Workshops & Instructors
2019 Workshop Schedule
10 AM: Skills with Zills for All Styles of Belly Dance
Helené ~ Felton
Add that extra special connection to the music and rhythm in your dance, and experience the age-old power and thrill of playing finger cymbals. Helené provides you with a Zills Practice Worksheet for you to use at home, and in this workshop she takes you through the most commonly used Egyptian and Turkish rhythms, showing you how to play the patterns correctly. Bring your own cymbals, or some are available to use.
Meet Helené.
11 AM: Performance Power
SeSe ~ Santa Cruz
In this workshop we will focus on projection, stage space, and acting skills. Dancers will learn ways to be a "bigger" performer and take their dance style from study level to theater level.
Meet SeSe.
12 Noon: The Serpent's Secret - Tribal Fusion
*No actual snakes, just snakey moves*
Faelan Shiva ~ Boulder Creek
Discover the inner workings of those beautifully sophisticated serpentine movements that have become a favorite of Tribal Fusion belly dance. We'll break down the mechanics of these isolations and then add the fluidity that gives the audience a magical experience of strength and grace.
Meet Faelan.
1 PM: Riff Ready - Combos Locked & Loaded for Live Drum Solos
Andalee ~ Fresno
Live drumming by Mike Owens
Andalee will be teaching challenging yet exciting combos and isolations to common riffs (rhythm patterns) played by drummers on the derbekki. We will have drummer Mike Owens on hand to play us some riffs so we can bust out our fresh combos for practice.
Meet Andalee.
2 PM: Melaya Leff ~ Urban Egyptian
*Setareh* ~ San Jose
Urban Egyptian dance from Alexandria, Egypt. Learn the nuances of this unique regional dance style that is known for its femininity, fun, and confidence. No need to bring a Melaya – Egyptian style outer-wear veil – to the workshop, but you are welcome to if you have one.
Meet *Setareh*.
3 PM: Turkish Roman Havasi
Elizabeth Strong ~ Berkeley
Fiery, fun footwork and story-telling gestures make Roman Havasi totally unique and expressive. We will learn technique, feel, and cultural background as we focus on two combinations that you can take with you to use anywhere. The material offered in this class is challenging and deeply layered for all levels, offering sublime subtlety for advanced students and exciting overviews for beginners.
Meet Elizabeth. See video here!
4 - 6 PM: Call of the Wild
Crystal Silmi ~ Washington, DC
Join the pack on a journey into the WILD to learn and perform the wolf choreography from WILD – a special endangered species through dance production. Dancers will reach into their primal being to adopt a pack mentality and bring wolves to life through dance. This piece is bold, dark, and accessible to dancers of all levels. Dancers who attend this workshop may choose to perform the piece in the 2019 Gala Show! *Bring knee pads for class (there is a lot of floor work involved!).
Meet Crystal. Click here for important Wolf Pack performer information.
Helené ~ Felton
Add that extra special connection to the music and rhythm in your dance, and experience the age-old power and thrill of playing finger cymbals. Helené provides you with a Zills Practice Worksheet for you to use at home, and in this workshop she takes you through the most commonly used Egyptian and Turkish rhythms, showing you how to play the patterns correctly. Bring your own cymbals, or some are available to use.
Meet Helené.
11 AM: Performance Power
SeSe ~ Santa Cruz
In this workshop we will focus on projection, stage space, and acting skills. Dancers will learn ways to be a "bigger" performer and take their dance style from study level to theater level.
Meet SeSe.
12 Noon: The Serpent's Secret - Tribal Fusion
*No actual snakes, just snakey moves*
Faelan Shiva ~ Boulder Creek
Discover the inner workings of those beautifully sophisticated serpentine movements that have become a favorite of Tribal Fusion belly dance. We'll break down the mechanics of these isolations and then add the fluidity that gives the audience a magical experience of strength and grace.
Meet Faelan.
1 PM: Riff Ready - Combos Locked & Loaded for Live Drum Solos
Andalee ~ Fresno
Live drumming by Mike Owens
Andalee will be teaching challenging yet exciting combos and isolations to common riffs (rhythm patterns) played by drummers on the derbekki. We will have drummer Mike Owens on hand to play us some riffs so we can bust out our fresh combos for practice.
Meet Andalee.
2 PM: Melaya Leff ~ Urban Egyptian
*Setareh* ~ San Jose
Urban Egyptian dance from Alexandria, Egypt. Learn the nuances of this unique regional dance style that is known for its femininity, fun, and confidence. No need to bring a Melaya – Egyptian style outer-wear veil – to the workshop, but you are welcome to if you have one.
Meet *Setareh*.
3 PM: Turkish Roman Havasi
Elizabeth Strong ~ Berkeley
Fiery, fun footwork and story-telling gestures make Roman Havasi totally unique and expressive. We will learn technique, feel, and cultural background as we focus on two combinations that you can take with you to use anywhere. The material offered in this class is challenging and deeply layered for all levels, offering sublime subtlety for advanced students and exciting overviews for beginners.
Meet Elizabeth. See video here!
4 - 6 PM: Call of the Wild
Crystal Silmi ~ Washington, DC
Join the pack on a journey into the WILD to learn and perform the wolf choreography from WILD – a special endangered species through dance production. Dancers will reach into their primal being to adopt a pack mentality and bring wolves to life through dance. This piece is bold, dark, and accessible to dancers of all levels. Dancers who attend this workshop may choose to perform the piece in the 2019 Gala Show! *Bring knee pads for class (there is a lot of floor work involved!).
Meet Crystal. Click here for important Wolf Pack performer information.
Saturday September 21, 2019
Festival Opens 10 AM ~ Gala Show 7 PM
Veterans Memorial Building
846 Front Street ~ Santa Cruz, CA
Festival Opens 10 AM ~ Gala Show 7 PM
Veterans Memorial Building
846 Front Street ~ Santa Cruz, CA