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Past Workshop Topics

Invoking the Muse, Erato ~ Sensual Bellydance

Tarab is an Arabic word meaning musical ecstasy, the deepest possible emotional response to music. Generating Tarab in an expressive dance form is the goal of the sensual bellydancer. She must be filled with tarab in order to convey tarab to her audience.

We’re about to enter the Garden of Earthly Delights and experience tarab. Erato, the Athenian Muse of Passion, will be our guide through this exotic realm, where nothing is as simple as it seems. It involves sensing the world around us; using all of our senses to create a fully-felt piece of work.

Sensual description is sure to change and deepen your work; so, too, will it change the way you live your life. One who is merely seeing the world is truly limiting and crippling their potential for a fully-lived life. Living fully, sensually, is a gift; it allows us to dig our hands deep down into the soul of each moment, and there find treasures untold.

In this workshop, Dawn shares her ways of embracing and expressing sensuality and of adding the flair of sensual grace to all of your bellydance moves. Students will leave with exercises that they can repeat to bring out the sensuality in all of their performances and a beautiful fan veil choreography to Sweet Desire by Layne Redmond. Fan veils will be available for purchase. pre orders only.

Rock Your Raks Assaya!
Oriental Cane Dance with Dawn Gündüz
Explore the beautiful, earthy style of raks assaya in a fun, lively workshop!
The cane or stick (assa) dance of Upper Egypt, is a folk dance, a cabaret finale, or a dance performed after the cabaret or as a group dance. It can be performed by men or women. It’s fun and energetic and a great workout! Raks Assaya, the female version, is coy and flirtatious. The movements have been softened and stylized while still retaining an air of exhibitionism. According to researchers Raks Assaya is the epitome of female charm and one of the most popular dances in Middle Eastern entertainment. It is a common occurrence at weddings, circumcisions, births, and in the floor shows of Oriental dancers.This workshop will cover cane technique, combinations, stylization that you can incorporate into your own dance style and performances, and students will learn a full oriental cane choreography that incorporates folkloric steps and modern combinations. Students need to bring their own canes to the workshop. Instructor will have sticks available to borrow and some will be available for purchase.

 

 

TUNISIAN TOUCHES:
Come savor this earthy, sassy, and energetic Tunisian Touches choreography to Lirril by Amina from the Desert Roses 2 CD! Dawn will begin with her signature ballet based warm up for strength, balance, and flexibility. Then she will teach some Tunisian folk steps and then the choreography. Choreography has optional floorwork so kneepads are recommended. Music and kneepads available for purchase in class as well as other Imperial Jade Bellydance Theatre products!

 

 

2:30 - 4:00 p.m.

Add a touch of danger and mystery to your dance !

Learn to create enchanting and powerfully feminine performances with this amazing dance prop.
Learn history, proper care, balancing and sword technique, including floorwork.
Dawn will begin with a ballet inspired warm-up for balance, strength, and flexibility.
Kneepads recommended or bring a mat. Bring a sword if you have one. Safe sword substitutes will be available and some for purchase.

Dawn is an international bellydancer, having performed in Istanbul, Turkey, New York City, Boston, Beverly Hills, and Miami.
She currently teaches and performs in South Florida and directs the troupe,
Sultana Dance Ensemble. She has been a dance teacher since 1997, a Middle Eastern dance teacher since 2003, and certified in the Turkish Oriental style by Serena of NYC in 2004.

Her teaching embodies her respect for the cultural origins of the dance.
Her love of Middle Eastern music and the promotion of belly dance as an art form.