EGYPTIAN SUN RAQS
SHRIVER HALL AGAIN

MAY 6, 2006

Baltimore, Maryland doesn't realize how lucky they are to have dedicated people like Dori Witt, Nikki Traylor-Knowles and Brenda Petersen to represent bellydance for locals and the students at Johns Hopkins University.
For those who were at Shriver Hall Friday night, Cinco de Mayo took on a whole new meaning. Witt, who had more concentrations on choreographies this time around with Nikki taking grad school classes at Boston University, has to be the proudest of all with not only how the show went, to a ousing ovation from beginning-to-end, but how her beginner and intermediate students rose above and beyond the expectations of any student troupe.

There were 24 numbers in the opening act, all featuring ESBD members (including one male, Sudip Saha, aka ''The Luckiest Man on Campus''), and in the 3 years I've attended the annual event, have never been more impressed. There were uses of everything imaginable: from your zills and swords, to costumed themes anging from Mission:Impossible to Mardi Gras to carnivale and tradition Middle Eastern themes. It's almost criminal to try and pick out selected highlights from the event, but some deserves special considerations:
*OURANITSA ABBAS did more than she knows by setting the tone for the entire show with her bubbly persona and energy, with a lovely, compact frame that made her rendition of Youm Wara Youm by Samira Said featuring Cheb Mami.
*ESBD teacher/mentor BRENDA PETERSEN's love for Amaya to a Ziroq song shows her versatlility to expand her dancing to other cultural backgrounds, this a gypsy fusion piece.
*ANN DE LEON's cup of water spilled not a drop to her challenging floorwork and hip locking to Depeche Mode's I Feel You.
*PAMELA SANGER and JOAN HUFF brought a surreal sense to the audience with an oceanic inspired dance filled with dazzling single and double veilwork.
*The BEGINNER CLASS' Arab pop mix to Walk Like an Egyptian blew away he audience with dead-on precision and a mastering of sword balancing of each indiviual.
*The duo of PROSPERINA mixing modern dance, jazz and breakdance to The Chillout Room by Indian Ropeman made an eclectic representation of today's fusion style.
*Of course, any time NIKKI TRAYLOR-KNOWLES is on stage, her solo display and jaw-dropping abdominal work is a sight to behold. She danced to the Chemical Brothers' Galvanize, featuring Q-Tip.
*DORI WITT and the ADVANCED STUDENTS' multi-colored veilwork to a Benny Goodman tune (Sing, Sing, Sing) brought a sense of the Big Band era back to Baltimore, if only for a few minutes.
*DAWN JOHNSON's energy and charisma, not to mention taking on the challenge to drum solo to a song by Hossam Ramzy, Samya's Solo.
*Dazzled in white, JESSICA WEBSTER learning from Dori the use of feather dancing to Hanina by Steve Stevens was a breath of fresh air.

Overall, the hard work in the first half of the show was evident, 30 students strong who did Hopkins and bellydance good, for many their 1st major recital experience. ESBD members turned it up in the lateter portion with the help of NYC's Raquy and the Cavemen. She may have the fastest hands of any female drummer on this planet, each song with the intent to trance or journey into a happy mental medium of pleasure and enjoyment. Nikki did a drum solo, Dori a lovely veil piece, and ended with a wonderful duet.
Special consideration goes to KATERI CHAMBERS. The capabilities and the pending super stardom that awaits her is infinite. Don't let her voluptuous looks fool you, she is one of the most agile and almost acrobatic at times performers around today. Her sharm, amzing features and use of the stage makes her a perfect compliment to anyone around her, and an inspiration to people in the audience just being introduced to the art form. In the short time with ESBD, the influences of those who has taught her has brought out such raw talent, that her road to super satrdom has been paved, waiting to go on that journey, with others hoping to follow along just as swiftly.
On this Cinco de Mayo, multiple celebrations were enjoyed. Once a year, the bellydance community knows they can expect a continuation of respect and honor from inspired students and talented teachers to guide them along a journey that may one day create future bellydancing superstars who will also establish bellydance on a college campus, or maybe a city in need of positive development of this art form. And tonight went a long way in doing so. Hopefully, more colleges and universities will follow suit.

B.

www.egyptiansun.net
www.raquy.com
www.nikkidances.com

NOTE: Classes are offered on the Homewood campus at JHU by Nikki, Brenda or Ann. You can check their listings for classes, and Nikki has recently started teaching at Red Maple, famous for its Shanta Wednesdays, you can e-mail her for future dates. Brenda has performed at Kumari restaurant, located in Downtown B-More on Tuesdays, and can inquire to her on future peformance schedules.
Proceeds from the show benefited the American Red Cross. www.redcross.org for more information.