On the evening of Friday, September 5^th, I had the great opportunity to dance Khaliji with the Hand of Fatima Dance Tribe at the Night of Riches Concert in Las Vegas.  It was part of the kick-off of workshops and concerts that were presented and produced by Samira and her hard working staff that puts on the Annual Bellydance Intensive weekend.  It’s rare that I actually take to the stage anymore.  I look at it as a gift I get for not being a working director.  I love nothing more than to sit in the audience and soak up the comments that are made about my dancers and my choreography.   But on this night, I had to work the stage and dance a style I adore, surrounded by the dancers I love so much.  It was also to entice the crowd to come to my workshop on Sunday.  It’s not the best class to take at 8 a.m. but I am sure Samira has a good reason that she always puts my physically strenuous classes on first. 

Sunday morning I roll out of bed at 6:45 a.m. to start my day.  The Intensive has a new location, The Palace Station Casino, and I don’t have a clue what room I am booked in or what type of sound equipment I will be supplied with.  I fly down the highway to get there, find parking easily right in front (probably because no one is awake at this hour), had to be escorted to the convention area after getting lost amongst the slot machines, and made it to my room just in time.  The sound guys were there (Amira’s husband and new daddy, Dennis) and showed me a very easy boombox to use.  With so many popular dancers teaching at the same time, I was pleasantly surprised to find my class sold out and the room almost full.  Had a handful of faces I knew and a very receptive group anxious to learn.  I really enjoyed myself and felt the participants did too.

The Khaliji Class

Khaliji dance is the dance of the Persian Gulf States and Saudi Arabia using the Khaliji rhythm. The women’s costume is called a thobe nashal – an oversized overdress – which is a very full, often highly embroidered caftan. The thobe nashal is used as both costume and prop. It is a wide dress in a brilliant color elaborately adorned, especially around the neckline. No hip scarf or belt is worn. Since the dress is free-flowing due to the lack of a belt, the dancer’s movement is focused on the upper body and footwork, and includes a lovely way to toss long hair from one shoulder to the other. The dance also features lots of spins, chest drops and tossing of unbound hair from side-to-side. The huge sleeves are at times held up like a hood to frame head slides or used coquettishly like a veil.

The Girls from Calgary

Later on that afternoon, I had a really special private class with a group of women on a Girl’s Weekend Getaway/Retreat to Las Vegas from Calgary, Canada.  They wrote asking for suggestions for a restaurant with good food and a bellydancer.  I sent them my suggestions which sparked much discussion back and forth.  I told them that the LV Bellydance Intensive was all weekend and they should include it if they were coming to town, there were many activities for them to take in.  Instead they wanted me to come to Mandalay Bay Casino, to The Hotel and give them a private class in their hotel room.  I went up and found that my bellydance class was a surprise activity to most of the group.  The initial reaction was met with a little intimidation which immediately melted away.  One girl had a bad headache.  I set up my boom box, poured a heap of belts onto the floor.  They each found one to wear and away we went.  Something really wonderful happened in that room.  Maybe it was just the great intimate connection women have when they are all having fun.  I have taught so many memorable classes this year but these two will stick out in my mind for months to come.  I have to shout out with a huge THANK YOU to all of the students who make my work meaningful. 

Yours in Dance,  ~Rossah

If you want to learn more about this annual event and their other Las Vegas offerings, visit:  www.bellydanceintensive.com