Amel Tafsout for the Gilded Serpent

photo by
Dagmar Grasshof from Dusseldorf, Germany

The Gilded Serpent presents
Amel Tafsout

Amel Tafsout (means ‘Hope of Spring’) is among the most charismatic International master dance instructor and performer of our time. She has mesmerized audiences in the Middle East and North Africa as well as in Europe and the U.S.A with her expressive and stunning stage presence.

She is an acclaimed choreographer, instructor and performer of North African Maghreb Dance as
well as a storyteller, a singer, a drummer , a linguist (she speaks fluently 4 languages) and a dance anthropologist.

Brought up in Algeria, Tafsout was fascinated by dance and music since childhood; and much of her research has focused on ritual dances of the Maghreb, the Middle East (reflecting the dual Amazigh (Berber)-Arabic identity of Algeria), West Africa and Cuba. She has been able to look at the ways in which spirituality is part of daily life and her work is characterized by a search for harmony between Body, Mind and Spirit.

Amel will seem to you like a voyager between countries, cultures and languages.her teaching technique focuses on sharing the spiritual energies. Each of Amel’s movements come from inside and is charged with pure energies. While Amel, the Berber woman, moves closer to the souls of the women, they in turn become more aware of their own strength and are able to recover their spiritual balance through dance. The word ’healing’ is not mentioned but what happens here is nothing less than that.’
Gizella Hartmann, in ’Orient Magazine’, Germany, nr 1, 2002

In her early twenties Tafsout moved to Germany where she founded the Pan Arabic dance company ‘Banat As Sahra’
In the late 80s Tafsout moved to London, U.K. where she taught and performed at various dance and music festivals She also founded ‘The Tafsoutettes‘ Dance company. While still performing and teaching worldwide Amel now lives in the U.S.A.

Tafsout has lectured, danced, taught, sung and conducted anthropological research in many countries .
She also published many articles related to dance and Maghreb women in academic and popular magazines.

‘Watching a performance by Amel Tafsout ‘Strong woman, passionate, formidable cultural embassador, internationally acclaimed, spiritual, Medicine woman, patient, gentle, accademic, linguist, powerful ambience surrounding her’ - All true. But there is the rest: the humour!’ Marian Watson, is a cathartic experience. (…) She dances from the very core of herself. sensuality is expressed as power and generosity. She has a direct stare, a presence that can only come from the true knowledge of herself and her art. She is a unique performer and there is no one else who dances like her.’
Beatrice Parvin, in Habibi magazine, Vol.18. No 1. 1999, Santa Barbara, U.S.A.

Having worked and lived all over the world, unsurprisingly, migration has been a constant theme in Tafsout’s work.

www.ameltafsout.com

Articles on Gilded Serpent by or about Amel:
4-17-06 In a New England Snowstorm, Hopes of Spring...Amel Tafsout, workshop review by Rachel Scherer
At some point, one collapses into a dream, but this dream world is the most real of realities.

12-12-00 A Metmorphosis Before My Eyes by Sharon/Mahirimah
"I know I never could have danced and studied eight hours a day for 4 days straight without the energy and passion for the dance which surrounded me each day."

10-13-03 The Middle Eastern Music and Dance Camp in Mendocino by Yasmela
There is nothing like immersing yourself in study and in the strange and unique culture of the Middle Eastern music and dance “scene”.

Amel Tafsout's Dance Calendar

OCTOBER 2007
5th-7th: Workshops & show in St. Louis, WI, U.S. Info:
simonsveil@att.net
12th: Show with the Algerian singer Nassima at the Concert Hall
of Ethical Culture Institute in NYC, U.S. Info:
www.menamusic.org
14th: Sufism: Zar-Hadra: Healing through whirling and Trance
In NYC, contact Sharif Production: nourhan@aol.com
NOVEMBER 2007
2nd-4th: Workshops and Show in New Haven, CO, U.S. info:
www.arabdanceseminar.com
6th-12th: Oasis Dance Camp in Aeteoroa, New Zeland. Info:
gendi@xtra.co.nz
FEBRUARY 2008
22-24th: Workshops and show in Dayton,Ohio. Contact Deniz:
boxingswan@earthlink.net
MARCH 2008
15th&16th: Workshops & Show in New London Connecticut
Contact: Nancy-Su’ad: Nancysuad@rcn.com
APRIL 2008
4-7th : Workshop inNew Orleans,Louisiana.Contact Krys:
perchance2dream@hotmail.com
25th-27th: Workshops with Paulette Rees-Denis from Gypsy Caravan
in Breitenbush Hotspring, Oregon,U.S.
Contact: jen@gypsycaravan.us