Workshops with Maho Beaumont

Check out our new page Maho Beaumont Workshop.  Ashnah are hosting an afternoon of workshops with Maho on Saturday 9th June at Saturn Fitness & Wellness Studios in Abingdon, Oxon.  Don't miss this opportunity to learn from one of the top UK FCBD® ATS® teachers/dancers.  Only a few places left, so book now before they're all gone!!

Check out Maho's website here:

http://www.mahotribalbellydance.com/

Oxford Folk Festival

Ashnah - Sundara - Nirzari

We're still buzzing from our outing on Saturday!  It was a gloriously sunny day and our Supertroupe’s (group temporary name) first outdoor event (Ashnah / Nirzari / Sundara) with the lovely Oxford Drum Troupe.  Colours galore, infectious beats and everything happy and vibrant.

Our two allocated spots were at The Castle where we even ended up being invited to join the Gloucestershire Morris dancers! (hysterical).

Oxford Drum Troupe

We also made so much noise the organisers approached us (and of course we said yes) to be the warm-up act ahead of the Maypole workshop - and then of course simply had to join in the Maypole dance!!!.

Maypole dancing

Ahead of our second slot on Gloucester Green, we worked our magic on Bonn Square and ended our day dancing in The Far From the Madding Crowd pub which was awash with Irish musicians and foot stomping rhythms – brilliant all around!

ATS® dancers, African drummers, Morris men ..... and a horse!!

Snapshot of our fabulous day!

Swindon Shimmyers hafla

I couldn’t wait for this hafla!  Hosted by the lovely Sue Dickinson, and falling on the first weekend of Spring, we’d assembled for the mother of all our collaborations yet; Ashnah were sharing the platform with Nirzari and Sundara and Devi, the Sundara student group who were showcasing for the first time!  As you can imagine, the sight of 13 women taking to the stage amid swirling and colourful skirts and zaghreets aplenty was a sight (and sound) to behold!  Fab contributions from everyone and the experience is definitely one to be repeated!!  The hafla itself was a nice balance of ATS®, cabaret, and fusion dance and the evening was rounded off by the one and only king Elvis who was resurrected specifically for us!

 I was all shook up, a huh-huh, in the nicest possible way!!

Video here

Majma - Glastonbury

I say gals ... look Stonehenge!!  Isn't it small ...

Ecclectic dance festival hosted by Raheesha and her Desert Divas where dancers and musicians descend on the mystic land of Glastonbury for a weekend of merriment.  My own outstanding memory is Khaled bringing the house down on Saturday night – totally exhilarating!  Then there were my teachers from the brilliant Khaled, to the keenly awaited Meena Gorgese (Lebanese blood don’t you know!!) to my lovely Philippa Moirai who led us into the Dynamic Duets workshop.  Much shopping was had (yay), too much money spent (sniff), much food and drink enjoyed (yum) and of course much strutting of dance (lalalalala) – roll on 2014!!

the children always sleep en-route

sampling the local brew

Swindon Saraswati Puja Cultural Show

Sundara, Nirzari and Ashnah

Om Shanti Om you-all!  I’m wishing you peace of mind, averting of pain, bliss, happiness, and generally all that is good!  The ATS® group collaboration made its first outing at this event at the invitation of Sundara via the Swindon Puja Committee on the occasion of the celebration of the festival of Saraswati (Goddess of Knowledge) Puja.

This gathering is a first in Swindon and at the instigation of the Bangladeshi Hindu community is also aimed at promoting inter-cultural and communal togetherness.  As for the group collaboration, we're made up of the ATS® groups of Nirzari, Sundara and Ashnah who all, on the night, strutted our stuff and acquitted ourselves rather well alongside a lovely cross-section of Bollywood and Classical Indian dancing.  We all then retired to the train (yes a train car!) to partake of lovely Asian grub and some rather yummy dessert (which name ahem... escapes me!). 

Kalash presents The 'F' Factor workshops with Phlippa Moirai

Workshop

Kelley Beeston of Kalash decided to kick-start 2013 by hosting a Philippa Moirai workshop day which of course was snapped up in no time at all!  The day was being rounded off with a hafla in aid of the worldwide One Billion Rising project with its aim to put an end to violence against women and girls.  All this was way too promising to forego so Ashnah with our Janet in tow signed up to it.  These gatherings are the perfect opportunity for the southern England ATS® sorority to catch up, and with the social marrying so perfectly with fluidity, formation, and floorwork sessions, we couldn’t go wrong and I’m sure I speak for all when I say we had a fantabulous time ;o)

Hafla

The hafla later on was rocking and showcased Turkish, Indian, cabaret (moi!!!) Tap, Flamenco and of course ATS®.  After the programme, everyone joined in the dancing and we all bumped and grinded ‘til the wee hours.  Stayed overnight and returned wonderfully spent and just a little achy!!

Smiley, happy dancers with Philippa Moirai and Kelley

The Arab Quarterly - Bellydance and Live Music Evening

Maho Beaumont

Allow me to introduce The Arab Quarterly as an evening of music and dancing to its own live Arabic Quarter Band set up in 2009 by both Melanie Norman, who has an established career teaching, choreographing and performing oriental dance, and Chalf Hassan, an international musician who brings with him a wealth of experience and great musicianship.  The location is the beautifully restored Islington Assembly Hall in London.  To that, I accompanied our lovely teacher Maho Beaumont and her invited troupe for that particular evening, Sundara’s Patsy Foulkes and Lucy Moss, along with Maho’s own student Sharon Vivers and Ashnah’s own Kay White.

l-r - Patsy, Sharon, Maho, Lucy, Kay

We found our way there quite easily and the ladies all disappeared backstage to re-emerge at the end of the show victorious and happy!  Maho’s had been the only ATS® tribal representation of the show and introduced classical music to its repertoire – genius and awesome!!!  Maho or Liquid Gold (as I’m calling her from now on) and ladies, you absolutely rocked that house – Also worthy of mention, is our most delectable Turkish restaurant where we rounded off our evening – yummy!!!!

taking a well deserved bow

Video here

report by Rita

Winter Wonderland Hafla 2013

Rita, Janet and Kay

.. otherwise known as the biggest party that never was due to snow which kept - wait for it - 60 people away!  However, although we were at reduced numbers, the spirit and energy were more than willing and some, who will remain nameless ;-)  made the most of the opportunity and performed an extra slot; well, waste not want not!!!  Well done to Nikki and her team who rallied together and kept good control over the programme.  We all got to keep nice and warm in the best possible way ..... namely dancing!!

Janet

Sundara Workshop

Fiona, Mel, Rita, Lulu, Angela, Shereen, Kay
Penny, Patsy, Lucy

First workshop of 2013 hosted by our neighbouring ATS® sister group Sundara.  We warmed up and stretched every which way ahead of the floor work which I know left us all buzzing - it was so nice to hook up with everyone.  Plenty of goodwill and support and a firm resolution to give gliding across the floor a real good try in 2013; we’re aiming to look like swans (I think!); brilliant and bring it on!!!

Kalash Oasis Workshop

Toucan evening out -Tiverton/Devon

Workshop ladies!!

Ah this weekend!!! Kalash’s lovely lead Kelley Beeston held her regular term workshop day and combined it with a night out at one of Tiverton’s local restaurants followed by a sleep-over at her barn.  It shouldn’t be at all difficult to imagine the energy generated by 25+ women hooking up for class (we were good, we were, I promise!!!), then making their way to logistically kick off the evening.  This included showering, deciding where to get dressed, finding the blessed holding (beautiful beautiful home), setting up sleeping areas for the night (Shereen of Nirzari and myself got to lay our weary heads on a proper bed ;o).  Before I forget a huge thank you to the wonderful Tim (Kelley’s son) for chauffeuring us on the night - some enjoying the ride in the caged in Landrover - brilliant!!!  Then we danced, and danced, and danced some more and ate and drank and buzzed, and some of us stayed up with Kelley until the wee hours .. oh Lord, it was b****y brilliant!!!!!  Very merry Christmas you-all and the best and better 2013!!

Rita & Kay

Philippa with Lucy from Sundara

Frock 'n' Roll

In-Spires - OMEDS tribal class

Frock ‘N’ Roll as the name suggests was a gathering at The Wesley Memorial Church in Oxford on Saturday 8th December to celebrate all things fashion including clothes, accessories, and of course well-being which was where OMEDS came in, to promote music and dance!  Under the umbrella of Fe-Line Women who promote a more relaxed and informal approach to networking per se, we held dance tasters and showcased the basic principles of ATS®.  It was certainly all relaxed and cozy with plenty of stalls of local independent small businesses.  There was a very popular pamper corner with manicure, make up and even hair styling. No doubt about it, when you look good, you feel good!! 

Merry Christmas to you all !!

Enjoy the video!!

(click here if you can't see it)

Oxford Middle Eastern Dance Society hafla

Ashnah with 'our' Janet

Proud mommas here!  We’re still buzzing from the Oxford Middle Eastern Dance Society (OMEDS) party of this past Friday where In-Spires (Kay’s tribal brood at OMEDS) acquitted themselves brilliantly on the night.  The girls who all looked the part had been nervous ahead of the number but it all went utterly swimmingly and we all had a thoroughly enjoyable time.

In-Spires - Jenny, Penny, Winnie, Christine, Lucy & Esme

Guest of Honour was the sassy Emma Chapman who ended up dancing on the chairs and bringing the roof down – go Emma!!  The rest of us mere mortals, local students and groups, contended ourselves with solid performances.  Along with bellydance solos and group numbers, there was also a strong and eclectic tribal presence represented by the lovely ladies from Sundara and Belly Raqs from Thame who dance Gypsy Caravan-style and yours truly, Ashnah, who danced with 'our Janet’!

In-Spires - Christine, Jenny & Winnie

Tribal Tea Party - London

Moirai Tribal & Hannah Mi

The FireWater Collective consisting of Hannah Mi and MoiraiTribal host this dance night and combine it with a fundraiser.  This month, the selected charity was TheKaruna Trust, a UK based Buddhist organization that focuses on education, health and cultural projects for poor people in India irrespective of religion.  The evening was tremendous and the hospitality so warm!  In a lovely informal setting, the evening’s programme was nicely eclectic, not too long and performed to a very receptive audience.  We made new friends and had a fab night!!

Oxford Christmas Light Night

Friday 23rd November - Ashnah were invited to this event laid on by Oxford City Council and shared the dance stage with a whole host of local dance groups.  The selection covered Street, Ballet/Lyrical, Salsa, Breakdancing, Jazz, Bellydancing and ATS® of course courtesy of yours truly.  My best bit was being announced by our MC Matt from Heart FM – I wake up to him and Michelle every morning!  The weather was clement, the audience very receptive – what else could we wish for?  Oh yes, a lovely polar bear leading the lantern procession – I smell Christmas!!!!

Brutal Belly Dance Halloween Hafla

Ashnah and Sundara Tribal

No amount of messing about was going to stop this hafla from going ahead and the new location at Burwell Hall may have been a bit more snug but it certainly generated a lot of heat!!!   Hosted by our indomitable Carrie - The Joker, the occasion brought forth all manner of fantastic and dark creatures, some more dramatic than others ... Alyah in her awesome cat suit, Xenia performing an awesome fusion dance, Suhana bellyancer showing her stick skills in her dance, (Ella Mentary) imported brilliantly intricate Day of the Dead make-up, the hilarious piggies ha (Nikki, Jackie etc), Sundara wowing the crowd with their beautiful mesmermising slow ATS® number while others like Kalika looked wonderfully glamourous in their original eye lace masks.

Basket Dance

Once again we performed our new basket dance (with Kay tossing out furry spiders from her basket to the audience), and our second dance was a collaboration with the lovely Sundara Tribal ladies, Patsy and Lucy, performing an improvised ATS® number ....... smooth Berber Walks ladies!  

It was an eclectic show and a very successful evening and yay to Dave Hutchings who allowed us all a glimpse into his musical talent.

Ashnah and Sundara Tribal

Basket Dance

World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

Loreley Rice's WWF fundraiser kicked off our local calendar at the Abingdon Guidhall, and belly and ATS® groups gathered from far and near (very near for some yay)!!  It was the perfect opportunity to combine a good cause to a nice evening, and of course to catch up with old friends.

Ashnah premiered their latest choreography - a basket dance, and also performed an improvised piece too with one of their students, Janet.