Nisaa is pleased to offer the following lectures online via Zoom.  Before registering, please read ALL the information below, and if you have questions, e-mail or call 314.599.0506 for more information.  Stay up-to-date regarding upcoming class sessions by subscribing to Nisaa's monthly newsletter!
August 2023 Online Lectures with Nisaa
Registration and Payment Information
PLEASE READ ALL THE INFORMATION BELOW

Fee:

$25 USD per lecture, or $40 for both lectures

Please note that class fees are non-refundable after the start of the session.  Classes missed in the current session may not be used as credit for classes in future sessions.  Registrations are non-transferable.

Registration:

Register here with PayPal.  Click on the links to the right.  You don't have to have a PayPal account to use this method of payment.  Please be sure to register with a current e-mail address - Nisaa will e-mail the Zoom meeting links to this e-mail address!

Important Information:

  • Register at least 24 hours prior to the lecture.
  • Check your e-mail!  Nisaa will e-mail you the Zoom meeting link within 24 hours of the start of the lecture.  If you have not received an e-mail at least two hours prior to the start of the lecture, please contact Nisaa immediately to request the Zoom meeting link.  Please do not wait till the last minute!
  • A recording will be available for viewing for 14 days after each lecture.  All purchasers will be notified by email as soon as each recording is available.
Rewriting History:
Respectability Politics and Revisionist History in Contemporary Egyptian Belly Dance
Saturday, August 12, 2023 | 2-3:30 PM US Central Time

Current trends in the Egyptian belly dance industry are generating a lot of discussion, and sometimes controversy, both inside and outside Egypt.  A common refrain that echoes throughout present-day discourse about the dance is that today’s dancers – particularly foreign dancers working in Cairo – are deviating from proper technique, aesthetic, and behavior.  Critics of the contemporary scene look to the dance and dancers of prior eras – the raqs sharqi performers of the Golden Era, the awalim of the early 19th century, and even the jawari of medieval Egypt – as benchmarks of artistry and respectability, and lament that belly dance in the present day has been degraded through the incorporation of athletic feats and sexualized movement.  Yet, the dance past that is presented as a counterpoint to the present scene is often highly romanticized and even factually inaccurate.  In reality, dancers in all eras of Egyptian history have existed as marginal figures in their society.  And though technique and costuming have certainly evolved over the centuries, aspects of current dance trends have documented precedent in earlier periods.  Join Nisaa for an examination of the reality of dance and dancers in earlier periods of Egyptian history based on primary source documentation, and gain a more objective perspective on current trends in Egyptian belly dance.
Saturday, August 26, 2023 | 2-3:30 PM US Central Time​

For generations, Egyptian belly dancers have amazed and astonished their audiences by performing acrobatic feats as part of their dance performances.  In this lecture, Nisaa provides an overview of the history of these spectacular acts in Egyptian belly dance – ranging from descending to the floor in the splits, to balancing chairs in the teeth – spanning a period from the dawn of the 19th century to the present day.
It's Time for the Feats of Strength!
A History of Floorwork and Prop Balancing in Egyptian Belly Dance
Registration closed.