ProJects

Ideas and Initiatives by Karioca to Promote Oriental Dance

Oriental dance, or more specifically *raks sharki*, is a dance with origins in Egypt, but it has incorporated elements from Western classical dance. It is a sensual yet complex dance style. Over the years, Karioca has organized and participated in various projects and events to give more visibility to this beautiful art form.

Sharazd colonia

Band of musicians based in Cologne with whom we have performed at numerous festivals and events.

Haflas

The Haflas were created for Karioca’s students to provide them with the opportunity to gain stage experience. In addition, they are a project that unites artists from the region where they take place.

Flamenco Oriental

As someone from Andalusia, and more specifically from Granada, Karioca has always lived in the blend of these two worlds: the Arab and the flamenco. That’s why one of her obsessions is to fuse these two styles.

Oriental expressions

Together with Lucia Aran, the idea emerged to create ambitious and artistic projects. They are visual projects related to Oriental dance.

Its origins

Union of different cultures and backgrounds

Shahrazd Colonia emerged in Köln Kalk, a neighborhood in Cologne, specifically at the Casablanca café. A place full of soul, where people gather every Friday to make music and lift the spirits of the guests. One night, Karioca was there to have tea and joined in dancing to the music. That’s when the idea of working together was born. It turned out to be a wonderful idea, as many events and festivals have since enjoyed this special union. The artists are from? Morocco, Syria, Spain, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia…

Singer and Oud: Jamal Albashaan
Percussion: Kader Zaghi
Percussion: Ibrahim
Keyboard: Malek Alshel
Dancer: Karioca

Project to unite people

Opportunity for students and artists

The haflas are a creative project that provides an opportunity for students and artists to perform, gain experience, and create. It is a space where dancers and musicians from different styles and influences come together. A healthy environment where a community is built specifically to support Oriental dance. In cooperation with other artists and students, we open the door to anyone who wants to be inspired, enjoy good company, and experience art.

Hafla November 2016 – Centro Machado
Hafla July 2017 – Tanzraum
Hafla December 2017 – Centro Machado
Hafla June 2018 – Hinterhofsalon
Hafla January 2019 – Centro Machado
Hafla June 2019 – Hinterhofsalon

Deep passion

Fusion of Flamenco Art and Raks Sharki

Although they are very different dances, they also share elements, movements, and some rhythmic structures. From my point of view, these two art forms can be combined very well, as long as this is done from a perspective of deep awareness and knowledge. There are many studies and theories on how Arabic music and other styles that coexistence for 700 years on the Iberian Peninsula during the times of Al-Andalus may have shaped what we now know as flamenco.

Musically, cante jondo and mawal share many elements. Aside from this, both dances prioritize expressiveness, rhythm, and improvisation. When it comes to the instruments, there is also a lot of room for interplay between guitars and flutes on one side and other Arabic instruments like the oud, nay, or qanun.

Guitarist: Carlos Van Tongeren
Percussionist: Guy Schalom

A Different Vision

Oriental Expressions

The pandemic was a hard blow for dance and, in general, for artists who perform on stage. But difficulties do not stop us; instead, they encourage us to be more creative and seek new ways to express ourselves. This is where the idea of creating Oriental Expressions emerged. An audiovisual project featuring artists from five continents, each with their own vision and style. Lucía Arán and Karioca (from Australia and Spain) were not physically together when they organized this event, nor were they in the same time zone. There are performances of all types within the spectrum of Arabic dance: classical, folk, raqs sharqi, and tribal fusion. Below is a link? where you can check out the project.

VIDEO DE KARIOCA CON MUSICA ORIGINAL

Artistas que participan:

Ahmed Refaat

Amara

Angham

Jana:

Jazmin Bastos

Karioca

Li Marcus

Lucia Aran

Rachel Bond

Samira