Ranya Renee, Revelations, Motherhood, Dancing

February has been a busy month for dance. In all honesty, there have been a plenitude of workshops every month and I now have to choose carefully because I need to get childcare. When Ranya Renee came to RI, I couldn't turn it down. I already had missed her the year before, because it conflicted with Randa Kamal in Montreal. She will also be in New Hampshire in May, but the length of the drive prevents me from going in my new-mom status. I have been a fan of Ranya Renee since I got her baladi video last year. Her down-to-earth teaching style, with the heavy emphasis on visualizations, really works for me. She also has a ton of knowledge about Egyptian dance. I wasn't sure however how I felt about the workshop topics – Balancing Act (balancing props) and Character In Dance. I confess I thought I would have preferred something more dance-y. But I got so much more, something longer lasting.

One cool thing that happened is that Ranya recognized me from Facebook and my Amazon reviews of her DVDs. Nothing puts you at ease around a star than when the star already knows YOU. This is also why I don't review bellydance products I don't enjoy. By the way, she is coming out with several more DVDs, some on musical interpretation, taxim, and finally her classical oriental DVD. From now on I will be buying directly from her website, because after talking to Nadira last night and Ranya today, I know now that the artists do not make as much money on Amazon purchases.

As I told the gal I drove down there with, the first workshop was great, but it paled in comparison to the second. In the first workshop, we learned to balance tray. However unlike other balancing workshops or videos I have taken, Ranya went to a deeper level. Making turns, spins, and complex movements while balancing a tray has a secret, and that secret comes from your nightclub door – which should always be guarded by a bouncer. Yes, you shouldn't leave the backdoor of your nightclub open! Don't know what I'm talking about? You should spend some time with Ranya. Her analogies are hilarious, apt, and really make you aware more than anatomical exactness could. At any rate, between the breathing methods and extending away from the floor, I really felt that the work I have done lately with yoga and Ruby's floorwork DVD came in handy. Yes, we did floorwork with an Egyptian instructor – it's part of doing Shamadan.

The second workshop delved deeper into ourselves. Both workshops revealed a method of breathing into your back, through your softly open mouth, breathing with every movement and with the music. I have been working on breathing with the music, but I did find it difficult to breathe through my mouth because yoga teaches you to breathe through your nose [and she explained why!]. I came to several realizations…although I often do just let the joy pour out of me, I also do feel compelled to smile and can't turn it off. Sometimes (I would say in performance often) that smile is genuine, but at other times, it reveals a forced set of the jaw. Ranya pointed out that breathing through the mouth has a different feeling, more of an energy exchange, more open, more sharing – and it forces you to be in touch with yourself. I found it extremely difficult to breathe with my mouth softly open and not smile. In fact, all I could do when breathing this way was really sink into myself and the music. I couldn't be in my head – I had to be in my body – in my SELF. Any attempt to do anything else felt uncomfortable or I would have to stop breathing that way.

Ranya had some great ideas for visualizing, like embodying that welcoming feeling of your entrance piece by painting rainbows on everyone and everything within the performance space. That you are giving beauty to the people around you, painting beautiful garments on them, putting up decorations around the space that you're dancing in. I work very well with visualizations, and since the entrance song is often where we (I) feel the most nervous – having a mental focus could really help me. You know, these things do not sound nearly as cool when you write them down, much as many dancers lose their sparkle when reduced to a youtube video. You really HAD to be there.

We also worked with characters, even exploring the "negative" characters – the bitch and the slut. My bitch smiles, it turns out. Ranya focused on bringing out characters within ourselves, rather than exploring, say, typical Arabic woman characters. It seemed that Ranya's workshop had a strong focus on being the authentic woman (or man) within. I have to confess I was moved and empowered by today's workshop, some of the things she talked about, that I could not do justice by repeating. Everyone has their way of accessing certain aspects. My experience of motherhood, of giving birth, has given me a certain awareness of my body and I thought about that today. Clearly, it's not the only path to that awareness, since Ranya Renee doesn't have kids but she is clearly in touch with her power center.

I may not go to many more workshops this year. I am really glad for the ones I attended, but they haven't been easy. Not as the mother of an infant. Today's workshop only had a 30 minute break. In that time, I had to eat as well as pump. Despite this being a woman-focused art form, I'm still uncomfortable pumping in front of others, so I always end up in a tiny restroom. I have to use most of the break doing that. If the workshop is far away, it makes it even more difficult, extending the time I'm away from my son. Not only do I need to make sure we have enough milk at home for him, I then am away for longer and therefore need more breaks for pumping. I realize I am away every work day for 8 hours, but it's different since we have a nanny and my work provides a comfortable room for mothers. Today, the workshop ran longer than expected, and apparently my son started to cry for me around 6:15 onwards. I got home at 7pm, and I just wanted to connect with my son. He goes to bed around that time, and I won't see him again until early morning. I really miss him and while it was worth it, I have a feeling that's my last workshop for the year. I'm so glad I am taking him with me to the hafli tomorrow. Truly, being a mother changes you!

Speaking of which, there was a big to-do in Facebook today about a certain local restaurant that is now cutting dancer's pay and expecting them to dance for free if they get enough tips. I am disappointed, in yet another restaurant where dancers are not being valued as we should be. It is probably fortunate that I am also at a point right now where I would rather stay home with my son while he is so young, rather than go out and dance for less than I am worth.

Ahlan Cairo Nights 2009 - Montreal

I wanted to take one more big dance trip this year, and so I chose Ahlan Cairo Nights in Montreal. I was exactly six months pregnant and I found I was able to keep up with MOST of the workshops, although Randa pushed me beyond my limit. Gone are the days where I could dine on a single Larabar and keep dancing all day!

The biggest surprise of the weekend was the fantastic Dr. Mo, co-founder of the Reda troupe. At seventy years old, he is as strong and lively as a man half his age. He has a calm, kind teaching style, and doesn't hesitate to correct. I liked that he would get down on the floor, hold hands with someone struggling with a move and walk them through it. For each workshop he taught, we got through an entire choreography and they were easy to remember because he has studied how people's memories work. We learned each choreography in a series of blocks. He is also a fan of repetition, returning to something from an earlier part of the choreography. In fact, he told us - if you do something beautiful, you must repeat it - and if you do something complicated, you must repeat it immediately so that the audience can understand just how difficult it was.

He taught a classical oriental routine with Andalusian elements, where Andalusian dance is an imagination of the court dances of Moorish Spain, as there are no records of what their dance styles were like. He also taught a Sha'abi choreography to one of Saad's latest hits. The Sha'abi/Baladi choreography was my favorite - cute, fun, and sassy. But I did feel like a princess with all of the arabesques and turns of the Andalusian routine.

But it was more than the choreography . . . it was the advice he gave on the dance. One of my favorites: "We do not dance to impress - we dance to make people happy". I couldn't agree more. I wouldn't want to share all his secrets - for those, you can pick up a DVD from Little Egypt or attend one of his workshops.

Easter Show, Underbelly, Upcoming Schedule

Easter at the Middle East was a blast! All of the regulars were there, and the Egyptians were back! Usually they show up after the dancers, but this time they reserved a table and were there all night. One of the guys jumped up and did my entire drum solo with me. I bet he would like to be a belly dancer himself! Jemileh, Susi and Alicia were also on the schedule, and we got a table together after our sets. Social dancing was fun last night too. I danced to Bel Arabi with a guy who must be learning his dance moves from Saad El Soghayer himself. He really had it down! I am starting to get over my shyness. I started dancing there a little over a year ago, and I could hardly look the audience in the eye when I performed. Last night was probably the most audience participation of my life, not even counting drum solo guy. I just love the holidays there.

I caught the Boston premiere of Underbelly, a documentary about punk rocker, burlesque performer and bellydancer Princess Farhana. The movie was entertaining and touching on many levels. There is a bit of crassness though, so sadly I don't think it's a suitable movie for kids. Every belly dancer should see this movie because so many things are echoed in each of our lives.

In other news, I should announce that I will be off on a business trip until April 9th. When I get back, I have a very busy schedule if you check out my Performances page. I am performing in one of Johara's pieces for her newest show, Emergence. Then, I'm performing in Amira Jamal's student recital, both as a soloist and a duet with my friend Lilya. I'll also be at the Morocco workshop/birthday show. Then of course, I have my regular dates at the Middle East, and my newest venue - the Red Fez. It will be a very busy spring! I love dancing though so I am looking forward to it. Life is short, so we should spend it doing what we love!

Good Press

The latest NBDA event - the People's Choice Awards 2008 - were written up in the Boston Globe. The writer did a really good job of representing our dance form, in all its variety! I know he interviewed a lot of dancers, but he chose his quotes and story structure to create a very cohesive article about belly dance. I've been interviewed for the press before and it doesn't always come out this well!

Be It Styles or Backgrounds, bellydancers like to shake it up
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/03/16/great_shakes

old times and new times

I love love love this article on the Gilded Serpent.

Nina writes about the old cabaret clubs of eighth avenue New York and talks about how things have changed:
http://www.gildedserpent.com/art43/ninacab2dj.htm

This article made me a bit wistful. I can't imagine what it was like, and yet I have heard so many stories from my teacher, Amira Jamal. She was a dancer in the New York clubs in the seventies, and she has mentioned these musicians, even dancing alongside Ozel Turkbas. Back then, she tells us - the dancer's set could last over an hour. I can always imagine her as a young woman in a blue velvet bedlah, doing sultry floorwork to a slow chiftetelli or taxim in a smoky club, one hand undulating out towards the audience to the tune of a mournful clarinet. I am happy to be alive now, but I would love to time-travel back to these eighth-avenue clubs!

As the author laments the end of these clubs, I do feel lucky in Boston. Not only do we have several clubs (the Athenian Corner, the Middle East) where you could hear live musicians accompanied by dancers; but we also have some new Lebanese supper clubs where live bands play for some of our city's best dancers (like my other teacher, Najmat). On top of that, we have the dancer's community, the haflis and dancer's events. There seems to be an opportunity for anyone to perform in some way or another. I think we are also lucky here to have preserved that old Turkish, Armenian and Greek music - thanks to our musicians (like Michael Gregian, who co-taught a workshop last night on live taxim).

However, lately at haflis around here, and at national events like Rakkasah, I have noticed there is a trend towards non-traditional. It seems fewer and fewer dancers are interested in using Arabic music. Even the Arabic pop is giving way to American hip hop. I can appreciate the tribal-fusion stylings, and there was a time when I saw so much novelty that I preferred them to the traditionalists. But it seems like we're losing decades of knowledge. Although I meet many dancers online who care about Middle Eastern music and dance styles, I see in our events many new dancers who do not seem to know or care to learn about these things. They would rather do something cool, hip, new and ultimately American. I discovered this dance on a trip to Istanbul, and I feel even more strongly about representing the culture after my recent trip to Egypt. I know I will always have an American accent on this dance, but I also feel like it's my responsibility to learn as much as I can about middle eastern culture, and stay respectful to the grandmothers of this dance form.

Because of my teachers, I have been exposed to the traditional styles of dance and music. Thanks to Amira Jamal, I have learned about the early traditions of American Cabaret, that smoky nightclub dancing in the article. Katia has taught me about folkloric dance, and the importance of respecting it. Najmat spends as much time as she can listening to live Arabic music, and has created her own dance style by watching how Arabs dance - and she brings that to class. Then there is my dear friend Badriya, who is equally if not more obsessed with learning authentic middle eastern dance, and the great discussions we have. I count myself lucky because of these people, and even though I am young in this dance scene, I do feel strongly about tradition and keeping this beautiful Middle Eastern/Mediterranean dance form alive. This post is something of an homage to them, as well as to the author of that interesting Gilded Serpent article.

NBDA People's Choice 2008

The NBDA "People's Choice" awards was very successful, raising over $2,000 for the Transition House Boston. I thoroughly enjoyed the event, and even won "Best Costume" for my new pink Pharaonics 1001 Nights. My prize was two tickets to Layaleena, and I'm excited to go see some top-notch Boston bellydancers.

I was interviewed for the Boston Globe, and I may be in next Sunday's issue. I never trust newspapers, because you never know what exactly will be quoted. I talked to him right after my performance, and all I remember saying is "You can't be just a dancer, you also have to be a star!" Star is my keyword lately for being an entertainer. And it's true - it's the whole package. Not only do you have to be a great dancer, but you have to project your energy and engage your audience. Having an inspiring appearance doesn't hurt either. At the same time, Fifi Abdo can wear a simple white galabeya and bring an audience to its knees. But I'm not Fifi Abdo, so I put 110% into my costume and makeup. Some of the fun in performing is getting to wear more glitter and sequins than you could ever get away with in "real life".

What I learned in Egypt about bellydancing

The tour leader from the German tour group that we shared our Nile Cruise boat told me the things he felt all belly dancers must have, if I understood him correctly:

• you must be beautiful
  
• you must have long hair (he pointed at my long hair and showed how it should be much longer)
• you should wear a little curl near your face
  
• You must have red lipstick
• You must wear glittery body lotion
• You must have soft-looking feet
• You must have no body hair, not even on the arms

Cairo's dancers must work very hard to maintain their beauty. It is very dry in Egypt and ones hair and skin quickly shows the effects. Not only that, but it seems that the beauty standards in Egypt are much higher than in America.

I also learned that all Egyptians love Fifi Abdo and Sohair Zaki, but not a single one likes Dina. One or two admitted she was a good dancer, but a few said "But she doesn't do belly dance!" (i.e. Raks Sharqi, but they call it belly dance when talking in English). One person said she was ugly. Another person told me that she was a very bad influence on Egyptian society. If all these people don't like Dina, then who is paying $300 to see her performances? I still like Dina, but I learned to say that my favorite dancer was Sohair Zaki.

Other Egyptians I spoke to about dancing expressed how important it was to express the music. "To be the eye of the music", was how one person put it. I completely agree with this statement.

I did end up performing in Egypt, on our Nile cruise ship. We had been stranded at the Esna Lock for over 24 hours, and cheer was much needed for both the crew and the tourists. Luckily I had my costume that I had purchased in Cairo, and I was able to glam up a bit. I had packed (just in case) a set list from one of my restaurant performances. It was a wonderful venue - with everyone seated around the room on couches with tea, and a big dance floor with lights in the middle for me to dance in. I really enjoyed myself and could see that other people were enjoying themselves too. After I got changed into my regular clothes, I came upstairs again and they were playing Shik Shak Shok, followed by Habibi Ya Eini, and Sohair Zaki Fi Baladi, so I danced some more.


I know I still have a lot to learn and I won't let this go to my head, but many Egyptians came up to me and told me that they loved my dancing and that I am a very good dancer. Some were telling me that I should move there and start dancing on the different cruise boats in Luxor. However, it was funny that they seem to have a hard time believing that I learned how to dance in America, and from non-Egyptian teachers. They would always ask me how I learned it, and I would explain about taking classes on Mondays and Tuesdays and practicing every day.