2004: Venue Vagaries

by Ruth

In 2004, workshop attendence was the highest yet. Unfortunately participants found themselves confronted with a plethora of venue changes on arrival at the Addison Rd Centre.

Due to events beyond the Festival's control, all the workshops scheduled for two of the venues had to be moved at the last minute to other venues within Addison Rd. This resulted in many confused people wandering around and many questions asked at the Info Desk. Nevertheless, workshop evaluation forms filled out by participants showed that, once everyone found where they had to be, the workshops were enjoyed as much as ever.

After the success of the 2003 Egypt on Stage concert, Leonie decided to stage two concerts in 2004 as she had done from 1995-97. The Cairo to Cappadocia concerts were held on Thursday and Friday night at Enmore Theatre.

Sadly, attendance at the concerts did not increase from the high point experienced in 2003. While the total audience number remained similar, it was split over two nights while the costs were doubled. Leonie says she won't be doing that again for quite a while.

Nevertheless, the concerts were great shows. Highlights of the Thursday concert included a dramatic and sexy Argentine Tango (in Turkish) from Daria (2003 program covergal) and Ileana (2004 program covergal with UrbanTurban), BellaDonna's sword-twirling, UrbanTurban's tight tribal and Farrah's Alexandrian Cafe and mass-shamadan numbers. The "American tourist" MCs were either loved or hated (the eternal fate of the MC).

Above from left (click to enlarge): Thursday concert - Amera with shisha in the Alexandrian Cafe, Daria and Ileana's Tango, Farrah, BellaDonna with swords flying, UrbanTurban, American tourist - Idell from Dancing Tiger.

On Friday night Leonie's Newtown Middle Eastern Dance Centre teamed up with a ballet school and Braidwood's Tallaganda to produce a Ciragan Palace extravaganza celebrating the Prince's Sunet, danced to Sarah Brightman's Welcome to My Harem. Shamira (Adelaide) proved what a skilled comedian she is, causing the Turks in the audience to erupt in roars of helpless laughter as she channelled Eartha Kitt and lip-synched to Uskudara. Melissa Cristina, Nayima and Belyssa gave wonderful solo performances and the huge Ghawazi Caravan troupe thrilled everyone with their precision and joy.

Above from left (click to enlarge): Shamira channelling Eartha, Tallaganda in Ciragan Palace, Nayima in what would become the 2005 program cover shot, Melissa, Ghawazi Caravan

Nayima made the mistake of begging for a last-minute ticket to the Stars of Sharazade dinner dance after bookings had closed and catering numbers had been confirmed - so Leonie cannily offered her a place at the performers' table if she would throw in a show for us in return. Happily, the deal was done. (Note to other hopefuls: do not try this yourself! Nayima got lucky!) Sydney's Jane, winner of the 1993 Bellydance Competition, also danced at the dinner, along with Virginia of Wollongong and Dounia, also of Sydney.

Above from left (click to enlarge): At the dinner dance - many of us would not consider this a flattering angle on ourselves but Jane need have no such concerns, Virginia, Dounia, peak hour on the dance floor.

Bazaar performers included a number of "smaller stars" including teenage Ferah, a Turkish-Australian protege of Seda's, and over thirty students of Newtown North Public School who were inspired and taught by their school-teacher, dancer Groovi Biscuit. Some of the students were captured backstage by Walkley Award-winning photographer Dean Sewell and the image appeared the next day on the back page of the Sydney Morning Herald.

On a sad note, 2004 was the first Festival Leonie could remember without Rudi France. One of the earliest Friends of the Festival, Rudi passed away in January 2004. Many knew him from dance workshops and events over the years. But few knew of his musical talents. Leonie paid tribute to him on the website, writing that:

"he was a talented musician and had a beautiful singing voice. The last time I saw him, and my everlasting memory of Rudi, was after my Turkish workshop in January when he sat down with me and played the baglama and sang in Turkish and Arabic. I like to think he has found a wider audience than the one he left behind. Sadly missed, Rudi."