(originally published in the international periodical Zaghareet)
Faten Salama. Her name rolls off the tongue with excitement and respect. Quintessentially feminine, supremely sassy and very lovable, she is known and revered across the world. Her performance vitae boasts of being a principal dancer for Egypt’s National Troupe, performing as both a troupe member and a soloist for royalty, dignitaries and audiences with several thousand attendees. As a teacher, she has taught beginners through professionals in six of the seven world continents, known for her fun-loving and nurturing style that blends just the right mixture of firmness to let you know she expects nothing but the best from you.
And … the belly dance scene is totally in luck.
This year, Faten Salama debuted her most recent masterpiece Al Massraweay: The Real Egyptian Certification. This 18-hour certification program combines history, firsthand experience, secondary research, culture frameworks, geography, dance theory and practical application into an intensive immersion that leaves participants with a solid education, a strong foundation of excellence in Egyptian style dance and the knowledge of how to apply folklore to Oriental dance.
Recently, I had the distinct honor to present Faten Salama and the Al Massraweay certification in Chicago. Nearly thirty (30) dancers from four states gathered to study with this dance master to become more educated and skilled in Egyptian style dance.
Debbie traveled from North Carolina for the workshop. “Before Faten’s certification, I had been studying belly dance for a number of years,” she remarked. “I was going with Raksanna to Egypt to tour and participate in the June 2010 Ahlan Wa Salan festival in Cairo. I felt Faten’s certification would help me prepare for the upcoming trip both as a person and as a dancer, especially because she offered so much in terms of historical and cultural information. I am happy to say that this program achieved this goal!”
A Labor of Love: More than One Year of Research, Writing and Compilation
It took Faten a little over a year to develop the curriculum. One of today’s foremost authorities on folkloric dance, Faten wanted to make sure to provide a strong foundation for dancers interested in Oriental dance. “In order to be a good Oriental dancer, it is critically important to know the folkloric movements, rhythms and cultural context,” she said. “Without this knowledge, a dancer can only go so far. Oriental dancers with the depth of folkloric knowledge stand head and shoulders above the rest because their vocabulary of movements and musical interpretation is rich, textured and educated.”
“Being Egyptian and having the experience of the National Troupe gave me many years of first-hand experience from which to draw,” reflected Faten, “but I still spent many hours of research, asking myself ‘why are things this way,’ ‘how does this fit into the big picture,’ ‘what is the meaning of this.’ When I did not have the answers from my own experience, I researched history books, academic journals, credible on-line sources and discussed ideas and topics with my colleagues to find the answers. Then, I incorporated the information into the program.”
Setting the Foundation: Culture, History and Education
As the name Al Massraweay indicates, this program is a deep dive into Egyptian dance. In order to give dancers the education needed to understand the dance, Faten presented a brief lecture of Egyptian history. She discussed the four great Egyptian civilizations and the manner in which each of the eras impacted our art form.
Then, her discussion moved to how the inner relationship of movements, costumes, tools, geographic environment, necessity of life, regional beliefs, environment, society and the inner aspects of a dancer, such as emotions, impact the dance. For example, she presented Sinai and Nubian dance, explaining how and where the people lived, the differences and similarities of daily life and then tied it in with dance by contrasting different movements, costumes and music, highlighting various elements and how they created a specific uniqueness to the dance.
Dance Theory: Starting with the Basics
If you grew up in dance lessons, such as ballet, chances are that your training includes Labonation, preserving dance steps and choreographies through writing. With more than four decades of teaching and performance experience, Faten knew the majority of belly dancers do not have the benefit of this type of formal dance training. She also knew how important this aspect of dance theory is to preserving Egyptian dance. So, Faten began her certification program with the basics.
“As I created the program,” said Faten, “I decided that it was important to build the theoretical foundation with dance essentials. That way, people can leave the weekend with the skills of how to write down each step, down to the smallest of details, in the way the choreographer intended. ” She lectured from the podium on how to write down directions, arm placements, movements, patterns and so much more.
Zerlina, a dancer who came to Oriental dance with a dance background, remarked that “Faten’s presentation of Labonation is an absolute necessity for any dancer. Oftentimes in the West (America), belly dance is not seen by other forms of traditional Western dance, such as ballet and jazz, as being on the same level or having the same credentials. Faten’s incorporation of Labonation and dance theory raises our art form exponentially because it raises the level of professionalism of any belly dancer who takes the course, understands the theory and applies it. We can talk the same language as ballet and be taken more seriously. ”
Exploring Egypt through Dance
Once Faten set the educational foundation for dancers, she moved into the different folkloric dance styles. In total, she presented more than eight different genres: Zar, Saidi, Shamedan, Nubian, Philahe, Eskandari (Melaya Leff), Bedouin and Simsameya (Suez Canal). She also touched on Kahleegy and dances from both the North and South Sinai region of Egypt. In addition to the styles, Faten discussed costuming and cultural aspects to each genre.
The dance portion of the certification included a regional overview, a demonstration of the movements, and a presentation of the specific music, followed by folkloric dance patterns and technique. Once dancers had a good grasp on the technique and movements, Faten then explained how to apply the folklore movements to the Oriental dance – and taught dancers how to do so.
Erika Ochoa, a prominent dancer based out of Chicago, was attracted to the certification not only because Faten is someone she greatly admires, but also because of this aspect of the certification program.
“I have trained in both folkloric and Oriental style for many years,” Erika said, “and firmly believe that for any dancer to be a great Oriental dancer, he or she must know their folklore roots. It is where Oriental dance originates – the movements, context, culture. Faten did a fantastic job of presenting so many different folklore styles and then applying the technique to Oriental dance. I feel I am a much stronger dancer – both in folklore and Oriental – because of this program.”
Monet Parker is a dancer from central Illinois. She just started belly dance and decided to take the certification program so that she could start off in belly dance with a solid education. “I am so happy that I committed the money and time to this workshop,” said Monet. “While I have danced professionally in other dance genres for many years, I am a baby belly dancer. This program gave me the knowledge in my body and the education for my mind that is a solid, authentic foundation to build upon. Faten is a delightful teacher and I recommend this program to anyone who is interested in taking their experience to the next level.”
Creating Her Legacy
When I asked Faten her inspiration for creating the program, she paused for a moment and then quietly said: “There comes a point in each artist’s life where you ask yourself what you can give back to the art, what you want your legacy to be and what you want to be remembered for. As I searched my soul for the answer to these questions, I realized that to me, the most beautiful dancers are the ones with the ones who have the education and knowledge as well as the movement in their bodies.
“Artistically and personally, I became aware that I wanted my contribution to our art to be a comprehensive program that is both broad and in-depth, providing the background, history, cultural meaning and context of Egyptian dance to preserve the art form of Egyptian dance – so that dancers who invest the time and money in the certification walk away with both the physical movements in the body and the education in their minds. By doing so, the art form is elevated by the creation of educated, well-informed dancers who understand and embrace the true spirit of Egyptian dance.
“Al Massraweay became a labor of love, the result of a lifetime of experience, research and cultivation that I drew upon. It took over a year to consolidate, create and develop … and as I roll the program out, I am overcome with joy and am humbled by the great extent to which dancers from across America have embraced this program, absorbed the knowledge and allowed this knowledge to live on through their dance.”
What Makes Faten Salama’s Al Massraweay Certification a MUST for Any Dancer?
As a professional Middle Eastern dance artist and educator, my continued education and training has taken me across the oceans to different continents and throughout our beautiful nation to workshops and certifications too numerous to count. Each of these programs has its own specialty and uniqueness, providing value and benefit to any dancer who completes these courses.
What makes Faten’s certification different from the rest and simply a MUST DO?
- Faten is a native Egyptian. This fact gives her program an authenticity that other Egyptian style certifications taught by non-Egyptians can never have. To make an analogy, if someone who was born and raised in Chicago moved to Egypt and lived there, at the core, this person would still be an American with an American perception and filter. It does not mean that the American does not have a great wealth of information and expertise to offer; what it means is that Faten can teach the nuances and cultural context as only a native can. For dancers seeking to fine-tune and enhance their Egyptian dance, this native authenticity is an essential ingredient for a strong foundation.
- Faten’s dance credentials. There are only a handful of artists in the world whose resume can compare or even come close to Faten Salama’s. With more than forty years as a professional dancer that includes being a principal dancer for Egypt’s National Troupe, Faten’s life has been dedicated to the dance. She has lived and breathed it every day of her life and this perspective is an invaluable resource for any dancer.
- Historical and cultural accuracy. With the goal of preserving Egyptian dance, Faten not only drew upon her personal experience as a native Egyptian, she also spent countless hours researching numerous sources to ensure that the information she presents was well grounded in history facts and culturally context. This scholarship gives even more credibility to her program because the content is supported by academic research, intellectual publications and expert authorities that are outside of the dance world.
- Depth and breadth of information. Faten provides a global view of Egypt by presenting the big picture – a map of the country, the different regions of Egypt and the associated culture and customs of each region – and then dives into the details of each section of the country. By presenting the entire picture and then providing the details behind each area, participants leave with a holistic understanding of Egypt and her dance.
- Translation from Folkloric to Oriental dance. Arguably, the majority of belly dancers are focused on Oriental dance as their primary style. One of the many beauties of this program is that Faten teaches the folkloric dance – an absolute essential part of any educated dancers portfolio – and then applies it to Oriental so that dancers can expand and intensify their own portfolio and dance movement vocabulary.
I, for one, am extremely grateful to Faten for taking the time to develop such a course that gives so much to dancers.
Thank you, Faten Salama, for preserving the beautiful art form of Egyptian dance and enabling it to live on throughout time … like the Pyramids themselves.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Raksanna, Kendalle, Fahtiem, Angelika outside of Garden of Gethsamane
This year, I decided to add another leg onto my twice-annual trip to Egypt. Fahtiem and Angelika developed a 6 day tour of Israel and I decided to come along. I have never been to Israel and wanted a chance to see the country and learn first-hand about the culture. It has certainly been an interesting experience – a deeply spiritual experience and one that I appreciate very much.
Fahtiem, Angelika and a beautiful woman by the name of Kendalle and I are the four who added this leg on. It is a small group, but we all get along very nicely and I have certainly enjoyed everyone’s company. Both Fahtiem and Angelika did a great job with the itinerary and our guide, Isaac, was really wonderful.
We started our journey on Monday morning at 4:00 am. For this night owl, that was certainly a stretch of the imagination, but for those of you who know “Raksi-time,” you would have been extremely proud of me for I was actually early!!!
We arrived in Tel Aviv shortly after 1:00 pm and met Isaac, our tour guide for the week. He is an Israeli-Jew and has a great sense of humor. We briefly stopped by the hotel to drop off our luggage, get some money from the ATM and call home to make sure our families knew that we arrived safe and sound. Then, we started our journey with a driving tour of the city.
Israel– The Country
Israel
Israel, officially called the State of Israel, is an extremely unique country. It is located in the Middle East, in the western part of the Asia on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Egypt and the Gaza Strip on the southwest, Lebanon on the north, Syrian on the northeast and Jordan and the West Bank on the east. It is a relatively small country – one that you can drive its entirety in about 10 hours. There are approximately 7.5 million people who live in the country and out of that populous, nearly 5.7 million are Jewish. Arab citizens, including Muslims, Christians, Samaritans and Druze, comprise the remaining citizens.
Israel is an extremely developed country, comparable to Western cities. The infrastructure is sound, driving rules mirror our own in America and in a great many respects, is a reflection of our own American cities. The country embraces culture and refined elements of life, such as with the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, the Israeli Museum which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls and dance with the Batsheva Dance Company.
To me, as an American who comes from a country founded on freedom of religion and religious tolerance, it has been quite eye opening to learn first-hand how important religion is to those who live in this part of the world. By saying that one is a Christian, Jew or Muslim is paramount to claiming a nationality – and that declaration can lead to insurmountable differences in some cases. This experience has been quite interesting to me and quite a learning one.
Israel faced with constant wars and the threat of violence, is – as one of the security guards at the Israel airport put it – a problematic country. There is an undercurrent of always being watchful and constantly on guard. I could feel the psychological strain and must say that I do not envy this mindset of life.
Tel Aviv – A Cosmopolitan City
Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv is a beautiful city that is quite cosmopolitan. The city itself, which was founded in 1909 and merged with Jaffa in 1950 as a single municipality, is on the coast of the gorgeous Mediterranean Sea. While it is the second largest city in Israel, it is also the richest city in this country – complete with upscale shopping, the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, international corporations, beaches, bars, cafes, restaurants, and a major performing arts component.
Our hotel was about one block away from the Sea and you can feel a beautiful soft breeze off the water all day and night. The temperature this time of year is quite hot and humid, with temps in the low to high 90’s and high humidity. Approximately 4 million people live in Tel Aviv and its greater area.
Life here is quite interesting. As a dog lover myself, I am happy to see the number of people with dogs here – in fact, the way that owners take their dogs for a ride is to put them on the front part of a motorcycle and go out on the town! It is pretty cool! There are many shops in this area and
Can you see the dog taking his ride on the motorcycle? Look toward the front of the bike.
restaurants with outdoor seating can be found almost everywhere. The vegetation along the highways is quite reminiscent of California terrain, complete with orange trees and aloe vera cactus.
The city itself, as well as the entire country (for that matter) is very clean and you can immediately sense that there is a national pride in keeping it that way. The people are very beautiful from a physical standpoint and are extremely health-conscious and physically fit. The majority of men and women alike could easily grace the covers of GQ or Glamour magazine. It is a city that never sleeps and the night life is very active. Musicians, street artists, families and lovers enjoy the beaches and cooler temperatures – it’s an eclectic and enjoyable feeling.
Jerusalem– The Holy City
Tuesday was a very special day for me. Isaac led us on a full day tour of Jerusalem, an ancient city that is filled with life today. It is the Holy City for three of the world’s major religions: Muslim, Jewish and Catholic and it is certainly magical, for religious and humanitarian reasons.
Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and, including the population of East Jerusalem, is the largest city in the country. It is nestled in the hilltops of the Judean Mountains and is approximately 48 miles in physical size.
We started by stopping on Mount Scopus to overlook the city and learn from Isaac where the landmarks are and what we would be doing. Mount Scopus is located above the city of Jerusalem and for many years, was used as a strategic military point to overlook and attack Jerusalem. The view is simply gorgeous!
Mount Olive, looking from Mount Scopus
Our next stop was Mount of Olives. It is a beautiful hillside that has tremendous religious significance. It is the burial site for Jews and contains about 150,000 graves and tombs of famous Jews, such as Abraham Isaac Kook (the first Chief Rabbi of Israel). From a Christian standpoint, it is the place where Jesus stood and wept over Jerusalem. It is also the site of the Church of Ascension, the place where it is believed that Jesus ascended to Heaven after His resurrection. His right footprint is imprinted in a slab of stone that is located in the Church.
After the Mount of Olives, we headed to the Old City.
The oldest part of the City (which is where the religious landmarks are located) is called the City of David and was established in 4th Millennium. It is one of the oldest cities in the world. The old walled city has four quarters: the Armenian quarter, the Muslim quarter, the Christian quarter and the Jewish quarter.
Armenian Quarter – We did not have the opportunity to visit the Armenian quarter, due to time constraints, but here is a little bit about it. The Armenian quarter is the smallest quarter of the city and is home to approximately 2,500 Armenians. One of the main characteristics of this quarter is that the Armenians remained true to their religion and ethnicity by maintaining a solid commitment to their religious views (Armenian Christian) and intermarrying to keep their culture intact.
Muslim Quarter – We began the tour by entering Jerusalem in the Muslim quarter, through the Lion’s Gate. We stopped for coffee at a quaint little shop that served excellent Turkish coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice. Then, we began our journey. We arrived just after the midday call to Prayer and were not able to get near the Dome of the Rock, the very famous Mosque with the gold
Dome of the Rock, Muslim Quarter, Jerusalem
top. It is located at Temple Mount. This Mosque is the third most sacred of the religious landmarks for the Muslims (following Mecca and Medina) because it is the home of the Rock of Moriah. According to Islamic belief, it is the place where Muhammad ascended to Heaven, with Angel Gabriel.
The Dome of the Rock is also the site of the Foundation Stone. The Foundation Stone is of the holiest site in Judaism. Just as Muslims pray toward Mecca, Jews pray toward the Foundation Stone. It is believed to be the site where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son, Isaac, to God. Traditionally, Jews believe that this site is the Holy of Holies, the holiest spot on Earth. Jews are not allowed by the Muslim authorities to pray at the Dome of the Rock and that is why it is believed that the Jews began to pray at the Western Wall, because it is the site nearest the Foundation Stone.
From a Christian standpoint, the Dome of the Rock is also considered a holy site. It is the location where the mother of Constantine (the first Christian Roman Emperor) built a church, as did St. John at a later point in time. On the walls in the Dome of the Rock is this inscription:
“Such was Jesus son of Mary and peace upon him on the day of birth and on the day of death and on the day he is raised up again. It is a word of truth in which they doubt. It is not for God to take a son. Glory be to him when he decrees a thing he only says be, and it is.” (Quran:19:33–35)[
We were not able to go into the Dome, but did see it from an alley way. It is quite beautiful.
We walked through the Muslim quarter and the alleys were extremely similar to those in Cairo’s Khan el Khali. The shops and restaurants lined the alleys; the calls of “come inside my shop; I have a great deal for you” and the smells of the spices were like a transfer back to Egypt. It was quite amazing for me to experience the similarities between Egypt and the Muslim Quarter, although I suppose that it should not have been a surprise as Egypt is a Muslim State.
Map of Via Dolorosa - Christ's path - courtesy of www.christusrex.org
The Via Dolorosa, the path that Jesus walked to be crucified, begins in the Muslim quarter and continues through the Christian Quarter. The Christian Quarter is located in the northwestern corner of the Old City and as can be expected, is filled with Christian Churches of many denominations. There are a few coffee shops and museums along the way, but the majority of buildings are basically wall-to-wall Churches. It is vastly different from both a look and feel from the Muslim quarter and there is a great, visible distinction in the cultures.
The Via Dolorosa has 14 stations, or landmarks, that designate important happenings through Christ’s walk. Although there were many places along the path that were significant to me, three places stood out in my mind. We visited the Garden of Gethsemane, a garden located at the foot of Mount of Olives where Jesus and the disciples prayed the night before his crucifixion and where He was found by Judas and arrested.
Today, the Church of Agony is located in the Garden and inside is the rock where it is said that Christ laid and sweated blood from His pores as He contemplated the impending events. We were fortunate enough to arrive at the Church of Agony in time to go inside – I joined others in touching the rock and had a very profound, spiritual experience from the bottom of my being.
Site of Jesus Crucifiction on Calvary
The second place that stood out in my mind was the place where the cross was nailed in the ground and Jesus was crucified. There is a place where you can kneel and feel the hole and touch the stones where the cross was placed. It was a very special place and the spiritual energy there was an out-of-body experience.
The final stop in the Christian quarter and in the path of Christ is, of course, the location of His tomb. It is said to be in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which is in the heart of the quarter. The Church was full with Christian pilgrims who sang hymns and prayers as they traveled to the holiest sites in Christianity.
Once we left the Christian Quarter, we entered the Jewish Quarter. It lies in the southeastern quarter of the City and runs from Zion Gate, along the Armenian Quarter, up the Street of the Chain and extends to the Western Wall and Temple Mount in the East. As with the Muslim and Christian Quarters, the Jewish Quarter has a very distinct and different personality. It is actually quite quiet, although there is high energy and often times laughter coming from school tours and other visitors.
Western Wall - Women's Side
We entered the Jewish Quarter and immediately went through security to visit the Western Wall. The Western Wall is the only remaining part of the retaining wall around the Jerusalem. It is made from huge ashlar blocks and has vegetation growing from its walls. The wall is divided into two separate areas, one for males and one for females. It is the site of pilgrimage for Jews around the world and was constructed by King David the Great. Many people come to the wall to pray and to place notes in the cracks of the walls. It is reported that more than a million notes are placed at the wall in a year. The notes are collected twice a year and then buried on the Mount of the Olives. I went to the wall and said a prayer and had another meaningful, spiritual experience. The energy and the prayers of the people who came before me seemed to reach out and touch my soul.
We left this beautiful ancient city and I returned a different person, deeper as an individual and spiritually uplifted from the journey.
Completely Cool – The King in Jerusalem! (and yes, I mean Elvis!!)
Elvis Cafe - Jerusalem, Israel (NOT Vegas!)
On the way back to Tel Aviv, we stopped for coffee. Imagine my astonishment when we pulled up to this café/gas station that was called “Elvis Café!” For those of you who don’t know, I am actually a very big fan of Elvis. (However, for the record, I do not believe he is still alive.)
Yes! This entire restaurant/café was dedicated to the King himself with
Raksanna and the King (Elvis, that is!)
larger than life statues, favorite Elvis songs blaring from the gas station pumps and in the restaurant and tasty dishes that were Elvis’ favorites. I was so excited that I had to go to the payphone and call my mom and daddy to let them know about it! What a blast!
On our last night in Tel Aviv, Fahtiem, Angelika, Kendalle and I enjoyed a stroll and found a delicious restaurant where I enjoyed a
Hungry Kendalle! And yes, that is McDonald's in the background
Caesar salad, shrimp with garlic and butter and a gorgeous glass of wine. My dear friend and roommate, Kendalle, was starving for a steak! Hey Kendalle – Very Interesting! Very Interesting, Indeed!!!!
I returned home in early July and although I thoroughly enjoyed my time both in Egypt and Israel, I must say that I am happy to be in my home land of America– a country that I deeply love.
God Bless the USA!
