Middle Eastern Dance ISSN 14418282
Issue 57 2016
KIrsty
incorporating
the shImmy omeda magazine
dr Mo Geddawi Azerbaijani Dance troupe trollop tribal Corner
Photography by Rebecca Queen
dr mo geddawi by Maria Masselos, Academy of Middle Eastern Dance, Brisbane
Dr Mo Geddawi is revered as a performer, choreographer and teacher of Egyptian folkloric and Oriental dance. He loved to Maria dance from his childhood and studied ballet from the age of eight. He grew up in Cairo during the Golden Age of Egyptian Oriental dance and cinema and has a background in ballet, ballroom dance, European and Latin American dance. He was one of the original twelve members of the Reda Troupe until 1964, when he moved to Beirut to work in his professional field of pharmacology and tropical medicine. During that period, he taught, performed and choreographed shows at the American University of Beirut, Beirut College for Women and for Lebanese TV. He then settled in Berlin, where he founded the Hathor Dance Troupe in 1986. He has performed and choreographed for Egyptian, German and Lebanese television, produced Oriental and folkloric shows around Europe and has taught Egyptian folkloric and Oriental dance all over the world. Dr Mo Geddawi was the guest teacher at the Winter Warm Up workshops and Teacher Training Course in Brisbane in June, 2016. Maria Masselos, Director of the Winter Warm Up, interviewed Dr Mo for Bellydance Oasis magazine.
BDO: You say that there is a place for everyone in Oriental dance, from the hobbyist to the professional; what do you think attracts so many non-Egyptian women to Egyptian Oriental dance? Dr Mo: Oriental dance movements are natural for women; this dance is far more than ‘exercise’. A dancer must learn the music, digest the music in her body and express the music with her sensuality and soul. This leads to a better understanding of her body. This is why many women all over the world like this dance; it helps a woman accept her body, live in harmony with her body and learn to appreciate it. BDO: You say that anyone can dance. Your basic principles make this beautiful and complex art form very accessible. How did you develop these principles? Dr Mo: If you can walk naturally, you can dance. I mean it. Unfortunately, many people cannot walk naturally due to factors such as social inhibition or insecurity. These factors can be overcome through footwork exercises (feet are the key to the dance), learning to breathe correctly, learning to control the energy in different parts of the body and, finally, learning to manipulate or variate basic steps and movements. BDO: Western women are often told that they have to “dance like an Egyptian”, or conversely, that they can’t “dance like an Egyptian” because
the dance is “not in their blood”. You say that a dancer does not have to be Egyptian to be a good dancer. Can you elaborate on this? Dr Mo: Egyptian women have more opportunities to learn dance because they are raised within an environment of dance and music; from childhood they see relatives dance in celebrations and they hear the music every day. This environment is like a school, which gives an Egyptian woman the opportunity to learn; however, if she has no passion and love for the dance, she will not make it [as a professional dancer]. Dance is international. There are dancers from all over the world who love the dance and are devoted and have worked very hard to reach the top. They can be as good, sometimes better, than some of the Egyptian dancers. There are many star dancers in Egypt who are not Egyptians. Good dancers, or star dancers, are always the exception, no matter where they come from. Egypt gives dancers from other countries the opportunity to become a star in Egypt. Egyptians are a very good audience and have an eye for a good dancer. Egypt is also the biggest market for Oriental dance; there are millions of people there, who appreciate Oriental dance and good dancers. This is why Egypt is the home of Oriental dance. Maria: You’ve been involved in Raqia Bellydance Oasis Issue 57
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Photography by Rebecca Queen
Hassan’s Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival. How did that come about? Dr Mo: It started in Sharm el Sheikh as a small festival for tourists. Mme Raqia Hassan had the courage to do this in Cairo at a time when others did not have that courage. Ahlan Wa Sahlan was the first Oriental dance festival in Egypt and it became the international meeting point for Oriental dancers: people come there to learn with international teachers, to perform, to do business and to meet dancers from all over the world. Now there are five other Oriental dance festivals in Cairo; the Ahlan Wa Sahlan of Raqia Hassan and Randa Kamel’s ‘Dance of Course’ are the leading ones. I have been teaching, moderating and judging at Ahlan Wa Sahlan from its beginning until the present time. The first bellydance festival in the world was in San Francisco, USA in 1980. The ‘Miss America of Belly Dance’ Contest was organized by the late Magana Baptiste. I had the pleasure and honour to teach there with the late Ibrahim (Bobby) Farrah for sixteen years. Now there are festivals all over the world that include workshops and competitions. Competitions have become part of festival business. There can be up to four hundred dancers in a variety of competitions, including different age 6
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groups and dance categories such as advanced, professional, seniors, baladi, classical, folklore, fusion and Tribal bellydance. Each competitor pays a fee to participate in the competition, so it is a big business. This scares me a bit. Competition is good, but you have to have the right jury and the right method of judging to be fair. I would hate to see good dancers discouraged by not winning. Festivals and competitions encourage dancers and teachers to improve their dance skills. They provide a good opportunity to perform and teach. Festivals also provide a social gathering for dancers to meet the large international Oriental dance community and to develop friendships with dancers and teachers from different countries. BDO: You grew up in a Saiidi family in Cairo, with music and dance in your life. You had a background in dance from a very young age. You were one of the twelve original dancers who formed the Reda Troupe with Mahmoud Reda. How did it feel to be part of this? Dr Mo: The idea of the Reda Troupe was born in 1957, when Mahmoud Reda was engaged as a solo dancer by the renowned Egyptian theatre director, Zaki Tolimaht to participate in a youth festival in Moscow, Russia. Mr Tolimaht chose two dancers, Mahmoud Reda and Naima
Akef, who won third prize in the folk dance division, performing the operetta, Ya Lil Ya Ein. I met Mahmoud Reda in 1957. Mahmoud and my family were members of the El Lagna El Ahlia Sporting Club (now the Cairo Sporting Club). The club had a ballroom dance party every Friday and Saturday night. I was always there, dancing. Mahmoud saw me dance and asked whether I would like to take dance lessons at his ballet studio. I accepted immediately. After two weeks of training, he told me about his idea for the Troupe and asked whether I would join. My answer was, of course, “With great pleasure.” The Reda Troupe was the first Egyptian folkloric dance troupe. It started in 1957 with six female and six male dancers, plus Farida Fahmy and Mahmoud Reda. We studied and trained to perform Egyptian folklore dances for two years, before giving our first show at the Azbakeyya Theatre, Cairo in September 1959. It was a great success. The Egyptian audience appreciated the performances very much. That was the beginning of the Reda Troupe’s fame. Because I have this love for dance inside me, it was a pleasure to meet Mahmoud Reda and be part of the Reda Troupe. We were doing this for the art, but also for Egypt. I think we succeeded
very well in doing that. BDO: They must have been exciting times, both politically and artistically. The classic black and white movies of the ‘Golden Age’ of Egyptian dance changed the public perception of dancers and the Reda Troupe changed public attitudes to folkloric dance. Dr Mo: Motion pictures were a great thing, from the 1930s on. Most people could not afford to go to the night clubs where star dancers were performing, but the dancers who performed in films became famous. Stars like Tahia Carioca, Samia Gamal, Naima Akef were also good actresses and the films positively changed the perception of many Egyptians towards Oriental dance. The Reda Troupe influenced the perception and attitude of Egyptians towards folk dance; most of the dancers of the Reda Troupe were university educated and the Egyptian public were proud to see the colourful variety of their folk dances performed on stage. BDO: It was completely new to adapt Egyptian folk dance for the stage; were you aware how influential the Reda Troupe was going to be? Dr Mo: We just wanted to dance, be successful and present Egyptian folkloric dance internationally. Mahmoud Reda is a great
choreographer. His choreographies reflected the real Egyptian folklore and this was recognised by the audience. President Nasser of Egypt recognised and admired the Reda Troupe. He engaged the Reda Troupe to perform for important official visitors to Egypt (Royals and Presidents of many countries). The Reda Troupe performed in many countries, representing Egypt. In the early 1960s, the Ministry of Art and Education brought a Russian choreographer, Mr Ramazin to establish a national folkloric dance group called Kawmeyya (or El Kaomeyya) to compete with the Reda Troupe. The Kawmeyya Group’s performances were not appreciated by the public, since the dancers’ attitude was Russian and did not reflect the real Egyptian attitude. Ten years later, dancers from the Reda Troupe and the Kawmeyya Group had established folkloric groups in almost every city of Egypt. However, the Reda Troupe is still the leading folkloric troupe. BDO: Why do you think Egyptian folkloric dance became so popular? Dr Mo: Folkloric dance is the basis for Oriental dance. Many good teachers of Oriental dance come from a folkloric dance background. The variety of Egyptian folklore and its overlap with
Oriental dance gave opportunities for a good show with a variety of colourful dances. Folkloric dances are simpler, with fewer steps and a lot of repetitions. The choreographies are also simple and can be performed in groups. Dancers have lot of fun performing them. Oriental dance is more complicated, since it is an individual dance. The dancer must master the dance technique, have good interpretation of the music, know the choreography well and take care of all other dance components including choice of costume, make up, choice of music and, last but not least, her expressions and communication with the audience. BDO: Many dancers have come out of the Reda Troupe and made a career of performing and teaching Egyptian folkloric and Oriental dance. How did the work of the Reda Troupe influence teaching methods in Oriental dance? Dr Mo: Members of the Reda Troupe had to train every day. Training included ballet and folkloric steps and movements. It was really hard training every day. Apart from learning steps and movements, we also learnt the different methods of teaching of different teachers. Some dancers became interested in teaching, others became interested in
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Photography by Rebecca Queen
choreography. Not every dancer can be a teacher, even if they are an excellent dancer. Most of the well-known Egyptian Oriental dance teachers were in either the Reda Troupe or the Kawmeyya group, including Raqia Hassan, Aida Nour, Dina, Randa Kamel, Yousry El Sharif, Zaza Hassan, Momo Kadous and myself. The teachers who trained in the Reda Troupe are successful because they are well structured and got good teaching experience at the Reda troupe. Some, such as Hoda Ibrahim, Doaa Sallam, Mohamed Kazafy and Mohamed Shahin are teaching around the world and doing a good job. BDO: How entwined are Egyptian folkloric and Oriental styles? Dr Mo: Egyptian Oriental dance has lots of folkloric elements. You can see Tahia Carioca dance with a cane or a Candelabra. Many folkloric steps, such as the Saiidi backwards step are used in Oriental dance. Oriental dance has always included folkloric steps and movements, however the execution and attitude in Oriental dance is different. BDO: Can a dancer excel in Oriental style without a grounding in folkloric dance? Dr Mo: I suggest that anyone who wants to learn Oriental dance should learn folkloric dance to improve their dance ability and enrich their dance vocabulary. Folkloric dance gives beginners an opportunity to learn in a simple way instead of going immediately 8
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into Oriental dance. Dina, a legendary dance star who has created her own dance style, was a member of the Reda troupe. Randa Kamel is a dance star - and an excellent teacher - with a folkloric background in the Reda Troupe. However, there are exceptions. Soheir Zaki, Tahia Carioca and Samia Gamal did not study folkloric dance; they were super talented and improved their dance talent through learning from other dancers. BDO: What are your own memories of that period now known as the ‘Golden Age’ of Egyptian dance? Dr Mo: I met Tahia Carioca and worked with Samia Gamal … they were exceptional people, well known and socially accepted. In Egypt, I came to realise that an unknown dancer will not have the respect of people, but the minute she becomes a star, people are happy to associate with her and are proud to befriend her. When I was eleven years old, I used to go to Casino Badia where Tahia performed to look at the posters and photos hanging outside the night club. One Friday, I decided to sneak into Casino Badia’s early show from the stage back door. I was immediately caught by the door keeper, who grabbed me by my jacket, shouting and leading me outside. I was pleading and crying when, suddenly, a lady shouted, “What’s the matter? Take your hands off the kid”. The door keeper obeyed and the lady said, “Come here, kid…what are you
doing here? You are too young for this place.” I told her that I wanted to see Mme Carioca dance. The lady smiled and talked to the door keeper, who took me to a table right at the back. The show started with a French dancing group, followed by an Egyptian lady singer, and then, the famous singer Abdel Aziz Mahmoud. Finally, Tahia Carioca appeared; the very same lady who saved me from the angry doorkeeper. It is very hard to express my feelings at that time. It was a dream, totally unbelievable. The kind lady who talked to me was Tahia Carioca herself; an experience I will never forget. I met Mme Carioca again in 1960 in different circumstances and she remembered my experience with her at Casino Badia. We developed a great, long friendship and Mme Carioca was always interested to know about my dancing career. When Mme Carioca came to Berlin in 1994, we met every day and she observed my dance lessons for the Hathor Dance Troupe. I presume we reminded her of the good old days. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, she was described as the ‘Queen of Oriental dance’ and as Egypt’s most beautiful woman. Om Kolthoum, asked once where she would like to spend the evening, replied, “Wherever Carioca is dancing. Let us go hear her sing with her body”. Tahia Carioca became a beloved actress too. She appeared in more than 190 films, from popular musicals to romances and comedies. When she
retired at the age of forty, she started to work in theatres as an actress and was very successful there too. She was a very strong lady; she was politically active and was jailed twice. She went on hunger strikes with fellow actors and organized demonstrations against the government. Tahia Carioca and Samia Gamal were very famous because they were also very good actresses. Samia also appeared in films that were made in Hollywood. Samia’s classical ballet schooling was apparent in her style of dancing as well as the Hollywood influence that she brought into the Egyptian dance. I worked with Samia Gamal on several occasions. I performed with her in a show for Emperor Haile Selassi of Ethiopia and for Prince Sihanouk of Cambodia. I danced with her in the film, ‘The Second Man’ in 1960. The first time I met Naima Akef, I felt as if I had known her for ages. She was very lively and charming. I saw her at the old Opera House in 1956 during the rehearsals for the operetta, Ya Lil Ya Ein. Although there were many other artists including dancers, singers, actors, and musicians, her presence was strongly felt. When she danced, her facial expressions were striking and her body truly interpreted the music. She danced, acted and sang with joy; she was a hell of an entertainer, a total artist. She wanted to do everything at once, as if she knew she would die young. I met Om Kolthoum a couple of times and the Reda Troupe worked with her at the Opera House. President Nasser loved her so much that every time he had a foreign visitor he wanted her and the Reda Troupe to perform at the Opera Theatre. The Reda Troupe performed with Om Kalthoum for the Shah of Iran, the Queen of England, and King Mohamed Zahir Shah of Afghanistan and President Bourgiba of Tunisia. Mme Om Kolthoum was a very powerful lady but at the same time, sweet, especially with young people. It was great to see how she, as a master singer, could direct her musicians, who
were all professors of music. She was unique and phenomenal. Maria: Is it true that Sohair Zaki was the first to dance to an Om Kolthoum song? Dr Mo: This is true. No one else had dared to dance to Om Kolthoum’s songs. BDO: I understand you met Badia Masabni, owner of Casino Badia and the famous Casino Opera. Dr Mo: Mme Badia Masabni was a pioneer of the modern Oriental dance. Most of the dancers of the ‘Golden Age’ started at her nightclub; she brought a British choreographer in to teach her dancers how to use space and learn choreography. She nurtured the careers of dancers, musicians and singers of her period. Composers were encouraged to write scores specifically for the Oriental dancers. She also designed costumes which have remained the standard for Oriental dance costumes throughout this century. I worked with the Lebanese composer, George Yazbek on Lebanese TV shows. George knew that I liked to eat labneh, a Lebanese kind of dip; when I was in Lebanon in 1965, he took me to a small village called Shattura, which is famous for producing the best labneh in Lebanon. George ordered two plates of labneh in a little shop. A very old lady brought us the labneh. George said, “The old lady is Badia Masabni”. He introduced me to her, with kindness and a smile, but she didn’t want to talk about the dance. I had mixed feelings of happiness, sadness and respect. However, I was glad I met her once. BDO: Did you work with Nagwa Fouad? Dr Mo: I have known Mme Nagwa for a long time and we have worked together teaching in many festivals in different countries. She is a very fine lady. I remember her powerful performances and her pioneering work, doing shows with a group of dancers. According to her, she was always interested in shows and spent most of the money she earned getting the best musicians, the best dancers and the best
costumes as well as experts for lighting, makeup etc. Nagwa is very proud that the great Egyptian composer, Mohamed Abdel Wahab composed music for her. To be a dancer was not enough for Nagwa. She acted in many movies and was also as producer. When asked how to become a star dancer, she replied, “Learn and keep learning from experts; the learning process continues until we die”. BDO: Did these great dancers influence your dance style? Dr Mo: Out of all the dancers from the fifties through the present, Tahia, Samia and Naima most positively affected my life and influenced my dancing career, especially as a choreographer. All of them were exceptional. Each was very individual and they were successful because of their individuality. Maria: When last in Egypt, I went to a show; Lucy came on at 2am, after all the other dancers, and danced through to 6am. Dr Mo: In the time of Tahia Carioca and Samia Gamal, the dancer would start at 9pm and stay with the people and sit and eat and drink. It was very different to the cabaret shows nowadays that start after 12am, and the big star dancer comes on at the end of the show. The show I saw with Tahia Carioca was twenty minutes long; now you see a dancer dance for an hour and longer. Lucy is an excellent dancer and actress. She owns a night club and she is a real entertainer; she will dance and talk to the audience, sing and tell jokes. She changes costume several times during the performance. Dina is also well known for costume changes; I saw her in Frankfurt do twelve dances and she changed costume backstage in a very short time. Dina is - without doubt – a superstar. She is exceptional. She created a new style. Not everyone likes ‘Dina style’, but I admire that she created a dance style which did not exist before, and many of the dancers in Egypt have imitated her. Bellydance Oasis Issue 57
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BDO: After leaving Egypt and being in Beirut for five years, you settled in Berlin and began to teach Oriental dance. Why was Germany such a fertile ground for Oriental dance? Dr Mo: Believe it or not, bellydance became popular in Europe through the American Army. Germany was the first country to have classes; a lady by the name of Elizabeth, who worked for the American Army in Berlin, started bellydance classes in Berlin in 1973. The same thing happened in Italy, France and Spain. This fascinates me. It’s difficult for Germans to accept foreign things, but bellydance became popular in no time! Teachers, dancers, choreographers, performances, festivals…. it became a big business for many Germans. I started the Hathor Dance Troupe in 1986 to give performances, teach and share the knowledge about this dance in Berlin. The Germans loved this wonderful, colourful folkloric and bellydance. We also wanted to give the Arabs who lived in Berlin a piece of their own culture. Across twenty years, three hundred ladies joined and learned with the Hathor Dance Troupe, with up to thirty three dancers at any one time. Many of them moved to other cities and became successful teachers, including Beata Cifuentes, who was the leading soloist in the Hathor Troupe from 1986 – 1990. BDO: As you travel the world teaching, what do you observe? Do you feel that Egyptian dance is growing as a dance style? Dr Mo: Definitely. When video became available and people saw the Egyptian dancers, they became fascinated by the softness and sensuality of the style. Many dancers began to appreciate the Egyptian style of dance and that became the most popular style. BDO: Some dancers say that Oriental dance is becoming too ‘technical’ with a loss of the Egyptian ‘feel’, particularly in Europe. What is your take on the current state of Oriental dance? Dr Mo: Dancers everywhere really 10
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try hard to master technique and movements … but they sometimes forget that the audience who comes to see Oriental dance wants to relax. If you do only technique, even if it is very good technique, this will not fascinate the audience. Oriental dance is a combination of technique, communication and expression. If teachers concentrate on technique, they will produce dancers who focus on technique. A good dancer must use all the components of Oriental dance in her performance: musicality, technique, expression, feelings, choreography, costuming, make up, creativity, lighting etc. Teachers must teach dancers how to breathe; how to express feelings; how to control energy; how to be soft and sensual; how to master expression; and how to communicate with the audience. I also emphasise the importance of coaching to learn and to improve a dancer’s abilities. Coaching is very important in any kind of dance, not only in Oriental dance. When a dancer works with a good teacher for a long time, they can work on all the different components of Oriental dance. A good teacher will uncover weaknesses as well as the personality and talents which can lead to success. BDO: Is the internet giving passionate dancers even more resources to learn? Or is there too much information? Dr Mo: I think the problem is not too much information, but it has to be the right information. It’s very bad to tell people fantasies or to present your own opinion and interpretation as a fact. There is a lot of false information on the internet. However, dancers who are really devoted look for the right information. There are a lot of very good, well-known teachers, whom dancers can consult to get the right information. Maria: It’s difficult to weed out the wrong information; many people who promote themselves as authorities have not gone to the sources. I started the Winter Warm Up series to bring teachers to Australia who would give the correct information. You first came in 1999
and this is your sixth time in Australia; you must have seen a difference in the dancers over that time. Dr Mo: I’ve seen improvements in the dancers whom I know; I have seen how they have developed their expression, energy control and breathing as well as their technique. The dancers are happy and open to learning. The quality of the teachers and positive energy during the course is very important and has a great influence on the result of the course. Australian dancers are well educated and are keen to learn. I hope we will be able to do the Winter Warm Up again.• References: Barros, Catherine, A Conversation with Dr Mohammed Geddawi, www. gildedserpent.com, 2007 Constanza, Nina, Dr Mo Geddawi: A Man of Coincidences, Arabesque (Part 1, Jan/Feb 1995; Part 2, March/April 1995) Habiba, Dr Mo Geddawi, Renaissance Man in Transition, Habibi, Volume 8, No 1. Salome, Interview with Dr Mo Geddawi, www.Orientaldancer.net Introduction to Geddawi Dance Technique; DVD, Hathor Dance & Azziza’s Belly Dance Supplies, July 2006. www.drmogeddawi.com Maria Masselos (Azziza) is the organiser of the Winter Warm Up event in Brisbane and co-founder of the Academy of Middle Eastern Dance, which runs classes in several locations across Brisbane. Maria has taught, performed, co-ordinated and supported Middle Eastern dance events in Brisbane for many years.
Photography by Rebecca Queen
Dr mo teacher training and
Jrisi and Kamelia review Dr Mo’s recent workshops and give their views on the importance of teacher training
Photography by Rebecca Queen
In 2001, I asked myself, “If I want to learn Oriental Dance (Raks Sharki) from the source, whom should I study with”? I asked Amera Eid the question and she gave me four names: Dr Mo Jrisi Geddawi, Mahmoud Reda, Raqia Hassan and Yousry Sharif. Thanks to a generous Australia Council for the Arts grant, I was able to plan a training schedule which took me around the world to train with those four teachers. Each teacher offered new perspectives, ideas and fundamentals that shaped me into the teacher and performer I became, but for me, the technique Mo Geddawi taught was the perfect foundation for teaching Oriental Dance. His technique is concise, logical and felt good on my body. His core structure and philosophy made sense to me; it was simple, based on breath, the transfer of weight and footwork.
Coming from a ballet, contemporary and jazz dance background as I do, dance vocabulary is important. To call a movement a “swivel hip twist thingy” or a “hippy jackhammer” doesn’t make sense to me, nor do such terms give the dance style credibility. How a teacher structures the class and the vocabulary used give students a sense of stability, discipline and logic along with plenty of room for fun and freedom to explore. Dr Mo’s classes and presentation ticked all these boxes for me. Fourteen years have passed since my first lesson with Dr Mo Geddawi, yet assisting at his Teacher Training course this year at the Winter Warm Up, was like coming home. I remembered choreographies and movement sequences from back then! His technique and structure is so fused into my muscle memory that working with him this year was seamless. Basic step forward, basic step
backward, forward arabesque, contra arabesque, batta (ducks) and saidiis are basic Geddawi technique and vocabulary which I use to teach, from beginner to advanced/professional. I’m able to apply this vocabulary to fusion work and to teaching Tribal dance students. A dance vocabulary has also been extremely handy when I’ve been pregnant or injured and have had to call out the sequences! Working the right and left brain is a big part of the Geddawi technique, moving the feet from one direction to the next with breath and ease, without missing a beat. His theory, “If you can walk you can dance”, uses the logic: Count 1 - Right foot basic step forward Count 2 - Left foot step in place Count 3 - Right foot step back to neutral Count 4 - Left foot tap (a pause, ready to change weight or direction). This is something many dancers have problems with. It still surprises me at workshops with guest teachers to see Bellydance Oasis Issue 57 11
how many dancers struggle to pick up footwork or directional change easily, whereas dancers I have trained with this technique cope well. Oriental dance, Raks Sharki, has never had accreditation, a syllabus, examinations or panels of presentation. Being a great dancer and performer does not always equal being a great teacher. Sure, there are many things to learn as we go, but should fully paying students buy a class pass and not get the best out of their classes? Are your students safe? Do you know what to do if someone rolls their ankle in your class? Could you unwittingly teach bad habits which could cause long-term injury? Do you know how to teach a multi-level class? Do you know whether you need permission to use copyright music? My tertiary education in dance covered everything a dance performer and studio teacher should know, from theatre theory and practice, anatomy, touring a show, laying tarkett and putting up wings to planning a ten week course with outlines and outcomes for each week. I was fortunate to have this experience, which has led to work as guest teacher in primary and secondary schools, universities and private colleges. It has also helped me to maintain fresh and exciting classes. If I hadn’t had this training opportunity, I would have had to fumble my way through, not being the best teacher I knew I could be. Teacher Training is a vital part of becoming a professional teacher. With so many Teacher Training programs available nowadays, how do you know you are getting the right one? I suggest you do some research and ask questions: •Is this a teacher/artist with a reputable name who is currently working in the community? •Has this teacher run a successful studio or classes? •How many years has this teacher offered this program? •Is this Teacher Training program and style relevant to what you would like to teach? •Do you connect with this teacher’s style? •Have you seen or experienced classes 12
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with graduates of this teacher? •How informed is the program; does it cover ethics, guidelines to teach in Australia, legal matters, dance history? An all-encompassing Teacher Training program needs to be applicable to teaching dance in Australia and all that teaching entails, from insurance, copyright laws, the working with children check, studio advertising, history, ethical behavior, class structure, anatomy, safe dance and examination. Dr Mo’s Teacher Training program at the Winter Warm Up, organized by Maria Masselos, was all of this and more. Maria’s own secondary teaching background and her work with Ausdance made this course very relevant to teaching in Australia; she put together informative, well thought out sessions after each day’s training. Aside from Dr Mo’s fundamental techniques, he is a wealth of knowledge, with seventy five years of experiences and stories. This is a priceless resource! His stories of working with dancers like Samia Gamal or meeting Badia Masabni are mind blowing. We learn from such information being passed down; there is no more direct lineage than a man of his generation. I would not be where I am today without his wisdom, encouragement and support. He is my father in dance, my mentor and friend. A panel of experienced artists gave feedback to each participant at the end of the course. I would love to see further evaluation and testing some time later, thus allowing teachers who took this program to keep their skills fresh and relevant. Meanwhile, happy teaching to all participants!• Jrisi Jusakos is one of Australia’s most influential Oriental dance artists. Jrisi graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Dance from the University of Western Sydney in 2000. She has trained extensively in Western dance styles like contemporary, jazz and ballet, fusing this experience with Oriental, Flamenco, Latin and Classical Indian movement styles. Jrisi is Director of Hathor Dance Studio, a sister school to Dr Mo
Geddawi’s Hathor Dance Troupe in Berlin, Germany. Jrisi also directs a professional dance company, The Hathor Dance Theatre. She has sponsored international guests such as Jillina, Bozenka, Tamlyn Dallal, Hadia and Kaeshi Chai to Australia and has produced over twenty five theatre shows since 2001. Jrisi sponsored and coproduced the production, ‘BellyDance Evolution, Dark Side of the Crown’, with Jillina In 2014 and sponsored and performed in ‘Bellyqueen Journey Along the Silk Road’ (Sydney) in 2015. Jrisi has self-produced three instructional DVDs, which were filmed and edited by BAM Studio; available at www.hathordancestudio.com.au/shop Teaching is a juggling act like no other! Good teachers willingly and openly share knowledge and experiences to help students flourish. They inspire students and give them the skills to become Kamelia proficient and disciplined, knowledgeable and passionate. Teaching is a role of great responsibility. We keep students safe and healthy through safe dance practice and body awareness. We pass on ethics and act as role models for them through our teaching and our personal conduct. We feel fulfilled seeing students grow and excel; the pride and joy I feel for my students is something money can’t buy. Maria Masselos, an experienced dance and secondary school teacher, organised the Winter Warm Up to provide information ‘from the source’. Dr Mo Geddawi and the other teachers were carefully selected for the Teacher Training component of the 2016 Winter Warm Up. This was my first Winter Warm Up. I’ve been blessed to work with Jrisi Jusakos and the Hathor Dance Theatre since 2011 and have seen the impact that Dr Mo has had on both Jrisi and her work. Dr Mo Geddawi is an example of a good and proficient teacher. His instruction was clear, logical and relevant. We were briefed on his terminology, his categorisation of Oriental dance
movements and the modifications that change their look and feel. This was consolidated with an easily understood hand out. Dr Mo was humble and answered questions honestly and from personal experience. His stories were insightful, funny and relevant. He addressed commonly-held myths about our dance. He reminded us to question information and not be too quick to believe everything as truth, especially when passing information on to our students. The importance of learning ‘from the source’ and doing our research was impressed upon us. Dr Mo’s lectures on the history and origins of Oriental Dance linked the origins of the dance to Egypt, through exploration of ancient sources (pottery, hieroglyphs and artwork), all fully referenced. One of the most enjoyable and candid evenings was Dr Mo’s lecture on the Golden Age of Oriental Dance. He shared information about lesser known stars of the era and personal stories about his friendships and encounters with stars of the Golden Age. Aside from the informative lectures, Dr Mo worked us hard. While the combinations weren’t difficult, we repeated each combination for an entire (very long) song, up to three times, until he was satisfied. His combinations taught the logical and efficient use of footwork with attention to turning, direction and weight changes. Training the left and right sides of the body and being able to explain footwork to our students is important for the creation of choreography. He corrected in a firm, positive way, offering suggestions for personal improvement or variation. When he wasn’t dancing with us, he was keeping a keen eye on us, ready to provide useful feedback or positive reinforcement. Working these combinations helped us understand many things: what looks simple can quickly become complicated once attention is drawn to arm and hand positions, the lines of the body, direction and expression. Repetition to this degree trains the body, creates muscle memory and frees up the dancer to enjoy the
dance, breathe properly and focus on smaller details. This is an exercise I will include in my own classes. Maria Masselos presented an excellent lecture on dance ethics and studio management which covered teaching Oriental dance and performing. All information was based around Ausdance as a standard for conduct and for application to our industry. In another lecture, Maria provided practical advice and strategies for teaching mixed groups. It is important to consider and cater for students of different ages, background and fitness levels. How to plan lessons, communicate with students, manage student injuries and behaviour and build student confidence were all covered. Teaching students with a disability was addressed. Adel Amin presented information on Arabic rhythms. A conservatory-trained musician, Adel enthusiastically answered all of our questions in detail and left us more confident about explaining rhythms and working with tabla players. Lynn England, who has a background in nursing and massage and has worked as a paramedic, took us through major muscle groups, injury management and safe dance practice. On the final day of the training, all participants performed for a panel which included Jrisi, Dr Mo and Adel Amin. The experience was nerve wracking, but the panel was warm and attentive. After our performance, we were quizzed on everything, from how we might approach teaching arm positions to identifying Arabic rhythms. We left the room to allow the panel to compare notes. We were then given individual feedback on areas
of strength and improvement. This experience carefully respected each student’s level of ability and modelled how teachers should approach assessment with students. Information provided by all the teachers was practical, insightful, accurate and relevant. They all had extensive experience in their relevant fields. Well-organised notes from each teacher modelled careful and insightful planning. The course took a very practical approach to teaching and, while some fun was had, we worked hard. We were free to contribute our own stories to the group; being able to share openly and learn from our colleagues strengthens our community, makes us better teachers and provides better outcomes for students. Dr Mo Geddawi was a generous and inspiring teacher. Thanks to Jrisi, Adel and Lynn for their expertise and contribution to our journey as teachers and performers. Special thanks to Maria Masselos for her passion and commitment to elevating the standard of dancers everywhere.• Kamelia is a Sydney based performer who was encouraged into the professional arena eleven years ago by Amera Eid. Six years ago, she was invited by Jrisi Jusakos to join Hathor Dance Theatre. She has shared the stage with international stars like Jillina, Bozenka, Aziza, Marta Korzun and Mercedes Nieto and recently took part in ‘Bellyqueen Journey Along the Silk Road’. A trained secondary school teacher, Kamelia recently opened her own dance school, Body Raqs School of Oriental Dance, in Sydney’s West. www.kameliabellydancer.com
Bellydance Oasis Issue 57 13