The Dance Movement https://www.thedancemovement.nl/ Bellydance classes and workshops in Amsterdam and The Hague Sun, 05 May 2024 07:31:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.thedancemovement.nl/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/favicon-192x192-1-100x100.png The Dance Movement https://www.thedancemovement.nl/ 32 32 Protest Dance for Palestine https://www.thedancemovement.nl/blog/2023/12/21/protest-dance-for-palestine/ Thu, 21 Dec 2023 13:11:58 +0000 https://www.thedancemovement.nl/?p=3168 The post Protest Dance for Palestine appeared first on The Dance Movement.

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Palestine we dance for you!
Rajieen – راجعين meaning “we shall return” is a song created by 25 Arab artists in solidarity with Palestine. We dance to this powerful song to amplify the message & stand with Palestine.

Help spread the message, sharing this video is much appreciated!

We don’t own the copyrights to this song, we dance to this powerful song to amplify the message & stand with Palestine. @RAJIEEN_

Concept & Group choreography Sarah Safi Harb – The Dance Movement

Dancers: Sarah Safi Harb – Zahira Mous – Isabella Conserva – Kamal Aoude – Karem Peña – Ceren Baydar – Maya lane – Anna Singankutti – Iina Turoma – Rama Altanany – Shara Gaffaf
Rehearsal assistant: Zahira Mous

Video by Gergely Ofner

Art as a form of activism: One State Collective

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]]> My name is Sarah Safi Harb https://www.thedancemovement.nl/blog/2023/10/05/my-name-is-sarah-safi-harb/ Thu, 05 Oct 2023 10:00:54 +0000 https://themenectar.com/salient/resort/?p=326 My name is Sarah Safi Harb. My family name is “Safi Harb” meaning “Pure War” in Arabic. The...

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My name is Sarah Safi Harb. My family name is “Safi Harb” meaning “Pure War” in Arabic.

The warrior within in my family knows no rest. I come from a family lineage, including myself, that knows the true meaning of war, the war within and the war on our beloved land.

I carry my last name with pride and blisters.
It’s a heavy name to carry if I’m frank. Sometimes I want to put it down and be “Pure Bliss”. 

All my life I am fighting the noble fight, the pure war..

In my upbringing the fight against the restrictions & oppression of the culture. Listening to Songs of Freedom by Bob Marley caged in the 4 walls of my childhood bedroom.

In my carrier I have fought against the pressure of becoming an engineer or a doctor to be a dancer, Bellydancer even! ha ha! An Arab parents nightmare!

In the Dutch society I have fought for my spot to belong, to be seen! To be of worth.

I fought & still fight against the stigma of depression and mental health. 
I fought & still fight to heal generational trauma, to heal the pain my family lineage has carried so far and break these taboos.

I fight for liberation. 
To show those sides of ourselves that can be miserable, lost, confused, scared, vulnerable. Just as much as our sides that shine & thrive! 

I have founded the dance movement almost 13 years ago. And for around 9 years I have presented myself in class with a cheerful face as can be, whilst hiding my depression as best as I could. 

I did that until I couldn’t and broke down. 
When I started teaching 1,5 years ago I decided to bring the whole of me to class. 

Enough hiding. 
This is me TOO. 
The warrior. The wounded. The proud and the defeated. 
I am all that. 
A warrior of light and darkness. 
I am Sarah Pure War.
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Photo by the incredible @irisnibbering

 

 

 

 

 

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]]> Bakhour / Bkhour https://www.thedancemovement.nl/blog/2023/10/01/bakhour-bkhour/ Sun, 01 Oct 2023 07:26:00 +0000 https://themenectar.com/salient/resort/?p=150 Bakhour / Bkhour explained Very often my dear friend / sister Zahia & myself burn Bakhour / Bkhour...

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Very often my dear friend / sister Zahia & myself burn Bakhour / Bkhour in the morning.

We had the honor and pleasure of buying this bkhour straight from the source from the amazing Algerian band Lemma @souad_asla so this Bkhour is really special! 

Bakhour or Bkhour, is an Arabic word which means fumes. Known as incense in western terminology.

Bakhour / Bkhour can be used for religious rituals and for relaxing. It has such a lovely perfume that this might be used to scent a home and aid meditation. It is often used for funerals and is said to attract angels. In addition, it is widely used by Muslims as a fragrance during religious ceremonies. 

My sister @zahia1985 burns this almost daily as a ritual to cleanse her home and invite in good energy. 

Have you tried this before? Do you have a cleansing ritual? 

#bakhour #bkhoor #bakhoor #bkhour #بخور

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]]> Winning 1st Prize in Cairo, Egypt! https://www.thedancemovement.nl/blog/2023/09/30/winning-first-prize-in-cairo-egypt/ Sat, 30 Sep 2023 06:18:00 +0000 https://themenectar.com/salient/resort/?p=209 In the summer of 2023 I participated in the dance festival Crazy Nights Festival in Cairo, Egypt. A...

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]]> In the summer of 2023 I participated in the dance festival Crazy Nights Festival in Cairo, Egypt. A week of classes, workshops, excursions, parties and a dance competition.
I was super super nervous taking the stage in Egypt, the motherland of Raqs Sharki (Oriental Dance /Bellydance)

During the competition I shared my choreographies and thankfully it was a big succes!
With gratitude I proudly say I won the Bellydance competition during @crazynightsfestival in Cairo Egypt. So grateful for this beautiful opportunity ♥🧿

FIRST PRIZE BABY!!! 🏆
Thank you @crazynightsfestival

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]]> Me, an architect? https://www.thedancemovement.nl/blog/2023/09/20/me-an-architect/ Wed, 20 Sep 2023 06:14:00 +0000 https://themenectar.com/salient/resort/?p=204 How in the world did my family and myself think I was going to be an architect? 😅...

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]]> How in the world did my family and myself think I was going to be an architect? 😅

As a child I was constantly dancing, in my room or wherever there was music. 
There were no dance classes to my availability growing up. 
I just spent hours in my room dancing and creating choreographies, hoping one day I will be Jennifer Lopez’s back-up dancer. 

I came to The Netherlands 15 years ago to study… you guessed it. Architecture! 
I hated it. 
Quit. 
Went to study interior architecture at the art academy.
Hated it. 
Quit. 
And there I was completely lost and hopeless in what I am to do in life…

And then I had a taekwondo teacher who told me “Listen, I give a dance class to women, they want to shake their hips, I am not gonna do that. I know you like to dance. Do you want to teach half of my class?”
Then and there I felt “YES!”

With zero prior experience I prepped the class and went to give half of the class. 
After class I thought yes… yes… this is what I want to do for the rest of my life, inshallah. Inshallah. 

I had to fight for this passion. 
It’s not the path that is most wanted for an Arab woman. 
As a matter of fact it’s more of a nightmare for every Arab parent. 
But with time even my family saw that I will be much more successful and happier being a dancer than an architect. (No shade to architects 😅) 

And here I stand almost 12 years of teaching later.. still so passionate about dancing and teaching dance. 
Alhamdullilah. 
Inshallah I will keep on dancing (with you) until my last day on this earth. Old wrinkly lady shimmying with you. Inshallah! 

When did you start dancing? 
And if you feel called to dance, know it’s never too late to start. You are always welcome to dance with me my dear!

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