Review of the
Mediterranean Fantasy Festival 2009

As Written by Nizana

“Medfest,” as it’s affectionately known, was in it’s 22nd year in Seattle this July 18-19th.  This two day outdoor festival has grown so big that it’s now also held simultaneously indoors, running two concurrent stages. The Babylonian Ensemble (aka the “Babs“) have continued to sponsor this wonderful event they took over where Fantasia left off. 

2009 MEDFEST OUTDOOR STAGE

There is usually a workshop sponsor associated with the festival, and this year, MEAI (Middle East Arts International) of Seattle sponsored the fabulous Aziza of Montreal (and also the Pacific Northwest!) It was great to have her back. Her workshops started on the Thursday and Friday nights preceding the festival, as well as the mornings of both days of the festival. Additionally, she conducted privates, and danced to live bands (H.O.T. and MB Orchestra) on Friday and Sat nights. Delilah also danced Friday, and Elisa Gamal also danced on Saturday. It was a really full event just with Aziza‘s happenings! I took her Friday night workshop and loved it. I had taken a workshop with her before and knew it was worth my while to take at least one this time. I heard good feedback about the other workshops as well. I heard the live shows were hot, too!  Her live Saturday afternoon festival performance was exciting and energetic and fun and she threw in a combo or two from the workshop I took. She is a beautiful dancer, and a joy to watch and study with.      

From Saturday morning until 8 pm Sat night, and then again all day Sunday till 6:30, the festival had an array of vendors that covered just about everything. MEAI ran a booth, which I volunteered to run a block of time for was selling Aziza’s items among other things, and posted information about their upcoming Seattle September event with Sahra Saeeda!! Of course I got my annual summer ankle henna tattoo from Aleedra, bought a pretty hip scarf I can wear with a number of different things and a yummy lunch of chicken kabobs with hummus and pita bread.   There’s about 50 vendors or so each year, and there’s jewelry, tarot reading, massage, full costumes, accessories, summer dresses, live photo shoot and so much more. I just love this event; I think it’s one of, if not the biggest festival in the Northwest? I’ve been coming for almost as many years as they’ve had it….

This year there were a couple of glitches; there is always a parade in competition with the festival on Saturday, but this year it seemed worse. People couldn’t get to the festival until late (or not at all) due to roads being shut down, parking being eliminated and the extra influx of people. They were towing and ticketing, which was really unfortunate since they limited parking so much to begin with. The other thing was that the Babs always provide a great program, and this year a snafu left last year’s lineup in this year’s program, so they were trying hard to rectify that with inserts. They have so much going on to this sponsor this event, and do a wonderful job on this festival and all their work is so very appreciated!

           MedFest Workshop Instructor "Aziza"

There were dancers of all levels- soloists, duets, and troupes of small, medium and large numbers. There were some new costuming ideas, and a variety of styles of dances; I noticed many alternative styles and not so many folkloric styles. There were young dancers; I know of at least one six year old and one eight year old, and there were ladies nearing 80. I saw a lot of familiar faces, and missed a few familiar faces, too, that I always loved seeing at the festival. There were students and professionals and everything in between on stage, and I didn’t get to see everyone perform I would’ve had liked to have seen.  Most of the dancers are from all over WA state, but there were also dancers from Oregon and California and possibly elsewhere. It’s quite a draw.

I had a really good time performing, (and bless the woman who came after me to tell me she enjoyed my performance!!) getting to see dance friends, shopping the vendors and catching some rays as the weather was fabulous.  A big hug and thank you to the Babs and their crew of volunteers!!!