Thread: Stockholm Belly dance festival

Whos going? Inquiring minds wants to know

For those of you attending don´t miss Lena Helts class, she will give a shimmy class on Friday.

Oh, I'll so be there! (Apparently, Stockholm has a great potential to become my second dance home ;))

Originally Posted by maariku

Oh, I'll so be there! (Apparently, Stockholm has a great potential to become my second dance home ;))

Yay!!! I´m happy you´re coming!

Yes yes yes! I was there last year and loved the atmosphere of the event. I am already looking forward to four days full of bellydance related activities -

I will be in sweeden from June 8-23rd. When is this festival?.w.:

yay, what a great excuse to go back to scandinavia! ^^ yes, when is it?

The festival is 21-24 May. Musickgal, Lena might have some summerclasses running at that time. Are going to be in STockholm?

Looking at the bookings right now, it seems that the festival will be packed with students. nearly all workshops have been sold out. I am not so sure if I like this but...can't help, I have to be there again. Is anyone else worried about this success or just happy with it?

Originally Posted by heinakuu

Looking at the bookings right now, it seems that the festival will be packed with students. nearly all workshops have been sold out. I am not so sure if I like this but...can't help, I have to be there again. Is anyone else worried about this success or just happy with it?

Well, it will be my first time at SBDF, so I expect them to sweep me off my feet with masses of people amd overdose of dancing ..g.:

But maybe you could explain more what you mean by worrying about this success?

Hope you all have a great time. I want to go so badly but bank account says no.

Originally Posted by heinakuu

Looking at the bookings right now, it seems that the festival will be packed with students. nearly all workshops have been sold out. I am not so sure if I like this but...can't help, I have to be there again. Is anyone else worried about this success or just happy with it?

I am a bit worried, yes.... It´s of course great for them, but I worry mainly about the shows, they are long as it is....

It is getting even worse since Asmahan has now cancelled due to an illness and those who registered for her he workshops will now be there in others. I wonder how we can move around the building, fit to corridors/theatre and dressing rooms..but soon we will see how it turns our to be. Shows are going to be looong but I will sit if i find a place there anyway, because I enjoy the atmosphere so much.

Maariku - it is an excellent place this ballet school but also space is limited in foyer, lifts, cafe and corridors,not so much at classrooms they are ok. You will find out! just be positive, be prepared to queue and don't care about my worries, this is a GREAT event!

Whaaaat no Asmahan????? *cries* I haven´t heard about it!!!! Ok, I went to the schedule and just noticed. I was checking the chedule out just yesterday and didn´t see it then.

Bohooo *sad*

Originally Posted by heinakuu

Maariku - it is an excellent place this ballet school but also space is limited in foyer, lifts, cafe and corridors,not so much at classrooms they are ok. You will find out! just be positive, be prepared to queue and don't care about my worries, this is a GREAT event!

I knew there must have been a good reason why I am arriving Stockholm 6 hours before my first workshop - so I have plenty of time to queue (and mingle) in the line for registration ..g.:

Maariku! It was so nice to bump into you again! Hope I will see you in september!

Originally Posted by katja

Maariku! It was so nice to bump into you again! Hope I will see you in september!

Oh, I too hope I can make it to Stockholm in September. To see all the familiar faces (I love that!) and Aziza (and love that even more!) ..l;,

So how was it for you?
For me it was four days of joy and laughter but also moments of terrible exhaustion because all things given to me as my dance life has been a bit "dry" during the last year. I liked Kazafy's fellahi course a lot, and enjoyed Khaled Mahmoud's and Lubna Eman's skillfull teaching (baladi and khaligy) but was disappointed with Freiz and Zahra because they lowered the level down to basics. There were also plenty of new nationalities present this time. All arrangements went along nicely (at least what I saw) and Suzanne and Mohammed were always in the background working hard and giving all possible support( like borrowing me a cane for Tito's workshop). The shows were far too long, endless actually when you have been dancing for 5 hours and then they give you a 4 h show but I stayed there for the surprises like Tito's extra performance.

Moreover, I like this that also folklore has been put into the schedule more and I liked expecially the saturday night show because of that.

Now I am still really really exhausted but already working on Tito's cane choreo and Khaled's balady. They gave me a lot of new material to work with.

how about you?what was the best, the worst?

Oh, I totally agree with you on the shows - I couldn't manage watching any of them to the end... But the rest of the organisational part of the festival was really good!

I too loved Kazafy's fellahin workshop. But then again, Kazafy could teach jenka and I'd still probably enjoy it! I also very much enjoyed Nour's workshop, although it was way too crowded. Nour's footwork is something I better start figuring out soon, as she'll be coming to the Estonian festival in November.

And the biggest surprise for me was Mahdy Emara - someone I had heard nothing of before. But I did do some "research" and he was highly recommended. When he and Anastasiya danced on stage on Saturday I thought "well, even if I wont learn anything from their workshop the next day, it will at least be a lot of fun" (Just for info to people who weren't there - their act involved lots of chasing each other around and stealing Zahra's shoes!). But acually the workshop was great and I realised how little I actually know and can do about Andalusian.

I loved the atmosphere of SBDF also this time!!!

I had taken Freiz Sayed's workshop random and had no idea of her style before. I liked Freiz's pretty hand technique and expressions on her face when she danced. However, I was not prepared to have a veil in her Oriental Song Technique & Choreography workshop. Definitely in the future workshops of any teachers I will always a veil even it is not told one should have one in the particular workshop ...:vj:

This was the first time I attended Yousry Sharif's workshop. His technique workshop was crowded but Yousry smartly (and based on previous teaching experience, no doubt) divided us into two groups so it was far more easier to follow teaching.

I liked Lubna Emam's energy and I was pleased that she danced so much with us in her Balady Technique and Choreography workshop. Her workshop was also crowded and she constantly told people to back up a little...

The most I enjoyed Virginia's workshop and her performances in the Saturday show. She is amazing!!! To be honest, I have a new bellydance idol now

The shows were, as I expected, very long. The worst thing of the festival was queuing in a crowded and hot narrow corridor for a long time. Finally, good seats compensated this not-so-pleasant experience a lot...

I will definitely be there next year again!

BTW, Maariku, you told Nour will be in Tallinn in Nov? Do you know when the full programme of the festival will be on the internet?

I liked both classes I took, Lubnas Khaleegy and Virginias oriental class. Lubna, I always love dancing for her, she is pure joy. And I liked having my but kicked by Virginia. Her choreo was packed, and I felt like a beginner, but in a good way.

The shows were just too long, I liked Saturday best, even though I missed the beginning since I was performing. But I think they would benefit having people send audition tapes, both for the show and the competition and make the shows shorter.

As for the competition, I would have loved to see Yallar win, she is an amazing dancer! And I agree on Virginia what a performer.

Originally Posted by Maryam

BTW, Maariku, you told Nour will be in Tallinn in Nov? Do you know when the full programme of the festival will be on the internet?

Well, so far only the dates are confirmed - 6th-8th November, but it will take a while before the actual schedule will be up.

I loved it, and would definitely go again, even though I broke my rib trying to open one of the windows in the practice room as it was so high up!

I did a wonderful tabla solo workshop with Saida on Thursday, but don't know what the music was. Did anyone do the workshop and know what the music was? I really want to get hold of it :-)

Thanks,

Heather