[Northkeep] an invitation

zubeydah at northkeep.org zubeydah at northkeep.org
Tue Jun 27 07:14:48 PDT 2006


I would like to invite any and all to join me for a Beginner’s Introduction to 
Middle Eastern Dance. Starting Wednesday, June 28st, at the combined fighter 
practice at McClure Park, at approximately 6:30, I will be teaching the basics 
of Raqs Sharqi, also known as Beladi, commonly known as Belly Dance. The class 
will last approximately 1 hour, and the first meeting with be part 
instructional, part movement. Subsequent classes (if there is interest) will be 
1 ½ to 2 hours in length.

I will be honest: I am only an advanced beginner myself.  I will teach what I 
can, but there is a great deal that I do not know. (I received 3 semesters of 
instruction from Angelika Nemeth, at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, 
California, the only community college to offer an Ethnic Dance degree, and was 
a performing troupe member of Tribe Roman Morga, a gypsy ensemble) If there is 
interest, I will see what I can do about arranging for guest lecturers / 
teachers to visit the class in the future, both from folks here in Northkeep 
and from the Northern Region.  The core of the class will be the first piece I 
ever learned: Reda’s Hips, choreography designed by Ustaz Reda to instruct the 
beginner on several of the basic movements of Middle Eastern dance. 

I would recommend that those attending wear a loose full garment (skirt / 
pants / dress) you can move well in. Please bring a length of fabric or a scarf 
that is at least as high as the measurement from your waist to your upper thigh 
(covering the curve of the hips), and about 2 ½ to 3 feet longer than the width 
measurement of your hips. Bringing a bottle or two of water would also be good. 
Be prepared to move and participate in this first class, but also have a means 
of relaxing to listen – be that a chair or blanket to sit on. I will have 
handouts that detail the movements of the choreography so you can practice at 
home.

Raqs Sharqi is not a dance form which has any bias in regards to sex, age, body 
type, health, level of experience, or anything else. Everyone is welcome. One 
of my fellow students in Angelika’s class was a robustly built 64-year old 
cancer survivor, and she was an inspiration to us all. You might be just such 
an inspiration to others. Please consider joining us on the 28th.

In service to the North where the Black Star shines the brightest,

Zubeydah Jamilla al-Badawiyya






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