 |
||
Home Classes Book Us! Events Gallery Dancers Resources About Us Contact Us |
Archive and References
to articles published about the troupe and its members.
If you know of
articles featuring members of the troupe that are not listed below,
please let us know!
Juneau Empire Articles
Capital City Weekly Articles
Fantasia: The Belly Dancers Journal -- no longer published
"Featuring: Troupe Banat El Tanuit" Fantasia: The Belly Dancers Journal. Seattle, WA: C.P.S. Graphics. Vol. 6, No. 2. March/April 1983: 42-46. [retyped as printed, including typos] Featuring: Troupe Banat El Tanuit When you think of Alaska do you think of endless miles of tundra, craggy, snow-capped mountain peaks and ice fields, or does your mind conjure belly dancers? If you answered "belly dancers" then maybe you've been to Juneau. Dancers of the troupe Banat El Tanuit from Juneau, Alaska, know what it means to live in a small isolated community! Juneau is the capital city of Alaska and has a population of around 24,000. Although it is the largest city in North America, encompassing 3,108 square miles, the bulk of this area is national forest land, muskeg, or mountains. No roads lead to Juneau (no Rome this!), instead it is served by what is called the Alaska Marine Highway, a system of ferries which runs to Juneau three times a week going north and three times a week going south (this goes up in the summer). The only two ways to get from Juneau to anyplace else (or from anyplace else to Juneau) is by boat or by air. The troupe Banat El Tanuit was formed in Juneau November of 1980 when nine dancers performed at a benefit for the International Year of the Child. The name, which translates to Daughters of Tanuit or Daughters of the Mother Goddess, was chosen a few months later. The popularity of the troupe has grown steadily since the first performance. We are asked to dance regularly for charity fund raisers (and do so gladly at no charge), for banquets, club functions an for private parties (at a reasonable fee). We are always on the lookout for new people to dance with the troupe and hope to someday add live musicians. Although membership in the troupe has fluctuated since the first performance there are currently four permanent members: Hamadryad, Diana, Jaleila, and Katiyja. Su "Hamadryad" Hendrix started studying Middle Eastern dancing six years ago after falling in love with the red dancer in the Juneau Lyric Opera's production of "Kismet". Having had ballet and modern dance training previously, it was not very long before she was performing at home and for various fairs. Her love of the dance and "being born a natural ham," as she puts it, led her to pursue the idea. She studied with two of Bou Saada's members while attending college and since then has attended workshops given by Jamila Salimpour and most recently Badawia. Though any piece of music with a rousing drum solo in it will attract her attention 'being the troupe's shimmy "expert") the shapely blond loves all forms of the dance, from Ouled Nail to modern cabaret. "When she dances, it looks like she doesn't have a bone in her body." This comment from an enthusiastic spectator aptly describes Diana's apparently effortless, flowing style. Hand her a veil and she can turn even a practice session into a stunning performance. The pert brownette, Diana Bennett, began Middle Eastern dancing six years ago. She has an extensive background in Greek and Slavic folkdancing and readily fell into the troupe spirit. In addition to veil work Diana particularly enjoys kashlimar and assists in choreographing dances for the group. People say that Katijya is the dancer with the magic eyes. "She looks like a snake about to strike when she looks at you with those eyes." Katiyja started dance lessons with ballet at the age of three years. She continued ballet into her teens and added tap, ballroom dancing and folk dancing. The tall brunette says it was her brother who first got her interested in the Oriental Dance when he took her to see her first live dancer, a statuesque beauty who performed at Zorba the Greek's restaurant in Sacramento, California. Katiyja (Kathleen Gamble) like most of the troupe, started studying Oriental Dance six years ago in Juneau. She has expanded her studies to include circular veil and sword dances. In January, Katiyja traveled to Ketchikan, Alaska, to give a one-day workshop funded by the Alaska State Council On The Arts through the "Mini-Workshop" program. Vivacious, red-headed Jaleila (Jo Siangco) refers to herself as the "old timer" of the group. She has been studying La Danse Orientale for ten years. Although Jaleila was intrigued by belly dancing from her early childhood she had to wait until 1973 to take her first lesson from Nakish in San Bruno, California. In November, 1974, only a few short months after arriving there with her family, Jaleila had the honor of being the first belly dancer to appear in Juneau. Jaleila is a graceful, lively dancer who specializes in intricate hip movements and lovely flowing spins. At 39 she has no plans yet to hang up her coin belt! For the last three years the troupe has been invited to dance at the Southeast Alaska State Fair in Haines, which is only about fifty miles from Juneau, but again you must remember that there are no roads out of Juneau so this adventure has been approached by a half-hour flight in a small plane stuffed with three or four dancers, baskets, costumes, swords, canes, and cameras (plus an occasional husband). The troupe arrives at the Juneau Municipal Airport looking like a caravan which became lost on its way to the nearest oasis. Thank heavens the fair charters a plane for us; it would be most embarrassing to get caught with overweight luggage on a three day trip! The pilot who gets to fly the belly dancers to Haines for the fair is always a hero. The troupe gave five performances for the 1982 fair; three in cabaret style, two in folkloric style. This year the troupe also appeared in the parade at the fair. Riding on a flatbed trailer donated to the purpose by Lynden Transport and carefully decorated for the occasion we shimmied, danced and smiled the entire length of the parade route. People watching the parade returned all the smiles; our parade entry was obviously a success. One of the highlights of our 1982 season was our trip to Seattle to dance at Fantasia. The experience was a total delight. Everyone was wonderful. As an added bonus we were interviewed by AP reporter Patrick Connolly. "But, why do you do it?" he wanted to know. Our answer, "We love it, how could we not do it?" The article he wrote about Fantasia brought us a lot of attention (you know how we all love attention). The story ran in our Juneau paper, in the Seattle PI, in the Anchorage paper, the Spokane paper and in the Los Angeles Times (maybe in others we did not hear about). Thank you George and Fayza Mosley for this chance to see so much good dancing, and to show it off! We are always trying to improve our dancing and this year included trips by all members of the troupe. Hamadryad traveled to San Francisco for the week-long workshop organized by Jamila Salimpour. Katiyja and Hamadryad traveled to Portland for workshops and shows organized by Badawia. (Thank you Badawia for these experiences and for sharing your own special style with us.) And all four of us traveled to Seattle for the workshop and show organized by Kashmira which featured Amir, Athena, Badawia and George Abdo. (Thank you Kashmira for giving us the chance to see so much fine dancing first hand in Seattle and to meet and to learn from these talented people). Katiyja, Diana and Hamadryad teach Oriental Dance for the Juneau Community Schools Program which is run under the guidance of the University of Alaska. We are an incongruous sight when we head for class in our red rubber boots (it rains in Juneau when it is not snowing), parkas, and harem pants. The last session of classes enrolled twenty students, a good turn-out when you consider the size of the community and the variety of activities which is always available. People in Juneau get involved in a lot of activities to get through those long winter nights. Every class ends with a party which features Middle Eastern foods and dancing by troupe members and by students. We invite the people who make our classes possible, Community Schools organizers and administrators and prospective students. We hpe that some of these students will continue to develop their dancing and will eventually be ready and eager to join the troupe. As we dance we also teach. Everytime the troupe or an individual from the troupe performs in the community we change an attitude. Our community is learning the beauty and dignity of Oriental Dance. Our joy is in sharing and teaching about this lively dance. Gamble, Kathleen (Katiyja). "Introducing: Zophia." Fantasia: The Belly Dancers Journal. Seattle, WA: C.P.S. Graphics. Vol. 8, No. 3. May/June 1985: 33. [retyped as printed, including typos] Introducing: Zophia by Kathleen Gamble (Katiyja) Juneau, AK Zophia, Mary Mahoney, paused, then replied, "I always liked to dance, I love to dance." Mary was born in Godalming, Surrey County, England. She recalls early studies of "ballet, tap and stage dance," lessons. Luckily for Juneau's belly dance troupe, Daughters of the New Moon, she met Alaskan, Gary Mahoney, in London in 1978 and by November of 1982 had moved to Juneau. Mary started belly dancing in January of 1984 and now appears regularly with the troupe. She says that belly dancing has not only helped her relax and to become more physically fit, but that she has achieved a great deal of self confidence through the dance. We are pleased to introduce Zophia. Her positive attitude and enthusiasm have been a welcome addition to the Daughters of the New Moon dance troupe. "Ooh! What They're Doing." Fantasia: The Belly Dancers Journal. Seattle, WA: C.P.S. Graphics. Vol. 9, No. 1. January/February 1986: 42-446. [retyped as printed, including typos] Ooh! What They're Doing JUNEAU, ALASKA Desert Nights and Oriental Moods, an evening including a Middle-Eastern dinner and a belly dance stage show was sponsored by the Daughters of the New Moon dance troupe of Juneau, Alaska, and took place September 13, 1985 at the historic Baranof Hotel. In spite of the fact that the show was scheduled for Friday the 13th preparations went smoothly. The music system was excellent, the stage setting looked beautiful, and the lighting was first rate. The show was sold out, the dinner was complimented by all, and while dessert dishes were being cleared mistress of ceremonies, Zophia, Mary Mahoney, stuck her head into the dressing room to make sure all dancers were ready. A-okay came the answer and off She went to announce the first dancer, Katiyja. But, alas, all dancers were locked in the dressing room because the door handle came off when they tried to open the door from inside. Quick thinking, and a telephone in the dressing room, saved the first entrance. A call to the front desk brought a maintenance man hurrying to the stranded dancers rescue. Katiyja, Kathleen Gamble, appeared in a red, silver and black costume and warmed up the audience by performing to the Dance Orientale routine from Ibrahim Turman's "Saidi Wind" album. Katiyja entered with red and silver glitter veil flying, then awed the audience with the sword balancing. Next was Badra, Diana Ground, in a costume of kelly green and navy with beaded bra and belt in coordinating colors, blue iris and gold accenting her kelly green bra and belt. Badra entered in a swirl of gold sequins and mesmerized the audience with her performance to Laylet Hob from Omar Korshid's album "Rhythms From the Orient." Following was a suite of oriental dances by sisters Lareina and Nashua, Holley and Rhonda Bergander. Their shimmy duet, performed to pieces from "Brothers of Baladi" and accompanied by Chuck Van Kirk on dumbek was so electric that it blew a circuit breaker in the room extinguishing the excellent music system, 3/4 of the first rate lighting, and the video camera. The beat was kept up by the dumbek player and an enthusiastic audience. In the highest model of professionalism dancers Lareina and Nashua completed their dance without losing a single shimmy. Few people even realized that there was a technical problem as they thought the dimmed lighting and solo drumming were planned! Lights and music restored, Judy " Jihan" Reda premiered her newly acquired water jug dance to Layali Masr. Judy looked dazzling in a black and silver baladi dress with cut-outs at the waist, hip girdle of long strands of silver beads and red harem pants. The coquettish stylings of the dance charmed the audience. The first half of the show was climaxed by Kashmira of Seattle. Kashmira's choice of music and her entire performance were a real crowd pleaser. She was a vision in purple skirt with ruffle and luminescent purple/green bead and sequin bra and belt. Kashmira has been invited to return to Juneau to give a dance workshop. Special guest performer, Hamadryad, Su Hendriz, of Juneau started the second half of the show. Her performance to Nadia Gamal's music, Joumana, was innovative in that she chose to play cymbals to this complex music, something you don't always hear. Looking truly elegant in lavender and irridescent pearl, Hamadryad received her usual warm reception from the Juneau audience. Perfectly radiant in a red and gold costume accented with bra and belt in antique crystal beads and rhinestones, Jaleila, Jo Siangco, made a dramatic entrance. She gave a totally enthralling performance to music from Raja's "Journey Into Rhythm" album. To complete the evening, guest star Judy "Jihan" Reda of new York returned to the stage in a magnificent fuchsia costume made for her by Madam Alba of Cairo. The costume had a long Egyptian style cape and bra and belt were covered with long strands of fuchsia beads. The skirt and cape were accented with pailets and beadwork. Jihan performed a twenty minute cabaret routine in a slightly westernized version of Egyptian style performing, to her own tape, "Judy Reda's Egyptian Nightclub Music." The beauty of the costume, Judy's technique and the warm sense of humor which she injects liberally into her shows combined to make her performance a memorable one which left at least one member of the audience totally paralyzed for approximately thirty minutes after the show was over. On the Saturday and Sunday following the Friday the 13th show Judy Reda gave an inspiring workshop featuring veil, drum solo and Egyptian styling. Not to be out-done by circuit-breakers and door knobs, mother nature visited the workshop Saturday with an earthquake! Who would have imagined she would be practicing her shimmies too? After finding no volunteers to do the drum solo for our troupe performance at the Southeast Alaska State Fair in Haines in August, is it now surprising that five troupe members picked drum solo music for the October 26 & 27 performances at the Juneau International Travel Show? Way to shake them up Judy! As a further benefit to the dance, belly dancing, the Daughters of the New Moon troupe, and the Desert Nights & Oriental Moods dinner show were featured on Juneau's public television station, KTOO's, program "Rain Country", for the first week of November. |
|
|
Home | Classes | Book Us! | Events | Gallery | Dancers | Resources | About Us | Contact Us Daughters of the New Moon (c) 2006 |