Belly Dancing for Easter!

Online, April 7, 2014 (Newswire.com) - Zahra Zuhair, a classic master belly dance instructor and choreographer, will be joining us in Indianapolis the weekend of Easter for a workshop weekend and gala show! Dancing since the early 70s, Zahra has traveled all through the Middle East over the years to train and learn from real-deal belly dancers. She has a grasp of history and knowledge of movement unlike any other belly dancer available today.

When many people hear "belly dance" (especially in my part of the country), their minds automatically go to this image of a thin woman clad in a 2-piece costume undulating to entice and seduce. But this simply isn't true, it's so much more than that. In a city that reveres its sports so much, one would think they'd appreciate the talent, skill, strength and flexibility it takes to belly dance. However, belly dance, especially near the Bible Belt, is a difficult thing for people to see, perceive and understand as art. The controversy comes solely from the belly being exposed in public view. But one should also consider the ladies on "So You Think You Can Dance," "Dancing with the Stars" and the Rockettes - they all wear FAR less than your average belly dancer and do moves that carry far deeper connotations than a belly dancer.

The workshop weekend, especially the gala show is on Easter. But it's a different thing to do for the weekend and it can really enrich art and culture. With all the negativity and pressure and focus with and on the government, war, taxes and health care, why not give your listeners a breath of fresh air?

Friday, April 18, 2014 (6-9pm): The Heart & Soul of Belly Dance - the basics and history of belly dance delivered with the grace, beauty, knowledge and skill of Zahra. Oriental movement comes form within. This class focuses on Egyptian technique, starting from the root of the movement, internally. Discover new landscapes in movement from an organic approach. This is an excellent primer for beginners as well as a way for more seasoned dancers to increase their repertoire with exciting combinations, tantalizing hips and luscious layers, at the same time developing a more powerful presence, style and grace.

Saturday, April 19, 2014 (12-3pm): Muwashahat Choreography - Muwashahat is the plural of the name Muwashah, a poetic musical form that originated in Muslim Spain during the 10th century. It is believed that the name muwashaha, is in reference to the Wishah a (sash) that women wore in Andalusia. The lyrics of the muwashashah expresses the poet's own thoughts of love, joy and sorrow. In this workshop, we will learn how to dance to 10/8 rhythm and learn a beautiful Andalusian style choreography.

Sunday, April 20, 2014 (3:30pm - ?): Gala Show @ The Atheneaum - 401 E. Michigan St., Indianapolis, IN 46204. We'll be presenting all willing workshop attendees, featuring Zahra Zuhair as the headliner.

Please visit the following link for more information:
http://hipsfromhell.com/events/workshops/zahra-zuhair/

ps - any assistance you can give in helping me to get the word out about this workshop weekend and gala show would be greatly appreciated as I'm funding this thing completely out of my own pocket and with the Indianapolis general public not really "in-the-know" about art and what art is, putting on this event is becoming more and more frustrating. Being an artist in this city isn't necessarily a highly profitable pursuit. I seriously require some help with this matter. I've contacted several news outlets in the area with no response to no avail. Thank you for your time :D