Bhuzzers with Orit and Aziza

[artemisia_danst]

just got back, am very jetlagged, and the flight was awfull (some woman that could not, nor even tried to control her kids). after orlando we spend a few days in miami!! so i did get a tan...

i had a fantastic time. the workshops with orit were amazing, amazing. i love love love watching her and will surely buy the video of the thyursday tarab and sunday baladi workshop, just to watch them like a thousand times. and she is a wonderfull person... she gave me some excellent feedback on my performance, just so spot on.

aziza, the private class was fantastic, i have taken too many workshops with you already, so i really hope somewhere on your travels there will be more time for private coaching...

furter, i met all these wonderfull people that before were just bhuz names to me, so that was just amazing as well
the whole thing felt really decadent (spending a fortune on a weekend workshop), but it was absolutely worth the money. my boyfriend (first america) trip had a blast as well.. so we will definitely go back, to dance events, and on holiday.

the shows: breathtaking. apart from of course aziza and orit (aziza did an incredible saidi and orit, well, her show at the show was fantastic, but the highglihg for me really was watching her during the workshops when she was demonstrating style and movement and feeling and dancing with us)...
but i also want to mention some others:
Claudia from Portland. she's part of a raks awalim, they are a fantastic troupe, but claudia as a soloist was something else. that energy, wow.

i also loved loved loved Ahava. the art of doing very little very very well!!!! perfect timing. the most "egyptian" style american i ever saw

oh dear, i'm certainly going to forget people as there were so many wonderfull performers and i did not see all of the shows cause being back stage: aradia (i want that costume girl!), gina (i want those legs and that footwork), myra (she is so beautifull and i loved her drama), elisa gamal (some melaja that i wished i could steal, too funny), magidah (i want some of her trousers, she has excellent dance wear and omg she is soooo cool and goofy on stage - and this from the girl (me) who is not into "cool"), debke, sedona, david, tina sergant, bahaia (classic stuff in a not classic costume, you are a real original, and i wished we had had more time to hang out, i hope to make it to camp), mia and alhassan, oh and another great troupe i cant remember the name of, sabeya? etc etc etc

o dear, i'm sure i forgot some people i'm really really tired

oh, of course, i met a few really nice bhuz people who were not in the show, but in the workshops, and were really nice to this stranger from europe who knew nobody there, so i'm sure i'm forgetting your names so here is a general THANK YOU!

(oh, and last but not least, i am now finally the proud owner of some eye candy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

i cant wait for the dvd to see front views of the stuff i just had sidestage peaks off...

[artemisia_danst]

and i forgot the most important thank you

ANDREA!!!!! thank you sooo much for organising this event, and all your help beforehand and while there in making it possible for me to attend! you are the best; big hugs!!!!!

[flimflamgirl]

Artemisia, it was so great to meet you, and your performance was fantastic! One of my favorites, if I had to pick. And oh yeah, Claudia and Ahava both blew me away...well, everyone did, but remembering them, since you mentioned it...wow! And Shadiyah, a total class act, and David, with the freaking sunglasses!

Orit is now one of my favorite teachers, hands down. I knew nothing about her before, and now I love her. I was sorry to miss Aziza's class, and will have to catch her next time - she's such a great performer.

- Leela

[artemisia_danst]

nasila, i'm glad you did get to swim with manatees... i saw some in seaworld!

[nasila]

Thanks Artemisia! Your smile lit up the stage. :D

I'm glad you guys made it to SeaWorld! How was Miami?

[artemisia_danst]

highlights of the holiday part of things: the puffins and the pinguins in seaworld (which i had both seen in the wild in iceland and south africa - and realising that gave me quite a shock - but seeing them swim underwater is something else, especially the pufins. it's like they cant decide if they are birds or fish). oh, and the manatees of course. up until two weeks ago i never heard of them. they are beautifull, like huge underwater puppy dogs. and i touched a stingray!

we also loved loved the dolfins. i wish i had the funds to do the discovery cove thing (where you can actualyy swim with them). maybe some day.

orlando city: very boring, though the history museum is good

miami: hm, the beach and nightclubs are really not chris's thing. we LOVED the metromover (it felt like being in gotham city-batman movie...) arriving in the late afternoon in the godawfull greyhound station there (put smack in the middle of bad neighboorhood in overtown miami), we got to south beach by public trnasport. hell with the suitcases but best way to get a first taste of the city......the metromover in between those skyscrapers! wow!

next day we walked around down town,went for lunch in little havana, walked around coral gables, and ended the day with apetizers in coconut grove, just generally tried to get a feel of the different areas of a city. but a day and a half isnt enough...

oh and i have some greyhound stories too now, maybe later, have to go shop now..

but i got the taste for more... i really hope to go back next summer (west coast) if i can find some workshop sponsors or gigs/performances/events to go to etc...

Artemisia

Originally Posted by nasila

Thanks Artemisia! Your smile lit up the stage. :D

I'm glad you guys made it to SeaWorld! How was Miami?

[flimflamgirl]

Artemisia, if you go north into more rural, less touristy Florida, especially in the winter, you can see a lot of amazing animals in their natural habitats. Manatees swim up into the springs in winter, and can be seen undisturbed and beautiful, swimming with fish and amazing waterbirds like the fabulous anhinga. And of course, alligators - ones that don't have their jaws taped shut! The best gator hole I saw was on the Lachua Trail in Gainesville...the sinkhole was bristling with them. I kinda think that was enough alligators for me in this lifetime, but still, it was very interesting. Watching them swim is like looking back in time, because that life form is so old. And raptors in the sky...lots of them. This may be dull to people who live out of cities, but to this New Yorker, it's quite amazing to see hawks and ospreys everywhere. And all those little anoles flashing beneath one's feet...and the occasional skink...and the rather horrifying golden orb weaver spider...kinda don't need to see more of those, but I am impressed by them. I saw one that looked like it could eat a cat.

- Leela

[HOOKEDNOVICE]

Nasila,
My son and daughter are Manatee freaks! we just finished your lovely video of swimming with them. How special that must have been! Wow!

On a side note, I just received my Aziza's practice companion dvd and love it! I hadn't seen her before (I am a rookie) and what a sweet personality!! Reading this thread it sounds like you all had such a meaningful time. Someday....sigh...

[Khalida]

Yay for the practice companion DVD!

[rakgirl]

i'm so sad to have missed it. but i already did an Aziza workshop and an Orit workshop this year seperately. So I had to pass even tho I really wanted to go.

I didn't know Orit was pregnant. How wonderful.

I love the Aziza practice companion dvd. i try to do it often. I have watched those performances so many times that i've memorized them.

Happy Birthday Aziza and Congratulations.

[aziza]

I am happy that Artemesia has posted about the weekend. THE SHOWS WERE AMAZING!!!! I am honored that so many talented dancers were there. One performance was a personal highlight for me...Helena Vlahos! She was so elegant, poised, and reminded me of my first instructors. The onstage veiw of her doing the coin tricks -sigh- I am a lucky, lucky, woman.

Yes, Orit is with child. We do not know when or if she will be back to North America....

Aziza

[Khalida]

So sad that I missed this

[ejaghana]

Originally Posted by Khalida

So sad that I missed this

I'm crying with you!

[Aradia]

Originally Posted by ejaghana

I'm crying with you!

you could always come to Vegas Oct 3-4th to study with Aziza (wink, wink) sorry I don't have Orit to offer, but Aziza rocks!!

[clhildreth]

Thank you Artemisia. I agree with you completely on the excitement of Aziza's bash. So much to learn, great shows, fun times and being able to meet the people I have only heard about over the years. This was my first big workshop far from home and boy did I get so much out of it. I really wish to see everyone I met there again...big ups to all you sweet ladies.

[artemisia_danst]

hi claudia, welcome to bhuz!!!!

[Zana]

Is this the amazing Claudia who danced so gorgeously in the show? Aziza's friend Claudia who danced at her wedding? You rock, lady! Welcome to Bhuz!

Suzana

[clhildreth]

Hello ladies. Yes this is she, but a little timid on bhuz still I am horrible at this stuff. I like it so far though and it is great to be able to keep up with everyone.
Ugh, today Raks Awalim and Magidah tried to go over the shimmy routine from Orit, and uh there are a few gaps in the old memory. I can't wait for the videos!

[katja]

Bohooo *crying* If I was made of money I would have gone in a heartbeat this year! Sounds like you had a great time!