Birth of Middle Eastern Dance Company in Far North

First show is at Gold Rush Inn May 6 & 7

“Darrell Hookey, What’s Up Yukon”, May 2005.
Reproduced with permission

Nita Collins sits on a mat in the centre of the dance studio at Leaping Feats Creative Danceworks and pretends to be an audience member.

Before her is a group of dancers who have all been her students. But, tonight, they are members of Whitehorse’s newest dance company, Saba Middle Eastern Dance Ensemble.

They have been rehearsing every possible night to prepare for a show, Arabian Nights Northern Lights.

The light is flat, their dress is a mish mash of practice clothes with only a belt of coins and bells for the distinctive sound … and yet the dance itself is mesmerizing.

Torsos undulate, hips and shoulders roll softly and hands move rhythmically to tell an elegant story.

It’s the confidence, it’s the fluidity of the movements and the obvious skill needed to grab a room and not let go.

“You are coming back from the market and you are in a playful mood,” Collins tells the dancers. “I don’t want to see any stern faces.” She then encourages them to steal fruits from each other’s baskets.

It is a piece called, Dere Dere, and choreographed to a very old traditional folk song from the Turkish region.

Other pieces originate from Egypt, Arabian Gulf, Lebanon and even North America.

Middle Eastern Dance is an ancient art form that is finding new appreciation. Collins’ school, Celebrations Bellydance!, received an Arts Fund grant that has become the envy of Middle Eastern dancers throughout North America and has been an encouraging sign of its acceptance.

The grant allowed workshops and shows to be held.

The students had been invited to several functions to perform and it was finally decided to become a dance company.

For Saba’s first show, Jalilah Zamora has been invited to perform. She is an internationally recognized master instructor and has performed and taught all around the world.

She will be presenting an eight-hour workshop. Collins travels each year to learn from the masters and this is an opportunity to bring one here for everybody’s benefit.

Tickets for the two shows are available at the Hougen's Centre Ticket Office. The two performances begin at 7:30 p.m.

Photo Caption

Members of Saba Middle Eastern Dance Ensemble rehearse for its upcoming show, Arabian Nights Northern Lights at the Gold Rush Inn May 6 and 7.