Morocco’s Seminar & 70th Birthday
Egyptian Dance April 25th, 2010
I just returned from a seminar with the great Morocco of NYC; legend in the Middle Eastern dance world. The event, a combination seminar and birthday celebration for both the fabulous Morocco and iconic local violinist Freddie Elias, was organized by Za-Beth of Boston. It was held at the Courtyard Marriott in Woburn; a perfect location made even more beautiful by the sparkling array of vending by Mahira and Suad.
Morocco has been performing and teaching in the US and worldwide for 50 years and she is still going strong, with her raucous humor and razor sharp wit. After a long day of teaching two choreographies, Morocco then returned an hour later in full glorious attire to delight us with two performances which included Raqs Aseyya and Oriental, and of course her masterful
zagat playing.
Thank you Za-Beth for all your organizing work and Happy Birthday to Morocco and Freddie!
You are great inspirations to all of us who love this dance and the rich heritage from which it has evolved.
Egyptian Folkloric Dance
Egyptian Dance August 18th, 2009
Belly Dance: Celebrating the Sacred Feminine: Book Review
book reviews, Egyptian Dance August 13th, 2009
Book Review:
By Khadija (Katrina Valenzuela) 9/21/08
Belly Dance – Celebrating the Sacred Feminine
By Martha Elena Burns
Foreword by
Christiane Northrup, MD
Published 2009
If you are searching for the perfect gift for your favorite dancer, photographer or just a special treat for yourself, stop right there! This big, lush book is a delight to the senses, a magical journey of breathtaking beauty that will leave you in tears. The moment I held the book and gazed at the cover, I was mesmerized and transported. Two hundred and twelve pages glorious pages later; I reluctantly came back to reality. The beautiful foreword by well known MD and writer, Christiane Northrup leads us into a touching preface from author/photographer Martha Elena Burns describing her personal experiences with the dance. Exquisite quotes from Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Alice Walker, Jean Shinoda Bolen and Jalaja Bonheim weave their way through photographs filled with motion, spirit and energy. Thick vellum overlays slowly reveal shimmering images, like veils being lifted into the secret, sacred world of the dancer. Not instructional, it is instead nourishment for the dancer’s soul. Read the rest of this entry »
Egyptian Shamanic Healing-The Zar
dreams, Egypt, Egyptian Dance, Egyptian Mystery School Teachings, Healing, Intuition, Uncategorized April 6th, 2009
Search for the Zar
In this excerpt from a soon-to-be published book by Katrina Valenzuela (Khadija), we learn about the Zar, an Egyptian ritual performed to appease spirits (the Jinn) and relieve the stresses of life.
Khadija describes her first clandestine experience in a Zar ceremony, arranged after considerable searching and effort, as the secret ritual is illegal in Egypt. She is accompanied by her friend Mostafa, who had initially discouraged her determination to participate.
The story begins as they meet a tall, gaunt figure under a bridge, who guides them to a private home where the Zar takes place. Read the rest of this entry »
