With her fun inspiring personality, Ranya has a gift for breaking down even the seemingly simple moves to bring your awareness to muscles that you may not have considered using. The results are more luscious, and controlled movements, like Ranya's. If you teach, this programming is a plus. It will get you in touch with how to break down moves and add muscle activation explanations.
I have worked with Ranya live at a festival, via her DVDs, through her first Baladi Salon series and through the Ginger City Community membership. I have learnt a great deal from her analysis and movement breakdown. Ranya’s material is informative and inspirational. Her studies in yoga, Pilates and neuropsychology enhance her gift for teaching in an approachable way.
Ranya’s depth of knowledge of Egyptian dance and baladi, in particular, is unparalleled. She brings to teaching her experience performing internationally, her research and work with key Egyptian artists such as Mona Said, Nelly Fouad and Nany and musicians such as Nabawy, who played in Samia Gamal’s band and for Fifi Abdu. I highly recommend working with Ranya. She has a lot to offer as a teacher and mentor; not only is Ranya incredibly knowledgeable, she is warm, open and great fun.
The introductory series of videos, Baladi from the Ground Up, focuses on alignment and baladi technique. Then, through in-depth analysis of performance videos and the techniques of Tahia Carioka, Sohair Zaki, Fifi Abdu and Mona Said, Ranya examines in the Baladi Salon Series how Egyptian women dance at family parties and at home vs. how the dance stars performed baladi style. Ranya’s knowledge of anatomy, safe dance practise and breath-work underpin her detailed descriptions of the movements. The quality of the material and the technical analysis are outstanding and would be applicable beyond baladi style alone. As Mona says, “Everything is in baladi”.
The course was great value and enriched my understanding and practice of Egyptian dance and Baladi in particular. I will go back to this material again and again.
