Raqs Al Assaya is an Arabic term for cane dance. Raqs=dance, assaya=cane.
This dance originated in southern Egypt, in the region known as the Said or Upper Egypt. Traditionally, in the Said, men carried long sticks with them which they used as weapons, and eventually they evolved a dance in which they feigned fighting with these sticks. Women then began dancing with canes as a way of playfully imitating this men's dance, and eventually raqs al assaya developed into a distinct women's dance. This dance is earthy, happy, full of parody and humor. The men do a dance called tahtib, much like a martial art, with large sticks. The women dance with smaller sticks or canes, just for fun. Saidi is very popular rhythm and style of music and dance, very much adopted and appreciated in bellydance world today.
It is important for a modern western bellydancer (pro or amateur) to to study and understand Egypt's folkloric saidi dance as it brings one back to the roots of where it all began. Your teacher Amira has studied cane dance in both the US and Egypt, and she is the director of the troupe Raqaseen in Las Vegas famed for their elaborate assaya dances.
In your class you will learn the basics - how to hold, maneuver and even twirl your cane (it is not as hard as it looks) concluding with a short choreography. It will be fun and you'll burn calories. Bring a cane and comfortable clothing. There will be canes and saidi music CDs for sale at the workshop.
Read Amira's bio here.
Please email with questions: amira@amirasbelly.com
