There is very little I can do to open this column that will do appropriate justice to the weekend I recently experienced. Let's just instead start by saying-
"I would like to buy a vowel...because *O* My...!"
October 13-15, 2006 marked the most recent installment in the MEN of Middle Eastern Dance events. Yasmina Ramzy, owner and director of Arabesque Dance Academy in Toronto, Canada was bringing Tito from Egypt to teach & perform and graciously allowed a few of us to hijack her event with the moniker and presented Prince Andrew of Los Angeles, CA and myself (from San Diego, CA) as performers alongside performances by herself, her troupe, the amazing star Tito and many performers from North America.
Now that the dry stuff is out of the way, let me take this moment to personally command each and every one of you to, if the chance ever arises, take a workshop or experience a performance by Tito. Bottom line, you can stop reading now - words can't describe it. Oh wait...I should try - that's why Zaina pays me the big bucks, right?
Although I had heard Tito's name mentioned in chat rooms and videos online, I knew very little except by the snippets of performances I'd seen. Yasmina told me, "In the resort city of Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, I was consistently impressed with the high level of dancing quality in every restaurant and night club. Every time I commented, an Egyptian would reply, 'this is nothing, you have to see their teacher, the male Belly Dancer, Tito.' "
Powerfully entertaining performances, and style and wit to match, it is no wonder Tito is rapidly becoming an international favorite. Amazing to consider his command of English was, although stronger than my command of Arabic, not even close to being an issue in his workshops. His instruction technique is clear, precise and offers challenges to a variety of levels. I felt excited about the material to absorb, digest and work towards.
With many hours of workshops, and multiple performances, Tito would have put that annoying little bunny to shame with his going and going and going. Quads of steel, with deep knee bends and repeated held layers and levels marked his choreography style.
The workshops were attended by almost a 'who's who' of male middle eastern dancers including Valizan (Toronto), Haamid (Ann Arbor, MI), Prince Andrew (Los Angeles, CA), Viraj (Edmonton, Canada), Shiraz (Vancouver, BC) and Norman from Pittsburgh, PA, one of our SCA dancers.
The Saturday night show featured multiple performances by the star, including:
* Costume changes * Balancing a hookah
* Quad (!) Tahtib * Dancing on a tabla
<whew!>
Add in performances by Yasmina's troupes, including an exciting Port Said choreography featuring several men of her troupe, and other performances including Sahara Shimmer from Rochester, NY, Prince Andrew (Los Angeles, CA), Invoke-Tress Dance Co. (Fergus, Canada), Halawa (Guelph, Canada), Zahra's Dance Troupe (Ajax, Canada), Fringe Benefits (Chicago), Troupe Sharkiss (Montreal, Canada), Arabesque Dance Company & Orchestra (our hosts in Toronto, Canada) and yours truly, to a standing room only crowd and you have one of the most exciting events I've had the honor to be a part of!
Sunday night's event included musicians from Yasmina's band at their weekly Layali Arabesque. Yeah, it's in a funky neighborhood...yeah, it's a funky little hangout...but this band is not your local coffee shop hipster drum jam. Once again, I was honored to share the stage with Tito, Yasmina Ramzy and Prince Andrew, but this time to some of the most incredible live Arabic music I've had the pleasure to hear, let alone perform to.
Woof!
If you're ever in the locale of Toronto, go see these guys. Although we were treated to most of the full band on Saturday night, including incredible kanoun by Dr George Sawa and vocals by Najwa Tannus, Sunday night's show included oud and vocals by Bassam Bishara, tabla with Suleiman Warwar assisted by Sebastian Gatto and George Barbas and keyboards by Walid Najjar. What a treat! Tito with an impromptu performance in basically parachute pants, sweater and a hat proving once and for all: Excellent performance is excellent performance, regardless of costume!
Now, if I may indulge for just a moment, although I was in seventh heaven the entire weekend with workshops (melaya, oriental, tahtib, oh my!) and performances and the overwhelming excitement, one of the highlights was a gathering at Christina's in the Greek Town area of Toronto attended by the gang from Sahara Shimmer (Rochester, NY), Valizan, the gang from Pittsburgh...and oh my I will SO be busted because I forget everyone.
Think: ouzo and much dancing on tables and chairs. The owners would not even let us leave until we danced 'just one more song'. Gives new meaning to the expression, "Will Dance For Ouzo".
We WERE the entertainment that night!
Will Dance for Ouzo! Partying at Christina's in the Greek Town area of Toronto, Canada with dancers, patrons and other crazies.
Toronto as a destination offers a veritable smorgasbord of opportunities for fun, festivities and entertainment. Yasmina Ramzy with her Arabesque Dance Company and musicians are a serious highlight in that landscape. The MEN of Middle Eastern Dance event, although hijacked, serves as testament to the fact that not only men dance, Egyptian men dance, dance well, and can share it with the world.
Thank you to our hosts: Yasmina Ramzy for the patience, opportunity, and bringing Tito to North America, Sahara Shimmer for being the harbingers of the celebration, Valizan for his incredible skills as tour guide, Melody and Shems of Arabesque Dance for the guidance and hospitality and, although he may never see this column, to Tito - for inspiring not only the lives he touched with his performances, but the guys involved in learning, studying, researching and expressing Egyptian dance.
Our quads may never forgive you.
Jim Boz & lovelies from Sahara Shimmer (Rochester, NY) (www.saharashimmer.com). The harbingers of the party!
1-888-4-JIMBOZ, PO Box 15085, San Diego, CA 92175 www.JimBoz.com.
