Dear Dancers,

I am honored to be doing what I love - I wanted to be a dancer since I was 4 years old. After trying to "be logical" and giving the dance up a couple of times, I have embraced it. Also, after living in Egypt, I now live in California (with Egyptian Papyrus and rubber trees on my balcony and Nubian rugs on my walls) and travel around the world! Thank you for your support!

California classes: Normally I teach a series of classes and workshops in Southern California every January. Occasionally I can also fit in some California classes in summer.

California classes 2008 (check again for updates - I am hoping to add more classes for summer)
January / February Costa Mesa CA "Sahra-style Orientale Dance Presentation" (see explanation below)
January 25-27 Culver City, CA "Journey through Egypt"
April 25-27 Culver City, CA "Journey through Egypt" (1 space opened April 20)
May 9-11 San Francisco, CA "Journey through Egypt" (filled)
July 13 San Diego, CA Orientale Technique DaVid Badyal & Patrisha Productions, www.the-eda.com
August 1-3 Culver City, CA "Journey through Egypt" (7 spaces left as of April 20)

Check out my International schedule of Workshops & Performances (Schedule)
I have also been working on two projects: JtE "Journey through Egypt" Intensives and organizing a presentation of Orientale technique:

Journey through Egypt
Thank you for your heart warming response to the new concept of the "Journey through Egypt" intensive weekend. We had our first graduating class in January - it was so exciting to meet with other dancers who share my interest in the folklore and ritual of Egypt. It also gave me a chance to connect with other's information and fieldwork. This is a new field and we all need to add to the body of knowledge.
For more information on JtE ("Journey through Egypt" Intensives).

"Sahra-style": A new system of teaching Orientale Dance:
I am working on a process of teaching Orientale Dance which incorporates my anaylisis of movement and energy dynamics. For the advanced students who desire a chalenge and often get stuck in a slow class, but also for the intermediates with a thurst for learning, I am designing a sequence of classes. So far this is what I have come up with:
A. Technique classes:
1. Each day of the series there would first be a class in "Basic Orientale" (not "beginning"), a review of basic repertoire of movements and steps towards the listing and definition of the Sahra-Style Orientale dance vocabulary - good not only for students, but teachers and choreographers alike.
2. Following that is the Advanced class, requested by advanced dancers who want to have the fulfilment and challenge of going the speed of a truly advanced class.
3. Following that is the Intermediate class. After the Advanced class, students can stay for the Intermediate, which covers the same movements as the Advanced but with more "break-down", explanation and repitition.
B. Concept Workshops explore the structure of energy & dynamics in Orientale Dance, assuming a base of technique.
C. Choreography: Choreography is presented after technique and with a working vocabulary of energy dynamics. In January 2008 I chose to teach "Sahra Saeeda" which is my favorite Orientale choreography.

January 2008 Class/Workshop series show an example of Sahra-style presentation of orientale Dance

January 5 Technique Classes
1pm - 2:15 Orientale Basic** - Isolations of movements used in "layering"
2:30 - 3:45 Advanced* - Layering, High / Low Centers
4pm - 5:15 Intermediate - Continue above with more explanation, break-down and practice

January 6 Technique & Workshop
1pm - 2:15 Orientale Basic - Movements used in "Dynamics" workshop
2:30 - 5:30 "Dynamics & Energy" used in Orientale Dance - Workshop on movement dynamics, level & time dynamics, paths & power places on the stage.

January 19 Technique Classes
1pm - 2:15 Orientale Basic** - Isolations of "traveling" movements, including basic Reda
2:30 - 3:45 Advanced** - Traveling Steps & Combinations, including Reda traveling steps
4pm - 5:15 Intermediate - Continue above with more explanation, break-down and practice

January 20 Technique & Workshop
1pm - 2:15 Orientale Basic - Movements used in "Effort/Shape" workshop
2:30 - 5:30 "Effort/Shape" used in Orientale Dance - Workshop employing the concept of "Effort/Shape" bringing richness, depth and the communication of meaning into your dance.

Choreography Weekend
February 2
1pm - 5 Choreography "Sahra Saeeda" Part 1
February 3
1pm - 5 Choreography "Sahra Saeeda" Part 2 including Drum Solo
"Sahra Saeeda" was composed for Sahra for her Cairo Show.

The 8 technique classes are designed so that:
* the Advanced and Intermediate dancer can take an Advanced class at an Advanced pace (both as a test and fullfilling challenge) then stay for the Intermediate class to more fully understand and practice the movements.
** "Basic Orientale" is a review of basic Orientale repertoire of vements and steps towards the listing and definition of the Sahra-Style Orientale dance vocabulary. These classes are good for the student, teacher, and choreographer who want to lay a firm base. Course will be taught according to the ability of a strong beginner, at the speed of a quick learner.

Above Photo:
Andre Elbing.

Jan-Feb 3:Costa Mesa, CA
Feb 9-10: Montreal, Canada
Feb 23-24: Brussels, Belgium
Feb 29-M 2: Vienna, Austria
Mar 9-16: Morocco
Apr 25-27:Culver City, CA
May 1-4: Milwaukee, WI
May 9-11:San Francisco, CA
May 22-25: Copenhagen
May 31-J 2: So.Bend, IN
June 19-30: Philadelphia, PA
July 13: San Diego, CA
Aug 2-10: Alexandria, Egypt
Sep 19-21: Budapest, Hungary
Sep 27-28: Kiel, Germany
Oct 3-5: Munich, Germany
Oct 11-12: Reutlingen, Ger.
Oct 17-19: Wiesbaden, Ger.
Oct 24-26: Geneva, Switzerland
Nov 28-30:Ontario, Canada