Yasmin for the Gilded Serpent

The Gilded Serpent presents
Yasmin

Yasmin, a native of Washington D.C., began learning Middle Eastern dance at the age of fifteen. After college, she moved to Europe to become a professional dancer. She first appeared in a small Arabic cabaret on the left bank of Paris called Al Djazair, but quickly moved to the “big time” on the Champs Elysees. There she starred as the featured dancer in two famous clubs, Le Beirut and Le Yildizlar. She worked with some of the most well-known Arabic stars and musicians of the time. Sabah, Walid Toufiq, Ahmed Adawia, Mohammed El Aizabi and Hassan Abou Saoud were regular attractions.

After a number of years in France, Yasmin moved to London to work at The Omar Khayyam, the renowned club of dancer Mona Said. It was there that she met and worked with Khamis Henkesh, one of Egypt’s best tabla players. When she later moved to Cairo, Yasmin was introduced to Khamis' older brother Sayed who became her band leader. Sayed and Yasmin appeared together at The Auberge on the Sharia al Haram and at the Holiday Inn near the pyramids, in addition to performing at countless weddings and other private functions.

Eventually Yasmin returned to London to obtain her MBA at the London School of Economics. She performed once again at The Omar Khayyam and at Le Cave des Rois with Khamis. When she graduated Yasmin moved back to Paris to start a film distribution company with her husband. She also continued to dance in clubs and appeared on several European television shows.

Yasmin moved back to the Washington DC area in the early 1990’s where she currently teaches Egyptian style Middle Eastern dance at Joy of Motion, one of the area’s premier dance schools. In April 2001 The Washington Post named her as “the area’s most sought after teacher of the Egyptian style of dance.”

In 2005, Yasmin created Sands of Time / Sout al-Beled Music to share with her students the rich, multifaceted sounds she fell in love with in Egypt. Sayed and Khamis agreed to help and now their musical gifts can be enjoyed by all.

www.serpentine.org
yasmin@serpentine.org

Articles on Gilded Serpent by or about Yasmin:
7-30-08 Ahlan Wa Sahlan 2008, Not So Welcoming this Year by Yasmin
Prices have gone up everywhere, and Egypt is no exception. The reality hit me as soon as I walked into the Mena House. Bottled water was $4.00, where out in the street the same bottle was $.50. A bottle of beer was $10.00. Internet connection was $30.00 / hour. At those prices, life's little pleasures didn't seem important anymore.

3-27-08 To Buy or Not to Buy – A Guide to Mass Market Belly Dance Instructional DVDs by Yasmin
Most producers ask or hire others to write glowing reviews. You will often see the same people reviewing a producer’s entire line of product. Those are suspect. Look for the one-off comments. They will give a better overview, along with anything less than 5 stars.

7-16-07 Music Copyright Law for Belly Dancers (or for any Performing Artist) by Yasmin
From Hollywood blockbuster movies down to clips on YouTube the law is the same and it applies to anyone who uses someone else’s music for their own purposes.

5-4-07 The Devil's Details, Show Ethics for Professionals by Yasmin

Part 1- Booking a Party
When a dancer looks good, she, or another, will get called back to perform again. When she looks bad, customers might be turned off to our lovely art form forever. Therefore, a bad dancer not only ruins things for herself, but for all of us
8-29-07 Part 2- The Cross Cultural Factor
Warning. There is a great deal of passive aggressive face-saving behavior in this profession. It is not always woman friendly either. Respect is not a given...
10-15-07 Part 3- Separating the Girls from the Women
If a performer conducts herself as a professional she is much more likely to obtain repeat engagements and referrals. No one wants to be seen knowingly hiring an amateur. It is bad for business and a customer’s image.
12-5-07 Part 4 - What NOT To Do
Show up drunk or stoned. No more needs to be said
1-28-08 The Devil's Details, Show Ethics for Professionals Part 5 - Beauty by Yasmin
For new dancers, mastering the art of glamour can be daunting. But take heart, while internal sensuality requires character work, external beauty is easier to fix

6-27-06 Om Kalthoum, The Voice of Egypt by Yasmin
She was without contest the most well-known singer of the Arab world. She was also the most influential woman of her time in the Middle East.

12-13-05 The Zar by Yasmin
We do know that today thousands of women in Africa and the Middle East use this music to cure all kinds of illnesses. They literally dance until they drop.