Tylorstown Festival seeks belly dancers

Organisers of a festival in Tylorstown near Pontypridd are looking to book a bellydance group for the event on Saturday 19 August.

If you're interested, please contact Cherie Jenkins on 07740 987737 or email cherie.jenkins @ tylorscf.org.uk

Velindre Hospital - belly dancers wanted

Message from Jane Doidge: "Velindre Hospital is trying to organise a ladies belly dancing evening on Friday 18 August, 7.30pm till 10.30pm in the outpatients department (Velindre Road, Whitchurch, Cardiff).

"They are looking for any groups or solo dancers wishing to perform, also someone who is willing to teach Jo Public for a short session. I have agreed to help if any interest is shown.

"This is a fund raising event, so no payment is available. However a buffet and glass of wine are provided and a chance to perform!

"If anyone is interested please contact me janedoidge @ gmail.com as soon as possible."

Tickets for the event cost £6.50 with the money going to the hospital's Active Support Unit (ASU) appeal fund.

Contact Eleni Abrahams at Velindre on 029 2031 6211 for more details.

Cardiff MAS Carnival - July 29

Steph's belly dance students are joining the parade for the annual MAS Carnival in Cardiff Bay on Saturday 29 July.

This year's spectacular Caribbean-style masquerade parade will be a colourful tribute to festivities across the globe - so expect hundreds of costumed revellers depicting everything from Indian Meal to American Mardi Gras ... by way of Chinese New Year, Spanish Fiesta and even Glastonbury Festival goers!

The parade starts at 5pm at the Butetown Youth Pavilion in the Canal Path Park, arriving at Roald Dahl Plass (the Oval Basin) at 6.15pm, followed by music and entertainment into the night.

Come along and give Steph and co some support - see www.swica.co.uk for more details.

Juliana Marconato - belly dance from Brazil

One of Brazil's leading belly dancers can be seen performing in Cardiff over the next three weekends.

Juliana Marconato can be seen at Mezza Luna, a new Middle Eastern restaurant in City Road on Fridays and Saturdays - July 21/22, July 28/29 and August 4/5.

Her show includes sword, candelebra, candles, veil, cymbals and a lot of tabla. She designs and makes her own costumes, some of which will be for sale.

Juliana is also available for lessons - phone her on 029 2021 2845 or Mezza Luna on 029 2047 2771 for details.

She has a website at www.julianamarconato.com although it's all in Portuguese.

Thanks to Fiora for the info.

Bellydance holiday in Turkey

Steph wants to hear from anyone interested in joining a small group of belly dance enthusiasts on a dance/adventure holiday to the beautiful Bodrum peninsula in Turkey.




"The holiday will take place for a week from the 1st of October 2006, and I'm currently inviting dancers of any level to join me. This is a unique adventure holiday in rural Turkey - experience the real Turkey in dance, music, food and scenery.

"I'm hosting this holiday with Bulent Dogan, a renowned musician and dance tour operator - also a wonderful cook!

"You can find out more and see more photos of Bulent’s place at www.turkishbellydance.net."

The holiday includes:

Dance and Music Classes - with Steph and Bulent, chiftetelli, finger cymbals, Turkish belly dance and folk dancing. Also drumming workshops with Bulent and daily morning Pilates classes with Steph.

Beach Trips and Boat Trips - at least two long days on quiet, sandy beaches, and a further day sun bathing and swimming from a boat, all food/bar-be-que provided. The scenery here is STUNNING, the coves and bays you will be taken to are well away from the tourist hordes.

Cooking Classes - Watch, learn and make! Bulent’s mother kindly takes us shopping at the local market then transforms the produce into traditional Turkish cuisine.

Party with Villages - At least once during your stay there will be a village party, great fun with live music, food and dancing.

The cost of the holiday is £315 pounds per person sharing a double room. There will be a maximum 8 people per holiday.

The price includes all airport transfers and travel in Turkey; all accommodation (shared); all meals (there may be a day shopping in Bodrum where you will need to buy your own refreshments).

Flights from Cardiff need to be booked as soon as possible and cost approx £200 return in addition to the holiday price.

Steph urges anyone interested to get in touch with her as soon as possible - call her on 029 2023 1450 or email sgawnehamza @ yahoo.co.uk

Steph says thank you!

Message from Steph: "A big hello and thank you to everybody who came to my summer Hafla last Friday (June 30) at the Electricity Club in Pontcanna, Cardiff.

"It was a brilliant evening - some 200 dancers, friends and family attended. The variety and quality of the performances was stunning.

"There will be a New Year Hafla at the end of January 2007, details to follow."

John Sleiman was the star attraction, pictured above with Helen in the first photo, Steph in the second, and on the dancefloor in the third.

See www.stephaniebellydance.co.uk for more about Steph's classes and other activities.

Khaled's Egyptian Moonlight Tour - review

Sue Lloyd has sent this review of Khaled's show at the Coliseum, Aberdare, on Saturday 1 July...

"It was a hot and sultry night in Aberdare when the Egyptian Moonlight tour buses rolled into town. Those of us in the South Wales bellydance fraternity who had tickets were in for a real treat. Despite low numbers, Khaled was determined to bring his tour to Wales.

"And what a line up: Nour from Egypt, Sandra from Paris, Aida Noor from Egypt and the wonderful Tito, King of the sticks. Acting as compere for the evening, very dapper in his suits, was Yasser from Persia. And Khaled, naturally.

"How to put a pin between these performers? How to chose a favourite?

"Tito was most definitely amazing and entertaining along with being very skilful with not 1, 2 or 3 but 4 sticks! He was wonderful and everyone in the audience fell in love with him, I think. But what a showman…what a charmer. Those of you who were there I will just say one word - tassel!!!! That tassel of his had me mesmerised and when he stroked it……!!

"One of my friends, sitting in the front row, getting the full impact of his presence, turned to me and said … "Can I get pregnant from here??" such was his charm and masculine sexuality!!! And how clever he was to include the "bottom twitching" in such a sweet and beguiling manner without being offensive or over the mark in any way.

"The female dancers were stunningly graceful and yet skilful and you sat entranced by their every move. So different to the staged and polished performances by the Bellydance Superstars, here were AUTHENTIC dancers, who danced from their hearts and souls, who drew you in to the beauty of the dance.

"How beautiful was Nour? She really loves dancing - you can see it in her face. Sandra is a tiny person, but on stage was such a presence and she was accompanied by 4 gorgeous girls from her troupe in France, very lovely too. Aida’s reputation goes before her but she is such a good friend of Khaled's that she gave of her time to come over and support him in this, his first organised tour. Rarely do we have the chance to witness one of bellydance’s greatest modern icons. They all worked so hard, and wore really amazing costumes.

"Last but not least, Yasser treated us to a few brilliant Arabic songs. Anyone who has a limited knowledge of Arabic singing would have realised how much energy, skill, and emotion goes into the complicated songs so beloved in the Middle East. It was such a thrill so witness it first hand rather than listening to a CD.

"Khaled worked so hard, was responsible for some of the choreographies, in fact we were absolutely delighted when Sandra and her ladies performed the Meleya Lef which Khaled taught us in Tonteg not so long ago!

"All in all, a fantastic night and those of you who thought that maybe £20 was too much to pay for a piece of Egyptian magic, you were wrong and you missed an incredible, exciting and illuminating night. I think all the dancers went home with good feelings, and maybe some new moves to add to their repertoire.

"The only thing I can criticise was the lack of merchandising. I really think Khaled could have sold stuff, especially Yasser’s music, and that there was no opportunity for anyone to meet the dancers after the show (apart from myself and 2 other besotted individuals who found the backstage door!!!)"

Thanks to Sue for the review - feel free to add your comments via the button below or email reviews of other shows to andy @ arabesq.co.uk