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STUDIO NEWS:
Oasis Dance Camp Habiba will be teaching at all 4 of Oasis Dance Camps this year!! Beginning in 1985 and now offering camps throughout the U.S., Oasis is the longest running residential dance camp in the United States dedicated to the art of Oriental Dance and dances of the Middle East and Arab world. Based on the teaching of internationally acclaimed dance artist, Cassandra, artistic director of the Jawaahir Dance Company of Minneapolis, Oasis features percussionist Nicole LeCorgne, and special guest artists each year. This is Habiba's 3rd time teaching at Oasis. She will be teaching Tunisian dance. www.oasisdancecamp.com
2008 Student Showcase
Habiba and Habiba Dance Ensemble Nominated for Award! |
For the past twenty years Habiba has trained dancers in Middle Eastern
movement techniques and cultural traditions at her Philadelphia studio. She is a
leading researcher of the dances of Egypt and Tunisia and teaches
contemporary styles as well as the traditional folkloric dances that have
been performed and passed down for many years.
The Habiba Studio has a regular schedule of classes personally taught by
Habiba and welcomes students of all levels from beginner through advanced
and professional.
An acclaimed performer and accomplished choreographer, Habiba also offers a variety of dance workshops and lecture/demonstrations on the cultural context of Middle Eastern dance.
Habiba performs regularly in the Philadelphia
area and the studio schedules a number of special dance events throughout
the year. For upcoming events and performances click
here.
Raqs Sharqi
Belly Dance: the Oldest Dance
The solo interpretive dance that Americans popularly
call "belly dance" is actually called raqs al sharqi in
the Middle East. It means "Eastern dance." It is one of the oldest
documented dance forms and can be traced back to ancient Egypt. It has a
long history as a dance done by professional entertainers at weddings and
celebrations of all kinds, but it also has a long history as a social dance
that everyone knows as soon as they are old enough to stand. It is simply
the way everyone dances throughout many countries of the Middle East. While
the elements of western dance include moving about the floor and leaping,
raqs al sharqi features very little movement about the floor and
an earthbound quality. The dancer interprets the music through movements
of the torso, hips and arms.
Habiba Dance Ensemble Links DVDs
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