Tuesday, October 22, 2024

1:00pm-3:00pm

Sheri Maria Morgan - Raqs Al Assaya: Folkloric Dance of Upper Egypt

Raqs al Assaya (“dance of the cane/stick” in Arabic), is an Egyptian folkloric dance that originated from the popular stick game, which is still played in some parts of Egypt, such as the Delta region, Western cities, and Upper Egypt, under the name of “Tahtib” folk game. Maria will walk us through the history of the dance, from ancient Egypt through its gain in popularity in Egypt and then how the dance won international renown. She will demonstrate some dance moves, present video examples of the dance, and explain its unique movements, recognizable music, distinct instrumentation, and specific costuming.

About Sheri Maria Morgan

Maria (Egypt/USA) is a local performing dance artist based in Columbus, Ohio with over 15 years of dance training that has taken her through the dances of Egypt, the Middle East, and beyond, from the classical and folkloric Persian dances to the folkloric dances of India (Bhangra of Punjab). For all dance types and styles, she emphasizes teaching their unique movements, musicality, culture, language, and history. With a strong academic background of over 10 years and a research-driven approach, Maria tailors her specialty classes and workshops to include reviewed lectures on the dance itself, its country of origin, and its people. Born to Egyptian immigrants from Asyut (Upper Egypt; Sa'id Region), she is most passionate about the styles of Egyptian Raqs Sharqi, the Egyptian style of belly dance, and the folkloric dances of the various regions of Egypt, and she is so excited to share her heritage and her knowledge with all of you!