TITO SEIF is an internationally acclaimed male oriental dancer, instructor, choreographer and one of the world's top oriental artists. Born in Egypt in 1971, he started to dance at the age of 14 learning folklore and then oriental.
Within
a very short period of time he became one of the biggest names in the
Oriental Dance and a prominent, innovative and mesmerizing dancer
worldwide. Tito has been dancing for 28 years and he has been teaching
for 18 years.
A prominent, technically
proficient, innovative and mesmerizing belly dancer, he is recognized as a leader
in the belly dance world. Tito's talents as an entertainer and a gifted prolific
instructor are sought after all over the world. Source: AlAhram
Videos:
Tito dancing with 4 sticks in Valencia, 2008
Tito performing 'drumsolo on a drum' with Issam Houshan at BDC, 2013
Tito at Stockholm BD Festival 2015
Tito workshop, 2015
Tito in Switzerland, 2019
Enjoy!!
xx K.
PS: If you study online with me.. then my online BOOST Membership is for you! Tap www.khalidadance.com/vip for all details and the Enrollment form
The theme of 2024's live BOOST classes is 'Time Traveling with the Stars' - plus you'll get streaming bonus access to my props DVDs and online courses.
I look forward to welcoming you as a BOOSTie member.
Modern Legends - Randa Kamel (EG)
RANDA KAMEL was born in Mansoura, Egypt. When she was a kid, she had
many problems with her family because she used to dance in her friends
and neighbours weddings and in scholar festivals. In that traditionalist
city, her family disapproved her pleasure of dancing.
At the age of 15, she began studying egyptian folklore with the
famous group Reda. She took part of it during 7 years. Nevertheless, she
never attended to oriental dance courses, she always developed her own
style.
After studying to be a psychologist (which is a discipline that helps her
to be a dancer), Randa began her career as a professional dancer at the
age of 21, in Alexandria. She lived there fore two years.
Afterwards, she moved on to El Cairo and worked in restaurants and
cabarets during four months until she began to work in Meridien hotel.
There, she shared the stage during a week with the famous dancer Fifi
Abdou.
Randa danced as soloist in the hotel´s night show for two years, and
later she began to work in Nile Maxim, a luxury cruiser that sails
through the Nile river.
She likes working in El Cairo because she loves live music, but she
also likes traveling and teaching oriental dance. “When I dance abroad, I
feel as my country and my culture´s messenger”. She also tells us about
the belly dance prejudices in her country that: “In Egypt, we believe
that the oriental dance is a representation of the women’s beauty in
order to seduce men. But I don’t agree with this. This is a millenary
dance, and one of the most difficult ways of dancing. That’s why I don’t
dance in a seductive way”.
About her own style, Randa says that she puts together ballet steps,
the folklore style of Suheir Zaki or Samia Gamal and her own invention
steps.
For her: “dance must be energy and power, constant movement. I don’t
like soft movements. I like to show different expressions, feelings;
every single part of my body must move. I want that anyone that looks at
me, feels my movements. It’s the only way to catch the spectator’s
attention, to surprise them”.
Even if she enjoys dancing baladi and modern oriental, her favourite
music is Um Kulthum, because “everything in these songs is beautiful,
the music, the lyrics; there are so many feelings that they catch my
heart”
Sources: Randa Kamel (by Yasmina for Gilded Serpent.com)
PS: If you want to dance and move with me online.. then my BOOST Membership is for you! Tap www.khalidadance.com/vip for all details and the Enrollment form - The theme of 2024's live BOOST classes is 'Time Traveling with the Stars' - plus you'll get access to my bonus DVDs and online courses.
I look forward to welcoming you as a BOOSTie member :)
At the moment I am home in Germany, enjoying a long weekend off, working on a mini-newsletter and mentally preparing for the upcoming events in late spring/early summer. Eschweiler woods are looking like this right now:
Spring in Eschweiler Wald, DE
I am also
Taking classes in ballet with Constanze Janssen in Aachen at Ballettschule Renoldi as often as I can, with added pointe training by Constanze's daughter Giulia since this April (a childhood dream!) I will be blogging about this soon :)
My pointe shoes! Triumph by Grishko from Mondanse.com
As well as
Studying TaeKwonDo, together with my husband, diligently training with Großmeister Chae Seung-Eun in our hometown Eschweiler, DE twice a week. (we've recently received our blue belt and are now working towards blue-red in the summer)
Posing with Master Seung-Eun Chae and Master Lee after the belt/kup test
Blue Belt TaeKwondo - 4th Kup!
See us in action here, performing 'taeguk sa-jang', the 4th form for the poomsae/forms portion of our belt test:
Upgrading the fitness a bit from walking to jogging and biking (need to up that dance stamina for upcoming season!) at Eschweiler Wald
Preparing for a lovely project, Nostalgia Night - a show honoring the golden Era of Egyptian dance with live music (!) at 360° Orient festival in Osnabrück this June, hosted by the lovely Delanna Dance
Nostalgia Night - with live music by Mazzikatea Europe at 360° Orient!
Preparing for DancEscapade, a weekend of Dance this May in Crete, GR with the incredible Boženka - One of the most exciting projects I've been lucky enough to be part of.
DancEscapade with Bozenka featuring Khalida - this May 19-20-21st 2017!
In the near future I will be
Preparing for all of those upcoming spring/summer events (see the Dance Calendar)
Advertising a bit more for MoveSpiration, a unique crosstraining weekend for dancers of all levels at studio Sarossy in August 26-27th 2017 in Würselen, DE (Enrolments are now open!)
Opening enrolments on 1st of July 2017 for a weekend of live percussion workshops and hafla(!) with the amazing Guy Schalom next summer (July 6-7-8 2018!) at Studio Sarossy.
Latest update: April 29th, 2017 - Inspired by the Now
A brief look in the past - videos from Kouklès Show in Verviers, BE
Last month I was lucky enough to take workshops with the incredible Alex DeLora and Nika Mlakar in Verviers, hosted by the lovely Kouklès Duo, and perform at the Kouklès Show. You can find the videos below.
I would like to say a heartfelt 'thank you' to all the the lovely hosts/hostesses, instructors, dance friends, taekwondoins and co-teachers/performers I have been lucky enough to dance/train/work with during the past fall and winter season.
Huge hugs and gratitude also to all participants of the events/workshops and shows I was part of/participated in and/or danced/taught at, I am immensely thankful for your continuing support.
Thank you <3
Below are a few pictures of the past fall/winter 2016-2017 events. I had a lovely time at each of these dance (and martial arts!) occasions, and I am looking forward very much to making more good memories at future and upcoming ones.
I am very honoured to present to you this interview with Boženka, a brilliant coach and mentor, and one of my favourite performers in Oriental Dance. We talk about Boženka's current plans, her upcoming projects, and living in Crete. She also shares with us her favourite moment in dance, gives us a bit of insight into her creational process, and tells us more about the DancEscapade event she is hosting in Plakiás, Crete for the first time in May 2017. Enjoy!
"I believe that it is a
luxury to take one's time learning a new craft, and if you are lucky
to have a good mentor/teacher by your side, take everything you can
from them."
Bellydance Superstar Boženka is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed dancer performing and teaching worldwide. Her distinguishing elegance and her classic and earthy technique has elevated Boženka to superstar status. Charismatic yet unpretentious she is globally loved and admired as one of the most sought out instructors in the art of belly dancing.
B: I have a strong desire to teach and dance and feel ready to get back into the swing of things after this holiday break.
K: Please tell us about how your love for Oriental Dance came about.
B: In a nutshell I owe it all to a few artist friends that opened my eyes, ears and mind to this artform. A friend had me listen to a Natacha Atlas CD that I loved from the first time I heard it and another friend showed me where to sign up for classes. That studio would later on become my own!
K: What other movement/dance forms did you enjoy before discovering Oriental Dance? What did you like about them?
B: Just about anything! But my two favorite dance forms remain Flamenco and Oriental. What I love about these two dance forms is the versatility in improvisation and how each dancer can express something completely unique and inimitable.
K: How do you go about 'creating dances'? What is your process?
B: I listen to the music and dance it in my head (internally) and pick out the parts I think I will want to keep. I do this several times and then move to it, applying my mental improvisation, physically, to see what actually works. Slowly, I start to lay out what fits best. Simultaneously, images emerge and I also take note to how the piece makes me feel; what emotion it evokes. This is not a process that repeats itself identically each time. Sometimes, movement comes first and I place it inside a song so that it fits the timing of the piece. This only pertains to choreography though because when improvising, I know the music but allow the movement to be spontaneous. It's actually challenging to put into words because it sounds simplified and it is not. It is a very complex process.
K: What advice would you give beginning dancers and/or your younger self?
B: When asked this question, I always advise "beginners" to enjoy the learning process and not to rush or skip through elements (props, rhythms, music theory, etc.). I believe that it is a luxury to take one's time learning a new craft, and if you are lucky to have a good mentor/teacher by your side, take everything you can from them. Generous teachers are real gems. Another piece of advice to dancers at any level is not to hold back in class and to dance full out even while learning.
K: What do you love most about teaching?
B: Learning. I learn and grow so much when I teach.
K: If you had to choose, what would you describe as your favorite moment in dance up till now? Why?
B: There are many priceless moments in my 20 year dance career that have made every sweat and tear worth it. I will share a recent one; performing pregnant without anyone in the audience knowing (because I did not show yet) and feeling that I was not dancing alone. Dancing with my "child" and feeling whole and elated was one of the nicest feelings of my life, let alone my dance career. But that's just one!
K: What do you love most about living in Crete/Greece?
B: I feel closer to nature and to humanity living here. Crete is not superficial as the city I grew up in can be. Miami is still dear to my heart, but I needed to be here in Crete where I can breathe fresh air, not have to deal with traffic and feel like I can leave my door unlocked! It's a more wholesome life here for me.
K: What are the projects/ideas you are currently working on?
B: Firstly, there's DancEscapade with Khalida this May and I'm looking forward to that very much because I have hosted weeklong retreats and 10 day intensives on Crete before, but this concept is new in that it is a dance weekend geared towards all levels of dance and focusing on a fun filled and inspiring learning experience. It promises to be short, sweet and intense!
I am also now hosting instructors with their own groups to train with me on Crete. These are custom designed retreats and they fit each group's individual requests. This work is exciting for me because it gives me a chance to work based at home while offering dancers something different to their usual setting and routine. My studio is on the beach and Crete is a very inspiring place. The space lends itself for creation and growth on many levels.
Next Dance Lab is September 17-24, 2017, and for those of you who are not familiar with this project, it is a week long cultural dance exchange here in my home studio on Crete. I work very closely with a dozen dancers that come from different countries to train with me and receive very personal feedback on their dance. The Dance Lab is a space where pieces start their creative process and some dancers leave with several projects to work on at home. I like to focus on training dancers to dance from the inside out as I call it. The work that happens within, shines through in your dance. Therefore, we work deep. I'm passionate about sharing my aesthetic of movement and my vision and the dancers that come to study with me are seeking that.
Aside from what is happening at home in my studio I have started booking myself for travel again and will be participating in some festivals in 2017. For that information, you can go to www.bozenkadance.com/events
Note: For more information on Boženka's Dance Lab please email bozenkainfo@gmail.com
K: Tell us more about the DancEscapade weekend you are hosting in Plakiás, Crete this May. What were your reasons for creating this event?
B: As a teacher and mentor, I aim to create space where I can share my knowledge and also motivate my students that are at a higher level and looking for the next project where they too can share their knowledge and grow from the experience. I also wanted to share the beauty of the South of Crete where I am lucky to live and have a beautiful dance space. I know what this place does to me when I connect with it's beauty and focus on dance. I wanted to create something where dancers could take a few days off and come and explore and learn.
I am so very excited that the first DancEscapade is with Khalida and that together, in a discussion about our dreams and direction in dance, this idea was born. Khalida is a hardworking and brilliant artist with so much to share and I just know that this weekend is going to be magic because she attracts like-minded people. Khalida and I are going to share dance and our experiences and so will each one of the attendees. I can't wait!
Note: Find out more about Boženka's DancEscapade Event here.
K: Why would you advise dancers to come to the DancEscapade weekend?
B: To take a weekend to be in a beautiful setting, taste amazing food, dance in wonderful harmony, share and learn a lot! Why not?! Crete is my home and it is a safe and welcoming place. Even if you come alone, you will be taken care of and I assure you, you will make friends. I wait for you here!
Video: Bozenka performing at Egyptian Dream festival in Vienna, Austria
I have just now finished transferring the technique portion of my downloadable online class series 'BellyDance Essentials - A 10-week technique class series' to DVD format, especially for those of you who have asked about a physical
version of my technique-focused classes and/or workshops in the past few years.
It contains tons of material to kick-start your BD technique practice for
the new year, plus ideas for drills, stretches, layering combos and
technique explanations as inspiration for fellow teachers.
This DVD series is now available as a set of 10 discs (with +- 45-75 minutes of material per DVD/class) via the DVD store on www.khalidadance.com/DVDs
Shipping for this series is free when you
order the complete set (all orders over 50,- Euros are shipped free of charge worldwide), but you can also buy each
BellyDance Essentials technique DVD separately.
Each
BellyDance Essentials DVD/downloadable class contains a posture section, a dance warmup, an upper- and/or lower body
technique portion, a section on arms and hands technique, a shimmy drill, a
traveling step combo, and a cooldown/stretch.
For a content overview per BDEssentials DVD check out the following list:
DVD1: Belly Dance Basics, Hip slides, circles and twists, Shimmies: basic hip
shimmy technique and drill, dance walk and transitions, walking with hip
circles
DVD2: Wrist circles, Hip figure eights and variations,
Shimmy: Egyptian shimmy, Traveling step: arabesques, Combination:
traveling figure 8s, Bonus: shimmy drill with layering.
DVD3:
Working the shoulders, Hip drop variations and one-hip accents,
Shimmies: shoulder shimmy technique and drill, Traveling step: Step-hip,
hip-step and variations, Bonus drill: Shoulder shimmies and traveling
hip accents.
DVD4: Hands & arms: one-sided arm pathways,
Technique: double hip accents and variations, Shimmies:
choochoo/traveling shimmy, Traveling step: Grapevine and basic
front/back step, Bonus drill: Layering accents.
DVD5: Hands &
arms: Basic arm pathways, Technique: All about the abs - core muscles,
belly rolls and camels/undulations, Shimmies: freeze/shiver, Traveling
step: Chassé and 3-step turn.
DVD6: Hands & arms: Snake arm
variations, Technique: Upper body isolations and accents, Shimmies: 3/4
shimmy down, Traveling step: Hip down travels.
DVD7: Hands &
arms: Framing, Technique: Pelvic locks, squares and omis, Shimmies: 3/4
shimmy up, Traveling step: Step-cross and variations.
DVD8: Hands
& arms: Natural arm pathways, Technique: 1-sided hip accents,
Traveling step: Smooth transitions, Shimmies: bounce/earthquake.
DVD9: Hands & arms: Hand undulations Technique: One-sided sharp hip
accents, Traveling step: Traveling with hip and pelvic accents,
Shimmies: Layering traveling steps with shimmies.
DVD10: Warmup, 1-hour of Dance Jam (a mix of all technique sessions, traveling steps and shimmies to music), Cooldown.
I'm excited to finally share these DVDs with you all, it has
taken me a while to get around to transferring them to DVD format, but I think it is
nice to have this content available in physical form.
Even
though the recording quality of these classes is a bit more basic than the newer DVDs it has a special value, as my future technique-focused DVDs will contain
different topics than these.
PS: In an attempt to optimize my dance-notes administration for the future, and as a special bonus for everyone who has ever taken a workshop/class with me - or even just anyone looking for some new class/workshop content inspiration - I have started transferring my workshop notes from the past year to downloadable .pdf format documents, and I am sharing them for free on my 'other' site, over at www.inspirationnation.de/notes
This is a post for background information, pictures, videos and links
to go with the 'Raqs Sharki 1-2-3: Time traveling with Egyptian Stars'
workshop series, a series I'll be teaching in the Netherlands (2016) and
Denmark (2017) in the near future.
Here you'll find Part 2: Stars of the Sixties/Seventies
About the workshop series - Raqs Sharki 1-2-3 This workshop
series takes you on a journey in time with the great dancers of then and
now. It can be taught as one combined workshop or split up into 3
separate sessions of maximum 3 hours each.
Raqs sharki 1 – ‘Favorites of the fifties’ –
Contains combinations and techniques inspired by the legendary dancers
of Egypt like Samia Gamal, Naima Akef, Nadia Gamal and Taheya Carioca.
Raqs sharki 2 – ‘Stars of the seventies’ – Inspired by famous
Egyptian dancers from the 60-80s like Suheir Zaki, Nagua Fouad and Fifi
Abdo.
Raqs sharki 3 – ‘Modern legends’ – Contains informationa about,
and techniques and combinations inspired by the famous dancers of this
age
NAGWA FOUAD was born in January 1939 in Cairo, Egypt as Awatif Mohamed Agami to an Egyptian father and a
Palestinian mother.
Nagwa performed at the Abdeen Casino where she met Ahmad Fouad Hassan
(her future husband for 6 years), a producer of stage
shows that later became a famous conductor.
He convinced her to perform
live at the most prestigious music and dance show in the 1960s called
“Adwa al-Madeena i.e. City Lights” which had featured such superstars as
Shadia, Abdul Haleem Haafez, Fayza Ahmad, and Sabaah.
In 1976, the famous composer Mohammed Abdel Wahab wrote an entire
musical piece exclusively for her belly dancing show titled “Aamar
Arba'tashar i.e. Full moon” it was her transition from traditional
oriental dance to a choreographed stage performances.
Her stage
performance to this special piece allowed her to change the way
belly-dancing was presented on stage, transforming it from traditional
oriental dance to more of a choreographed lavish spectacle adding more
dramatic elements to it than ever before.
Nagwa featured on many of the covers of the Ahmed Fouad Hassan
LP's/CD's.
(Sources: Wikipedia, Elcinema.com)
Nagwa dancing to 'Moghram Sababa' by Mohamed Roshdy
Nagwa performing in the movie 'Touha', directed by Hassan El-Seify, 1957
From the movie The Police Inspector 'Mufattish el mabahess', 1960
From Sab'el leil, directed by Hassan El-Seify, 1970
From 'Khamsa share' al-habaib', directed by El Sayed Bedeir, 1971
From 'No, You who Were my Beloved', by Helmy Rafl, 1976
Nagua dancing to 'Set El Hosen' - part 2
Nagua Drum Solo (my favorite!)
Soheir Zaki
SOHEIR ZAKI was born in Mansoura in 1944. In 1953, when she was nine years old, she and her family moved
to the Mediterranean city of Alexandria. Souhair Zaki fell in love
with music and dance and showed natural talent, teaching herself to
dance by listening to the radio.
Souhair Zaki was most inspired by
the dances of Tahia Carioca and Samia Gamal. By the age of eleven she
was being noticed at the birthday and wedding parties of friends and
family, and started dancing professionally in the Greek nightclubs in
Alexandria.
She is known for her elegant, natural style
and exquisite musicality, even to this day. The 'Soheir Zaki hips'
movement is named after her.
Music, such as “Shik Shak
Shok”, was specially created for her every 6 months, and it is said
she was the first dancer to perform to the music of Om Khalsoum (see a
video of Soheir performing to 'Leylet Hob' below)
Soheir in 'The River of Life', directed by Hassan Reda, 1965
Soheir dancing to 'Amal Hayati' in 'The foolish', 1966
Soheir dancing to Daret Al Ayam in 'Struggle With Death' , 1970
Soheir dancing to 'Leilet Hob'in 'Nights that Will Never Return', 1974
Soheir dancing to 'Aghadan Alqak'
Soheir performing in Wakr al-ashrar (1972)
Soheir dancing to 'Hassan Ya Kholy El Genena' in the film 'Two women', 1975
Soheir dancing to 'Shik Shak Shok', 1979
Fifi Abdo
FIFI ABDO was born in Cairo on April 26, 1953 and named Atiyat Abdul Fattah
Ibrahim. Her father is a policeman and she has 11 siblings, including
her famous brother Abdelraheem Abdul Fattah Ibrahim, who encouraged her
career.
When she was 12 years old she joined a baladi troupe and later found work as a model. She began to gain attention in the early 1970s when she became the main attraction at the Arizona.
Over the years she danced at many other venues such as Le Meridien, Mena House and the El Gezira Sheraton.
Her performances usually lasted around two hours and she received up to
$10,000 per performance.
In addition to dancing, her routines often
included circus tricks and even rapping. The Moroccan newspaper La Vie Eco
reported in 2004 shortly before her retirement that she possessed 5,000
costumes with the most expensive being valued at $40,000
In her acting career, she is known as the woman-empowering type where,
rarely in Egyptian culture and film, she beats up and overpowers men.
(Source: Wikipedia)
