Workshop Resources: Ghawazee & Turkish Oryantal Dance

Workshop Resources: Ghawazee & Turkish Oryantal Dance

Leah and Lynette perform at the International Belly Dance Conference of Canada, Toronto

*

GHAWAZEE  RESOURCES

Terrific dance scenes and interviews can be viewed in this 1981 video “The Romany Trail: Gypsies of Africa” – Please note, the narration is dated and sometimes simply wrong (particularly about the Zar). The Banat Maazin dance at 11.52, and another Ghawazee troupe at 21.40.

*

*

Glimpses of “Ghawazee” costume history

Mid 1800s:

1890s:

1920s:

1960s Banat Maazin:

1960s Khairiya of the Banat Maazin

Recent image of Khairiya of the Banat Maazin 

This excerpt is from a 2017 wedding party featuring Khairiya, of the Banat Maazin family. She is the last one of their famous dance troupe who continues to perform. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RsNjyOYVXA

*

You can find lot of information about the Banat Maazin and Ghawazee online eg. This wonderful first-person account of meeting Ghawazi in Egypt, with historical photographs and references. The six part article was written over several decades 1970s to 1990s by Edwina Nearing. The link below takes you to Part 1, with links to the other sections at the end, thanks to the dance magazine “Gilded Serpent”.http://www.gildedserpent.com/articles25/edwinaghawazich1.htm

Another inspiring article reviews 19th century historical travel writing: https://www.gildedserpent.com/cms/2012/04/16/when-victoria-was-queen-and-the-ghawazi-ruled/

*

If you’d like to see more video, costuming, etc. about Ghawazi, check out this (and other) Youtube playlists:

*

*

TURKISH ORYANTAL RESOURCES

Here are some video examples of Turkish Oryantal.  You can find many more by searching Youtube on an artist’s name or the dance form. (I particularly recommend everything featuring dancers Tulay Karaca or Nesrin Topkapi, even though the video quality is variable.)

*

Vivacious Gigi Dilsah dances Turkish Oryantal in this video with lots of sparkle, drama, surprise, floorwork, and hair tosses! https://youtu.be/_QOgaJ1tQVc?si=dVOUNZUNVLEupMf0

*

Here’s an Oryantal piece by Artemis Mourat, she starts with Turkish Roman and flows into an Oryantal performance. https://youtube.com/watch?v=1Lzf38FlQrU%3Fsi%3DW9FkgqIqYwfQiCZa

*

Elegant, exquisite Tanyeli! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLjQe3IwXkY

*

MUSIC SUGGESTIONS

For the Turkish Oryantal choreography, we danced with “Söylim Mi” (Shall we tell?) by Asena.

There are a great many inspiring Turkish musicians and ensembles. Here are some that I used for warm-ups, stretching exercises, learning Oryantal vocabulary, and improvisation activities during my workshops: Burhan Ocal and the Istanbul Oriental Ensemble, John Bilezikjian, Ney Defteri, and the albums Second Nature by Minor Empire, and Gypsy Fire by Omar Faruk Tekbilek & Richard Hagopian.

*

*

Spring Workshop in Kelowna 2025

Spring Workshop in Kelowna 2025

Workshop descriptions: Saturday Rahma – ‘Your Light, Your Dance!’       Using the image of energy as light, we will explore ways that this can be used from the inside outward using exercises and techniques Rahma has developed for teaching her classes. Ending with a fun note, Drum solo choreography using body percussion!Lynette – Ghawazee Sparkle and Turkish Curves  Explore the soul and vitality… Read more…

2025 Dance Classes & Island Teacher List

2025 Dance Classes & Island Teacher List

Nanaimo  Lynette  www.lynetteharper.ca      dancetarab@gmail.com  250-797-7953    Multilevel/Intermediate & Advanced weekly class  6 Mondays March 3 – April 7   7:30-9 pm.   Vibrant Dance Studio Drop-ins welcome. **************************************************** Sunday  March afternoon workshops with Lynette   March 9    Turkish Style, Turkish Soul   March 23  Traditions and Fusions – Finding dance joy and… Read more…

ReOrient present Ghawazee dance at the Duncan Showroom, 2019

The dance in these videos is an interpretation of an historical style of dance and costume common in Egypt in the late 1800’s and into the 20th Century. Our choreography is based on historic photos and travellers’ writings about the Ghawazee, and our studies with Aisha Ali, Banat Mazin troupe members, and others.  The Ghawazee… Read more…

Fall 2017 Workshops with Lynette

Fall 2017 Workshops with Lynette

Arab, Turkish and fusion belly dance in three workshops Sundays Sept.17, October 1 and 22 1:30-3:30 pm (3 sessions for the price of 2 – see below) Contemporary and traditional dance from the Middle East * Develop skills with body-friendly warm-ups, movement technique and vocabulary * Enhance your understanding of Middle Eastern music, dance and… Read more…

1001 Likes – December 2015

Lynette Harper updates her list of Christmas gifts available online. Reprinted with permission from the Middle Eastern Dance Association newsletter, Sahda, December 2015. Gift-giving season again, and I’ve been reviewing my annual column of online gift ideas. My absolute favourite is still Shira’s “Gifts for the Belly Dancer in Your Life” http://shira.net/advice/lifestyle/gift-ideas.htm   This is a brilliant list, practical and… Read more…

1001 Likes – November 2015

Lynette Harper admires the good hearts of BC belly dancers. Reprinted with permission from the Middle Eastern Dance Association newsletter, Sahda, November 2015. The generosity of our dance community is remarkable. Throughout the year, individual dancers and troupes donate their time and performance skills for a wide range of worthy causes. Others have initiated and organized events to raise… Read more…

1001 Likes – April 2015

Lynette Harper visits an outstanding Facebook group for belly dancers.  Reprinted with permission from the Middle Eastern Dance Association newsletter, Sahda, April 2015. Read more…

1001 Likes – March 2014

Lynette Harper appreciates the values embedded in hula. Reprinted with permission from the Middle Eastern Dance Association newsletter, Sahda, March 2014.   Read more…

5th Annual Nanaimo Belly Dance Bazaar 2015

  Hope to see you there on June 20 – I can hardly wait! Many thanks to Genya Bonfield and her team of volunteers for producing the event this year. Get the latest news from the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/118888411465134/   Read more…

Funkadelic Turkish Lounge 2014

Another amazing Turkish Lounge at The Abbey in  Cumberland!  Saturday Oct. 25, 7:30 pm  This time there will be just a few performances (including me, Edith Jacob and our host Cathy Stoyko), plus lots of music and dancing for everyone, with a funkadelic dance set by DJ StIzmir Smyrna and live music jamming to wrap… Read more…

Belly Dance Fact & Fiction: References

Belly Dance Fact & Fiction: References

OPA Showcase Lecture/seminar, Victoria BC – presented by Lynette Harper Ph.D. November 2013 References – Books (*specific articles cited) Belly dance around the world: New communities, performance and identity. 2013. Caitlin E. McDonald & Barbara Sellers-Young, editors. Jefferson NC: McFarland & Company. * What is Baladi about al-Raqs al-Baladi? On the survival of belly dance in… Read more…

More books for dancers

More books for dancers

Four essentials for a dancer’s bookshelf, published in the last two years:  Belly dance around the world: New communities, performance and identity – The belly dance reader – Global moves – and You asked Aunt Rocky: Answers & advice about Raqs Sharqi & Raqs Shaabi.  Each book offers powerful ideas, analysis, and inspirations – and they’re… Read more…

Exploring Tarab with Lynette

Exploring Tarab with Lynette

  Spring 2007  OPA! News, Victoria      by Sidona On February 18th members of Women of Widad piled into a van to take the trip up to Nanaimo to attend a workshop with Lynette Harper.   We were excited and all felt that we needed a burst of dance energy after the long winter and… Read more…

Miraj was a sensory treat

Miraj was a sensory treat

  16 April 2003  Daily News, Nanaimo  –  Review by Lynn Welburn  Miraj (an Arabic word meaning ascent, the journey upwards) was the perfect title for the April 11 performance by Earthfire dance at the Malaspina University College theatre.  But mirage, commonly used to describe something you think is real and which then vanishes, leaving… Read more…

Bellydancing makes another comeback

Bellydancing makes another comeback

  April 9  2003 The Harbour City Star, Nanaimo      By Sandra Steilo  This week I joined in on a trend that has been around for hundreds of years but now is suddenly new and hot again. I took a beginner belly dancing class with Lynette Harper at the Community Service Building.  She got… Read more…

Shaking things up

Shaking things up

  14 November 1998  Harbour City Star, Nanaimo   By Goody Niosi The Spice Girls may have Girl Power, but Nanaimo’s own Earthfire has Woman Power; a force that’s gathering enthusiastic fans wherever they perform. Earthfire is a troupe of women who dance together with joy, energy and exuberance. And although they perform folk dances from… Read more…

Northern Spirit: Lynette Harper Curator (and Belly Dancer)

Northern Spirit: Lynette Harper Curator (and Belly Dancer)

  May/June 1988  Up Here Magazine    by Juliet Pin Imagine the combo of belly dancing and museum work! Lynette Harper has found the link. Born in Vancouver of Lebanese parents, belly dancing just seemed to come naturally. Her list of dance performances is impressive. From the Vancouver Sea Festival and Robson Square  Plaza to… Read more…