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    The Experience of Theater Dance for Belly Dancers
    The Experience of Theater Dance for Belly Dancers
    The Experience of Theater Dance for Belly Dancers
    Ebook159 pages54 minutes

    The Experience of Theater Dance for Belly Dancers

    By Morwenna Assaf

    ()

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    About this ebook

    The Experience of Theater Dance  The Experience of Theater Dance for Middle Eastern Dance Studies *Belly Dance*
    The experience of dance in theaters for Middle Eastern dance studies. Learn the right things to know. A great study for ethnic dancers who want to perform in theaters and small stage productions.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMorwenna Assaf
    Release dateOct 23, 2014
    ISBN9781502295026
    The Experience of Theater Dance for Belly Dancers
    Author

    Morwenna Assaf

    Morwenna Assaf is the Dance Director for both Art/Dance Academy and CEDAR Productions. She has been a Middle Eastern (Belly Dancer) dancer, instructor and choreographer for almost 40 years. She studied in New York City with the late Ibrahim Farrah (her mentor and friend), the foremost proponent of the dance in the world. She continues to study to this day America’s top instructor of Egyptian dance. Plus she sponsors and studies the works of the Master Mr. Mahmoud Reda of Cairo, Egypt. She sponsors several seminars with known names per year. . Morwenna is a member of NDA, APPHERD, CAPHERD, CID-UNESCO and the National Association for Teacher Certification in Middle Eastern Dance - NATCMED. She has taken management courses and seminars with Rhee Gold of MA and  the Dance Studios Mastermind Group with Sam Beckford in Vancouver, BC. Has taken numerous courses in colleges and various private groups..  But her forte and that of the dance company is the Eastern Arabic (The Levant) countries, namely, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Palestine. She was inducted into the American Middle Eastern Hall of Fame in New York City in 1994 for her contributions, choreography and research in this art form. She was nominated Best Instructor 2001 by Zaghareet. She has written several books to further the studies of those interested in Middle Eastern Dance Studies. She has been on the staff of several dance magazines throughout the country. She has taught dance workshops for CAPHERD for the past 16 years in both Palm Springs and Riverside, CA. She has also taught for Amani in Lebanon in 2011with a request to return again. Every year or so, she does a teaching tour of New England. Plus Morwenna teaches in Mexico on a regular basis. She currently teaches her Elite Circle of dancers, regular students and is on the staff fro Mira Costa College. Research and writing are at the base of her learning curve at this time. She has completed several books for Middle Eastern Dance Training.

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      Book preview

      The Experience of Theater Dance for Belly Dancers - Morwenna Assaf

      THE EXPERIENCE

      OF

      THEATER DANCE

      FOR

      MIDDLE EASTERN

      DANCE STUDIES

      ©2013 by Morwenna Assaf

      Published and printed by

      1001Tales

      C*D*D*A*R Productions

      All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced in any way whatsoever, without permission, except in the case of brief quotations.

      ISBN: 978-1466398214

      DEDICATION PAGE

      This book is dedicated to the great master of Egyptian Dance. This person has been so helpful in my life, and trusted my judgment. Thank you!

      Mr. Mahmoud Reda

      The Pioneer of Middle Eastern Dance as we know it today.

      In order to create choreography you have to be good at delivering jokes so the punch line works

      Mahmoud Reda

      Why I Wrote This Book

      By Morwenna Assaf

      This book is written to help Middle Eastern dancers, performers and students be more informed and educated about their craft. After being in this business for almost 40 years I have noticed the bulk of Arabic dance teachers are not well informed about dance in general. Most have no dance training at all. My goal is to fill these gaps and help teachers, dancers and students of the dance to be more informed and therefor more professional. Most people just play at belly dancing. They are not true artists at all. This demeans the entire business. It lowers the standards and is why most other dance forms feel we are playing just a game. Education is the only way to overcome this.

      To be a professional dancer not only means you can dance. It means you are informed about all aspects of the dance and act accordingly. Just as to be able to teach there is so much more to know than just the moves. Performing and presenting shows is a whole discipline in itself. This book provides another side of the dance: To expose you to all aspects of producing shows. But in particular the way to present theater shows at a professionally, acceptable level. We will first expose you to the terminology used in theater production, in general, around the world. You need this terminology to be able to understand what is being asked of you or what things are called when you contact theater people. The second part is to show you to the tried and true ways of having a great theater show experience.

      How to read this book: Read it in its entirety.

      Keep this book close at hand for reference. Whenever an unfamiliar term crops up, you can check it out.

      1. How to read this book. Read it in its entirety.

      Keep this book close at hand for reference.

      Whenever an unfamiliar term crops up, you can check it out.

      2. Use each chapter as a reference tool. 

      3. Use to double check all your work.

      My goal is to educate you. The terminology is just the beginning, but is universal to all theater forms. It will allow you to be more informed and help you to better your craft. This is the 3rd book I have penned. The first is a book called Dance Terminology for Middle Eastern Dance Studies The other is actually twofold. They are How to Play Finger Cymbals Correctly and ZILLS-ZAGATS Teaching Syllabus. The next will be geared to those of you that want to hold better standards in your teaching.

      Keep the Culture in Arabic Dance

      Create Open Borders by being dance educated

      What This Book is About

      This book is written to inform you on how to basically approach the handling of a theater show. The first chapter and of most important is set up dictionary style. It lists the basic terminology of theater vocabulary that all dancers regardless of their style should be aware of, from A-Z.  Please understand this is not a complete vocabulary and certainly not Middle Eastern terminology. These basic terms are listed to help you have some knowledge before trying to pull off a theater production. It is not complete by any means. There are books on this subject that might lead you to research farther. This book is to get you moving in the right direction

      The balance of the book is to help guide you through the process of producing the best performance possible with the knowledge you have discovered. This list is by no means complete. Some I have saved for later books but they are equally important. I present them to you with gratitude and the knowing they have made an impact on my life and will on yours too. I wish you all the luck in the future. I give this book to you with my best wishes.

      The painting on cover was granted permission of use by the wonderful dance artist, extraordinaire, Elisabeth Clark of Boston. Other illustrations are of my own choosing.

      For a final word! Enjoy and use as a reference tool the rest of your career.

      Happy Dancing

      Morwenna Assaf

      Thank you to all my teachers and friends who through my entire life have taught me that dance is universal. To my husband Walid who has had enduring patience to see me through. Without him nothing would be possible. Thank you for standing beside me all these years.

      Habibi, I love you.

      Morwenna

      DISCLAIMER

      This book is designed to provide information about the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that we offer no guarantees as to the outcome. Dance of any kind is not an easy subject to accomplish. It takes years, if not a lifetime to complete. You must expect to invest a lot of time and effort without any guarantee of success. Dancers do not just dance.

      Every effort has been made to make this book as complete as possible. The purpose of this book is to give a lending hand in your education so you can entertain and perform. The author nor the publisher shall have any liability or responsibility to the outcome of studying this book.

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      Dedication Page ................................... 4

      Why This Book Was Written.................... 5

      What This Book Is About.........................7

      Disclaimer ............................................9

      Elisabeth Clark ...................................... 12

      A Word from Morwenna Assaf ...... ........ 12

      Biography of Morwenna Assaf ................. 13

      Biography of Walid Assaf ........... ..........  17

      The Pioneer of Egyptian Dance ............... 19

      Chapter 1.............................................. 21

      TERMNOLOGY

      Chapter 2 ............................................ 37

      THE DECISION TO PRODUCE

      Chapter 3 ............................................ 41

      SPECIFIC NEEDS FOR ETHNIC DANCE

      Chapter 4 ............................................ 49

      BEGINNING THE PROCESS

      Chapter 5 ............................................ 53

      GENERAL THEATER MANAGEMENT

      Chapter 6 ........................................... 64

      THEATER TECHNICAL INFLUENCES

      ON THE CHOREOGRAPHIC PROCESS

      Chapter 7 .......................................... 69

      ACTUAL PLANNING OF A PERFORMANCE

      Chapter 8 .......................................... 77

      DRESS REHEARSAL

      Chapter 9 ........................................ . 83

      PERFORMANCE

      Chapter 10 ......................................... 91

      THE FINISHING DETAILS

      Chapter 11 ......................................... 96

      SMALLER FACILITIES & STUDIO SHOWS

      Chapter 12 ....................................... 102

      THE BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SIDE

      Chapter 13 ....................................... 112

      PROGRAMMING & PROGRAMS

      Chapter 14 ........................................ 116

      BOX OFFICE & HOUSE MANAGEMENT

      Chapter 15 ........................................ 123

      PRESS RELATIONS

      Chapter 16 ....................................... 131

      PUBLICITY

      Wrap –Up ........................................ 137

      Ancient Theater Seating

      Elisabeth Clark
      Boston, MA
      The Artist Extraordinaire

      My pictures are my gift to a dance that has given me so much. My drawings and paintings are owned and appreciated internationally, in homes, studios, restaurants and meeting places, healing centers, therapists’ offices and meditation rooms. But my heart offers them first and foremost to those who have been, charmed, captivated and ultimately possessed by this exuberant, powerful sensual, womanly dance. Visit my website Art for the Belly Dancer www.ElisabethClark.com

      The Artist Extraordinaire Elisabeth Clark, MA

      Front cover original painting and given permission

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