Santa Cruz Weekend

This past weekend my dance group went to Santa Cruz for a workshop and performance. It was quite a big deal----at least from what I could tell. We were taking a masters class by a world-renowned choreography named Yousry Sharif.

Our class started first thing Saturday morning around 10:30 a.m. and we didn’t finished until 4:00 p.m. It was an awesome workshop, and one I’m glad I was invited to participate in. If I’m being really honest, I felt like a little fish in a big pond with all these phenomenal dancers. Just taking our workshop in a professional ballroom was impressive. :-P

Immediately after the workshop we rushed back to our hotel, took showers and quickly prepared to go to a show to see two performing musical groups, accented with dancers. The opening group was called AZA. They were incredible. They were a young, hip group that actually did Arabic music infused with reggae and other twists of music. The lead band members were Moroccan and they were soooooooo much fun.

(AZA - AZA, local favorite and rising star on the international world musicscene, will open the show with their delightful music and spontaneoustraditional dancing. Recently returned from their second concert tourto Morocco and France, AZA combines traditional Tamazight (Berber)music indigenous to the Atlas mountains of Morocco with the globalinfluences of its diverse members, featuring deep danceable grooveswith infectious vocals and melodic style.)

Here’s a small sample of their music.



The main performance was The Georges Lammam Ensemble. Oh my goodness these people were absolutely incredible. Georges is a marvelous violinist. His brother Elias played the accordion unbelievably well, and the other brother, Tony, was a fabulous drummer. They also had a Pakistani woman that sang who was out of this world.

(The Georges Lammam Ensemble, noted for its awe-inspiring presentations of a panoramic range of the Arab musical repertoire, with the Santa Cruz premiere of its latest CD, Dreaming the Diaspora. Blending artful Eastern improvisation with Western harmonic and melodic styling, this original music will sing to people of all cultures - songs for love, songs for dance, and songs to heal. As artistic director of the Georges Lammam Ensemble, Georges is devoted to bringing the rich diversity and passion of Arabic music to listeners everywhere. He performs throughout the United States as a featured artist and with global fusion groups.)

Here’s a sample of their music as well as one of the dancers that performed.



On Sunday we had a free day to leisurely walk about the town. We found a little coffee shop called Bad Ass Coffee – Coffee with an attitude. :-) Meandered through a little flea market as well as some cute little shops.

Later that evening we performed at a cultural center with dancers from all around the world. Again feeling like a little fish in a big pond, myself and the two girls I roomed with, were really nervous. However, once we finished our performance we were all thrilled we survived. ;-) After the show, we went to a quaint restaurant and celebrated our teacher’s birthday and ended our time together with a wonderful meal and wonderful conversation.

Truly it was a memorable weekend filled with fun and laughter, alhamdullilah.

Saudi Arabia Makes First Music Video

Saudi Arabia Makes First Music Video
By DONNA ABU-NASR


DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - The Arab world's hugely popular music video industry often features sexy performers in revealing clothes crooning about love.

But the first clip to be fully produced in Saudi Arabia has a message of a different kind: You can be cool and devout.

The video is unusual because it was made in a country where the religious establishment considers music un-Islamic and bans it in public places. And the main cast includes a Saudi woman, something rare in a work produced inside the kingdom.

But in a sign of Saudi impatience with the restrictions, ``Malak Ghair Allah'' or ``You Only Have God to Count On'' was a hit when it was launched at a popular mall in the western seaport of Jiddah last week. Hundreds of people showed up to watch it on a giant screen in the mall's main hall.

``People didn't stop clapping. Some had tears in their eyes,'' Kaswara al-Khatib, the video's director, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

The video is expected to air on most of the Middle East's more than 30 music satellite TV channels this week. Despite fears among the Saudi clergy over the corrupting influence of music videos, the clip had implicit government approval. The credits thank ``those who helped make this work a success,'' including the Information Ministry.

``You Only Have God to Count On'' uses upbeat music to tell the story of a successful man who had strayed from the path of true Islam. He smokes, flirts with women even though he's engaged and doesn't join his colleagues at work in performing the five daily Muslim prayers.

Things slowly start to go bad: He has a flat tire and problems at work and his fiancee leaves him when she sees him talking to another woman. He then has a serious accident while recklessly driving his motorcycle. After he recovers, the man starts to pray, stops smoking, wins back his fiancee and excels at work.

Significantly, the man sports a hip goatee and doesn't grow the big, bushy beard favored by fundamentalist Muslims. He still wears T-shirts and jeans and sticks to his old friends, including a man who favors the much-frowned-upon ponytails.

``I wanted the youths to understand that it's not the looks that count. It's what inside that matters,'' al-Khatib said.

``The video also has this message: Don't give up and think, 'I sinned, therefore I'm going to hell,''' the director added. ``Think that there's a God and he is always there to help you.''

While there's no lack of production crews, dancers and singers in Lebanon, Egypt and other Arab countries that produce music videos, things are different in Saudi Arabia. The kingdom follows the strictest school of Islam that bans the mixing of the sexes and all forms of entertainment, including music in restaurants, concerts and movie theaters.

Al-Khatib, 37, who heads an advertising agency, has previously produced music videos, but this is the first that is an all-Saudi work. It was filmed along Jiddah's boardwalk on the Red Sea, a popular hangout for youths.

The lyrics of the song, performed by Muhammed al-Haddad, say in part: ``If things go bad ... if your dreams have been lost ... you only have God to count on.''

Al-Khatib said that for the lead female part, he had to get permission from the parents of Ruwaina al-Jihani before he could cast her in the role of the fiancee.

``They consulted with the extended family before giving their consent,'' said al-Khatib.

Al-Jihani appeared covered in the traditional black cloak and headcover, with only her face showing. One shot showed her all in white at her engagement.

Al-Khatib said that while music is controversial in Saudi Arabia, he has heard fatwas (religious edicts) from non-Saudi clerics who say music for a good cause should not be illegal.

Plus, al-Khatib said he wanted to give Saudi youths an alternative to music videos produced abroad but popular on satellite TV.

``The problem is not the music. It's how you utilize it,'' said the director.

``We wanted to talk to them in their own language,'' he added. ``Instead of saying, 'Don't listen to music,' we're saying, 'Listen to music that's good for you.''