This was my first Hadia workshop sponsored by dancer and teacher Linda Kovach from Kelowna.  It was also my first Linda Kovach sponsored workshop.  Not being sure what to expect, my dance buddy Camille and I drove up with anticipation on a sunny Saturday to the elementary school where it was hosted.  Our names were ticked off and off we went to check out the Bazaar that was full of vendors from all over the area and further.  I should have brought more money!  They had to pull us away when the workshop started.  It’s a nice feature to have a bazaar.  Linda’s workshops often include a bag lunch, also a nice touch.

 

Hadia started with a great warm-up and it’s obvious she is well versed in the body, it’s muscles and alignment.  This day would feature the Milaya Lef.  Having no remote-control made it difficult to run a smooth workshop but then after a half hour or so, someone found it.  By then I think she was off her focus.  I say that, trying to politely justify why she was so grumpy. It could have been the fact that the CD player wasn’t being nice.  (I later found out she had placed stickies on the CDs and of course, they would not read properly.)

 

 

Even with the rudeness, and lack of professionalism, I did enjoy learning the two choreographies which not much later, I unfortunately forgot.  No notes!  I did get to see Hadia perform the Milaya Lef choreography at the performance that evening.  She is a great dancer, no question.  She also did an Egyptian number with a drum solo that was fabulous.  I enjoyed the whole show, with excellent numbers by many dance troupes as far away as Vancouver.  Linda organizes a wonderful event and I have nothing but praise for her efforts.

 

At the next day’s workshop, Hadia looked like she had been out partying a little too hard after the show and  it showed in her energy level.  You think she was grumpy the day before?   This day entailed more Egyptian choreographies and they really were lovely, but because there were no notes, and this would have been the 4th choreography in two days, there was no way to remember them.  Still, I took home pieces and fragments.  I know as a teacher myself that some days are worse than others.  I’d like to be able to experience Hadia’s teaching on one of her good days, because I’m sure it would be much better.   I know from speaking to others, that I wasn’t the only one disappointed.

Oh well,  a learning experience nonetheless.