Sunday, March 13, 2011

A Middle Eastern Dance Journey featuring

Kweilin Nassar


Berna is proud to present Kweilin Nassar, a Pittsburgh original Middle Eastern Dancer in two amazing workshops:


Emotion in Music & Elemental Choreography


Date and Time: June 18th, 2011 — 10:30-2:30 pm

Location: La Roche College Dance Department

Kerr Fitness Center, Dance Studio

9000 Babcock Blvd., Pgh. PA 15237

Cost: $25 each workshop






Early bird Registration by April 30, 2011

$50 including the hafla and gala show tickets!






Directions: http://www.laroche.edu/about/directions.asp

The Kerr Fitness Center is located at the back right portion of campus. Studio is on the Lower Level. Follow the driveway back, bear right until the road turns left. Follow the driveway all the way back, the Kerr Fitness center is directly in front of you. Free parking on campus.

http://www.laroche.edu/tour/tour.html

Bonus Lecture: As a very special treat, you may want to pack your lunch. During our break, Kweilin will conduct a mini lecture on Oriental Dance. She will share her experiences as a dancer in the Pittsburgh community, the expression of the dance and it's popularity as performance and art form, and her tutelage under her cousin Ibrahim (Bobby) Farrah. Kweilin will be a panelist at the upcoming "Remembering Bobby" seminar in NYC in April and hopes to have more memories to share with us!


Join us for a Friday Night Hafla and Amazing Gala Show on Saturday!

Oasis Hafla @ Bodiography Studio --
Performances, Open Floor and Live Music Jam

Bring your hipscarf and your instruments. We will have a short set of community performances and then an open jam with members of Ishtar and friends! Please contact me for a performance slot if you are interested!

Location:
5824 Forbes Ave, 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh PA 15217
Date:
Friday June 17th
Time:
Doors 7:30 pm
Cost:
$5

Directions: Bodiography is located on the 3rd Floor of 5824 Forbes Ave in the middle of the Squirrel Hill business district. Take the Squirrel Hill exit from 376 East and proceed up Murray Ave. to the intersection with Forbes Ave. (Rite Aid and Cold Stone Creamery). Turn Right onto Forbes...Find Parking near here!

Studio will be half a block on Forbes on the right, above the Mediterranean Grille, 10,000 Villages, and Pussycat stores. The entrance is a single glass door in a grey marble doorway. Come on up to the 3rd Floor! Parking on street is free after 6pm, but the library lot has paid parking.




Gala Show @ Istanbul -- Live Music and Performances

Live music from ISHTAR, Pittsburgh’s Bellyrock Band with community and guest bellydance performances, featuring a full Oriental set by Kweilin Nassar!

Istanbul offers amazing food! If you are planning to eat, be sure come early and enjoy the Turkish Cuisine!

Location: 4130 Bulter St. Pittsburgh, PA 15201
Date:
Saturday June 18th
Time:
Doors 7:30 pm
Cost:
$10 Adv/$15 Door

Directions: Istanbul is located in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh. Make your way to Route 28...exit at the 40th street bridge. Cross into Lawrenceville, making a left onto Butler at the traffic signal (Wendy's and gas station). Park near here! Istanbul is 2 blocks down on Butler St. on the right on the corner of 42nd St. On street parking is free, with a paid lot on 42nd.

www.ishtar-music.com











Out of Town Guests -- McKnight Road in the North Hills is the most convenient place to stay. There is a Hampton Inn that has been recently renovated as well as a Holiday Inn just up the road. Food and shopping is abundant and you less than 10 minutes from Downtown and major expressways. The workshops are located less than 10 minutes away, the hafla about 25 minutes, and gala show only 15 minutes.


About Kweilin Nassar:

Kweilin Nassar has been dancing ever since she could stand. Being of Middle Eastern heritage, everyone dances as an expression of joy. Her grandmother, mother and mother’s sister were all excellent dancers as traditionally expressed in the villages of Syria and Lebanon, but void of hip movements.

When she was 16, a turning point occurred. Kweilin was mesmerized by a very skilled oriental dancer from Morocco who performed on champagne glasses and moved her hips to every beat of the music. She decided to pursue this dance form with enthusiasm. Her cousin, Ibrahim (Bobby) Farrah, was one of the finest Middle Eastern dancers in the U.S and abroad and he tutored her to refine her oriental dance.

Nassar’s professional dance career began at the Mediterranean restaurant in Pittsburgh, PA, where she was the premier dancer for many years. Performing to a live Middle Eastern and Greek orchestra which included renowned oudist Joe Budway and eight other musicians, each evening was exhilarating for all.

Kweilin’s skills as a solo oriental dancer were only one part of her Middle Eastern dance expertise. Her love for folk dances was demonstrated as she trained and choreographed for a troupe of 20 folklore dancers. The group performed two-hour concerts in Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Music Hall and in the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Nassar was honored to represent American-Lebanese at the Smithsonian’s American Folklife Festival in Washington, DC and choreographed and performed in the Lebanese program for the Pittsburgh International Folk Festival for many years.

In addition to performing in Mexico City, Miami and other U.S. cities, she has taught oriental dance workshops specializing in the expression of the dance.



More info on Registration, Information, Directions

Berna * La Belle Sultana*

www.littleshimmy.com * 412.260.8432 * bernadancer@gmail.com


*** All registrations and tickets are final payment and non-transferable unless the show or workshops are canceled, thank you! ***