The language of gods

After getting a taste of the Near and Middle East, you cannot continue to live like before. All the residents of Donetsk oblast who attended Ukraine’s 2nd Open International Eastern Dance Festival in Donetsk understood the meaning of this aphorism.

The name of the festival was Bastet, in honor of the old Egyptian goddess of joy and merry-making often portrayed in dances. The first festival was held in March of this year, but the organizers decided to stage another one on a much broader scale.

This is not surprising, as Oriental dancing is becoming increasingly popular in Ukraine. What is surprising is that people in the Near and Middle East call these dances “Slavic.” They believe that it was the Slavs who taught their women to dance and move so beautifully. Famous Oriental dance instructors are convinced that Slavic women are able to convey all the moods of this magical art with the greatest precision. That is why dancers from Ukraine and Russia are in special demand in the Middle East. One of the world’s best Oriental dancers is a Slavic woman named Tetiana Fediaeva, who is the vice- president of the International Association of Artists of Egypt. This renowned educator and choreographer flew from Egypt to Donetsk to head the festival jury.

This time Bastet included not just a competition but also master classes, workshop seminars for both professionals and beginners, and free demonstrations in various dance halls of Donetsk.

Everyone attending the festival could also take part in the master classes. Natalia Ilyinska, the chief organizer of Bastet, the president of the Oriental Dance Development and Support Foundation, and member of the IAAE, told The Day that children and adults, even middle-aged women can learn this type of dancing. They make very good pupils with their own potential.

“I had a pupil who had a poor sense of rhythm. We worked on that problem first and then started dancing. Very soon we put together a composition with a sophisticated rhythm. Now this girl is dancing with the popular ballet show Todes,” said the choreographer.

Oriental dances help people keep in shape. Belly dances have lots of rhythms and movements, and work all the muscle groups without developing them. Fediaeva emphasizes that Oriental dancing is not a demonstration of oneself but a real experience, action, and truly magical world. Arabs, for example, turn the raks el sharki into a miniature dramatic performance: the dancer touches her face, heart, covers her face with her hands to express her emotions, and this language of gestures is understood by everyone. They say in Egypt that dancing is the language of the gods.

This “divine” mood marked almost every number during the festival, and every dance was a one-person play. The audience liked the Dance with a Candelabra performed by Leila, as well as the dances of Khaled Mahmoud, which were performed by the first festival’s finalist Natalia Hrunicheva. Fediaeva’s choreographic works conveyed a whole range of emotions (her stage name is Nuhr, the Arabic word for “light”). Of course, Oriental dances are most impressive when performed by women, although men can also dance the raks el sharki, as demonstrated by Khaled Mahmoud.

Experts say that Oriental dancing does not require slim figures or classic sizes. That is why they are also known as belly dances. To perform them a woman must show the beauty of her body, which means that there must be a lot of flesh, professionals joke.

For five days more than 300 festival participants from Ukraine and other former Soviet republics vied for the main prize, a trip to Egypt to attend a festival in Cairo. The winners will not only see the homeland of raks el sharki, but also polish their skills and familiarize themselves with ancient dancing secrets that will be revealed by the best instructors.

Contestants say that participating in the Donetsk festival is also very prestigious. One of Bastet’s objectives is to establish cultural contacts between Ukraine and Near and Middle Eastern countries. Participation in the Donetsk festival can be a decisive factor, as winners may end up competing in Egypt, Germany, and Russia. Of course, the most popular dance competitions are held in Egypt, but it is also considered prestigious to take part in competitions organized by a German couple or the Oasis festival in St. Petersburg.

For beginners Bastet is a stepping stone to becoming a professional dancer. According to I. Kozlovsky, even though Oriental dancing is taught in almost every fitness club in Ukraine, there is no established training program or canons of this art. There are many belly dancing instructors in Ukraine, but if you make up your mind to learn this art, you should watch several choreographers in action and then make your choice. Tuition is expensive, too.

Fans of Oriental dancing insist that this art is life-changing, boosts one’s social life, and helps reveal something new about oneself.