The class was joined by Belly Dancer and instructor Sherine Khatoun, an Iraqi / Yemeni Jewish immigrant to the U.S., who performs regularly with Sami’s ensemble Zikrayat www.zikrayatmusic.com.  Sherine introduced participants to the basic steps of “raqs sharqi” (“Eastern dance”) – the Arabic name for the dance form known in the West as Bellydance – as well as some basic choreography combinations.

Sherine used the songs “Ya Gaari” and “Ish-Showq Mihayyarni” for the dance instruction – both of which can be downloaded from the folder:https://app.box.com/s/8e6hjyxqspnfpnfx45voie6rpt1y2epg – as well as the song Ghannili Shwayya, which Sherine used for the end-of-class “dance party.”  All three songs are from Egyptian Films, and the original film clips with more info about the songs can be found in the blog post from May 1.

Sami added some instruction in singing and hearing the songs, highlighting the difference in mood and character between Maqam Nahawand (“Ya Gaari”) and Maqam Ajam (“Ish-Showq Mihayyarni”), which resemble the western minor and major scales.  Sami also covered some of the history of the dance form, starting with colonialist representations of the middle east, and the western-influenced transformation of indigenous arab dance forms into the modern stylized stage presentation of raqs sharqi.  Sherine also focused on the emotional content of the dance and music, emphasizing the need for self-care and love when dancing or performing.

Students who want more dance instruction from Sherine should check out her regular Monday evening classes at Bellydance Brooklyn: https://www.facebook.com/BellydanceBrooklyn/

Workshop video: