit in a day of dancing Baladi with live music, in between London's main events.  

Olympic Park

I had an uneventful September, although managed to fit in a Classical veil workshop with Juliana.  

In October my ballet teacher had us pretending to be snowflakes. 

In November, I performed once again at Edinburgh's longest running Egyptian Dance event.

My December included more Hilal Dance in London with Suraya; and looking forward to exciting things to come in 2013, including some more live music and promising performing opportunities. 

Dancing down the farm

I had a gig with a difference on Saturday night.

A real first for me, teaching a taster hen party class in a farm shed.  The party was meant to be held in a gazebo outside - but the terrible rain at the weekend caused the roof to collapse - so the owners lent us these fine surroundings:

Where's the strangest place you've ever danced?

Out with the sagat, in with the zills

I've been trying to learn to dance with sagat for years.  It is a rare an interesting sight to see a dancer on stage who is proficient in playing finger cymbals, and as a former musician this instrument has always had a certain appeal.  I have also been impressed whenever I had a teacher who used her sagat in class to provide instant music to accompany the moves, and I wanted to do that too.

One of my dance specialities is Sha'abi style folk dance from the South of Egypt.  This looks and sounds great when danced live with sagat, as exemplified by the Ghawazee tribes of Upper Egypt.  I even performed my own tribute to the Ghawazee dancers a couple of years back in Sarasvati Tribal's Gaslight Faeries show.

However, I found it difficult to make progress in learning this instrument.  Mine are the heavy one-holed proper Egyptian sagat, imported from Mohammed Ali Street in Cairo.  And although I love the sound, the one-holed design means that although they are fine when played sitting down, when I dance, they wobble.  I have tried every manner of things to stop this happening, different sizes and thickness of elastic, even using bra elastic, but nothing really helped.

I had to find another solution to my finger cymbal problem.  So I turned to a different instrument altogether, the zill...

Finger cymbals are an ancient percussion instrument, still played by dancers in the middle east today.  In Egypt they are called sagat, in Turkey they are called zills and the instrument exists under different names and sometimes slightly different forms all over the middle east and North Africa.  Zills have a higher pitched, more ringing sound than sagat.  The slightly different sound means that they are not entirely authentic to Egyptian dance, however they are a reasonable substitute.  And due to their popularity amongst Stateside bellydancers, good quality zills are easier to find.  The best ones also have 2 parallel slits, which you string with thick flat elastic, and they don't wobble!

I did some research and discovered Saroyan, one of the manufacturers of quality zills popular with US dancers (other brands include Turquoise and Zildjian).  And more importantly, I found a supplier in the UK, Aladdin's cave, who carries this brand.  So here are my new zills, they are professional quality Saroyan Arabesque II.

I'm quite pleased with them so far.  They are heavy and loud and more tuneful sounding than my sagat.  They stay on my fingers too which helps me to hold my hands in a nicer more open position while dancing.  And more importantly, this has given me motivation to start practising more regularly again.

2011 - 12 months in 12 sentences

I've risen to the challenge to summarize my 2011 year in just 12 sentences, one per month. Thanks go to Claire (@StAndrewsLynx) for the inspiration to blog on the "12 in 12" theme. And to those reading this - Happy New Year!  I hope that 2012 brings good things to you, and everyone. 

In January, I found some mezze (I also survived my worst costume malfunction but quickly destroyed all evidence).

I had a Fifi February, dancing with melaya and white galabeya. 

In March, I fed my fabric shopping habit during a trip to Paris, and Walked the Walk with a little bit of Aziza. 

April was a JoY, and workshops with Eman Zaki had me dancing Samia style. 

Jewel of Yorkshire with Khaled Mahmoud and Eman Zaki

In May, I had a Dorothy moment in the wrong dancers holiday in Marrakesh; and later danced the Zarr with Suraya accompanied by drumming from the father and son El Minyawis.  

Marrakesh

In June, I taught and guest starred at the second Glasgow Festival of Arabic Dance. 

Dancing at GFAD, by Milla

July was the Raqs Sharqi Society fundraiser in London, and the Foundation for Community Dance summer school - where I completed their certificate in Age Inclusive Practice.

August brought injury, which caused me to miss my guest star spot at Planet Egypt in London.

September, I had a really good time watching other dancers while I gradually got my body moving again.

October had me up, dancing again and joining Beatrice Grognard's workshops as part of the Songe d'une nuit en Egypte weekend.

November brought a thankfully snow free drive home from Northern Lights at Newport on Tay.

December meant lots of hours planning the Baladi Blues live Egyptian music event in Edinburgh next year - on 5th February 2012 - and I even sold out the live music dancers workshop that I'll be teaching then. 

Baladi Blues day of dance

Autumn 2010 - new term of weekly classes in the Dances of Egypt

I'm really pleased to announce a new term of weekly classes in the Dances of Egypt at the Salisbury Centre, Edinburgh.  

You will discover a beautiful, earthy and expressive form of Egyptian Dance.  Raqs Sharqi, meaning “Dance of the East” is a blend of folk tradition and contemporary interpretation.   You will experience the broad variety of music and dance associated with this beautiful form, from the Sha’abi folk dances of the South of Egypt, to the Baladi of Cairo. 

Classes are Open level.  We welcome both Beginners with little or no dance experience and Improvers who already have experience or knowledge of either Egyptian Dance or styles of belly dance. 

Please wear clothes that allow you to move freely and if you want you can tie a scarf around your hips.  We also dance in bare feet, although soft soled dance shoes are OK.   

Here are all the details. 
Thursday nights 7:30-8:45pm
Classes start on 30 September and will run until 16 December
This is a 12 week term with no break
Cost is £72 (or £60 for concessions)
Open level
 
In a class we start with a warm up and then explore the technique and music associated with a particular style of Egyptian Dance.  We then use the technique we have learnt to dance together a short piece in this style.  We end each class with a cool down with some gentle stretching.  The length of each class is an hour and a quarter so that we have time to cover all of this.

I've had some really positive feedback about my classes and teaching style, and you can read some testimonials on my website. 

Bookings
To book, visit the Salisbury Centre website where you can pay using PayPal.
You can also make your booking by contacting the Salisbury Centre:
2 Salisbury Road, Edinburgh, EH16 5AB
Telephone: 0131 667 5438
email: office@salisburycentre.orgBookings should be open within the next few days. 

The Salisbury Centre
The Centre is the longest established holistic education centre in Edinburgh.  It is based in a Georgian House in the Southside of Edinburgh and set within beautiful organic gardens.   Here is the streetview.  The studio is in fact an amazing first floor drawing room, with a clean floor and beautiful views.  If you haven't been there before, I would thoroughly recommend going along to visit the Centre.  You can sit in the garden, help yourself to tea and coffee, and explore the range of things on offer including meditation, yoga, pottery, therapies and treatments, and a whole range of different classes and workshops.

Workshops

If you can't make the weekly classes, or if you are already at an Intermediate or Advanced level, then you might be interested in coming to the next Habiba Dance workshop.  The next workshop will be in the Sha'abi Rural Folkdance style on 23 October, from 1:30-3:30, also at the Salisbury Centre.

www.habibadance.com

Summer term at the Salisbury Centre

 

Good news!

The Salisbury Centre has found me a slot to teach regular weekly classes in Egyptian Dance next term.

Here are the details:

Every Thursday, 8.00-9.15pm
Starting on 22 April 2010
At The Salisbury Centre, 2 Salisbury Road, Edinburgh, EH16 5AB
Cost is £60 for the term of 10 classes, or £50 for concessions

I will be teaching the "Dances of Egypt".  Each week we will introduce the music and dance associated with different styles of Egyptian Dance.  It's a great way of learning about the background, history and development of this rich art form, whilst studying the different moves and technique, and exploring self expression to accompany the music.

The course will cover Sha'abi - the traditional Egyptian folk dance originating from Upper Egypt, Baladi  - an expressive interpretation of "Egyptian Jazz", and Classical - a contemporary style with ancient roots.   We will also explore the energies of the male and female style of dance, and if time allows the contemporary form inspired by Sufi tradition.

The course will be mixed level.  It is suitable for Absolute Beginners and Improvers who want to revisit the basics and develop a deeper understanding of Egyptian dance would also be very welcome.  This was a very popular format when I taught my Summer series of classes in 2009.  You can read the testimonials on my website to hear what my students had to say.

The Salisbury Centre is the longest established holistic education centre in Edinburgh.  It is based in a Georgian House in the Southside of Edinburgh and set within beautiful organic gardens.   Here is the streetview.  The studio is in fact an amazing first floor drawing room, with a clean floor and beautiful views.  If you haven't been there before, I would thoroughly recommend going along to visit the Centre.  You can sit in the garden, help yourself to tea and coffee, and explore the range of things on offer including meditation, yoga, pottery, therapies and treatments, and a whole range of different classes and workshops.

To book, contact The Salisbury Centre: 0131 667 5438, office@salisburycentre.org

And for further information, please feel free to contact me here.

I hope to see you there!

www.habibadance.com

Honesty is the best policy...

Someone asked me today for some tips on how to market themselves as a dancer and instructor. My reply was simply to do this in a truthful and honest way.

Be clear about the extent of your training, your influences, why you dance, what this dance means to you. How you teach, what you think your students will learn, where you take inspiration, and how you convey this to your students. My friend Elspeth believes that teachers get the students who are right for them and vice versa. I think that an honest approach will only quicken this process, helping the right match to be made.

It saddens me too often to see and hear the exaggerated claims of other dancers in this domain. The claim of authenticity from one who learnt their craft on their home soil. Or those that seek to demeanour the work of other dancers, even as far as discrediting their own teachers' work - to whom they owe heavy dues for bringing the dancer inside, out. To talk about that tiny tots ballet class attended once, as the equivalent of a lifetime of intensive training. To spin tales of being taught by the top dancers of the world when referring to a single workshop shared with 50 other women.

Time will tell, but these are the rules that I'm trying to live by with Habiba Dance. My organisation is now only a year old and the website, the videos, the words, the opinion presented here, they are all a part of myself, my own work and what I stand for.

Image Beth Rankin under Creative Commons.

www.habibadance.com

Dance Teachers in Edinburgh

I've been speaking with a friend yesterday who told me she that she was studying with one teacher in Edinburgh for ages and for some reason that teacher never mentioned the whole time what an amazing, thriving dance community that Edinburgh has. It is a shame, because for me teaching is about opening your students eyes to all the world has to offer. And that means allowing them to spread their wings to discover the multitude of dance teachers, dance styles, and learning.

So here are the names of some teachers that I know, who teach Egyptian Dance, Middle Eastern Dance and Belly Dance around Edinburgh. They don't all have websites - but if you are interested and wanted to contact me through my website, I might be able to help. Happy Dancing.

Egyptian Dance - Raqs Sharqi style

This is the style of dance which I teach and perform, in keeping with the Raqs Sharqi Society style.

Lorne McCall (my teacher) is the only teacher in Scotland who has completed the Raqs Sharqi Society teacher training. She teaches at Dance for All Studios in Stockbridge, with Intermediate and Advanced classes on a Wednesday. She is also the only teacher I know who has sufficient ability and knowledge to teach those students who have several years dancing experience and I know many professional dancers who currently go or have been to her classes. Lorne is the teacher I always recommend to my own students.

Juliana Brustik (also my teacher) teaches workshops over 4 weekends a year in Edinburgh. She's great at teaching proper bodywork to support the foundations of the dance, and makes you think differently about improvisation and group choreograhy.

Belly Dance teachers

Belly Dancing Caroline teaches Modern Egyptian Style Belly Dance at Dance Base and at Edinburgh University
Elspeth Alexander teaches Modern Egyptian Style in Musselburgh - she has a lovely warm personality where the enthusiasm of her students says it all.
Fiona Grossart teaches Belly Dance for Mature women at Dance Base and teaches a number of community classes in different venues in Edinburgh
Hilary Thacker is a local trader who teaches a number of classes
Constantina Litsa, Greek belly dancer teaches in the Adult Education programme
Shelley Skipper teaches her own fusion style, and also offers mother and daughter classes
Susan Tonner teaches American Tribal Style (ATS) Belly Dance as part of the Adult Education Programme
Laura Monteith teaches Tribal Fusion Belly Dance at Edinburgh University

I know there are countless other teachers around, and I always seem to meet new ones I have never met before at Haflas. In any case, these are the teachers I would mention to beginners and those interested in learning about Egyptian Dance or Belly dance and exploring what each of these dance styles has to offer. And at least next time someone asks me about classes in Edinburgh - whether friend or student, I can say - "Have you looked at my Blog?"

Thanks to Shelley who posted something similar recently and made me think about writing this up.

www.habibadance.com

Raqs Sharqi Society welcomes new Associate

I'm so excited!

Yesterday I got a letter from the Raqs Sharqi Society. They have accepted my application for Associate Membership of the Society.

The Rags Sharqi Society is an independent not for profit association that promotes, teaches and provides opportunities to study traditional and contemporary Egyptian Dance, in the UK and around the world. I have been taking lessons with teachers who are members of the society since it was first established 12 years ago. So I am really excited to now be accepted as a representative of the Society through my own teaching and performance work.

The Society promotes a particular style Egyptian Dance, that has emerged over the last 25 years. It's a little different to some of the other styles of Egyptian Dance and Middle Eastern Dance. It is based on the traditional roots of music and dances still found in some parts of Egypt today. But what makes this style different is the modern twist, that pays tribute to the ancient roots whilst finding a new contemporary interpretation, with a strength of discipline and performance adapted for stage equivalent to any of the contemporary dance arts.

That's a lot to live up to. My I only hope that through my work and the small contribution that it makes, I can help more people within the wider community discover the beauty and enjoyment of watching and learning this amazing dance.

www.habibadance.com