RANDA!!!!!!! Midlands

[zafirah]

I've finished work, I'm starting my drive in an hour or so . .

See you all there. I will be the short one looking at Randa with slightly love-struck eyes . . .

Z

[Emma]

Originally Posted by zafirah

I will be the short one looking at Randa with slightly love-struck eyes . . .

So will I

[beafarhana]

Originally Posted by Emma

So will I

Say hi to her from Béatrice (you have to say it with a French accent)

[kina]

*is jealous*

have a great time!

[Candi]

Not getting there till Saturday evening for the show-don't buy all the best costumes before I get there!!!
Can't wait to watch Randa dance again.
Very excited.

[Emma]

Is everyone too Randa-ed out to post?

Randa was amazing. Her workshops were a lot of hard work, but she is such a good, patient teacher. I am still aching all over (why did I try those head rolls? Why?), but I feel I've learned an awful lot. Her performance was just stunning, it made you then then and then again!

[taheya]

Randa was absolutely breathtaking!! I also am aching all over 3 x Randa workshops over the weekend has finished me off!!! But Im soooooo inspired by her! Her performance on the sat night was out of this world....my heart was in my mouth!!
She is a master teacher aswell... i have learnt so much.
P.s Emma- I can make your hafla in June so good to meet other dancers in the area! Ill email you, Clair x

[zafirah]

Yep, am a physical wreck. I survived Sat relativly unscathed but I was so tired on Sun I probably wasn't doing things as correctly. I lost the ability to do simple things such as double hip drops - my brain was porridge!!!

Z

p.s. I decided Randa deserves more write up but I am a zombie so I will repost what i wrote on my LJ. . .

I love Randa so much. I’m not one for emotion – it’s not that I don’t have them but I’m not one to talk about them or analyse them. The only ones I am comfortable expressing publically are negative ones like anger. But I have to try and explain how Randa makes me feel. Everything she does validates the choices I make with my dancing. The fact that she exists, that oriental dance can be done at that level and so perfectly makes the world a better place to be in. But at the same time there is sadness that she is the only one at that level that no one else can even come close. And I am never, ever going to get to see her more than about once a year. I’m not sure I can bear that. I think I am really sort of in love with her in a dance admiration way.


The thought she puts into everything. Even something as simple as a hip drop combo I’m sure I’ve done thousands of times before, as soon as she adds the arms, the head, the exact angel of the body I find I can’t even do double hips drops any more because my brain is overloaded!!! Most workshop teachers, even at Khaled/Yasmina level, I feel like I can generally be doing a close approximation (or at least the right move that just needs polishing) of what they are doing within the space of the workshops but with Randa I feel like I will never come close. I just don’t have enough time in my life to train hard enough to be 5% of the dancer she is. It’s certainly a reality check. Of course none of the people that really NEED that reality check were in the workshops. It’s not that I want to be a Randa clone, but I want to function at that higher level. Gah. Anyway, I love her.

She comes across as a very sweet person as well. She works you hard (one of the few that gets me to break a sweat!) but she isn’t nasty about it. There were some points she was clearly disappointed at our shitty attempts at the technique but she remained lovely and cheerful.

On more lighthearted notes, she now has practice gear with her initial in rhinestones on her chest and ass. One day, I want to be good enough to have my name in rhinestones on my ass! On Sunday she was like a sexy Leprechaun in her shiny green lycra outfit. I am also convinced she is getting younger. I want to know what she puts on her belly when she performs; on sat night show it looked like she had the skin tone on her belly of a 20 year old. In the workshops you could see the stretch marks and skin tone of someone that has had kids. I need that product. I may be slimish but I am getting disturbingly crinkly skin on my midriff, or rather what I can see as the early stages of where my cottage cheese ass ended up.

[heinakuu]

I am also back from the Randa experience. She reallydid put us work! She seems to develop such a teacher personality that it is not possible other than do you best and give it all in her class. I think I did too much - on the train to the airport I had some bad troubles partly due to not eating and overtraining, but I am recovering now at home. I think it was the head toss and rolls for me, too, and the chest forward, not up/down that my body did not like.

For those who couldn't make it, I am giving her advice here. A lot depends on your balance - so practice it daily for half hour. Also, you should always work with a drummer (come on, not in Finland, not possible, sorry) and then, when you dance, dance with all your body (including face, hair...) and not only with your hips. And concentrate when you are training to make every part of you body live and dancing. You must love the dance and not take holidays, if you want to be a good performer.

It was also the first time I saw her really close when she performed. I felt I was in heaven and did not want to come back. I think I heard she said one more dance but then the final started. Did I hear wrong or did I just want her to continue so much that I was expecting to see her once more?

Finally, I will mention the organizers of this event, they made a really
good job. I loved the speaker for his warm welcoming style and I really felt that they wanted us all to enjoy. Also I think this had a certain positive effect on Randa who more that her best to give her knowledge. And I just love her smile when she sees that we are not so good that we could follow her and she picks up all her english skills to explain how she makes it.

I was also happy to some of you in person after so many discussions over here. Unfortunately we were so busy or out-of-breath after workshops that not much discussion was possible. Thank you Caroline for introducing me to bhuzzers there and hope we meet soon again.

[taheya]

[quote=zafirah;180885]

I love Randa so much. I’m not one for emotion – it’s not that I don’t have them but I’m not one to talk about them or analyse them. The only ones I am comfortable expressing publically are negative ones like anger. But I have to try and explain how Randa makes me feel. Everything she does validates the choices I make with my dancing. The fact that she exists, that oriental dance can be done at that level and so perfectly makes the world a better place to be in. But at the same time there is sadness that she is the only one at that level that no one else can even come close. And I am never, ever going to get to see her more than about once a year. I’m not sure I can bear that. I think I am really sort of in love with her in a dance admiration way.


The thought she puts into everything. Even something as simple as a hip drop combo I’m sure I’ve done thousands of times before, as soon as she adds the arms, the head, the exact angel of the body I find I can’t even do double hips drops any more because my brain is overloaded!!! Most workshop teachers, even at Khaled/Yasmina level, I feel like I can generally be doing a close approximation (or at least the right move that just needs polishing) of what they are doing within the space of the workshops but with Randa I feel like I will never come close. I just don’t have enough time in my life to train hard enough to be 5% of the dancer she is. It’s certainly a reality check. Of course none of the people that really NEED that reality check were in the workshops. It’s not that I want to be a Randa clone, but I want to function at that higher level. Gah. Anyway, I love her.

She comes across as a very sweet person as well. She works you hard (one of the few that gets me to break a sweat!) but she isn’t nasty about it. There were some points she was clearly disappointed at our shitty attempts at the technique but she remained lovely and cheerful.



Zafirah what a wonderful post and these are my emotions too! I bought both cds of Randas on the weekend and God everytime I hear her music I get butterflies!! Randa is a powerhouse of a performer and she gives absolutely everything when she teaches, although I must say I am equally as fond of some other egyptian dancers....still a major fan of Fifi and the more baladi style. So I guess what I am trying to say is I am not sure Randa is my absolute favourite- she is unbelievably fantastic but then I find a few dancers to be 'up there' with her.

[Candi]

Yes Randa was amazing and her dancing was wonderful. I so enjoyed the workshop with her I went to and wish I could have done more.

[heinakuu]

Anyone took any pictures in this event? I am about to write a short article to finnish dance magazine about the event and would like to add at least one picture. I took several but all are too fuzzy.