Services
Middle Eastern Dance Performances:
You can have a Shems belly dance performance at your special event – shows beginning at $300.
Things to Consider when Hiring a Belly Dancer will give you an idea of what to expect in a belly dance show and how to be prepared to seamlessly integrate a fun belly dance performance into your festivities.
Behind the Rates is a good read if you are curious about what is behind a belly dancer’s fee.
Contact Shems to find out if she is available for your special event.
Choreographic Services for Middle Eastern Dance:
- Artist Collaborations
- Television / Film
- Theatrical Productions
- Dance Groups
- Soloists
Workshops Available on Multiple Topics including but not limited to:
The Science of Sword
The technique, method and discipline of creating dramatic sword dance compositions for performance can be at your beck and call. Learn sword care, safety tips, balancing tips, choreographic compositional structure and ways to create strong visual lines. Sword appropriate dance combinations will be taught. Some floor work and spinning can be included with easier variations provided where possible. Double sword can also be requested as a more advanced option.
Rock your Assaya
Lebanese & Egyptian approaches to dancing with assayaat. A cane or staff is a part of several traditional dances of the Middle East. Shems will teach steps and techniques of a couple of different cultural approaches you can use as part of your Oriental dance routine. You can request exclusive focus on Egyptian Saidi, Egyptian Balady or Lebanese approaches to dancing with the cane or staff. Double staff can also be requested as an advanced option.
Breathtaking Veil
Build a deeper relationship with your veil than you ever thought possible. A veil can enhance your dance in so many ways, it can frame and extend your movements, it can conceal and reveal, it can breathe with you, caress you and become your perfect dance partner. Well versed in East and West Coast, Vintage and Modern approaches to veilwork, Shems can guide you to your best veil work ever, sharing secrets for graceful recoveries, and ways to make your audience fall in love. Double veil can also be requested as an advanced option.
Dynamic Drum Dances
The showiest part of an Oriental dancer’s set, building a great drum solo is an art unto itself. Learn to highlight your skills to greatest advantage by how you structure your drum solo. This can be taught in the context of a choreography to a drum solo recording or, as with combinations to go with drum licks you are likely to hear when working with an experienced live drummer. Concepts like layering, isolations, building energy and more will be addressed.
The Art of Improvisation
Improvisation can be so much more than just dancing without choreography. Learn practices that help you add structure and emotional dynamics to your performances on the fly. Learn to break free from monotony and mush and instead embrace the advantages of being totally in the moment and conversing with your music. Shems’s will take your through several topic focused improvisational exercises as well as teaching some technique and combinations to aid in your practice and understanding.
Technical Repercussions
Be More Expressive, Dynamic, Powerful and Playful. Shems is known for her brilliant transitions between moves and hitting the emotional moments in her pieces. This workshop will focus on the recoil of dance movement after high impact technique. Explore the relationship between the show off moments, the dynamic build and a play with the lyrical framework in your dance composition.
Groovin’ Gulf Style
Or kickin’ it Khaliji. Oriental dancers in Egypt and Lebanon have long incorporated segments in their shows to please tourists from the oil rich gulf states. Learn a little about the dances of the Arabian/Persian Gulf and how they can complement an Oriental routine.
The Magnificent Magency
Oriental entrances decoded and refined. One of the most complex and difficult parts of an Oriental dancer’s show. This is where the performer shows the depth of her musical understanding and her true artistry.
The Effortless Transition
Making the spaces between dance movements sing.
Stage Worthy Oriental Arms
Learning to create intention and dimension to your movements by using your arms like a true Oriental dancer.
Entertaining Essentials
Audience interaction skills are an entity unto themselves. Learn tips, tricks and practice exercises to build your skills as an entertainer.
Defining Personal Dance Training through a Foundation of Musical Understanding
I couldn’t think of a short and catchy title for this one. It is a deep topic that could potentially change your approach to studying Oriental dance or reinforce your personal dance path.
Advanced Concepts in Musical Interpretation
The stronger the relationship you build with your music, the more richness you can give your performance. This workshop is a series of exercises meant to push you to dig deeper into your music and understand it in new ways. Understanding and charting musical structure, rhythms, maqamat, instrumentation, responding to musical transitions, dynamic changes, emotional interpretation, the relationship of staging to the musical arrangement, shifting physical impetus, stopping time and other related topic focused exercises can be included.
