BINT-AL BALAD TEACHERS

 

INTRODUCTION TO EGYPTIAN DANCE

 

Claire Morgan

 

Claire has studied extensively with senior teachers of the Raqs Sharqi Society and other notable dancers. Using the skills gained from a previous career in management training and her knowledge of the dance she started to teach her own class in St Albans and in Hitchin.

 

Previously a member of "The Raqs Sharqi Festival Dancers" and now part of “Tabeeya”, a dance troupe performing the traditional and classical dances of Egypt.

 

She enjoys performing and has performed for a range of occasions, from Weddings, to Arabic parties, demonstrations for women's groups and school children. Garden Fetes and Festivals (for an audience of approximately 2000 at Hitchin’s “Rhythms of the World” festival) and theatre performances (taking part in the Raqs Sharqi Society Performance Platform at the Steiner Theatre, London.)

 

Lise Szwann

 

Lise is a graduate teacher of the Raqs Sharqi Society. She has also studied the dance with prominent Egyptian performers in London and Cairo. 

 

Her teaching uses the principles of Alexander Technique, yoga and Pilates to assist students develop the good postural habits which will enable them to dance with ease and fluency. Above all, however, she seeks to cultivate students’ enthusiasm for the dance. 

 

Lise performs at cultural events and private parties in London & the South East and has appeared on BBC TV.

 

Anne White

 

Anne White has studied Raqs Sharqi for nearly 20 years, and has been a performer and teacher since 1990.

 

A graduate of the Hilal School, now known as the Raqs Sharqi Society, Anne teaches weekly classes in London, from complete

beginners to professional performance level.

 

She is also the founder of Planet Egypt, a monthly Egyptian dance showcase, taking place at Darbucka.

 

 

DANCE IN THE MOMENT with Sarah Hennessy

(with live music from members of the Bint Al Balad ensemble*)

 

Sarah Hennessy started training with the Hilal School of Raqs Sharqi (now the Raqs Sharqi Society) in 1988. After eight years, she moved to Northumberland and began working on the dance in isolation, combining her love of dance with her knowledge of Tai Chi, Pilates, Alexander Technique, chakra energy and the Chinese 5-element system.

Sarah views the dance as a means of self-discovery through self-expression and considers that each individual expresses self in a unique way that changes each time we dance.

 

She has created small, intimate classes in which the students support each other to improve their technique and their own dance styles. Sarah is sympathetic to her students’ needs and believes a relaxed and carefree approach is essential when working on self-expression, which in turn develops self-esteem.

Performances range from dancing as a “captive Moorish maiden” with the Troubadours at local fairs to formal theatre settings (Jackson’s Lane and the Lilian Baylis theatres in London).

 

 

THE POWER OF SIMPLICITY with Laura Maria De Gaspari

(with live music from members of the Bint Al Balad ensemble*)

 

Laura Maria De Gaspari was born in Italy and came to London as a student. She studied Raqs Sharqi with Suraya Hilal, Ann Ashcroft and Sarah Kahan and became a member of Hilal’s ‘Dance Theatre of Egypt’ which toured in major European cities from 1989 to 1992.

 

She then moved to Brussels and withdrew from the professional scene to pursue her interests in philosophy and spirituality.

 

Laura began performing again in 1997 and has worked in close connection with musicians from Brussels presenting Raqs Sharqi in cultural centres throughout Belgium.

 

In 2004, Laura presented a joint Baladi and Sharqi programme with musicians including Ibrahim Al Minyawi produced by City of Leuven and has been invited to produce a new programme there.

 

She was invited by Belgian choreographer Thierry Smith as a guest teacher to work with contemporary dance company ‘Thor’ currently touring the world in their production ‘D’Orient’ blending Oriental and modern technique.

 

Laura continues to be involved in dance projects in Belgium and the Netherlands where she now lives.

 

 

INTRODUCTION TO EGYPTIAN TABLA with Adam Warne

 

 

EGYPTIAN BALADI for MUSICIANS with Members of the Bint Al Balad ensemble*

 

See BINT AL BALAD ENSEMBLE

 

 

BINT AL BALAD ENSEMBLE

 

*Some of the following musicians will be part of the Intermediate and Advanced Dance workshops and the Musicians workshop.

 

Ibrahim Al Miniawi - Tabla

 

Ibrahim was born in El Minya in Upper Egypt a city well known for nurturing artists. Ibrahim’s talent led to leading positions as a tabla player in major orchestras and ensembles for the top singers and dancers in Egypt in the 60’s and 70’s.

 

His popularity took him to London in the 1980’s and the Arab nightclubs, which at that time attracted excellent music and world-class artists from Egypt.

 

Possibly best known for his continued work with Suraya Hilal and for the Tanz Raum label, Ibrahim has been a crucial figure in the development of Raqs Sharqi throughout Europe over the last 20 years.

 

He continues to record and promote traditional Baladi music to the highest level and his solo CD ‘Daqat il Qualb’ is considered a masterpiece of solo Egyptian percussion.

       

Louai Alhenawi – Ney, Kawala, Tabla

 

Louai is one of the most accomplished musicians of the Arab world, a master of ney and kawala (reed flutes) and middle-eastern percussion (darbuka, daff and riq).

 

He taught at the Conservatoire of Damascus in Syria and was soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra of Syria. He has played with numerous artists including Natacha Atlas, Oojami and Terry Hall.

 

Farouk El Safi – Duff

 

Farouk began his percussion career over 40 years ago and his family still have the pleasure of hearing him practice every morning! In Cairo, he worked with the many top singers including Warda, Sabah and the most famous and prolific of all the 1940’s movie actors/singers Farid El Atrache.

 

1994 saw Farouk working with Jimmy Page and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin on their groundbreaking platinum record ‘No Quarter’ which included re-workings of old ‘Zep’ songs alongside traditional Egyptian drumming and strings.

 

Ahmed El Saidi – Saxophone

 

Ahmed El Saidi first appeared on stage when he was 8 years old, playing the clarinet in his country village in upper-Egypt making money for himself and his poor family.

 

He later took up saxophone and moved to Cairo, working and touring with the Nubian groups of Shams Hussein and later, Ali Kuban. From 1993 he has been living and working in Berlin with Salamat, the Egypt Stars and other groups.

 

In 2001, Ahmed was particularly proud to acquire the saxophones of the most famous saxophonist of the Arab world, Samir Sourur.

 

In Berlin, where Ahmed lives with his wife and 4 children, he owns Berlin’s biggest specialist shop for oriental dance, music and fashion.

 

‘Sheik’ Taha - Accordion

 

‘Sheik’ Taha won his first accordion in a competition at 11 years of age and by 16 was working in the recording orchestra of Mohamed Abdel Wahab: ‘The Diamond Band’. He went on to work for the top dancers of the time including Nagua Fouad, Nahed Sabri, Souhir Zaky and Tahia Carrioca.

 

Taha is acknowledged as one of the seminal figures in the development of the ‘quarter-tone accordion’ in Baladi and is credited with penning Ahmed Adaweia’s first hit ‘El Sah El Dah Embu” which sold over a million copies in the first three months.