The love of Magdy El-Leisy..

DANCE!!

Heerlyckheid Theresia Peridot is proud to host:

a workshop Classic Egyptian Dance (Raks Sharqi)
by Magdy El-Leisy

on sunday 26 February 2012
12.30 - 17.00 hours

Enter now! (click here)

Biography

Magdy El-Leisy (born in Cairo, Egypt and now living in Essen, Germany).
He is a dancer, choreographer & teacher and his dance training started as early as the age of nine..

By the time he was eleven, he auditioned ánd was accepted at the Academy for Music & Theatre in Cairo, the Ballet department. Out of 2600 girls and boys that auditioned, he was one of six boys that were accepted!
Magdy*:"There is no stigma in Egypt for a boy to take ballet and my family was very supportive." He left the academy in 1971, best of class and continued dancing with the National Ballet of Cairo until 1976. Magdy*:" I (also) joined Kamal Naim's troupe called the Kalmaya National Troupe. The transition was easy to do, (to) other dances including Oriental, after you have a good basics in ballet. We traveled to mostly Arabic countries, but also to: Switzerland, Spain, England, Iran, Iraq, Dubai, Bahrain, Kuwait and Lebanon."
In 1976, he made the difficult decision to leave this group and stay in Teheran, Iran to dance with the National Ballet of Iran.

Magdy remembers*:"When we were in Teheran (with the Kalmaya National Troupe), I went to the Opera House to ask if I could join in the training. I asked the director, Ali bel Faruk, if I could train with him. It was a big troupe with 50 dancers. Many of them were foreign, including Americans, English, Swiss, along with Iranian dancers. Then I started class every day with them. The director of the National Ballet always came and looked at me (at these trainings) and called me into his office and asked me to join their group. It was very difficult for me to decide. I liked traveling with the troupe, which also had my brother (in it). If I did this, I would have to train for a year with their troupe and stay in one place. For 3 months I worked with both companies. It was very difficult but I stayed in Iran when the troupe left and danced with the National Ballet. I was 20 or 21 at the time. I was there two, to two and a half years. This was classical ballet, including Swan lake, Romeo and Juliet. They had a full orchestra. They also did modern works such as Carmina Burana."

Then, the revolution in Iran drove Magdy to Germany in 1979. "The first day the border was open, I took a plane to Germany. It was an interesting experience. I had friends from (the) ballet in Germany. They contacted me and invited me there. They had dance opportunities for me. Three of us, all Egyptians in ballet, left Iran and went to Germany. I started to work in Karlsruhe, Munich and then Essen, where I live now. I was a solo dancer in the Opera House.

Then I went back to folklore. The Egyptian embassy asked me to do a folklore dance, in a show for them. In Germany at that time nobody did folklore dance. Just one or two were starting to teach. I taught them folklore and Oriental in other studios in the beginning. It has become more and more. I made my own company. I was performing ballet in the theatre and folklore in (my) own group. Then I stopped the ballet and did only Oriental and folklore. I was the first person to have a troupe in Germany. I am there 32 years now.. "*

Video's

Get in the dancing mood:

Magdy's Fascinating Oriental Dance World (the ultimate Oriental show)

Magdy El-Leisy workshop

Magdy and Sundari (a beautiful Oriental duet)
Andalusien Moasha with Caroline Chatel (another beautiful duet)
Magdy with Mona Dolores Ghazi dancing Al Andaluse, Flamenco-Oriental

Magdy El-Leisy today..

"I am now teaching all over the world. Sometimes I find myself in 5 continents in 4 months time! How many languages do I speak? Arabic, German, some English, and some Russian and Iranian. I met my wife in Essen in Germany. She was a member in the ballet company and part of the small group I taught Oriental dance, for the show at the Egyptian embassy and she became my wife. Her name is Azza. We have been married for more than 20 years.."*

Photo André Elbing

"Dance is my life!"

"That is no joke. I am happy that my hobby is my job and my fun. When I travel to all these countries I see (that) I can give to all these girls and that they are happy with me. I can give them fun and energy. You can learn better when its fun. People call me the Egyptian Mr. Bean." *

Magdy El-Leisy's repertoire:

*classic ballet
*classic Egyptian dance (Raks Sharqi)
*Melaya Leff
*Baladi
*Saidi
*Dabke
*Flamenco
*Cane dance (Raks El Assaya)
*Lebanese dance
and many more.. including veil, sword, Candelabra headdress (shamadan), Isis wings, etc.

Be part of history..

and join us at sunday 26th of February,
if you love dancing, you simply cannot miss this!

What to expect
The event takes place from 12.30 - 17.00 hours and includes:

- 4 hours intensive training by Magdy El-Leisy: Classic Egyptian Dance, á la Magdy. You will learn a short choreography and get personal feedback on your dancing skills/ technique.
- a pause in between, where Magdy will answer all your questions, the possibility to purchase dvd's and cd's of Magdy El-Leisy and some Eyptian food and drinks
- the learned choreography will be filmed and send to you, some time after the event

Please note: you must have basic dancing skills in Oriental dance, to be able to learn Magdy El-Leisy's choreography (in case of doubt, please e-mail me for information) and your application must be in, before 01 of February 2012 (in case there are to many applications, we will put you on a waiting list. In case of someone signing out, you will be contacted). There is limited space so don't wait, apply now!

See the website for more information (page: Agenda and page: Nieuws) or send an e-mail to: info@theresia-perdot.nl
(correspondence can be in Dutch, German or English).

Wanting to sign up for this wonderful , inspiring and thrilling workshop?
Be quick to reserve a spot!

Send your application to:

e-mail Heerlyckheid Theresia Peridot


Hope to see you there!

Warm greetings,

Manon Claus /
Heerlyckheid Theresia Peridot.

www.theresia-peridot.nl
info@theresia-peridot.nl

* All quotes from Magdy El-Leisy are from: The Gilded Serpent - interview with Magdy El-Leisy by Lynette Harris, Februar 2006. Dates and years in the tekst have been updated. With many thanks for the authorisation!

Interview with Magdy El-Leisy for the Gilded Serpent,
by: Lynette Harris
Read on Gilded Serpent at www.gildedserpent.com

*Use of photomaterial: courtesy of Magdy El-Leisy (some are edited by Heerlyckheid Theresia Peridot)

Copyright on design, edited photos and tekst (other than quotes from the Gilded Serpent)
lie with: © 2011 Heerlyckheid Theresia Peridot

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