Things I'm remembering fondly now that I'm home from the 2008 edition of the International Bellydance Conference of Canada, in no particular order:
* Yasmina Ramzy's workshop on dancing to Oum Kalthoum
* Andrea Deagon's research on dance in ancient Egypt
* George Sawa's presentations on Middle Eastern music
* The documentary Rakasa about Orit and two other dancers in Israel/Palestine and their challenges
* Kathleen Fraser's research on the trial of Queen Caroline of England and the role a Palestinian male belly dancer played in it
* The comedy performance by Ranya and Maqamikaze to Alf Leyla wa Leyla
* Many enjoyable conversations with other conference attendees
* Yasmina Ramzy's workshop on dancing to Oum Kalthoum
* Andrea Deagon's research on dance in ancient Egypt
* George Sawa's presentations on Middle Eastern music
* The documentary Rakasa about Orit and two other dancers in Israel/Palestine and their challenges
* Kathleen Fraser's research on the trial of Queen Caroline of England and the role a Palestinian male belly dancer played in it
* The comedy performance by Ranya and Maqamikaze to Alf Leyla wa Leyla
* Many enjoyable conversations with other conference attendees
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Iowa
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Re: Favorite Memories of IBCC 2008
Tue, April 29, 2008 - 7:47 PMThis conference went by way to fast and there were so many classes, discussions, movies I would have loved to go to but had to pick & choose and it was very difficult to choose.
My favorites were Ferda Bayazit's workshop on Turkish Rom, Teaching BD on what standards discussion, meeting wonderful people and the amazing energy I felt around me during the 4 days.
I hope you enjoyed your IBCC 2008 and hope to see you again next year.
Happy Dancing !!
Sadira
www.arabianmountainspice.com
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Re: Favorite Memories of IBCC 2008
Tue, April 29, 2008 - 8:10 PMI'm still riding a high from it all....
My favs, in no special order:
Workshops with Tito and Aida Nour (OK, those DO top my list)
Workshop with Yasmina on dancing to Um Kalthoum, and in particular the vocalist's offerings
Nath Keo's combinations and general charm
Lectures by Aisha Ali, Andrea Deagon and George Sawa
Panel discussion on Men in BD, and also Teaching Standards
Performances on the Remix stage by Roula Said and Rahma Haddad
Main Stage Performances by Adishakti, Righteous Rogues, Jim Boz, Banat El Sharq, Mayada
The entire Gala Stage show for the theatricality
The Gala show for the encores (the two were of completely different moods)
The variety seen on the open stage ... tough atmosphere to perform and all did well
Meeting people from all over the world, including getting to know someone from my own area
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Re: Favorite Memories of IBCC 2008
Tue, April 29, 2008 - 9:30 PMIn my second year of attendance, I once again left the IBCC exhausted, but in the way one feels after being satiated. :)
My favourite moments:
Sitting on the Men's Bellydance Panel with a few people I respect.
Seeing Turkish Dancer Ozgen Ozgec on the main stage dancing with a rope. I so want to learn to do that.
Seeing Asha from Georgia sipping red wine and then doing a balancing act with the half full wine glass on her head. Wow!
Sitting on the front steps of the Hungarian Canadian Cultural Centre basking in the sun and chatting with any and everyone.
Kathleen Fraser's talk on Queen Caroline and the Dance of Mahomet. I am pondering a dance in Mahomet's honour.
Seeing Tito and Aida rock the house at Myth on Sunday night.
The entire Gala show: Tito, Aida, Unmata, Bozenka, Nath Keo, Mayaddah & Amir, Ferda Bayazit. Wow!
The positive energy while dancing with EVERYONE at Layali Arabesque on Friday night to the Arabesque Orchestra.
Personal squishy moments:
— Having 12 Korean ladies from Goddess Belly Company attack me to get their photos taken.
— Backstage at the Gala show, crying because we were saying goodbye to two Arabesque Dance Company members. One is returning to Saudi Arabia, one is persuing personal goals.
— Aida Nour and Tito both making a point of telling me I danced superbly. On Sunday at Layali Arabesque Aida blew me kisses and said "I loves you dance. You beautiful dancer!"
— Audience reaction when me and the rest of the Righteous Rogues stepped out onto the main stage.
— Yasmina Ramzy (or "Boss" to me) telling the people gathered for the Unmata workshop that I was the reason she invited Unmata to come to the Conference.
— Taking Tito's workshop and realizing that I'd never been among that many male bellydancers at the same time in my life: Jim Boz, Mark Balahadia, Myself, Ozgen Ozgec, Nath Keo, Benjamin Styles, Viraj. It felt like solidarity to have the brothers all there.
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Re: Favorite Memories of IBCC 2008
Tue, April 29, 2008 - 9:53 PMWhat a whirlwind 4 days! I learned so much, and am still processing it all, and will be for a while to come. I know I am and will be a better dancer because of it.
Highlights for me include:
*chatting with Amy Sigil and Kari, and Bozenka, and realizing that they are some of the nicest people on the planet.
*playing zills and dancing in the Aisha Ali workshop (a first for me!)
*meeting so many amazing people, especially others with academic interests in bellydance (in particular a fellow anthropologist, Lynette Harper, and Teressa who is doing social justice studies)
*seeing Nath Keo, from my homecity, perform
*getting such positive comments on my lecture (I was absolutely terrified about presenting!)
*experiencing such a wide range of bellydance styles, from ghawazee to Unmata's hip-hop/urban/etc. fusion
*learning drumming technique (I wish I had time to devote to learning to play the doumbek anytime soon)
I'm hoping more of my troupemates will join me at the conference next year.
