MOTHER / DAUGHTER DUO: Tonya and Atlantis have produced over 100 bellydance videos and DVDs. The Belly Dancer of the Universe Competition series featuring Tonya and Atlantis with talents from across the Universe, competing for the most coveted title in our field, "The Belly Dancer of the Universe."

"NEW" MEGA STARS DVD series with featured champions of the Belly Dancer of the Universe Competitions past and present in their award-winning once-in-a-lifetime performances. All this along with Tonya, Atlantis and their dance company "Of Veils & Incense with Essence of Veils" - a DVD sure to please. Worthy of anyone's DVD collection, student or professional. NEW Belly Dancer of the Universe DVD Series for the Universal Stylist. Volume Two, Coming Soon! Features all new music written and vocalized by Tonya herself, along with an all star musician lineup TBA.

"Innovation not Imitation" is their motto.

Tonya and Atlantis are also musically accomplished with their CD "Ecstacy in Bellydance, Volume I, featuring Tonya's lyrics and vocals along with Clarinet and Bouzouki artistry by Andreas Chianis, Greek Musician Extraordinaire! This CD has a 27 minute routine for the Professional Universal Dance Stylist.

The NEW CD "Atlantis" - Ecstasy in bellydancing Volume 2 features routines for the Universal, Egyptian and Fusion artists. Website: www.tonya-and-atlantis.com

Saturday 02/21/09, 10:00 am - 12:00 N00N: EVA CERNIK'S "Innovative Veil Moves" - RM 103A

Veil dancing has been Eva's specialty since she first touched a silk veil. To her, it is not a prop but an extension of the dancer. It shows the lines of movement and fills spaces that she cannot reach.

The veil dancer controls the mood of her dance by creating shapes that have symbolism. She herself symbolizes freedom as she controls the veil even as it flies out of her hands.

Eva compares her veil work to mastering the sails of a ship, as opposed to running an outboard motor. She will teach her signature veil moves in a flowing combination.

Please bring a rectangular light silk veil, with no decoration or trim, 3 yards, 3+ ok if you have long arms. Eva will have some Turkish veils for sale at the class.

Sun 2/22/09: EVA CERNIK'S WORKSHOP "Dance moves in 9/8 Karsilama Rhythm: RM 103A

Turkish/Greek accenting and Turkish-Romani accenting. Eva will present to you the Turkish Romani (Gypsy) style, demonstrating their unique feeling for the 9/8 rhythm, which is quite different from the 9/8 styling commonly used by Turkish, Greek, and American Oriental dancers here in America since the 1960s.  Eva will teach combinations in both styles, with discussion of the music and characteristic accenting and footwork for both. Eva will also touch on some of that famous (and some infamous) gesturing used by dancers from Sulukule, Istanbul. Please try to bring a full circle-cut 2-panel skirt (openings at each hip), no need for zils, just bring your hands.

EVA CERNIK, Bio: is well known for her sizzling Turkish Oriental dance style. She has danced since her childhood in Brasil. After extensive training in gymnastics and ballet, at the age of 19, Eva was first introduced to Oriental Dance by Anahid Sofian of New York, and later worked in several of the night clubs there.  Anahid's influence, Eva's Eastern European heritage, and extensive travels in Turkey attracted her to practice the Turkish style. 

The following years, Eva studied in Denver with Naila-Rose, of the original Salimpour school. Then for 14 years, she studied intensively with Adnan Sarhan of Baghdad. This training filled her with a deep love for Arabic music and with techniques to practice dance as a spiritual path.

Though the essence of this dance is universal, if the dancer has a strong curiosity, it is difficult to avoid savouring the cultures which have nurtured it for centuries. With this in mind, Eva set out in 1979 on her first trip to the Middle East. To finance her explorations and ongoing dance studies abroad she worked as a bellydancer in London, Paris, much of Spain, Baghdad, Cairo, and Istanbul. She worked regularly with Erdogan Modern Turkish Oryantal Troupe, as soloist with the Samir Sabri troupe in Cairo, Inosis Berber Ballet in NYC, and her own Bedouin friendship with families in Cairo and Upper Egypt.  Her experiences are not limited to the nightclubs of Cairo and Istanbul. They extend to the villages where Ghawazi, Romani and "folk" dance to traditional acoustic music at their festivals, weddings, and in their homes. In 1984 Eva began offering dance-study tours to Egypt, arranging many parties for the villagers, always hiring Ghawazi dancers and mizmar bands. She also returned to Turkey eleven times to really grasp the very strong contrast of the Egyptian style to the Turkish and Romani styles with which she had become so at ease.

In 1997, Eva Cernik was voted Innovative Dancer of the Year, by the International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance, and by Zaghareet Magazine as 2002 favorite interpretive artist. Eva was Habibi Magazine"cover-girl" in 1987, and more recently interviewed for "The Belly Dancer" magazine, cover story winter 2006/7. The interview focused on the direction and evolution of Oriental Dance.

Some musicians Eva has worked with are: Samir Sabri, Selim Sesler, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Souren Baronian, John Bilezikjian, Ishmael, Beth Quist,  and bands: UCSB Mideast Ensemble, Sirocco, Transition, Sherefé;  and since 2003 has begun a collaboration with Rachid Halihal.

To this day, Eva offers affordable tours to dancers, musicians and all, to see the sights, attend shows, festivals, parties, classes and sometimes visit folks in their own homes. These tours to Turkey, Egypt (and now Morocco!) as well as videos she has produced, offer the dancer an opportunity to fit her own dance into a historical and cultural perspective.

Angelika Nemeth is a Celebrity Judge and Workshop Leader:

CREATING THE ULTIMATE DRUM SOLO
Saturday, February 21, 2009,
10:00 am - 12:00 NOON RM 103C

Guidelines and tips gleaned from over 30 years experience in both choreographing and improvising to drum solos. The drum solo is one of my favorite parts of an oriental dance routine. We will work on hearing and identifying the most common and not so common drum solo rhythm patterns and how to transform them into movement with combinations from my recent drum solo choreographies. We will also cover
live vs. recorded drum solos; how certain sounds resonate with certain body parts and energy centers; the use of pops, locks and shimmies to accentuate the music; and incorporating silence, breath and humor into your interpretation to make it SIZZLE!

Angelika Nemeth is an international Middle Eastern dance artist who has been presented in Europe, Asia and North America and is regularly featured in workshops throughout the United States. She is currently on the dance faculties of four Southern California colleges where she teaches accredited classes in Middle Eastern dance. In 1982 and ’83 she sponsored dance study tours to Egypt and has since returned to the Middle East to study on her own. In August 2005 she organized and escorted a dance study tour to Turkey. She has produced and directed numerous world dance concerts, co-sponsored two international Middle Eastern dance conferences and has appeared on numerous videos and magazine covers. In 1999 Orange Coast College recognized Angelika for her outstanding teaching record. Her love for the dance is communicated in her enthusiastic, informative and detailed teaching style She makes learning fun as well as challenging. Her work as a teacher, performer and producer has had a major impact on Middle Eastern dance worldwide. Known for her dynamic command of the stage and her passionate presentations, she blends traditional and contemporary Middle Eastern dance styles into a “must-see” performing experience. In 1997 she received the “Best Modern Egyptian Dancer” award by the International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance (IAMED), and in 2000 was nominated for her outstanding achievement in choreography. She is the artistic director and choreographer of the award-winning Angelika Nemeth Dance Ensemble. Angelika has certificates in Dance and Theatre Arts and Related Technologies, and holds a BS degree in Education and an MA in Psychology specializing in the Transformational Arts.

Angelika has been on the executive judging panel of the BDUC since the inception of the event.


Her website is: www.angelikanemeth.com

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HELENA VLAHOS
Celebrity Judge and Workshop Instructor

Sunday, Feb 22, 2009, from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon in RM 103A - 2 hour WORKSHOP: Combinations for Beledi 4/4, Maqsum 4/4 & Masmoudi 8/4: Sassy combinations to spice up your dance with these popular rhythms PLUS Arm & Hand Movements to Compliment Body Movements: Appropriate arm and hand movements to fuse and strengthen your new combinations.

Helena Vlahos started dancing professionally at the age of at sixteen in Los Angeles where she was residing at the time. Distant relative FoFo De Milo, a Greek-American dancer/entertainer and first owner of the Greek Village Restaurant in Hollywood, spotted young Helena dancing at family celebrations. FoFo sensed that Helena was a natural talent, and offered to give her dance instruction in exchange for help at her studio.

It was in the company of her mentor FoFo De Milo, that Helena first really took notice of the Raqs Sharqi Dance form. She recalls that most of the dancers performing were American greats such as Aisha Ali and Antoinette, but that there were also occasionally shows featuring Middle Eastern natives like the famous Iklas Osman who was noted for her feats of grace on upturned drinking glasses. As Helena grew to adolescence, the world of La Danse was weaving its way into her heart.

Then in 1964, FoFo took her to see a newly opened club, the Athenian Restaurant in L.A. As was customary, the club's owner encouraged young ladies to get up and dance. Helena obliged, and the owner promptly invited her to dance at the restaurant's upcoming Grand Opening. A Star had been born in Southern California that night. When questioned as to how she knew that Belly Dance was to be her career, she speaks of this night: "When I stepped on the floor, I think, my first step on there, I knew. I was very shy in school; if the teacher called on me I cringed, you know, my face would get all red if I had to answer questions. You'd never think it, I know, by talking to me, but that's exactly the way I was...I still am, in that kind of environment...but in the Dance I felt secure and in control...

Helena had an inborn affinity for the Dance, and a lovely sister, Maria, who later also became a dancer and could make beautiful, durable costumes that fitted well. For the first time in her life, Helena felt that she'd found a place where she truly belonged.

Dancing at Shakour's Oasis in Hollywood in the 60’s was a pivotal point in Helena’s development. It was there that she had the pleasure of having musicians especially devoted to creating a rapport with the movements of her dance. One standout favorite was Oud master Khamis El Fino Ali, who'd pull attenuated sounds out of his instrument in complement to Helena's belly roll displays. Equally delightful were the playfully expressive vocalizations of the great Najib Khoury. Such experiences as these gave her a hold on a now often overlooked dimension of performance art.

Sometimes our best ideas are born when we least expect it. Helena relates that just such an occasion gave rise to the act that put her into the Guinness Book of World Records and earned her quite a bit more than Mr. Warhol's touted 15 minutes of fame. The famous act involves first flipping a dollar bill in the crease of her belly. Then she proceeds to lay out a row of nine quarters across her tummy just below her navel. Using her belly muscles, she flips the quarters; twice up and down, one at a time, and finally every other one! When asked how this came about, Helena takes us back to a performance in 1968 at the People Tree in Calabasas, California. Since Helena had taught herself to perform belly rolls while reclining with her arms propping her up, she incorporated the position into the belly roll segment of her act. Naturally, appreciative patrons would shower her with tips as she performed. Then on this particular night, a customer placed a bill right where it caught perfectly in her belly fold, causing the note to flip neatly over. The crowd went wild! Helena realized that here was something really great she could add to her show. With her typical determined attitude, she began to practice the act in her spare time. At first she worked only with the bill, but then thought, why not give coins a try. After experimenting with various coins, she settled on quarters as working the best for her. Years of persistence finally led to her mastery of an incredible nine coin row, a feat that hasn't been matched since.

Helena enjoyed the five years she spent in Houston, where she danced at the “Bacchanal Restaurant”and opened "Helena's School of belly Dance". It was heralded in the local press. Students came eagerly. When Helena moved yet again, this time to Austin she handed the operation of the school over to her much-beloved second protégé (first protégé was Dahad Elias), the beautiful Mahal. Here again, she opened a school, but this time on a smaller, part-time basis. Success came again, and yet again she grew restless.

The lure of her beloved Los Angeles holds sway over Helena, and in 1978 she returned to work at the Athenian Gardens. It was in L.A. in 1981 that a good friend spread the buzz to the local media about Helena's Nine Quarters act. The description of her feat got the attention of Regis Philbin, who at the time hosted the local morning chat show, A.M. Los Angeles. Soon a phone call came inviting her to appear on the show and perform her act. Though naturally terrified, her performance instinct triumphed, and our Helena made her first TV appearance. The act was such a hit with the Hollywood crowd that media greats started scrambling to get Helena on their shows. A flurry of television spots followed; first, The Merv Griffin Show, then The Mike Douglas Show, That's Incredible!, Here's Richard (Richard Simmons), Thicke of the Night, Regis Philbin Healthstyles, and finally Spectacular World of Guinness Records. Also to follow was a nice cameo role in an episode of Dynasty, plus a spot appearance in the Allan Carr film "Can't Stop the Music".

In 1990 Helena moved to Phoenix, Arizona. For the first fourteen years Helena worked as an Assistant Manager in a restaurant. At that time because of her grueling work schedule, she could only dance and teach twice a week. She finally decided that she needed to do what she loves best. To dance and teach full time and that is exactly what she is doing now. Helena believes… “To Dance Is Divine”. By Norma Westover


Website: www.helenavlahos.com

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TONYA - Workshop Leader and BDUC Producer

WORKSHOP Saturday, Feb 21, 2009, 12:15 - 1:45 pm, RM 103A: "GET THE COMPETIVITE EDGE" What the judges are looking for - music and performance analysis, stage etiquette, proper costuming, handling performance stress and memory loss DURING performance, use of stage, surefire hot combos. dance and lecture class with some improvisation taught by world renown award-winning producer of the BDUC and the original bellydance showcases .

Biography - Tonya, Southern California Bellydancer, Premier Teacher, Talented Performer, Choreographer, MC and Promoter

Some of her awards and honors include: Middle Eastern Culture and Dance Association " Hall of Fame" award twice for her unselfish dedication to the dance form through teaching, promotion, integrity and professionalism in the field.

Middle Eastern Culture and Dance Association Humanitarian Award

Best Teacher award from International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance.

Promoter of the Year, Zahgareet Magazine.

Teacher of the Year, International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance

Promoter of the Year, International Dance and Theater Arts Association, Kansas City, Missouri.

Best Event - Belly Dancer of the Universe Competitions, Zaghareet Magazine.

Additional credits available upon request! Tonya has captured the highest awards possible in the field of Middle Eastern Dance from across the nation.  Among them:  Best Teacher; Promoter; Achiever; MC and others.

Tonya is the producer and co-producer of the Belly Dancer of the Universe Competitions held annually in Long Beach, CA. She has alternated holding the offices of President and Vice President of the Middle Eastern Culture and Dance Association (MECDA) Beach Cities Chapter.

Tonya presently teaches belly dancing (Le Danse Oriental) or Middle Eastern Dance, at Golden West College, Cerritos College and Santa Monica College, and the Southern California Dance Academy in Long Beach as well as private coaching for competitions, performances, etc.

Also a fabulous costume designer, she designs for the dancer's unique personal style.

Tonya is a practitioner of Religious Science as well as a published author of
Insights and Inspirations for Dancers - A book of spiritual healing for dancers

Forward by Marta Schill:
"This prose of Tonya Chianis is simply the art of dance crafted into words and through her 'Spiritual Connection' to dance, Tonya has graciously created stepping stones for our own journey. This book serves as a beacon to brighten our path."

Tonya is the creator of Tonya's original Bellydance Showcase now in its 18th year, featuring live music and spontaneous dance performance for all levels and styles. Showcases are held across Los Angeles and Orange County monthly and have something to offer the whole family.

Tonya's classes are always well attended and one of her greatest attributes is her ability to give a complete understanding of this dance in six weeks, thus giving the student the opportunity to know what is ahead should she wish to continue.  She has the ability to give personalized attention no matter how large the class and takes great pride in sharing her vast knowledge with all her students.

WORKSHOP: SATURDAY, FEB 21, 2009: 1 1/2 hr class from 3:45 - 5:15 pm in RM 103A

CANE DANCE: Amina Goodyear will teach two styles of cane dance. One will be old style Cairo, Mohammed Ali style and the other will be modernized Saidi. There will be a short history of both styles and stick technique will be shown. Amina will teach as she was taught by her Egyptian teachers who included Fatma Akef and Nadia Hamdi. A CD of the music used will be the hand-out - If you wish written notes, bring a notebook. Class is appropriate for both men and women.

Canes with a crook are fine, but a wooden stick (about 3') is best. If men in class, a 4' wooden staff is preferable, but canes or 3' sticks are OK. Please supply your own cane or stick as none will be available on loan. Shop around - various vendors will have some for sale or you can go to your local hardware store and buy a 3' wooden dowel for probably $1-$2.
www.aminagoodyear.org

Amina began dancing professionally in 1966 at San Francisco's famous Bagdad Cabaret, where she was the principal nightly dancer for twenty years. Amina's teaching career began in 1971.  Soon after, she founded THE ASWAN DANCERS, the premiere Egyptian Dance Company. She also  founded The Cairo Cats Band,  and co-founded The Arabian Knights Band. As a master dance teacher, AMINA also teaches Percussion and Arabic Song Translation, pointing out that understanding the music and the meaning of the music is key to understanding the dance.  She has played backup percussion for musicians such as Susu Pampanin, Reda Darwish, and Georges, Elias and Tony Lammam. 

Amina continues to study, to teach and perform. She has five regular dance classes a week, bimonthly Drumming Workshops for Dancers and weekly Cabaret Performance classes. She continues to dance and choreograph for The Aswan Dancers for their weekly appearance at an Egyptian club.  As a favorite of the Arabic community, she always has a venue at Middle Eastern nightclubs where she dances and performs percussion with the Band while spotlighting her student dancers. AMINA sings with ASWAT, the Arabic choir specializing in classical Arabic music. In addition, she has a full schedule of private classes, focusing on training dancers for professional performance.  

In 1991, AMINA created the Giza Club, an Arabic cultural organization that sponsors dancers and musicians, cultural lectures and performances. Giza Club members are worldwide and guide the Giza Academy of Music and Legends of Middle Eastern Dance Videos (The Giza Awards). AMINA produced two videos: the documentary "Hizz ya Wiz," and "Nadia in America," with the Egyptian star Nadia Hamdi.

With more than thirty-five years of Middle Eastern Dance experience, AMINA feels that she has just now reached her full teaching potential. In 1994 AMINA was inducted into the Middle Eastern Hall of Fame in New York, (AAMED).

Amina has been on the executive judging panel of the BDUC since the inception of the event.

Website: www.aswandancers.org


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PRINCESS FARHANA - Workshop Instructor and Celebrity Judge

WORKSHOP: Sunday, Feb 22, 2009, 12:15 - 1:45 pm, RM 103A: PRINCESS FARHANA'S  GREAT EIGHTS: ALL FIGURE EIGHTS, ALL THE TIME!

This workshop is dedicated to the belly dance staple, The  Figure Eight,
in all it¹s myriad forms!After  warming up and stretching, we will drill  Figure Eight foundations for the hips and upper torso, and then expand upon them to include unique variations on the basics, including shimmy layers, abdominal roll 'n' flutter layers, un-even eights,  speed and level changes, combining eights with undulations, as well as traveling and turning with eights. You¹ll learn some luscious figure eight combinations well as beautiful arm work to frame them. This  class is open to all levels.

BIO: Princess Farhana is an internationally acclaimed Oriental dancer who has been performing , teaching and writing about belly dance for sixteen years. Trained by the greats in the classical Egyptian raks sharqi style , the Princess has put her own stamp on the dance and is well-known as a theatrical, high-concept fusion performer. Her impeccable technique and dramatic interpretation, and specialties in balancing props and her outrageous , seemingly impossible abdominal work are her unique trademarks.

Her Majesty has been featured in numerous motion pictures, television shows and in documentary films both dancing and as an interview subject.

Recently, she choreographed the sword dancing sequence for the motion picture “Charlie Wilson’s War” starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. Her video work is extensive, including appearances in videos by Madonna and Ricky Martin.She is a regular contributor to Habibi Magazine, Jareeda, Zaghareet,and Gilded Serpent and has written about Oriental dance in many mainstream publications as well.

She has produced a number of dance events, as well as seven instruction / performance DVD’s. Her warmth, enthusiasm and adventurous spirit - on and off stage - captivates audiences and students alike.

WWW.PRINCESSFARHANA.COM

Ninah Sahar, San Diego, CA - Celebrity Judge and Workshop Instructor, Director of Blue Lotus Dance Company

WORKSHOP: Sunday, Feb 22, 2009, 2:00 - 3:30 pm, RM 103A
MOVES YOU CAN USE: Cool regional steps you can use right now to spice up your Cabaret or Tribal performance. Unique fast and slow movements from North Africa, Turkey, the Arabian Peninsula and India.

Get a taste of regional dance by learning a step or two from each country or region in its traditional form, using appropriate music, and how you can incorporate them into your own style of dance using contemporary music. We won't be learning choreography. You will be sampling movements from Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and India. Not only will you be learning new movements, you'll be touching the roots of belly dance and learning a bit of background information for each step. Please come prepared with Notebook, Water, Hip Scarf, and lots of Energy! CDs and DVDs will be available for purchase at the workshop.

Ninah is the director of the highly acclaimed Blue Lotus Dance Company, recipient of Sarneda Lifetime Achievement Award, first Oriental Dancer to be accepted to perform in the prestigious Nations International Dance Festival. Co-producer of the Marrakesh Festival, recipient of 1999 Sameda Teacher of the year award, Producer and featured performer of "Magical Motion" Instructional video by Atea. Ninah's ongoing research and study have gained her a nearly encyclopedic of knowledge of Oriental and Regional Folkloric Dances of North Africa and the Near and Middle East.

Ninah offers beginning-master level instruction in Oriental and Folkloric dances at her studio in San Diego California. Drumming with Dancing, Sword, Stick, unique Shamanic dance class, Specialty workshops and Chinese energetic healing are also very popular. The clarity of her teaching style and sense of humor have made her a favorite instructor with students and professionals.

Her solo performances are always exciting, whether it's an unbelievably challenging Sword Dance, a Moroccan Tea Dance with a tray as big as a coffee table or a Drum Solo that rocks the house.

As the Director and Choreographer of Blue Lotus Dance Company Ninah produces shows that are culturally informative, beautiful and fun for western audiences and very appreciated by ethnic audiences. The Company repertoire includes regional dances from Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Arabian Peninsula, Turkey, as well as Fusion and Live numbers for a little extra fun. Blue Lotus Dance Company has been performing in the International dance community since 1993 They have been accepted to participate in Nations International Dance Festival for many years, were special guest performers in IDA Statewide International Dance Event, have been invited to dance at numerous cultural, College and University Events and also received 1999 Sameda Dance Troupe of the Year. She has been on the BDUC judging panel since its inception.

Contact Ninah at 619 561 5675.

LEE ALI , California
Celebrity Judge and Workshop Instructor

WORKSHOP: Sunday, Feb 22, 2009, 3:45 - 5:15 pm, RM 103A: Dancing to 6/8 Rhythms; for  all styles of belly dance

Learn fun, high-energy drills that clearly explain what 6/8 rhythm is and how to dance to it. Using Moroccan, Persian, and Rai music, we will learn 3 different dance combinations. The Moroccan combo features belly-popping, hair tossing, and fiery flamenco-like footwork. This earthy, hypnotic trance dance is perfect for blending with Tribal Fusion belly dance. The Persian combo is graceful and feminine with
expressive hands and arms. Persian-style blends well with any classic cabaret routine and may be performed at weddings and restaurants. The Algerian Rai combo is set to upbeat popular dance music with lots of shimmies for shoulders and hips. Rai may be used for a lively opening or closing number, or a traditional folkloric set. 6/8 Finger cymbals patterns will be taught. Cymbal playing is optional.

Lee Ali is a specialist in Moroccan dance and folklore. With a Moroccan dancer mom and a Turkish drummer dad, Lee was born into the Middle Eastern performing community. She began as a child performer in the 1970’s, the golden era of “old style” belly dance. On stage, she’s delivered more than 2,000 performances in theater, festivals, cabaret and film. Lee has studied dance in Morocco, Turkey, Greece and Egypt. A skillful drummer and percussionist, Lee plays the t’bal, (a double-sided drum traditionally played by men) and sings in Arabic and Greek.

By age 20, Lee was artistic director of her own dance studio in the Arab quarter of Brooklyn, New York, where she perfected her colorful teaching style and her commitment to building community thru dance. 1996, she produced the documentary film, Belly Dancing In America: Importing Middle Eastern Dance. In 2001, she formed The Berber Ballet, a dance and drum ensemble specializing in 6/8 rhythms and theatricalized dances of the Maghreb. Lee holds a bachelors degree in Psychology from UC, Irvine and she is currently writing a book on Moroccan dance and trance rituals

Visit Lee Ali's Web site http://moroccandance.com

ALEX SPURKEL - Workshop Instructor

Workshop: 2 hours: Rhythms For Dancers And Drummers - Saturday, Feb 21, 2009, 6:30 - 8:30 pm. RM 103A

There is no better way to connect to your dance than to connect to the rhythm, and there is no better way to understand a rhythm than to play it! This class focuses on 8 of the most important Middle-Eastern belly dance rhythms and how to play them an the Egyptian tabla ("Doumbek" or "darbuka").

You will learn Beledi, Ayyub, Saidi, Maqsoom, Malfuf, Cheftitelli, Masmudi, and the 9/8 Karsilama.  You will learn not only how to play them but also how to count them out so you can translate them to your dance moves.  Class is beginner friendly.  Bring your own drum, and a few extras will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis, including some for sale.

Alex Spurkel BIO: Alex Spurkel has been a professional drummer for almost 20 years and has been a sought-after instructor for the past 10.  He has studied a diverse array of World drumming traditions but really found his passion on the Middle-Eastern Doumbek after he completed a one-on-one apprenticeship with master Lebanese drummer Souhail Kaspar in 1997.  Today Alex teaches Doumbek every Tuesday night at the Levantine Middle-Eastern Cultural Arts Center and plays in his Middle-Eastern/World electronica fusion band Naked Rhythm.

Alex is a clear and insightful instructor with a warm and personable approach that allows him to effectively teach any person how to feel the rhythm and excel in the beautiful art of drumming. His patience and ability to break things down make him extremely effective teacher especially with beginners, and makes it easy to learn while having fun too!

Website:: http://www.universaldrumming.com/doumbek-lessons.htm

Aisha Ali has been a professional dancer since the early 1960's, and during the1970's she became an internationally acclaimed expert on North African and Egyptian folk dances. She has performed in Cairo and Luxor and over the years frequently appeared with the Banat Mazin, a well-known family of Ghawazee, dancing at weddings and celebrations in Upper Egypt. In Tunisia, Aisha was a featured soloist at the Municipal Theater in Sfax and she traveled through Algeria to observe the Ouled Naïl, a tribal group famous for their dancing women.

Aisha has appeared on national television news, talk shows and sitcoms, as well as MTV. During her career, she performed in nightclubs and at colleges and cultural festivals around the country. She has been inducted into the New York AAMED, Middle Eastern Dancers Hall of Fame, and was an honored speaker/performer at the 2nd International Conference on Middle Eastern Dance. She was a featured soloist representing the Middle East and Africa at the Los Angeles Festival and was featured in the 2003 Conference on North African Dance at Cornell University.

Her field studies began in 1971 when she traveled to the Middle East to observe first hand traditional styles of dances rarely seen in the United States. She made many subsequent visits to Egypt and North Africa in order to collect folkloric materials that were fast disappearing. As a result of her efforts, she has produced six audio CDs and several films of native folk dances.

Her productions include the videos "Dances of Egypt," an intimate study of performers and their environments throughout the Egyptian countryside, "Dances of North Africa," covering dances of Morocco and Tunisia, and "Dancing with Aisha, Vol. 1," an instructional video on Tunisian dance. She has recently completed a two-volume DVD entitled "Aisha Dances" featuring her performances of 16 genres of dance from around the Arab World. In work are her documentaries "Dances of North Africa Vol. II, Algeria and Libya," and "A Saidi Wedding."

Aisha has been on the executive judging panel of the BDUC since the inception of the event.

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ANISA
Celebrity Judge

Owner of Anisa's School of Dance in Sherman Oaks and Director/Choreographer of the award-winning Orientale/Beledy Dance Troupe, Anisa has been teaching belly dance since 1974, focusing on old Egyptian style. 

She just returned from teaching and performing in Egypt at Raqia Hassan's Ahlan wa Sahlan Festival. 

Anisa, the recipient of many awards, sponsors tours to Egypt and Turkey, and is the Producer of the annual event, "King Tut Returns." 

She was named "Best Belly Dance Instructor" by the New Times. Anisa has also been celebrated in Entertainment Today and Shape Magazine. She is the Director & Choreographer of the Orientale/Beledy Dance Troupe and has been teaching the art of Belly Dancing since 1974. Anisa conducts workshops and master classes, has appeared on TV and in movies, and has produced an instructional video, "Belly Dance with Anisa 2000."

In 2004 Anisa received the coveted "Lifetime Achievement Award" at Tonya & Atlantis' "Belly Dancer of the Universe" competition, and Anisa's Orientale/Beledy Dance Troupe won "Belly Dancer of the Universe" in the group category 2005. Anisa also organizes and participates in dance tours to Egypt and Turkey and is producer of the annual Halloween Belly Dance Show "King Tut Returns."

Anisa has been on the executive judging panel of the BDUC since the inception of the event.

Visit her Website: http://www.anisadance.com 

Tasha Banat, New Mexico, Celebrity Judge

TASHA BANAT: Middle Eastern and American;

It is hard to describe where one personality ends with her and where the other begins.  Her accomplishments vary greatly as she has always been very much on the political scene with TV Talk Shows, magazine articles and newspapers commentaries in both English and translated to Arabic.  Then there is the cultural blend of Belly Dance and Debka (Lebanese, Palestinian, Jordanian, Syrian, and Iraqi) folk dance that has been her trademark in Arabic nightclubs for more than 40 years.

Unlike most Belly Dance Instructors, Tasha Banat is more about preserving the cultural artistic accomplishments that her people have lost touch with during the last century.  When Tasha performs, you see what Arab pride is all about.  You know you are watching an artist in motion, not a diva.The most interesting aspect of Tasha's style of teaching, is that her classes are fun, logical, encouraging and interesting. 

No matter what level of study you are at, you will learn new and interesting movements, dance steps, combinations and so much more. You can go to her simple web site www.TashaBanat.com and there is no doubt that what you see is what you get.

ASHANA HANADA - Celebrity Judge

BIO: Ashana Hanada, MFA Dance, is full-time Dance faculty at MiraCosta College in Oceanside, CA. Her Master’s thesis focused on The Technique and Aesthetic of Middle Eastern Danse Orientale.

Ashana’s extensive experience as a teacher, choreographer, performer, and director encompass a variety of dance styles and techniques, including jazz, ballet, modern, ballroom, and Le Danse Orientale.

Professional credits include Equity principal roles in A Chorus Line and The King and I, and choreography for opera, musical theater, and world dance forms.

Ashana has been a presenter for regional, national and international dance conferences.

Email jazzydancer@cox.net

Ashana has been on the executive judging panel of the BDUC since the inception of the event.

KAMAAL - Celebrity Judge

Kamaal has been performing and teaching Middle Eastern dance for over twenty years and has danced in many fine restaurants in Northern and Southern California; The Marrakech and The Grapeleaf in San Francisco, The El Mahgreb and Ta Delphina in San Jose, and the El Grande in Manhattan Beach just to name just a few.

Kamaal has twice won the title of “Mr. America of the Belly Dance” in competition and was several times a finalist in the “Belly Dancer of the Year” contest. He is to date the only male to place in Southern California’s “Belly Dancer of the Universe Competition.” He was also a two-time recipient of the Nafisa Gem award for the “Best Professional Male Belly Dancer.”

Kamaal’s dance style ranges from traditional Egyptian cabaret to folkloric. His dance career began with ballroom dance. He was a competition dancer for more than 15 years before he discovered Middle Eastern dance. He is known for his creative use of props, most notably his famous tray and sword balancing routines, and his show stopping double veil.

MARTA SCHILL - Celebrity Judge

Marta’s involvement in Middle Eastern Arts began as a musician, exploring Turkish songs and rhythms, quickly evolving into a fascination for all the Middle Eastern dance arts.  After years of study, Marta went on to become a consummate professional dance artist, performing in the cabarets of California during the genesis of ‘Bellydance’ in America. She later performed throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and the Middle East. 

Marta is on the executive judging panel for the Bellydancer of the Universe® annually.

Ms. Schill is the co-author of  “The Compleat Belly Dancer,” a book that became a national best-seller published by Doubleday & Co., as well as two sequels; “The Finishing Touch” and “The Teachers Guide.”  She also co-authored and starred in “How to Bellydance,” a videodisc produced by MCI (Universal Studios) as well as writing and producing an instructional video tape titled “Belly Dance: Fine Art of the East.” 

Marta Schill is one of the founders of the Middle Eastern Culture and Dance Association, founded in 1977, a national non-profit communications organization dedicated to promoting Near- and Mid-Eastern music and dance.  In this capacity, she created the Cairo Carnivale, now one of the foremost ethnic dance festivals in the Los Angeles area.

Marta has created choreography for such stars as Bar bra Streisand and Dinah Shore, and acted in and created dance routines for “Barbra Streisand and Other Musical Instruments,”“Maid to Order,” “Young and the Restless” and “Alive and Well.”  She has conducted seminars and shows throughout the United States, instructing in the Turkish and Egyptian styles of Middle Eastern dance arts.  She is also credited with creating the beautiful modern style of circular veil technique. 

Many of the major productions of Danse Orientale in Southern California bear the influence of Marta Schill’s production skills.  One of her many goals is to present the extraordinary beauty and creativity of Mid-Eastern music and dance to the general public. 

Marta Schill’s future aspirations include bringing the American Middle East dance community and the ethnic Mid-Eastern Americans together, to celebrate the connections we share; the love of a rich culture, and an infatuation with the modern direction of music and dance from this very creative region of the world.

Marta has been on the executive judging panel of the BDUC since the inception of the event.

MARUSHKA
Celebrity Judge

Marushka has served the belly dance community for more than 15 years. She founded SAMEDA, the San Diego Area Middle Eastern Dance Association, in 1986. SAMEDA is a major dance organization that sponsors local dance events and serves as an information network through its monthly newsletter.

Marushka sees the belly dance as a graceful expression of mind, body and spirit. She is excited to be judging again this year in a venue that so beautifully displays how much the belly dance is evolving and growing.

Marushka has been a regular judge in the Belly Dancer of the Universe® Competition since its inception.

Mésmera: Celebrity Judge

International Dance Star, Mésmera has received awards, been in Movies and TV shows, appeared in "TIME" Magazine, "InStyle," "L.A. Weekly" and countless bellydance magazines.

She is known for her mesmerizing passion and graceful precision. Spinning her veils through film and TV credits, celebrity events, classes, performances, seminars, festivals, video productions, and directing her troupe, has refined her inspiring talent, adding depth and intent.

The captivating clarity of her style matches her articulate teaching expertise, generating numerous star performers, dozens of instructors and waves of enthusiastic dancers. Learning with Mésmera is fun, with far-reaching benefits. She encourages freedom of movement and imagination in dance as a paradigm for creative living.

Drawing from archetypes, geometry, anatomy, history, literature, Deities, colors, animals and Nature, she presents technique with awareness and Spirit, activating vitality, presence and beauty to empower her students.

Surpassing her award-winning instructional VHS/DVDs, Mésmera researched in Africa, visiting several tribes and exotic locations to produce "Afrika: Mother of Dance", her two-part performance classic. The thrilling visuals inspire many to join her adventure seminars in Africa, Peru and Brazil. Respected for dynamic charisma onstage and genuine warmth in class, the dance community acknowledges her as an innovative resource who artfully ignites a moving experience for audiences and students alike. That's why her name is Mésmera.

Mesmera, Dancing at the Speed of Delight!
Website: http://www.mesmera.com

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SAHRA SAEEDA - Celebrity Judge

Sahra has performed and taught Egyptian style Orientale and Folkloric dance on five continents. Originally from the Los Angeles, California area, Sahra lived, danced, and researched in Egypt from 1989 to 1995. The "Sahra Show" has performed over 1600 shows in Cairo, Egypt alone. This show's ensemble included Sahra, Egyptian musicians, singers, folkloric dancers and authentic Saidi musicians. The "Sahra Show" can be seen on "Sahra Saeeda" video/DVD, "Ahlan, Ahlan" video and "Sahra-Direct from Cairo"; and can be heard on the CD's "Sahra Saeeda", "Music for Egyptian Dance" and "Layali Zaman." Video & Music information She has since been teaching and performing Egyptian and Folkloric dance around the world. Sahra has academic degrees in both Dance & Cultural Anthropology along with a MA in Dance Ethnology from UCLA.

 Sahra has been artistic director of Ya Amar! Dance Company since it's conception in 1995, and a contributing choreographer to many European dance companies. She is also president of Layali Yasmine Productions ("Nights of Jasmine") an independent recording and distribution label for Egyptian music, Middle Eastern dance performance and instructional videos. Ms. Kent has degrees in both Dance and Cultural Anthropology, with an Master's in Arts degree from University of California, Los Angeles. She has given numerous lecture/demonstrations on Egyptian dance, costumes, customs, ritual and folklore to doctorate-level symposiums, university ethnic dance festivals and dance ethnology forums. She has many publication, TV and video credits worldwide.

http://www.sahrasaeeda.com

Sahra has been on the executive judging panel of the BDUC since the inception of the event.

ATLANTIS:
ATLANTIS is Vice President of the Middle Eastern Culture and Dance Association (MECDA Beach Cities Chapter). Member of Middle Eastern Culture and Dance Association "Hall of Fame."

AWARDS including:

Best Oriental Dancer,
Zaghareet Magazine

Best Cabaret Dancer - International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance.

Promoter of the year, Zaghareet Magazine

Best Event - Belly Dancer of the Universe Competitions, Zaghareet Magazine

"ATLANTIS, Belly Dancer of the Universe®" is  a prominent "tour de force" cutting edge promoter, producer, choreographer and performer in the all styles  of Middle Eastern dance. Atlantis is producer of the BELLY DANCER OF THE UNIVERSE® COMPETITION, the most prestigious and highly respected GLOBAL  event of its kind. She and her mother, Tonya Chianis, RScp, have taken this dance where few will ever follow. ATLANTIS, Belly Dancer of the Universe® has many ground breaking accomplishments to her name in stage, television and theater in the US and around the world Highlights range from internationally televised NFL Monday night football season opener half time entertainment, to the Discovery channel's documentary portrayal of Hakmet Famy, the famous bellydancing spy in WW2. ATLANTIS, Belly Dancer of the Universe® is listed in Biltmore's "WHO'S WHO?" among executives and professional females across the country for her business accomplishments with her entertainment agency BELLY DANCER OF THE UNIVERSE®.