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In between the dance acts there was a very special performance by a singer and group of saz-players. They were joined by Marianne's son Andy and Jamil, who had brought his canoun along. They played songs from Central Anatolia. I could hardly believe that these were not professional musicians, but music studens from the SKVR Music School in Rotterdam! Some of the braver ladies among us dared to get onto the dance floor and try out this unconventional music.
Last but not least, performances by Sarah, Cammy Sarina en Nabilah. Cammy Sarina wore a gold costume and performed beautifully. Nabilah wore a magnificent costume and surprised everyone with her expressive dancing. Sarah, only sweet 16, already made a huge impression. She used a modern and poppy number by the Bellydance Superstars for her closing act. Just shows how versatile Oriental dancing is - you can dance to so many styles of music!
After this evening of entertainment, the dance floor was thrown open for everyone who wanted to get down and boogie to the swinging sounds of the Oriental music. Almost everyone participated, even some gentlemen managed to find their way to the dancefloor and impress the ladies with their flexible shoulders and hips. To everyone who made these parties possible, a big Thank You! We hope to party with you again sometime in the future.
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Impression of the bellydance evening "Yalla Habibti" on May 27th 2005. By Yvette Dinter from Spijkenisse.
Place: Community centre De Tamboer te Rotterdam
The Bellydance Foundation organised a bellydance party on Friday, May 27th.2005
After a very hot day and a getting stuck in traffic we (Egyptian Delight) finally arrived at a very heartwarming venue in Rotterdam.
The Bellydance Foundation volounteers were very courteous and friendly. We couldn't resist hanging around the entrance of the hall to peek at some of the other acts. Saw some great original dances and lovely cosumes!
The presentation was licked and the preformances followed one another swiftly. Some things worth a special mention were.....Shakeela, pregnant and well, danced a very feminine dance and by keeping her movements small, she made a great impression. I really enjoyed Esme Candel's dance, her presentation and costume were beautiful. I have never seen her dancing so confidently! I could see that she was enjoying herself....great!!! The other 3 dancers, Yasmin, Sarah and Nabilah were unknown to me but they were clearly having fun, which I find an important quality. Great original choreografies!
What a good idea to have a mini workshop. Everybody was eyeing each other and having fun. Nice combination of steps with just enough technique and lovely music. Great musicians, fast on the uptake! Beautiful solo on a very complicated instrument (canoun) by professor "Jamil" !! and a very entertaining sponataneous performance by one of the guests, who sang a beautitful song, obviously popular amongst the Turkish guests who were able to sing along. I didn't understand a word of it but was fortunate enough to have a very friendly lady explain the words to me - thanks for this!
Our contribution to the evening was a dance with many facets. The public enjoyed it, judging by the intermittent spontaneous applause. We are enjoying this dance more and more, and it is coming much more naturally to us, which enables us to make more and more contact with the public, which is clearly to be seen. The dance has grown on us.
After our performance the Armenian dancer Anusch Alarwerdian perormed. What a beautiful presentation! Nice moves on parts of the music that I would never have thought of matching that way, very inspiring.
We had a ball dancing till the wee hours! Looking forward to the next party...
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Impression of the bellydance evening "Yalla Habibti" on April 22th, 2005. By Rangeeni Franssen, The Hague.
Place: Community centre De Tamboer, Rotterdam
Together with my musical friend Aditya I went to Rotterdam to join the festive evening organised by the Bellydance Foundation. It was a truly festive evening - a feast for the ear and eye: beautiful bellies and fantastic costumes, graceful dancing and great music. A very friendly atmosphere. I enjoyed the pleasant afterglow for two weeks, every time I looked at the henna tattoo on my right hand.
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Synopsis Taâla februari 1st, 2004.
Place: Activity Centre Zjaak in Rotterdam
Present: The Bellydance Foundation volunteers, amongst others Alimah Sameera, dancers, musicians, and many volunteers and co-operators from the Activity Centre.
12.00 and the first guests arrive. We're expecting about 150 guests in total, because that's how many reservations and pre-sold tickets there are. About 40 people have been placed on a waiting-list. We would have welcomed more Islamic people today but Taâla coincides with the Islamic Offer Feast. Ticket sales at the door go very smoothly, thanks to the two volunteers stationed there.
Meanwhile, the children's' group and some dancers are preparing for the afternoon's first block of performances. Their performance lasts half an hour, and is very diverse, not only in the kind of music used, but also in the type of dancing demonstrated. Though there are dancers of different levels of proficiency on stage, fun is had by all! The children receive a big applause. Immediately after the performance, the public is invited on to the dance floor by the children and the dancers.
Some shifting and dragging around with props and stage parts make room for the enthusiastic dancing public. Marianne and Linda go for a quick costume change to present their workshop for the public, accompanied by the percussion band. After the workshop, people are free to dance to the live percussion music. Apparently, a musician who was expected to join in had not arrived. Unfortunately, this was the man who knew a lot of different rhythms, and the result was that the music played by the band was a little lacking in variation. Fortunately the public is as enthusiastic as ever and keeps on dancing!
At 14.30 the three guests present themselves: Gadisha, Eva en Salina . Gadisha descends dramatically down the stairs, caught in a spotlight. The music she dances to is slow and meditative. Eva dances to a groovy house-beat, wears a pretty blue costume and moves very gracefully. Salina , though sporting a slightly less pretty costume, dances really magnificently to more typically Oriental sounds.
At 14.50 it's the public's turn again, but the hall is not as full as it was. Many people have gone to inspect the various little stands or sample the Oriental snacks. Linda has posted herself at the Bellydance Foundation stand and informs people about the Foundation, and takes in the survey forms.
Another performance by the percussionists follows. Meanwhile, the larger stage is moved and the mirrors are transformed into a decor for Alimah Sameera's performance. The ladies have changed into their splendid golden costumes and present their latest choreography to the public. It all looks very professional and though a smile here and there would have been nice, and the dancers are not always in time, Alimah Sameera is clearly a group. After their farewell to the public, the guests are once again invited to show their stuff on the dance floor.
At the end of the afternoon, Esmé Candel raffles three CD's for the guests who handed in their survey form at the Bellydance Foundation stand. A last bit of music follows, ending off a very busy but enjoyable afternoon.
Bellydance Foundation
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Ta-ala Oriental dance party May 17th, 2003
Place: Activitycentre Zjaak in Rotterdam
(under construction)
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Ta-ala Oriental dance party June 1st, 2002
Place: Jamas ('t Elfde Gebod) in Rotterdam
(under construction)
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Review from Navel (Magazine for Oriental Dance ) 2002 no 1.
Oriëntal Dream October 6th, 2001.
Place: Jamas ('t Elfde Gebod) in Rotterdam
After visiting "Oriental Dream" by Alimah Sameera one thing is very clear to me: Alimah Sameera is becoming more and more professional. The neat programme booklet, the organisation, and also the costumes and the quality of the performances all point in this direction. On Saturday the 6th of October, Alimah Sameera had organised, for the third time already, a party in Jamas.
Entrance
In the little nook underneath the stairs leading to the room where 'Oriental dream' will be presented, we are treated to the first taste of things to come; the programme booklet. It looks very well-made. Two gentlemen, clothed as if they had escaped from an Oriental fairy-tale, show us the way. A lady takes our coats and we look for a comfortable spot in the room to take our places. Many familiar faces greet me, people I have met at workshops or courses. A party like this gives one the great opportunity to meet these people again. There are also may unfamiliar faces, looking around with curiosity. Some people spend the time before the performance catching up, others are engrossed by the programme-booklet.
Changes
Slightly after the clock of eight, Marianne Kooren, founder of Alimah Sameera, welcomes everyone. The fairy tale 'Changes' is introduced by a voice-over: Crown prince Farouq is more interested in his vain wife Kaouther than in matters of state. His people are suffering. A central role is played by the magical transformations that the people of the kingdom (the dancers) undergo whenever the Prince waves his magical wand. These transformations are visualised by the dancers taking off their dramatic cloaks.
Thunder and lightning resound through the room. The witch Esmé Candel appears from out of the smoke. Her red cloak waves about her. With her movements and expression she portrays a terrifying witch. She hands the prince a magic wand...The prince waves it and all of a sudden, she has transformed into a beautiful fairy with a lovely smile. Clearly Esmé has improved her technique since last year. Her legwork deserves some further attention though.
When Prince Farouq takes off his cloak, it reveals a good-looking, modest blue and gold costume. Farouq dances calmly with nice tight turns. I am fascinated by his manner of walking – he knows how to suggest a great deal of movement without actually running over the stage. The dance of Farouq, who also teaches the other dancers, fits the picture perfectly. Then he waves his wand at his wife Kaouther. She loses her cloak and shimmies over the stage with a radiant, relaxed smile. For my taste she might have some more rest in her dance and place the accents more clearly. Her dance would be the stronger for it.
Yasmin transforms from a weeping widow, dressed in black, to a joyfully and beautifully dressed dancer. Her strong points are her interpretation of the music and the clear accents. Less impressive are her arm movements, which I find rather restless. A big contrast with the transformation of Shakeela, who starts her dance with some floor work on top of the bar of Jamas. She portrays her flirty character very convincingly. With some audacious movements she tries to seduce the prince, which seems to work. But Kaouther is not so enraptured by this lady and takes on the battle, dancing for her husband too. The whole duet (or should I say duel) is ended by the princess wrapping Shakeela's round forms in one of the cloaks. None the worse for wear, Shakeela cheerfully leaves the stage.
Ice Queen Zeytin thaws the magic wand and dances to Latin-American sounds. She manages to translate the transformation into her movements very well. Unfortunately she looks a little tense, though she smiles at the public. A comic note is provided by the Oriental Sisters, a duo where the one sister tries to convince the other to dance, which she clearly cannot follow. A shoulder shimmy is followed-up by 'I don't know' shoulders. Happily the prince manages to transform them into two splendid dancers who perform a beautiful dance with veils.
After performing so many good deeds, prince Farouq is found worthy to be crowned as king by the good fairy Esmé. In my opinion, this fairy-tale was very clearly set out. The short introduction ensured that the setting and storyline were clear.
Simplicity strengthened the story: the great idea to use cloaks created unity in form. The dancers clearly interpreted their transformations. A special mention for the marvellous costumes. Compliments are in order: a lot of hard work went into this performance, into the costumes and into the dancing. Alimah Sameera has definitely grown enormously. I look forward to next year's performance!Swinging Rotterdam Party
Rotterdam initiative. The past few months has shown us plenty of Bellydance initiatives in the South western region of the Netherlands : the parties at Alli's Bellydance Saray and Ahlem in The Hague (September 6th and 24th). Both are experienced in organising well-run, great parties. It seems as if a trend is developing where an evening of partying is preceded by various workshops during the day. A unique chance to get to know other dance styles or teachers!
I thoroughly enjoyed both these days. What a great pity that the evening party Ahlem had organised was not well-visited. Where all the ladies who participated too tired after a day's dancing? Those who were absent missed very inspiring and diverse performances. The duet between Ahlem and Yousri is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen! The great part about it is that, in lieu of The Hague , Rotterdam is also starting its' own Bellydance-party tradition. Marianne Kooren organised, for the second time already, a dance party in Jams on the 6th of October!! And it was definitely a PARTY in the large sense of the word. More than worth the horrible weather, the heavy traffic and the distance travelled! Jamas has a very pleasing room with a lovely, broad stage, which ensured a good visibility for the acts. Indian throws and cloths with painted neon-green big bellies guaranteed a very special entourage. The atmosphere was informal and cordial. Bellydance friends greeted each other enthusiastically.
Oriental Fairy Tale by Alimah Sameera.
The evening started off with a block of performances by the members of Alimah Sameera. An Oriental street scene with some gypsies, two boys and a member of the Fool Moon Band, who, with their live percussion, gave an extra dimension to the whole scene. The start was a little chaotic. The DJ put on the wrong cd, which made it a little difficult for the two gypsy dancers, Nadiya en Kaouther, to get off to a good start. The Oriental Sisters where also put off balance for a moment. Their stick dance was performed in glittering, coin-encrusted costumes, but without a single smile. A pretty interpretation of Tamra Henna by Yasmin seemed to break the ice and cool the nerves. Yasmin's music interpretation was very clear. She made good use of the whole stage. In their second act, Kaouther (with a basket) and Nadiya (with a pitcher) smiled relaxedly, which showed off their graceful movements and beautiful costumes far better. All the acts in this block followed each other smoothly, now and then with an intermittent belly roll by one of the boys. I liked the fact that all the acts where very different, but through the street scene, still formed a whole. Linda started her whirlwind dance with a veil and, amongst others, demonstrated some lovely floor work. Marianne closed the block in a magnificent costume that suited her fabulously. In the break, the public was invited to get up and boogie. Sitting still was impossible once the Fool Moon Band started playing!
Enchantment, shimmies and expression.
Salomé's act, which started off the second block, was enchanting! She radiated an energy that mesmerised the public from start to finish. I find it difficult to bring under words, exactly how she did it. The dance was very well put together and full of expression. She elicited the bemused comment, that it looked as if she could make her belly smile, from my belly dancing friend I had taken along to the party.
The Flamenco act of La Roquetta was also expressive and full of passion. Live guitar music and intricate rhythms stamped by the feet. Refined lifting of the skirt by a kick of the feet. Very inspiring. After a break, with the DJ taking over for the music, Farouq opened the third block. To me, Farouq is the king of humour. In his act we could witness that he, with his mimic, can achieve as much as with a squarely placed accent or a dazzling shimmy. In the course of his dance (in a to my taste slightly too bright yellow costume) he drew, with a dangerous look, a glittering sword, swung it around dangerously and proceeded to place it on his head and continue dancing as if it was the easiest thing in the world. Salomé showed us how a Diva starts the dance. Standing in the middle of the stage, she spread her arms and took her time amply to stay there. This performance, though in atmosphere quite different from the first, was also magical. The evening's performances were, quite rightly so, brought to a close by Esmé Candel (Marianne), who, very surprisingly, danced to a sensitive pop ballad. It was a beautifully introvert dance, with the strong expression that is characteristic of Marianne. The rest of the evening the percussive sounds of the Fool Moon Band had us in their grip. Even the non-dancing public was to be found on the dance floor! What a delightful evening.
I would like to use this opportunity to thank all the people who have worked so hard and so enthusiastically to organise workshops and Bellydance parties!! A special 'thank-you' to Marianne who has created the possibility for not only Rotterdam Bellydance lovers (the rest of belly dancing Holland too, of course) to spend some time having fun and dancing, and even to make their debut on stage!!!
Delft , October 2000,
Anja Bijl
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Review from Navel (Magazine for Oriental Dance ) 1999-00 No 2.
'' Bellydance Party "October 2nd, 1999.
A HOT FLOOR ON A COLD EVENING
It was on October 2nd ( a cold evening) that I expectantly and for the first time, went to a Bellydance party in Rotterdam . From the tram it was a short walk to the location where the party was to be held: Jamas. On arrival I was slightly surprised. I saw only dining guests, sitting at their tables. Oops, wrong door. The waiter kindly showed me the entrance around the corner. I went up a staircase and it became immediately clear to me that this was the place I was looking for: a stage in a not-too large room that radiated intimacy. Very suitable for a most enjoyable evening. And indeed it was! The party was organised by Marianne Kooren who, after months of hard work, took it upon herself to be the hostess: a charming hostess that would not disappoint the spectators. She managed to create an informal atmosphere within the efficiently planned scheme and left little to wish for: fascinating, very diverse (and mostly Egyptian) dancing sessions with the opportunity in between the acts to get up and dance, too. Meanwhile there was also time to have a henna-tattoo placed, take a look at the wares brought along by the Belly Dance Saray, have one's photograph taken in a belly dancing costume, inspecting the goods at a little second-hand store or to have a bite to eat at one of the stands or a drink at the bar. The evening started off with a group of young ladies, performing as Dance Group Delina. Dressed in different colours and on their heads a pretty little crown, they did their utmost best to present themselves well. A 'May tree' was enacted with veils and many camels, and there was a stick dance. A very challenging presentation for these young dancers. Two solo's followed. Perla (Patricia) showed us a magnificent baladi-number with strong hip movements. The second solo was by Ruth. She performed in simple, white clothing without trinkets and glitters, but with simply a cloth knotted around her waist. The dance was not terribly varied as far as steps were concerned, but this did not matter as she danced with considerable suppleness and charm. She transported me directly to Swan Lake . The second dancing session saw Ellen, a classmate of mine, take to the stage. She wore a green Turkish Bellydance costume and danced to number full of movement. Then it was time for the professional dancers: Farouq (Peter Verzijl) and my teacher Karin v/d/ Knoop. To give you a quick impression of their both somewhat naughty style I shall call them the Accent Man and the Accent Lady. Both are masters at marking the accents in the music. Farouq had chosen music with very clear accents and which showed us his perfect technique splendidly. Karin's glittery and glamorous interpretation of a '40s dance was true to style. She danced very coquettishly in a beautiful golden suit. Minimal movements made it a quiet but charming whole. Some poetry was also included and that complemented the atmosphere of her dancer very nicely. The third and last session was performed by Shakeela (Linda), Karin, Farouq and by our hostess herself! Shakeela performed a Turkish dance, and showed us some awe-inspiring shimmies and acrobatics by letting herself fall backwards onto her knees, and at the same time doing a camel. Whomever dares, please make yourself known! Coquettish Karin surprised us with a happy, exuberant dance in a Charleston dress. She danced on heels and was so ladylike that one would almost give her a purse. She had chosen a number that fitted like a glove. In the following number she played the zills as if they had grown from her fingers (and I, poor soul, practice for hours and hours at home). Farouq reappeared on the stage and besides using his accents, also had a lot of tranquillity in his dance and sometimes even stood still to make the public go mad. The very last dance, last but not least, was for Esmé Candel (that's Marianne). In a self-designed and made black leather suit she strode onto the stage and with the humour and dramatic expression she is so well-know for, had the public on the edge of their seats. First a little bit of Shik, Shak, Shok and then, a swinging dance to a popular house number. The evening was only really brought to a close by a spontaneous performance by one of the members Fool Moon Band who played on his bendir. Of course, no-one could stand still.
After a very enjoyable and especially interesting evening, I went home in a very fulfilled mood. If I had had to choose between an evening spent at home in front of the telly or going to this party, the choice would have been very easy. Let's make the floor burn! Definitely worth repeating!
Yasmin Franka,