The
Gilded Serpent presents
MORE Photos from
The Middle Eastern Music and Dance Camp
in Mendocino , California
August 17-24, 2003
The
Gilded Serpent staff was only able to visit the
camp on Thursday, one day of a weeklong marathon
of Middle Eastern music and dance. The camp itself
is held at the Mendocino Woodlands, located
4 hours north of San Francisco and 15 minutes inland
of the quaint town of Mendocino. Joshkun
Tamer, originally from Turkey, has been
running the camp for over a decade and has brought
quality teachers from all over the globe in to share
with students from beginning to professional skill
level. They do this not only through traditional
instruction, but also through casual jam sessions,
parties and spontaneous bursts of dance and song
occurring during all hours throughout the gorgeous
wooded setting. Many camp participants stay in the
4 person cabins at the Woodlands site. Others, may
choose to go more rustic and find a spot to pitch
a tent in busy “Yurt Square” (see photos.)
There are also more secluded spots along the dry
creek bed. Several buildings provide camp participants
with toilettes and showers. Camp life centers on
classes, concerts, cabaret shows and small parties.
These go almost 24 hours a day. The kitchen, staffed
partly by student campers, serves up meals three
times a day and some snacks in the wee hours for
hungry all night revelers. Every year the camp has
a unique flavor due to the teachers, the students
and the delightful musical mixing of so many cultures.
Thanks to Jawahare,
David Ludwig, Najia,
Salah,
Janine.
and
to Masouma, Maria,
Kylie for more help with names!
Please
let us
know the names of any faces that you recognize!
Thanks!
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A
yurt door and interior |
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| The
Fearless Leader!
Joshkin Tamer
is the organizer and producer.
Josh's office is a trailer that he backs up to a
picnic table.
Whether
it's helping a mixed up camper or helping clean
up dishes, Josh is there! |
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Haig
Manoukian's
Oud Class
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The
ensemble class was taught by Elias Lammam.
Betsy is playing the saxophone. |
Yair
Dalal taught Bedouin songs. |
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Mehrdad
teaching daf under the trees.
Maryam
pleases her mentor,
Necati Çelik |
Turkish
Maqum class taught by Joshkin's brother, Ergun
Tamer from Los Angeles |
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Salah
is proud of his wife, Maryam's,
blisters of dedication!
John Lennon on Let it Be:"I've
got blisters on my fingers!"
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| Dance
classes were held in the Dance Hall.
Classes were taught by Helene, Hassan,
Suzan Tebelik,
Amel, Neil, Robyn Friend,
Sahra
Kent, and Ansuya
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Teacher
Hassan poses with his students,
Carrie and Karen Barbee-Adkisson |
Dabke
dance class
with Hassan Harfouche, from Malibu,
California |
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The
Turkish Night Concert
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On stage were:
unknown Turk, Faruk, Necati, Halil, unknown
Turk, Dror, and Salah Takesh (not
shown) |
Who is this handsome drummer?
(one of the Erdemsel brothers,
as is the "unknown
Turk" to left- Janine)
Men's
Turkish folk dance from the Black Sea area. Per
Maouma, "The three guys doing the Turkish
dance are Vedat (wearing the black t-shirt--he's
also in the other dancin pic). Neil (Robyn Friend's
husband) in the
grey shirt, and I'm pretty sure that it's Ergun's
Tamer's back to the camera. I think that it's
Halil sitting on stage playing the tabla balady
(the large
drum), while Faruk is standing playing some sort
of wind instrument.
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Fashion
show participants
Linda Harmon, Aziz,
Suzan Tebelik, David Ludwig |
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Suzan
and Faruk Tebelik |
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| The
Food
Jim's
son, Nishan, Jim Karagozian,
Jim's wife, Rhonda, and others wait
in line for their turn at the chow. |
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Flipping
kefka burgers!
Malik, left and with Sallah
Ali above.
Sallah Ali is a violinist from Iraq (formerly
with the Iraqi Symphony Orchestra)
[Thanks to his new wife, Helene Erickson!]
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An
after dinner chat.
Elias Lammam with cigarette, unknown
woman, George Lammam talking with
Lee Ali and Burent.
yum!
Angus is in the white shirt, a
drummer from Utah or Oregon |
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?
dishing up his plate coached by ?
Many participants help work off their tuition in
the kitchen and elsewhere.
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Oud
duet or lesson?,
Haig Manoukian & Claud
(or is this Marc Cornelius, from
Saltanah- two votes for Marc!) |
Helene
with dancing fingers, Ling Shin behind
her, Robin Friend's husband, Neil Siegel,
on bag pipe, Michael
Beach, unknown tar player,and Robyn
Friend in beret |
Halil
Karaduman plays kanoun duet with Ergun
Tamer |
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Jammin'
found in every corner
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Necati
Çelik & Jim's family visiting |
Making
Connections |
Halil Karaduman
with cigarette, Jim Karagozian
with kanoun, & Salah
Takish, Burent behind the others |
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2 Ladies visit with Nancy &
Sahra. |
Salah Takesh, like many regulars,
helps with the flow. Here the flow gets directed
at each other, as Salah Takesh and Sean
challenge each other to a water dual! Sean is from
San Diego. His mother is a well known (but unknown
to us- help!) dancer. |
Is
she happy with her purchase?
Pete Jacobs and Daune Greene
from Saltanah
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The
Kids
Teen talk
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Stick
heaven,
Michel Harris (Lynette's son),
Avi Sinai (Dror's son) , &
Britt Beach (Michael 's son)
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Sean
demos a better use of a stick.
Where's the kid's class in Taktib? |
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lil'
beauty |
Friends
found under every mushroom!
Sophia & friend |
Michel,
Salah, &
unidentified teen grooms Sophia |
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Michel's
Portraits
Photo Journalist in Training, age 9 |
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See
you at camp next year!
If you know the names attached to these faces,
let us know! |
To see the
earlier pictures posted see-
10-13-03
The Middle Eastern
Music and Dance Camp in Mendocino by Yasmela
There
is nothing like immersing yourself in study and in the strange
and unique culture of the Middle Eastern music and dance “scene”.
Mendocino
Woodlands web site- http://www.mendocinowoodlands.org/
Joshkin's web site- http://www.middleeastcamp.com
Soon
to come-
More camp photos by David Ludwig
Report by Tahya on an East Coast ME music and dance camp.
 Have
a comment? Send us a
letter!
Check the "Letters to the Editor"
for other possible viewpoints!
Ready
for More?
more by Kalifa
11-6-03
Nour: A Biography by Ekaterina
This
dance, having its own rules, was like the flight of a soul, especially
for one who sees dance as art and not just personal exhibitionism.
11-6-03
Of Hamams and Bathing by Justine
Merrill
The
attendants giggle while dumping scalding hot water on the screaming,
howling clients.
10-31-03
Workshop in Perth,
Australia-Hossam & Serena Ramzy's International Tour August
8th - 12th, 2003 report by Ayesha
Hossam’s
presentation requires the student to listen – and I mean
LISTEN.
10-27-03
Dancing on Broadway in the ‘70s
by Kalifa
One
of my strangest experiences on Broadway involved getting a small
part in Carol Doda’s movie...
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