abitofanenigma (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} abitofanenigma) wrote,@ 2008-06-18 12:08:00 |
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Raqs Britannia Review
This post is seriously long so I’ve used headings to break it down. I don’t expect anyone to read it, mind…it’s more so I can remember.
So I headed out at 7 in the morning to Blackpool. I found it a pretty scary place, it’s kinda run down since the tourist stopped coming there. Personally I would not go there on holiday…there’s a lot of rowdy people and it seems to attract a lot of trashy hen/stag nights. Also, could only find greasy spoons to eat at, not my cup of tea (and not nourishing when you have flu!). Furthermore, I was woken at 4am by some drunkard shouting "Nathalie! NATHALIE!!! I want to see Gina! Giiina! You can't keep me away from her! Nathalieeeee!!!!!" before smashing a window.
SONIA
My first workshop was Sonia’s Bellynesian on the Saturday afternoon. It was held in the Winter Gardens which I’m guessing is supposed to be the nicest building in Blackpool? While the main entrance was lovely and late 19th Century the adjacent halls left something to be desired. Sonia’s Workshop was held in the “Spanish Hall,” opposite the “Baronial Hall.” Both were up a flight of stairs covered in plasticy looking dark mahogany paneling. Well, you could tell the hall was “Spanish” because the walls came complete with a papier mache relief of some Spanish battlement and arch, complete with the head of some “senorita” or other. The large vaulted ceilings had a gaudy sky painted in it, the effect somewhat spoiled by the gaping holes in the plasterwork. Halfway through the workshop Sonia leant over and squealed. I thought she’d injured herself or something…nope, there was a maggot crawling on the floor. By the end of the workshop there were about six or seven. We had no idea where they were coming from, but given they fell under a hole in the ceiling we can only assume…
Mingin. Yes? Anyway, despite all the things said about Sonia being overly reserved, even cold, I found her really nice and cheerful – a complete surprise really. We learned the posture of Polynesian and some basic steps, I think it was more the case we were given steps to drill at home and some basic choreo to put them together. The steps are similar in pattern to bellydance but the stance is completely different. Heels virtually touching with the toes outward in a V and a slight plie. The hip movements are driven by bending and straightening the legs (and occasionally lifting the heels) as opposed to using mostly the core. The pumping of the legs is particularly useful when you want to speed up, apparently, and lifting your heels allows for traveling movement. I really want to pursue this one further, I’m looking to get Tumata’s DVD over Sonia’s because it was actually recommended. I’m even looking up grass skirts right now…Beware though, if you want to do it your umis have to be up to scratch (mine are sooo not).
JILLINA -
Secondly was Jillina and Issam Drum Solo “Percussive Precision.” From the title of this workshop I thought it would be advice on how to dance and drill to be more precise…actually it was a short choreography to a drum solo on one of the Bellydance Superstars CDs (Issam just played it for us instead). I have to say this was the most disappointing workshop I took…the class was crowded with what must have been 150+ people, I sat most of it out because the confusion, the heat, the dancing and my fever weren’t entirely compatible. At least we got the choreo sheet to take home, but I found it far too fast paced and the moves were rather technical for an open level class! Worse still, there was a group of dancers glued to the front that looked professional themselves (one of them looked like she knew Jillina personally…) so they knew everything already and it was a little disheartening to stand behind them and feel like a knobbly potato or something.
MOROCCO -
The next day I took Morocco’s A La Kefek workshop which I had to say was a breath of fresh air. The class was labeled as “INT/ADV” but we were briefed that there would be nothing in this workshop that we couldn’t do, that a normal read body couldn’t do. That’s not to say it wasn’t challenging, but there was strictly no locking, hitting or popping involved (we were advised not to use these terms – they instruct your muscles to do things that are harmful apparently). Morocco was fabulous, very “New York” and she was very outspoken, very humorous and had a mouth bigger than…well even bigger than my mother’s (and that’s saying something!). It was great to go back to the roots of the dance, the hipwork was actually more complex (more pattern and rhythym – less drilling for a bigger movement I would say). 4 hours of straight dancing can take its toll though, I mean Morocco is edging towards 70 soon and she was still going! We had a traditional technique breakdown (feet narrower than your hips, don’t bend your knees too much to get a movement, don’t lift your heels, no kicking whatsoever! Kicking is Ballet! And so on…)
After about three and a half hours we were all knackered, so we all sat down in front of Morocco while she did some Q and A. We got to hear about Samia Gamal slapping Prince Farouk of Egypt on the face because he slipped an ice cube down her dress, about the styles (or lack of actual styles) in the dance. Morocco is fascinating, I mean she’s been performing longer than most of the teachers I know have been alive. Her experience and dedication to keeping something alive is really just awe inspiring. I think some people are a little afraid of her and may not agree with her strict line on what is and isn’t correct, but what really came across is the fact that she wants to pass it on – yes the dance does develop and evolve but it risks being lost in foreign cultures, fundamentalism and modernization. Someone needs to keep the history alive and I actually feel privileged to have been taught by her, because maybe in the future I can pass it on to someone else. I’d love to take more of her classes, in a sense I’m lucky that modern Egyptian is quite popular in the UK. It was odd to take one of Aziza’s classes because I’ve never done anything quite so technically demanding and I practice – I don’t drill – it was kind of a shock!
SHOW -
The performance on the Saturday night was good as well. I’m not a huge fan of the Bellydance Superstars doing their troupe work, I find it a bit “Cirque du Bellydance” (I prefer smaller intimate gigs – this applies to music too, just the way I am). But it served its purpose as being visually fascinating. Jillian did her drum solo perched on a tabla, Sonia and Moria did a cute duet where one danced in cabaret style and the other tribal (but to the same music).
The guest teachers also did a show with a set each. Suhaila did a duet with her daughter, which was great, although Suhaila looked a little washed out and I can’t even remember how she danced her solo – I just remember her looking a little drunk and pulling her hair a lot.
The biggest disappointment for me was Sophie Mei. For those of you that don’t know, she was on one of those TV talent competitions involving Simon Cowell. Fair enough, they sandwiched her between Fahtiem and Morocco which wasn’t exactly fair, but I think train wreck is a good description. I’ll be nice – she was great with the Isis wings, she had great stage presence/attitude and her backbends are accomplished, but her dance was frantic and her technique just simply terrible. She looked like she’d only seen bellydancing on youtube. Her shimmy involved her sticking her legs about two feet wide and “shuggeling” her butt from side to side, and her leg was virtually straight and locked for her hipdrop, she hopped onto her foot to bring her hip down (yes, she does “egyptian”). To top it all off, to end her song she dropped into a full-on knees to the audience backbend on the floor, demonstrating every reason why this should NEVER be done! She was also wearing a tight, drapey, clingy skirt which served to highlight it even more. Those of us in the front rows were treated to a full on view of Bony Crotch Mountain. Ick.
What makes it all the more baffling is that I checked up online afterwards, apparently she’s been getting lessons for 6 years and has just got some kind of qualification to teach it. I’m a little worried given that she looks set to give herself an injury sometime soon…Maybe I’m being a little unfair, she didn’t have the experience of the other dancers, but then again I didn’t pay that much for a ticket to see her dancing! I paid to be inspired and enjoy a very high standard of dancing and performance, not watch someone who went on TV. Lambs. To. Slaughter. Funnily enough, I met a girl afterwards who said she liked her performance best, I guess that just shows everyone is different.
Anyway, it’ll be Yasmina of Cairo next month for workshops. I imagine that’ll be in complete contrast. Have to keep myself busy, no?
This post is seriously long so I’ve used headings to break it down. I don’t expect anyone to read it, mind…it’s more so I can remember.
So I headed out at 7 in the morning to Blackpool. I found it a pretty scary place, it’s kinda run down since the tourist stopped coming there. Personally I would not go there on holiday…there’s a lot of rowdy people and it seems to attract a lot of trashy hen/stag nights. Also, could only find greasy spoons to eat at, not my cup of tea (and not nourishing when you have flu!). Furthermore, I was woken at 4am by some drunkard shouting "Nathalie! NATHALIE!!! I want to see Gina! Giiina! You can't keep me away from her! Nathalieeeee!!!!!" before smashing a window.
SONIA
My first workshop was Sonia’s Bellynesian on the Saturday afternoon. It was held in the Winter Gardens which I’m guessing is supposed to be the nicest building in Blackpool? While the main entrance was lovely and late 19th Century the adjacent halls left something to be desired. Sonia’s Workshop was held in the “Spanish Hall,” opposite the “Baronial Hall.” Both were up a flight of stairs covered in plasticy looking dark mahogany paneling. Well, you could tell the hall was “Spanish” because the walls came complete with a papier mache relief of some Spanish battlement and arch, complete with the head of some “senorita” or other. The large vaulted ceilings had a gaudy sky painted in it, the effect somewhat spoiled by the gaping holes in the plasterwork. Halfway through the workshop Sonia leant over and squealed. I thought she’d injured herself or something…nope, there was a maggot crawling on the floor. By the end of the workshop there were about six or seven. We had no idea where they were coming from, but given they fell under a hole in the ceiling we can only assume…
Mingin. Yes? Anyway, despite all the things said about Sonia being overly reserved, even cold, I found her really nice and cheerful – a complete surprise really. We learned the posture of Polynesian and some basic steps, I think it was more the case we were given steps to drill at home and some basic choreo to put them together. The steps are similar in pattern to bellydance but the stance is completely different. Heels virtually touching with the toes outward in a V and a slight plie. The hip movements are driven by bending and straightening the legs (and occasionally lifting the heels) as opposed to using mostly the core. The pumping of the legs is particularly useful when you want to speed up, apparently, and lifting your heels allows for traveling movement. I really want to pursue this one further, I’m looking to get Tumata’s DVD over Sonia’s because it was actually recommended. I’m even looking up grass skirts right now…Beware though, if you want to do it your umis have to be up to scratch (mine are sooo not).
JILLINA -
Secondly was Jillina and Issam Drum Solo “Percussive Precision.” From the title of this workshop I thought it would be advice on how to dance and drill to be more precise…actually it was a short choreography to a drum solo on one of the Bellydance Superstars CDs (Issam just played it for us instead). I have to say this was the most disappointing workshop I took…the class was crowded with what must have been 150+ people, I sat most of it out because the confusion, the heat, the dancing and my fever weren’t entirely compatible. At least we got the choreo sheet to take home, but I found it far too fast paced and the moves were rather technical for an open level class! Worse still, there was a group of dancers glued to the front that looked professional themselves (one of them looked like she knew Jillina personally…) so they knew everything already and it was a little disheartening to stand behind them and feel like a knobbly potato or something.
MOROCCO -
The next day I took Morocco’s A La Kefek workshop which I had to say was a breath of fresh air. The class was labeled as “INT/ADV” but we were briefed that there would be nothing in this workshop that we couldn’t do, that a normal read body couldn’t do. That’s not to say it wasn’t challenging, but there was strictly no locking, hitting or popping involved (we were advised not to use these terms – they instruct your muscles to do things that are harmful apparently). Morocco was fabulous, very “New York” and she was very outspoken, very humorous and had a mouth bigger than…well even bigger than my mother’s (and that’s saying something!). It was great to go back to the roots of the dance, the hipwork was actually more complex (more pattern and rhythym – less drilling for a bigger movement I would say). 4 hours of straight dancing can take its toll though, I mean Morocco is edging towards 70 soon and she was still going! We had a traditional technique breakdown (feet narrower than your hips, don’t bend your knees too much to get a movement, don’t lift your heels, no kicking whatsoever! Kicking is Ballet! And so on…)
After about three and a half hours we were all knackered, so we all sat down in front of Morocco while she did some Q and A. We got to hear about Samia Gamal slapping Prince Farouk of Egypt on the face because he slipped an ice cube down her dress, about the styles (or lack of actual styles) in the dance. Morocco is fascinating, I mean she’s been performing longer than most of the teachers I know have been alive. Her experience and dedication to keeping something alive is really just awe inspiring. I think some people are a little afraid of her and may not agree with her strict line on what is and isn’t correct, but what really came across is the fact that she wants to pass it on – yes the dance does develop and evolve but it risks being lost in foreign cultures, fundamentalism and modernization. Someone needs to keep the history alive and I actually feel privileged to have been taught by her, because maybe in the future I can pass it on to someone else. I’d love to take more of her classes, in a sense I’m lucky that modern Egyptian is quite popular in the UK. It was odd to take one of Aziza’s classes because I’ve never done anything quite so technically demanding and I practice – I don’t drill – it was kind of a shock!
SHOW -
The performance on the Saturday night was good as well. I’m not a huge fan of the Bellydance Superstars doing their troupe work, I find it a bit “Cirque du Bellydance” (I prefer smaller intimate gigs – this applies to music too, just the way I am). But it served its purpose as being visually fascinating. Jillian did her drum solo perched on a tabla, Sonia and Moria did a cute duet where one danced in cabaret style and the other tribal (but to the same music).
The guest teachers also did a show with a set each. Suhaila did a duet with her daughter, which was great, although Suhaila looked a little washed out and I can’t even remember how she danced her solo – I just remember her looking a little drunk and pulling her hair a lot.
The biggest disappointment for me was Sophie Mei. For those of you that don’t know, she was on one of those TV talent competitions involving Simon Cowell. Fair enough, they sandwiched her between Fahtiem and Morocco which wasn’t exactly fair, but I think train wreck is a good description. I’ll be nice – she was great with the Isis wings, she had great stage presence/attitude and her backbends are accomplished, but her dance was frantic and her technique just simply terrible. She looked like she’d only seen bellydancing on youtube. Her shimmy involved her sticking her legs about two feet wide and “shuggeling” her butt from side to side, and her leg was virtually straight and locked for her hipdrop, she hopped onto her foot to bring her hip down (yes, she does “egyptian”). To top it all off, to end her song she dropped into a full-on knees to the audience backbend on the floor, demonstrating every reason why this should NEVER be done! She was also wearing a tight, drapey, clingy skirt which served to highlight it even more. Those of us in the front rows were treated to a full on view of Bony Crotch Mountain. Ick.
What makes it all the more baffling is that I checked up online afterwards, apparently she’s been getting lessons for 6 years and has just got some kind of qualification to teach it. I’m a little worried given that she looks set to give herself an injury sometime soon…Maybe I’m being a little unfair, she didn’t have the experience of the other dancers, but then again I didn’t pay that much for a ticket to see her dancing! I paid to be inspired and enjoy a very high standard of dancing and performance, not watch someone who went on TV. Lambs. To. Slaughter. Funnily enough, I met a girl afterwards who said she liked her performance best, I guess that just shows everyone is different.
Anyway, it’ll be Yasmina of Cairo next month for workshops. I imagine that’ll be in complete contrast. Have to keep myself busy, no?
