Friday, April 17, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Article of Bellydance Hitory in Mexico from Gided serpent
Gilded Serpent presents...
Its All in the Flavor!
Bellydancing in Mexico
by Martha Duran
posted March 2009
Mexico – a place full of cultural treasures, a place full of magic and charm. You feel this as you walk along the streets of Mexico, admire its world heritage sites, and marvel at the impressive architecture. You can dance along its pre-Hispanic and colonial past.
So when did Mexicans started dancing something other than our own dances?
Dance in Mexico is the most direct and loyal expression of the evolution of our country. Don Porfirio Diaz who was president in 1877, promised to establish a pure and rich Mexican culture. In 1910, there was a social explosion turning our society, military, and commerce into a spectacle and producing legends out of our governors. As a result, our ceremonies, parades, restaurants, and of course, our dancing was transformed, thanks to the foreign elements the time of change introduced to our country. We imported operas but adapted them to our popular songs and languages—injected with our spontaneous humor and lively music and dance.
While dance is considered one of our ancestral practices, it wasn’t until the 1940s that dance formally incorporated dance techniques developed in foreign countries. From Mazurkas to Ballroom dances, our dance styles were enriched with multicultural styles without sacrificing our folkloric heritage.
Musicians and muralists influenced and inspired choreographers of the 1920s with the fashionable elements of that time. From the 1930s to the ‘40s, Mexicans rejected Classical dance because of its poor relationship to our national spirit. Between the ‘40s and ‘50s, Folk dancing was performed in stadiums where hundreds of ladies performed with ruffled skirts decorated with luxurious braiding.
Through art, the people of Mexico learned about their economic situation, their ancestral oppression and what they could do to change their situation.
Amalia Aguilar & Germán Valdés in 1949
Through the years, soloists like Nellie Campobello, Gloria Campobello, Dora Duby and dancer Xenia Zarina, performed Experimental Ballet and Modern Dance. Xenia Zarina performed Interpretative Dance and Oriental Dance for the first time in Mexico. March of 1936 marked the introduction of Oriental Dance into Mexico; ever multicultural, it was very common to see versatile dancers on television, in the movies, and on stages across the country.
As a Bellydancer for more than 29 years, I reach back in history and remember my first taste of Bellydancing on national and international television. I remember watching movies on local channels such as ¨1001 Nights¨ featuring German Valdes, ¨Tin Tan¨, and Maria Antonieta, with simple Bellydancing and beautiful costuming.
On the ABC network, a Three’s Company episode ¨Good Old Reliable Janet ¨ featured Nadia Caillou as a special guest performer in a restaurant scene (episode 2, season 3) aired on September 19,1978. I blame her for my love of Bellydance! The way she twirled around the tables, the sound of her cymbals, her simple and intricate movements made me long to do the same.
There were absolutely no Bellydance classes around my hometown! My mom remembers bumping into a Bellydancer in the early ‘80s up north, in Los Angeles, when visiting my aunt’s house for the summer, where she signed me up for my dance classes. Back home, I had started in Ballet and Tap Dance, and I remember clearly the joy of my first Bellydancing class—the jingling of my teacher’s hip scarf, and the most exciting music I have ever heard filling the room with drum beats. There was enough space to visualize myself as that beautiful dancer with a flowing red and black skirt I had seen on television.
Years went by and I continued visiting my aunt and uncle’s homes for long, dance-filled summer vacations. I couldn’t get Oriental classes here in Mexico; so I had to go to the United States. Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Indio (all in California) were among the cities that gave me the opportunity to experience Bellydancing with some of today’s renowned Bellydance teachers.
When did the Bellydance boom hit our country? It was back in 1992 when children in Mexico fell in love with Disney’s animated movie, “Aladdin”. I participated as a choreographer for a local elementary school; our rehearsals started in 1993, and the show was presented onstage in Mexicali, Baja California, months later. After that, we formed a small Oriental dance group with children between 6 and 9 years of age. Classes took place at an art center; well, perhaps it was more of an extra room in a piano teacher’s expansive home. Children kept coming and going, but officially, they were learning about Bellydance and its culture at a glance. Some parents were familiar with the dance style because of the pop music legends of the ‘80s and ‘90s—like Madonna, Michael Jackson and The Bangles who used a interpretation of Pharonic Egyptian dance.
In 1998, Bellydancers who danced like Shakira became as popular as dancers of any other dance form. Classrooms were full to their maximum capacities, and waiting lists grew for selected schools that offered Bellydance classes in Mexico, from Mexicali in Baja California to Mexico City.
There were no more than 5 Bellydance teachers in the country teaching Middle Eastern dance. Among them were: Maria Shazadi, Marla de La Vega, Niral, Samirah Vazquez, and me, Martha Duran.
Those were tough times for us teachers. Students were very shy in the classroom but eager to learn; some of them even thought that Shakira had created Bellydance! They didn’t have much information about Oriental Dance, its origins, or different styles. Some aspiring dancers even sat through several classes just to check out what Bellydance was or if we teachers danced it as well as Shakira.
On several occasions, I remember having teachers from other schools visit my classes to analyze the structure of the class. They asked: “How can you teach Bellydance if there is no method? Do you set up choreographies only? How can you teach the steps? Do the steps have names? Are you Egyptian? Are you Arabic? If you’re not Arabic, how can you Bellydance? Shakira said that she’s Lebanese, and that’s why she can dance it…¨
Those were common questions and comments made by people who were intrigued by this art form. To teach a Mexican how to do hip circles was easy—as well as how to manage a veil—because of our skirting technique in Mexican folk dancing. However, it’s different teaching a Mexican an undulation, hip shimmy, hip drop or hip twist. That was really a challenge, since our dancing styles don’t involve much movement of the waist. It was like having the hips stuck to the shoulders with no flexibility at the lower back and very stiff waists. We structured the classes for the student to achieve the above movements slowly, as well as giving them the confidence and flexibility that a Bellydancer needs to be able to dance with the Oriental music pieces.
Another issue I faced back then was obtaining musical arrangements. I remember instructing class with 2 CDs and a mix tape of George Abdo’s music that I had made with my vinyl LPs. One of the CDs was a compilation (a student’s gift to me) and the other one, I treasured because I bought it directly from the artist in a dance workshop that I attended in 1994.
In an interview with Bellydance-master, Maria Shazadi, one of the first Bellydance teachers in our country, I asked her about Bellydance classes 10 years ago. She explained how simple they were back then compared to today’s classes: ¨They are now full of rhythms and technique, basic steps, combinations and choreography. Today, of course, you get to have groups of different levels¨; back then, you only had one type of student—the absolute beginner. Today you have [the range of] the confident student to the ‘I-want-to-be-a-Bellydance-teacher-fast’ student as well as the ‘I-still-love-Shakira’ student, the ‘I-want-to-try-something-different’ dancer, the ‘in-style’ student, and the well informed student.”
Niral Alvarez Basave was one of the first Bellydancers from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, founder of IMCADH (Instituto Mexicano de Cultura Arte y Desarrollo Humano Associacion Civil) [English: Institute of Mexico of Culture Art and Human Development Civic Asociation] and creator of Bellydance Night Festival where Bellydancers from all of Latin America united for days full of workshops with international instructors and performers. In December 2008, she defined Bellydance as the spiritual part of Oriental Dance. She describes it as the best form of expression for a dancer, teacher and choreographer. Niral received instruction with Brazilian dancer “Amaniksha” (Juliana Berganholi). Oriental dance and Bhangra were mingled together in a dance style called “Samkya”, which is based in gaining spiritual connections with the woman’s conscience through movement and artistic expression.
Mudras, choreographys, reflexology, aromatherapy, veil technique, meditation and mantras are the foundations of Niral´s education. Samkya leads to an artistic and pure representation of the art through the years and can educate generations of Bellydancers (who are distinguished for their passion to the dance and for their knowledge of folk, cabaret, and sisterhood) by maintaining through the dance love and respect to their teachers throughout the years.
¨For me, to Bellydance is to feel the music, to move a feeling…¨ (Hadassah, Jessica Vazquez from La Paz Baja California Sur, Mexico)
A new generation of teachers has evolved in the past 5 years here in Mexico. We have many girls who have attended a class here and there, danced along in a workshop, love YouTube, know the Bellydance Superstars choreographies by heart and teach just as Veena and Neena do in their videos. Many of them admit they have never had a formal education in Bellydance at all and have created their own special styles of Bellydance.
Sometimes, this makes Mexican Bellydancers look bad. Their students, mis-informed and misguided dancers, make soups out of different choreographies they’ve watched either on YouTube or downloaded from the Web (which is, by the way, somewhat legal in Mexico). They lift a combination from one dancer’s performance and paste it over another song, mixed with another dancer’s copy and paste combination, resulting in a disaster.
Fortunately though, there’s the award winning, dedicated, new generation of Bellydancers who have received awards in Bellydance contests like Maryam from Tijuana who won 1st place in Little Egypt´s Queen of Raks Sharqi 2008 Pageant. At this same contest in Dallas, Texas, Judge Randa Kamal commented after Mexican Bellydancer Maryam´s performance: “Great performance!” and Dr. Mo (also a judge) said to her, personally, “You are lovely!” “To have two of the greatest Bellydance masters of the world commenting on a Mexican doing their dance style: that’s the best reward you can receive!” Maryam commented in an August 2008, interview.
Students, comprising a new generation who is only interested in becoming a performer, have popped up in the past 2 years. These dancers have more knowledge and respect for the dance styles and invest whatever it takes to gain presence on-stage. It’s a new generation of Bellydancers who attend every workshop and seminar around, who not only use the Internet as reference but also respect their teacher’s knowledge, from Cabaret style to Tribal Fusion. Dancers take the stage in the few places located in the Mexican states like Al Khaima, a Moroccan restaurant in Guadalajara, Jalisco, which dedicates Saturdays to Tribal Fusion Bellydance. This is where performers like Araceli de Anda, one of the first (and few) Bellydance Tribal Fusion performers in the city, take the stage.
Hannali and Amduat, Tribal Fusion performers from Cd.Obregon in Sonora, Mexico, formally introduced Bellydance to this state. They are teachers taught by the Maktub Studio of Shamsia Yarahum in Tijuana, B.C.
Manisha from Merida, Yucatan, studied with the first generation of Bellydance students in the city of Tijuana with Bahira, a Bellydancer from San Diego California. Bahira traveled into Mexico weekly to teach Bellydancers in a small group, who, after years of preparation and dedication, have manage to inspire many new generations.
Since 1992, many of us dance teachers have overcome numerous obstacles, taught several generations, and managed to handle varied situations presented by our culture while teaching and performing. We have dealt with the fact that we are not Egyptian or Arabian and that we were not born Bellydancing. Maybe we haven’t lived in Egypt, but have never feared what would happen when an Egyptian or an Arabian sees us Mexican Bellydancers perform. Perhaps the excellent instructors we have in nearby countries have given us strong foundations in Oriental Dance and given us confidence. Maybe it’s our Rumbera dancers from Mexico´s golden era of dancers in films or maybe, as my first Bellydance instructor complimented me on my achievements in my first class, “You Mexicans give flavor to Bellydance!”
Its All in the Flavor!
Bellydancing in Mexico
by Martha Duran
posted March 2009
Mexico – a place full of cultural treasures, a place full of magic and charm. You feel this as you walk along the streets of Mexico, admire its world heritage sites, and marvel at the impressive architecture. You can dance along its pre-Hispanic and colonial past.
So when did Mexicans started dancing something other than our own dances?
Dance in Mexico is the most direct and loyal expression of the evolution of our country. Don Porfirio Diaz who was president in 1877, promised to establish a pure and rich Mexican culture. In 1910, there was a social explosion turning our society, military, and commerce into a spectacle and producing legends out of our governors. As a result, our ceremonies, parades, restaurants, and of course, our dancing was transformed, thanks to the foreign elements the time of change introduced to our country. We imported operas but adapted them to our popular songs and languages—injected with our spontaneous humor and lively music and dance.
While dance is considered one of our ancestral practices, it wasn’t until the 1940s that dance formally incorporated dance techniques developed in foreign countries. From Mazurkas to Ballroom dances, our dance styles were enriched with multicultural styles without sacrificing our folkloric heritage.
Musicians and muralists influenced and inspired choreographers of the 1920s with the fashionable elements of that time. From the 1930s to the ‘40s, Mexicans rejected Classical dance because of its poor relationship to our national spirit. Between the ‘40s and ‘50s, Folk dancing was performed in stadiums where hundreds of ladies performed with ruffled skirts decorated with luxurious braiding.
Through art, the people of Mexico learned about their economic situation, their ancestral oppression and what they could do to change their situation.
Amalia Aguilar & Germán Valdés in 1949
Through the years, soloists like Nellie Campobello, Gloria Campobello, Dora Duby and dancer Xenia Zarina, performed Experimental Ballet and Modern Dance. Xenia Zarina performed Interpretative Dance and Oriental Dance for the first time in Mexico. March of 1936 marked the introduction of Oriental Dance into Mexico; ever multicultural, it was very common to see versatile dancers on television, in the movies, and on stages across the country.
As a Bellydancer for more than 29 years, I reach back in history and remember my first taste of Bellydancing on national and international television. I remember watching movies on local channels such as ¨1001 Nights¨ featuring German Valdes, ¨Tin Tan¨, and Maria Antonieta, with simple Bellydancing and beautiful costuming.
On the ABC network, a Three’s Company episode ¨Good Old Reliable Janet ¨ featured Nadia Caillou as a special guest performer in a restaurant scene (episode 2, season 3) aired on September 19,1978. I blame her for my love of Bellydance! The way she twirled around the tables, the sound of her cymbals, her simple and intricate movements made me long to do the same.
There were absolutely no Bellydance classes around my hometown! My mom remembers bumping into a Bellydancer in the early ‘80s up north, in Los Angeles, when visiting my aunt’s house for the summer, where she signed me up for my dance classes. Back home, I had started in Ballet and Tap Dance, and I remember clearly the joy of my first Bellydancing class—the jingling of my teacher’s hip scarf, and the most exciting music I have ever heard filling the room with drum beats. There was enough space to visualize myself as that beautiful dancer with a flowing red and black skirt I had seen on television.
Years went by and I continued visiting my aunt and uncle’s homes for long, dance-filled summer vacations. I couldn’t get Oriental classes here in Mexico; so I had to go to the United States. Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Indio (all in California) were among the cities that gave me the opportunity to experience Bellydancing with some of today’s renowned Bellydance teachers.
When did the Bellydance boom hit our country? It was back in 1992 when children in Mexico fell in love with Disney’s animated movie, “Aladdin”. I participated as a choreographer for a local elementary school; our rehearsals started in 1993, and the show was presented onstage in Mexicali, Baja California, months later. After that, we formed a small Oriental dance group with children between 6 and 9 years of age. Classes took place at an art center; well, perhaps it was more of an extra room in a piano teacher’s expansive home. Children kept coming and going, but officially, they were learning about Bellydance and its culture at a glance. Some parents were familiar with the dance style because of the pop music legends of the ‘80s and ‘90s—like Madonna, Michael Jackson and The Bangles who used a interpretation of Pharonic Egyptian dance.
In 1998, Bellydancers who danced like Shakira became as popular as dancers of any other dance form. Classrooms were full to their maximum capacities, and waiting lists grew for selected schools that offered Bellydance classes in Mexico, from Mexicali in Baja California to Mexico City.
There were no more than 5 Bellydance teachers in the country teaching Middle Eastern dance. Among them were: Maria Shazadi, Marla de La Vega, Niral, Samirah Vazquez, and me, Martha Duran.
Those were tough times for us teachers. Students were very shy in the classroom but eager to learn; some of them even thought that Shakira had created Bellydance! They didn’t have much information about Oriental Dance, its origins, or different styles. Some aspiring dancers even sat through several classes just to check out what Bellydance was or if we teachers danced it as well as Shakira.
On several occasions, I remember having teachers from other schools visit my classes to analyze the structure of the class. They asked: “How can you teach Bellydance if there is no method? Do you set up choreographies only? How can you teach the steps? Do the steps have names? Are you Egyptian? Are you Arabic? If you’re not Arabic, how can you Bellydance? Shakira said that she’s Lebanese, and that’s why she can dance it…¨
Those were common questions and comments made by people who were intrigued by this art form. To teach a Mexican how to do hip circles was easy—as well as how to manage a veil—because of our skirting technique in Mexican folk dancing. However, it’s different teaching a Mexican an undulation, hip shimmy, hip drop or hip twist. That was really a challenge, since our dancing styles don’t involve much movement of the waist. It was like having the hips stuck to the shoulders with no flexibility at the lower back and very stiff waists. We structured the classes for the student to achieve the above movements slowly, as well as giving them the confidence and flexibility that a Bellydancer needs to be able to dance with the Oriental music pieces.
Another issue I faced back then was obtaining musical arrangements. I remember instructing class with 2 CDs and a mix tape of George Abdo’s music that I had made with my vinyl LPs. One of the CDs was a compilation (a student’s gift to me) and the other one, I treasured because I bought it directly from the artist in a dance workshop that I attended in 1994.
In an interview with Bellydance-master, Maria Shazadi, one of the first Bellydance teachers in our country, I asked her about Bellydance classes 10 years ago. She explained how simple they were back then compared to today’s classes: ¨They are now full of rhythms and technique, basic steps, combinations and choreography. Today, of course, you get to have groups of different levels¨; back then, you only had one type of student—the absolute beginner. Today you have [the range of] the confident student to the ‘I-want-to-be-a-Bellydance-teacher-fast’ student as well as the ‘I-still-love-Shakira’ student, the ‘I-want-to-try-something-different’ dancer, the ‘in-style’ student, and the well informed student.”
Niral Alvarez Basave was one of the first Bellydancers from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, founder of IMCADH (Instituto Mexicano de Cultura Arte y Desarrollo Humano Associacion Civil) [English: Institute of Mexico of Culture Art and Human Development Civic Asociation] and creator of Bellydance Night Festival where Bellydancers from all of Latin America united for days full of workshops with international instructors and performers. In December 2008, she defined Bellydance as the spiritual part of Oriental Dance. She describes it as the best form of expression for a dancer, teacher and choreographer. Niral received instruction with Brazilian dancer “Amaniksha” (Juliana Berganholi). Oriental dance and Bhangra were mingled together in a dance style called “Samkya”, which is based in gaining spiritual connections with the woman’s conscience through movement and artistic expression.
Mudras, choreographys, reflexology, aromatherapy, veil technique, meditation and mantras are the foundations of Niral´s education. Samkya leads to an artistic and pure representation of the art through the years and can educate generations of Bellydancers (who are distinguished for their passion to the dance and for their knowledge of folk, cabaret, and sisterhood) by maintaining through the dance love and respect to their teachers throughout the years.
¨For me, to Bellydance is to feel the music, to move a feeling…¨ (Hadassah, Jessica Vazquez from La Paz Baja California Sur, Mexico)
A new generation of teachers has evolved in the past 5 years here in Mexico. We have many girls who have attended a class here and there, danced along in a workshop, love YouTube, know the Bellydance Superstars choreographies by heart and teach just as Veena and Neena do in their videos. Many of them admit they have never had a formal education in Bellydance at all and have created their own special styles of Bellydance.
Sometimes, this makes Mexican Bellydancers look bad. Their students, mis-informed and misguided dancers, make soups out of different choreographies they’ve watched either on YouTube or downloaded from the Web (which is, by the way, somewhat legal in Mexico). They lift a combination from one dancer’s performance and paste it over another song, mixed with another dancer’s copy and paste combination, resulting in a disaster.
Fortunately though, there’s the award winning, dedicated, new generation of Bellydancers who have received awards in Bellydance contests like Maryam from Tijuana who won 1st place in Little Egypt´s Queen of Raks Sharqi 2008 Pageant. At this same contest in Dallas, Texas, Judge Randa Kamal commented after Mexican Bellydancer Maryam´s performance: “Great performance!” and Dr. Mo (also a judge) said to her, personally, “You are lovely!” “To have two of the greatest Bellydance masters of the world commenting on a Mexican doing their dance style: that’s the best reward you can receive!” Maryam commented in an August 2008, interview.
Students, comprising a new generation who is only interested in becoming a performer, have popped up in the past 2 years. These dancers have more knowledge and respect for the dance styles and invest whatever it takes to gain presence on-stage. It’s a new generation of Bellydancers who attend every workshop and seminar around, who not only use the Internet as reference but also respect their teacher’s knowledge, from Cabaret style to Tribal Fusion. Dancers take the stage in the few places located in the Mexican states like Al Khaima, a Moroccan restaurant in Guadalajara, Jalisco, which dedicates Saturdays to Tribal Fusion Bellydance. This is where performers like Araceli de Anda, one of the first (and few) Bellydance Tribal Fusion performers in the city, take the stage.
Hannali and Amduat, Tribal Fusion performers from Cd.Obregon in Sonora, Mexico, formally introduced Bellydance to this state. They are teachers taught by the Maktub Studio of Shamsia Yarahum in Tijuana, B.C.
Manisha from Merida, Yucatan, studied with the first generation of Bellydance students in the city of Tijuana with Bahira, a Bellydancer from San Diego California. Bahira traveled into Mexico weekly to teach Bellydancers in a small group, who, after years of preparation and dedication, have manage to inspire many new generations.
Since 1992, many of us dance teachers have overcome numerous obstacles, taught several generations, and managed to handle varied situations presented by our culture while teaching and performing. We have dealt with the fact that we are not Egyptian or Arabian and that we were not born Bellydancing. Maybe we haven’t lived in Egypt, but have never feared what would happen when an Egyptian or an Arabian sees us Mexican Bellydancers perform. Perhaps the excellent instructors we have in nearby countries have given us strong foundations in Oriental Dance and given us confidence. Maybe it’s our Rumbera dancers from Mexico´s golden era of dancers in films or maybe, as my first Bellydance instructor complimented me on my achievements in my first class, “You Mexicans give flavor to Bellydance!”
Historia del Bellydance en Mexico
http://www.gildedserpent.com/art47/MarthaBDmexico.html
Gilded Serpent presents...
Its All in the Flavor!
Bellydancing in Mexico
by Martha Duran
posted March 2009
 |
 |
Mexico – a place full of cultural treasures, a place full of magic and charm. You feel this as you walk along the streets of Mexico, admire its world heritage sites, and marvel at the impressive architecture. You can dance along its pre-Hispanic and colonial past.
So when did Mexicans started dancing something other than our own dances?
Dance in Mexico is the most direct and loyal expression of the evolution of our country. Don Porfirio Diaz who was president in 1877, promised to establish a pure and rich Mexican culture. In 1910, there was a social explosion turning our society, military, and commerce into a spectacle and producing legends out of our governors. As a result, our ceremonies, parades, restaurants, and of course, our dancing was transformed, thanks to the foreign elements the time of change introduced to our country. We imported operas but adapted them to our popular songs and languages—injected with our spontaneous humor and lively music and dance.
While dance is considered one of our ancestral practices, it wasn’t until the 1940s that dance formally incorporated dance techniques developed in foreign countries. From Mazurkas to Ballroom dances, our dance styles were enriched with multicultural styles without sacrificing our folkloric heritage.
Musicians and muralists influenced and inspired choreographers of the 1920s with the fashionable elements of that time. From the 1930s to the ‘40s, Mexicans rejected Classical dance because of its poor relationship to our national spirit. Between the ‘40s and ‘50s, Folk dancing was performed in stadiums where hundreds of ladies performed with ruffled skirts decorated with luxurious braiding.
Through art, the people of Mexico learned about their economic situation, their ancestral oppression and what they could do to change their situation.
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Through the years, soloists like Nellie Campobello, Gloria Campobello, Dora Duby and dancer Xenia Zarina, performed Experimental Ballet and Modern Dance. Xenia Zarina performed Interpretative Dance and Oriental Dance for the first time in Mexico. March of 1936 marked the introduction of Oriental Dance into Mexico; ever multicultural, it was very common to see versatile dancers on television, in the movies, and on stages across the country.
As a Bellydancer for more than 29 years, I reach back in history and remember my first taste of Bellydancing on national and international television. I remember watching movies on local channels such as ¨1001 Nights¨ featuring German Valdes, ¨Tin Tan¨, and Maria Antonieta, with simple Bellydancing and beautiful costuming.
On the ABC network, a Three’s Company episode ¨Good Old Reliable Janet ¨ featured Nadia Caillou as a special guest performer in a restaurant scene (episode 2, season 3) aired on September 19,1978. I blame her for my love of Bellydance! The way she twirled around the tables, the sound of her cymbals, her simple and intricate movements made me long to do the same.
|
 |
|
There were absolutely no Bellydance classes around my hometown! My mom remembers bumping into a Bellydancer in the early ‘80s up north, in Los Angeles, when visiting my aunt’s house for the summer, where she signed me up for my dance classes. Back home, I had started in Ballet and Tap Dance, and I remember clearly the joy of my first Bellydancing class—the jingling of my teacher’s hip scarf, and the most exciting music I have ever heard filling the room with drum beats. There was enough space to visualize myself as that beautiful dancer with a flowing red and black skirt I had seen on television.
 |
 |
Years went by and I continued visiting my aunt and uncle’s homes for long, dance-filled summer vacations. I couldn’t get Oriental classes here in Mexico; so I had to go to the United States. Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Indio (all in California) were among the cities that gave me the opportunity to experience Bellydancing with some of today’s renowned Bellydance teachers.
When did the Bellydance boom hit our country? It was back in 1992 when children in Mexico fell in love with Disney’s animated movie, “Aladdin”. I participated as a choreographer for a local elementary school; our rehearsals started in 1993, and the show was presented onstage in Mexicali, Baja California, months later. After that, we formed a small Oriental dance group with children between 6 and 9 years of age. Classes took place at an art center; well, perhaps it was more of an extra room in a piano teacher’s expansive home. Children kept coming and going, but officially, they were learning about Bellydance and its culture at a glance. Some parents were familiar with the dance style because of the pop music legends of the ‘80s and ‘90s—like Madonna, Michael Jackson and The Bangles who used a interpretation of Pharonic Egyptian dance.
In 1998, Bellydancers who danced like Shakira became as popular as dancers of any other dance form. Classrooms were full to their maximum capacities, and waiting lists grew for selected schools that offered Bellydance classes in Mexico, from Mexicali in Baja California to Mexico City.
There were no more than 5 Bellydance teachers in the country teaching Middle Eastern dance. Among them were: Maria Shazadi, Marla de La Vega, Niral, Samirah Vazquez, and me, Martha Duran.
Those were tough times for us teachers. Students were very shy in the classroom but eager to learn; some of them even thought that Shakira had created Bellydance! They didn’t have much information about Oriental Dance, its origins, or different styles. Some aspiring dancers even sat through several classes just to check out what Bellydance was or if we teachers danced it as well as Shakira.
On several occasions, I remember having teachers from other schools visit my classes to analyze the structure of the class. They asked: “How can you teach Bellydance if there is no method? Do you set up choreographies only? How can you teach the steps? Do the steps have names? Are you Egyptian? Are you Arabic? If you’re not Arabic, how can you Bellydance? Shakira said that she’s Lebanese, and that’s why she can dance it…¨
Those were common questions and comments made by people who were intrigued by this art form. To teach a Mexican how to do hip circles was easy—as well as how to manage a veil—because of our skirting technique in Mexican folk dancing. However, it’s different teaching a Mexican an undulation, hip shimmy, hip drop or hip twist. That was really a challenge, since our dancing styles don’t involve much movement of the waist. It was like having the hips stuck to the shoulders with no flexibility at the lower back and very stiff waists. We structured the classes for the student to achieve the above movements slowly, as well as giving them the confidence and flexibility that a Bellydancer needs to be able to dance with the Oriental music pieces.
Another issue I faced back then was obtaining musical arrangements. I remember instructing class with 2 CDs and a mix tape of George Abdo’s music that I had made with my vinyl LPs. One of the CDs was a compilation (a student’s gift to me) and the other one, I treasured because I bought it directly from the artist in a dance workshop that I attended in 1994.
In an interview with Bellydance-master, Maria Shazadi, one of the first Bellydance teachers in our country, I asked her about Bellydance classes 10 years ago. She explained how simple they were back then compared to today’s classes: ¨They are now full of rhythms and technique, basic steps, combinations and choreography. Today, of course, you get to have groups of different levels¨; back then, you only had one type of student—the absolute beginner. Today you have [the range of] the confident student to the ‘I-want-to-be-a-Bellydance-teacher-fast’ student as well as the ‘I-still-love-Shakira’ student, the ‘I-want-to-try-something-different’ dancer, the ‘in-style’ student, and the well informed student.”
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Niral Alvarez Basave was one of the first Bellydancers from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, founder of IMCADH (Instituto Mexicano de Cultura Arte y Desarrollo Humano Associacion Civil) [English: Institute of Mexico of Culture Art and Human Development Civic Asociation] and creator of Bellydance Night Festival where Bellydancers from all of Latin America united for days full of workshops with international instructors and performers. In December 2008, she defined Bellydance as the spiritual part of Oriental Dance. She describes it as the best form of expression for a dancer, teacher and choreographer. Niral received instruction with Brazilian dancer “Amaniksha” (Juliana Berganholi). Oriental dance and Bhangra were mingled together in a dance style called “Samkya”, which is based in gaining spiritual connections with the woman’s conscience through movement and artistic expression.
Mudras, choreographys, reflexology, aromatherapy, veil technique, meditation and mantras are the foundations of Niral´s education. Samkya leads to an artistic and pure representation of the art through the years and can educate generations of Bellydancers (who are distinguished for their passion to the dance and for their knowledge of folk, cabaret, and sisterhood) by maintaining through the dance love and respect to their teachers throughout the years.
¨For me, to Bellydance is to feel the music, to move a feeling…¨ (Hadassah, Jessica Vazquez from La Paz Baja California Sur, Mexico)
A new generation of teachers has evolved in the past 5 years here in Mexico. We have many girls who have attended a class here and there, danced along in a workshop, love YouTube, know the Bellydance Superstars choreographies by heart and teach just as Veena and Neena do in their videos. Many of them admit they have never had a formal education in Bellydance at all and have created their own special styles of Bellydance.
Sometimes, this makes Mexican Bellydancers look bad. Their students, mis-informed and misguided dancers, make soups out of different choreographies they’ve watched either on YouTube or downloaded from the Web (which is, by the way, somewhat legal in Mexico). They lift a combination from one dancer’s performance and paste it over another song, mixed with another dancer’s copy and paste combination, resulting in a disaster.
Fortunately though, there’s the award winning, dedicated, new generation of Bellydancers who have received awards in Bellydance contests like Maryam from Tijuana who won 1st place in Little Egypt´s Queen of Raks Sharqi 2008 Pageant. At this same contest in Dallas, Texas, Judge Randa Kamal commented after Mexican Bellydancer Maryam´s performance: “Great performance!” and Dr. Mo (also a judge) said to her, personally, “You are lovely!” “To have two of the greatest Bellydance masters of the world commenting on a Mexican doing their dance style: that’s the best reward you can receive!” Maryam commented in an August 2008, interview.
Students, comprising a new generation who is only interested in becoming a performer, have popped up in the past 2 years. These dancers have more knowledge and respect for the dance styles and invest whatever it takes to gain presence on-stage. It’s a new generation of Bellydancers who attend every workshop and seminar around, who not only use the Internet as reference but also respect their teacher’s knowledge, from Cabaret style to Tribal Fusion. Dancers take the stage in the few places located in the Mexican states like Al Khaima, a Moroccan restaurant in Guadalajara, Jalisco, which dedicates Saturdays to Tribal Fusion Bellydance. This is where performers like Araceli de Anda, one of the first (and few) Bellydance Tribal Fusion performers in the city, take the stage.
Hannali and Amduat, Tribal Fusion performers from Cd.Obregon in Sonora, Mexico, formally introduced Bellydance to this state. They are teachers taught by the Maktub Studio of Shamsia Yarahum in Tijuana, B.C.
Manisha from Merida, Yucatan, studied with the first generation of Bellydance students in the city of Tijuana with Bahira, a Bellydancer from San Diego California. Bahira traveled into Mexico weekly to teach Bellydancers in a small group, who, after years of preparation and dedication, have manage to inspire many new generations.
Since 1992, many of us dance teachers have overcome numerous obstacles, taught several generations, and managed to handle varied situations presented by our culture while teaching and performing. We have dealt with the fact that we are not Egyptian or Arabian and that we were not born Bellydancing. Maybe we haven’t lived in Egypt, but have never feared what would happen when an Egyptian or an Arabian sees us Mexican Bellydancers perform. Perhaps the excellent instructors we have in nearby countries have given us strong foundations in Oriental Dance and given us confidence. Maybe it’s our Rumbera dancers from Mexico´s golden era of dancers in films or maybe, as my first Bellydance instructor complimented me on my achievements in my first class, “You Mexicans give flavor to Bellydance!”
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Thursday, February 5, 2009
Danceme Academy es reconocido por sus mas de 10 años de formar generaciones de excelentes Bailarinas y Maestras versatiles.
Gracias al desempeño de la Internacionalmente reconocida Maestra Martha E Duran, considerada la primera Maestra en introducir a nuestra ciudad un Programa Academico Multidisciplinario ,
La primera Maestra en introducir el Bellydance y Danza Oriental en Mexicali en 1992,
La primera maestra en introducir Danceaerobics a nuestra ciudad en 1999,
Los primeros en impartir clases de Bhangra en la ciudad,
Los primeros en presentar Musical Theatre como una disciplina esencial para la Danza en Mexico,
Los primeros en dirigir Seminarios en Bellydance Ballet & Jazz en Mexicali
Los primeros en impartir certificacion a su alumnado
Danceme Academy es considerada una de las mejores Academias de Baile del Estado, con excelente programa Academico y la mejor atencion personalizada a su alumnado.
Martha E Duran Maestra Certificada en Ballet Tap Jazz MusicalTheatre Oriental Dance Bellydance miembro oficial y representante de BC en Asociaciones Dancisticas como SAMEDA, PDTA, DEA, miembro distinguido de Staff de Prensa para revistas como Jareeda, The Papyrus,The Chronicles ...A Bellydancers Oasis y Gilded Serpent Fundadora y Directora de Danceme Academy...Inovadora de la Danza en Mexicali.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Since 1988, DaVid of Scandinavia has devoted his time and effort to achieve a high level of technique and cultural quality in the traditional and modern dances of India and the Middle East. DaVid is one of the leading male dancers and instructors within his field. His name is synonymous with excellence, professionalism and enthusiasm in the dance. DaVid is known for artistically developed choreographies, rich with cultural content, as well as his spontaneous ability to improvise. His East Indian heritage and cultural knowledge add to his merits.
DaVid has presented and performed at cultural, commercial and charitable events and venues around the world. He has been involved in several projects to represent, preserve, develop and improve the level of Middle Eastern and East Indian dances. He has been featured in more than 30 video productions internationally.
In 2007 DaVid started the publication of The EDA Dance Instruction Series - a series of educational literature within Middle Eastern Dance, Middle Eastern folklore, Bhangra and Indian dances.
DaVid is the co-founder and artistic director at the Ethnic Dance Academy (the EDA) in San Diego, and he is the dean and coordinator for the EDA Diploma Programs as well as director of the EDA Dance Company. DaVid has contributed to several award winning dancers through performance coaching. He annually produces the EDA Annual Exposé, the EDA Annual Summer Intensive and the San Diego Instructors' Kick Off Show. He is an active supporter of the dance through memberships and voluntary contribution as a board member in several dance organizations. DaVid also continues to serve as judge at various competitions worldwide.
DaVid of Scandinavia otherwise has a degree in graphic design. He also nourishes interests for kinesiology, psychology, social anthropology, sociology, linguistics, music and costume design.
Ana Goebel´s Curso de Be
Ana comes from a musical family. Her father taught himself to play the guitar when he was a boy, so the love of music runs in the family. Her mother used to dance the “mambo” and entertained her aunts, cousins and uncles by dancing on tabletops. Her mother still dances at various functions with Ana’s Mirage. Ana has been dancing & performing since she can remember. She and her sister used to dance to rock & roll music at family gatherings, delighting the adults. The girls were naturals at performing. At one time all three sisters, Ana, Blanca & Monica were belly dancing. Blanca dances with Ana’s Mirage group.
Ana started tap dance lessons as a little girl. This year 2004, she attended her tap dance teacher's 97th birthday party---Miss Bea of National City. Her dancing was then followed by Cheerleading in High School, Mexican Folklorico dance, Jazz dance and finally Ana settled into Belly Dancing. Her other dance talents include swing dance, salsa dance, and Mexican “cumbia” dancing.
Her greatest love and accomplishment in dance has been Raks Sharki “Belly Dance”. She can thank her sister for “daring” her to take belly-dance lessons. She had her introduction to belly dancing from a wonderful lady by the name of Francie who taught in a recreation center in National City. Francie told Ana and Blanca that they were “naturals”. From there, Ana took dance lessons with “Kishma” Rose Fedak of Spring Valley, master of the double-sword and intricate veil dance. Kishma helped Ana develop further and give her the “edge” she needed.
Soon thereafter, (six months later) Ana was hired to dance at the Seven Veils Restaurant in Mission Valley. (I can only wonder how I looked!) From there came Call-a-Gram bellygrams, and LiveWires bellygrams. Next, she danced at Athens Market Restaurant downtown San Diego, followed by El Griego Restaurant in Tijuana’s Plaza Rio, Crete Isle Café in Oceanside, Sinbad’s in El Cajon, and was a guest dancer at Troy’s Greek , Georgia’s and the legendary Hajji Baba’s Restaurant, she started the belly dance shows at Mediterranean Cafe downtown San Diego, danced at Oasis Cafe in Bonita and Sam's Grill & Rotisserie in El Cajon, Crystal Ballroom for weddings, Athen's Market Restaurant and the famous Greek Town Restaurant in downtown San Diego.
She has also danced in Ensenada Mexico at San Nicolas Hotel for the Newport/Ensenada Regatta, and was a dancer at “El Griego” Restaurant in Tijuana Mexico, and performed at Tijuana’s Channel 12 Juan Luis Curiel Show. (does this qualify as “international” dancer?), and dances at Dimitri's Greek Restaurant in Tijuana. She has also danced for the Catalina Yacht Club. She has danced the past two years at the "Solo Angeles" Motorcycle Club / South Coast Harley Toys for Tots Ride, where tons of toys are given to the underprivileged children of Tijuana.
Ana has taught belly-dance for the Spring Valley Community Center over 10 years. Currently she performs in the Southern California and Northern-Baja California areas. Ana is fluent in two languages, Spanish and English.
She is director of Ana’s Mirage Dancers and formed the group about 8 years ago. Ana’s “Mirage” Dancers have performed and delighted the audiences at the famous San Diego Street Scene Festival, Mardi Gras "Fat Tuesday" downtown, the Del Mar Fair, Santa Sophia Festival, Multiple Sclerosis Society Walk Fundraiser, St. Jude’s Festival, Holy Spirit Festival, and Blessed Sacrament Festival, and many convalescent homes and elementary schools in the San Diego County area. She has performed for the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District’s Extended Services Program and annual retirement party for the district.
Ana enjoys her dancing as much as her audience enjoys her dancing. As she dances, she mesmerizes her audience. Her audience drifts out into an oasis in the desert, where one can see the moonlight and camels at rest, while the exotic melodies caress the senses and a belly dancer undulates and shimmies in perfect unison to the music.
Highly organized, between entertaining at parties and restaurants, riding the Harley, and enjoying her family, she juggles her dance career and job of teaching dance.
Ana is Secretary and Events Coordinator of the SAMEDA organization, is member of SAMEDTA and MECDA - Middle Eastern Dance Associations. She also serves a liaison to the Spanish speaking community.
Ana's dance training started with Kishma and Francene, followed by Cyrena, Leyla, Rama Ana, and Samera. She has also taken workshops with Fahtiem, Angelika Nemeth, Marta Schill, Marguerite Kusuhara, Jillina, Delilah of Seattle, Rachel Brice, Suhaila Salimpour, Dahlena, Judy Reda, and zills by Leyla Splane. Ana is proficient in zills, veil work and sword balancing and Isis wings. Her motto is "a dancer never stops learning". This year 2007, Ana won the title "Belly Dancer of the Universe - Divine" in the prestigious competition of that same name -- and also was awarded the Halame Congeniality Award & the People's Choice award.
Ana started tap dance lessons as a little girl. This year 2004, she attended her tap dance teacher's 97th birthday party---Miss Bea of National City. Her dancing was then followed by Cheerleading in High School, Mexican Folklorico dance, Jazz dance and finally Ana settled into Belly Dancing. Her other dance talents include swing dance, salsa dance, and Mexican “cumbia” dancing.
Her greatest love and accomplishment in dance has been Raks Sharki “Belly Dance”. She can thank her sister for “daring” her to take belly-dance lessons. She had her introduction to belly dancing from a wonderful lady by the name of Francie who taught in a recreation center in National City. Francie told Ana and Blanca that they were “naturals”. From there, Ana took dance lessons with “Kishma” Rose Fedak of Spring Valley, master of the double-sword and intricate veil dance. Kishma helped Ana develop further and give her the “edge” she needed.
Soon thereafter, (six months later) Ana was hired to dance at the Seven Veils Restaurant in Mission Valley. (I can only wonder how I looked!) From there came Call-a-Gram bellygrams, and LiveWires bellygrams. Next, she danced at Athens Market Restaurant downtown San Diego, followed by El Griego Restaurant in Tijuana’s Plaza Rio, Crete Isle Café in Oceanside, Sinbad’s in El Cajon, and was a guest dancer at Troy’s Greek , Georgia’s and the legendary Hajji Baba’s Restaurant, she started the belly dance shows at Mediterranean Cafe downtown San Diego, danced at Oasis Cafe in Bonita and Sam's Grill & Rotisserie in El Cajon, Crystal Ballroom for weddings, Athen's Market Restaurant and the famous Greek Town Restaurant in downtown San Diego.
She has also danced in Ensenada Mexico at San Nicolas Hotel for the Newport/Ensenada Regatta, and was a dancer at “El Griego” Restaurant in Tijuana Mexico, and performed at Tijuana’s Channel 12 Juan Luis Curiel Show. (does this qualify as “international” dancer?), and dances at Dimitri's Greek Restaurant in Tijuana. She has also danced for the Catalina Yacht Club. She has danced the past two years at the "Solo Angeles" Motorcycle Club / South Coast Harley Toys for Tots Ride, where tons of toys are given to the underprivileged children of Tijuana.
Ana has taught belly-dance for the Spring Valley Community Center over 10 years. Currently she performs in the Southern California and Northern-Baja California areas. Ana is fluent in two languages, Spanish and English.
She is director of Ana’s Mirage Dancers and formed the group about 8 years ago. Ana’s “Mirage” Dancers have performed and delighted the audiences at the famous San Diego Street Scene Festival, Mardi Gras "Fat Tuesday" downtown, the Del Mar Fair, Santa Sophia Festival, Multiple Sclerosis Society Walk Fundraiser, St. Jude’s Festival, Holy Spirit Festival, and Blessed Sacrament Festival, and many convalescent homes and elementary schools in the San Diego County area. She has performed for the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District’s Extended Services Program and annual retirement party for the district.
Ana enjoys her dancing as much as her audience enjoys her dancing. As she dances, she mesmerizes her audience. Her audience drifts out into an oasis in the desert, where one can see the moonlight and camels at rest, while the exotic melodies caress the senses and a belly dancer undulates and shimmies in perfect unison to the music.
Highly organized, between entertaining at parties and restaurants, riding the Harley, and enjoying her family, she juggles her dance career and job of teaching dance.
Ana is Secretary and Events Coordinator of the SAMEDA organization, is member of SAMEDTA and MECDA - Middle Eastern Dance Associations. She also serves a liaison to the Spanish speaking community.
Ana's dance training started with Kishma and Francene, followed by Cyrena, Leyla, Rama Ana, and Samera. She has also taken workshops with Fahtiem, Angelika Nemeth, Marta Schill, Marguerite Kusuhara, Jillina, Delilah of Seattle, Rachel Brice, Suhaila Salimpour, Dahlena, Judy Reda, and zills by Leyla Splane. Ana is proficient in zills, veil work and sword balancing and Isis wings. Her motto is "a dancer never stops learning". This year 2007, Ana won the title "Belly Dancer of the Universe - Divine" in the prestigious competition of that same name -- and also was awarded the Halame Congeniality Award & the People's Choice award.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Danceme Academy presents DAVID of Scandinavia
David of Scandinavia
Since 1988, DaVid of Scandinavia has devoted his time and effort to achieve a high level of technique and cultural quality in the traditional
and modern dances of India and the Middle East. DaVid is one of the leading male dancers and instructors within his field. His name is synonymous with excellence, professionalism and enthusiasm in the dance. DaVid is known for artistically developed choreographies, rich with cultural content, as well as his spontaneous ability to improvise. His East Indian heritage and cultural knowledge add to his merits.
DaVid has presented and performed at cultural, commercial and charitable events and venues around the world. He has been involved in several projects to represent, preserve, develop and improve the level of Middle Eastern and East Indian dances. He has been featured in video productions by the prestigious International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance (IAMED) and Pe-ko Records. In 2006, DaVid became the first male instructor to ever be featured on an IAMED instructional DVD.
In 2007 DaVid started the publication of The EDA Dance Instruction Series - a series of educational literature within Middle Eastern Dance, Middle Eastern folklore, Bhangra and Indian dances.
DaVid is the co-founder and artistic director at the Ethnic Dance Academy (the EDA) in San Diego, and he is the dean and coordinator for the EDA Diploma Programs as well as director of the EDA Dance Company. DaVid has contributed to several award winning dancers as their performance coach. He annually produces the EDA Annual Exposé, the EDA Annual Weeklong Summer Intensive and the San Diego Instructors' Kick Off Show. He is an active supporter of the dance through memberships Al Farah ODF (Norway), and SAMEDA (San Diego, CA) and voluntary contribution as a board member for MECDA San Diego (USA). DaVid also served as judge at the Bellydancer of the Year Pageant in 2005.
DaVid has taken knowledge and inspiration from names such as Tarlochan Singh, The Bollywood industry, Sunita Singh, Barbara Dejung, Meera, Rachel Lazarus Soto, Kami Liddle, Heather Stants / Urban Tribal Dance Company, Amy Sigel / Unmata, Sabrina, Lydia Fortner, Mohammed Abou Shebika, Jeremiah Soto, Harry Saroyan, Stephanie Heuer, Lee Figenschow, Siw "Amira" Øksnes, Michelle Galdo, Hilde Lund, Majken Wærdahl, Helene Skaugen, Yasmine, Lena Helt, Suzanne Petrén Abou Shebika, Ulrika Hellqvist, Konstantina Buni, Frida "Farida" Bissinger, Annika Vallgren, Raqs El Hawanem, Khaled Mahmoud, Meissoun, Patrisha Gutierrez, Yousri Sharif, Faten Salama, Sahra Saeeda, Zahra Zuhair, Fahtiem, Judeen, Kareena El Succor, Jillina, Aziza, Bahaia, Lucy/Amar, Orit Maftsir, Aida Nour, Raqia Hassan, Dina, Samasem, Randa Kamal, Dandash, Soraya, Yasmina, Beata & Horacio Cifuentes, Reyhan, Ahmed Fekry, Momo Kadous, Magdy El-Leisy, Aisha Ali, Banafsheh Sayyad.
His style is guided and inspired by Lena Helt, Hilde Lund, Lee Figenschow, Randa Kamal, Dandash, Aida Nour, Raqia Hassan, Dina, Lucy, Tito, Khaled Mahmoud, Samasem, Sahra Saeeda, Zahra Zuhair, Bahaia, Roxxanne, Konstantina Buni, Orit Maftsir.
DaVid has shared stages with notable artists from all over the world; Aida Nour, Magdy El-Leisy, Randa Kamal, Laila, Faten Salama, Lulu Sabongi, Konstantina Buni, Lee Figenschow, Siw Øksnes, Helene Skaugen, Majken Wærdahl, Michelle Galdo, Tina Rasmussen, Ulrika Hellqvist, Lena Helt, Suzanne Petrèn Abou Shebika, Raqs El Hawanem, Annika Vallgren, Frida Bissinger, Lena Astrid, Sofia Vester, Ulduz Salimian, Ana Barner Sarp, Khaled Mahmoud, Heather Burby, Ahmed Fekry, Dahlal, Sibel Nefa, Djamila, MEISSOUN, Saida, Jillina, Rania, Tamra-henna, Kami Liddle, Sabrina Fox, Sahra Saeeda, Zahra Zuhair, Bahaia, Aziza, Debbie Lammam, Roxxanne, Lucy, Lucia, Ava Fleming, FatChance Bellydance, Elizabeth Strong, UNMATA, Zaheea, Mira Betz, Crystal Silmi, Sabiba, Fahtiem, Angelika Nemeth, Ya Amar, Anaheed, Rahana, Sohaila, Estrella, Urban Tribal Dance Company, Atash Maya, Viktoriya, Midnight Mirage, Kamelia, Mounira Yagobi and Sadia Souyha as well as the Norwegian reality TV band Cape, the Swedish hiphop group Bounce, Babsan, NRK TV host Noman Mubashir, Norwegian celebrity Mia Gundersen among others.
DaVid of Scandinavia otherwise has a degree in graphic design. He also nourishes interests for kinesiology, psychology, social anthropology, sociology, linguistics, music and costume design.
Since 1988, DaVid of Scandinavia has devoted his time and effort to achieve a high level of technique and cultural quality in the traditional
and modern dances of India and the Middle East. DaVid is one of the leading male dancers and instructors within his field. His name is synonymous with excellence, professionalism and enthusiasm in the dance. DaVid is known for artistically developed choreographies, rich with cultural content, as well as his spontaneous ability to improvise. His East Indian heritage and cultural knowledge add to his merits.DaVid has presented and performed at cultural, commercial and charitable events and venues around the world. He has been involved in several projects to represent, preserve, develop and improve the level of Middle Eastern and East Indian dances. He has been featured in video productions by the prestigious International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance (IAMED) and Pe-ko Records. In 2006, DaVid became the first male instructor to ever be featured on an IAMED instructional DVD.
In 2007 DaVid started the publication of The EDA Dance Instruction Series - a series of educational literature within Middle Eastern Dance, Middle Eastern folklore, Bhangra and Indian dances.
DaVid is the co-founder and artistic director at the Ethnic Dance Academy (the EDA) in San Diego, and he is the dean and coordinator for the EDA Diploma Programs as well as director of the EDA Dance Company. DaVid has contributed to several award winning dancers as their performance coach. He annually produces the EDA Annual Exposé, the EDA Annual Weeklong Summer Intensive and the San Diego Instructors' Kick Off Show. He is an active supporter of the dance through memberships Al Farah ODF (Norway), and SAMEDA (San Diego, CA) and voluntary contribution as a board member for MECDA San Diego (USA). DaVid also served as judge at the Bellydancer of the Year Pageant in 2005.
DaVid has taken knowledge and inspiration from names such as Tarlochan Singh, The Bollywood industry, Sunita Singh, Barbara Dejung, Meera, Rachel Lazarus Soto, Kami Liddle, Heather Stants / Urban Tribal Dance Company, Amy Sigel / Unmata, Sabrina, Lydia Fortner, Mohammed Abou Shebika, Jeremiah Soto, Harry Saroyan, Stephanie Heuer, Lee Figenschow, Siw "Amira" Øksnes, Michelle Galdo, Hilde Lund, Majken Wærdahl, Helene Skaugen, Yasmine, Lena Helt, Suzanne Petrén Abou Shebika, Ulrika Hellqvist, Konstantina Buni, Frida "Farida" Bissinger, Annika Vallgren, Raqs El Hawanem, Khaled Mahmoud, Meissoun, Patrisha Gutierrez, Yousri Sharif, Faten Salama, Sahra Saeeda, Zahra Zuhair, Fahtiem, Judeen, Kareena El Succor, Jillina, Aziza, Bahaia, Lucy/Amar, Orit Maftsir, Aida Nour, Raqia Hassan, Dina, Samasem, Randa Kamal, Dandash, Soraya, Yasmina, Beata & Horacio Cifuentes, Reyhan, Ahmed Fekry, Momo Kadous, Magdy El-Leisy, Aisha Ali, Banafsheh Sayyad.
His style is guided and inspired by Lena Helt, Hilde Lund, Lee Figenschow, Randa Kamal, Dandash, Aida Nour, Raqia Hassan, Dina, Lucy, Tito, Khaled Mahmoud, Samasem, Sahra Saeeda, Zahra Zuhair, Bahaia, Roxxanne, Konstantina Buni, Orit Maftsir.
DaVid has shared stages with notable artists from all over the world; Aida Nour, Magdy El-Leisy, Randa Kamal, Laila, Faten Salama, Lulu Sabongi, Konstantina Buni, Lee Figenschow, Siw Øksnes, Helene Skaugen, Majken Wærdahl, Michelle Galdo, Tina Rasmussen, Ulrika Hellqvist, Lena Helt, Suzanne Petrèn Abou Shebika, Raqs El Hawanem, Annika Vallgren, Frida Bissinger, Lena Astrid, Sofia Vester, Ulduz Salimian, Ana Barner Sarp, Khaled Mahmoud, Heather Burby, Ahmed Fekry, Dahlal, Sibel Nefa, Djamila, MEISSOUN, Saida, Jillina, Rania, Tamra-henna, Kami Liddle, Sabrina Fox, Sahra Saeeda, Zahra Zuhair, Bahaia, Aziza, Debbie Lammam, Roxxanne, Lucy, Lucia, Ava Fleming, FatChance Bellydance, Elizabeth Strong, UNMATA, Zaheea, Mira Betz, Crystal Silmi, Sabiba, Fahtiem, Angelika Nemeth, Ya Amar, Anaheed, Rahana, Sohaila, Estrella, Urban Tribal Dance Company, Atash Maya, Viktoriya, Midnight Mirage, Kamelia, Mounira Yagobi and Sadia Souyha as well as the Norwegian reality TV band Cape, the Swedish hiphop group Bounce, Babsan, NRK TV host Noman Mubashir, Norwegian celebrity Mia Gundersen among others.
DaVid of Scandinavia otherwise has a degree in graphic design. He also nourishes interests for kinesiology, psychology, social anthropology, sociology, linguistics, music and costume design.
David of Scandinavia is coming to Mexicali Baja California on November 1st and 2nd 2008 offering all bellydancers in the community a bellydance intensive in Egyptian & Arabic Bellydance Technique , Khaleji & Egyptian veil Dont miss This wonderful opportunity to study with Danceme & Dance Masters of Oriental Dance it will be a Huge celebration of the Dance !
David of Scandinavia ventra a Mexicali Baja California el 1 y 2 de Noviembre 2008 ofreciendo a todas las Bellydancers de la ciudad de Mexicali un curso Intensivo en Danza Egipcia y Arabe con especializacion en Tecnica, Danzs del Golfo Persico Khaleji y Tecnicas de Manejo de Velo Egipcio
No te pierdas esta magnifica oportunidad de estudiar con Danceme y Dance Masters of Oriental Dance sera un a gran celebracion de la Danza!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Maryam "Queen of Raqs Sharqi 2008"
En Danceme Academy estamos llenos de orgullo ya que Maryam Hapzhibe obtuvo el pasado 2 de agosto la corona de ¨Queen of Raqs Sharqi 2008" pero quien mejor que Maryam Para que les relate su experiencia:De: maryam
Hola chicas!!!!!!!!
En realidad no sé cómo comenzar este mensaje, ni quiero que se mal interprete el sentimiento que tengo al comunicarlo, pero hoy, me embarga una gran gran alegría y quiero compartirla con todas aquellas bellydancers que comparten el mismo amor por la danza del medio oriente como una servidora.Quiero agradecer antes de comenzar esta reseña, a una amiga de corazón, Grinnely, quien estuvo conmigo en todo momento, quien mantuvo mi corazón lleno de esperanza, haciendo que me enfocara sólo en lo positivo, dejando atrás críticas y malos comentarios. TE QUIERO MUCHISISISIMO AMIGUA!!! se necesitan personas como tu para alcanzar las metas!!!
Bueno, les cuento que el pasado jueves 31 de julio se llevó a cabo una competencia anual de Bellydance, dentro del festival "Ahlan Cairo Nights" en Dallas, Texas. Donde cada año se reunen algunos de los mejores maestro de danza árabe, de Egipto. Este año en particular fué asombroso, pues los 4 jueces son ASOMBROSOS!!! en primer lugar, considerada por muchos la mejor bellydancer del mundo en Egipto, la maravillosa DINA!!!!
También una maravillosa bailarina, muy joven, llena de energía y magia al bailar, con un estilo único e incomparable RANDA KAMAL, también un excelente maestro y coreógrafo, que fue de los fundadores de grupo de Mahmoud Reda, DR. MO GUEDDAWI, y una bailarina excelente, jovial, atrevida y considerada por mi, la Shimmy Queen!!! DANDASH. 
Desde el jueves 31 de julio al domingo 3 de agosto, el evento estuvo galardonado por estas 4 grandes personalidades.El mismo jueves en la noche se llevó a cabo la competencia, éramos 31 bailarinas, 31 trajes asombrosos, 31 estilos únicos y mas de 2 horas y media de competencia. Sólo teniamos 6 minutos para asombrar a los jueces, bailar ante ellos!!!!! el simpre hecho de estar ante DINA!!! era indescriptible, el que DANDASH estuviera viendo tus shimys!!!!! atemorizante!!! 
El Que el Dr. Mo. Gueddawi observara tu postura, y sentir la mirada de Randa en tus caderas. ESTRESANTE!!! Todos calificando tu trabajo, lo que hasta ese momento puedes hacer y conseguir al danzar!!! Es y ha sido la experiencia más estresante y a la vez mágica que he tenido la oportunidad de vivir. Fui la participante número 29. dos horas y media esperando, esperando esperando y esperando, jajaja, no quise ver a las demás participantes, en ese momento sólo quieres que ya pase todo!!! los 5 minutos antes de salir, fueron eternosssss!!!! y los 6 minutos en que hice mi rutina se pasaron como 2 segundos!!!!!!
Salí me presenté, y comencé mi rutina, en mi mente sólo pensaba, ya pasaron 28 bailarinas, de Francia, Canadá, de todos los rincones de Estados Unidos, y muchas latinas que ya radican en USA, después de tantas bailarinas, y 2 horas de danza los jueces estaban cansados, era casi media noche, yo creo que ellos han de decir, ni una mas!!! se veían sin ganas de levantar el rostro para ver más bailarinas.Desde atrás del escenario los observé con detalle esos últimos 5 minutos, se veían fatales, cansadisimos!!!, lo último que pensé al salir y ponerme en el escenario fue: "tengo que hacer que levanten la cara, me vean y sonrían".
Y comencé... la rutina, fue una canción hermosa del compositor Dr. Samy Farag. "Gawaher". Y entre medio del baile sentí sus miradas y vi sus sonrisas, varias veces el público aplaudió (eso me dijo mi amiga), yo no escuché, no se si fueron los nervios o estaba tan concentrada? jajajaja, pero si veía con atención el rostro de mucha gente interesada en la rutina. Hubo un momento climax en la rutina, donde sólo hay intensos shimies, y de reojo, observé a DANDASH y a RANDA, viendo mi cadera. Lo admito, sentí pánico jajaja, pero ya estaba ahí!!! sólo pensé, que no se me trabe la cadera jajajajajajajaja, no ahora!!!! relájate y disfruta Maryaaammm.
y así fue, al final de mi rutina observé, los jueces cambiaron sus caras!!!!!!! y sentí alivio, y pensé: yaaa pasó, ya lo hice, sólo queda en manos de Dios!!!!!
Después de ahí, fui corriendo a sentarme entre el público, ahora si quería ver a las últimas dos que faltaban, jajajaja, para mi sorpresa muy buenas las dos, una chica de Francia y una americana.
Después de la competencia nos topamos con Randa y el Dr. Mo. y sus comentarios fueron muy alentadores!!! él me dijo. "You are lovely" aaaaaaaaayyy casi me derretía, y ella "Great performance" y mas aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyy!!! ¿qué decía?!!! dos grandes!!! cualquier comentario que llegaran a decir para mi, era mi premio!!!
Dina y Dandash ya se habían ido a descansar.
Y así pasó el jueves, no pudimos dormir, Grinnely me daba reseña de toda competidora, el viernes, nos tomamos el día y fuimos a pasear por Dallas, dos que tres veces nos perdimos, pero todo bien, una aventura muy divertida!!Ese mismo viernes en la noche, fue el show de Randa y Dandash!!! SIN PALABRAS!!! IMPRESIONANTE!!!!!!!!! quedé muda con la energía, actitud y fuerza que tiene en el escenario Randa!!! y Dandash!!! como 30 minutos de rutina y puro layering!! shimmis mas shiimiiss mas shiimiiss!!! no hay a quien irle, no puedo tener una favorita!!!
Ese viernes también fue de desvelo!!!, y el sábado en la mañana corriendo al taller del Dr. Mo Gueddawi, muy bonito, Oriental Drums!! clásico, fino, elegante.nos regresamos al hotel donde quedamos hospedadas, sólo para esperar y esperar el sábado en la noche era la premiación y el show de Dina!!! un sábado espectacular.
Por fin, llegamos, cenamos!! y comenzó, la Super Star Dina abrió el show!!!!, no lo podía creer!!! estaba viendo a Dina a menos de dos metros de distancia, y sé que a muchos no les gusta, pero es mágica, muy muy diferente en escenario, transmite, emociona, cautiva, es eso mágica. mis ojos ya no pudieron y me solté llorando cuando bailó Tahtil Shibak, porqué??? no lo sé, tal vez la emoción contenida, o el verla en vivo, habiéndola visto tantas veces en video bailar esa canción, y ahí comprendí algo, cuántas miles de veces ella habrá bailado tahtil shibak y parece que fuera la primera vez!!! con sentimiento, emoción, energía y proyección. wooow!!!! Además de que yo creo que nunca será igual ver a alguien en video, que en vivo, no se transmite lo mismo.
Terminó de bailar y sentí, sólo por esto valió la pena todo!!!, después de ella, mas espera, se presentó una cantante libanesa, y todo mundo a bailar a cantar!!! pero yaaaa quería saber!!!, después de ella, presenaron a las chicas que ganaron el año pasado en grupo, muy lindas, muy coordinadas. y después la premiación de la categoría grupal!!!
Era casi la 1;00 de la madrugada y el show había comenzado desde las 9;00. ya queríamos saber, Después, bailó Mariyá, la chica que ganó el concurso el año pasado, que es de New York, y el antepasado Ahava, también estadounindense, y el ante ante pasado, igual, USA. En ese momento pasan muchas cosas por tu mente!!!! y por fin, El Dr. Mo Gueddawi comienza a anunciar. 3 lugar, Sadiya , 2do lugar una chica de Francia!! y 1 lugar, sileeeencio sileeeencio, (qué haces mientras tanto???) y por fin!!! MARYAM!!!! No se puede describir la emoción que se siente, lloras, brincas, pierdes el porte jajajaja pero estas feliz feliz feliz!!!!!!
Después de ahí, no se qué decir, es mucha alegría, muchas felicitaciones, comentarios, muchas preguntas, de dónde éres, es la principal!! y siempre he visto caras de asombro cuando escuchan Soy de México!!! y mucha gente dice, qué bueno que ganó una latina!!!Ese día, tammpoooco dormimos, y el domingo literalmente salimos corriendo del hotel para el taller de Randa, pues nos quedamos dormidas jajajaja... el Taller de técnica con Randa, algo complicado, y muy diferente a todo lo demás, ella es única, bellisima!!!Y así transcurrió el domingo, entre comentarios, felicitaciones muy gratificantes, hasta que nos regresamos y llegamos a Tijuana. Todo fue una Gran gran aventura, mucho mucho aprendizaje, y emocion!!!Espero no haber aburrido con tanto rollo, traté de comprimirlo lo más posible pero sobre todo de compartir lo que fue esta experiencia.
MEXICO se distingió!!!
Muchas gracias a mis amigas, a quienes 
estuvieron pendientes pensando en mi, el jueves, su apoyo se sintió!!!!! mil Gracias!!!! Y de nuevo invitarlas a que sigamos preparándonos, y estar dispuestas a aprender de, uno nunca sabe de dónde te puede llegar un gran conocimiento, o un gran consejo. Tenemos muy buenas bailarinas en México, sólo tenemos que hacer que levanten la cara, nos vean y sonrían.
estuvieron pendientes pensando en mi, el jueves, su apoyo se sintió!!!!! mil Gracias!!!! Y de nuevo invitarlas a que sigamos preparándonos, y estar dispuestas a aprender de, uno nunca sabe de dónde te puede llegar un gran conocimiento, o un gran consejo. Tenemos muy buenas bailarinas en México, sólo tenemos que hacer que levanten la cara, nos vean y sonrían.Con AmorMARYAMQueen of Raks Sharqi 2008Dallas, Texas
Si yo puedo compar
tir algo de lo que he aprendido, con gusto te lo compartiré. el próximo 13 y 14 de septiempre estaré en El Distrito Federal, Y en Mexicali Baja California el proximo 1 y 2 de Noviembre del 2008 ofreciéndo dos talleres.
Coreografía e interpretación para Shaabi y Mis 10 secretos en el Estilo Egipcio.
tir algo de lo que he aprendido, con gusto te lo compartiré. el próximo 13 y 14 de septiempre estaré en El Distrito Federal, Y en Mexicali Baja California el proximo 1 y 2 de Noviembre del 2008 ofreciéndo dos talleres.Coreografía e interpretación para Shaabi y Mis 10 secretos en el Estilo Egipcio.
Felicitaciones Maryam como te lo habiamos hecho saber eres una Distinguida Bailarina una Profesional una excelente Mujer y una Fabulosa Amiga
Te Admiramos y Respetamos Tus Amigos en Danceme Academy.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Danceme Academy Presenta el 1er Bellydance intensive workshop en Mexicali
Danceme Me Academy Presenta por primera vez en la Ciudad de Mexicali Baja California a todos los amantes de la Danza y Cultura Oriental un curso intensivo en Bellydance donde aprenderas Technique para Egyptian Pop Dance, aprenderas a acompañar con Zills los ritmos orientales y conoceras la fabulosa Tecnica de Baile para improvisar un Drum solo por supuesto cada uno de los temas sera acompañado de una Fabulosa rutina de Baile.
No te lo Pierdas tendras la oportunidad de aprender 3 rutinas de baile ,autenticos elementos tecnicos del bellydance y bailar con una de las bailarinas mas prestigiadas del momento RAHANA
Rahana es una Bellydancer entrenada profesionalmente cuyo lema
"the expression of passion is just as important as the movement of dance"
la expresion de la pasion es tan importante como el movimiento para la danza, la identifica con un singular y autentico estilo clasico oriental .
Una de las primeras instructoras de Rahana fue la adorada Bellydance Superstar Ansuya en la ciudad de Miami despues de su especializacion en Raqs Sharqi estilo cabaret Rahana se une al ensamble representativo Yaleil junto a Ansuya dirigido por la Fabulosa Directora Akasha.
Rahana ha sido راقصة (raqisa) o bailarina durante toda su vida bajo la instruccion de Leyendas en la Educacion de la Danza Oriental como Mahmoud Reda, Leila Haddad, Magdy el Leisy, Dina of Egypt, Dandash of Egypt, Djamila of Germany, Jillina y Tamra Henna.
Como directora del Bahiya Troupe y coreografa demuestra su amplia experiencia en la danza en general como lo son el Musical Theatre Ballet y Hawaiiano que complementan su especializacion en Oryantal Tansi.
No dejes pasar esta oportunidad sera un evento de calidad garantizada dirigido por la Reconocida a nivel estatal como la Pionera de la Danza oriental en la Ciudad de Mexicali L.CyP Martha E Duran con mas de 29 años de estudios y experiencia que respaldan Master Tecaher Director and Choreographer de Danceme Academy.
informes e inscrpciones en dancemeacademy@hotmail.com
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