Nourhan Sharif teaches Raks Assaya

May 17, 2009 – Pawtucket RI at the World Music and Dance Center

Nourhan taught Raks Assaya in Pawtucket RI this weekend. She included a lot of cultural information in her workshop – and not only about the Assaya. The first half of the class was mainly working across the floor with a variety of movements, the same movements that appeared later on when we picked up the assayas. It was hard work for my current shape. I completely agree that your chest should be more forward than your hips – but it's a bit hard to do that when your stomach has outpaced your breasts like mine has at this point. I just hope she realized I was pregnant and not just pudgy with terrible posture! I'm having more trouble keeping my balance when I turn these days as well. And forget about floorwork, which surprisingly there was some in this choreography (Ghawazee style). I have to believe that I will get my dancing mojo back along with my old body after I give birth. In the meantime, I'm giving Kai lots of great exposure to Arabic music, which I hope has an influence on him.

There was one embarrassing moment when she asked if anyone knew a rhythm and I volunteered Saidi. She asked me to describe it, so I said "dum tekatek dum dum tekatek". I think she must have heard me wrong because she said "No, that's not right." Then she told us it was Dum tekatek dum dum tekatek (same thing for the record, if you can't sound it out through the text)….even though I knew it was a matter of hearing, I still felt I had to prove my Saidi chops for the rest of the day. I know my music! I may not be the best dancer but I care deeply about the music and the culture! The important thing is that we all learned from it, we then worked on the Saidi rhythm of course. Which you kinda need for Raks Assaya!

The workshop was challenging in a completely different way than Yousry Sharif's workshop in April. The choreography, when we got to it, was simple and most of what we were learning was basic. However, it was hard work! Nourhan has beautifully muscled calves and the rest of her legs must be similarly stacked because I certainly would be if I worked out like that every day. Also, when I say it was basic, I mean that it wasn't complicated – doing it correctly is another matter. I know I certainly need a bit more practice with my cane, especially when we started spinning it backwards and with our left hands. I learned Raks Assaya initially from Nourhan's video, so I was familiar with the material, but I always need more practice and it was valuable to have the real thing, live and in three dimensions, and be able to ask questions.

It was a tight workshop space-wise. Somehow we managed not to hit each other with the canes, but there wasn't enough room at times to extend your arms. Across the floor exercises can be difficult when people are not familiar with how much space they take up and are not careful to see the person in front of them. I do not take huge steps – I tend to make small steps – so it takes me longer to get across the floor than people who take longer strides when they dance – even though I'm tall, I try to keep my feet closer together when I dance. I also believe those coin belts should be banned. If I ever run my own studio, I will ban them. Someone's coin belt burst and spilled coins and beads all over the floor. Sarah and I were the only ones to be picking them up - maybe we're the only people with sensitive princess feet. They are also so noisy. Too bad they don't come with silencers.