A Highlight of the Past Couple Weeks

As we just into Spring here in San Diego the belly dance events pick up pace.  The week of March 26th & 27th kicked it off with a show sponsored by Art Dance Academy and Lucia Enterprises.  This show featured the amazing musical talent of Fadi el Saadi.  He is a Lebanese born musician now residing in Mexico. This was his first trip to the U.S.  The show was held at Habibi's Mediterranean Restaurant in Escondido, CA.  The restaurant is a good size with beautiful decore but our meal was very salty and not me or the other dancers I was with could finish it.
The show began with music, Fadi on keyboard and Walid Assaf on tabla. The dancing didn't start until about an hour later.  The Oriental Jewels opened the show with a lively Lebanese choreography by Margo Abdo O'Dell.  There was many solo performances and a performance by the Sands of Arabia.  The second half of the show was opened by Talia and closed by Lucia.  Unfortunately, the show ended up being about 3 hours long and most of the audience had left by the time Lucia danced, even with the amazing music of Fadi playing on.

On the 27th there was a 75th birthday celebration for a special man in our belly dance community.  DJ Paul who has a weekly belly dance showcase at Kolbeh Persian Restaurant in Mira Mesa, CA turned 75!  The show was started by on one of Paul's favorite and most loyal dancers Takiko.  Performing a few different folklore numbers she dazzled the audience again and again!  Then a dancer named Nahira did a solo returning to the stage after a 6 year lull, but you would of never known it!  She looked and danced amazing!  Monika and Talia danced with local drummers Natan & Roger and ended by bringing out a lovely birthday cake for all to enjoy.
As the audience nibbled on the cake the show continued with American Tribal dancers Elena and Anna.  Anna was new to Kolbeh but wowed the audiences who look forward to seeing more of her!  To end the evening with a bang Kolbeh presented well known San Diego dancer Ana.
DJ Paul was delighted by his birthday celebration and a show to remember and so was his friends who celebrated with him.

On Friday, April 1st was a great annual fundraiser show but on by Tina Enheduanna of Laguna Hills, CA.  It was a full theater production with amazing talents from all over the area raising money for Women to Women International.  It took place at the Laguna Hills Community Center.  From San Diego dancers included David and Talia with the Oriental Jewels.  The show featured a little of everything and was a huge success!

The following Friday, April 8th was the Oriental Jewels' much anticipated Dreams of Dance show featuring the talents of Nadege of Washington State and Sumra of Utah.  The show setting was fabulously set at the Carmel Mountain Ranch Country Club which set the stage for one amazing show.  The Oriental Jewels started off the show with Kashmere a Led Zeppelin toon that got everyone in the mood.  There was 3 dances by the performance team of Dance FX Studio from San Marcos.  Those young dancers were amazing and very professional!  Other dancers to wow the audience was Tara dancing a fusion theatrical number, Nahira, the mystical Aini of Temecula, the very lovely and graceful Vilia and Tina Enheduanna with her group Rhythms of the Desert who blew away many with a fun Persian dance and some classical Egyptian dances.  The show also featured the Cairo Beats, four drummers who got the audience grooving on 3 different occasions.  To end the show, our guest artists graced the stage both featuring what they would be teaching in their workshops the next day.  All in all it was a magical evening which left guests with lots to talk about.

The next night, Sumra and Nadege did an Encore Show at the Birdhouse Grill in Encinitas, CA.  It was a full restaurant chowing down on the amazing food.  Money was flying for the dancers and the BYOB drinks were flowing!  Again, it was so great to have Sumra & Nadege here in San Diego teaching and presenting their talents!