Participation at a camp devoted to Middle Eastern music and dance with some of the most accomplished musicians in the eastern United States gave attendees a chance to revel in joyous celebration. The camaraderie of a camp - bunking with strangers who soon become friends, "breaking bread" together, learning new dance steps, songs, and drum rhythms - has all the ingredients for a treasured experience, and this camp lived up to that potential.
While conversing with some of the camp attendees, I asked if they were enjoying the camp as much as I was. Shibar, one participant, cited Faruk Tekbilek's zurna and ney class as one of the camp highlights.
Carl Miller, another camp participant, expressed his gratitude by stating that in addition to beginner drumming classes, a class for intermediate drummers was also offered, and "I appreciated the class actually was advanced."
My only regret was that the unseasonably cold weather dampened enthusiasm for the traditional nightly bonfire drum circles. So I will patiently wait until next year's camp for those events. Nevertheless, as my roommate Jessie Bassil said, "It was cold but we arose early every morning and danced late into the night every night. I would like to add that both of the evening programs were great! Cassandra was breathtaking and Artemis, as usual, was sparkling and beautiful." Another camp participant chimed in, "The band was hot hot hot!"
Among our international dance and music staff were representatives from the U.S. and several Middle Eastern countries, including several folks (staff and attendees) of Romany heritage.
I extend my heartfelt thanks to Tayyar and Artemis for all their hard work and meticulous attention to detail in organizing a most successful event. How do I measure its success? The joie de'vivre I observed among the nearly one hundred participants. Thanks to ALL the teaching staff, musicians, assistants, and fellow campers for a memorable experience that brought great joy to my heart/mind/soul. The
dates for next year's (2004) camp are May 28-31, Memorial
Day weekend, Have
a comment? Send us
a letter! Ready
for More? 11-23-03 Egypta,
a Revivification of Ancient Sacred Dance performed
by The Silk Road Dance Company 1-17-03 2nd
Annual San Leandro Festivalproduced by Tatseena photos by GS
staff 11-11-03 MORE
Photos from The Middle Eastern Music and Dance Camp in
Mendocino by GS staff and friends |
The
Gilded Serpent presents...
All
the dance classes - Egyptian Oriental with Cassandra,
Turkish Oriental with Artemis, Turkish Romany
with Tayyar, and Balkan folk dance with Steve
Kotansky - were filled to capacity. And the evening
parties offered everyone a chance to practice the new step(s)
they learned, accompanied by one of the finest musician ensembles
I have ever heard - Omar Faruk Tekbilek (Ney,
Zurna and Baglama), Yuri Yunakov (Saxophone), Tamer
Pinarbasi (Kanoun), Avram Pengas (Bouzouki), Haig
Manoukian (Oud), Souren Baronian (Clarinet
and Riqq (Tamborine), Hamit Golbasi (Ney,
Zurna), and Seido Salifoski (Doumbek), among
others. Eloise Miller stated, "These
were incredible musicians incredibly fired up!"
The
caring, supportive, engaging personae of event planners Artemis
and Tayyar attracted like-minded individuals, and despite a
record-breaking cold snap during the first two days, a warm
spirit permeated the camp. Rustic accommodations among the
pines at Ramblewood in the Susquehanna Valley of Maryland
gave the camp an 'earthy' ambiance, and our meals were abundant
with hot food. Ramblewood served these producers well for their
first attempt at offering an East Coast Middle Eastern Music
and Dance Camp. However, they will likely try for earlier accommodations
for the next event so that an unexpected cold snap doesn't
take anyone by surprise.
