Jenna’s 'Veil Dance: Frames and Flourishes' Workshop
by Janet Akpobome, Los Angeles, 2007

Friday night and the lights are low – looking out for a place to go… And when you get the chance… You are the dancing queen! It’s 7PM, Friday the 13th at Dance Garden in Atwater Village and women of all ages, shapes, colors, and sizes are gathering in their hip scarves and coin belts for Jenna’s pre-studio opening, “Veil Framing and Flourishes” workshop. This is a special event as it’s the first class being taught in the freshly remodeled Dance Garden dance studio which will have its official grand opening on Sunday.

Tonight Jenna is teaching the magic of dancing with the veil, that diaphanous rectangle of silk or polyester about 3.5 feet by 8.5 feet that American bellydancers have been fascinated with since Little Egypt first introduced Oriental dance to the United States at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. In classical Egyptian bellydancing, the veil is not much used other than to make an entrance as it is considered to have too much of a strip tease connotation.

Elizabeth Artemis Mourat, Author of “The Illusive Veil” writes:
“The veil has enjoyed a secure place in the more recent evolution of Oriental dance, especially in the United States. But let us be very clear about what we are doing and what we are not doing. A definition is in order. It is fairly safe to define contemporary veil dancing as the deliberate removal and manipulation of a veil, using dance technique. That is what it is and now that the history is more clear, future historians have a springboard from which to start. It is beautiful to watch, evocative, and colorful.”

First we learn how to hold the veil like a shawl around the neck and arms, wrapped over and round the index fingers and anchored between the index and middle fingers of each hand with the thumbs also helping out. A polyester veil is heavier than a silk veil and will give one a better arm workout and be a bit easier to work with, but a silk veil is unrivaled for the fluid beauty of its movement.

The music starts, slow drums and a crying violin really set the mood. Now we’re moving our outstretched, but slightly rounded arms up and down, elbows first, flicking the wrists at the highest point, keeping the shoulders down and back – Jenna coaches correct body alignment as the veils are starting to fly. Yes, it is a definite sensation of flying and flowing and dancing in space. And, we’re all doing it together – it’s a sensual ancient sisterhood ritual and an elevation of spirit.

Jenna has used her magic to transform us all into veil goddesses and now she’s got us wrapping veils around the body in a sari style and doing turns as we unwrap and rewrap the veils. Next we’re throwing them into the air in a maneuver called “fire in the hands”. Jenna is a genius at breaking each move down so that every one has fun and no one is left behind. Onward onto learning barrel turns and flying the veil overhead while gracefully moving across the room in two lines.

Studying with Jenna is a real treat. She has been a dancer since age 4 when she began to study ballet in New York City. She became interested in Middle Eastern Dance while studying dance in college and in 1991 took her first lessons at a small restaurant in Berkeley, CA. After that she returned to New York City to teach Middle Eastern dance as well as study with such greats as Andrea Anwar and Serena and Azza Amon.

Jenna’s philosophy of teaching bellydance includes:

- Move beyond stereotypes – having bellydancers be respected as artists and people and not confused with outdated images of harem girls or exotic temptresses.
-Push beyond mediocrity – striving for excellence and getting each student to become the best they can.
- Grow beyond limitations – not being afraid to let bellydance grow creatively utilizing the influences of the modern world while not forgetting it’s ancient roots.
- Delve beneath the surface – dance is not just a physical art, but a bridge for cultural understanding.

In 2005 Jenna moved to Los Angeles where she continues to teach and perform there as well as internationally. She has internationally released 3 bellydance DVDs and co-produces a live bellydance showcase, “TaXim” each month in Silverlake with her Dance Garden business partner, Zahra Zuhair. Jenna was recently invited on to the Tyra Banks show to teach a lovely mom some bellydancing moves to show off to her Palestinian husband.

Jenna will be performing and teaching in Japan May 6-18, 2007 and in Singapore July 2007. She is teaching at a yoga/bellydance retrerat in Tulum Mexico in June 2-8 2007 with Paula Tursi and at Idyllwild Pines Dance Retreat October 11-14, 2007 with Zahra Zuhair.

Jenna also volunteers regularly, teaching bellydance to rescued child prostitutes at Children of the Night in Van Nuys.
You can visit Jenna’s website at www.beyondbellydance.com and Dance Garden’s website at www.dancegarden.com.