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liza wedgwood dance

Teacher and performer of Raqs Sharqi – traditional Egyptian dance

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Italian workshop Feb 2015

Inner Dance Stroud Nov '14

The Inner Dance of Raqs Sharqi – A fresh look at Baladi

January 9, 2015 by lizawedgwood | Edit

 

LW dances Baladi

The Inner Dance of Raqs Sharqi – A Fresh Look at Baladi

This year many of the courses and workshops in Gloucestershire UK, Germany and Italy will focus on having a fresh and in depth look atBaladi.  

We need poise, ease and clarity of technique in order to facilitate the full emotional spectrum which characterises Baladi, that dance which flourished in the small, crowded, smokey cafes of the Egyptian conurbations during the first half of the twentieth century.

We will explore this beautiful dance from an ‘Inner’ perspective. The movements of Raqs Sharqi, to have that quality of ease, need to come from our inner physical core, our inner middle upper spine, and not merely from arms, hips and shoulders. More importantly, I call it ‘Inner’ because instead ofoveremphasising  technique (which leaves the audience distanced and vaguely unsatisfied) we dance the wholeness of who we are. We offer our authentic sensuality, in the real meaning of the word.  This means to be present in the feeling of the movements and not just to do them.

If we as dancers do the movements we show our expertise.  If however, in a very simple way, we  stay with the physical feeling of those movements, we access a well of empty, peaceful, happiness.  This is the source of creativity, and combined with our love of its music, it is this creativity that improvisational Baladi asks of us.  It is a surprise, an adventure, –  suitable for all dancers whatever their experience!

Egyptian Dancing with the Stick Workshop

Saturday 6th December 2014 1.00 – 6.00pm

Erna Froehlich and I returned inspired from our October Dance Week in the Austrian Alps near Mittersill. We had celebrated 20 years of our residential dance intensive in the same cosy farm house with its beautiful dance room looking out towards the glittering white mountain peaks.

Our focus for the week was ‘Stick Dancing’. Erna and I purposefully left this term unqualified to allow for freedom and discovery, not only for students but for Erna and myself.
The fruits of those days were unexpected and inspirational, and they are what I would like to share with you at the workshop.

At first I was disheartened because we did not have enough natural wooden walking sticks for such a large group. The only solution was to use the hooked golden ‘cabaret’ canes which I have never really liked. It was those golden canes however which instigated our journey of discovery and became our inspiration.

I have not yet managed to get a supply of these golden canes, and therefore for this workshop please bring one if you own or can get hold of one. Don’t worry if you don’t or can’t. I will bring plenty of ordinary canes for us to dance with.

Dance for pregnancy and new mums in Stroud 2014

2011 Dance Week in Mittersill

*FITNESS   *FEMININITY   *EXHILARATION  *POSTURE . . . AND MORE . 

Classes on Wednesdays 1.45 – 3.15pm in DURSLEY at The Workshop, Courtyard Clinic, The Old Post Office, Parsonage Rd.  GL11 4DR.

Cost   £40 for four classes, or £12 per class

These are General Level Classes taught on the yogic principle of awareness of our inner harmony.  In a relaxed, supportive and pleasurable atmosphere you will learn movements and then use them in improvisational work and  in simple choreographies.  You will learn about the history of the dance and its cultural context in present day Egypt, as well as about costume and music.

Photo by Mark Robinson 2005

Photo by Mark Robinson 2005

In these workshops we will explore the two ends of the rich spectrum of Egyptian Dance.

SAIIDI, the dance of the people of Upper Egypt (around Luxor), that is where we will begin on Saturday.  Darabuka, Rababa, Mizmar, instruments unchanged over time, will earth us, encourage us to feel the ground beneath our feet, the whole body responding to the energy of the driving, pulsating rhythms and haunting, evocative melodies. It links us to an ancient Egyptian tradition.

Sunday’s CLASSICAL ( SHARQI) workshop will take us to the other end of the spectrum – and even further as we learn the charismatic, refined expression of the COURTLY style of the Classical form.  This was a style developed by Suraya Hilal in the 1980s and 90s and therefore could be considered ‘modern’.  However, as there are practically no records of how women danced to the old classical music of the Arab world we have to assume that the movements that were used were those that best expressed the delicacy of the Kanoun (zither) and Riq (small frame drum).  It is a beautifully refined and very feminine style in which the dancer can be exquisitely simple in her dance or intricately inventive according to her mood.

Earthy and exuberant Saiidi in Hamburg in 2012

Earthy and exuberant Saiidi in Hamburg in 2012. Photo by Madou Reynaud

 There are still places!!  Cost 100 Euros for both days, or one day by arrangement with Linda Mameri

 

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