Abdominal Freakish Delights: Aboard The Queen Mary!
PAGE 1 of Photo Report from MECDA’s Cairo Caravan 2010, June 4-6, 2010
by Ma*Shuqa Mira Murjan and Carl Sermon
posted August 2010
For us, nothing can top the array of activities at the MECDA’s* annual Cairo Caravan event aboard the Queen Mary ship moored in Long Beach harbor, June 4-6, 2010! This was a fun filled weekend that offers everything a dancer could dream of and more: over 600 beautiful performers non-stop on 3 stages, 3 floors of fabulous vendors, amazing musicians on 2 indoor stages and also an outdoor stage with drum circle and dancing, delicious Egyptian food, free lectures, films, and seminars with workshops for dance, drum, yoga, choreography, and Tribal Fusion.
Staying onboard the ship Queen Mary makes the event special and a unique and amazing experience As you walk the long curved and richly carpeted halls, you realize that you really are aboard a stately ship–named after a queen–a ship that once sailed the Atlantic Ocean.
One of the MECDA members (the lady wearing purple) stepped back in time and told me she recalled playing aboard the Queen Mary as a child when her family emigrated from England to America on the ship’s maiden voyage. The gorgeous Art Deco salons on board were the site of the workshops, making the gathering of dancers in ornate ship salons part of the experience, in addition to being conveniently located nearby the festival. After the daytime festival closed, an audience of 500 was treated to the Saturday evening showcase, featuring the workshop instructors and a troupe performance in the Grand Ballroom of the Queen Mary–replete with gold and copper adorned mirrors and Art Deco columns and lighting–a showcase that was followed by a hafla with a live band!
[Ed note- Carl was stationed at the Thebes stage, one of three on the boat. MaShuqa roamed the boat getting miscellaneous pictures and a lot of exercise!]
*Middle Eastern Culture and Dance Association
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Spontaneous drumming and dance at the outdoor stage on the top deck as you enter the festival by MaShuqa |
Teachers and Vendorsphotos by MaShuqa
Cassandra Shore does Khaleegy |
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Valentina‘s beginning hoop class |
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Queen Mary hallway |
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Liliana of Belly Dance Magazine with photog Lee Corkett |
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Dhyanis vends |
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Vendor Stellar Advantage |
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another vendor |
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Hannan‘s Henna |
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Mher of Hollywood Music |
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Robin Johnson |
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Leela and ? |
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Tonya and Atlantis |
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Little Mayor was a character that walked around the fest in character. Here he takes the Thebes stage for a quick pose. photo by Carl |
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A casual portrait of an audience member at the Thebes stage by Carl |
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"Candy Apple Vendor" does a spontaneous Bollywood dance at the end of the day on Sunday by Carl |
Gala Show on Saturday Night, showcasing the Teachersphotos by both Carl and MaShuqa
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Cassandra Shore |
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Elizabeth Strong |
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Leela and Company |
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Jeremiah Soto |
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MIra Betz |
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Harry Saroyan is presented a MECDA Lifetime Achievement Award by Samira, one of the founders of MECDA |
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Sabrina |
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Ready for more?
- 1-8-2010 Jillina Advances Dance Theatre, A Review of Jillina’s Bellydance Evolution
Bellydance Evolution is a full-length theatrical event directed by dancer and choreographer Jillina, ushering belly dance into the world of dance theater. The production is a melding of narrative with a wide variety of traditional and cutting-edge Middle Eastern dance and music. I saw the dress rehearsal of Bellydance Evolution when it debuted in Glendale, California in August, 2009. - 12-3-09 Division Champs of the Belly Dancer of the Universe Competition 2009, photos by Carl Sermon
This contest is one of the first in the Belly Dance community and includes many categories covering different age groups, various styles and specialties. - 8-28-09 Carl’s Photos from The 2009 Gala Showcase at the SF/BA MECDA Event photos by Carl Sermon
Event Presented by SF/BA MECDA (the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the Middle Eastern Culture and Dance Association) Held on January 17 at the Cubberley Community Quditorium in Palo Alto, California - Dance Passion and Burnout, Muses and Goddesses By Ma*Shuqa Mira Murjan
Is It Time For A Dance Counselor and Coach, or Dance Retreat
To Revitalize Yourself and Your Life? - 12-26-04 Scott Wilson’s CD "Efendi" review by Ma*Shuqa Mira Murjan
Scott’s quest is to make Mid-East music more accessible to American audiences… - 5-19-02 Rakkasah West Festival 2002 Sunday Photos by Susie
Dalia Carella, Eva Cernik, Suhaila Dance Company, Ma’Shuqa, Parri and more…. - 4-28-09 Photos from the 2008 Tour of the Bellydance Superstars by Carl Sermon
- Marin Civic Center, San Rafael, March 1 2008
- 9-8-08 Carl’s Raqs LA Photos, Best from the Stage on the Lower Level, Photos by Carl Sermon text by Carl Sermon, Ma*Shuqa and Marta Schill
held May 17-18, 2008 Glendale Civic Auditorium, California, produced by Miles Copeland and organized by Marta Schill - 5-9-08 Carl Sermon’s Photos from the Hoover Hafla
Event produced by The San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of MECDA on February 10, 2008, at Hoover Theatre in San Jose, CA - 8-4-10 Tribal Fusion Faire 2009 Photos by Michael Baxter
Alvilda, Anaar, Ayse, Belly Sema Dance Co, Blue Moon Haven, Daniella, Dark Raven, Epona, Evil Eye, Fat Chance and Sooz, Firefly, Gypsy Moon, Hiplash, Irina Xara, Jessica Martinez, Kalima Satori, Karma, Kashmir Isis, Kim and Andrea, Leyla Atwill, Madrid, Masha, Mikayla Taylor, Mirage… - 8-1-10 The French Connection by Tasha Banat
Remember that the cabaret style of Belly Dance itself was considered a western cultural event and the night clubs of those days were only there to entertain invaders and their families, not the local people. - 7-30-10 Morocco’s Four-Day Folk Fest
Schikhatt, Tunisian, Zar and Guedra, report by Mary
Schikhatt (a Moroccan word meaning "wise woman") is a dance performed before weddings at bridal parties as a way to "educate" the bride in the movements she would be expected to mimic on the wedding night. - 7-23-2010 Friday Night Performances at IBCC 2010, photos by Samira, video collage by GS staff
International Bellydance Conference of Canada April 23, 2010 at the Hungarian Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto,Ontario, Canada. Performers include:
Raks Sahara, Ashira, Maryfar, Laura Bellydance, Daluah, Tribe Maya Fire, Sa’Diyya, Monique Ryan, Sabaya, A La Nar, Sarah Skinner, Akimi, Earth Shakers, Roshana Nofret, Sofia & Chanty, Ebony Qualls, Danza Della Luna. - 7-18-10 Belly Dance in Patriarchy, Escaping the Switzerland of the Soul by Andrea Deagon PhD
However, I do believe that belly dance is able to attain such vitality and complexity in the modern world precisely because it’s embroiled in serious cultural and personal contestations. It is precisely clashes of aesthetic values, conflicting paradigms of sexuality and gender, and economic as well as political inequities that strike the dance’s most beautiful notes.
AtlantaOxymagic
Sep 5, 2014 - 07:09:41
Very descriptive article, I loved that bit. Will there be a part
2?