{"id":5433,"date":"2014-09-01T15:32:56","date_gmt":"2014-09-01T22:32:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/?p=5433"},"modified":"2014-09-01T15:32:56","modified_gmt":"2014-09-01T22:32:56","slug":"a-journey-to-the-west-bank","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/2014\/09\/01\/a-journey-to-the-west-bank\/","title":{"rendered":"A Journey  to the West Bank"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>A Lone Dancer Visits Palestine<\/h2>\n<div class=\"floatright\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ELw5VBOWDOs\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<h3>by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/aboutuspages\/zaina.html\">Zaina Brown<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"footnotes\">posted September 1, 2014<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The refugee children were dressed in sweatpants and  T-shirts, like school kids anywhere in the world. The coach was in a tracksuit,  and his stern voice echoed over the young crowd. It could easily have been a  basketball game, or perhaps a rehearsal for a play, that was about to begin in  this gymnastics hall. But this was a dance rehearsal. The children were Dabke  dancers!<\/p>\n<div class=\"floatleft\">\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal1-jesusbirthspot.jpg\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" alt=\"Jesus born here.\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"> The exact spot where Jesus is believed to be born<\/h6>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Dabke, the Levantine line dance, has spread across the  globe. The Lebanese diaspora packed it in their suitcases, importing it  wherever they set foot. Jordanians, Syrians, and Palestinians dance Dabke as  well, all with slightly different rhythms and steps. I have seen Dabke groups  in the United States, and spontaneous dancing in Arab clubs and restaurants in  more countries than I can count. To see it in the native lands is especially  exciting. Being performed by children, it&#8217;s all the more rewarding. Inside a  West Bank refugee camp, it&#8217;s also thought-provoking.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sectiontitle\">Bethlehem<\/p>\n<p>If you passed by the Dheisheh camp, right outside of Bethlehem, you may not  even realize it&#8217;s not just a scruffy neighborhood. Decades ago it was a tent  city, hastily put up for the newly homeless, now permanent housing has been  built. Once you know to look for the UN signs on the roadside, you will spot  refugee camps all around the West Bank. The United Nations runs the schools and  hospitals, and the World Food Program sustains the residents, if at a very  basic level. The living conditions are extremely cramped, employment is hard to  come by. It is no Christmas card scenario. For most camp residents, life is  just survival from day to day, and few can break the cycle of poverty. The  future prospects of the young Dabke dancers look pretty bleak.<\/p>\n<p>West Bank packs some of the most significant Christian  landmarks. The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem (Beyt Laham in Arabic) is  probably the biggest of them all. To see the spot where Jesus is believed to  have been born, you have to get in the back of a long line. It felt a little  bit unreal to be in THE Bethlehem. It must be among the first far-flung places  I ever heard of as a child, listening to those Christmas stories. I never could  have imagined one day being there. <\/p>\n<p>Despite Bethlehem&#8217;s popularity, and several big tourist  buses parked in front of the church, the nearby souq was empty of visitors when  I went there. Even the souvenir shops, lining the Manger Square next to the  church, were deserted. The inviting cafes were only busy with locals and a few  foreigners who seemed not to be on a day trip. How could this be? Most visitors  make their trip with an Israeli tour company. <\/p>\n<p class=\"highlight\">The tourists&#8217; itinerary is planned so that they spend  little to no shekels at all in the West Bank.<\/p>\n<p>They simply see the Biblical sights, then head back to  Jerusalem on the Israeli side for some souvenir shopping, dinner, and a night  in a hotel. Therefore only a fraction of the tourism income goes into the West  Bank economy, while the Israeli tour companies make a profit off Palestinian  sights. <\/p>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal2-bethsouq.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Souq\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\">Bethlehem souq right near the Church of the Nativity.<\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal3-church-nativity.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"345\" alt=\"Nativity Church\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\">The Church of the Nativity is the star attraction in  Bethlehem. Most tourists don&#8217;t venture beyond the parking lot<\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal4-dheisheh-graffiti.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"360\" alt=\"aweseom grafiti\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"> Graffiti in Dheisheh refugee camp. The original residents  fled fighting or were expelled from their villages upon the foundation of  Israel.<\/h6>\n<p class=\"sectiontitle\">Ramallah<\/p>\n<p> My next stop was Ramallah (&quot;God&#8217;s mountain&quot;). A pocket size city, it  is the administrative capital of the West Bank &#8211; East Jerusalem is considered  the real, if unachievable, capital. I set out to roam the lively streets, with  camera in hand. A roundabout with a lion statue marks the center, and busy  commercial streets spread out in all directions. I took pictures of just about  anything I liked, asking for permission here and there. Soon I realized that  this wasn&#8217;t necessary in Palestine &#8211; the people are so friendly and easygoing.  The answer was always the same. &quot;Itfaddali!&quot; Go ahead! This was true  even of the mausoleum of Yasser Arafat, right near the center of Ramallah. Not  only was I allowed to take a photo, but the guards encouraged me to take one  WITH THEM. I was grinning in disbelief. Now, Arafat left a mixed legacy, and  visiting his tomb was not any kind of pilgrimage from my part. However,  Ramallah is tiny, and the tomb of Arafat, a historical figure, is one of the few  standout sights.<strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal10-arafattomb.jpg\" width=\"470\" height=\"369\" alt=\"Arafat Tomb\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"> The tomb of Yasser Arafat<br \/>\n                <\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal11-ramallahschoolgirls.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"483\" alt=\"Ramallah school girls\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\">School girls in Ramallah<\/h6>\n<p class=\"sectiontitle\">Nablus<\/p>\n<p>Nablus is just about an hour by bus from Ramallah. This city has history  reaching all the way to the Roman times. Thanks to the short distances,  traveling around the West Bank is not tiresome at all. You could base yourself  in the central Ramallah, for example, and just make day trips to other towns. I  didn&#8217;t mind moving around, and spent the night in Nablus. I took quite some  time to exploring the huge souq, and then decided to call it a night early.  Just as I was getting ready for bed, the sound of drumming in the next building  got my attention. That could only be one thing: a wedding Zaffa! I went out  with my camera, and asked if I could go inside and watch. (By now you know the  answer: &quot;Itfaddali!&quot;)<strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Mount Gerizim overlooks Nablus, and is quite a unique place.  This is the home to the Samaritan community. Who are the Samaritans? It&#8217;s an  offshoot of Judaism, but an independent religion. They consider the mountain to  be holy &#8211; and not the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Judaism&#8217;s holy place. There is  a visitor center, where you can get a guided tour and learn a lot about the  Samaritans. Nobody beat me up while on the mountain, so I cannot verify if the  Samaritans live up to their reputation, but I&#8217;m assuming that they are just as  good as they were in the old days.<\/p>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal4-nablus-street-market.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Nabluls street\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\">Market streets in central Nablus<\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal6-mtgerizimview.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"302\" alt=\"Mt G\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"> View from Mount Gerizim, the home of the Samaritan  community. <br \/>\n          According to tradition, it was here that God ordered Abraham to  sacrifice his son, and swapped him for a sheep instead.&nbsp;<\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal7-jacobswell.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Jabos well\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\">These Russian Orthodox women came to see Jacob&#8217;s well, a  Biblical landmark. <br \/>\n            They got out of the tour bus, went inside the monastery, and  got back on the bus immediately afterwards.<br \/>\n          <\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal8-balata.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Balata\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"> Balata refugee camp, right across the street from Jacob&#8217;s  well<\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal9-karim&amp;sister-balata.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Kids\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\">Karim and his sister live in Balata.&nbsp;<\/h6>\n<p class=\"sectiontitle\">Taybeh<\/p>\n<p>The village of Taybeh near Ramallah is unique in that it is the only completely  Christian village in the West Bank. Built on a mountain top, there are  beautiful views all around the picturesque village. I visited some old churches  and Taybeh Brewery &#8211; yes, a beer factory!\u00a0  They also produce wine and olive oil. Maria, a Greek woman who owns and  operates it with her husband, gave me a tour. She described the hardships of  running a business under occupation. Exporting goods was very difficult because  of the red tape and the restrictions of movement imposed by Israel. The brewery  didn&#8217;t have access to a port. Additionally, Taybeh only had running water twice  a week. (Meanwhile, the surrounding Jewish settlements had running water all  the time.) Israel controls the taps, and water shortages are common throughout  the West Bank. Some Palestinian villages go for weeks without water. To get by,  people collect water into tanks to use as a backup system. It is not sanitary,  and for this reason travelers in the West Bank are not advised to drink tap  water, while in Israel it&#8217;s perfectly safe.\u00a0 <strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal15-viewfromtaybeh.jpg\" width=\"375\" height=\"500\" alt=\"view\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\">View from the mountain top village of Taybeh<\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal12-taybehwatchtower.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"318\" alt=\"watchtower\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\">Israeli watchtowers are all around, a constant reminder  of the military occupation<br \/>\n                <\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal13-settlement.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"295\" alt=\"settlement\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"> An Israeli settlement. All settlements are illegal under  international law.&nbsp;<\/h6>\n<p class=\"sectiontitle\">Jericho<\/p>\n<p> My last stop was Jericho (Ariha in Arabic), by the Jordanian border. The name  echoes a grand walled city, but in reality it&#8217;s a dusty little town. There are  several Biblical tourist draws. A cable car takes you up to the Mount of  Temptations. Although the price is a little steep, the view is worth it. Right  next to it lie the ruins of ancient Jericho. It&#8217;s more like the ruins of the ruins!  I stayed my last night in Palestine in another youth hostel, located in another  refugee camp, before crossing back into Jordan. I wished I&#8217;d had more time, but  even in one week I was able to see so much, learn a lot about the daily life in  the West Bank, and met many good people. It&#8217;s a trip I&#8217;ll never forget.<strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal17-mttemptations.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"mt of temptations\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\">Mount of Temptations, where according to the Bible Jesus  was tempted by the Devil. The views down are dreamy<\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal18-hishamspalace.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"HIsham Palace\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\">Hisham&#8217;s Palace in Jericho<\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal19-outskirtsjericho.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"275\" alt=\"Jerico\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\">Quiet camels on the outskirts of Jericho<\/h6>\n<p>The West Bank sees very few independent travelers, which is  a pity. Whether arriving by land from Jordan or flying into Tel Aviv, the  biggest hurdle is the Israeli border crossing. Security is tight, and the  procedure can be anything from a few straight-forward questions to a full-on  interrogation. However, once inside, a foreign traveler can (normally) cross  through the checkpoints, and that thick gray concrete wall, between Israel and  the West Bank, without hassle. Within the West Bank, you can freely move  between towns. Gaza on the other hand is under siege and tourists have no way  of entering. <\/p>\n<div>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal14-redsign.jpg\" width=\"481\" height=\"500\" alt=\"red sign\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\">By Israeli law, it&#8217;s illegal for Israeli citizens to  enter Palestinian Authority controlled areas. <br \/>\n                  They are only supposed to be in  the settlements or on the roads leading up to them. <br \/>\n                  However, Israelis from  Jerusalem sometimes come to hang out in Ramallah cafes at night. Nobody minds<\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\">&nbsp;<\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal16-wallqalandia.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"309\" alt=\"wall\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\">Near Qalandia checkpoint. Known as the security wall, as  well as the Apartheid wall,<br \/>\nit separates not only the West Bank from Israel,  but also encloses some Israeli settlements.<br \/>\nIt splits many Palestinian  communities in half, cutting people off their families, workplaces, <br \/>\nand  farmland, causing major difficulties in everyday life.&nbsp;<\/h6>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Palestine turned out to be a very welcoming, affordable,  easy place to be a female solo traveler! I&rsquo;ve been to a dozen Arab countries,  by myself, and have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. In Palestine I didn&rsquo;t  encounter any harassment on the streets, suspicious looks checking into hotels,  or rip-off mentality among shopkeepers and taxi drivers. I can wholeheartedly  recommend travel to the West Bank.                <\/p>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/art62\/graphics62\/Zaina\/pal5-sweets.jpg\" width=\"240\" height=\"180\" alt=\"sweets!\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"aligncenter\"> These sweets are sold everywhere for one Shekel each. They  were an essential part of my Palestine diet<\/h6>\n<h5>Resources:<\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h6><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/aboutuspages\/zaina.html\">Author&#8217;s bio page<\/a><\/h6>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/graphics\/acommentbox.jpg\" alt=\"use the comment box\" align=\"right\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"ready4more\">\n<p>Have a comment? Use or comment section at the bottom of this page or <a href=\"mailto:editor@gildedserpent.com\">Send us a letter!<\/a> <br \/>\nCheck the &quot;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/let2ed.htm\">Letters to the Editor<\/a>&quot; for other possible viewpoints!<\/p>\n<p>Ready for more?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!--end ready4more --><\/p>\n<div class=\"articlelist\">\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"articledate\">3-1-12<\/span> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/2012\/03\/01\/zaina-yemen-bridge\/\" class=\"articlelink\">Touching the Clouds: Impossible Bridge in Yemen<\/a> <span class=\"articleauthor\">by Zaina<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t  I needed a place where I felt safe, had some friends, and knew my way around: a place like Yemen! Besides, there was a bridge there that I wanted to check out. <\/li>\n<li><span class=\"articledate\">8-9-12<\/span> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/2012\/08\/09\/zaina-brown-what-lies-beneath\/\/\" class=\"articlelink\">What Lies Beneath, Part 1, The Morocco &amp; Western Sahara Tourists Don\u2019t See<\/a> <span class=\"articleauthor\">by Zaina Brown<\/span><br \/>\n                      When you say you are going to travel around in Morocco, usually, the response you get can be summarized with one word: &quot;Marrakech&quot;. Sure, Marrakech might be the &quot;best of Morocco&quot;, but it also wasn\u2019t going anywhere.Some other places, however, may not always remain as accessible, and I had a few questions on my mind.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"articledate\">2-19-13<\/span> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/2013\/02\/19\/zaina-brown-western-sahara-part2\/\" class=\"articlelink\">What Lies Beneath Part 2, The Morocco Tourists Don&#8217;t See, Suspicion, Lifestyle, Wedding, &amp; Rescue<\/a> <span class=\"articleauthor\">by Zaina Brown<\/span><br \/>\n                      What\u2019s depressing about Laayoune is the idea of it: what it represents, not the city itself. Buildings, painted in salmon color like Marrakech, palm trees planted in pretty town squares, clean streets, restaurants and cafes, busy market places and a gorgeous plaza where people stroll at night.  If you didn\u2019t know any better, you would love this place! In reality, you are inside an enormous military base, while the city is a mere facade.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"articledate\">6-11-13<\/span> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/2013\/06\/11\/zaina-bahrain-bellydance-scene\/\" class=\"articlelink\">Changes in the Island Kingdom, The Bahrain Bellydance Scene<\/a> <span class=\"articleauthor\">by Zaina Brown<\/span><br \/>\n                    Returning to Bahrain to work after four years felt like going back to my roots. This little island kingdom is where I did my first Middle East contract, busted my bra on New Year\u2019s Eve, and returned several times in the following year. Those were the days. Now it had been a while. Had Bahrain changed? You betcha. <\/li>\n<li><span class=\"articledate\">7-31-14<\/span> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/2014\/07\/31\/margaretanne-pt-bellydancer-part2\/\" class=\"articlelink\">Patient is a Bellydancer, Part 2:The New Normal &amp; the Boring Reason I&#8217;ll Never Stop Dancing<\/a> <span class=\"articleauthor\">by Margaret Anne<\/span><br \/>\n                    What was once  an exercise in insanity is now how I hip drop and down walk.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"articledate\">7-16-14<\/span> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/2014\/07\/16\/leila-farid-cultural-sensitivity\/\" class=\"articlelink\">Crossing the Chasm, Cultural Sensitivity and Bellydancing<\/a> <span class=\"articleauthor\">by Leila Farid<\/span><br \/>\n                    So how do we start to change the consciousness of people who see our profession as base, both inside and outside of the Middle East? I think it must start with a good understanding of the culture behind the dance, by condemning the culture or completely disregarding it in our art form, we have lost touch with our artistic role in society and thus have lost the ability to alter it. <\/li>\n<li><span class=\"articledate\">7-14-14<\/span> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/2014\/07\/14\/barbara-sellers-young-tribal-fest-14\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"articlelink\">A Refuge for Innovation, Tribal Fest 2014<\/a> <span class=\"articleauthor\">by Barbara Sellers-Young PhD<\/span><br \/>\n                    Although Tribal Fest is a live on stage, face-to-face event, it is the danced realization of a world in which the technological flows of transportation and communication bring images and bodies into correspondence with each other, and through the form create new images that move a global popular culture dialogue forward. <\/li>\n<li><span class=\"articledate\">4-21-14<\/span> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/2014\/04\/21\/heather-aubre-maghreb-show-los-angeles\/\" class=\"articlelink\">Colorful Maghreb in Los Angeles, A Celebration of Music and Dance<\/a>, <span class=\"articleauthor\">Report by Heather Shoopman<\/span><br \/>\n                    &ldquo;Dancing In The Sunset ~ A Celebration of Maghreb Music and Dance&rdquo; held February 1, 2014 at the Live Arts LA Theater in Los Angeles, California <\/li>\n<li><span class=\"articledate\">4-18-14<\/span> <span class=\"articlelink\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/2014\/04\/18\/gabriel-photos-gijon-spain\/\">Colorful Moments in Spain, 2014 International Oriental Dance Festival of Gijon,<\/a><\/span><span class=\"articleauthor\">Photos by Gabriel Monserrat<\/span><br \/>\n                    The\u00a0International Oriental Dance Festival\u00a0of Gij\u00f3n, held every year in March, is organized by\u00a0Fusi\u00f3n Oriental Group\u00a0and\u00a0Vanesa Moreno. Gij\u00f3n is a small town on the north coast of Spain. Since its inception, the number of students was increasing and\u00a0 improved their attitudes about Oriental dance. That is the main reason why Fusi\u00f3n Oriental group decided to do something special to provide an outlet for all of these emotions and ideas. Many ideas emerged, but finally we decided that a festival was the best of them.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"articledate\">4-17-14<\/span> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/2014\/04\/17\/jeanne-trance-dancing-with-yasmin\/\" class=\"articlelink\">Zar: Trance Dancing with Yasmin, 2014 Workshop at Amina\u2019s in San Francisco<\/a> <span class=\"articleauthor\">Report by Janan (Jeanne Fogler)<\/span><br \/>\n                    Here in the Bay Area, so many excellent instructors make appearances that I always feel I need to choose carefully to make the most of my workshop budget. But when I heard that Yasmin Henkesh was coming to give a daylong workshop on zar, I knew right off that this was one I wouldn\u2019t want to miss \u2013 how often do most of us get a chance for an in-depth look at this fascinating ritual?                    <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Lone Dancer Visits Palestine by Zaina Brown posted September 1, 2014 The refugee children were dressed in sweatpants and T-shirts, like school kids anywhere in the world. The coach was in a tracksuit, and his stern voice echoed over the young crowd. It could easily have been a basketball game, or perhaps a rehearsal [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[60,121,33,188,111,50,1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5433"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5433"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5433\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5433"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5433"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gildedserpent.com\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}