Belly Dance Extravaganza
Hagley Open Stage, Christchurch
25/10/2014 - 25/10/2014
Production Details
Belly Dance Extravaganza:Beloved by bellydancers across the globe, internationally acclaimed dancer Aziza is coming all the way to New Zealand! For one night only, the Christchurch public will be able to come along and watch her perform. This is an amazing opportunity to see a master of middle eastern dance in action!Aziza is one of the most in-demand belly dance performers and teachers in the world. She has been performing professionally for 25 years. Along the way, she’s picked up the titles of Belly Dancer of the Universe, Belly Dancer of the Year, Ms Belly Dance USA, Entertainer of the year, Cabaret Dancer of the Year from IAMED (International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance). She has produced 6 instructional and performance DVD’s, and has been a featured guest at countless international dance festivals. Her work has taken her all over the world, including Singapore, Japan, Turkey, across the United States, and most of Europe. As well as her lengthy list of accomplishments, she also has a reputation for being an outstandingly generous, intuitive and concise instructor, and an enthralling performer.‘It wasn’t just her technical expertise, which is prodigious, but it was that indefinable something more that made me sit on the floor looking up, just like a child, not only fascinated by the lovely creature before me, but totally involved by her inclusion of me in the mystery of her dance.’ – Shamela on watching Aziza perform, The Gilded Serpent.Saturday 25 October 20148pm (doors open 7:45pm)Hagley Community College, The Open Stage510 Hagley Avenue, ChristchurchTickets:Adults $30 / Kids under 12 $15 / Groups: Buy 5 tix, get 6th free / All Door Sales $35Tickets can be purchased and paid for through paypal via our Webstore or by direct transfer to the account below:Phoenix Belly Dance; Account Number: 060115 0290263 000
Lavish and gorgeous belly dance
Review by Emily Napolitano 26th Oct 2014
The evening’s extravaganza is a lavish display of gorgeous belly dance, presenting a cast of dancers from New Zealand and Australia, and featuring internationally acclaimed teacher and performer Aziza of Montreal. Including only one piece danced by a trio, all other acts are solos which highlight a variety of belly dance styles, costumes, and music.
With dancers from Montreal, Sydney (Hathor Dance Theatre and Studio), and Auckland (Phoenix Belly Dance and Aisha Belly Dance Studio), the show is varied and interesting. Beautiful costuming and feminine strength characterize the evening. Dancers glide across the floor in sinuous waves, accenting body isolations to the beat of the drums and the melodies of the Arabic flute. Ethereal veils gracefully flow across supple limbs, and smooth rolling body work is punctuated with clearly defined isolations.
An array of belly dance styles are on offer, ranging from vintage to modern, and incorporating traditional veil work with contemporary LED lit silks. Every dance is its own unique piece, distinctively characterized by its traditional styling, costuming and musical genre as well as the vivaciousness of the dancer. Siobhan Milner is young and playful, Tatyana Laptsevich is poised and confident, Candice Frankland is flirtatious, Suei Lin is musical and energetic, and Jrisi Jusakos is strong, flexible, and strikingly intense, displaying excellent dance technique.
Aziza performs with remarkable stamina, as she shimmies, vibrates and flutters her way through an extensive set of skilful and precise body isolations. Her veil technique is superb, as she creates lovely images and shapes with the silk. Her controlled and subtle manipulations of the light-as-air veil are gorgeous to watch. Aziza is also a polished performer, graciously dancing her way through sound system issues, warmly engaging with the audience and clearly enjoying herself and her art form.
Costuming highlights include the wholly original and stunningly unique dresses worn by Jrisi Jusakos and the LED lit veil and costume worn by Tatyana Laptsevich.
I thoroughly enjoy the evening and float home, carried on a wave of Oriental music and dance.
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