Celebration of Dance featuring Nisaa

Name: Celebration of Dance featuring Nisaa
Start: 2025-09-13T09:30:00-05:00
Location: Ritz Midtown

Schedule

Sat, 13 Sep, 2025 at 09:30 am

UTC-05:00

Location

Ritz Midtown | Paducah, KY

Zerdali Dance Co is excited to welcome Nisaa to Paducah, KY!
Registration is open!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeCCpbYWSrg6TmPAQaG-3xPfdRE6MUuT3EMNA9cZ2TepfWSJg/viewform
About Nisaa:
Nisaa (Heather D. Ward) is a Middle Eastern dance instructor, performer, and researcher based in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Nisaa has been conducting pioneering research into the history and development of Egyptian belly dance.
Her investigations into the transition from awalim and ghawazi dance styles to classical raqs sharqi at the turn of the 19th/20th centuries led to the publication of her first book, Egyptian Belly Dance in Transition: The Raqs Sharqi Revolution, 1890-1930, in 2018. Her latest book, “Raqs in the City: The Belly Dance Landscape of Cairo,” explores the historical interconnection between dance, dancers, and the city of Cairo, and was released in 2024.
Through excellent instruction, outstanding performances, and original research, Nisaa presents Middle Eastern dance as a living, dynamic folk art and a window into the rich heritage of the peoples and cultures of the Middle East.
Workshop topics:
Getting to Know the Ghawazi: A Crash Course in the Upper Egyptian vs. Lower Egyptian Ghawazi Traditions
The ghawazi are a class of female entertainers from the rural towns and villages of Upper and Lower Egypt. For generations, they have provided singing and dancing at important social occasions such as weddings and festivals. Though united by the role they play in Egyptian traditional entertainment, the ghawazi of these two regions differ profoundly in their technique, musical accompaniment, and costuming. Nisaa has been working toward a deeper understanding of these differences, both through direct encounters with ghawazi in Upper and Lower Egypt, as well as examinations of texts, images, and videos. In this workshop, Nisaa will share what she has learned in her ongoing research, and in the process, she will dispel many myths and misconceptions that continue to circulate on the workshop and festival circuit. Through a combination of lecture and movement practice, you will experience the ghawazi traditions of Upper and Lower Egypt based on firsthand research that centers the perspectives of these remarkable women! Finger cymbals encouraged, but not required.
Improvisation in Egyptian Belly Dance
Improvisation is an important and valued skill in Egyptian music and dance. Through improvisation, the musician or dancer can fully immerse in the moment and allow feeling to flow through their performance. However, improvisation is a skill that must be honed, and it depends on a solid understanding of Egyptian music. In this intensive workshop, Nisaa will guide you through a range of exercises designed to improve your ability to improvise effectively to Egyptian music. Special attention will be paid to the types of music that are appropriate for raqs sharqi performance, and how your improvisation must be tailored to fit each musical style.
Doors open 9am
9:30 am Ghawazi of Upper and Lower Egypt
11:30 Lunch
12:30 Improvisation in Egyptian Belly Dance
Show starts at 7pm
Early bird rate of $90 until May 1, after May 1 $110 or $60 per class
Workshop registration includes refreshments and show ticket.
No refunds