Elevation 2020 Class Descriptions

Learn Donna Mejia’s body maintenance practice, which was filmed for the 2020 Datura Online Catalog. Donna will guide students through her healthy longevity practices and offer personal coaching, adjustments for alignment, and personal modifications. Please bring a yoga mat. All experience levels are welcome.

Let’s make things quick! Tools and tricks to get you producing fast! The art of “don’t overthink it” and move! Bring a video device to document the makings of the day.

Moria distills the philosophy of Javanese culture through controlled and refined movement. The goal of Javanese courtly dances is to display an elevated, serene composure via the implementation of slow transitions and graceful poses. These dances have an introspective quality stemming from the nature of the dance as a pusaka (a “sacred heirloom”), which has descended directly from the royal ancestors, and which may transfer an honorary title or confer supernatural abilities.

In this class, you will learn these movements as an emotional, spiritual, and physical expression derived from ancient “ancestral treasures” and appreciate the numinous quality that comes with these elegant gestures and poses.

Challenge your mind and body with this workshop focused on straight-up drills based in the Suhaila Salimpour Format.

Heartbeat focus: combinations that demonstrate their own rhythmic energies, making the dancer a player in the music.

Our introduction to music as individuals as well as in human history started with the pulse of the mother. We will work with timeless cyclical movements that repeat in such a way that our thinking-self can take a step back, and our experiential relationship focus can take the lead. We will drop into the beat and find our deepening synchronizing with the music.

A class in Taoist Nui Gung (Qigong)  to include Cloud hands (circling palms) for the development of Ch’i (Qi ) and the Shen set, a set of 12 postures, 6 standing and 6 seated. They help develop Ch’i (Qi) energy, visual focus, promote self healing, strengthen the circulation of blood, and energies,( Qi, Shen), which are essential for good health and increase vitality.

This class is for everyone! A gentle introduction to middle eastern rhythms. Great for dancers and musicians. Bring your doumbek, frame drum, zills, djembe, bongos, slide whistle, whatever! This is perfect for first timers.

This class is based on principles derived from sacred geometry and the journey of every individual evolving within a physical, as well as spiritual, matrix. In this experiential, ritually oriented workshop, Moria shares the process of uniting your body directly to the powerhouse of the Great Mother and linking your creativity to her Earthy dynamo available through the elements.

If you are interested in presenting the Sacred Arts on stage, this class provides methods to present the elements and the dancer’s “journey to the center” in an engaging, exciting, and provocative manner. It is designed to help dancers add elements from global and timeless ritual practices found into their sacred dance performances in order to impact the audience at a visceral level.

You want more ITS?! I got more ITS! If you need to beef up your vocabulary, here’s your workshop! Stall movements, cues, and concepts ready to drop right into your improvisation game. No ITS experience required.

Zils are a wonderful addition to any performance, whether played in the chorus or while you dance. But riffing to your favorite FAST song requires a higher level of competence than just playing threes. This workshop introduces techniques to develop zil speed and dexterity, including a drill sequence to take home. Employing deep practice techniques, we’ll lead with either hand, add movement, and finish with a mini zil composition.

Movement technique and combinations that explore relaxed posture.

How does dance change when posture is shifted? Let’s explore dynamic activation of how we relate to our space in movement. We will use a few combinations to demonstrate the expressive vibe of a relaxed posture and find how it opens the flow of energy in the body.

There’s more to the Jamila Salimpour Format than just 8 counts of this and 8 counts of that. Let’s mix it up and add some fun combinations to your dance toolbox. Bring your finger cymbals!

The drum solo is the climax of any belly dance show. This is a great time for the dancer and drummer to improvise and communicate. In this workshop, you will learn how to build your own solos and improvisational techniques. You will also learn what the dancer is expecting from you and how to play something interesting and exciting for them. This workshop is perfect for drummers who know the basics. This workshop is also great for dancers to learn about the drum solo from the drummer’s perspective.

During Omar’s drum and zills workshop, he will go over two drum rhythms and their two accompanying zill parts. at the end of the workshop, we will combine everything we learned to have a drum and zill jam. this class is not for beginners, technique will NOT be taught, only rhythms, please come prepared!

Somewhere along our journey as dancers we wish to connect deeply to our humanity and use the tools of dance to share our experience with others. Affecting your audience with your performance and presence can be one of the most rewarding experiences of dancing. In Arabic there is a word to hint to this feeling; it is “Tarab.” Although it refers to the ecstatic state that can be induced by music, especially live music, we can absolutely tap into the power of Tarab as dancers and even bring our audience member on the Tarab wave with us.

Ironically, many dancers are not natural-born entertainers. If you have struggled with confidence, stage presence, or effective emotional communication or if you would like to become more competent in these areas, then this workshop is for you. We will explore many dance concepts and motifs to help us tap into our body communication. We will then put it all into action with some short phrases and choreography.

A class for percussion and melody instruments and singers too. This workshop will have all of us playing together as a group. We’ll review some of the maqams (modes/scales) used in Middle Eastern Music, learn some great Turkish songs, and work on quarter tones. The workshop will also cover keeping your shows fresh and more open for improvisation. Perfect for any level and whatever instrument you play. Sheet music will be provided.

In this class we will work on the basics of Arabic technique to develop consistent notes, speed, and timing. The class is great for anyone who has never been exposed to the teachings of the Traditional Arabic playing style, whether you have been playing for a while or never played at all.

Freeform dance with ongoing guided visualization/meditation. Turn off the thinking-brain for a bit and open to the dance body—the energy body—and focus on dance as healing and connective to the earth. This workshop offers a structured atmosphere to encourage the dancer to find freedom and integration of ideas into dance. There will be no pressure to move beyond what you are comfortable with, but rather, a deeper seeking of what it is you are comfortable with.

Learn the beautiful, snaky, and sultry essentials of dancing to a musical solo. We’ll dance to different rhythms common in the Arabic taqsim, and focus on soft, gooey, round movements. Taught in the clear language of the Salimpour Formats, but accessible for all dancers.

This workshop focuses on speedy transitions and quick changes that allow a group of dancers to respond to music in dramatic ways. Using fast and slow Scarlet Thistle movements and ATS® variations, we’ll drill the movements in duets and trios and explore turning, circling, and crossing your partners

In this workshop, you will learn techniques and new hits to use on your doumbek. These are the rock star tricks! Learn how to incorporate these hits into rhythms and solos to really spice up your playing. This workshop is perfect for any drummer who knows the basics.

In this class we will discuss different ways to add to the musicality while playing with other percussion and melody. This class will be part discussion and part playing to both demonstrate and encourage more participation in musical circles and a better musical experience for the player and the audience. We will focus on finding a voice, listening, volume dynamic, respectful participation, and general techniques for transitioning rhythms and stops. This class is for all levels of players and instruments are welcome.

This interactive class is part game, part dance instruction. Donna will solicit a cache of your favorite moves from her performances, then deconstruct and remix them with you, on the spot!

This dynamic exchange welcomes humor, collaboration, playfulness, and radical creativity. The underlying agenda of our play is to teach choreographic tools for your own artistic exploration. In the session, we’ll neutralize the relentless inner critic and embrace a magical fusion dance. We’ll also challenge and stretch our capacity for new ranges of practice. Please bring a yoga mat for warmup.

A showy headdress is often the most eye-catching part of a performer’s costume. While a spectacular headdress can’t make up for a lackluster costume, a stunning headdress can make a good costume great. In this class, Moria will show you how to create a gorgeous headdress that is dynamic, practical, usable, and cost-effective—one that uses ordinary materials to make something extraordinary.

Want to get started on your own headdress during this class? If so, bring some supplies and Moria will provide guidance during class! Supplies to bring: 3-4 wire hangers, needle-nose pliers, twist ties, a thick padded headband, and a hot glue gun, plus glue, paper, and pen/pencil to sketch ideas.

Not interested in bringing supplies? This class is designed to inspire you and Moria’s show-and-tell will definitely do that. Consider taking notes, sketches, etc. so you can gather ideas for your own headdress!

This workshop includes beautiful music, beautiful movement, and beautiful YOU. A chance to catch your breath and extend your body on a beautiful day. Here is our opportunity to celebrate an amazing moment with the softer side of dance.

Layering is the ultimate belly dance skill. To master the art of layering, a dancer must first master isolation, precision, and timing. This workshop is a technique intensive designed to tap into the mind/body connections necessary to master layering. Sadie’s layering techniques and drills will allow all levels of dancers, including beginners, to start having fun with layers while challenging even the most advanced dancers and teachers. Get ready to be a #1 Layer Player!