Lynette Harper and  Rahma Haddad
Lynette Harper

 

 

Rahma HaddadDance Centre

Rahma Haddad and Lynette Harper

Date and Venue 26 November @ 12pm | Scotiabank Dance Centre, Vancouver

Reviewer Ed Farolan

The Discover Dance! noon hour series last November featured Rahma Haddad and Lynette Harper, renowned as two of BC's most outstanding Middle Eastern dance exponents. They returned to the Discover Dance! series to present Bekaa Valley Girls: A Lebanese Saga, performing different dances. Haddad and Harper during this educational noon session composed mostly of seniors, parents and elementary school students explored their shared Lebanese roots and their Arab-Canadian identities.

The show began with old pictures flashed on the backdrop, providing the audience with a personal history of their family from the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon. After this slide show, both performed a vivid array of dances.

We all have in mind when we think of Arabian dance as "The Belly Dance". We remember Salome and her sensual dance of the seven veils which cost the head of John the Baptist. Yes, but that is the popular concept. There are other dances too which Harper and Haddad expressed with joy and grace, and at the end, childen, seniors and parents joined them onstage to dance.

The 45-minute show was quite entertaining and educational, and I'm certain that these two dancers will be back. For more info on these dancers, click on www.lynetteharper.harpfin.ca and www.rahmahaddad.com.

© 2009 Ed Farolan