Amel Tafsout

DANCING TO RAI MUSIC
"Rai" also called the "Algerian Blues" has its roots in Bedouin culture and its evolution in the city with It is a semi-city dance from West Algeria. Amel will introduce the various traditional dance techniques and teach her own dance choreography. Dancing to Rai is having the Fluidity of the Arabo-Andalusian roots, the Strength of the mythical Berber-Amazigh Priestess, the Earthiness of the African soul, the Inspiration of the Sahara Desert and the expression of the great Mediterranean Seaport of the city of Wahran.

Frame Drumming, Singing, & Movement
Frame drums are one of the most ancient types of musical instruments. They have a simple structure with strong spiritual and entertaining qualities. The Bendir is a frame drum used by as a traditional instrument throughout North Africa by men and women. After introducing the Bendir and other frame drums, Amel Tafsout will show how to develop your frame drum technique and understand the richness and the diversity of the Bendir sound. She will also not only teach how to practice the traditional North African rhythms, but also how to sing them while playing. The students will then learn a song with its pronounciation and phrasing as well as its rhythm and dance. Amel developed this traditional experience in her teaching, which combines Drumming, Singing and Movement. This creativity has enhanced the spontaneous fusion of Dance and Music, Sound and Vision.

Bio:
Amel Tafsout will seem to you like a voyager between countries, culture and languages. Having worked and lived all over the world, unsurprisingly, migration has been a constant theme in Tafsout's work. Her name means 'Hope of Spring', and she is among the most charismatic and acclaimed professional world performers and master dance instructors of North African traditional and contemporary Maghreb Dance of our time. With an M.A degree in Sociolinguistics and research in dance anthropology, Tafsout is keenly aware of the impact culture has in the art of dance. Raised in Algeria among the finest traditional dancers and musicians. Tafsout was fascinated by dance and music as a small child.

While traveling the globe as an adult, she studied dances of her neighboring countries as well as Middle Eastern, European folk, African and Afro-Cuban dances. In her early twenties Tafsout moved to Germany where she founded the Pan Arabic dance company 'Banat As Sahra'. In the late 80s Tafsout moved to London, U.K. where she taught and performed at various dance and music festivals and founded 'The Tafsoutettes' Dance company.

While currently performing and teaching worldwide Amel is living in the U.S.A. Tafsout has lectured, danced, taught, sung and conducted anthropological research in many countries. She also published many articles related to dance and Maghreb women in academic and popular magazines. Her research focuses on the Ritual in Maghreb dances as well as looking at dance as a healing form.

She uses her expertise to teach master classes in dance, drumming and singing for students from various countries and backgrounds. Her progressive style of teaching, enhances the spontaneous fusion between dance and music, sound and vision.

http://ameltafsout.com/

Alysha

Yoga for Bellydancers
Gain the flexibility, strength and stamina through yoga to get the most out of your shimmies, floorwork, laybacks, etc. Learn a sequence of asana (yoga poses) to find more flexibility in your back, increase the range of motion in your hips, lengthen your torso, strengthen your isolations and ultimately protect your body from injuries. Discover pranayama techniques (breathwork) to condition your body, mind and spirit. Also, expand your understanding of body alignment to enhance your dancing skills and take them to the next level. Please bring a yoga mat, water and questions. All levels of experience are welcome.
Bio:
Alysha began her yoga practice as childhood play along side her love of dance in the woods of Minnesota. Years of studying many styles of dance such as modern, hip hop, folk and classical dance, bellydance took root. After moving to California, she studied and performed tribal fusion with and under the direction of Bonnie Wolf-Moss in the troupe DDV (Danse du Ventre). As well as studied tribal bellydancing with Teresa Landtrip, and out of Teresa's classes, Rare Elements Dance Collective was born.The Redc sisters and their unique modern ATS style has been Alysha's creative and collaborative home.
As a certificated 500hr. yoga instructor, Alysha currently teaches yoga, and trains yoga teachers all over the US. Locally, she teaches a variety of yoga classes at Yoga Village in Arroyo Grande, California, where Redc practices weekly.

For more info, check out www.rareelmentsdancecollective.shutterfly.com
and www.alyshatreestalsworth.com

Ayse Cerami

Tribal Roma (Fusion Improv for 9/8 time signature) (workshop description coming soon)

Bio:
Being of Turkish-American decent, one might say that belly dance is in her blood.

Ayse grew up in Southern California and although had grown up with belly dance all her life, it wasn’t until she moved to Arizona–in 1996–that she came to discover American Tribal Style. Ayse's first teacher (& director ) was Andrea McShane-Radoccio who was greatly influenced by Carolina Nericcio and had a passion for Thai Chi. She performed with her troupe Blue Dragon in the Sedona and Prescott areas, even after she moved back to California, making many road trips to dance.

Ayse started teaching in Thousand Oaks and formed her first troupe in 2001. Having been a part of too many projects to count she has performed and taught classes throughout California and Internationally.
Her newest troupe is… Wild Routes Tribal Bellydance. She has also joined Bellydance Fusion Los Angeles (B.F.L.A.), a new dance collective created in order to showcase the amazing bellydance talent that exists in the Los Angeles area.
Always studying dance in multiple forms, Ayse's influences are eclectic and broad in scope. They include ballet, jazz, African, Dunham modern, classical Indian, and various folk and belly dances. She has many muses and teachers for which to be thankful for includingr : Carolena Nericcio, Jill Parker, Ansuya, Heather Stants, Sabrina Fox, Teri Walden, Sahyber Rawles, & Robert Salas are just a named few.

My life-path doesn’t end with dance. I’m also a massage therapist. Studying anatomy for massage has given me further understanding of body mechanics which I’ve greatly utilized in dance. In addition to all of this, I study Permaculture and have gotten my Permaculture Design Certificate in 2006 and is continuing her studies. Ayse wants to continually increase her part in helping to spread sustainable design for community development throughout the world.

Edenia
POP, TICK, HIT DRILLZZ WITH LIL E!
Popping is centered around the technique of popping (or hitting), which means to quickly contract and relax muscles to create a jerking effect in the body. Stronger pops normally involve popping both the lower and upper body together. Edenia is going to show you some of her personal drills that you can mix with Belly dance. We will start with an upper body warm up, then we will begin popping drills such as arm pops, leg pops, chest pops....and add in Belly dance drills also! Combos will be taught.. some belly dance experience is required this is an all Levels workshop bring dance shoes or socks. Lets to this Edenia Style!

Bio:
Edenia has always been into dancing... In Junior High she learned the style of popping from hip hop dancing, and watching break-dancers. She had an interest in bellydance from a young age, but when she saw her first Rachel Brice video She was hooked! She began taking bellydance classes in August 2006 with Zahreen, to whom she will always be grateful to, for getting her “out there” to perform.

Edenia can be seen performing her unique bellydance style of Popping & Bellydance Fusion, almost weekly in and around the Inland Empire in So. Cal; and she has recently starred in her first music video by Stereognosis! Edenia has also just recently joined West Coast Pop Lockers "Hoodbotics Dance crew" and started touring with The Bellydance Superstars May of 2011!

Edenia loves all styles of dance and says that every dancer out there is an inspiration to her as she continues to grow with her passion in life
www.edeniabellydance.com

DeVilla

Smoke and Mirrors: Creating the Illusion of the Stage Face
In this work shop we will cover:
-Knowing your House ~ gauging how much make up to use for the size of the room or theater
-Lighting and how it affects the way you look on stage
-Creating depth and dimension with high light and shading
-The importance of the Eye Brow in character make ups
-Dramatic eyes from glamour to fantasy
-Lashes! Application care and cleaning
-Luscious lips, how to contour them and give them the shape you want
-AND! GLITTER AND GLITZ!
-How to apply glitter, crystal stones, feathers or whatever! to create your look!
-With extra focus on tribal and gothic style make ups for stage!

Students please bring your own make-up kits, a towel and anything else you would like to play with in this class. Lashes and lash adhesive will be available for purchase.

Bio:

Multi-award winning dancer, Choreographer and Make up artist, DeVilla has been dancing and performing since the age of six.

Her dance is a blend of true Egyptian raks sharky, magical ritual , costuming, make up and the glamour of "old hollywood." Her performances have been described as elegant and inspired, the right balance of personal style and classic Egyptian!

You can find DeVilla performing at many venues in Los Angeles and teachng the art of this joyous dance to others at Dance Garden Studio in Atwater Village.

Nathaniel Johnstone

"Anatomy of a Song and Dance" with Tempest & Nathaniel Johnstone
Are you hearing the music when you dance? Are you REALLY listening? Most importantly, when you dance, does the audience see the music through you? A key task of a dancer is to be a visual representation and interpretation of the music they are performing to. To achieve this, you need to be able to recognize the layers present in your music, and choose what to work with and how to translate it into movement. In this workshop, we will work with a single song by Nathaniel Johnstone, take it apart layer by layer, address the musicality of each part, how it translates into movement on stage, and then put it back together into a solid dance. This workshop will aid you in learning to listen more effectively, identify instrumentation, and make more fabulous choices about what to use as a foundation and what to accent in any piece of music you may wish to dance to.

Bio:
Nathaniel Johnstone loves music of all shapes and sizes. He is perpetually tinkering with tunes on a multitude of instruments: guitar, violin, viola, mandolin, and banjo. Surrounding himself with an ever-changing roster of like-minded souls, he creates music for his many friends in the dancing world. Joining him on these recordings are bassist Jean-Paul Mayden, singer Mel, drummer Jes Brown, violinist Paul Mercer, and percussionist Davis Pettersen.

For the past several years Johnstone has been recording and touring with the steampunk band Abney Park. He has also sat in with a number of other ensembles: The Ghosts Project, Jill Tracy’s Malcontent Orchestra, Ego Likeness, The Last Dance, The Hellblinki Sextet, and others.

To hear more of his work, check out these links: www.abneypark.com & www.nathanieljohnstone.com

Princess Farhana
ABS-OLUTELY FABULOUS! ALL ABDOMINAL TECHNIQUE WITH PRINCESS FARHANA
It’s time to BELLY dance…this special workshop will focus exclusively abdominal technique and core strength and laying the foundation for truly incredible abdominal work. Learn how to flutter and achieve amazing belly rolls- we’ll drill rolls upwards, downwards and from side to side! You will also learn to LAYER your abdominal movements, like the amazing “flundulation”, a flutter layered over a belly roll; or combining abdominal work with figure eights and upper torso isolations. Also: stomach pops, many types of body waves and undulations, muscular and breathe control. Pretty soon you’ll be yellin’, “That’s Just How I Roll!” Class notes included.

THE NAUGHTY SIDE OF LITTLE EGYPT: CONTRASTING BELLY DANCE WITH BURLESQUE- HISTORY, TECHNIQUE & PERFORMANCE
Though belly dancers often bristle at the comparison to burlesque artists, the history of the two dance genres are historically entwined in America- in theaters, carnival sideshows, nightclubs and on film.
THIS IS NOT A FUSION WORKSHOP!
This class will focus on the differences- and similarities- between Oriental dance and burlesque, and how both types of dance changed and influenced each other. Starting off with a bit of history about traditional belly dance and burlesque , we will move through technique, contrasting the movements of both genres, and explore how they affect each other today.
** THIS CLASS IS PG RATED- NO NUDITY REQUIRED open to all levels

Bio:
Internationally acclaimed dance star Princess Farhana has performed, taught and written about Oriental Dance for over twenty years. She has appeared on four continents and has performed for the like of former First Lady Hilary Clinton, The Saudi Arabian Royal Family and The Rolling Stones. She has appeared live at concerts with Arabic superstars stars Amr Diab, Hakim, Natacha Atlas, and Alabina.

A unique and exquisite artistic chameleon with dazzling stage presence , she performs many styles with ease. Trained in the classic Egyptian style ( in both Los Angeles and Cairo, Egypt) she is known for her highly theatrical fusion pieces and is also a renowned burlesque performer.

The Princess has been featured in numerous motion pictures, videos, television shows; and in documentary films both dancing and as an interview subject. She has produced a number of large -scale dance events and theatrical productions as well as eleven instructional / performance DVD's. In 2008 a feature-length documentary by director Steve Balderson , " Underbelly: A Year In The Life Of Princess Farhana" was released theatrically as well as on DVD, and she has appeared on many performance compilation DVD's as well.

Her warmth, enthusiasm and adventurous spirit - on and off stage- captivates audiences and students alike.

WWW.PRINCESSFARHANA.COM

"Anatomy of a Song and Dance" with Tempest & Nathaniel Johnstone
Are you hearing the music when you dance? Are you REALLY listening? Most importantly, when you dance, does the audience see the music through you? A key task of a dancer is to be a visual representation and interpretation of the music they are performing to. To achieve this, you need to be able to recognize the layers present in your music, and choose what to work with and how to translate it into movement. In this workshop, we will work with a single song by Nathaniel Johnstone, take it apart layer by layer, address the musicality of each part, how it translates into movement on stage, and then put it back together into a solid dance. This workshop will aid you in learning to listen more effectively, identify instrumentation, and make more fabulous choices about what to use as a foundation and what to accent in any piece of music you may wish to dance to.

"Adventures In Steampunk!"
Steampunk is considered by many to be a subdivision of the Gothic Culture, or its crazy next-door neighbor – regardless, it’s an exciting and inspiring genre, blending Neo-Victorian, Science Fiction, and Fantasy that offers a lot of opportunity in the realm of bellydance fusion. But once again, it’s not about just having the look, but capturing the true quality and character of Steampunk in your movement and presentation, while still keeping it bellydance! Students will explore 3 different “personas” through mini-choreographies utilizing original and fun combinations that resonate with the essence of Steampunk: “Airship Pirate”, “Lady Adventurer” and “Coin-Operated Girl”. In addition, students will not only learn about Steampunk music and fashion, but will be able to incorporate the material into their own style with purpose, armed with building blocks to create and define their own personas.

Bio:
Tempest pulls from her visual arts background, literary tendencies, and global inspirations to create dances that cross the boundaries of time and culture. She is the premiere instructor of Gothic and Steampunk Bellydance in North America and her extensive work in these genres has helped to define and develop these movements across the world. Her compelling performances exemplify her distinctively theatrical and expressive style, and are rooted in oriental dance technique with a transcendent approach. Her costume designs have revolutionized the look of modern bellydance and continue to inspire new and old generations of dancers alike.

Tempest began her journey into dance in 2000 and has traveled the country to extensively many forms of traditional bellydance - from Turkish Oriental, Romani, Classic & Modern Egyptian, American Cabaret, Folkloric & Trance dances of North Africa and the Mediterranean. Tempest regularly studies with masters of the dance, particularly focusing on traditional and folkloric forms of the dance, as she feels that the best fusion comes as close to the source as possible. In particular, Amel Tafsout, Artemis Mourat, Dalia Carella, and Lee Ali are treasured teachers and inspirations. While many others in the Gothic genre work and teach from a Tribal/Tribal fusion base, she distinctly blends the Gothic culture with the more traditional & folkloric forms of bellydance, earning her style the a propos description of "Gothic Oriental."

She finds inspiration for her dances in many eras, places, and faces, from ancient cultures and spiritual myths worldwide, to the work of silent film star and original vamp Theda Bara, and turn-of-the-century dance goddess Ruth St. Denis. She is particularly well-known for her Nouveau Noir Dance performances - which transport the audience back in time to the early 20th Century - as well as the fantasy realms of Steampunk and Retro-Futurism, and sacred-fusion, ritualistic forms of belly dance. Her devotion to art, creativity and innovation in dance marks her as a stand-out, must-see performer who continues to evolve and set the bar for others in the Gothic & Fusion Bellydance genres.

Find out more at:
-Tempest's Nouveau Noir Dance: www.darklydramatic.com
-Tempest's Teapot - A Bellydance Blog: http://darklydramatic.blogspot.com/
-Owl*Key*Me Arts - www.owlkeyme.com