Groveport’s historic Town Hall is the place, quiet and unassuming on this colorless day, a sentinel on the corner of a cobblestone street in the outskirts of Columbus. Asiya, Nafretiri, and I shuffle in through the labyrinth of halls after the hour-and-a-half drive of self-doubt and nerves, packed like a caravan of camels with our garment bags, makeup boxes, and water bottles. We are to compete in the Troupe category of the Personal Best Middle Eastern Dance competition, hosted by Shakira Al-Fanninah.
"If you take anything away from this workshop, may it be that form is the most important aspect of your dance."
Leila Gamal, master teacher with over 25 year’s experience, is one of the veteran greats of the 2nd "Golden Age" of belly dance in the United States. Aside from being a gracefully commanding performer, she is a treasure trove of knowledge, which she shared with dancers at a workshop covering four decades of Classic Egyptian style at Kira's Oasis in Centerville on July 11th.
Admittedly, as an American cabaret/fusion dancer, Classic Egyptian is not my preferred style of dance. Going into the workshop, I wondered if I would learn anything I could apply to my own performances. At least, I figured, this would be a good history lesson. I was very pleasantly surprised!
Leila Gamal, master teacher with over 25 year’s experience, is one of the veteran greats of the 2nd "Golden Age" of belly dance in the United States. Aside from being a gracefully commanding performer, she is a treasure trove of knowledge, which she shared with dancers at a workshop covering four decades of Classic Egyptian style at Kira's Oasis in Centerville on July 11th.