Morocco’s Seminar & 70th Birthday
Uncategorized 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 Shamanic Healing-The Zar
Egypt, Egyptian Dance, Egyptian Mystery School Teachings, Healing, Intuition, Uncategorized, dreams 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 »
