CA Legends of Belly Dance Festival

We Are Back! Workshops, Discussions and performances with dancers that have shaped and are shapping the California Raqs Sharqi Scene! Join us Labor Day weekend in the studio or online for these fantastic workshops.

Workshops On Demand will be available to view through September 19!

Featuring 90-minute IN-STUDIO or VIrtual workshops with:

Zahra Zuhair

Sahra Saeeda

Roxanne Shelaby

Helena Vlahos

Fahtiem

Jamilla Al Wahid

and

Sonia & Issam

With 1-hour discussions with

Nakish

Rebaba

(Via Zoom)

And a Saturday evening Gala Performance Directed by Kamala featuring some of our teachers and special performers.

Space for in-studio participation is extremely limited. Guarantee your space and purchase ticekts now.

Covid Safety:

Space is LIMITED for in-studio classes and proof of vaccination, OR negative covid test within the 72 hours prior to the workshop. Masks will be required depending on recommendations and regulations from our local government.

In the event that the event must be canceled do to unsafe pandemic conditions, we will hold the event virtually.

Event Schedule & Descriptions:

Saturday, Sept 4

9:30am PDT- Zahra Zuhair: Tarab

Traditional Arab music has an intimate ambience and aims at evoking "tarab", or ecstasy, in the performers and listeners. Zahra will teach a choreography to classic Oriental music focusing on essence and expression. (Intermediate/Advanced)

11:15am PDT- Roxanne Shelaby: Understanding Music like a native Menaht Dancer

Understanding Arabic music and how to plan your performance. Learn how to structure your music for an Arabic dance performance in an authentic way, understand the key parts of the music to manifest your connection to the music in your dance! This will be a combination of lecture &movement.

1:15pm PDT - Rebaba: Life and career: Lecture & Discussion

2:30pm PDT- Fahtiem: Zill Movement & Coordination

Dance to the rhythm of your own finger cymbals. Build confidence playing Zills.

4:15pm PDT - Jamilla Al Wahid: Egyptian Essence & Shimmy Finesse

Learn Egyptian influenced combinations and Jamilla's killer locks and shimmes for an extraordinary drum solo.

Saturday, Sept 4, 7:30pm PDT: An Evening with the Legends

Artistic Direction by Kamala Almanzar, An Evening With The Legends features performances by our festival instructors and special guests, each chosen for their impact on the shaping of the California Raqs Sharqi Dance Scene in the past, present and future. Featuring performances by:

Alia Mohamed

Aubre Hill & Dancers

Devilla Raks & Sekhmet Dance Company

Fahtiem

Helena Vlahos

Issam Houshan

Jamilla Al Wahid

Roxxanne Shelaby

Sahra Saeeda

Sonia Ochoa

Zahra Zuhair

Sunday, Sept 5

9:30am PDT - Sahra Saeeda: Ghawazee Dance

Bring the dynamic, earthy, Egyptian Ghawazee movement into your dance repertoire. We learn Ghawazee shimmies, layerings and steps, including that of the Upper Egyptian Banat Mazin. Sahra also presents the famous “Sumbati” routine which is based on floorwork while balancing a shamadan.

11:15am PDT Helena Vlahos: Taxim

Taxim is a beautiful instrumental improvisation. It is played by a solo instrument such as the violin, Oud, Flute, Qanoun or any other instrument. This does not include percussion. Taxim can be played without rhythm or it can be accompanied by a percussion instrument such as the dumbek. The rhythm is usually Chiftetelli but it can be other rhythms as well. Taxim can be slow, medium or fast. Veil work is fantastic to a Taxim as is floorwork in the slow part of your dance. Greek music also has the nice fast Chiftetelli Taxim which we dance with lively shimmying movements.

1:15pm PDT Nakish: 1983 in Egypt - Lecture & Discussion

In 1983, Nakish was invited to Egypty by Dr. Bousaini Farid, then Preseident of the Women's Club in Egypt to go to Egypt to dance for the Friendship Force International Program, a nonprofit international cultural exchange organization that was founded with a single mission - to create an environment in which personal friendships were established across the barriers that separate people. Nakish will discuss this trip, her impressions, and interactions.

2:30pm PDT - Sonia Ochoa & Issam Houshan: Drum Solo

Join the dynamic duo, Sonia Ochoa & Issam Houshan and learn a dynamic, interactive drum solo choreography by Sonia, with Issam's masterful percussion and insight into rhtyhms and dancing with a live drummer.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Evolution Studios, 10816 Burbank Boulevard, Los Angeles, United States