the last Urban Raqs show
By: Katy georgiou
As most of you will know, Urban Raqs hosted the last of
its Belly Dance showcases on Thursday 3rd December
at Finchley Central’s infamous Ahir Lorenzo’s Bar and
Restaurant, two years after the monthly events first
began there. To mark the occasion, the audience were
treated to extra performances by raunchy three-piece
Burlesque group, Eclipse, and were offered dazzling
insight into the world of Iraqi dance by Persian-born
Leila, a loyal regular to Urban Raqs events. Alongside
this, came three hours of high quality Middle Eastern
music, entertainment and dancing ranging from stu-
dent to professional levels. Setting off the show was
duet Arabian Jewel, followed by tribal dance troupe
Fragrance of the East, one of whose members, Den-
iz, also danced to the live tabla. The latter half of the
show saw Violeta, Saaeda, Ceaasi, Sarah Malik, Kay
and Farah, all in succession mesmerise the audience
and set a bar of standard high for the future with their
flawless yet distinctive character, style and technique.
While a sad occasion for many with it being the final
show, that wasn’t to say that the evening was any the
less fun. With a mini souk offering discounted shim-
my belts and the ever lively compere Sunny “Snake
Boy” gearing up the crowd, the evening proved to be
a celebration, rather than a lament, of the two years’
of hard work that has gone into making these shows
a success. With every end is a new beginning, and
with this chapter closing, the Urban Raqs showcases
have consequently opened the door for people to ap-
preciate and further explore the rich culture of Middle
Eastern dance which for many years in the UK has
remained shrouded in misconception and mystery.
For further information about other events hosted by
URBAN Raqs visit: http://www.urbanraqs.co.uk
© 2010 NAFOURA Magazine, all rights reserved,
copying is not permitted.
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