You goddess, you!
This summer, release your inner goddess and learn to dance. Classes start May 2! Below are our beginner classes. Check our website for prices and advanced classes, too.
- Mondays 5:30: Beg. and Interm. Flamenco
- Mondays 6:30: Yo-Belly (Yoga plus Belly Dance)
- Tuesdays 5:45: Belly Sculpting (Belly Dance with a weight belt)
- Wednesdays 5:45: Beginning Adult Ballet
- Wednesdays 7:15: Strictly Belly Dancing (lots of hip moves)
- Saturdays 10:15: Strictly Belly Dancing (lots of hip moves)
Write Safira if you want to sign up!
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Ask Madame Noor
Dear Madame Noor, How do I know if the music I want to dance to has lyrics that could be considered offensive? I don't want to get booed off stage.
Ah, I don’t think you would get booed off stage but you might raise a few eyebrows if you undulated to praises for Allah or smiled throughout a song about a tragedy. Trust the language of love — you can’t go wrong with lyrics containing habibi, which means my love. I once heard that all those songs about food are really hidden messages about love and relationships! Find a friend who knows Arabic and ask them to translate the song. Here are three Web sites with translations:
Arabic Song Lyrics and Translation, (check out the songs by popular Shaabi singer Saad el-Sagheer and see what I mean about hidden meanings),
orientaldancer.net, (find Khaled's lyrics for Aicha, used in the studio's beginner veil choreography), and
Lyrics Translations from Shira. If you have doubts, find music without lyrics and let your hips and eyes do all the talking!
Write to Madame Noor and ask her your own question!
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Marmaraya Tea
This delicious tea is served by the bedouin -- and also at the Petra Hookah Bar and Cafe, at 535 N. Woodlawn, Central and Woodlawn, behind Ace Hardware. The cafe is owned by a family from Palestine. Come see us dance there every second and fourth Friday from 10:30 p.m. to 12 midnight. Have some authentic Arabic Coffee or Marmaraya (sage) tea, and snack on Palestinian food from the old country. You could even try the hookah! Then, to remember the experience, make this tea at home. You can find the ingredients at the India Emporium at Harry & Geo. Wash. Blvd., or at other ethnic stores.
Marmaraya Tea:
4 tsp. dried sage leaves
2 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
4 tsp. loose black tea
4 1/2 C water
Steep all ingredients together for 10 minutes. Strain tea and serve with honey or sugar, if desired.
Have a favorite world recipe? Send it to Raks al Dounya!
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I'm Not In Love With You Yet
Speaking of romantic Arabic song lyrics! This song is by Nancy, an Egyptian artist. Safira and four of our students learned a dance to this song when we were in Cairo in June, 2008. This translation is by Dr. Edwin and Maggie Sawan, who will be teaching an Arabic language class at Safira's soon.
No, I am not in love with you, yet.
You love me? I don't believe you.
Why are you concerned? Darling, don't worry!
I am teasing you, because my heart is in your hands.
Why can't your lover tease you a little?
My eyes are on you, and I am thinking about you, but I am hiding it.
I am afraid if I tell you, you will pretend to be busy and leave me with my fire.
Darling, in order to make you miss me; I will stay away and ignore you.
You will remain on fire, sleepless and confused days and nights.
When you suffer from the pain of missing me,
You will get a taste of my situation.
And when you see someone other than me,
Close both your eyes, my darling.
Oh, my night. Oh, my eye.
You enjoy watching me melting and being jealous. That is your style.
You leave me in confusion, missing you. Why is all this?
That is why I am teasing you, because my heart is in your hands.
Why can't your lover tease you a little?
Want more song lyrics? Email Raks al Dounya!
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Enjoy dance and culture at Safira's!
Friday, June 5, 2009, 7:00 p.m.: Arabian Nights Lecture Series: WSU Professor Chinyere Okafor will speak on traditional West African mask performances. Free to the public at 2919 E. Kellogg Drive. Refreshments provided. Learn more here!
Fri., May 15, 7:00 p.m.: Each May, we take our Baila! World Dance Show to the streets of Wichita. See us busk at the Warren Plaza, 353 N. Mead at 2nd St., in front of Old Chicago.
Sat., June 20, 9:00 p.m.: Baila! World Dance Show in our studio theater, 2919 E. Kellogg Drive. You'll see our teachers and Safira perform Belly Dance, Flamenco and other dance forms, and you'll see our students sharing group and solo dances. Tickets $7.
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Girls' Night Out!
Want to try a dance class? Come join us at Girls Night Out. Everything's free! We'll have refreshments and a short speech on the history of the veil, and then we'll start dancing.
In May, we'll share three 30 minute classes in adult ballet, tribal belly dance and belly dance. In June, our classes will include flamenco, yoga and belly dance.
If it's your birthday month, we'll have a birthday present for you. RSVP so we can buy enough refreshments!
7:00 - 9:00 pm Friday, May 1
7:00 - 9:00 pm Friday, June 19
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Discover Flamenco!
August 21-23, 2009: Immerse yourself in flamenco's soul and rhythm, whether for a few hours or the entire weekend with Melinda Hedgecorth of Sevilla. Take part in this incredible 3-day opportunity to discover the “flamenca” in you – even if you've never taken a flamenco class before, or if you're an experienced dancer. There will be classes for absolute beginner, beginner and intermediate levels.
Melinda Hedgecorth travels internationally to give workshops and performances solo, or with her own group, Flamenco Mio. She lives in Sevilla and performs in the local tablaos (flamenco bars) and at the Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporaneo.
The workshop is $140, or $125 if you pay by August 7. There are also per-day prices for classes. Learn more here!
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Photography of Safira's dancers courtesy of David Staples
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