Maria, Diploma in DT (IDTIA), Cert 4 Workplace Training, Middle-Eastern dance- Raqs Shari. Specialist expertise: disability, Raqs Sharki, bringing elements of middle-eastern dance to dance therapy. Egyptian dancer and teacher began her training in Egyptian Dance (Raqs Sharqi) in 1989.  Her classes are called Embodied Bellydance,with a focus on body awareness, and workshops called SensingFeelingDancing the Chakras, the Dance of the Sensual Soul and Trance Dance. She is using Egyptian Dance within a dance movement therapy model when working with disability groups and women in prison. She is also a visual and performing artist and member of the Middle Eastern music and dance group, Yalla! and The Sanctuary Ensemble, a Sufi inspired group.

Keywords
Middle Eastern Dance, Indigenous dance, ecstatic dance, 5 rhythms, Whirling Dervishes, performance

Maria describes her journey with trance dance from her teenage years through to her present practices of facilitating workshops, performing and entertaining. Exemplifying experiences with trance as a spiritual, healing and transforming practice, reference is given to trance dance festivals and workshops and trance embracing cultures including Moroccan, Egyptian and Turkish.  The challenges of marrying performance with trance is explained in connection to a special performance of the Egyptian Zaar, whereby Maria shares her preparation and approach for this event, including her post trance euphoria. (pp 10-13)

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Keywords
research, Egyptian dance, Paqs Baladi, guided visualisation, kundalini, DNA

The following article was written by Maria on her experiential workshop given at the third Dance-Movement Therapy Conference – ‘Weaving The Threads’ – in Melbourne in 2007.

Maria describes her journey with dance, including her involvement in a professional dance research group experimenting with various body based modalities. Overviewing each chakra or energy centre in the body and it’s symbolic connection to the body, Maria explains her approach blending Traditional Egyptian and Middle Eastern dance forms, giving descriptive examples from her experiential workshop. (pp 24-26)

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