ARt UnDER OCCuPATION!

Issue 

Art Under Occupation
By Nicholas Rowe & Maysoun Rafeedie
387 Guildford Road, Guildford
August 22-25
Phone Reeda Kassis on 0404 070 755 or Alissar Chidiac on 9217 0409 or email <alissarc@phm.gov.au> for more information or bookings.

Two Palestinian artists from the Ramallah Dance Theatre will be presenting a unique program during a rare Sydney visit, providing a insight into traditional and contemporary Palestinian dance and the nature of art-making and life under military occupation.

Forum on art under occupation, Sunday August 22, 5-8pm

Join Nicholas Rowe, an Australian Ballet School graduate now based in Palestine, as he addresses the issues around the Palestinian occupation utilising video clips of performances and community dance workshops recorded in various locations around the West Bank. The presentation is based on Rowe's experience of working in Palestinian cities, villages and refugee camps over the last four years.

Workshop on art under siege, Monday August 23, 6-8pm

This workshop is designed for arts workshop leaders working in traumatised communities. Rowe focuses on the workshop leader's ability to facilitate the creative, co-operative and communicative participation of others in an artistic forum. Based on Rowe's extensive work in the refugee camps of Palestine, the workshop explores the use of dance, drama, music and drawing to activate community social growth.

Workshop on Dabke, Palestinian dance, Tuesday August 24, 6-8pm

Palestinian dancer Maysoun Rafeedie teaches the fundamentals of Palestinian folk dance. For experienced dancers and novices, adults and children, this workshop provides a fun way to explore Palestinian heritage.

Workshop: Checkpoints, Wednesday August 25, 6-8pm

Rafeedie leads this workshop, where participants physically improvise around themes related to the military barriers that inhibit Palestinian travel around the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Utilised by dancers in Palestine to explore ways of expressing life under occupation, this workshop is useful for anybody wanting to gain a physical insight into the phenomenon of checkpoints. (No dance experience necessary.)

From Green Left Weekly, August 18, 2004.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.


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