Our artistic, creative process is unique for each MEDEA event. Visit with each of our performing artists, in their Dialogues.

We are establishing a blog thread for each of our dances; visit our Alay'nya Studio Blog, where you can comment on each of these dances -- both before and after the show. (The dancers will love your positive and enthusiastic feedback!)

Welcome to the guests of this next performance by the Golden Lotus Performing Arts Studio (the performing branch of the Alay'nya Studio; 501(3)c incorporation to begin shortly).

The type of dance that we do is often called "bellydance" or "Mid-Eastern dance." Many of the movements and traditions began in the Middle East, and have now spread and blended with other dance traditions across the globe.

For this particular performance, each of the dancers has chosen a goddess (any culture, any time) as the inspiration for her dance.

Please join us for an evening of beauty, grace, and energy.

 

 

Sarasvati, the primary goddess of the Hindu pantheon, exemplifies the "Goddess" theme for this show. Sarasvati was originally identified with the sacred river which flows into the Ganges at Prayaga. As the deity of a natural force, she had the power to smash mountains and spoke with the roar of the waterfall. Later, she was said to be the creation and consort of Brahma. She became the goddess of music and wisdom, was credited with the invention of Sanskrit, and was known as the "Mother of the Veda."

Image: marble statue, 12th century

Source: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Mythology, by Arthur Cotterell and Rachel Storm. Anness Publishing Limited, 1999, page 388.

 

Performance at the Rehearsal Hall (Lower Level)

at the McLean Community Center

 

Saturday, November 15th, 7:00 PM

McLean, VA

Due to space limitations, please make advance reservations

For more information, contact Alay'nya Studio Reservations Coordinator..

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The PROGRAM

 

Master of Ceremonies: Gerson Kuhr

Part 1: Troupe Seraband and Soloists

• Troupe Seraband
• Sasheen
• Sabira
• Maha Najeeb
• Sitara
• Alay'nya

 

Part 2: Special Invited Guest Artists

• Katayoun
• Caleena Janay
• Linda Maher MacDonald
• Urvashi
• Amustela

 

Production Team

Artistic Director: Alay'nya

Producer: Sitara

"Mistress of the Written Word": Sasheen

The Mid-Eastern Dance Experimental Atelier (MEDEA) Performance Series

 

Each year, in late autumn, we host a dance concert dedicated to more experimental and artistic works; work that is generally beyond the scope of "commercial" dance performances. Each year, we have a specific theme.

Concert themes have ranged from Honor Your Mother, our first NOVA area dance concert in the spring of 2003, through to Diamonds! in autumn of 2003, Goddess in spring of 2004, Unveiling in autumn of 2004, and Viva la Diva in autumn of 2005, (a special benefit performance in support of a ground-breaking work by Anahid Sofian: Morocco: Inside the Magic Garden .

In each MEDEA, and in specia workshops,, we invite outstanding dance artists from the NOVA area and beyond. Featured Special Invited Guest Artists over the past several years have included Joe Williams from New York City, local talent Linda Maher MacDonald and Kamaria, together with Eleanor Erakovic from Australia.

In Viva la Diva, Special Invited Guests included Amustela, Katayoun, and Caleena Janay, who grace us again in this year's show, together with Linda Maher MacDonald and new Special Invited Guest Urvashi.

In this year's MEDEA, Releasing the Goddess, each dancer is challenged to select a particular goddess -- from any historical context or culture -- and interpret that goddess through dance.

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