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Desert
Silk Dance Company
July
2004
Desert
Silk Dance Company
May 2004 Photo by Jeff Oberman
NEW!!! Nizana's Corner!
News
and Tidbits! PLUS! New Bonus section on the events page!
12/06 Happy Holidays! Desert Silk Dance Co celebrates the
season with their annual holiday get together and to do some planning
for the next year. Nizana will be heading off to Maui this month, and
has been lucky enough to set up some dancing fun and lessons while she
is there! Check out the events page, which is updated many times a
month. Merry Christmas to all!
11/06 Nizana, Anya and Tehfat Malak perform at the Spokane Fall
Folk Festival at SCC on Nov 4, followed by a workshop by Nizana with
assistance by Anya. This is an annual event for Nizana and Desert
Silk Dance Co. Nizana has submitted 2 more reviews to the Belly Dancer
Magazine for an upcoming issue, so keep an eye out! Happy Veteran's Day
and Thanksgiving to all!
10/06 Nizana teaches workshops in Moses Lake, both through
Parks and Rec, and following those, private workshops this month on the
7th, 14th, and 21st. Nizana has been published in this month's issue of
the Zaghareet (Belly Dance) Magazine! In addition, you will find two
articles she wrote for this quarter's issue of Belly Dancer
Magazine, of
which she is a regular staff writer. Nizana is teaching an Intro to
Belly Dance workshop at
the
Spokane Fall Folk Festival on Nov 4th at 2:30 in the Dance Room, 109E,
at Spokane Community College. Nizana and Anya, of Desert Silk Dance
Company, along
with Tehfat Malak, will also perform that day before the workshop (in
the same room) at 2
pm.
9/06 Nizana and the Desert Silk Dance Co are performing at 3:55
at the Spokane Co Fair on Sun, the 17th, on the Community Stage. This
is the last day of the fair, and Tehfat Malak will join them again for
one
dance. On the 22nd, Nizana heads to Vancouver, Wa for the Double Crown
competition as she will be a Judge. The
following weekend finds Nizana and Anya at the Hollywood Hafla in
Wenatchee, performing a brand new dance Nizana choreographed
just for the event. Contact Moses Lake Parks and Rec (509-766-9240, or
mlrec.com) to register for the Oct workshops Nizana is scheduled to
teach on the 7th, 14th and 21st. Registration is taking place now.
Nizana will be teaching a
workshop on Nov 4th at the Fall Folk Festival and Anya and Nizana will
perform.
(Times TBA.)
8/06 Nizana and Desert Silk (Duet) (Nizana and Anya) will be
performing at Center Stage in downtown Spokane with the Brothers of the
Baladi! Show time starts at 8 pm on Friday, Aug 18th, and this is a
good opportunity to experience live Middle Eastern music and dancing.
(spokanecenterstage.com) Nizana has scheduled 3 different Intro
workshops in Moses Lake in Oct
through Moses
Lake Parks and Rec; contact Nizana, or watch mlrec.com for details-
their brochure usually comes out the end of Sept. Check out the new
bonus
section at the end of the events listings, which is updated many times
a month.
7/06 This month finds Nizana and Desert Silk Dance Co at the
annual Seattle Medfest. DSDC performs a set, including a new
choreography they haven't performed yet on Sat, July 15th at 5:40.
Nizana performs a solo that same day on the second stage at 2:48 pm.
Nizana will be presenting a semi-private workshop in Moses Lake on July
8th, and plans to teach a fall workshop series there. Nizana's articles
are published each quarter in the Belly Dancer Magazine; this quarter
she focuses on event reviews. Next issue, watch for a special article
she wrote.....
6/06 Nizana started out the month with what has become an
annual event- a participatory presentation for Imagination Celebration
at Audubon School, accompanied by Tehfat Malak and Megan. The kids
loved the dumbek and zils, and especially the zaghareet! Later this
month, Nizana joins Troupe and Band du Soleil at the Tri-Cities
Renassaince Fair to play in the band. Catch event reviews by Nizana in
the new issue of Belly Dancer Magazine coming out soon!
5/06 Desert Silk has back to back performances in May. First,
they perform at the Powers Conference in Yakima on 5/12, where they
will perform one set, and then at the Spokane Eva Cernik event on May
20th, where they will perform a completely different set, in different
costumes. Nizana is also soloing live to the Scabland Band at the
Powers Conference on the 12th. Nizana is Evening Program Manager and
Back Up Emcee for the Spokane event. She is also the Stage Manager for
Powers,
and has been Stage Manager at Powers for going on three years now.
Nizana will be reviewing the Eva show and workshops (Eva is a fantastic
dancer and instructor; we are lucky to have her in Spokane) for the
Belly Dancer Magazine, for
which she is a staff writer. Nizana has announced a summer workshop
series for Moses Lake; contact Parks and Rec to register.
4/06 Nizana was featured in the Columbia Basin Herald
this month in an article and pictures regarding her interest in Belly
Dance and her instruction in Moses Lake. It turned out very nice!
Nizana will be doing an Intro to Belly Dance Presentation for a large
mother-daughter group in Moses Lake this month. Spring quarter is in
full swing with 16 students. Stay tuned for summer quarter instruction
information. Nizana and DSDC have been preparing for two upcoming May
events, after a busy March. Congrats to Magic City Costumes for their
grand opening in Wenatchee! See below for other relevant info about
Nizana and the Desert Silk Dance Company.
3/06 March finds Nizana and the Desert Silk Dance Co performing
and sponsoring a mini-hafla on 3/4 for Nizana's Moses Lake class to end
the quarter! The students have worked really hard, and have two
choreographies to perform for their families and friends. Then, DSDC
heads over to Seattle to see "Beyond the Orient," which they are really
looking forward to. Two weeks after that, they get even more
inspiration from Belly Dance Superstars in Spokane, and taking
Bozenka's workshop. Nizana starts
spring quarter classes in Moses Lake on March 18; registration is
taking place now-fall and winter sold out, so contact Parks and
Rec asap! Volunteers (free
show admission!) are needed for set up and take down at the Eva Cernik
event in Spokane on May 20th. Please contact Nizana if you are
interested. Look for another article
or two by Nizana in the new issue of Belly Dancer Magazine; Nizana is a
regular staff writer. (zainahart.com)
2/06 February finds DSDC rehearsing their five part Turkish
routine that Nizana choreographed for their upcoming performance in the
"Turkish Delight" event in May in Spokane. DSDC will join Nizana's
class in Moses Lake for a mini-hafla at the end of winter quarter. They
are planning on attending a show together in Seattle in March, and also
seeing Belly Dance Superstars in Spokane. They are also making plans
for the rest of the year as there are so many wonderful events to
attend! Don't forget the events page is updated multiple
times monthly; the home page monthly! the links page is updated
when I find time.... but it does have some great
links!!!!
1/06 Happy New Year! Nizana's winter quarter
classes begin Jan 7th in Moses Lake and has sold out again! Nizana will
also be teaching classes in Yakima; see above for details. Nizana
continues to present articles in Zaina's Belly Dancer Magazine (note:
Zaina is making some big changes and this quarter's issue will coincide
with Rakassah); is
assisting Nadiyah with the May Spokane Eva Cernik event as Evening
Program Manager, and is rehearsing with her Spokane troupe Desert Silk
Dance Co. They are scheduled to learn two new short routines Nizana has
just choreographed.
10/05 Nizana's Belly Dance
classes
start Oct 6, and registration is now closed for fall quarter, as the
class
is at full capacity!! Be sure to register for winter quarter as soon as
possible. Nizana will be performing a solo at the Kalia Restaurant on
Oct
9 in Lynnwood. She is also performing a solo at Taste of India in
Spokane on Oct 15th following the Aisha Ali lecture at Gonzaga. Nizana
and Desert Silk troupe members are finishing their new costumes and
polishing
their new routine for Sabah's upcoming Hollywood Hafla on Nov 5th. The
new routine is a beautiful number chorrographed by Nizana! The show
starts
at 7 at the Riverside Theater in Wenatchee, and Nizana will also
perform
as part of the duet "Fifi and Fatima Gamal," with the "Kairo
Kats."
9/05 Nizana just returned
from
a well deserved trip to Hawaii, where she had a fabulous time! She and
Desert Silk Dance Co perform at the Spokane Fair Sun the 18th at 1:45
on
the Community Stage. Nizana's fall Belly Dance class registration
is under way, with the first class starting the first Th of Oct.
(Chk for specific class dates for fall quarter with Moses Lake Parks
and
Rec, the web info and catalog are now out!)
8/05 Nizana is performing and teaching a workshop Aug 6 at the Spokane Belly Dance Festival, and is joining Troupe and Band du Soleil in Tri-Cities on the 27th for their mini-hafla. DSDC is working on finishing up their new costumes, and getting ready for upcoming fall performances.
7/05 Some of the DSDC
members
performed a set on Sat 7/15 at Medfest in Seattle at 8 pm. They got
great
reviews, including one audience member who said we were the best
dancers
she'd seen all day! Next month, Nizana teaches an Intro to Kashlama
workshop
in Spokane; registration is taking place now. Join Nizana for a fun
hour
of dance! Hope everyone is having a great summer! Nizana announces fall
classes in Moses Lake!!
6/05 Tehfat Malak joined Nizana in two class presentations at Audubon School in Spokane. Tehfat Malak is now an official DSDC troupe member. DSDC says aloha to Amasa who is moving to Hawaii. Nizana was part of Band du Soleil at Ren Fairre in Richland, playing dumbek, claves, and tambourine for Troupe du Soleil on 6/25-26.
5/05 Nizana had a great time performing a solo to live music by members of the Scabland Band and Tri-Cities Drum Circle at the Powers BD Conference, and handling Stage Manager duties. DSDC has started working on a new costume and routine, and will be performing two routines at Zaina- Ameera's wedding reception on the 28th, and will be joined by Zaina-Ameera and Perizad for this set. DSDC would like to welcome Khalisah to the troupe!!
4/05 This month finds Nizana, Anya and Amirah headed to Saqra's Showcase in the Portland area to take workshops, support the dancers, and shop the vendors. DSDC wishes the best to Perizad, who is taking a performing sabbatical, and Zaina-Ameera who has moved her wedding date up from Sept to May, as her fiance accepted a job on the coast and they will be moving there shortly after the wedding. Catch DSDC opening the EWU World Party at 2pm on April 30th!
3/05 Here's to Spring! Catch the troupe at the Spokane St. Patty's Day parade in the Belly Dance Mobile at noon on 3/12! Troupe members have been busy taking classes and attending shows. Nizana just got back from San Diego where she attended (and reviewed, check upcoming Belly Dance Magazine issue) a show in San Marcos with Dondi and John Bilezikjian!
2/05 Happy Valentine's Day! DSDC has added a new tambourine dance to their reportoir that Nizana recently choreographed. The troupe loved their night out to see the Belly Dance Superstars tour in Spokane. Very inspiring!
1/05 Happy New Year! DSDC looks forward to another busy year, after a well earned rest in December! We logged a lot of performances in 2004! Wishing everyone the best in 2005!
12/04 Nizana & Desert Silk Dance Company wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!!!!
11/04 Check out the DSDC at the Folk Festival in Spokane, where Nizana will perform a solo, (11:30 am); as well as teach a workshop at 1:30 pm in the same room. DSDC will also perform at Gonzaga Univ as part of Amirah's Doctorate's Level Leadership through Arts class on Veteran's Day.
10/04 See below to get a PNW Belly Dance Calendar that Desert Silk Dance Co is in! Some of the DSDC members will perform at Halloween Hafla in Wenatchee, which will include another new routine choreographed by Nizana! Nizana will perform a solo there, as well as at the Spokane show w/Dahlena 10/16. DSDC welcomes new troupe member, Heather!
9/04 Congratulations are in order for Nizana and her troupe, the DESERT SILK DANCE COMPANY, as they were selected as the "Dancer(s)" of the month of August in the first Emerald Rain Pacific Northwest Belly Dance Calendar, with proceeds benefitting their Competition in March, 2005. On sale now, through Emerald Rain! http://www.emeraldrain.net/calendar.html7/04 Desert Silk Dance Company is super busy in July, and wishes to welcome new troupe member, Anya! Joining them on stage for the Neighbor Days Performance for the finale number is Special Guest, Tehfat Malak (Precious Angel.) Nizana has been busy choreographing and teaching the troupe new routines, and they're doing a great job! Check us out at local or regional events, with more dates to be listed soon!
6/04 Nizana's spring classes did exceptionally well this quarter and will celebrate with a class party! Nizana will be teaching an Intro to Veil Workshop June 12th. Nizana is a contributing writer to Belly Dancer Magazine, and she is now listed in the Staff Bios page on the website! check out zainahart.com
5/04 Nizana just "graduated" from "Teaching Intermediate Belly Dance" "School with Alwiyah", and is now a Certified Intermediate, as well as Certified Beginning Belly Dance Instructor!! ! Nizana, Desert Silk Dance Company and Troupe du Soleil performed at the EWU Annual World Party, did a great job, and had a wonderful time! Nizana, Desert Silk Dance Company, Ravisha & Djimmah Karena performed with the Brothers of the Baladi!! Desert Silk Dance Company members Nizana, Perizad, Zahra, Zaiina, & Amirah welcome new troupe member, Amasa!
4/04 Nizana, Desert Silk Dance Company, Djimmah Karena and Ravisha join Brothers of the Baladi from Portland for a Middle Eastern/World Music Party at the Big Easy on May 6 at 8pm! Tickets available at all Ticketwest Outlets and are only $10! / www.Ticketswest.com / or call 509-325-SEAT. Both of Nizana's spring Belly Dance classes sold out!
3/04 Nizana's spring belly dance classes through Spokane Community Colleges IEL are scheduled for next month. The first class is full, and the second one only has a few spots left, so sign up quick before this one fills, too!
2/04 Nizana & Djimmah Karena took second place in the Troupe/Duet Category at the Emerald Rain Belly Dance Competetion on 2/7 in Everett!!! Desert Silk Dance Company debuted in Spokane on 2/25, and were well received! Great job!
1/04 Nizana is proud to announce the formation of her new troupe, Desert Silk Dance Company!! Nizana is the Director of this new Spokane area dance troupe, and is looking forward to dancing with this group of dancers at local and regional events! Nizana has also been published in this quarter's edition of Belly Dancer Magazine with a DVD review!! NEW LINK! Nizana has added Zaina's website to her links page.
Congratulations to Djimmah Karena and her new troupe, Troupe du Soleil, for a successful dinner show in Kennewick on 12/11! The troupe debuted with a variety of dances, and featured special guests, Nizana, and Shenteela.
Happy New Year!! In Iran, the Persian New Year (No Ruz) is celebrated on March 21.
ABOUT NIZANA:
Nizana
has been studying Middle Eastern dance, and dancing for several years.
She started studying with Azura of Spokane, took a workshop from Tahia
Ali Beck,
and
then started studying with A'isha Azar. Since then, she has taken
workshops or classes from a huge number of regional, national, and
international
instructors who have inspired her. Those instructors include
Nagwa Fouad, Mona El Said,
Morocco, Dahlena, Dalia Carella, Maleeha, Titanya, Dondi, Aziza of Ca,
Nabeela, Alwiyah, Shoshanna, Fatima al Wahid, Jamila al Wahid,
Amaya, Aneena, Elizabeth Dennis, Yasmin of Wa, Delilah,
Aziza of Portland, Saqra, Tina
Sargent, Ne-Kejira Janaan, Nerine Avital, Margo Abdo Abdell, Bozenka,
Kathryn
Ferguson,
Sabura, Sian and Saroya of the Babs, Zaina Hart, Saqra, Roy Petit, Eva
Cernik, Jim Boz, Paulette Rees-Denis and
many
more wonderful
instructors. Ongoing instruction is important to her, and she takes
workshops as often as she can. Nizana has attended Rakkasah once (so
far) and both International Conferences of Middle Eastern Dance in
Costa Mesa, Ca.
Nizana was previously a member of Raks El Beledi
under the
direction
of Azura, and was also previously a co-founder of Nah'Joom Dancers,
where she conducted
much of the troupe business and choreography for several years.
In
both troupes, she performed at many various venues, often multiple
times,
including the Chewelah Chataqua, Spokane Co Interstate Fair, Spokane
July
4 Neighbor Days, WAMPUM, Family Affair, the Spokane Folk Festival,
Powers
Festival in Yakima, Medfest, Sabah's Annual Alternative
Hafla,
and the annual Celebration of Colors event in Spokane (which she
co-produced
and directed), among other venues. Nizana was a co-founder of NADI (NW
Asso of ME Dancers Int'l,) conducting much of the business, including
co-producing events, and writing the newsletter and website for several
years.
Nizana has been Stage Manager for the Powers of Belly Dance Conference
since 2004, and was the Evening Program Manager for the May '06 Spokane
Eva Cernik event. She is also a member of the BellyDancers Unlimited
Board of Directors, and 2007 Planning Committee for the Spokane Belly
Dance Festival. Since Jan 04, Nizana is the founder and proud Director of
the
Desert Silk Dance Company, based
in
Spokane, and they perform locally and regionally.
She choreographs most of their routines. Nizana is also a regular Staff Writer for "Belly Dancer
Magazine" out of Vancouver, Wa, and served as a Judge in
the 2006 Double Crown Belly Dance Competition.
Nizana has logged many solo performances in
festivals,
restaurants, and other events. Nizana teaches private and semi-private
lessons, and has taught Desert Silk Dance Company and others her many
choreographies. She has taught Belly
Dance
classes through the Spokane Community Colleges Institute for Extended
Learning
(IEL), and she is a Certified Belly Dance Instructor (Beginning and
Intermediate.)
Nizana currently teaches through the Moses Lake Parks and Rec
Dept. She also
teaches advanced and specialty workshops, collaborates with regional
dancers
on various projects, and is a satellite member of Band du Soleil in the
Tri-Cities.
Nizana performs cabaret, fusion, and some folkloric styles.
Nizana plays dumbek, claves, and sagat, and typically improvises her solos. Nizana sometimes performs with a variety of props, including veil, cane, baskets and skirts. She is known for her stage presence, expressiveness, and her beautiful smile when she dances. Contact her at above email, nizana@att.net or mail Nizana POB 756, Spokane, Wa 99210
11/4 Spokane Fall Folk Festival. Solo, Duet w/Anya.March 4, 06 Moses Lake Student Recital/Hafla. Troupe/Solo/With Students
March 16, 06 SFCC Class Presentation/Solo
Nov 5, 05 Spokane Fall Folk
Festival
Workshop Noon
Nov 5, 05 Spokane Fall Folk
Festival
Performance Troupe/Solo 11 am
Nov 5, 05 Sabah's Wenatchee
Hollywood
Hafla. Troupe/Solo-Duet
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