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HE IS COMING BACK!!!We are SUPER EXCITED to announce our Dancers Journey Instructor for 2024!
The Egyptian Master Teacher of Oriental & Folkloric Dance....
Ahmed Hussien!!
We will have a Master Class on Friday June 27th, followed by classes all day Saturday, June 28th & Sunday, June 29th, with a Gala Show Celebrating this Amazing Teacher on Saturday, June 28th.
We are offering really easy payment plans so you can plan ahead and pay slowly ;)
We have limited space...so keep an eye out for when Registration opens!
~ Workshop Fees:
~ VIP Early Bird All 3 Days Plus Show Ticket $255
Purchase/Pay in Full BY JUNE 10th
After JUNE 10th VIP cost $295
(Payment Plans Available in 4 Payments of $65, final payment due JUNE 10th)
~ Sat & Sun Workshops ONLY (No show ticket) $200
After JUNE 10th S&S cost $225
Available at a later date!.......
~ Ala Cart Per Day Workshops:
Sat or Sun $125
Fri $75
Gala Show Tickets Available on another event page!
~ Saturday Night Gala Show Tickets:
$20 adults
$5 kids 13-5 yrs
kids under 5 yrs free entry
Classes Subjects:
Friday Night Master Class
June 27th
Doors Open at 6:00 PM for Check in & Shopping!
Class 7:00 - 9:00 PM
TOPIC: SAIDI
Saidi Dance is an ancient folkloric dance form Upper Egypt. It combines martial arts movements (known as tahteeb) performed with a staff or cane (assaya). Traditionally, men perform tahteeb, as the ancient Egyptians used it as combat training for battle. The women perform a more theatrical style of tahteeb, called raqs assaya, celebrating the specialized combat skills, which was popularized by Mahmoud Reda, an Egyptian choreographer. They dance with lighter weight canes, and flaunt the ease of maneuvering them with lots of twirls, sometimes dancing with two canes simultaneously. Footwork in this dance often mimics the majestic white Egyptian horses. Traditionally, a loose fitting galabiya is worn both by men and women when performing, with a turban or headscarf. Women will also wear a scarf tied around their hips to showcase the movement.
Saturday June 28th
Doors Open at 9:00 AM for Check in & Shopping
Class 10:00 PM -12:00 AM
TOPIC: NUBIAN
There are actually a wide variety of Nubian dances; previously the Nubian peoples were of different groups in many different villages scattered along the length of the Nile in both southern Egypt and the Sudan. Some of the dances are from the Kensi people, some from Fadiki and some from groups who identify with Arab (Khaliji) immigrants.
The basic step most groups have in common is the right foot in front stepping down on the beat, the ball of the left foot in back stepping on the “and.” The arms move symmetrically together either forward and back or side and towards center. Men lean forward from the hips, women stand straight. Neither men nor women use hip-work, both can tilt their shoulders, women can also do upper torso lifts or drops.
Lunch Break 12:00-1:00 PM
Class 1:00 - 3:00 PM
TOPIC: FELLAHI
Fellahi dance is inspired by the farmers (Fellahin means Farmers in Arabic) of Egypt. The dance and movement styles vary depending upon which Arabic speaking country the dancers are drawing inspiration; Morocco, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon Fellahi Dances will all look slightly different. The concept of a Fellahi dance is the same however, it depicts the everyday work of the farmers; tasks dealing with irrigation and agriculture such as collecting water in jugs or gathering the harvest into baskets. It is a playful dance, with lots of interaction between the dancers. The costuming for this folkloric dance is a loose fitting dress, mimicking a smock type dress the farmers would wear to do their work. Dancers also perform Fellahi in a more narrow cut dress, sometimes referred to as a galabeya or baladi dress
Sunday June 29th
Doors Open at 9:00 AM for Check in & Shopping
Class 10:00 PM -12:00 AM
TOPIC: SIWA
Siwa people are of Amazigh (Berber) heritage and culture. It is not easy to view the music and dance here due to Siwa’s very private traditional ways.
The men’s arms are held straight out to the sides, a hip sash is tied very low on the backside. The basic step is made to be viewed from the back, the backside makes vertical circles (side, up, side, down). A additional hip movement is a strong down accent on one hip, standing with flat feet and slightly bent knee.
Mahmoud Reda, in 1965 observed the men in a different dance, outdoors and without the hip-sash they bent forward in single file, their arms relaxed at their sides except when clapping, their steps were bouncy and fast paced. The women did not allow themselves to be viewed dancing.
Siwa dance on stage, by both National Companies, hold the arms bent in front of the body, hands relaxed, leaning forward from the hips, with no hip-sash the hips make vertical circles with a little jump sideways. I have never seen Siwa dance represented in Cairo Oriental dance show.
Lunch Break 12:00-1:00 PM
Class 1:00 - 3:00 PM
TOPIC: BAMBOUTEYA
They are the se traders working in the Suez Canal. Originally this area was desert terrain with bedouin inhabitants. With an international presence in the building and maintenance of the Suez Canal an interesting dance form developed; an international fusion of tunes played on a Bedouin instrument (Simsimeya), European style of hand-played spoons, and a variety of objects played as drums. The dance form is singular in Egypt; the bouncy dance, often danced in “turn-out” is unlike any other dance form in the country.
In the late 1950s the now-famous Reda Troupe and the National Folklore Troupe of Egypt started exploring Egypt, going into small villages to learn about their traditional music, dance, and clothes. They created stylized choreographies from these movements and began performing throughout the country, and eventually around the world. The Bamboutaya was one of these dances, and the jumps, sailor caps, and spoons that we associate with them became famous. The performances and music were strictly non-political but it was during this time that resistance songs started to emerge in Port Said, and the Simsimiyya became its voice.
Gala Show Info:
Saturday, June 28th
DOORS OPEN 6:30 PM
CURTAIN 7:00 PM
Our performers will be gracing the stage at our own, Arabesque World Dance Studio and Event Center in beautiful downtown Lexington, KY.
(WORKSHOP ATTENDEES INTERESTED IN PERFORMING IN THE GALA SHOW, PLEASE EMAIL THE SHOW DIRECTOR SAFIYA NAWAAR @ [email protected] to request a performance spot!!)
Tickets will be Available on Workshop Event Website!
We will also create an event page for the show!
About Ahmed……
Ahmed Hussien is undeniably an iconic figure and a source of inspiration for dancers and teachers alike in the world of Classic Oriental and Egyptian Folkloric Dance. Ahmed's masterful and dynamic teaching method is the result of his absolute dedication to dance combined with his comprehensive experience in the area of performance and choreography. Ahmed is the ONLY Egyptian Dance Master to have Ballet, Belly Dance, Ballroom, and Broadway experience in his repertoire.
Ahmed Hussien was recognized by The Higher Institute of Ballet in Cairo, Egypt and accepted his enrollment into their elite academy at eight years of age. He studied both academics and dance for nine years, 12 hours a day; included in his rigorous training were formal instruction and mentorship in Classical Oriental and Folkloric Dances of Egypt by Egyptian Dance Masters, and Russian Ballet by experts affiliated with the prestigious ballet companies of Russia. By the age of 17, Ahmed had toured internationally with the Cairo National Ballet under the direction of Dr. Abdel Moneim Kamel, and had graduated from The Higher Institute of Ballet with the highest degree of honors. He came to the US and expanded his dance education into ballroom dance, while working for Madame Darvish of New York. Soon thereafter, Ahmed was presented with countless opportunities including touring with the Near East Dance Group, performing several times at Lincoln Center and choreographing “Oh, Brother” for a Broadway production. He has since been sponsored in many workshop intensives and been on judging panels for competitions worldwide.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Arabesque World Dance, 451 Chair Ave, Lexington, KY 40508-1796, United States,Lexington, Kentucky
