Uncategorized
1001 Likes – August 2016
Lynette Harper watches a powerful Egyptian documentary. Reprinted with permission from the Middle Eastern Dance Association newsletter, Sahda, August 2016.
Dancers is a mesmerizing film set in Cairo. But don’t expect to see the gorgeous costumes or inspiring performances that grace most films made about Egyptian belly dance. Director Celame Barge takes us deep into the lives and struggles of the working dancers of Mohammed Ali Street, revealing daily struggles and difficult choices. We follow them as they walk along crowded Cairo streets at night, down squalid corridors in markets and nightclubs. We watch them carefully applying make-up in their bedrooms, at the hairdressers, and in back rooms before they arrive on stage.
One of the first women we meet is preparing to perform. While dressing, she chats with women of the wedding party about life, work, and her husband. The women help to fix her outfit, give her a pin to secure the dress over her bra, and compliment her well-shaped breasts – before noticing that they benefit from extra padding. Two young men stop by to snap photos on their phones, and young girls hover about asking to join the dancing: “There are no women who can’t dance.” So she first dances for women, teens, and young girls in a small room before entering the large, garishly decorated wedding space packed with men. Onstage she works hard to prevent enthusiastic men from touching her or from making overtly sexual moves.
1001 Likes – June 2016
Lynette Harper finds belly dance plays a role in two powerful films. Reprinted with permission from the Middle Eastern Dance Association newsletter, Sahda, June 2016.
This term, I’m teaching an anthropology course about Arab women in the Middle East and the diaspora. Two of the most influential films that we watch are “Four Women of Egypt,” a 1997 NFB documentary by Tahani Rached, and “Sabah,” a 2007 romantic comedy by Ruba Nadda. Both writer-directors are Arab-Canadian women who have earned awards for their film-making. And both of these films include a belly dance segment or two, which contributes significantly to the message of the film.
“Four Women of Egypt” revolves around four remarkable and articulate women, social activists and friends, who were born during the colonial occupation of Egypt (which ended in the early 1950’s). An array of historical news clips and photographs provide context for the reminiscences, casual conversations and intense discussions between the four. They connect the politics and ideologies of past and present through their own experience. While they share many values, they also hold opposing religious, social, and political views. Well worth watching, you can see the 86 minute documentary on Youtube www.youtube.com/watch?v=k995gi011iU Late in the film, while the four share tea and discussion with their daughters, you’ll notice that the topic of belly dance arises briefly – and during the closing credits, one of the daughters breaks into an informal dance.
Belly dance contributes more significantly to the narrative in “Sabah,” an appealing movie that manages to be charming and meaningful. The film explores romance and family dynamics in the diaspora; the obligations, opportunities, and conflicts that arise for one Arab woman living in Canada. Canadian film star Arsinée Khanjian is featured, along with the talented Roula Said – a singer, actress, and belly dancer who has inspired many of us with her dance workshops and performances. This film can be bought or rented, and you can see part of the film (including one of the belly dance segments) on Youtube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxGWWvjCS6Y
Do you have a favourite belly dance segment in a movie NOT made in a Middle Eastern or North African country? Let me know the name of the movie and why it’s your favourite, and I’ll compile a list to share. Email to dancetarab@gmail.com
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 creative and extensive – like the rest of the shira.net website. Shira offers ideas in a range of categories to suit different interests and price levels:
- Make-it-yourself items, from costume accessories to cookies & pet headdresses (!!!)
- Gifts of time or expertise, with advice about boundaries as well as ideas
- Low-cost items, papyrus bookmarks to bumper stickers to purse mirrors
- Medium price range ($10 to 25) including magazine subscriptions & trinkets
- If you want to spend more, great ideas for special gifts up to $200 (Who would have thought of a Rifle Case as a clever way to transport a sword in checked luggage!)
- Thrilling but extravagant !!!
And of course, it’s worth browsing shira.net to see what Shira’s added to the award-winning site already bursting with useful information, thoughtful insights, and reviews and research.
20 Holiday gift ideas for belly dancers
More good ideas can be found in this article from Majnuun Music and Dance. Though it was published a while ago the links are still live. http://www.majnuunmusicanddance.com/20-holiday-gift-ideas-belly-dancers/
There are more sites to be found, of course! Pinterest has its “Great Gifts for Bellydancers!” page;
purchasing sites abound (cafepress.ca alone has thousands of belly dance merchandise results: t-shirts, mugs, & more); dance teachers & troupes market their own products; and many of us have our own favourite sources.
Books make a great present, and searching online bookstores yields a considerable array of gift ideas. Right now I’m reading an award-winning book by Amira Jarmakani, “Imagining Arab Womanhood: The cultural mythology of veils, harems and belly dancers in the U.S.” My continuing faves are still “Belly dance: Orientalism, Transnationalism, and Harem Fantasy” (available through Amazon.ca), Belly Dance Around the World (Amazon & Chapters.Indigo carry it), and The Belly Dance Reader 2 (Amazon.ca).
‘Tis the season for giving, and there are a great many local organizations to support. Many international organizations are fundraising to support Syrian refugees, a very worthy cause. So here’s another idea: Dedicate a donation to a fellow dancer, and let them know with a gift card!
Wishing you peace, joy, and lots of dance in the New Year.
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 funds addressing issues related to our community and our dance form. Local events, like Nanaimo’s annual Belly Dance Bazaar, support women’s counseling and advocacy organizations. The outstanding international Shimmy Mob fundraiser, produced and directed by Sabeya/Francesca Anastasi, generates funds for abused women and children’s shelters around the world http://www.shimmymob.com/about/ .
A growing number of B.C. dancers, acknowledging the close relationship of our art form with the Middle East, have raised funds for women’s and peace initiatives in that region. This October, dancers organized events in Vancouver, Comox (“Sanctuary”), and Campbell River (“Dinner with a twist”), in response to the appalling situation of Syrian refugees.
I’m proud to be part of such a caring community.
*If you missed these events but would like to contribute, consider contacting Canadian charities such as Oxfam (http://www.oxfam.ca/syriacrisis) or the Red Cross (https://donate.redcross.ca/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1951&ea.campaign.id=42451). The Canadian government is matching every dollar we donate “to registered Canadian charities in response to the impact of the conflict in Syria” until December 31, 2015.
*For a glimpse of the complexity of a civil war that has escalated with foreign intervention (some call it a “proxy war”) and a humanitarian disaster, see “Syrian civil war” in Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Civil_War
1001 Likes – December 2014
Lynette Harper updates her shopping list for Christmas gifts and ideas online. Reprinted with permission from the Middle Eastern Dance Association newsletter, Sahda December 2014.
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/
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 up the night. Bring an instrument, and note that colourful lounge wear is encouraged!
Fall Belly Dance Teachers Showcase & Bazaar 2014
MANY MANY THANKS to our wonderful dance community, for supporting the 2014 Teachers Showcase and Bazaar with such energy and enthusiasm! You raised almost $800 for Haven Society this year, and shared the joy of the dance with well over 100 participants, dancers, drummers, and Haven volunteers. Thank you all.
**********************
FIVE half-hour dance workshops by mid-Island teachers – a sampler of ideas, approaches and styles from the mid-Island! Plus opportunities for your own dance performance and vendors, and the very popular consignment sales tables. Lots of fun for a good cause in our community – all proceeds to Haven Society. $5 at the door, under 12 free. Workshops by donation.
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
11:20 am- Elaine M. De Rooy * Basics with Belly Laughs
12:15 pm- Lynette *Go with the flow! Dancing Tarab
1 pm – Genya * Anatomy of a Shimmy & Finishing Touches- Combinations, layers & transitions
1:45 pm – Suzanne Kay * Tribal Fusion – Saidi Sisters Style
2:30 pm – Cathy Stoyko * Persian Bandari & Ecstatic Dance
3 pm – Ramona * Zar for Stage
3:20 pm – Burt Levy & Robin Shackleton * Belly Dance Rhythms for Drummers and Dancers
Call for volunteers – needed to set-up, take-down, and during the day including the consignment table!
More info please contact bellydancenanaimo@gmail.com or dancetarab@gmail.com
Fall 2013 workshops with Lynette
Belly dance!
in downtown Nanaimo
Basics Thursdays Sept. 26, Oct. 3 & 10 * Moves, music & dances of Egypt, Lebanon & Turkey. For beginners & a refresher for more experienced dancers
Art & artistry Thursdays starting October 17 * All experience levels welcome – contemporary dance from the Middle East and exciting fusions. Strengthen technique & understanding – develop solo and group dances – plus (optional) performance opportunities!
- Where: Harbour Dancenter Studio “D” 139 Bastion Street www.harbourdancentre.com/
- When: 7:15 – 8:45 pm Thursdays
- Fees:
- Basics $33 – 3 sessions 1.5 hour class
- Art & artistry (multilevel) $60 – 5 sessions 1.5 hour class
- Drop-ins welcome $15 per class
- Register: laahper@gmail.com or phone (250-753-1659)
About Lynette
In 30 plus years of Middle Eastern dance performance and teaching, Lynette Harper has developed a unique and inspiring style that goes beyond technique, to combine artistry with cultural understanding. She is a versatile and passionate dancer, regularly invited to perform in theatres and special events. Her dance is shaped by her Lebanese heritage, travels in the Middle East, and work with master teachers and star performers. Lynette is also an author and ethnographer, who sometimes teaches anthropology at VIU.
IN EVERY SESSION: Body-friendly warm-ups, movement technique & vocabulary, music awareness essential to all Middle Eastern (Arab, Turkish) and fusion forms of bellydance. In Art & Artistry we’ll create one or two dance pieces for solos or groups. Each session stands alone, but the material & dances flow together – if you can attend more than one, you’ll gain more understanding & ability (and comfort with the dance pieces).
OPA Showcase 2013
So glad that OPA is hosting this popular event again this year! Get more details on the Facebook page
OPA Proudly Presents:
The Vancouver Island Bellydance Showcase 2013
Saturday, November 23, 2013 •
Royal Canadian Legion (411 Gorge Rd East)
10:00am ‘Spins and Turns’ with Shari Nakagawa (Victoria) Spinning is not just for ballerinas. Learn some basic techniques that will have you adding twirl to your belly dance vocabulary. Please wear dance slippers, foot undies or socks.
2:00pm ‘Sevillana Tribal Fusion’ with Debra Shields (Ladysmith) Learn Flamenco technique to add style to your arm movements and a fun 6/8 foot pattern.
11:00am
‘Slinky, Sultry Serpentine’ with Candace Sanchez (Victoria) Move with grace, find fluidity in your move- ment and create energy within you as you dance through space and time. Learn slinky and sultry combos that will have you moving with waves running through your body.
3:00pm ‘Dancing the Dance’ with Lisa Jordan (Vancouver) It’s only technique until you add yourself. In this workshop we put technique aside and focus on “dancing” elements, transi- tions, breath, arms, expression, emotion and energy.
12:00pm ‘Sassy Saiidi’ with Bobbie (Victoria) Learn more about the history, costuming, rhythm and technique that characterize one of the most common folk dances of Egypt along with some lively, energetic combinations that can be danced with and without canes. Bring a cane if you have one.
4:00pm ‘Bellydance: Fact & Fiction’ Seminar with Lynette Harper (Nanaimo) Is bellydance an ancient ritual of childbirth, a dance of seduction, a global phenomenon? What does it have to do with gypsies, Arabs, Turks, tribes, and feminists? Is Orientalism a good or a bad thing? Examine myths and evidence in a lively seminar for dancers.Pricing:
(OPA Member Price/Non-Member Price) Before October 31, 2013: One Workshop: $15/$18 All Six Workshops: $60/$75
After October 31, 2013: One Workshop: $18/$20 All Six Workshops: $70/$80 *Sorry no refunds
More info on Facebook OPA Presents: The Vancouver Island Bellydance Showcase 2013
www.OPAsociety.com
Evening Showcase! Please join us for an evening showcase featuring the workshop instructors and local dancers.
Doors at 7:30 Show at 8:00 Pay at the door: $5 for OPA members $10 for non-OPA members
2nd Annual North Island Bellydance Bazaar
New Horizons Belly Dance presents the 
2nd Annual North Island Belly Dance Bazaar at Merville Hall, 1245 Fenwick Road, Merville, BC
Saturday October 5
Due to such an amazing turnout and fabulous time last year they’re doing it again!! Performances throughout the day, shopping, delicious food, 3 free mini workshops, door prizes & more! This is a fundraiser for local women’s charities in the Comox Valley and Campbell River. $5 at the door – kids 12 & under free ***** 11 am to 4 pm
Check Facebook for updates: www.facebook.com/events/386134028165123/
Nanaimo’s Bellydance Bazaar another success!
THANK YOU to the bellydance community, donors, St. Paul’s Church and volunteers for all your work in 2013!!! We raised more money than ever for Haven Society.
If you have suggestions and ideas for next year, let us know at bellydancenanaimo@gmail.com or on our Facebook site !
A fundraiser for Haven Society, hosted by Genya & Lynette
Where: St. Paul’s Church Hall 100 Chapel Street Nanaimo
When: June 22 – Bazaar 1 – 5 pm; Evening Event 7:30 – 10 pm
Info:
Zar workshop with RAHMA – 10 – 11:30 am
We are honoured and delighted that gifted performer/teacher RAHMA is donating her expertise to the Bazaar. Based in Vancouver, she has presented dance in Canada, the U.S., Cairo, Ethiopia, Brazil, Australia & Hong Kong (as well as on film and TV). Her elegant and powerful performances, and her renowned ability to break down dance ideas into easily learnable form, has inspired thousands of dancers from professionals to those who dance for personal joy and fitness.
ZAR is an ancient trance ritual practiced by women from North Africa to the Middle East. In this multilevel workshop, you will examine beliefs and practice of the ritual itself, its core movements and rhythms. Then experience how it can be interpreted in an exciting performance, while respecting the tradition itself. Wear dance clothing or a loose dress or robe. Appropriate for all levels and genres of dancer, including no experience.
Where: St. Paul’s Church Hall, 100 Chapel Street
When: 10 to 11:30 am June 22, 2013 (before the Bellydance Bazaar begins!)
Registration: $25 at the door, $20 in advance Book your spot at bellydancenanaimo@gmail.com
ANOTHER NEW FEATURE at this year’s Nanaimo Bellydance Bazaar: Consignment Tables!
Buy or sell lightly used bellydance costumes, accessories, and other goodies!
GUIDELINES for selling at the Consignment Tables:
- Items must be clean and odourless (air & wash your smelly costumes & accessories now!)
- Supply us with a numbered list of your items – TWO copies please – with:
- your name, address, phone # & email at the top
- Every item for sale must have a tag or label well attached (we recommend safety pins and heavy card or business card labels), with
- item # from your list * price * your initials eg. #6 $10 LH
- We expect everyone who wishes to sell to
- volunteer for at least 1 hour at the consignment table (if possible, let us know in advance when you’re available – email )
- review your list with Table volunteer(s) when you arrive
- help us to ensure that everyone has room on the table; that may mean displaying just 10 items at a time (Shoppers will keep coming back as volunteers add new table items!)
- Please pick up unsold items after 5 pm, & wait until 5:30 to pick up your payout (no early payouts)
- AND please donate some portion of your sales to Haven Society! (Haven Society will provide a charitable donation receipt on request)
Thank you in advance for participating and for respecting these guidelines! This is our first year with a Consigment Table, so we appreciate your patience. (And we thank MEDA for setting the precedent!)
In 2010, 2011, and 2012 the Bazaar provided fantastically colourful days of dance, shopping, food and friends! Many thanks to my co-organizer Genya Bonfield, Chris Lehmann Thompson, and the many other volunteers who made this fundraiser a HUGE success! Thanks to the vendors, volunteer performers, Aladdin’s Cafe, and everyone who came, we have raised several thousand dollars for Haven Society! A special thanks to St. Paul’s Church for use of their Hall, and local newspapers that provided terrific feature coverage.
Dance Vallarta 2013
Five days of dance and sun in the Yoga Vallarta studio of Puerto Vallarta, February 5 – 9 2013. Thanks to my co-instructor Debra Shields of Saidi Sisters, the beautiful dancers who attended, Alma our studio host, and the restaurants that welcomed our evening dance parties! See our Facebook site Dance Vallarta 2013 for photos and video links.
Fall classes with Lynette – 2012 – downtown Nanaimo
Art of Middle Eastern Dance – Tuesdays starting October 16 –
Explore the joy and artistry of Middle Eastern dance in weekly multilevel classes with a masterful instructor/performer. This fall Lynette will strengthen your technique and movement vocabulary, while deepening your understanding of traditional styles and contemporary approaches to Turkish, Arab and fusion dance. Develop confidence in improvisation and dance-making through games, exercises and group dances.
Bellydance Basics – 2 Tuesdays Oct. 2 & 9
An introduction to the fundamentals of bellydance. Join experienced instructor/performer Lynette to learn basic moves and isolations, popular Middle Eastern rhythms, and the joyful essence of Middle Eastern dance. Bellydance provides a gentle total body workout that builds grace, strength, and flexibility – while having fun! Classes take place in the spacious Omtown Studio, and are suitable for a range of ages and abilities. These sessions are designed for beginners or dancers who wish to renew & refresh their basic skills. After these two sessions, beginners will be ready to participate in multi-level classes.
Where: Omtown Yoga, 43 Commercial St., downtown Nanaimo www.omtown.ca (park on the street or around the back, off Terminal Ave)
1st Annual North Island Bellydance Bazaar
SATURDAY Sept. 29 2012 Join New Horizons Belly Dance for a day filled with wonderful dancing, delicious food and fabulous shopping!!
(I’ll be teaching a workshop about 3:30 pm – there are workshops and performances scheduled throughout the day! Join in workshops with Tricia Campbell (12:30 pm) or Debra Shields of Saidi Sisters (1:30 pm); drumming & musicians’ jams at 3 pm and at the end of the event, with open dancing.
11-4 pm Admission is $5 at the door Kids 12 & under free Donations greatly appreciated!
*partial proceeds to local womens shelters*Saturday, September 29, 2012
1243 Fenwick Road, Merville, BC Just 10 min North of Courtenay or 20 min South of Campbell River off the Island Hwy 19A
Contact us at: nhbellydance@gmail.com
ANTH 112 Introductory Anthropology
Fall 2012 Cultural Anthropology
Nanaimo: 8:30 – 11:30 am Fridays
Cowichan 10:30 am – 12 noon Mondays, Wednesdays
Instructor: Lynette Harper, Ph.D.
Email: Lynette.Harper@viu.ca
Anthropology can be divided into four subfields: physical/biological anthropology, archaeology, linguistic anthropology, and cultural anthropology. This course focuses on cultural anthropology—examining the nature of culture, the many social institutions that make us human, culture change, and anthropology in a globalizing world.
Instruction includes lectures, films, class discussions and cooperative activities. Evaluation will be based on:
- Participation (5%)
- Reflective notes (20%) due throughout term
- Midterm quiz (20%)
- Subsistence & Economics presentation (5%)
- Kinship assignment (20%)
- Final take-home essay exam (30%)
Required text:
Haviland, William A., Harald E.L. Prins, Dana Walrath, and Bunny McBride. 2011. Anthropology: The Human Challenge, Thirteenth Edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. (Note: Twelfth Edition may be used, though page numbers differ.)
| Weeks |
Topics, quizzes & assignments due |
Readings & Assignments due |
| Week 1 | Introductions, Anthropology & Four Fields, -Video: Everybody’s ethnic: Your invisible culture GN 357 E94 2001 | Read Chapter 1(read after class) |
| Week 2 | The culture concept, Video: Sacred Geography (45 min.) Light at the edge of the world series GN 320 L54 2009 | Chapter 14 |
| Week 3 | Ethnographic Research, Video: How cultures are studied, 30 min GN 316 F3 NO.03 | Chapter 15 |
| Week 4 | Learning culture, Language and Communication, Video: First Voices | Excerpts from Ch.16 & 17 |
| Week 5 | Sex, Marriage, Family – Video: Saheri’s Choice, 27 min. HQ 670 S33 1998 Cowichan Campus Library | Chapter 20 |
| Week 6 | Social organization: Kinship – Gender, age, interest, class – Optional Video: Arab diaries, 30 min | Chapter 21 |
| Week 7 | Midterm quiz – Video: Paris is Burning, 76 min. PN 1997 P37 1992 | Chapter 22 (read after class) |
| Week 8 | Social identity, Subsistence & Economics systems – Video: Potlatch, 22 min E 78 C2 F5.77 # 3 | Presentations due – Excerpts from Ch. 18,19 |
| Week 9 | Processes of change – Video: N’ai: story of a !Kung woman, 58 min DT 1058 K86 N32 2004 | Chapter 26 |
| Week 10 | Politics, power, and violence – Video: Raised to be heroes, 40 min. UB 345 I75 R35 2006 | Kinship essay due Chapter 23 |
| Week 11 | Power / change, Global Challenges, Local Responses – Video: Hunters of the Northern Ice, 45 min. GN 320 L54 2009 Light at the edge of the world series | Excerpts from Ch. 27 |
| Week 12 | Arts or Religion & Spirituality – Video: TBA | Excerpts from Ch.24 or 25 |
| Week 13 | Class review & wrap-up, Final take-home distributed | |
| Dec. 10 |
Final take-home essay exam due. Paper copies to 356-374, or drop box beside office 356-310. Exams may be emailed by advance arrangement. |
|
Evaluation & assignments
- PARTICIPATION (5%)
Attendance: Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes. Please notify the instructor in advance if you need to miss a class, in advance if possible. In exceptional circumstances (e.g., verifiable ill-health) it will be possible to make up the Reflective Note mark by special arrangement.
Participation in class activities: Do your reading BEFORE class begins. Come prepared to discuss the required readings. We all learn from exchanging ideas in the classroom, as well as from independent reading and analysis. You will complete a self-evaluation of your participation during class.
- REFLECTIVE NOTES (20%)
During most classes, you will be asked to handwrite a reflective comment based on a required reading, video, lecture or class discussion. The instructor will assign topics for each Note, to be handed in at the end of class.
Notes should NOT be simply a summary of information. For a good mark, be reflective and explain your opinions. If possible, incorporate anthropological ideas from class and your textbook. Your notes provide an opportunity for us to communicate directly, providing me with a better sense of what you are gaining from the course. I will always read your notes, and sometimes respond with written comments.
Please date and sign each Reflective Note with your first and last name. Notes will usually be returned within a week. Proper grammar and spelling are appreciated, though this will not affect your grade. You may hand in loose pages or a notebook. If you submit all 12 notes, you will automatically receive 12/20 marks. The remaining 8 marks will be based on quality and effort.
- GROUP PRESENTATION (5%)
You will be assigned a topic with 2-3 other students, and given time in class to prepare a brief (5 minute) summary of one mode of subsistence or economic system described in the textbook, including its implications for social organization. Marks will be earned by demonstrating good organization and accurate understanding, providing good explanations and examples, and using visual aids (eg. blackboard or flipchart paper).
- KINSHIP ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES (20%)
The purpose of this assignment is to explore ideas of family and kinship, kin terminology, and kindred. It consists of three parts: A. Kinship diagram; B. Kindred diagram; C. Essay Further explanation and discussion of this assignment will take place during Week 6.
A. Kinship Diagram
Although we all have family relations, kinship terms may differ dramatically from society to society: eg. the person you call “uncle” may be called “father” elsewhere/in another language. Collect family data for three or four generations if possible, and use it to produce a kinship chart (more commonly referred to as a genealogy or family tree by non-anthropologists). You may not be able to acquire complete information about every person in your family; just get as much information as possible. Focus on collecting the following:
- Økin terms commonly used in your home community, in whatever language(s) are used (eg. aunt, uncle, nana, oma, papus, yaya, tati, cousin, etc.)
- Ølast names if possible, including women’s “maiden” names if known
Remember to note “ego”, and to use standard kinship notations used by anthropologists.
Once you have collected the information you should begin to organize your diagram. It is best to start in pencil, as you may find that it takes a while to organize the diagram in a clear and easy to “read” fashion. Place the oldest generation at the top of your diagram. Please use regular paper (letter or legal size); tape two sheets together if necessary.
Bring any diagramming problems you encounter to class, or see me privately and we’ll work on possible approaches together. If you would prefer an alternate assignment, please come and see me.
B. Kindred Diagram
On a second sheet of paper, draw a similar chart using standard anthropological notations, but include only your kindred. Instead of kin terms, indicate first and/or last names, including women’s “maiden” names if known. If both charts are almost identical, you could start with a photocopy the kinship chart.
C. Essay (approximately 4 pages typed double-spaced)
Your essay will reflect on the process of researching your family history. Possible topics are: what family means to you, how and why your kindred differs from your kinship diagram, an analysis of your family e.g. common patterns you see reflected in your diagram, and/or an analysis of difficulties encountered when researching your family. Use at least two anthropological themes or concepts from class ie. kindred, marriage patterns, enculturation, etc. You may write about family stories or a biography of a person in your family, as long as you integrate anthropological concepts. (Note: Essays longer than the specified length are welcome!)
Evaluation criteria
- meets all assignment requirements, including both diagram and essay;
- diagrams tidy and easy to read
- well organized essay, presenting content clearly and effectively;
- well explained using research data (may include interviews, etc.)
- demonstrates accurate understanding of course materials, and application of anthropological concepts from class & readings when appropriate
- if possible, raises questions and/or describes cultural values and beliefs
- essay is clear and easy to read (well organized, grammar and spelling do not detract from meaning),
Anth 380 Introduction to Museum Anthropology
Most recently offered: May-June 2013 (previous Fall 2011)
Instructor: Lynette Harper
An introduction to contemporary issues in museum practice and their historical context. Topics include historical debates and analytical frameworks; shifting purposes and roles of museums and anthropology; changing political contexts and issues; museums, communities, and First Nations; acquisition and interpretation of cultural property; and issues in public representation.
Textbooks
* ANTH 380 Course pack (available in bookstore, and on reserve in library) – titles listed below
* Watson, Sheila (ed.). 2007. Museums and their communities. New York: Routledge.
Schedule at a glance
| Sept.6 | Course overview |
| Sept. 13 | A critical history: Museums as social institutions |
| Sept. 20 | Politics of cultural property |
| Sept.27 | Public representation |
| Oct.4 | Museums and First Peoples |
| Oct.11 | Multiple perspectives |
| Oct.18 | Community, Identity, Relationships |
| Oct.25 | Social responsibility: Museums in a troubled world |
| Nov.1 | Objects vs. people & Museum practices |
| Nov.8 | Battleground or Contact Zone? & Time for exhibit teamwork |
| Nov.15 | Exhibition Committee meeting |
| Nov.22 | Committee debriefing, Course review |
| Nov.29 | In class open book essay exam Take-home option by advance request |
Assignment overview
15% Chapter analysis
15% Exhibit analysis
20% Collaborative exhibit project
30% In-class essay exam
15% In-class Group reports or Reflective writing
5% Class participation and attendance
Assignment details:
1. Chapter analysis (15%)
Write a short analytical essay (approximately 4-6 pages double-spaced), which addresses one or two chapters in the textbook.
Select a textbook chapter at least 6 pages long, that is not written by editor Sheila Watson, and is not included as required reading in the course outline. Chapters less than 6 pages may be used only if you are comparing and contrasting two of them. Your essay should:
- briefly, accurately, and concisely describe focus and significant points in the chapter(s);
- analyze the chapter(s) using anthropological concepts and ideas from class and other sources;
- consider strengths and weaknesses of the chapter;
- link with other readings, concepts, class discussions, and/or personal experiences.
Evaluation criteria for assignments 1, 2, 3 & take-home exam
- Main ideas are clear and well developed.
- Insightful, with ideas and assumptions fully explained, in depth and with details, demonstrating the reasons for your interpretation.
- Considers more than one perspective, comparing interpretations to reach your own conclusions.
- Ideas and opinions are well supported by evidence, using multiple resources, with specific references when appropriate.
- Demonstrates accurate understanding of course materials, and appropriate application of anthropological concepts from class & readings.
- Easy to read (well organized, concise, with accurate grammar, spelling & punctuation errors)
- All quotes must be referenced in the body of the essay with author, date, and specific page numbers; general concepts require author and date only. (except for in-class exam, see below)
- Use any standard format for your list of references at the end of your paper, listing authors alphabetically.
Please note: Essays longer than the specified length are welcome!
2. Exhibit analysis (15%)
Your essay (approximately 5-7 pages double-spaced) should go beyond a simple description of the exhibit content, appearance, and visitor reactions. The analysis should consider the meanings, values, and assumptions that are consciously or unconsciously represented in the display.
- Choose an exhibit to analyze. The display should be in a museum, gallery, historical society, or similar cultural institution. If you’re uncertain about your choice, check with the instructor!
- Provide a “thick description” of the exhibit, and apply analytical questions and critical approaches to your chosen exhibit.
- Briefly, accurately and concisely describe the exhibit focus and present significant features (including content, exhibition techniques, and visiting experience);
- Consider strengths and weaknesses of the exhibit from multiple perspectives (ie. museum staff, visitors, people represented in the exhibit).
- Analyze the exhibit using anthropological concepts, readings and topics including those we have discussed in class. Specific themes that might be relevant to your analysis are the museum context and purpose; exhibit purpose (explicit and/or tacit); ideas and values represented, subordinated, or missing altogether; whose interests are being served; apparent relations with source communities; authenticity; and voice. You are welcome to draw upon other anthropological concepts and frameworks, and personal experiences.
3.Collaborative exhibit proposal (total marks 20%)
Groups of 3 or 4 students will collaborate to develop a socially relevant exhibit proposal and make a visual presentation to the class. All proposals will be assessed in an Exhibit Committee Meeting. Proposal guidelines will be distributed in class.
Presentation (5%) Group marks based on instructor, peer, and self-evaluations.
Independent report on exhibit plan & development (15%)
Each student will produce an independent report about the exhibit plan and development, following the proposal guidelines. (Group reports are acceptable by advance arrangement; all team members will receive the same mark.)
4. In-class open book essay exam (30%) (last class)
Open-book essay exam; sources quoted or cited require only title and author name. Students will write two or three short essays chosen from exam question options, 2-4 handwritten pages for each answer.
Take-home exam option available only by advance arrangement with instructor.
5. Short Group reports and Reflective writing (15%)
During some class sessions, you will be asked to either work with other students to produce a report, or to independently write a brief written response to a video, article, or discussion topic. These must be submitted the day of the class, or by email the next day.
Evaluation criteria: Group work participants will receive a point for each report (5/15). Individual writing will receive a letter grade (total 10/15).
6. Class participation and attendance (5%)
Readings in Course pack (at Campus Bookstore & Library reserve desk)
Ames, Michael M. 1992. Cannibal tours and glass boxes: The anthropology of museums. Vancouver: UBC Press. (Chapters 2, 13)
Frank, Gloria Jean. 2000. “”That’s my dinner on display”: A First Nations reflection on museum culture.” B.C.Studies 125/126, 163-178.
Janes, Robert R. 2009. Museums in a troubled world. New York: Routledge. (Excerpt from Ch.2 “A troubled world,” pp.26-52)
Schildkrout, Enid. 1998. “Personal styles and disciplinary paradigms: Frederick Starr and Herbert Lang.” In Enid Schildkrout & Curtis A.Keim (Eds.), The scramble for art in central Africa (pp.169-192). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Vancouver Island Bellydance Showcase
Saturday September 22, 2012 – Victoria-based OPA society celebrated the very best in our Island bellydance community! Among the 6 mini-workshops, I taught a session on Turkish Roman dance. I’ve listed some of my music resources and video inspirations in the Resources page “Turkish Roman workshop music and videos”
Workshop Descriptions:
10am -‘Layering Drills for Refined Technique’ with Candace Sanchez
Come on out and get your sweat on! Learn what muscles create what movement and how to implement different foot patterns with those movements. You will start the breakdown process of how to make multiple movements happen all at the same time.
11am -‘The Science of Shimmies’ with Pamela Ball
Technique to relax, ground and layer your shimmies while stationary or travelling for “shimmies that shine.”
12pm -‘Flamenco Fusion’ with Shari Nakagawa
This workshop will introduce flamenco arm and hand patterns, marking steps and skirt technique. Combinations will be taught to demonstrate how to layer this over bellydance hip movement. Be sure to bring a long skirt with you!
2pm -‘Kalbelia Sapera’ with Cathy Stoyko
Also known as Rajasthani ‘gypsy’ dance, this workshop will give you an introduction to this traditional folk dance from the Northern Indian state of Rajasthan.
3pm -‘Turkish Romani Style and Movement’ with Lynette Harper
Experience the vibrant, earthy Turkish style of Romani dance. Learn distinctive moves and phrasings that complement the sensuous and expressive qualities of Romani music – and may be blended with your own bellydance style.
4pm -‘Zills, Drills & Combinations’ with Bobbie
Since Egyptian style bellydance has increased in popularity over the American Cabaret style of the 1970s, playing finger cymbals has become somewhat of a lost art. At this workshop, you will learn some basic zill patterns beyond the “gallop,’ and coordinate those patterns with movement combinations.
Evening hafla featuring the workshop instructors and local dancers!
Doors at 7:30; Show at 8:00
Pay at the door: $5 for OPA members; $10 for non-OPA members
Registration forms available at www.OPAsociety.com
Questions? Want to perform? Want to vend? Email info@OPAsociety.com
BC Mainland dancers
Vancouver
http://rahmahaddad.com/Rahma Haddad, Vancouver BC “A powerful dancer of grace, charm and soul” And my favourite cousin! – LH
http://www.ammara.ca/ Ammara Studio BC “Home to one of the finest groups of Middle Eastern, Brazilian and African dance and drum professionals in the Lower Mainland.”
Lava Studio Lava, Vancouver BC A dynamic performer, choreographer, instructor, musician, and director/choreographer of “Sisters of Alchemy”, Lava is devoted to tribal style.
http://www.firespirit.ca/Zelia, Maple Ridge BC “Fire Spirit – A company dedicated to the sensual and sacred art of Belly Dance.”
Nanaimo dancers & teachers
Lynette 250-753-1659 laahper@gmail.com
Genya 250-739-0589 genyasdancing@gmail.com
Ramona 250-616-3824 Ramona@bellydancer.ca
Giselle Jacob – Drum & percussion classes available – see her Facebook page
Crimson Coast Dance Society Artistic Director Holly Bright, Nanaimo, BC – Develops and supports contemporary dance creations, productions, performances and educational opportunities at both grass roots and professional levels in Central Vancouver Island.
Turkish dance workshops
Turkish Roma (gypsy) dance
Celebrate the passionate and dynamic rhythms, movements, and spontaneity of Turkish Roman/Gypsy dance. Distinctive steps and sinuous movements will provide a base for exploring ornamentation, layering, and expression. Learn the meanings and role of gestures, experiment with a wide range of musical moods, and develop some powerful gypsy “attitude”. Teaching level: Multilevel, some dance experience recommended (novice through advanced levels)
Turkish style: Oryantal and Roma dance
Compare the earthy Turkish style of Romani social dance with performance-oriented Oryantal stylings. Learn distinctive moves and phrasings that complement the sensuous and expressive qualities of Romani music, and innovative approaches used by Oryantal dancers. Teaching level: Multilevel, some dance experience recommended (novice through advanced levels) Length: 2 or 3 hours
“Let me tell you exactly what inspired me! I have always thought of Turkish music as a bit fast and somewhat chaotic but you made me see a totally different side of it, how grounded and earthy it really is. And how it can lend itself to flowing movements. ”
(Anita Hoffman, Victoria, 2007)
VIVA ROMANI ! ! ! (Go Gypsy)
A daylong workshop exploring the passionate and lyrical stylings of Turkish Roman dance.
Part 1 Turkish Roman (Gypsy) Basics Learn expressive movements to 9/8 and 4/4 Turkish rhythms. An inspiring intro for beginners, a refresher for intermediate, advanced and experienced dancers. Length: 2 1/2 or 3 hours
Part 2 Turkish Jaz Focus on improvising and crafting dance to match the dramatic flair of Turkey’s master musicians Mustapha Kandirali, Burhan Ocal and others. Refine, expand, and elaborate on Turkish Roman techniques and ideas. Length: 2 hours (4 1/2 hours for both workshops combined)
Romani dance workshops
Ghawazee Sparkle & Turkish Soul
A short introduction to movement in two distinctive Roma styles. Strengthen your dance vocabulary, skills, and knowledge in a session contrasting the sinuous embellishments of Turkish dance styles with the quivers, shimmies and “earthquake tremors” of Egyptian Ghawazee dance. Read review. Teaching level: Multilevel (beginner through advanced) Length: 1 1/2 hours
Arab dance workshops
TARAB – Arab music and spirit of the dance
Explore the soul and vitality of Arab music as inspiration for dance improvisation and choreography. Teaching level: Multilevel; works well for mixed levels beginner through advanced. Read review. Length: 2 or 3 hours
From Countryside to Cabaret: Egyptian Saidi and Raqs Sharqi styles
Build your technique, movement vocabulary, and understanding of two popular Egyptian dance styles. Discover the links between the informal village dances of Saidi, and the performance-oriented precision of glamorous Raqs Sharqi dance. Teaching level: Adaptable to any level, or multi-level teaching. Length: 2 to 5 hours.
Zar: Dancing with Spirit
Zar is a type of spirit, an illness caused when spirits possess humans, and a ritual conducted to pacify the spirits. For Arab women, zar is not an exorcism but a way of “realigning” their daily world with the spirit world. Learn about the zar and its rituals, then explore traditional zar movements and their creative possibilities for dance performance. Options: May be accompanied by a lecture and a-v showing, and/or a folkloric dance choreography with the Egyptian song “Salamit’ha Um Hassan”. Teaching level: Multilevel. Length: 1 1/2 for basic introduction, movements, and simple choreography. Up to 3 hours with additional options.
Improvisation, skills and technique workshops
Discover the joy of dancing in the moment. Develop your confidence and skills in movement, improvisation and creating choreography with techniques and exercises to expand your range of movement and expression in both traditional and currently popular dance styles.
Sample topics, appropriate for multiple levels:
Improvisation and Expression – Warm up with basic improvisation techniques, and develop your repertoire with improvisation strategies including: working with combinations, dance steps and techniques; creating dance phrases and combinations; shaping dance; dynamic energies; and traditional dance vocabularies. Learn techniques that will help you LET GO in your dance!
Enhancing Your Dance – Build on basic dance and improvisation skills by exploring inflections of mood and texture; creating coherence and meaning in your dance; working with symbols, characters and imagery; respecting regional styles; and more inspirations for dancing solo and with others. Teaching level: Multilevel for students, dancers, and teachers.
Phrasing – Construct sequences of movements that create dance phrases, the “building blocks” of improvised dance and formal choreography. Develop your ear for Arab music phrasing, learn and experiment with short movement sequences, and use them to construct longer dances
Dance is in their blood
Gilded Serpent June 2007
by Kevin Potvin
A reluctant visitor to a multicultural arts show comes away with a new appreciation for how art entwines with ordinary life for ordinary people. . . . (click here to read article)
Excerpt: That doesn’t mean I don’t understand dance at all – as a form of art done by artists, or as an activity people do at clubs. Haddad presented a different thing I had previously bean unaware of, and it bridged the two forms – art and popular pastime – to form a third distinct thing: popular art, or folk art, in dance form. This was no contrived presentation of foreign exoticism to satisfy some state-granting agency looking to spice up multicultural awareness week. This was a moving and utterly personal expression given in so highly evolved a form, it appeared to be fully grounded in the Earth.
It was Lynette Harper’s talk and performance that, though it came first, served to wrap up the whole of the noon hour’s entertainment–which was fitting since she organized this show. Harper spoke in general terms of how belly dancers share their dances with each other, and how they get caught up in each other’s pleasure of dancing. “At any gathering,” she emphasized, “there was always dance; it was loved and honoured.” . . .
(previously posted in The Republic of East Vancouver, April 2004)
(See short clip “Arab Women Arab Dance” in Video section)
Lynette Harper Workshop Review
OPA! News, Victoria Spring 2008
by BOBBIE BARRY
Lynette is the quintessential teacher. After 30 years of teaching and performing this art form, she knows her stuff!
My first meeting and experience of Lynette Harper as a teacher was back in July 2003. At that point I had been studying Middle Eastern belly dance for a year and a half. My first teacher and Mentor, Pamela Ball asked Lynette to travel down from Nanaimo to do a workshop with those of us who had fallen under the thrall of this beautiful dance form.
Pamela told us we were in for a treat and a treat is what we got. Though I still consider myself in the toddler stages of my study of this dance, back then as a baby dancer, I remember being very nervous taking a class outside the comfort zone of my own teacher’s methods and style.
But not to worry. Lynette is the quintessential teacher. After 30 years of teaching and performing this art form, she knows her stuff! And without being overbearing or forcefully opinionated, it is clear that she expects you to continue your own education if you are a seriously dedicated student. On the other hand, she is encouraging, supportive and very generous with her knowledge and skill towards those of us who are still in the learning process.
My first experience of Lynette as a performer was in that same workshop back in July 2003. It was exciting to see her earthy, confident Rom style! Since then I have seen Lynette perform other styles of dance at various events and venues around the Victoria area. I always enjoy her wonderful stage presence. Whether, celebratory, playful, introspective or any myriad of other moods, I always find her performances fresh and in the moment. She is always genuine for the audience and I love that in a performer.
So with that in mind, I eagerly looked forward to another fun, informative and expressive day on December 1st.
The workshop was held at the Pro Patria Legion. First, let me say it was a really nice venue. Nothing fancy but easily located with plenty of accessible parking (I live close by so that was an added bonus), with a Tim Horton’s and a few other restaurants within walking distance.
We started the “Raqs Sharqi” morning workshop by warming up with folkloric steps and movements. This not only served to get us moving and the blood flowing but gave us a base from which to discuss the origins of Raq Sharqi (Oriental dance). From there we began to refine those steps, form them into combinations and add more detailed arms and hands. We discussed and implemented intention in our movement – being aware that the just-for-fun, spontaneous social aspects of the Beledi (country) dance becomes more intentional, elegant and stylized as it moves towards engaging and entertaining an audience in the classical and modern styles of Oriental dance.
We ended the morning by learning a small portion of a Randa Kamal choreography as taught at the 2007 International Bellydance Conference of Canada. It certainly was a lesson on the innovative modern Egyptian style developed by Randa – showing that this dance is certainly not static!
After the short lunch break we reconvened for the “Turkish Inspirations” afternoon portion of the workshop. This was the portion in which I was particularly interested as I feel that my own personal style leans more towards American Cabaret that, in the past, borrowed heavily from Turkish music, styling and costuming.
In this portion we discussed “earthiness” and “airiness” – how we might flow between the two energies and where we feel our personal style lies along the continuum between the two. Lynette even had us place ourselves along an imaginary line between “earthy” and “airy.” That was a very interesting and profound moment. Some dancers’ perception of their particular place on the continuum was not how they were perceived by the other students! Food for thought there! We spent some time paying particular attention to hands and emotion. We also discussed, practiced and experimented with spins, pauses and poses at various speeds and levels. These provide that dramatic flair that, to me, is characteristic of Turkish style and which gives such rich texture to a performance (though it is, of course, present in other styles as well).
Though we followed Lynette’s direction and instruction, she also gave time and room for improvised expression. For me, this is the essence of Middle Eastern dance. Learning choreography and combinations are fun, useful and, for me, a necessary way to hone technique and transitions beyond the drilling stage. However, just as each person is unique, expression through dance is also unique. Each dancer must be able to come to a point where she/he is able to translate what the music is saying to her/him. Lynette’s teaching never loses sight of this important truth and she always makes room for even the least experienced and proficient dancer to begin to find that individual expression.
Lynette ended both sessions with a stretch and emphasized throughout the day to modify movement or use similar but different movement to accommodate existing personal physical injuries or conditions.
In addition, the music used was excellent and made available by mail to those who wished to purchase.
My only suggestion goes to OPA not Lynette: I was very happy to pay for and attend the full day workshop. However, I did have a few people mention to me that they would have liked to attend either the morning or the afternoon sessions because personal commitments did not allow for freeing up an entire day. I know it’s a lot of work to put on any function and have it run smoothly and successfully. When all is said and done it’s nice to see that hard work pay off in attendance and participation. Perhaps providing the option to pay and attend only one of the sessions would have seen a few more people at these most fun and informative classes.
Having one of Vancouver Island’s own teaching a workshop was a great way to celebrate 10 years since OPA’s inception. A BIG thank you to Lynette and OPA.
Arab & Turkish music for listeners
Minor Empire – Second Nature
Great music for listening and dancing – this new album of Turkish / world music is made in Toronto! I couldn’t stop dancing during the Minor Empire set at the Islands Folk Festival last summer, where the whole crowd was mesmerized by Ozgu’s truly enchanging vocals. Guitarist/composer Ozan describes their style not as a fusion of Turkish and Western music, but the result of both a collision and confluence of these disparate elements. “I see them as coexisting together while keeping their original shapes,” he explains. “We definitely kept the original vocal melodies while fitting them into modern song forms we composed.” Minor Empire has already been named World Group of the Year at 2011 Canadian Folk Music Award, and I hope to hear more albums in the near future!
“Second Nature is more than just an interesting record, it marks an important way forward for Turkish and world music, in general…” (Errol Nazareth, CBC Radio and Toronto Sun music columnist.)
Souad Massi
I love every album featuring Souad Massi, “a leading light among young Algerian artists”. Her fine voice, activism, and courage have brought her into the limelight. A singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Souad creates delicate Algerian folk rock with sensitive lyrics. She comes from a family of performers, and was born in Algiers in 1972. Her elder brother is a composer, her younger brother a musician and her little sister is a dancer. I find myself deeply touched by her songs, whether she singing in Arabic or French (she very occasionally sings in English or Kabyle [Berber]).
If Souad Massi didn’t exist, surely the world-music community would have had to invent her. A doe-eyed, twentysomething Algerian singer/songwriter with a carillon-like voice and fine line in heartfelt, political songs, her debut album Raoui (The Storyteller) has seen her compared with artists such as Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell and – despite singing only in Arabic and French – hailed as a major star in the making. (Jane Cornwell, London Evening Standard, 22 April 2002)
Ladysmith & Cowichan area dancers & teachers
Ladysmith
Debra Shields (formerly Pinchbeck) – full weekly schedule at www.saidisisters.ca
Cowichan Area
Yesca “Elegant Power” Belly dance classes, Lake Cowichan 250 749 7759
Lynene Allen 250-746-1077 email miragedanse@shaw.ca website
Shakti Bellydance shakti.bdance@gmail.com Bellydance for fun and fitness, plus new classes for youngsters and teens. Register with Island Savings Centre, 250.748.7529
Damask Rose Revue 2
A fantastic show featuring guest artist Tamlyn Dallal! I am thrilled to be invited to perform with some of Vancouver’s finest: Al a Nar, Aviva & Megan, Carla, Laura, Leona, Lisa, Lynette (that’s me), Maki & students, Michelle, nina d., Tamara, Tha Fae, The Phoenix Dancers, and the magical musings of Rakkab
Saturday July 7, 2012
St. James Hall, 3214 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver
Tickets info@nina-d.com or call 604-240-7387.
Interview with Lynette Harper
Sahda, June 2007 By NILA
What attracted you to bellydance, and made you stick to it?
Dance is life! Returning home from a Middle East journey in 1976, I discovered the bellydance craze had hit Vancouver – and knew I’d become part of it. Sometimes I wonder if I would have stuck to Middle Eastern forms if I wasn’t Lebanese, since their stylistic conventions often feel like constraints. But there’s an enormous power in the traditional forms, and they can lead us to diverse avenues of expression and experimentation. I find new stuff emerging from the Middle Eastern/European music scene is terrifically inspiring!
Do you have a favorite style/styles to dance?
Yes, many! I’m still swept away when dancing with Turkish Roman (gypsy) music, inspired by its virtuosity, free and spontaneous improvisation, rich melodies and that romantic, emotional sensibility. These are qualities I value in dance! I enjoy improvising in Turkish styles, but I also revel in distinctive traditional forms: the sparkle of Ghawazee shimmies, the ‘mathematical’ precision of raqs sharqi, the intensity of zar ritual movement. Right now I’m developing a Saidi dance ‘persona’ – going beyond my current understanding of the earthy, flirtatious and sensuous movements of the Saidi, to acknowledge my aging body and incorporate some of that wisdom I’m supposed to be gaining!
How did Earthfire come about?
Serendipity! A convergence of women with fabulous dance talents and stage presence, in a small B.C. town. Swimming after rehearsals, striving for shared goals, respecting each others’ abilities and artistic visions. It all came together when Signy Cohen, of Tofino, asked me if I knew some dancers who could put together a show for their summer festival. Six weeks of intensive rehearsal later, an ensemble was born! The name came later. Though we now live in different cities and countries, we still dance together any chance we get!
Excercise form you recommend to keep in shape for the dance.
Dance warm-ups, strengthening and stretching exercises from a range of dance forms are useful! I try to keep up with exercises developed by contemporary dancers in particular, since they emphasize incredible strength and flexibility. There are so many options to explore – right now, when my research work keeps me sitting at a computer most of the time, I’m finding the intensity of Pilates Reformer work provides a nice balance with Middle Eastern dance.
Who is your favourite all around dancer?
Every dancer that is caught up in the joy of the dance, who is able to lose herself in movement and music.
Recommended reading
Books I find myself returning to: Nine Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks (readable insights into the complexities of women in Islam); Serpent of the Nile by Wendy Buonaventura (solid historical background of the dance, with great pictures); Skinny Legs and All by Tom Robbins (catches the essence of the dance – and it’s a great read!); and The Creative Habit: Learn it and use it for life by Twyla Tharp (inspiration from one of the great contemporary choreographers of our time) For a nice light read, Keti Sharif’s Bellydance book is terrific; and on the other end of the scale, Dancing fear and desire by Stavros Karayanni provides a sharp postcolonial analysis of dance and identities.
What are your plans for this year/what should we look out for?
So many plans! The highlight of my dance year is the Island Dance Retreat in August, spending 5 days dancing with women from all around B.C., eating Middle Eastern food, working and laughing a lot. This year Bronwyn and I have developed ideas about symbolism to integrate in our team teaching. I also plan to finish my doctorate this fall, so that I will have more time to spend teaching, creating & performing dance – and to visit former Earthfire dancer Ferda at her home in Turkey!
ANTH 390D Arab Women in the Middle East and Diaspora
Anthropological perspectives (offered May 2014; tentatively scheduled May 2016)
Lynette.Harper@viu.ca
A veil of mystery and stereotyping obscures Arab women’s lives in the Middle East and the global Arab diaspora. This course investigates Arab women’s dilemmas and perspectives on identity, faith, politics and representation through readings and discussion based on ethnographies and cultural studies. Examine gender/power relations in Arab cultural contexts in the Middle East and diaspora; rethink Orientalism; explore diverse voices, hybridity, modernity, community, tradition and contemporary media.
Possible textbooks:
Adely, Fida. (2012). Gendered paradoxes: Educating Jordanian women in nation, faith and progress. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
PLUS ONE Optional ethnography, to be assigned:
Abu-Lughod, L. (1999). Veiled sentiments: Honor and poetry in a Bedouin society. Berkeley CA, University of California Press.
Abu-Lughod, L. (1993). Writing women’s worlds: Bedouin stories. Berkeley CA, University of California Press.
Deeb, L. (2006). An enchanted modern: Gender and public piety in Shi’i Lebanon. Princeton, Princeton University Press.
Fernea, E. W. (1969). Guests of the sheik: An ethnography of an Iraqi village. Garden City NY, Doubleday & Company.
Tarlo, E. (2010). Visibly Muslim: Fashion, politics, faith. New York, Berg
DRAFT ONLY: Sample of past assignments
30% Five Critical Responses to class videos, textbook chapters and articles
Your Responses should be more than summaries or descriptions. Critically examine and comment on each video or text, noticing biases and assumptions in your own analysis as well as in the video or text itself. Be reflective and support your opinions with reference to class readings and discussions, anthropological frameworks and/or personal experiences. Each Response should be approximately two pages (typed and double-spaced), and demonstrate your understanding of and engagement with the material.
5% Panel discussion & informal presentation of Assigned Journal Article
15% Team presentation of assigned ethnography
Groups of 5-7 students will collaboratively prepare a presentation on an assigned ethnography to the class. Time will be provided during class for team preparation.
Your team is responsible for teaching the book to the rest of the class. A group mark will be awarded based on instructor, peer, and self-evaluations.
20% Critical Essay on assigned text
This assignments has two objectives: to allow you to explore significant themes and ideas in greater depth, and to develop and demonstrate your ability to critically read and analyze an ethnography. Your analysis should be well supported by evidence from multiple sources.
20% Final open book essay exam (take-home or in- class option)
Write two short essay responses to questions selected from the provided list. You may bring books, articles, and notes. No computer or digital devices are permitted, except by advance permission of instructor.
10% Class participation and attendance
Participation marks will be based on your attendance and contribution to class discussions and activities. Although a small portion of your final mark, if yours is a borderline case this could be a letter grade difference. The starting point for your participation mark will be your current class average; the quality of your participation has the potential to raise or lower your mark a letter grade (e.g. from B+ to A- ).
Required readings must be read before class. Everyone should come to class prepared to discuss the assigned readings. Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes, and to actively participate in class discussions. If you must miss a class, please try to inform the instructor BEFORE it begins.
Unveiled: Performing identities in the Arab diaspora
On Canada’s west coast, a large and active bellydance community has grown and thrived distinct from Middle Eastern ethnic communities. Orientalist fantasies and Egyptian stylings regularly appear onstage alongside western tribal and other ethnic bellydance fusions. These performances do not challenge popular media stereotypes about the Middle East; they comfortably coexist with ideologies linking veiled Arab women with oppressed victims of patriarchy and war. So how do Arab women immigrants and their descendants experience and negotiate issues of identity and representation within the bellydance community? Do they resist or reinscribe notions of difference, authenticity, traditionalism, contemporaneity?
In 2010 & 2011, I conducted ethnographic interviews with Arab women who belly dance. Their narratives reveal the strategies and tensions of negotiating social identities within west coast bellydance and ethnic communities.
Findings are now available in an academic publication of belly dance research, Belly Dance Around the World: New communities, performance and identity, in the chapter titled Arab/Other: Performing identities on Canada’s west coast.
Arab Women, Arab Dance
When most people think of Arab music and dance they usually think of bellydancing, the North American dance craze based on an ancient tradition. These two presentations at Vancouver’s Dance Centre (2004 & 2005) provided a personal and cultural context for understanding the dynamic and evolving art of Arab dance. Five diversely accomplished Arab women, well known as teachers and performers, explored their dance form through words and movement. We revealed the meaning of Arab dance as art, cultural expression, and source of personal identity.
Each of the presenters has a unique history, their origins reflecting the diversity of the Arab world and the Arab diaspora. During the first informal event in 2004, Salma Ferchichi, Rahma Haddad, Lynette Harper and Rabab Ward spoke about self and identity as it relates to their Arab dance teaching and performance. The following year, 2005, Emily Basha joined the group. OOn both occasions, our words were accompanied by short performances, and a group improvisation that conveys the joyful social dimension of Arab dance. In 2005, co-organizer Rahma Haddad produced a series of dance workshops featuring all five presenters.
These events integrated masterful professional performances of diverse Middle Eastern and North African dance styles with insightful personal narratives. They were a first for the B.C. dance community – and perhaps for Canada – in presenting Arab perspectives about Arab women and their dance. The 2004 performance was reviewed in Vancouver newspaper The Republic and Gilded Serpent.
Press Release from the Dance Centre, 2004
The Dance Centre presents
The Noon Dance Series
Raks Araby – Arab Women, Arab Dance
With Salma Ferchichi, Rahma Haddad, Lynette Harper and Rabab Ward
Insightful narratives with masterful performances of
Middle Eastern and North African dances
Friday March 26 2004 at 12 noon
Scotiabank Dance Centre, 677 Davie St (at Granville), Vancouver
Tickets $7 at the door Info: 604 606 6400 www.thedancecentre.ca
Followed by a tour of Scotiabank Dance Centre at 1pm
The monthly Noon Dance Series continues with a unique and stimulating presentation of Middle Eastern and North African dance forms, by four diversely accomplished Arab women. Salma Ferchichi, Rahma Haddad, Lynette Harper and Rabab Ward go beyond the popular preconceptions of bellydancing, to reveal Arab dance as a dynamic and evolving art, means of cultural expression, and source of personal identity.
During this informal event Salma, Rahma, Lynette and Rabab will speak and perform, exploring self and identity as it relates to their Arab dance teaching and performance. Their aim is to facilitate new understandings about the vitality of dance in the lives of women of Arab origin in Canada, and to challenge audience preconceptions about both Arab women and bellydancing.
April Point Retreats, Quadra Island BC
2013 Dates TBA – Gypsy Spirit Dance Retreats with Lynette
at April Point Resort & Spa on Quadra Island (3 hours north of Victoria) –
Discover your “gypsy spirit” with Gypsy (Romani) style bellydance. You’ll quickly learn the basic moves to passionate music and lively rhythms. Celebrate the informal spontaneity of traditional Romani dance styles from Turkey, Spain and Egypt, with distinctive steps and sinuous movements you can blend with any other dance style. This workshop blends bellydance warmups and fundamentals with Gypsy/Romani dance to provide a gentle total body workout that is easy on your joints, increases flexibility – and is a lot of fun!
This multilevel class is designed for beginners to intermediate levels – or teachers/performers who wish to expand their repertoire.
About April Point Resort & Spa
April Point Resort & Spa is an island getaway away from the crowds, featuring the elegant yet laid back atmosphere of the west coast. Enjoy wildlife tours, kayaking, fishing, spa treatments, island tours and sumptuous meals, all enhanced by the stunning natural beauty of Discovery Passage. Guests also enjoy the amenities of Painter’s Lodge in Campbell River, connected by a complimentary scenic water shuttle. For reservations or more information, please call 1-800-663-7090 or visit obmg.com.
*****************************************************
Past April Point Retreats: 2008 & 2009
Belly Dancing: The Art of Middle Eastern Dance
April Point Resort & Spa on Quadra Island (3 hours north of Victoria)
Discover the joy of Middle Eastern dance, an art that has inspired and empowered people for millennia. Learn the fundamentals of this graceful, energetic dance in a supportive environment suitable for a range of ages and abilities. This year you’ll learn bellydance fundamentals that merge traditional folk dances with contemporary moves and music; and explore earthy Roma (gypsy) dance, Latin Arabian dances that mix Latin flair with Arab moves, creative dance exercises, and freeflowing dance with veils. Bellydance provides a gentle total body workout that builds strength, is easy on your joints, and increases flexibility. And, it’s fun too!
DanceAway Mexico
Planning for a 2013 Retreat in Mexico is underway, see the post Dance Vallarta 2013 !
Five days of dance and relaxation in a tranquil seaside village on Mexico’s west coast! DanceAways in 2010, 2011, and 2012 took place in La Manzanilla, a small seaside village just 4 hours south of Puerto Vallarta. DanceAway is an amazing get-away filled with joyful dance in a seaside rooftop studio, evening dance parties, and lots of time for relaxation. Optional day excursions for shopping, swimming, snorkeling, lunch
2012 was the 4th year of holding this super fun and inspirational event. If you love to dance please join us in 2013! Past instructors:
Cathy Stoyko – Bollywood, Bhangra and Indian/Arab fusion belly dance;
Lynette Harper – Turkish, Arab, Romani improv & choreography;
Sheelagh – folk fusion dance; with dance games & exercises that will lead you to be confident and soulful in your dance.
Belly for the Beast 2011
October 1, 2011 – Bellydancers take over the stage at Nanaimo’s Port Theatre! See fine local bellydance in a proper theatrical venue – while supporting the SPCA. A dynamite show showcasing traditional, folkloric to modern fusions, with touches of flamenco, Romany, contemporary dance – and live music adds depth to several pieces. Applause to Pacifica for creating a show worth mounting at the Port, and inviting many of us to share the stage. This is their 6th benefit for the Nanaimo & District BC SPCA; they’ve raised over $12,000 to date, gaining community support and critical acclaim every year. Past audience members say, “It’s BETTER than the Belly Dance Super Stars!”
Tickets $25(concession prices available) at the Port Theatre
(I look forward to joining Pacifica in two pieces: the Pacifica choreography “Raks Africa”, and my own new choreography “Veil 3” performed with extraordinary dancers Taissia and Ruth Day,
Traditions, Tribes and Fusions – Nanaimo workshops
May 15, 2011
Dance with Arab Rhythms – LIVE!!!!
Guest drummer Robin Shackleton of Sylvan Temple joins Lynette for a dynamic and energizing multi-level workshop. We’ve booked a large bright and NEW studio in downtown Nanaimo, to fill with drumming and dance! Develop your dance vocabulary and music understanding, as we work creatively with beledi and other 4/4 rhythms, lively Egyptian 2/4, and inspiring 8/4 rhythm patterns. Learn rhythm-savvy combinations, tips for working with drummers, and inspiring ideas for improvisation and your own choreographies. You’re welcome to bring your own drum and finger cymbals!
Where: ***NOTE NEW VENUE ** Omtown Yoga Studio, 43 Commercial St., downtown Nanaimo (more parking around the back, off Terminal Ave)
When: 1:30 -3:30 pm May 15, 2011
Fee: $30 drop-in; $25 advance registration by email or phone (250-753-1659)
Silk Road comes to Errington
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.
Anth 307 Culture and Education in Global Context
September 8 – December 1, 2010
Instructor: Lynette Harper, Ph.D.
Email: Lynette.Harper@viu.ca
A cross-cultural analysis of education addressing cultural, social, political, and economic dynamics in North America and abroad. Topics include ethnography in the classroom; critical analysis of multicultural, anti-racist, and indigenous forms of education; theories of cultural difference and production; and practical implications for students and teachers. How do culture, identity, ethnicity, and race influence teaching and learning?
Course textbooks:
Delpit, Lisa D. 1995. Other people’s children: Cultural conflict in the classroom (2006 edition). New York: New Press. (Also available on VIU Library RESERVE – one-day loan LC1099.3 D45 1995)
COURSE READING PACKAGE : All required readings may be purchased at the VIU Bookstore. (Also available on VIU Library RESERVE – 2-hour loan XS 3662)
Assignment overview:
25% Reflective Notes (due Sept.29, Oct.27, & Dec.1)
25% Family Story Analysis essay (due Nov.17)
25% Take-home essay exam (due Dec. 8)
20% Collaborative Presentation of an assigned article (dates scheduled in outline)
5% Class participation (self-evaluation in class Dec.1)
Course overview
Sept. 8 Ourselves and others: Race, ethnicity and privilege Sept. 8 Introduction, Overview
Sept.15 Foundations of educational anthropology – Continuity & Discontinuity
Sept.22 From student achievement studies to the “Culture of Power”: Socialization and reproduction
Sept.29 Assimilation, discourse and agency: South Africa and Canada
Video: “The Fallen Feather” (93 min. E96.5 F355 2007) or “Mission School Syndrome”(Part 1/59 min.E96.2 M588 1988 & Part 2/66 min.
Oct.20 Case studies
Oct. 27 Honing theory: Involuntary and voluntary minorities, essentialism, agency
Nov.17 Class, gender, sexual orientation
Nov. 24 Review
Assignments
________________________________________________
25% Take Home exam Distributed in class Dec.1; due December 8
________________________________________________
25% Reflective Notes (due Sept.29, Oct.27, and Dec.1)
Notes are NOT to be a summary or description only. Be reflective and support your opinion. If possible, incorporate anthropological ideas from discussions and readings. Proper grammar and spelling are appreciated, though this will not affect your marks as long as your writing is legible.
#1 Reflect on at least three required readings articles (minimum 1 page per article)
#2 a) Compare and contrast two articles presented by students in class, using anthropological concepts and theories (minimum 2 pages of reflection on two presented articles)
b) Reflect on at least one video shown in class (Sept. 29 or Oct. 20)
#3 Reflections on at least two class articles, videos, or guest speakers from class (minimum 1 page per reflection).
Evaluation criteria:
A good Reflective Note meets the assigned guidelines above (or explains your alternative approach), and
– demonstrates accurate understanding and application of concepts from class & readings.
– fully explains ideas, opinions and assumptions, in depth and with details
– raises thoughtful questions and describes new understandings when relevant
____________________________________________________________
25% Family story analysis (6-10 typed pages, double-spaced) Due June 9
A description and analysis of particular aspects of your family story, if possible for three generations (eg. yourself, parents, grandparents). Anthropology recognizes diverse family forms; if you are uncertain about how to define or describe your family, please discuss with the instructor. This assignment does NOT require a family tree or detailed genealogical research.
You are expected to use relevant concepts and ideas from class discussions and readings to analyze what you know of these aspects of your own family story:
- Describe ethnic, social, cultural and religious backgrounds; geographical and social mobility; languages spoken – and analyze how these have influenced your own cultural and social identity, and attitudes towards other ethnic/racial groups
- Describe what you know of family attitudes towards education and schooling, and analyze how these may have influenced your own attitudes
- Use appropriate theoretical frameworks from class for your descriptions and analysis
____________________________________________________________
20% Collaborative presentation (approximately 30 – 40 minutes long)
Groups of 3 students will collaboratively prepare and present one of the assigned readings below to the class, on the scheduled dates. Groups and reading assignments will be assigned during the Sept.22 session. A group mark will be awarded based on instructor, peer, and self-evaluations.
Note: Your group is responsible for teaching this article to the class. Recommendations for group process:
- Read, summarize and analyze the article independently.
- Then meet with your group to identify the major themes and ideas, and decide how to focus your presentation. (For a better presentation, and better marks, avoid splitting the article up and working entirely independently until the day of presentation! Instead, coordinate your ideas and activities.)
- Work together to develop meaningful and varied activities that combine quality with some active student involvement. The article’s content should be presented clearly, and linked with concepts from other readings, discussions, and/or examples from your personal experiences.
- Prepare a summary of the article for distribution to class members. Bring enough copies for all class members, or submit original to instructor at least 2 days before class for photocopying.
Evaluation criteria
-well organized (clear purpose, presentation, management, and coordination)
-actively involves class members in activities and/or discussion (e.g. forums, slide shows, role plays, small group activities, questioning strategies, etc.) – be creative!
-variety and quality in teaching and learning activities
-presents content and context clearly and effectively; summarizes key points
-relates to personal experiences and/or concepts from other readings and class discussions
-provides a challenging, enjoyable, interesting, and meaningful learning experience
Articles for Collaborative Presentations:
- Foley, Douglas E. 1996. The silent Indian as cultural production. In B.A. Levinson, D.E.Foley, and D.C.Holland (Eds.), The cultural production of the educated person: Critical ethnographies of schooling and social practice, pp.71-91. Albany: University of New York Press. (in coursepack)
- Eder, Donna J. 2007. Bringing Navajo storytelling practices into schools: The importance of maintaining cultural integrity. Anthropology and education quarterly, 38(3), pp.278-296. (in coursepack)
- Delpit, Lisa D. 1995. Other people’s children: Cultural conflict in the classroom. New York: New Press. (textbook) “Lessons from Home and Abroad” and Viles Tokples” pp.73-90
- Paradise, Ruth, de Haan, Mariette. 2009. Responsibility and reciprocity: Social organization of Mazahua learning practices. Anthropology and education quarterly, 40(2), pp.187-204.
- Tassinari, Antonella I., Cohn, Clarice. “Opening to the other”: Schooling among the Karipuna and Mebengokre-Xikrin of Brazil. Anthropology and education quarterly, 40(2), pp.150-169.
- Castagno, Angelina E. 2008. “I don’t want to hear that!”: Legitimating whiteness through silence in schools. Anthropology and education quarterly, 39(3), pp. 314-333. (in coursepack)
- Hurd, Clayton A. 2008. Cinco de Mayo, Normative Whiteness, and the marginalization of Mexican-descent students. Anthropology and education quarterly, 39(3), pp.293-313.
- Nozaki, Yoshiko. 2000. Essentializing Dilemma and multiculturalist pedagogy: An ethnographic study of Japanese children in a U.S. school. Anthropology and education quarterly, 31 (3), pp.355-380.
- Zine, Jasmin. 2001. Redefining resistance: towards and Islamic subculture in schools. Race ethnicity and education, 3 (3), pp.293-316. (in coursepack)
- Oikonomidoy, Eleni. 2007. “I see myself as a different person who [has] acquired a lot” :Somali female students’ journeys to belonging. Intercultural education, 18(1), pp. 15-27.
- Purcell-Gates, Victoria. 2002. “. . . As soon as she opened her mouth!” Issues of language, literacy, and power. In Lisa Delpit (Ed.), The skin that we speak, pp.121-141. New York: New Press.
- Smardon, Regina. 2008. Broken brains and broken homes: The meaning of special education in an Appalachian community. Anthropology and education quarterly, 39(2), pp.161-180.
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 also to beat the February blues. When we arrived at the Harbour Dance Centre in Nanaimo we were pleasantly surprised by the sunshine streaming through the windows and bouncing playfully off the hardwood floors. One of the topics discussed was “Tarab” and none of us really knew what that meant.
Lynette started with a warm-up with all of us in a circle facing each other. We moved on to “Turkish Curves” using a smoky Turkish song that really got us into that slow syrupy movement. She started with some examples and then had each of us pick a part of our body to focus on for several minutes. IT was a real joy to explore our inner emotions and combine it with a dance. Lynette promotes dance as a whole woman experience. In her workshops you are pushed out of your comfort zone in a comfortable way. She then did a mini-Ghawazee workshop called “Ghawazee Sparkle”.
The rest of the afternoon was spent on “Tarab” which when translated means “Art is Feeling” or is also described as a “musically induced state of ecstasy”. The dancers were asked to describe what they felt when dancing and words were tossed back and forth like, Freedom, Revitalized, Divine Feminine, Health, In my Veins. We moved energy to different parts of our bodies and explored alone and with other dancers using “light” and “heavy” movements, infectious music and complementary movements. It was a delight and as a group we all felt richer as dancers and as women.
It is vital to express our full selves as we dance and Lynette facilitated in her warm and welcoming way an excellent day of playing in the sun. As we drove home we felt fuller and more complete as dancers. Thank-you Lynette!
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 you doubting your senses, would also have been appropriate because this performance was magical, mystical and, as each piece, ended, you were left wondering whether you had really seen it at all. Earthfire is one of the province’s top dance troupes, and are almost unique in the way they blend various forms of Middle Eastern, Gypsy, North African and other folk styles of dance. And their show, Miraj: Beyond Belly Dance, was an amazing showcase of not only their considerable dance talents, but also of their ability to put together a visual and auditory treat with costumes and settings that added to the sense of magic. With fabulous creatures of myth, whirling swords and costumes that shimmered like liquid jewels, Miraj was a sensory treat. Earthfire (Ferda Bayazit, Lynette Harper, Faith Lafave, Leah, Yvonne Olson and Taissia Sinclair) along with actor Pat Donaldson as the crone/fortune teller, guest dancers (Kelly Rollick, Sheila Bowman, Taiya Curie, Reziah, Shamani and Kirsten Stallman) and guest drummers (Goldean Abbadon-Lowe and Fiona Stuart) took their audience on an amazing journey to a Middle East much different from what we see on television each day, to a place where travelers from various places meet and mingle and dance, moving them and the watchers to a higher place, a place where we could all converge in a blend of lithe and sinuous dance, sensual music and lively humour.
(See excerpt “Queen of Wands” on Video page)
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 involved with belly dancing the first time it became trendy about 25 years ago and said she’s seen many ebbs and flows in its popularity since then. It’s on ah upswing now again. “It’s major right now,” Harper said. “I think people are looking for a fun work out without having to go to the gym – There’s also an interest in world music and cultures.” Harper’s mother is Lebanese and while she’s done many other kinds of dancing, belly dancing just makes sense for her. “It’s a great way to let people know about the Middle East besides what they see on the news,” she said. “It shows people the culture behind that part of the world. “And, it’s a wonderful thing, with belly dancing you can keep performing as you age.” Before the class Harper told me that belly dancing, unlike other forms of dance, is very improvised. This was a relief. I was joining in for the last class of the series and most of her students enjoyed the class so much they’d been coming regularly. I had taken belly dancing about three years ago and I was more than a little rusty. You need to have technique, Harper explained, (damn) but belly dancing has everything to do with expression and showing your own personality and people at all skill levels can do it. Yah! “It’s a wonderful way to come together with a group of people and have fun,” Harper said. “It’s very good for you to. It can be a great aerobic workout.”
She was right about that. The next day my sides hurt from all the movement in the hips. Those are muscles that don’t get worked a lot and isolating just your hips for a movement is tough. The drop-in class featured about 10 women of all ages and sizes and although I had never been to her class before I quickly felt like part of the group. I just kind of tried to fit in and shook my hips when it seemed appropriate, which was quite a lot.
We did part of a dance the class had been working on and while I improvised for about 90 per cent of it, I felt like by the end I was catching on. With the lively music and the fun, flirty movements it hardly seemed like a work out and the time flew by. “It’s addictive,” Harper said.
I can see how that would be and now with classes put on hold until Harper’s show Miraj, with her troupe Earthfire which is playing at Malaspina, April 11, is over with, I feel like I’m going through withdrawal.
Local dancers off to open Centre
21 September 2001 Nanaimo Daily News BY LYNN WELBURN
To mark the opening of the Scotiabank Dance Centre in downtown Vancouver, some Nanaimo area dancers will be on hand this week-end to celebrate.
Well-known local belly dancer Lynette Harper, and several of the members of her dance troupe. Earthfire. will be among those to cut some fancy steps as part of the opening celebrations for the $9 million state-of-the-art facility. The building, designed by Architectura in collaboration with Arthur Erickson, was officially opened Monday and throughout the week a variety of dance events have been held to mark the occasion.
“The opening of the dance centre is the realization of a really long-time dream,” says Harper, a former member of The Dance Center. the organization which helped make the physical centre a reality. “We were talking about the need for a place 10 years ago when I was on the Dance Centre board and even before that. It’s really amazing that it has come true and it’s going to mean a lot dancers all over the province. “This is a big deal for the dance community of B.C.”
Harper and her Vancouver cousin, Gail (Rahma) Haddad. were born of Lebanese parents and have both been professional dancers in B.C. for more than two decades, choreographers for almost as long, and are considered long-time leaders in the Middle Eastern dance community. Saturday they will be joined by fellow dancers from Earthfire, other dancers from the lower Mainland and Arab drummers who will demonstrate the powerful and elaborate rhythms that shape the music and dance of the Middle East in a presentation called Zaghareet – Magic Carpet to Dance.
Zaghareet, explains Harper, is the ululating cry found all across the Middle East and parts of Africa, a cry used both in celebration and mourning. It’s always heard as dancers perform, sometimes to cheer on a particularly good performance or to encourage dancers to greater efforts.
While many of the events at the new Dance Centre are performances, Harper and her colleagues will be offering more of a participatory activity. Everyone can participate in Middle Eastern dance, Harper says, because it crosses age, gender, ability levels and body types.
Zaghareet begins with a lively celebratory procession from a public area of the Centre. As visitors arrive at the Centre, they will encounter a boisterous and welcoming group of dancers, brightly dressed in traditional village costumes of Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, and North Africa. The milling and dancing crowd, accompanied by live drumming, the dancers’ finger cymbals. and rhythmic clapping, will form into a procession moves to one of the Centre’s large studios.
Once the crowd is inside the studio. Harper and Haddad will guide adults and children on an imaginary magic carpet ride to villages in Egypt, Turkey, and Lebanon. At each ‘stop’, participants will learn basic rhythm patterns, dance along with some local celebration, visit with women gossiping and dancing at the village well, or warm themselves by an (imaginary) outdoor hearth as they learn to zaghareet.
“It’s fun but it’s also education. They’ll learn about the dance forms and gain some understanding of the land and cultures and societies of the Middle East,” says Harper, adding this understanding seems even more vital now in the wake of last week’s tragic events in New York and Washington.
After getting a feel for some basic Middle Eastern rhythms and movement styles dancers, visitors, musicians — will create another procession, and emerge from the studio, parading through the spaces of the Centre, dancing, clapping, and celebrating with a zaghareet.
Joyfully eclectic, the high-energy Earthfire dancers perform in a wide range of styles says Harper, including Turkish, Gypsy (Roma), Egyptian and Lebanese.
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 all parts of Europe, they’re probably best known for their Turkish gypsy dances, popularly called belly dancing.
The dancers are Lynette Harper, Faith LaFave, Serap, Sahira and Taissia Sinclair. When they aren’t dancing they are students, a researcher, a computer nerd, a counselor and a teacher. Their backgrounds are Russian, Turkish, European and Middle Eastern. They share a passion for the dance.
Lynette Harper describes gypsy dancing as a wonderful, exuberant, free, dynamic dance style.
Harper has been teaching this energetic dance form for 20 years when the troupe came together.
“These people all either came to my class or were performing themselves. Every one of them has a dance background and most of them have already been professional dancers. So we’re just putting our energies together.”
Earthfire’s first performance as a troupe took place Nov.6 at the Wild Roots Café to a sold out house. To say they were greeted with enthusiasm would be an understatement. In the words of one spectator, “the audience whooped and hollered and stomped and whistled their approval.”
“We generate the energy among ourselves,” Harper says. “And then it comes back from the audience. So people come and say, ‘I’ve never got so much entertainment for $5 in my life.’ And women will say, ‘You know, we’re so serious about our bodies in North America, whereas you’re just celebrating and having fun.”
Woman Power – Earthfire revels in it. Their bodies would never make it to the cover of Vogue magazine – and they wouldn’t want them to. These are women’s bodies with delicious curves, rounded softness and grace.
Faith LaFave calls it being comfortable and grounded in their bodies. “Women in our society today are taught to feel either guilty about their bodies or to beat themselves into the media’s image of what a woman should be to be beautiful. I think what this troupe has given us is an ability to accept and love our bodies as they are.”
The Earthfire women use their bodies in their art. Women’s bodies shake – it’s how they’re made, LaFave says. “And more than anything else the comments we get when we’re performing are, “Wow – you have so much feminine power’.”
The message behind Woman Power is that it’s OK to be a woman and to be sensuous. You don’t have to be thin to be beautiful. You can be rounded and womanly.
For Serap, dancing with Earthfire is a chance to celebrate, to play and to be creative with other women.
The Earthfire women range in age from 21 to 44. Dance is ageless, Lynette Harper says. A troupe of woman dancers from Denman Island range in age from eight to 78 years.
A woman recently approached Harper and asked her to teach her four-year-old daughter. No one is too young or too old to dance and play, Harper says.
The popularity of gypsy dancing is catching on like wildfire and Earthfire stands out among the troupes on the West Coast. The women have performed in Seattle, Vancouver, Courtenay, Tofino, Victoria and Quadra Island. And although all of them have different life goals, they all want to tour and perform in Europe and the Middle East.
“We’re constantly creating new dances and challenging ourselves,” Harper says. “There are people in Vancouver who are urging us to tour. Other professional dancers who have been to the Middle East all have very, very positive things to say about our troupe. I think it’s because we are bringing a lot of different dance experience to this.”
What makes Earthfire unique is that they are exploring this as an art, not just as a dance, Harper says.
For Earthfire the dance is World Music – and a joyful, abandoned expression of Woman Power.
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 many theatre performances, Lynette has twisted and swayed her way into the Middle Eastern Dance group of Vancouver.
When she moved north three years ago she continued performing, and has awed many a crowd at the Charity Ball, the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre and special performances in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, ‘I’m a performer at heart, and dancing is a way of expressing my joy,” she says. “It runs in the family.”
Now curator of education and professional programs at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre in Yellowknife, she explains that the same creativity is useful in her work. As teacher and museum curator she believes she can help people find their own inner spark. Within the museum environment, Lynette says, people are inspired by seeing the results of other people’s creativity. She describes a museum as a “special place where people can develop understanding and respect for one another, through displays which show the different ways in which we see the world.”
Her vivaciousness, enthusiasm and zaniness is contagious, spreading joy and humor among her co-workers. “People sometimes don’t take me seriously,” admits Lynette, “but that’s changing, and I’m even called upon to head up international conferences and chair meetings.”
Her zaniness is a tool to help keep a perspective on what she is doing. “We take ourselves too seriously”, she says. Her humor has been known to ease tension at many a meeting.
Lynette has gained great respect in her field through her strong professional commitment. After just a short time in Yellowknife, she was thrown into the role of acting director of the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. Recalling the challenging seven month experience she praises the full support of her staff.
When a new director was named, she turned her energies to the Discovery Gallery which opened in June last year. A family area (where the signs read “please touch”) offers a wardrobe of costumes, rocks and bones to identify, a fur closet, and much more. Though she says she can be frustrated by the time it takes to develop exhibitions, she can see a slow and steady progress in the gallery. Lynette hopes to extend the opportunities for similar museum programs across the Territories. She says it’s a matter of staff and more involvement from the communities themselves. Professionally, Lynette brings a broad view of the world and her own special spark to all her activities.
After only three years in the North, Lynette says her attitudes are changing. At first, she “tried everything” because it was new and exciting, but gradually the natural rhythms took over. “I can see how one can get hooked on the North,” she grins.
Her fiance, Bruce Finlayson, shares her interest in the absurd and is also a great performer. During Expo he entertained waiting crowds outside the NWT pavilion. He is often seen on the stage at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre amusing both adults and children.
Both Lynette and Bruce have made a valuable contribution to the theatre arts scene in Yellowknife.
When we asked her what it’s like to belly dance for people she’ll be discussing job tactics with the next day, she says she sees her dance as a different aspect of herself. “It is performance oriented, just as someone else may play hockey or sing,” she explains, “and dance is a nice way of relating to people.” When she did combine the two on the occasion of the farewell party for the director of the museum, the entire staff was thrilled.
New exhibitions are an ongoing challenge for Lynette at the museum. She’s taking a few weeks off this summer to get married. And there’s another dance performance coming up at Vancouver’s Sea Festival. There’s even the prospect of forming a dance group in Yellowknife. . .
You can be sure that there will be a spark of creativity in everything Lynette tackles.