workshop 1- leeza laziza

well yesterday I did Liza (leeza?) 's workshop..... considering she had been in the hospital on a drip the day before you would never have guessed it from her class! (nothing serious- she's fine now) anyway- what was interesting about her workshop was that it was quite unlike a lot of the Egyptian dancers classes because She didn't teach a choreography- which is fine by me cos I can never remember them anyway! She did technique.... how to get really loose gentle shimmys, elegant arabesques, earthy egyptian walk, big hip drops (keeping the back leg straight all the time) one hip circles, cross points, shoulder shimmys- fifi abdou style.... lots of stuff, then we just danced....... I always find it hard- I guess cos have been a teacher so long now too, following another dancer- hard not to interpert the music as you would normally choose too- but always good practise for me... I was really worried about how I'd cope with a 3 hour class after being ill for weeks- but it was fine.

Best bit- exercises for loosening up shimmys......... worst bit- have had people like Raqia saying do this, dont do this, then going to Liza and being told the opposite is the right way- guess all I can do it take the best of both......... but if I did figure 8's with my legs wide apart the way liza does them in front of Raqia she would kill me, not to mention doing loose big hip drops that follow through into the opposite hip (sore!!)!!!!! Always interesting to see different teachers styles.... and I liked how aware Liza was about what everyone in her class was doing all the time, and very friendly with it (impressive language skills too!!!) ... although practising moves with music on quiet in the background- but trying to not dance to that music was near impossible for me- I can't count 1234 if the music is going 12AND34.... too hard. In all- glad i went.... good initial workshop for a festival for me but go again? not sure.....too many conflicting ways to do each move!

on a different note entirely- went to my first ever thanksgiving dinner this evening. there were about 40 people at this womans house (a lot of them kids) and they all seemed lovely. The turkey was the biggest thing I have ever seen!!! I'm sure they just chopped the legs off an orstrich!!!! And there was american pumkin pie which I had for the first time and a beautiful egyptian style pumkin pie which was to die for!!! Going to bed with a very full , happy tummy!