Babs Presents: Khaleegy – Dances of Arabian/Persian Gulf

March 1st, 2008

Bloomington/Normal IL

Register here: https://communityedregistration.heartland.edu/CommEdWebReg/

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Those in the near/middle eastern dance community may have heard (or not?) the term, “Khaleegy’ music or “Khaleegy” dance. What does it mean?  Read about it on www.Bhuz.com?  Seen a video clip on “YouTube” or heard a fellow dancer mention it?  What are the roots and origins of this style of dancing? And

Where in the world is this Persian/Arabian Gulf (and why does it have two names?) 

Join Jawhara of Dancing Benefits from the Chicagoland area for an full day workshop exploring the sources and ‘roots’ of Khaleegy (Gulf) social dancing (usually done at parties and gatherings of women), the women in this region, the music, the evolution and the future of the dance and music.The day’s learning includes a vocabulary of typical steps and movements found in ‘Khaleegy” style dance, the costuming, the music and rhythms and the artists who make Khaleegy music.The class will learn a short choreography to a contemporary piece, to help students understand the dance’s ‘performance’ at parties among women, and to help dance companies/troupes include this style of dance in their repertoire.

Participants should have basic exposure to near/middle eastern dance and will be using body and brain for this workshop.

 Jawhara of Dancing Benefits – Art that Benefits the heart body mind and soul.

About the Jawhara:

Jawhara is from the Chicagoland area.  She is an educator, performer, and the artistic director of "Anwaar El Sharq", a dance company bringing entertainment and education to audiences with dances of the near/middle east, the Arabian/Persian Gulf, the Maghreb (North Africa) and Turkey.

Jawhara teaches privately.  She is also on faculty at Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, Illinois, where she teaches a full credit course, "Middle Eastern Dance through History to Today."    The course has both studio and classroom components. Students receive a multi-disciplinary perspective about the dance –through study of history, ethnomusicology, political science, sociology, women's studies - and more.  In this way, they gain a more complete picture of the dance in its context, rather than just mimicking movements.  The students are not required to have dance experience to participate; however, part of their final grade is participation in a student recital concert – and almost all of them have a great time doing it! 

Jawhara has studied (and continues to study) with many of the foundational teachers of raqs sharqi – Cassandra Shore, Sahra Kent, Kay Hardy Campbell, Phaedra of New York, Leila Gamal, Elena Lentini, Nourhan Sharif, to name a few from the U.S. – and Mahmoud Reda, Yousry Sharif, Amel Tafsout,  from the near/middle east and north Africa.  She is especially indebted to (a wonderful teacher, mentor and friend) Kay Hardy Campbell, whose research and study of Saudi Arabia’s culture, music, history and women’s dance, as well as Kay’s ongoing learning and generous sharing of her knowledge.  These sparked Jawhara’s interest and passion in Khaleegy style dance, and are the basis of her continued learning and teaching this form of dance.

Last Updated: Novemeber27th, 2007

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Email Babs at raks_albi@yahoo.com