taheya

Joy was fantastic!! I had such a great time and I am so inspired!! I did a fabulous workshop with Khaled, Khaleegi tabla, also workshops with Shafeek, Sara Farouk and Aida Nour. All really good and I really feel like I have learnt alot.
The show was great on saturday night.. Aida Nour, Artemesia, Tara Ibrahim, Leyla Jouvanna all excellent. The star for me was Khaled Mahmoud, I did not think it was possible for him to get any better, he almost bought me to tears in his solo, he was wonderful!!
The line up looks fab again for October, Raqia Hassan is the star teacher, I will defiantely be there! Enshalla! It is such a great festival!

Suheir

Tell us more about the workshops!

taheya

I did Oriental start to finish with Shafeek, I had done this one with him before at the congress, it was great and would reccomend it. Sara Farouk workshop I did was Posture and grace, and she is an excellent teacher really emphasizing that you have to feel the music in your pelvis. Excellent class. Then I did Aida Nour Saidi and hagala gypsy, she is an excellent teacher and has such a fab effortless grounded style.
I also did a workshop on make up which was very useful for me as I am not very good with it!
What did everybody else do?
Suheir, have you been to Joy? If not I heartedly reccomend it!

Suheir

That sounds like a great selection! Who taught the make-up class? Yes, I've been once before, October 2006, I think. I really enojoyed my classes, the shows and the atmosphere.

taheya

Cant remember the lady's name but she was a makeup artist, it was very useful...I found out I have been putting my makeup on all wrong for years!!

Eve

sounds like a class I need. Hi Taheya, I would have been in the hagala class with you. Like you say it just flowed.

I went in at the deep end. Aida Nour raks sharqi technique masterclass (no where to hide!), I was tense before we started and it didn't make me feel any easier when there were at least 3 teachers in the class. All I thought was, oh shit, I'm out of my depth but to be fair it wasn't the technique I had (have) problems with, its picking up choreography at speed.
But the music and choreography were lovely. It's something I can work on.

Next I had a good break which was fine as I was coming to JoY carrying a few injuries but it did mean I could do a little bit of shopping and bought two galabayas.

In the afternoon I took Shafeeks shaabi..... technically I didn't think it was level 1/2, it was high energy a kind of oriental shaabi all those pivots and work on the balls of my feet strained my achilles more than I would have liked but I refused to wimp out and stuck with it!

More to follow.

lizaj

nah there's not hiding place with Aida is there? her eyes are everywhere...she must be one of the best teachers I have ever had. So great to follow but I do wish when she was demonstrating folks wouldn't follow her and obstruct others' view..just wait will ya??
And Khaled he just gets better. I reckon he is not as "soft" as he used to be and this is good because he will raise our standards.
And Artemisia great show and class , my dear...she adjusted the lesson to suit and it was so enjoyable and flowed so well...relaxed and fun.
As to my drumming...well mmmm I try!
Sara Farouk is just full of inspiration and good advice and she and Khaled were so much the Magic Moment. Aida and leyla were of course wonderful but I have to say..I am so NOT yer solo fusion tribal fan but..... Dawn O'Brien blew my socks off...brilliant and hubby's photos are a treat.
I have eaten a hat, my friends will say!