Tabla We Raqs Drumming and Egyptian Belly Dance classes Developing fundamental principles in Drumming & Egyptian Bellydance
Welcome to Al Tabla We Raqs group. Based in Reading, Berks and in London. We offer a range of classes including Egyptian dance technique, rhythm analysis, music translation and tabla courses with master drummer Farouk El Safi and Ali Kirdar. Tabla We Raqs Tabla Classes To book for Drumming Classes in Reading, please contact Nadine on 07779716536 Time: from 1:00pm to 3:00pm (08 hours for £80.00 - £20 per session)
We look forward to seeing you in our classes
Date (Sundays)
08/08/2010
15/09/2010
22/09/2010
28/08/2010
TBC..
LEARN TO PLAY TABLA in READING BeginnersPlus Classes with the drummer Ali Kirdar. Call 07881814453
Instrument position, hands flexibility with practice exercises. Control of different rhythm's techniques with right timing for basic dom and tack..
Intermediate Level:
Main focus on the techniques using different rhythms variations and speeds.
Advanced Level:
Entire focus in all different rhythm styles and the different types of drum solos within musical arrangement and for dance performers. (to be arrangerd with the master Farouk El Safi).
TEACHERS:
About Farouk El Safi:
Born in Cairo, Egypt in the very known area called SHOBRA in the 1950's. By the age of 4, Farouk El Safi found himself drawn to music and his parents discovered he had a talent for it. When he was 15 years old, he went on a family picnic and someone within the group brought along a tabla (darbucka), this was the first time Farouk played a tabla, he found his true calling that day!
Not long after the family picnic Farouk had a new desire to work with musicans, he was drawn to music like it was a part of his soul. He met new friends in the Shobra area who played keyboard, accordian, nay and duf. Farouk and his new found friends played and practiced together for a year until another Nay player introduced him to a drummer who played for Oum Kolthoum. His name was Sabr El Falha. Mr El Falha was the most famous drummer at his time, he was a key musican to Oum Kolthoum's orchestra. Farouk El Safi was asked to play the Riq within the orchestra, this position lasted a year until Mr Al Falha left, Farouk then took his place and led Oum Kolthoum's orchestra for 4 years.
During Farouk's time working with Oum Kolthoum's orchestra, he encouraged the progression of the orchestra to reach new heights, they were well known not only for being Oum Kolthoum's orchestra but one of the best ones around! Sadly the orchestra disbanded, but Farouk El Safi remained friend with the accordionist, Farouk Salama. Together they joined forces to create their own band and ended up playing for famous singers such as; Warda Al Jazairia, Farid El Attrash, Abdul Halim Hafiz, Shadia, Hani Shaker (his early career), Adaweya, Sheriffa Fadel and more...
Farouk El Safi traveled to Lebanon and played with Sabra for the top singers of that time.
During Farouk's career he also had the pleasure of playing for Samia Gamal, Nehad Sabri, Fifi Abdu, Mona Said, Lucy, Zinaat Elwy and other known Bellydancers in Egypt and abroad.
In 1994, Farouk El Safi was a member of the Arabian musicians who were invited by Robert Plant and Jimmy Page (Ex-Led Zeppelin) to work on their reunion album. Farouk was rewarded both GOLD and PLATINIUM discs.
In 1982 in London, Farouk El Safi was approached by the BBC to record his music alongside with violinst Abdul Ali. The interviewer for the BBC asked Farouk, Abdul Ali and Naht Sabr to play arabic music for the first time on television (British TV). After this Farouk was asked to play at the Royal Albert Hall and Elizabeth Queen Theatre, London for famous Arabic singers.
Farouk is a classical Egyptian Tabla virtuoso and one of the famous tabla players in London today. His contribution in the field of percussion and in the music world at large is highly appreciated.
About Ali Kirdar
From when he was a child, Ali, native Arab drummer has always been attracted to the music and particularly to the sound of the Tabla. As a young man, Ali was attracted to the sound of Tabla (drums) and the different amazing and beautiful looks. His own collection of tables chosen carefully and bought from all around the world by best Tabla makers from Egypt (Cairo) Hasan and turkey (Istanbul) by Emin, they produce the most beautiful sound.Ali admires them everyday and is very proud to have them and to use them too.
Ali Kirdar has been actively and seriously involved in drumming for few years now.His mentor the master Farouk El Safi has been giving him all the tips on how to drum with love and make the audience enjoy his technique and performance.
He is currently still developing his own drumming style by drumming live in different occasions and participation in Nadine sections of dancing to rhythms using live Tabla for the DOM and the TAC.
Ali Kirdar is trying to draw live Drumming together with Bellydance in order to make a beautiful and realistic picture of the Authentic Raqs Sharqi.
Ali’s participation in helping with drumming in dance classes and workshops, teaching Tabla and being Farouk El Safi’s official assistant have positively improved his knowledge working with both platforms.
His main dream is to make Tabla We Raqs School of Egyptian Bellydance and Drumming the right place for students to understand and visualise the physical connection between the TABLA (rhythm) and DANCE.
