Ya Raqs are looking for new members for the 2013 season and you could be what we are looking for.
We provide Egyptian and north African dance at re-enactment events and fundraisers throughout the UK and already have a number of events lined up for next year including the HUGE Roman Festival - This is DEVA 2013 - in Chester and a Medieval event in Northamptonshire which, if successful, will become an annual event.
If you have between 2 and 5 years of belly dance experience, love performing folkloric style and can set aside two Tuesday evenings and one Saturday a month for training and rehearsals then get in touch.
We will be organising auditions so if you are interested, or if you want to know more, then please contact Susie on yaraqs@hotmail.co.uk
Monday, 29 October 2012
Tuesday, 16 October 2012
JoY for the Ya Raqs Girls, posted by Meroe
We’re tired and we ache all over – but in a good way. Four of the Ya Raqs girls have been away to JoY (Jewel of Yorkshire) in Saltaire for a fantastic weekend of music and dance and shows and …….. and sticky toffee pudding!
Jewel of Yorkshire – for those of you who don’t know – is an amazing event that happens twice a year. Some fabulous dance teachers from all over the world descend on the Victoria Hall, Saltaire to provide some incredible dance tuition in virtually every style of Arabic/Middle Eastern/Belly dance you can think of.
Some of the girls from Ya Raqs were treated to workshops including Lebanese raqs sharqi with Farah Nasri, and some intense torso work that not only challenged the muscles we didn’t know we had, but exercised the brain too with Saqra. Saqra also taught us a thing or two about the Ghawazee style. And last, but by no means least some absolutely wonderful classes on baladi, dancing to the music of Omm Kulsoom and learning some of the dance moves made famous by legends such as Mona Saeed and Nagwa Fouad by the one and only Mayodi.
There was a open platform stage for participants of the festival to strut their funky stuff on Friday night – which was great – and on Saturday the teachers and guest dancers showed us all how it was done. All in all a fantastic weekend. In fact we enjoyed it so much we’ve booked up already for the April JoY!
And what about that reference to sticky toffee pudding, I hear you ask? Well, absolutely nothing to do with dancing at all, but at the café in Salts Mill they served the most scrumptious sticky toffee pudding that kept those all important sugar levels up – couldn’t have done all that dancing without it and we highly recommend it!
Jewel of Yorkshire – for those of you who don’t know – is an amazing event that happens twice a year. Some fabulous dance teachers from all over the world descend on the Victoria Hall, Saltaire to provide some incredible dance tuition in virtually every style of Arabic/Middle Eastern/Belly dance you can think of.
Some of the girls from Ya Raqs were treated to workshops including Lebanese raqs sharqi with Farah Nasri, and some intense torso work that not only challenged the muscles we didn’t know we had, but exercised the brain too with Saqra. Saqra also taught us a thing or two about the Ghawazee style. And last, but by no means least some absolutely wonderful classes on baladi, dancing to the music of Omm Kulsoom and learning some of the dance moves made famous by legends such as Mona Saeed and Nagwa Fouad by the one and only Mayodi.
 |
| Phoenece, Meroe, Kebi and Noor with Mayodi |
There was a open platform stage for participants of the festival to strut their funky stuff on Friday night – which was great – and on Saturday the teachers and guest dancers showed us all how it was done. All in all a fantastic weekend. In fact we enjoyed it so much we’ve booked up already for the April JoY!
And what about that reference to sticky toffee pudding, I hear you ask? Well, absolutely nothing to do with dancing at all, but at the café in Salts Mill they served the most scrumptious sticky toffee pudding that kept those all important sugar levels up – couldn’t have done all that dancing without it and we highly recommend it!
Shake, Shake, Shake Danum - St Leger Festival, posted by Meroe
The good people of Danum (Doncaster) welcomed the Romans and Ya Raqs dancers back on the weekend of 8th and 9th September for the St Leger Festival.
We had glorious sunshine on both days – yes you read correctly BOTH DAYS – a miracle. The gods were clearly smiling on us for this event.
Having set up our little “home from home” we were ready to provide music and dance. We performed two sets each day and ran mini-me workshops for the budding young talent in Danum. The mini-me dress up was overwhelmed again, and there was a steady flow of dancing talent willing to perform with us in the arena. This year they all got a special certificate as a keep sake.
We did children’s temporary tattoos, henna, dancing, dress up and to top off each day there was the gladiator show with more dancing from our gorgeous Gladiator Dancers.
The Ya Raqs girls let their hair down on the Saturday evening after the show by going along to the White Swan and a Rock and Roll evening. Meroe surprised all of them by not only knowing all the songs, but singing along to every single song bar one! Not very Roman, not very Egyptian, but great fun.
Sunday marked another very successful day with lots of people coming along to see the Romans and their camp followers. To round the whole weekend off there was a special impromptu performance by all of the re-enactors – Roman soldiers, Roman women and dancers - and even a few of the stewards, as Aisha got them all up and dancing to Shake, Shake, Shake Senora!
A wonderful event and a great way to round off our summer season. Thank you to everyone in Doncaster for a inviting us back to a wonderful event and also the Premier Inn for keeping us well fed and watered and for the nice comfy beds – beats camping!! Hope to see you all again next year.
We had glorious sunshine on both days – yes you read correctly BOTH DAYS – a miracle. The gods were clearly smiling on us for this event.
 |
| Our base for the weekend, in the sunshine |
Having set up our little “home from home” we were ready to provide music and dance. We performed two sets each day and ran mini-me workshops for the budding young talent in Danum. The mini-me dress up was overwhelmed again, and there was a steady flow of dancing talent willing to perform with us in the arena. This year they all got a special certificate as a keep sake.
We did children’s temporary tattoos, henna, dancing, dress up and to top off each day there was the gladiator show with more dancing from our gorgeous Gladiator Dancers.
 |
| Tameri and Phoenece in their Gladiator Dance costumes |
The Ya Raqs girls let their hair down on the Saturday evening after the show by going along to the White Swan and a Rock and Roll evening. Meroe surprised all of them by not only knowing all the songs, but singing along to every single song bar one! Not very Roman, not very Egyptian, but great fun.
Sunday marked another very successful day with lots of people coming along to see the Romans and their camp followers. To round the whole weekend off there was a special impromptu performance by all of the re-enactors – Roman soldiers, Roman women and dancers - and even a few of the stewards, as Aisha got them all up and dancing to Shake, Shake, Shake Senora!
A wonderful event and a great way to round off our summer season. Thank you to everyone in Doncaster for a inviting us back to a wonderful event and also the Premier Inn for keeping us well fed and watered and for the nice comfy beds – beats camping!! Hope to see you all again next year.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
