October 2023 International Egyptian Oriental Dance Camp in ISOC – Cairo, Egypt
During this week we learned three choreography’s on different styles combined with lectures on theory and background stories, we learned choreography’s based on Classical, Melaya or Eskandarani and Saidi. Together with a group of other dancers I stayed in ISOC in Cairo, Egypt. The week was a full program of dance training, culture and activities such as going out for dinner and visiting the big market, stores for costumes. We visited a Tanoura show and witnessed the ballet performance ‘Devil in me’ at the Cairo Opera House and went to a nile cruise restaurant ‘Nile Maxim’. We witnessed an award ceremony where Prof. Dr. Hassan Khalil was invited and he brought back a gift from another event he was invited and we weren’t able to join. Prof. Dr. Hassan Khalil and Dr. Nuriah Wenn took us to the Academy of Arts in Egypt and gave us a tour through the building. Prof. Dr. Hassan Khalil is a teacher at the school and still gives lectures, we met his students shortly and he showed us his honor plate. We visited the pyramids and went inside. We went to the National museum and also visited the mummies museum and visited different religion based building etc.
We went on a tour to Alexandria and visited different historical places and tombs. Next to the historical places we went to the library in Alexandria, went out for dinner in a local place.
May 2024 International Egyptian Oriental Dance Camp in ISOC – Cairo, Egypt
This week was kind of special as I was the only dancer attending the journey. During the week I stayed in ISOC in Cairo, Egypt. Learned two choreography’s based on Golden Era, lectures on theory and background story and worked to improve one of the choreography’s I learned in October 2023. The week was full of a program of dance training, culture and activities such as going out for dinner and visiting the big market, stores for costumes. We visited historical places and other religion buildings like churches etc. than we visited in the journey in October 2023. We visited the garbage city as they call it. We had dinner in different restaurants, also the famous Naguib Mahfouz restaurant with live orchestra. We went on a nile cruise ‘The Pharaohs’ and went to two other nile cruise restaurants I haven’t been before. We went to the aquarium
October 2024 Cultural Dance Journey in ISOC – Cairo, Egypt
During this week we learned two choreography’s based on Bedouin Folklore with lectures on theory and background. We stayed in ISOC in Cairo, Egypt. The week was a full program of dance training, culture and activities such as going out for dinner and the visiting the big market, stores for costumes. On the big market I bought a complete set of Bedouin clothing and my own Darbuka. We visited the Grand Egyptian Museum and went on a nile cruise restaurant I haven’t been before. Dinner in the famous Naguib Mahfouz restaurant with live orchestra and we visited other places for dinner during the week. We visited historical places and religion buildings where I haven’t been before. We went on a day tour to the Oasis El Fayoum and visited a Bedouin village and had dinner in the village and we went on a three day tour to the Bahariya Oasis, White and Black desert where we stayed a night in a Bedouin Camp (tents and a comfy place made by our two Bedouin guides with blankets in the desert). In the desert we had dinner and enjoyed our time by the fire with music and looking at all the stars as it was amazingly clear. Before we left we had breakfast in the desert. The other night we stayed in the Oasis hotel and had breakfast and dinner in the Bedouin village.
The desert journey specific was a special experience for me.
