Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Private dance classes in Cairo

If you haven't already had the pleasure, let me introduce you to Amani Zaki;

(not to be confused with Eman Zaki - the talented dancer, turned talented costume designer who is now thankfully beginning to teach also and was a big hit with her workshop in Ahlan we Sahlan festival this summer)

Amani is just wonderful. She used to be a star dancer in Cairo, dancing in all the top hotels including The Marriot, Semiramis Intercontinental and Mena House.

She unfortunately stopped performing about 6 years ago, but thankfully has taken up teaching. She works closely with Raqia Hassan and was teaching at her intensive training course this winter.

I have been lucky enough to have had a few private classes from her recently and love her. An elegant, fun, intellegent, articulate person and teacher. She understands what makes a good dancer and thankfully doesn't feel the need to have to teach choreography ( which I hate since I would never ever perform someone elses routine so feel it wastes my time having to learn one! I know there are many benefits of this sort of teaching- it just doens't do it at all for me!!!). She does however have lots of choreographies she is happy to teach for those who like that sort of thing!! We have been doing some technique, lots of musical interpretation and mainly arms ( when she dances she's like a butterfly- I often feel like an elephant- although thankfully my audiences seldom seem to think that too- own worst enemy me!)


Anyway- for those thinking of having some private dance classes in Cairo........

obviously there is ME !!
I teach from home, in Mohandiseen, in my lovely studio- oh- and I have to boast here- i am very proud because an Egyptian woman I have been teaching recently won 1st prize in a dance competition held by her gym- well done Halla!

and then of course there is my good friend, Sara Farouk (fabulous at explaining feel, baladi, Saaidi and all things stage work)

Ahmed Raafat is a great teacher if you want folklorique techinique especially- and a wiz with a stick. Fun, and a mine of information.

and add to that recommendation list Amani too- especially for anything Sharqi- if you too want to learn to float like a butterfly!

Sara, Amani and Ahmed all also teach from my studio in Mohandiseen- so nice and handy for you!

Why not come stay with me for a week in Cairo and have a selection of lessons from us all?!!!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Hi, my name is silvania and i'm from brazil. I'm going to visit cairo next september with my husband and i'd like to have bellydance classe in cairo. It would be marvelous. Here in brazil i have classes since last year, but i have too much to learn. if you want to make contact with me, my e-mail is sgs@bndes.gov.br