Disco Iskandar is thrilled to announce the debut of JOURNEY FROM THE NILE TO THE TIGRIS: a theatrical Middle Eastern dance production at the Orlando Fringe Theatre Festival in May 2024 in Orlando, Florida.
Taking place over the course of the two-week festival, Disco Iskandar presents four performances in a black box theater inside the Blue Venue at Orlando Shakes.
JOURNEY FROM THE NILE TO THE TIGRIS is a groovy carpet ride across ancient deserts: Disco Iskandar embarks on a voyage of belly dance, folklore, cinema, and history in a theatrical dance production, directed by Veronica Lynn. Highlighting the prominence of belly dance in films of the Middle East from the 1940s through the 1970s, we present a live showcase exhibiting dances from Egypt, Turkey, Iraq, and beyond, performed with a projected backdrop of glorious dance scenes from retro international movies. It goes so much deeper than you think. Hookahs! Swords! Giant kittens! This cross section of entertainment and education is the culmination of years of obsessive learning, two national tours, and travels to Egypt & Lebanon. JOURNEY FROM THE NILE TO THE TIGRIS is a trip unlike any other.
This production’s cast, alphabetized, is Gabi Corazon, Gia Bee, Liz Azi, Olya Clark, Vania Ojeda, and director Veronica Lynn.
In this show, we visit four regions: Egypt, Turkey, the West, and the Arabian Peninsula. In each of these regions, cinema has thrived for decades, with the 1940’s through the 1960’s considered the Golden Era. A trend pervaded these movies, going into the early 80’s: that of belly dance being presented in long, fabulous, sometimes delightfully kitschy scenes. This trend demonstrates the prominence of these dances in their cultures of origin. Additionally, the casual, unremarked upon presence of folkloric dances such as tannoura (Egyptian whirling dervish) in fleeting scenes of everyday life provides an insight into how deeply embedded dance is in Egyptian & other Middle Eastern cultures.
This all plays out as the backdrop to JOURNEY FROM THE NILE TO THE TIGRIS: we select scenes from movies that coincide with the pieces we perform, with a few particularly beloved selections receiving a feature of their own. Having enjoyed the privilege of working with several of the best choreographers in the industry in addition to our troupe's original choreographies (featuring work by company members Veronica Lynn, Gia Bee, Ariel Celeste, and Liz Azi), we present a very special show that not only celebrates treasured world dances, but also explores poignant themes of history, justice, and the bridging of cultural divides.
DETAILS
Where: Blue Venue inside Orlando Shakes (812 E Rollins St)
When: May 18th, 19th, 24th, & 26th
Tickets: $6 on May 18th, $12 for subsequent shows with a $2 discount offered to Fringe volunteers, Fringe artists, and students. Tickets
Age Group: All ages
Poster art by Anima Eterna (etsy.com/shop/AnimaEterna)
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