FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Raksanna Productions Receives 2011 Best of Aurora Award
NEW YORK, NY, October 25, 2011 – Raksanna Productions has been selected for the 2011 Best of Aurora Award in the Health & Fitness The USCA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.
This is the first year that a business has qualified as a Four-Time Award Winner. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2011 USCA Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.
About U.S. Commerce Association (USCA)
U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) is a New York City based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.
The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.
SOURCE: U.S. Commerce Association
CONTACT:
U.S. Commerce Association
Email: PublicRelations@uscaaward.com
URL: http://www.uscaaward.com
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The beatiful Fahtiem
A tiny dancer with a huge, lovable personality, Fahtiem is well-known and loved across the world. This dynamic blond bombshell is an inspiration to me, both as a dancer and as a person, and I recently had the blessed opportunity to watch her performance in the one … the only … Carnegie Hall.
One of World’s Most Prestigious Venues
Located on Seventh Avenue, between West 56th Street and West 57th Street in Midtown Manhattan, Carnegie Hall stands with its majestic architecture and rich legacy. 881 Seventh Ave is home to performances from the world’s top talent for musicians, artists, dancers and other performing artists.
The Hall is named after Andrew Carnegie, a philanthropist who paid for the construction of the building. Carnegie is considered to be the second-richest man in history after John D. Rockefeller; he founded the Carnegie Steel Company in the 1870’s and made the majority of his fortune in the steel
Street View of Carnegie Hall
industry. By the time of his death, Carnegie had given away most of his riches and when he died, the remaining funds were given away to charities and foundations.
Carnegie Hall The architecture was designed by William Burnet Tuthill. Built in 1891, it is one of the last standing large buildings in New York without a steel frame; it was built entirely of masonry. Although the exterior has been renovated several times throughout the past 120 years, the institution underwent a $60 million restoration and renovation effort that began in 1985. The job was tremendous and included fresh paint, new seats, carpeting and a new stage floor.
There are three auditoriums within Carnegie Hall. Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage (also known as the Main Hall) seats 2,804 people, Weill Recital Hall is an elegant, intimate space that seats 268 people and Zankel Hall, Carnegies’ newest space, seats 599 patrons.
Belly Dance (Middle Eastern, aka Oriental Dance) at Carnegie
In addition to musical concerts, Carnegie Hall hosts a myriad of performing arts presentations including dance, even belly dance.
Of note, Ibrahim “Bobby” Farrah both taught Oriental dance at the International School of Dance, Carnegie Hall and presented his legendary dance company, Ibrahim Farrah Near East Dance Company, on the Perelman Stage.
Speaking of Bobby, Fahtiem trained and mentored under him. She grew and developed her own depth and understanding of Oriental Dance to our art form. On her website is a quote from her inspiration: “Fahtiem brings a touch of class to Oriental Dance, as well as a delightful sauciness, making her not only a grand entertainer, but an artist as well. It’s no wonder that as a performer, teacher, and choreographer, she is so in demand.” (Ibrahim Farrah).
It is no wonder, then, that she followed his guidance and graced the stage of this celebrated Hall.
A Benefit Concert to Turn Up the Peace
Inside the "Great Hall" of Carnegie Hall
Normally, when we think about peace, thoughts of world peace come to mind. However, that’s looking at the big picture … and sometimes, that view can be a little overwhelming.
Two pioneering spirits decided to take a different approach.
Phillip Kanakis and Nandapriya Sattva joined forces to create a not-for-profit organization called Turn Up the Peace. Their overriding philosophy is that peace is not merely the absence of war, but rather the compassion and good will that we, as fellow human beings, show ourselves, the planet around us all and all surrounding forms of life.
To achieve peace, according to Turn Up the Peace, it is essential to create permanent uplifting solutions to people in at-risk situations. For example, one current project is to provide food for communities in Sri Lanka by planting Jackfruit trees to grow fruit that can feed families for 100-200 years.
As you can imagine … achieving this vision takes money.
In order to kick start their efforts, Kanakis and Sattva created a Benefit Concert to raise funds for the initiative. This Benefit Concert premiered on one of the world’s greatest stages – the Isaac Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall.
Top World Talent – from Marla Maples to Chamber of Orchestra of New York to Dan Reed to Fahtiem
The evening began with world famous Marla Maples as the Master of Ceremonies. Her sunny personality known around the world for her co-hosting of Miss Universe Pageant, Miss USA Pageant and Fox after Breakfast, to name a few, set the tone for an enjoyable experience.
Acts included beautiful music from the Chamber Orchestra of New York, whose violinist, French Hornists, cellos and other members of the orchestra filled the Hall with rich notes filled with passion and joy and at times, stirred the audience to tears.
Dan Reed, known for his work as an opening act for RUN DMC, UB40, David Bowie, Bon Jovi and more, graced the stage with songs from his newest album Coming Up for Air. He played acoustic guitar and was accompanied by a fantastic drummer (whose drum was a wooden box that he used as a chair AND a drum). One song depicted the Wall in Jerusalem. His gritty voice sang out of Jews who prayed at the wall at sunset on the Sabbath and the Muslims who prayed at dawn on the other side. The audience could feel the pain and tension and the longing for a peaceful co-existence; Dan literally transported us to the Holy Land.
Backstage at Carnegie Hall, Fahtiem with her dancers
Our lovely Fahtiem presented a gorgeous choreography featuring male modern dancers, ballerinas, jazz dancers and her own Oriental dance. The piece showcased veil work, Isis wings and dancers without any accessories. The music was light, uplifting and beautiful. Fahtiem’s work highlighted her talent for beauty, grace and elegance by skillfully incorporating the different dance genres that honestly “put the magic into every step” in a magnificent, spellbinding performance.
From My Perspective
Fahtiem is one of my personal inspirations. Her dance is beautiful, she is a professional role model for dancers like me who seek to dance and teach for an entire lifetime and her personal life philosophies of creating the reality we want have resonant at a deep level for me.
As a friend and a colleague in Oriental Dance, it was such an honor to share this special, magical moment with Fahtiem. To share what is arguably the pinnacle of her career – to dance our art form on the Stern Auditorium of Carnegie Hall – was deeply meaningful and I thank her for the invitation to be a part of the experience with her. I am so proud of her and happy for her!!!!
Gilae, Fahtiem and Raksanna celebrate at Planet Hollywood, NYC
And in my personal opinion, it is not a stretch to say that the same spirit felt on the May 5 1891 … the official opening night at 881 Seventh Ave in Midtown Manhattan when Tchaikovsky set the stage for musical excellence … Fahtiem has once again set the standard for excellence in Oriental dance.
International icon and master of Middle Eastern dance, Momo Kadous returns to ChicagoRaks™ as the featured guest artist! This year, ChicagoRaks ™ is a two day intensive with Momo.
ONLY 30 SPOTS!!!! This exclusive event ALWAYS sells out.
Download Registration Form: 2011ChicagoRaksRegistration
Agenda, Saturday, Oct 8 – Order and topic subject to change
- 9:30-10:00 am – Registration
- 10:00-12:00 noon – Oriental Choreography, Part I
- 12:00-12:30 pm – Break
- 12:30-2:30 pm – Oriental Choreography, Part II
Agenda, Sunday, Oct 9 - Order and topic subject to change
- 9:30-10:00 am – Registration
- 10:00-12:00 noon – Baladi, Part I
- 12:00-12:30 pm – Break
- 12:30-2:30 pm – Baladi, Part II
- 7:00 pm – informal potluck dinner at Raksanna’s home (bring a dish to share)
Workshop Location
Fry Family YMCA
2120 W 95th Street (corner of Book & 95th)
Naperville IL 60564
630.904.9595
** for driving directions, please visit http://www.randmcnally.com
Tuition
- One day – $150
- Both days – $250 (save $50!!!!)
- Payment plans available!
Coming from Chicago and taking the train?
Transportation to and from Rt 59 (Burlington Northern line of the Metro) can be arranged. Pitch in $10 to cover the price of gas and time for the driver (much cheaper than a taxi!) Email raksanna@raksanna.com for info.
Need Lodging?
Recommended hotel (5 minutes from workshop location, free breakfast, free Wi Fi, reasonably priced) – Super 8, 4228 Longmeadow Drive, Aurora IL 60504, 630.898.5419
On a budget? Limited number of rooms available at fellow dancers homes. Email for details.
So much has happened in the past several weeks that it has been a whirl wind of events! In mid-September, Momo Kadous returned to the Windy City for my annual workshop and gala show weekend, ChicagoRaks ™ 2010, my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and I was featured at a workshop and show in my home town of Las Cruces, I was hired by LifeTime Fitness (a prestigious health club I’ve had my eye on for 10 years), my job at the doctors office is really ramping up, I turned 40 years old, my son turned 21 years old and in October, I headed to NYC to audition for the Belly Dance Superstars! Things are amazingly wonderful!
Rather than write about all of these fantastic experiences in one blog – and then not blog again for several weeks (life is busy!), I decided to write a blog on each one and I’ll post each week. That way, you can spend some free moments with me, if you’d like!
ChicagoRaks ™ 2010 – Featuring Momo Kadous
Gilae at the ChicagoRaks (TM) 2010 show
This year marks the fourth annual year for ChicagoRaks ™. My vision for this event is to bring Egypt to Chicago in an intimate setting where dancers from across the globe can study with a world-renowned Egyptian dance artists and showcase their talents for the artist in a fun setting. In addition to limiting the number of dancers to only thirty (30), I host dinners in my home or cocktail receptions to create a highly personalized experience where dancers can get to know the artist on the individual level, a rare opportunity in today’s world of mega conferences and festivals.
I first met Momo in Cairo about seven years ago. I had returned to the Land of the Pharaohs for Raqia Hassan’s Intensive Teachers Course, an amazing intensive where you immerse yourself in all aspects of the dance for ten days straight, dance eight hours a day and enjoy lectures in the evening in Cairo, Egypt. Momo, of course, is a featured instructor for this course.
During his workshop, Momo taught a mouthwatering Oriental choreography that was quintessentially his style – deep layering, interpretation of the grandest and the tiniest of details and utterly magnificent. I was completely inspired. Both his teaching style (demanding of our best, accepting no excuses and expecting the discipline typically found in a traditional ballet class) and his artistry touched me deeply on the soul level.
At the end of the Teacher’s Course, there is an opportunity to dance for our teachers. I decided to perform my award-winning choreography, Alfrec: An RE
Momo Kadous and Raksanna enjoying a relaxing moment
G Medley, that evening. With modern music that fused the many different folkloric styles to techno instrumentation, a brief taxim and a playful drum solo, I thought it was a perfect fit that showcased my personal style.
Momo, of course, was in the audience. He watched with thoughtful eyes and at times, I caught him nodding his head in approval and smiling. I was excited! That night, as I made my way back to my room, I passed Momo in the hallway of the hotel. He caught my eye and said quietly to me, “Raksanna, you have something very special. Please continue to train and develop. I look forward to seeing more from you in the future.” He nodded and quietly walked away.
I will never forget that moment – it was touching, humbling and oh, so exciting!
Fast forward and I found myself producing ChicagoRaks ™. My first year, I sponsored the delightful Faten Salama and she was such a win! For the second year, I decided to bring Momo – and it was fabulous! The girls LOVED him. Year three showcased the lovely Fahtiem from Los Angeles.
When I saw Momo in Cairo last December, we talked about what a great experience everyone had had when he had visited us. We both decided that it was time for him to return to Chicago and quickly made the appropriate arrangements. He agreed to teach his beautiful Oriental choreography and then have some fun with a drum solo and a modern pop song.
Dress rehearsal - the Shamaden dancers opened the 15-minute production number, an original Raksanna choreography that honors the beautiful genres of Egyptian dance
As registrations started coming in, I was so excited to see that we had dancers representing five States (Indiana, Illinois, Georgia, Wisconsin and California) and seven countries (Canada, Ireland, Japan, Poland, Thailand, Mexico and the United States) participating in the weekend festivities!
There was a special dinner for Momo at my house on Friday evening and then a cocktail reception with him on Saturday, prior to the show. Guests had the chance to meet Momo one-on-one and get to know this extraordinary legend and dance master on the personal level. In class, Momo kept dancers challenged and on their toes (literally) with amazing choreography, tantalizing technique and musicality that is top notch.
Ariel of Chicago performs a beautiful fan veil dance at ChicagoRaks (TM) 2010
Saturday’s gala show was held in an eclectic theater near downtown Chicago called The Viaduct. The lineup was a wonderful mixture of solos, duets and group numbers. Erika of Chicago kicked off the evening with an energetic Sha’abi dance; Diana the Dancer from Wisconsin performed a beautiful dance to “She,” Tammimi of Japan danced to a gorgeous Oriental number and Amani Jabril delighted the audience with a lovely wing piece. My professional competition troupe, Raksanna and the Desert Flames, performed our award-winning number featuring swords, veils and wings to Dr. Samy Farag’s Habipti.
My production company had been hard at work over the spring and summer perfecting one of my original choreographies that was a tribute to Egypt. The sixteen minute number started off with Shamaden as a nod to the Pharonic times then moved to Alexandria for a Melaya Leff number. A soft, spiritual number came next to feature the Zar, followed by the joy of Nubia. A traditional Saidi stick dance came next and the piece culminated in a rousing drum solo. I dedicated the number to both Momo Kadous and Faten Salama for their deep inspiration to me.
The girls rocked it! My heart swelled with pride as Momo’s eyes lit up throughout the show – and in the end, when we presented him with a Chicago cap and a photo of us all, his remarks brought tears to my eyes. “Tonight, I have seen my country, Egypt, on the stage. The passion and the spirit of these dancers show this art is not just about the body … but this art is about the soul, about touching the audience with your spirit and bringing us each closer to our humanity.”
Momo Kadous and Raksanna, Sept 2010
Momo, thank you. Thank you for your inspiration, for those words of belief so many years ago and for your own spirit that brings me closer to my own humanity, allowing me to dig deeper into my own artistry. I will see you in a few weeks, back in the shadows of the Pyramids, as I study with you again.
Hugs and shimmies to you all,
Raksanna
Raksanna with two of her mentors: Raqia Hassan and Faten Salama
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Tomorrow, I am sponsoring the legendary, world-famous Faten Salama and her certification in Egyptian dance: Al-Massrawey: The Real Egyptian Certificate Program. This eighteen (18) hour program provides dancers with an in-depth education on the history, geography and culture unique to Egypt and the art and dance that is specific to different tribes, areas and styles. Additionally, Faten is teaching “Labanotation” – the study of how dance steps are explained and written in order to preserve the dance.
Why did I choose to sponsor Faten for the certification? There are so many reasons and while space and time does not permit an in-depth explanation, here are three main reasons:
• Authentic work presented by a recognized world leader in Egyptian dance – Faten Salama is a native Egyptian. She has danced since the age of three; has been a principal dancer in the National Troupe of Egypt; performed for royalty, dignitaries, and audiences from around the world; is a beautiful artist, creating soulful dances that are touching, feminine and thoughtful and she is firmly committed to educating dancers and audiences alike on the beauty, respect and dignity of the dance. Just as importantly, Faten is a sweet woman with a positive, loving spirit that is committed to excellence. She is someone that I enjoy spending time with and consider a friend.
• Dancers need this type of first-class training and credentials – Yes, there are solid and respectable certification programs out there that have been developed by world-respected artists. In fact, my own extremely comprehensive apprenticeship program required for any faculty members who join my team offers a solid foundation and significant knowledge that benefits from my own near-two-decades experience in the dance. I do not question or discredit any of the programs, including mine, or take away from them. However, what these programs lack is the intricate knowledge and spirit of a native Egyptian who grew up in the culture, with the dance and approach that can only come from someone who is from Egypt and has the credentials and experience that Faten has. It’s like when I moved from New Mexico after 21 years of growing up there to New York and living there for seven years. No matter how much I love New York, I am not now and never will be a native New Yorker.
• This program raises our art form in the Western World – I have traveled to Egypt many times and have witnessed and experienced first-hand the difference between the way our artform is perceived in the West and the way it is perceived in the Middle East. Belly dance in the Middle East is what ballet is to the Western world. Great dancers are supported by a full orchestra with violins, kanouns, drums and more. Singers complete the show and it is a simply beautiful experience. People pay up to $100 per person for a ticket for a dinner and a show, dress up for the event and look at it as a prestigious evening out. It is the same approach that we in the West take with an evening to the ballet or Opera.
In America (as well as around the world), we need educated dancers who can collectively raise the standards and perceptions of our art form. Yes, as belly dancers and entertainers, we can certainly give a life-memory to a family who hires us for a 75th year birthday bash (and enjoy doing so) … but there is so much more to what we can and do offer … from fascinating stick work in with Saidi style stick dance to the fun-loving Hagallah routines to the glamorous Oriental dance, we need dancers out there performing high quality dances and educating our Western audiences about the culture and the history, the richness behind what we love.
So, to all the dancers joining me for this exciting weekend – Welcome to Chicago! Welcome to Faten Salama’s Al-Massraweya: The REAL Egyptian Certificate Program! I’m proud to be your host and delighted to present to you the one, the only, Faten!
NEW YORK, NY, October 25, 2011 – Raksanna Productions has been selected for the 2011 Best of Aurora Award in the Health & Fitness The USCA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.
