A brief recap on the first annual Folkloric Dance Show at Pennsic!

It was a lovely clear and warm evening at the Middle Eastern Tent... otherwise,.squeezing the audience, musicians & dancers under cover would have been squishy. We’re deeply thankful to Mihri for inviting us to use the Tent, since we had received no response on scheduling time in one of the public performing spaces. Thanks also go to Sadika al Masri for her assistance with the live music; and to my personal assistant Rajni of Orluk Oasis who helped in numerous athletic ways legging it around Pennsic; as well as Saahira of Isenfir.

We enjoyed the presentation of dances from the Middle East and Central Asia; in the future we hope to include even more diverse cultures from across the globe.

Dancers included Nesheli, in a Romani dance inspired by Artemis Mourat; Narah, who shared an Egyptian folkloric dance, Raks al Assaya; Nina Amaya danced in Turkish folkloric style to music performed by Dragon Song; Min el-Jbal el-Zarr’a played for a duet by Saahira and Kirsten; Mairead ny Mannin, with the Raven Raqs Beledi musicians from Thescorre, presented a Classical Persian Dance combining both court and country stylings; Pacita improvised a lovely performance to live music in when technical difficulties prevented us from using the music she’d prepared; and Damia al Kaheena bint al Waha from Orluk Oasis improvised an Algerian folk dance in the manner of the Oulid Nail of the Bou Saada region.

I thank you all for helping us present an enjoyable, entertaining, and educational dance show!

If you’d like to be included in updates on next year’s show please let me know (if I already have your email I’ll keep you updated unless you’d like to be removed). Please contact me (Atesh) directly, not here, at anthea at kawakib.com