Aziza....Best. Workshop. Ever.

[Lauren_]

I've been to some good workshops.

But Aziza blew me away this weekend. When she showed us the choreography we'd be learning each day, we ,r:; and didn't believe it. I didn't think I could dance like that with a year of hard work, never mind a day.

But she led us through it. Broke it down, led us through th material in bite size chunks, and helped us put it all together.

Along the way, I learned so much about body lines, dance technique and movement theory!

It was challenging, but never frustrating. I enjoyed myself, I could have kept dancing for hours and hours.

But more than that-- I am inspired. I am capable of more than I imagined. I know what to do now to take my dancing to a whole a new level. I have lots of new tools to work with. I'm excited.

I also feel a little sad because if I'd had a teacher like her for even a few weeks anywhere along the line of my dance journey, I'd be 5 years ahead of where I am now as a dancer.

I wish I could afford to just follow her around and take all her workshops for a year!!

[Ainsley]

Wow, Lauren! What a fantastic experience.

I'm craving inspiration at the moment, so I sympathise with how good it must feel to have such a major learning experience. Enjoy your renewed creativity!

[laura 2]

Isn't she just amazing? I took 2 days of workshops with her last year and it was a true watershed moment for me as a dancer and a teacher. I actually cried when it was over, I was just so overwhelmed with joy and inspiration. Aziza is nothing short of amazing, and I'm so glad you got to experience it, Lauren!

[Mireille]

Which choreography did she teach ? Inquiring minds want to know :)

[Asra*]

Oh Wow! That's fantastic, Lauren!

Now I really want to check out one of her workshops.

[Alyssa Springs]

Aziza is one of my top 5 favorites! I'd love to take a workshop with her. ..g.:

[ssipes]

Word, Lauren! I can't imagine what it would be like to have access to an instructor like Aziza on a regular basis.

I'm just a bit sad that I was suffering from severe mental exhaustion going in to the whole weekend, from lack of sleep during the week. Physically my body held up fine to the rigours, but I felt like my brain was not working at top speed nor accepting much choreo into the memory banks. ,f::

[Aradia]

She is great, when she was in Vegas, we only had her for an afternoon, I felt myself wanting much more time with her!! Next time I'll book her for the entire weekend!!!

[Khalida]

[Lauren_]

Which choreography did she teach ? Inquiring minds want to know :)

Yesterday we did a veil piece to 'Yearning.' Best of both worlds, lots of expression and emotion and technique, but also fun veil magic tricks and silly puppetry.

Saturday we did a 'shamWOW' and zills choreo. I'm blanking on the song title, although it was a classic. Need more coffee...

[aziyade]

I've never really felt comfortable doing "interpretive" kinds of veil and body work, but doing it in her class made it all feel just -- RIGHT! I love how she teaches stage dynamics too. Even though I couldn't make my veil cooperate that day, I know now I'm going to get it out of the closet, dust it off and actually start working with it again. Very inspiring.

Lauren, she's at Kira's Oasis every year at least once, I think. Wanna go? :)

[Lauren_]

She is great, when she was in Vegas, we only had her for an afternoon, I felt myself wanting much more time with her!! Next time I'll book her for the entire weekend!!!

Aradia! Speaking of great workshop instructors, I'm still using my notes from your workshop to drill your combos into my body, and they've been cropping up in my improv!

I do love an instructor who gives me notes.

[Lauren_]

I've never really felt comfortable doing "interpretive" kinds of veil and body work, but doing it in her class made it all feel just -- RIGHT! I love how she teaches stage dynamics too. Even though I couldn't make my veil cooperate that day, I know now I'm going to get it out of the closet, dust it off and actually start working with it again. Very inspiring.

Lauren, she's at Kira's Oasis every year at least once, I think. Wanna go? :)

Where/when is that?

Yes, 'interpretive' can be a slippery slope in our art form. I prefer to think of it as 'entertaining' veil work! ..g.:

[Suzana]

Hey, we did shamWOW but no zills! Was it Daret (Wa Maret) Al Ayam?

I have been wanting and wanting to post a review of the Philadelphia workshops but keep failing to make the time. So:
What Lauren Said! All of It!

Also:
The three of us who made the trip from DC together are rehearsing Aziza's choreography for a show. (Just to be very clear, because this is important: We're performing it with Aziza's permission, as a trio -- so only the three of us who actually attended the workshop -- and with full program credit to her.) We've run it a hundred times by now, and yet we still keep frittering away rehearsal time going "Oh, isn't this pretty?" "This is my favorite part." "No, THIS is my favorite part!" "Wasn't the whole thing just so inspiring?" "Remember when she did X at the master class? Do you have that down yet?" "No, but wasn't [insert move] cool? I taught my girls that yesterday, and they loved it! We call it the Aziza [CoolMove]." And suchlike. It's been a hectic month and we're all working our butts off on other stuff, but the inspiration and insights from the weekend are helping keep us afloat and energized. Can't wait for the next one.

Also:
Ms. PhillyRaqs rocks! She just does.

[Lauren_]

Hey, we did shamWOW but no zills! Was it Daret (Wa Maret) Al Ayam?

..l;, Oh, that couldn't be it. How is it possible I'd not be able to pull that title out of my head? It's my favorite piece, I have four different versions that I perform to. No, it's not possible. That would make me senile or insane.

*plugs ears, refuses to listen to any more nonsense*

lalalalalalalal i can't hear you lalalalala

[Sabra26]

Aziza is the ultimate teacher/choreographer! How lucky are we!

[Suzana]

Of course that cant be it, silly! 'Cause that would be completely absurd! Not possible! Inconceiv...oh, wait. Never mind.

Hello, Good Twin. If it makes you feel any better, I did EXACTLY the same thing. It's my favorite piece. I dance to it all the time -- principally to the version from "On Fire" that we've talked about, but also to those other three. And now there are five different versions we dance to. This one doesn't sound anything like any of the others, so there you have it! (That's my story and I'm sticking to it.)

Wish I could find this version on CD. Just listening to it and watching her sing it has helped me a lot. Najwa Karam live:
YouTube - Najwa Karam - Daret El Ayam (LIVE)

Tell me about the zills!

xo
Evil Twin

[Lauren_]

Well, we never got to completely put the zills to it, until the second day and I didn't have mine with me that day. We practiced zilling, just thinking of playing along with Masmoudi rhythm -- and we practiced zilling WHILE doing the port de bras exercise (from her Companion DVD). And stepping. We also played Masmoudi while doing the masmoudi combos (the sham WOW cross step and the one where you undulate up, down, hip roll?) But I'm not sure what was happening with the zills, except that they played them while dancing the choreo!!

[Lauren_]

Want to hear a GHASTLY story? I performed in the show, just a bit of improv to Eshta Ya Amar and then the goofy Crazy Frog silliness that I use instead of a drum solo whenever I'm totally underprepared and need to baffle em with bull*hit.

I was late to the workshop on Sunday (left my dance bag in a student's car, had to go to my studio to get some shoes and a veil...) When I got there, I learned that Aziza commented on my performance.

Aziza talked about ME!!! And I missed it. ..cr.:

Of course I want a word-for-word reenactment and no one will give me exact quotes. ,f:: The gist is that she commented on my musical choice, apparently in a good way -- and she liked my red look-at-my-legs skirt (thanks TanyaSF!) So it wasn't really about my dancing. But still!!!

Moral of the story -- never NEVER be late.

[TediThomas]

It was such a fabulous weekend. Such a shame to have to go back to reality. ,f:: If I could have that kind of experience every other month, I would be in absolute heaven. (It'd be even better once a month, but that would require a whole lot more "juggling" on my part.) ..l;, Aziza, I'd study with you again in a heartbeat!

Can anybody direct me to the youtube video clip she mentioned (her earlier performance to Yearning)? I must be having one of THOSE days, cause I just can't seem to find it. (It certainly couldn't be because I was clobbered up side the head with several crises the moment I walked back into the office this morning.)

[Lauren_]

I can't find it either. I sent Aziza a message asking about it, but I imagine she's travelling at the moment.

[Mireille]

It was such a fabulous weekend. Such a shame to have to go back to reality. ,f:: If I could have that kind of experience every other month, I would be in absolute heaven. (It'd be even better once a month, but that would require a whole lot more "juggling" on my part.) ..l;, Aziza, I'd study with you again in a heartbeat!

Can anybody direct me to the youtube video clip she mentioned (her earlier performance to Yearning)? I must be having one of THOSE days, cause I just can't seem to find it. (It certainly couldn't be because I was clobbered up side the head with several crises the moment I walked back into the office this morning.)

This one ?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KSbiYA_Xeg]YouTube - Aziza at Eilat festival 2009[/ame]

[Lauren_]

YAY!! Mireille, you're my hero!

[Mireille]

YAY!! Mireille, you're my hero!

*bows* Thank you, thank you ......l;,

[TediThomas]

YES YES YES!!!! (Happy dance!)

[Lauren_]

YES YES YES!!!! (Happy dance!)

It's exactly the way she taught it to us, up through about 2:44.

*runs off to practice the ending bit quick before I forget it*

[david]

This one ?

YouTube - Aziza at Eilat festival 2009

Not only is Aziza very elequent in her words in her instruction, but she's also one of those dancers you just CANT wait to see - and as she walks in you feel this chill go down your back and you realize that you've just set yourself up for YET another moment of "oooh god, I gotta go home and practice AGAIN"....

Aziza, I know you're out there. Come out come out wherever you are. I want to say that one of the things I admire about you is that I love that you re-invent yourself, evolve yourself and whenever everyone thinks you've made it/done it/reached your high... there you go again, causing havoc of desperately practicing dancers in the hallways after your performance, yet again >)

WHAT an inspiring piece. Sigh, she gots me goosebums.

[Aradia]

Aradia! Speaking of great workshop instructors, I'm still using my notes from your workshop to drill your combos into my body, and they've been cropping up in my improv!

I do love an instructor who gives me notes.

Thanks Lauren!!
Did she tell you guys to pee on the stage?? I love it!! I use that line all the time now ..l;,..l;,

[suzyq52]

I took a workshop with Aziza a few years ago - oh how I would love to take another one. She is a wonderful instructor, a beautiful dancer and makes everyone feel at ease!

[PetiteNadirah]

Yesterday we did a veil piece to 'Yearning.' Best of both worlds, lots of expression and emotion and technique, but also fun veil magic tricks and silly puppetry.

Saturday we did a 'shamWOW' and zills choreo. I'm blanking on the song title, although it was a classic. Need more coffee...

The song title for the zill dance is "Wa Marret Al Ayam". It's track number 3 on the Veena and Neena Bellydance Oasis Cd.

...You were the one who danced that super cute solo (with that goofy song I can't remember the name of)...right? I did a solo and then I did a cane dance with two of the girls in my troupe.




****EDIT***** Obviously I should read the entire thing before I post. I see you already figured out the song and mentioned your solo. -sigh- =op

And I'm still in heaven from that workshop. I think I have a girl crush on Aziza...totally.