*SOLD OUT* KARIM NAGI FULL WORKSHOP WEEKEND (Early Bird Price)
1. LIVE DRUM SOLO FOR DANCERS (movement class) - Saturday 10am-11:30am
Some dancers fear it ! Some overuse it ! Yet everyone adores a solo where the rhythmic drums and the accurate body lock together. Melodic songs are lyrical and eloquent, while drum songs are percussive & articulate. Drum solos in the Egyptian, Arabic, or Cabaret style are systematic. They have predictable themes. Each is like a variation on a famous story, retold with new voices and with different accents. Karim is a drummer and a dancer, so he knows what both creatures need in order to breed together.
Class 2 DEVELOPED: Dum and Tak combinations, rish/rash/roll, leading the drummer, "Zaar" segments, advanced "Qafla" endings
2. TAQSIM FOR DANCERS - Saturday 12-1:30pm
Taqsim is the art of instrumental solo improvisation for musicians. The musician can use any instrument, yet the most emblematic are Oud, Nay, Violin, Qanun, Accordion and Buzuq. Although it is extemporaneous, there are several recurring aspects in the Arab style, including the maqam, story arc, and ending. The dancer will practice interpreting the instrumental music into movement and personifying the mood of the music. This workshop is vital for dancers who wish to better interpret melody into movement. It is a different experience from the drum solo because the melodies can be delivered outside of rhythmic confines, similar to speech. It is a lost art that is on the brink of revival.
3. DABKE (Arab line dancing) - Sunday 11am-12:30pm
Literally meaning "Stomp" in Arabic, Dabke (also spelled Dabka, Dubki, Dabkeh, plural Dabkaat) is a group dance found in the Eastern Arab countries. Performed mostly as a unisex line dance, Dabke is avidly done at the weddings and parties of Lebanese, Syrian, Jordanian and Palestinian communities. A version can also be found in Iraq, known as Chobie. The movements include rhythmic stomping, kicking, sidewards walking, hoping and jumping. In social settings the dancers hold hands and form long moving lines or wide rotating circles. There are also many stage performances and musical theater shows that feature Dabke dances. You may also find Dabke used as a form of non-violent social protest during war and conflicts. But it is primarily a proud and energetic group line dance enjoyed by all ages and both genders.
Class 2 DEVELOPED: Performance style stage dance and choreography
4. SAIDI TAHTEEB & ASSAYA - Sunday 1:30-3pm
Dancing with sticks and canes is a quintessential expression in Egyptian village dance. The southern half of Egypt, known as Upper Egypt due to its higher altitude, is called "al-Sa'id" in Arabic (pronounced iSa-yeed)". The Saidi people are famous for this semi-acrobatic stick dance called "Tahteeb" for men and "Raqs Assaya" for women. It is essentially a form of martial art where the manipulation of the stick and the demeanor of movement replicated village life or battle scene. Grace is more valued than aggression. This dance is done solo or in groups where the sticks are operated in unified motion, and men and/or women play together. Karim teaches with the straight cane (any dowel between 3' and 4').
Class 3 AMBITIOUS: Advanced dance steps, double assaya, stick acrobatics, musical interpretation
***No refunds will be given, but if your plans change, you may sell your spot and transfer it to another student***