My Blog
NOORA DANCING AT THE GRISLY PEAR
JANUARY 18THEnjoy live music by Scott Wilson with great guest musicians and dancing by Noora, Najla Nikol and Leiley. Starts at 8:00pm-10:00pm The Grisly Pear Bar/Restaurant 107 MacDougal St. (between Bleecker and W.3rd) $20 minimum at tables.
THE MAGIC OF IMPROV WORKSHOPS 2008
THE DRUM SOLO IN YOUBe ready to uncover the drum solo in you! Totally improvisational, sensuous, precise, dramatic, dimensional, fun and totally you! This workshop will focus on listening to music and understanding the subtleties, nuances and complexities while adding dimension and drama to your drum solo. You will learn techniques to avoid blocks, becoming frantic or too busy and more.
Noora has a very rich history improvising with some of the best drummers around like Gamal Gomaa, Gamal Shafik and Amir Naoum Chehade to name a few. Her instinctive feel for percussion and her Latin background make her a natural for the drum solo. Come explore the interpretation of rhythms and let it flow naturally from you. We will be using a variety of drum solo music for this workshop.
Date: Sunday September 7, 2008
Location: 440 Studios
Time: 2:00pm – 5:00pm
Cost: $45 adv/ $55 at the door
Please register for this workshop and include your name and phone number by sending your payment to angela@decotach via paypal or cash before the workshop.
Noora and Students dance
Breaking in a new place to dance in NYC. See flyer for details. Don't forget the Fashion Show Feb 25th at the Taj. Look forward to seeing your smiling faces.
DECOTACH BELLY DANCE FASHION SHOW 2008
Noora aka designer of Decotach bellydance fashion to model at the show as well. Show is free. See details below:EGYPTIAN/GREEK CHOREOGRAPHY & TECHNIQUE WORKSHOP WITH NOORA AT BOZENKA'S BELLYDANCE ACADEMY
Noora has had the great opportunity to hone her skills as an improvisational dancer working with Arabic/Egyptian as well as Greek & Turkish musicians for over 20 years and creating choreographies during the famous “Elegant Egyptian Era”.Miami Beach, Fla: Friday, February 22, 2008 6-9PM Noora will teach at Bozenka's Belly Dance Academy $50 in advance $60 day of workshop. This workshop will focus on an interesting and lively blend of Egyptian with Greek choreography using music that is an engaging combination of both countries. Special emphasis will be placed on body alignment, breath work and clarity of step (execution of steps) throughout the workshop. Bring your veils!
Noora is also the creative force and founder of the innovative and versatile line of bellydance costumes and accessories Decotach see: tribes.tribe.net/m/decotach.
DANCE CLASS PROGRAM
The Saturday class has been postponed, but will resume in the near future as a 6 week course.Emphasis will be on technique, body alignment and breath work mostly, as well as some improv and choreography depending on the level of the students.
Registration is required see www.decotach.com
Thank you,
Noora
$16.00 /class
5 class card $75
Temple of Jehan, located in Queens
39-33 47th Street
Sunnyside Queens, NY 11104
(718) 729-4187
Nearest subway: #7 local to 46th St (and Queens Blvd),
then walk 2 1/2 blocks north
Teaching & Coaching
For some of the new crop of dancers and perhaps previous generations as well, I have not been as visible as an instructor.Although my main focus for over a 20 year period had been dance, dance, dance, traveling as a dancer and learning from masters as Bobby Farrah & Serena. I had taught sporadically here in NY and at the Middle Eastern Dance Exchange in Florida.
I have to say that I was alway content with the dancing and the traveling that when people asked me to teach I would just refer them to one of my contemporaries. Then I decided I would leave belly dance altogether and left it for 6 years, not planning to return!
But once in your blood, always in your blood and so there I was again beguiled by the music, the sparkles and beads...and the dance.
I returned to belly dancing through another door, this time as a costume designer (www.decotach.com), However, I also started performing in a limited fashion again; and again I got requests to teach, this time I acquiesced.
What do I teach? I teach the fundamentals and then polish them. I focus on the polishing, what I call the clarity of steps, the correct excution of steps, the breath, the flow, the drama and passion of the dance. That's why I like the role of a coach, because I like to fine tune the instrument. I teach choreography, Arabic, Turkish, Greek, but I focus heavily on improv because I believe this dance is deeply rooted in improv. Read more on this at: www.decotach.com/Improv-Workshop.htm
Currently I teach privates and semi privates in Astoria, NY. A formal weekly class may start in September, but that depends on several variables and I will be giving another Magic of Improv workshop coming soon, I'll keep you posted on all this.
Finally, I am grateful to be back in the community and for the support from all those that have crossed my path. I look forward to many new relationships as teacher, coach, dancer, costume designer and friend.