Hiring Jawaahir Dance Company

Jawaahir (Ja-WA-heer) , jewels in Arabic, brings the many facets of Middle Eastern dance to the theater stage. From the lively rhythms of rural Egypt to the glittering courts of the Ottoman Empire, Jawaahir's repertoire captures the essential spirit of Middle Eastern dance.

Playful, dramatic, and always joyous, Jawaahir's members perform a diverse repertoire of folkloric and contemporary dances that will expand your perceptions of Middle Eastern dance. You'll hear the traditional rhythms, see the distinctive costumes, and experience the expressive dance traditions of Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Tunisia, the Saudi Gulf, and North Africa. The contemporary pieces are deeply rooted in the traditional dance vocabulary but presented with modern theatrical sensibilities.

Jawaahir can create a performance just for your event: an educational performance that includes audience-participation, a 2-hour theatrical performance, or a unique program that adds excitement to any event!

To book Jawaahir Dance Company, please contact:

Eileen Goren
Jawaahir Dance Company
1940 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55403
phone: 612-872-6050 / Fax: 612-872-2104
e-mail: booking@jawaahir.org
web: www.jawaahir.org

Since its founding, Jawaahir Dance Company has been dedicated to presenting Middle Eastern dance as a living art form, to bringing the rich folkloric heritage of the Middle East to the theater stage, and to providing education about the dance in its authentic form for dance students and the general public. The Company has presented educational programs in Middle Eastern dance and music for over twelve years. Jawaahir Dance Company offers a variety of options and can tailor programs to meet your community's needs and budget. For example:

• Programs can be presented in theatrical venues or in more informal settings such as school gymnasiums and community centers.
• Programs can run from 15 minutes to an hour and a half.
• Programs can be a combination of workshops, residencies, or evening-length performances.
• Programs can teach basic dance and rhythm patterns, or delves into the culture, history, and geography of the Middle East.
• Programs will introduce Middle Eastern music and instruments.
• Fees are negotiable.

Jawaahir is currently rostered with two Twin Cities presenters, Young Audiences of Minnesota www.yamn.org and COMPAS (Community Programs in the Arts) www.compas.org to present cultural programs to educational institutions throughout Minnesota.

Dance Workshops and Residences

Jawaahir offers a variety of workshop options and can tailor workshops to meet your school or community's needs and budget. For example:

• Workshops can be tailored for dancers and non-dancers alike.
• Jawaahir can present a day-long introductory workshop on Middle Eastern dance, or a week-long residency focusing in-depth on dance technique and its cultural context.
• Workshops focus on one country or region of the Middle East, or we can present a variety of regional styles.
• Workshops can be combined with an evening-length performance or lecture-demonstration.

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Adult Lectures / Demonstrations

In lecture-demonstrations, dances are introduced and their costumes, movements, and music are demonstrated. This format is ideal for school and community groups.

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Student Lectures / Demonstrations

Middle Eastern dance is a celebration of life! Jawaahir will take students on a magic carpet ride into the unique cultures of the Middle East. Students will hear traditional rhythms, see distinctive folk costumes, and experience the expressive dance traditions of Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Tunisia, the Saudi Gulf, and North Africa. Through movement, music, language, art, and cultural activities, students will experience the rich heritage of Arabic music and dance, helping dispel media stereotypes.

YA (Young Audiences of Minnesota) www.yamn.org.
COMPAS (Community Programs in the Arts)

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Sample Educational Performance

Playful, dramatic, and always joyous, Jawaahir's members perform a diverse repertoire of folkloric dances that will expand your perceptions of Middle Eastern dance. You'll hear the traditional rhythms, see the distinctive costumes, and expressive dance traditions of Egypt, Tunisia, and the Saudi Gulf. The Company introduces each dance with relevant movement, musical, and cultural information. Often audience members are encouraged to participate by clapping to the music and learning simple movements. This creates an exceptional experience for both the audience and the performers!

Below is a sample educational performance used in schools and communities.

		INTRODUCTION
		Audience Participation
		Clapping to drum, zills, and riq Zagareet
		TUNISIAN WOMEN'S DANCE (Tunisia)
		Vigorous horizontal hip movements characterize this dance which is always seen at parties and weddings. In the southern islands of Djerba and Kerkennah it is often performed with a clay water pot balanced on the dancer's head.
		Audience Participation
		Demonstrate wraping of melia
		RAKS EL ASSAYA (Egypt)
		The only remaining traditional dance, Woman's Dance with a Cane, is a mimic of the Tahtib (stick) Dance, a combat dance performed by men. The cane dance is used in villages as a form of flirtation.
		Audience Participation
		Boys' cane dance
		SHAMMADAN (Egypt)
		In Egypt, the dancer is an integral part of the wedding celebration, which take place at night. The dancer and young girls carrying tall candles lead the procession of the bride and groom (called the zeffa) to the wedding party. At the turn of the century, one dancer, Shafia al Coptia, set herself apart from other dancers for hire by balancing a lantern on her head. Not to be out done, Nesla al Adel balanced a candelabra and a new tradition was started - the Shammadan.
		GHAWAZEE (Egypt)
		Ghawazee, or invaders of the heart, are the gypsy dancers ? some families trace their roots to the Romany gypsies. Rapid hip vibrations and the playing of sagat (brass finger cymbals) characterize the dance.
		Audience Participation
		Dance movement - shoulder isolations
		KHALIJIYYA (Gulf Region: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates)
		This dance is traditionally performed at women's gatherings. An integral part of the dance is the colorful and beautifully embroidered thobe nashal (big dress).
		Audience Participation
		Girls' Khalijiyya with thobes
		Closing

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For more information go to Theatrical Performance Packages

To book Jawaahir Dance Company in your community, please contact:

Cassandra Shore, Artistic Director
Jawaahir Dance Company
1940 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55403
phone: 612-872-6050 / Fax: 612-872-2104
e-mail: cassandra@jawaahir.org
web: www.jawaahir.org

Events and Parties

Jawaahir Dance Company is available for corporate events and private parties.

From cultural events to Arabian Fantasy themes, Jawaahir has the experience and the resources to ornament your special occasion. Our extensive repertoire ranges from traditional folk dances, presented in authentic costumes and set to authentic music, to theatrical fantasy pieces that bring the flair and imagination of the Arabian Nights to life! We can add an exotic atmosphere with the exciting options of live Arabic music and/or costumed characters.

Jawaahir Dance Company will delight your audience with:

• Soloist performances to full company performances.
• Professionally trained dancers to present traditional Middle Eastern dances in folk costumes from a variety of countries.
• Professionally trained dancers to present the traditional woman’s solo dance known as Belly Dance or Raqs Sharki.
• Costumed characters to add atmosphere.
• Live or recorded music.
• Consultation services on music, cultural traditions, esthetics, and other resources to enhance your event.

Jawaahir has been presenting Middle Eastern dance in a wide variety of settings since 1989. Let us add exotic spice to your event!

To book Jawaahir Dance Company for your Event, please contact:

Cassandra Shore, Artistic Director
Jawaahir Dance Company
1940 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55403
phone: 612-872-6050 / Fax: 612-872-2104
e-mail: cassandra@jawaahir.org
web: www.jawaahir.org

Playful, dramatic, and always joyous, Jawaahir's members perform a diverse repertoire of folkloric dances that will expand your perceptions of Middle Eastern dance. You'll hear the traditional rhythms, see the distinctive costumes, and expressive dance traditions of Egypt, Tunisia, and the Saudi Gulf.

Jawaahir Dance Company, established in 1989, has year-round rehearsals and performance schedules and is the only professional Middle Eastern dance company in the central United States. Jawaahir has an established local theater season and presents a variety of performances from major theater venues to small community venues throughout the Twin Cities and the Midwest. Jawaahir regularly receives glowing praise: "...[these are] dancers who have studied Middle Eastern dance with great devotion and who present it with authenticity and flair..." (StarTribune, Minneapolis).

Performances by Jawaahir Dance Company are:

• Joyous: Middle Eastern dance is a celebration of life-energetic and enjoyable, with colorful costumes, lively rhythms, and an infectious sense of joy.

• A Feast for the Senses: The music is mesmerizing, the costumes are sumptuous! Whether it is presenting a traditional dance with its regional music and costume, or a contemporary dance with modern sensibilities, all dances are presented in authentic Middle Eastern style.
  
• Affordable! Jawaahir offers a variety of performance options and will tailor performances to meet your organization's needs and budget. For example:
  • Jawaahir can present traditional or contemporary repertoire, or a combination of both.
  • Jawaahir can perform to live or recorded music. (Live music is highly recommended.)
  • Fees range from $5,000 - $20,000.
  • Jawaahir is able to present an evening of dances from a variety of different countries, from a single region, or an evening based on works of Arabic literature.
  • Jawaahir's performances will be adapted to the needs of community.
  • Jawaahir's performances adapt to a variety of lighting and sound systems, for simple to sophisticated technical presentations. (A lighting designer is available.)
    

Show Packages
2 hours with intermission
Live music extra

Below are some of the available show packages.

		Mediterranean Tour
		You will hear the traditional rhythms, see the distinctive costumes, and experience the expressive dance traditions of Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, the Saudi Gulf, Lebanon, Turkey, and Greece. Every dance is presented with its own unique costume, based on regional styles, and each gorgeous costume is meticulously researched and crafted. Musicians perform on authentic Arabic instruments. Jawaahir strives for the highest level of quality and authenticity in every aspect of its performance. Slideshow of Mediterranean Tour For more information and performance fees email Jawaahir
		1,001 Egyptian Nights
		From the lively rhythms of rural Egypt to contemporary Arabic pop, Jawaahir will take your audiences on an exotic journey with Egyptian folklore and classical dances as well as contemporary numbers featuring Egyptian pharonic characters. Slideshow of 1,001 Egyptian Nights For more information and performance fees email Jawaahir
		Dreams - Arabian Fantasy
		Jawaahir presents creative and contemporary Arabic dances using all contemporary material based on Arabic themes, dance, movement, and music - but with a modern bent. The program includes theatrical and atmospheric dances, as well as comedy pieces and mythological themes. Slideshow of Dreams For more information and performance fees email Jawaahir
		Orientalia- Near East meets West
		A mix of traditional and contemporary material. We will custom-design a program to inspire your audience and to complement your venue. Slideshow of Orientalia For more information and performance fees email Jawaahir
		Shoma
		Evening-length dance drama using music, dance, and storytelling from the Gulf States. (Some possibilities for community involvement when in conjunction with a residency) Slideshow of Shoma For more information and performance fees email Jawaahir Reviews of Shoma

For more information go to Educational Program Packages

To book Jawaahir Dance Company in your community, please contact:

Cassandra Shore, Artistic Director
Jawaahir Dance Company
1940 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55403
phone: 612-872-6050 / Fax: 612-872-2104
e-mail: cassandra@jawaahir.org
web: www.jawaahir.org