I look forward to dancing with Silk Road and other Island bellydancers – SATURDAY APRIL 14 – with Cathy  StoyStoyko, Taissia, Taiya, Kalina, and Kirsten! 

Silk Road and Friends at the Errington Hall

Music and Dance from Spain, the Middle East, China and Beyond

April 14, 2011     8pm

Tickets $20      Under 12 – $5 at the door      Under 5 – FREE  Errington Store, Cranky Dog (Parksville), Heaven on Earth (Qualicum Beach)

For the past two decades, Quebecois multi instrumentalist Andre Thibault and Chinese pipa wizard Qiu Xia He (pronounced choo-sha her) have entertained audiences with music that spans the world. Their latest venture into Flamenco music and dance is an indication of their adventurous spirit, and adds to their copious repertoire of songs from China, the Middle East, Brazil, and Quebec.

Andre’s main instruments are a virtuoso accoustic guitar and Middle Eastern oud, a guitar-like lute that was the precursor of the Chinese pipa. Over the hundreds of years that travellers and merchants traversed the Silk Road, the oud arrived in China and underwent modifications that made it compatable with Chinese music. The name “pipa” describes the up and down hand movement, or strumming, technique used to play the instrument. In Qiu Xia’s deft hands, the pipa is adaptable to many different styles of folk music from China to Spain to Ireland to Canada.

In their concerts, Qiu Xia and Andre always develop a warm raport with audiences, engaging them in the music and encouraging their participation. The duo’s delight in performing is matched by their generosity – for the Errington Hall concert they welcome local musicias and dancers into their show. Erringtonian Robin Shackleton will accompany them on percussion and Nanaimo’s Lynette Harper and the Island Belly Dancers will enhance the evening with movement and spectacular costumes.

This world music extravaganza  with Silk Road and Friends promises to entertain, delight, surprise, and dazzle.