2011 Workshop Topics
FEATHER AND VEIL FANS (1 -3 hours) Learn how to razzle dazzle your audience with fans! With detailed instruction, students will learn fan techniques for use with feather fans of all sizes and fan veils then apply it to a series of belly dance fan combinations. Fans can be very dramatic or flirtatious and are sure to entertain and inspire your audience. Fans are not required for workshop, but highly recommended if you have a pair.
SASSY AND SEXY HIPS (1 -3 hours) This is a combination class that explores sassy and sexy hip combinations. If your looking to spice things up, then you've got the right course. You'll learn seductive and sassy Egyptian and Turkish Cabaret combinations. This is an all level class. This workshop can be modified to include the use of zills combinations.
WING TECHNIQUE AND CHOREOGRAPHY(1 -3 hours) Wings are one of Zaira's specialties. Requires students to bring wings of isis. This workshop is all about wing technique and creativity. Zaira will introduce you to technique, combo's, and a short choreography that can be used for a group or a solo! This is a great all level class.
STAGE PRESENCE (1 - 3 hours) Students are required to bring a veil and zills.
This workshop is all about performing! Good technique is vital but it is only a part of entertaining your audience. Zaira discusses connecting with the audience and stage presence . Learning the dynamics of a stage show and explore methods of adding polish and professionalism to your dance. This workshop also covers improvisation (with drummers), stage accidents and how to recover, how to receive a tip, and most importantly, how to relax and read your audiences body language.
CLASSIC BELADI CHOREOGRAPHY (3 to 4 hours) Students are required to bring a veil.
This is a classic raks sharki choreography with a veil entrance. The elements of a true beladi are broken down step by step. A small veil section is used to introduce the dancer. In this workshop, the dancer will expand your repertoire of dance steps, rhythm knowledge, and music vocabulary. This Beladi truley has graceful transitions between moves and lots of fun combinations. This is great for the intermediate and advanced students who would like to enhancing their layering skills, level changes, directional changes, and emphasizing and de-emphasizing movement to match the music.
SHIMMIES AND ISOLATIONS/ DRUM SOLO CHOREOGRAPHY (2 to 4 hours)
In this workshop we will work on locks, pops, shimmies, belly rolls, and isolations. Zaira likes to build layers upon layers. Hence, this workshop is suitable for all levels. The technique and combo's are drilled then assembled into a smashing drum choreography that is sure to please your audience.
SWORD DANCING (2 or 3 hours) SINGLE or DOUBLE SWORD: Requires students to bring a sword.
Zaira is the master teacher when it comes to swords. She is now offering a beginner, intermediate, and advaced level troupe sword choreography that is sure to be a show stopper. This workshop includes safety, technique, drills for balancing a sword, traveling with a sword, spinning, and combinations. This workshop can be modified to include the use of zills while dancing with the sword.
ZILL DRILL WORKSHOP: This unique zill drill class will help you become proficient in playing various zill patterns (i.e., beledi, kashlimar, chiftetelli, bolero, and other variations of the 4/4, 9/8, 6/8, and 2/4 patterns). This class includes dancing and playing at the same time. This is a great beginner and intermediate zill drill class with any level dance.
Notes are provided for all workshops.