SUMMER '10 NEWSLETTER

Merry Blueberries!
And Happy 10th Anniversary, Ghawazi Caravan.

Welcome to our SUMMER Newsletter. This year is the 10th anniversary of Devi starting Ghawazi Caravan and we are very excited and proud :) We hope everybody had a fantastic Christmas and wish all the very best for 2010. It is time now to put the Ferrero Rochers down and start the year with a bang!
Love all at Ghawazi Caravan Studios x

News...

Ghawazi Caravan hits double digits! To celebrate 10 years of Tribal Bellydance in the mountains, we would like to say THANK YOU to all our students, their families and friends who have supported us over the years, not to mention our many fans who always come to support our performances.
As part of our thank you to our loyal students, we would like to offer four free workshops throughout 2010. These exciting workshops will be available to all of our enrolled students. They will cover topics such as stage presence, finger cymbals, Indian folk dance and stage makeup. We'll let you know more info on them in class.
Later this year, we will be having a big celebration concert for all students of G.C. Studios to participate in... and have fun at! Details to come.

** Classes begin for 2010 Monday Feb 1st, 6.30 at the Hazelbrook Uniting Church Hall **

Oasis Magazine Issue 40 will feture Devi as the COVERGIRL. Meet the 'real Devi' in an article by senior writer Kerry Stewart featuring discussions about Devi's rise in the music and dance worlds, her opinions about ATS and Tribal Fusion, how she becomes inpired to create and plans for the future.
Her usual 'Tribal Corner' will be in there as well, this issue with an interview with Paulette Rees-Denis and an insight into 'Intertwine'. For subscriptions: www.bellydanceoasis.com

NEW CERTIFIED COURSE by Devi Mamak. 'Drills and Individual Critique. Levels 1,2,3 & 4'
This is a new and exciting certified course that we will be offering for 2010 in the Blue Mountains. This course would be great for people looking to really work on every little detail of their dance, as a pre-cursor to Carolena's General Skills Certificate and Teacher Training or after you have already sat for these and would like to brush up on technique.
There will be plenty of time for a complete break down of every ATS movement as well as zills, musicality and formations as taught by Carolena and as a bonus, Ghawazi Caravan's moves and combos which have been accepted into FatChance Bellydance's ATS format. We will spend time drilling each movement and Devi will personally give each person individual critique, suggestions and pointers. Because of the intense nature of this course, there will be a limit of 15 people per session and two Ghawazi teachers will need to be present at all times. One teacher for constant demonstration and drills, one teacher to offer support and individual attention to all participants.
The full course comprises of two sessions of three days each. First session is Level 1 and 2. Second session is level 3 and 4. At 5 to 6 hours per day, this would be way over 30 hours of instruction. It is not compulsory to sit for both sessions nor is it compulsory to sit for them consecutively.
At the end of each session, each participant will receive a written report on their strengths and weaknesses as well as things to work towards. A certificate will be handed to each participant at the end of each session.
First Session (Lvls 1 and 2): 19th, 20th and 21st of Feb 2010. With Devi Mamak and Cristie Fuller.
Second Session: (Lvls 3 and 4) 6, 7 and 8th of Aug 2010 With Devi Mamak and Cristie Fuller.
Devi is very excited about this new course and looks forward to sharing this with you all! Email: devimamak@ghawazicaravan.com

Bellydance Bubs - A Bellydance Journey through Pregnancy. The latest volume in Jrisi Jusakos's DVD series has been officially released. It is a dance/fitness workout designed for pre-natal and post-natal women and includes a bonus feature, "Mums the Word - Conversations with bellydance mums", real life stories shared by various Sydney dancers (including Devi Mamak) plus inspirational footage of performances by pregnant dancers, and much more! www.hathordancestudio.com.au/shop.html

Upcoming Public Events...

Monday 25th January - Ghaziya, our student troupe, perform for The United Indian Association 6.30pm 42 Campbell St, Parramatta. Contact Aruna 0410338900...... BTW, check out Ghaziya's Facebook page and become a fan!!

Friday 5th February '10: 'Mantra Night' - Club night at St James Hotel, Sydney, celebrating 'Oneness in Diversity'. $20 presold. DJs playing Funk, Bhangra, Bollywood, House and more.... and that 'more' will be Ghawazi Caravan. www.desiparties.com.au www.moshtix.com.au

26th - 28th February: Soul Dance Retreat - Hosted by Soulfire Dance Academy in the beautiful country town of Gympie, QLD. Teachers include Devi Mamak and Saahirah Rayvn (QLD) plus many more. There are a plethora of great workshops too numerous to list here but include Dance Movement/Core Strength, African Drumming, Stage Presence, Henna Art, Performing Professionally, Tribal Flamenco.... this list goes on. Check the website: www.soulfiredance.com.au Email: info@soulfiredance.com.au

Saturday 6th March '10: El Mirage in Woolongong- 'A patchwork of Tribal and Oriental dance' featuring Ghawazi Caravan and Hathor Dance Studio is back by popular demand, this time in Woolongong! Venue to be confirmed. Check www.ghawazicaravan.com or www.hathordancestudio.com.au or call Jrisi on 0409 243 764. See 'Recent Performances' below for description. Photo: Devi and Jrisi's fan duet by Steve Berry.

March '10: Workshops by Devi in Ararat, VIC, sponsored by Chris Fiscalini. Email: fiscalini.christine.a@edumail.vic.gov.au

Sunday 21st March '10: Tribal Bellydance Student Soiree - Hosted by Hilary Cinis and Sydney Tribal Bellydance, 2 - 4.30pm at 'Red Rattler' 6 Faversham St, Marrickville. Email: hilary@hilarycinis.com www.redrattler.org.

17th and 18th April '10: Workshops by Devi in Adelaide, sponsored by Acushla of Sacred Tribal sacredtribalbellydance.com Email: acushla@sacredtribalbellydance.com

30th April, 1st & 2nd May: Sydney Middle Eastern Dance Festival. One of the highlights of the Bellydancer's year! Devi and drummer extraordinaire Tarek Sawires will be presenting the workshop: Live Tribal Drum Solo. Ghawazi Caravan will be performing throughout the weekend (including a piece with the Intertwine musos at the Concert on Saturday night) as well as student troupes, Ghaziya and Ghawazi Girls. www.sydmedfest.com

12th &13th June '10: Workshops by Devi and April - Akoroa, NZ. ATS, Indian Classical and Indian Fusion workshops. Contact Margy: margyathome@clear.net.nz or Tracy: stu.tracey.miller@xtra.co.nz

Saturday, July 24, '10. Evernight 2... Where shadows are danced to life. (Hooly dooly). Hosted by UMBRA Theatrical Gothic Belly Dance of Desert Moon Dancers. Special International guest...dark fusion star "Sashi". With guest performances by Ma'isah, Saahirah Ravyn, Ghawazi Caravan and Arabiana and UMBRA. Contact Dani: 0417043307 or email: desertmoondancers@aapt.net.au desertmoondancers.bravehost.com

Recent Events...

The Footbeat Festival. 'Sacred Earth Spectacular' was the closing event of the Footbeat Festival on the 25th October 09. Wow, what an amazing, epic show put together and composed by Nigel Glassey featuring dance, movement, storytelling, circus performance plus amazing musicians and singers. Highlights were the 'twins' sequences wih gorgeous dancers Emily Cooper and Jill, the amazing background visuals by Illuminart (www.illuminart.com.au) and the Haka by the Theatre of Living Light amongst so many other highlights. Ghawazi performed the Sea Anemone in one piece and a veil/sword piece to a live opera singer.

Again, this past September 2009... Teacher Training and General Skills with Carolena Nerriccio, (artistic director of FCBD) and Megha Gavin in Katoomba (this time at the RSL... weoo we goin' up in the world).
A whole week of blood, sweat and tears... and that was just the teachers!
Not really... This was a wonderful group of highly skilled and friendly dancers to complete two sessions of General Skills and one session of Teacher Training. Check out Megha's 'Deviyani TV' youtube posts from Katoomba: www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9u1W6RwE0Y where they share the lurve of Katoomba, Devi and general politeness. and www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO9C0fkk5Zw&feature=related where they make us embarass ourselves. Those women know we will do anything they say, dammit.
Photo above: Some recent participants in General Skills and their teachers. L-R Kylie Andrews, Carolena Nericcio, Rachel Olson, Megha Gavin, Devi Mamak and Colleen Potts. Nice orange-and-black co-ordination, gals.

Rajasthani Khalbelia Dance workshop with April Erzetich in November... where fun and sore feet were had by all. From brand new to well experienced dancers, this hardy lot did 'flag flowers flags flowers flags flowers' till they couldn't 'flags flowers' no more. Bring on the gypsy!

Blue Mountains Belly Dance Christmas Party in late November. Thanks to Zhagareet for hosting a fun, relaxed and well catered party! Ghaziya looked professional and just so beautiful and strong, congrats of their first outing of the new zill dance. Cheers to Kelly and Fiona for their first performance with Ghaziya. Photo right: 'Ghaziya' - Fiona, Kelly, Kirsty, Rebecca, Cathie, Nina. Click on photo for fb album).
Ghawazi Caravan also had a veeeery new dance...'Sadats' (aka 'Oh Yeah'), choreo by April, utilizing some awesome North African steps, then some improv interspersed with a choreographed formation which was fun fun fun PLUS we felt cool in more ways than one with our new sexy yet folky cossies.
Opening the show were Ghawazi Girls who always rock the party... and continued to rock the party whenever there was free time to dance.

EL MIRAGE was presented on the 20th December 2009 at the Sidetrack Theatre, Marrickville. It was an amazing experience for all.... performers, co-presenters Jrisi and Devi and the audience alike. An exciting mixture of Tribal Bellydance by GC and Oriental by Hathor Dancers as well as a mash up...
Ghawazi learnt Jrisi's zill dance! Phew... it came together right at the end and it really was a challenge. We 'tribe-afied' it a little due to time constraints and how many dancers we had on the night, but it was great to hear the feedback from our fans (one who said it was a 'cool choreo and obviously different from what we normally do') and also from Oriental dancers (one who I heard say that we looked 'together and dynamic'). Dying to see the footage to see how we did!!! We also debuted Devi's new choreo 'Aladin' to Mosavo's Serpent's Garden that night.We did do a bit of improv too to Raquy and the Caveman's Caravan which gets hectic at the end! Hathor Dance Theatre learnt Devi's choreo to Nau Ashta by Beats Antique, choreographed for this show. It is the first slow piece in the company's repertoire! Watching from backstage, they looked so gorgeous, the dancer's gracefulness and elegance suited the choreo beautifully. Devi also choreographed 'Saptak' by Cheb i Sabbah for the Hathor dancers. SOO awesome! They wore yasmats and black and bling and had veils and swords and really got into it. Looked very exciting from backstage! Yikes... so much more to tell... especially Jrisi's opening number (too much cuteness!!) to Jrisi and Devi's fan veil duet etc etc etc. Apparently we are going to go on the road with it! Watch out for El Mirage in Woolongong in March... and to a town near you!!! (Talk to Devi or Jrisi if YOU want to make it to come to you!)
DVDs coming soon: www.hathordancestudio.com.au/shop.html or dvd@hathordancestudio.com.au
Top photo: Three guesses what choreo this is??! (Click to enlarge) Above right: Devi drawing it out in her solo. (Click photo to enlarge). Above left: Jrisi's mastery of props extends to babies!! Javier is an awesome performer just like his mummy. Photos by Steve Berry.
Left: Put on those photo faces, girls! (Click photos for fb album).

Banquet of Dreams: Ghawazi Caravan were glad to be asked to perform with the Intertwine musicians at the Hands Heart and Feet end of year show. April, Di, Devi and Cristie had a wow of a time improvising for an enthusiastic audience. Emily's dancers were just beautiful to watch, so full of energy and abandon and the story was riveting! Another successful Banquet of Dreams. Thank you, Emily and John! www.handsheartfeet.com

Into the future...

Creative musings, meetings and meditation regarding the next installment of 'The Intertwine Project' is afoot. Many fascinating ideas are being thrown around but conclusions have yet to be drawn. Stay tuned!

Apes is off to Pushkar, India, again this February. This time, along with further refining her skills in Odissi and Khalbelia gypsy dance, she has been asked to teach ATS at the Shakti School of Dance. Here's the web page about it: http://www.colleenashakti.com/?pg=News%20%26%20Events&sel=American%20Tribal%20Belly%20Dance
Go Ap-ril, go Ap-ril. Very excited to take more Khalbelia workshops with her when she returns in a few months.

Sunday 15th August 2010: 'Bliss' A night dedicated to the work of Omar Faruk Tekbilek presented by Shemiran Ibrahim. Performances by Shemiran, Ghawazi Caravan, Melusina and other special guests. Email: info@shemiranibrahim.com

11, 12, 13th September 2010: Tribal and Trance Festival - Ghawazi techers holding workshops will be Devi, April and Emily! More info coming at www.tribalandtrancefest.com

Quote of the season...

"The purpose of art is not a rarified, intellectual distillate - it is life, intensified, brilliant life"
- Alain Arias-Misson

"You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm." - Colette