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Onca and August of the Mezmer Society (NC) www.barakamundi.com
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Onca and August are another two talented performers who we are lucky to have in the Southern Tribal community! Onca has been a lively part of the staff since TribalCon 2 and August found himself right at home last year so we are welcoming him back home this year as part of the family.

youtube.com/watch

youtube.com/watch


Onça O'Leary, Bandit Queen

A director, event producer, and full-throttle entertainer, Onça's touring project for 2008-2009 is "The Mezmer Society", a collaboration with Balkan accordionist August Hoerr and their musical ensemble. The Society presents a delicious melange of Eastern European music, powerful bellydance technique, goodwill, bad behavior, and sultry oddements. The year 2008 saw The Mezmer Society as featured instructors at TribalCon & Southern Fried Tribal in Atlanta, TribalFest in California, Tribal Revolution in Chicago and TribOriginal in North Carolina.


Director of Baraka Mundi Live Music & Dance Ensemble since 1999, Onça has long been known for her evocative stage presence. Baraka Mundi pioneered tribal bellydance in the Carolinas and was nominated for 'Best Kept Secret'. Onça was the first in the world to be Certified in General Skills by Carolena Nericcio, founder of American Tribal Bellydance. Her annual dance camp, TribOriginal, was nominated in 2008 as 'Best Event' in the national Golden Belly Awards. She is also an internationally published author and illustrator under her given name, Lauren O'Leary.


For more info on Onça, visit The Mezmer Society: Luscious Cabaret & Balkan Ruckus & Baraka Mundi at www.barakamundi.com/mezmer TribOriginal: Tribal Dance, Music & Culture Camp at www.triboriginal.org.


August

August taught himself to play accordion as angsty teenager, and after discovering Middle Eastern music, began working with Tribal dancers in 1999. Discovering a mutual interest in Balkan music and quirky party songs, he formed The Mezmer Society with Onça (Baraka Mundi) in the Autumn of 2007. They have taught and performed at events including Tribal Fest, TribalCon, and Tribal Revolution, and they are scheduled to continue touring throughout the United States. The Mezmer Society is fully committed to spreading the aesthetic of hafla joy as quickly and loudly as possible.


In addition to to The Mezmer Society, August is a member of the quartet Ashes in Order, and maintains a career as an internationally represented figurative painter. He is the president of the Institute for the Advancement of Occultism and Aerophonics (previously Asheville Accordion Club), and he has released albums with the cinematic trio Soora Gameela, and Greek fusion band Makari. August lives in Asheville, North Carolina and is currently working on material for his first solo album.


Saturday : 12:15-1:45pm

Onça O'Leary & August Hoerr - The Mezmer Society : Narrative Bellydance - Out there dancing? Have something to say! This high-spirited, concept-driven class presents a range of evocative moods - spirited, celebratory, passionate, somber...maybe even a little bit of Evil. Onça has undertaken intense study of Narrative bellydance and is on a serious mission to nurture authentic self-expression among the world's Tribal Fusionistas.


Friday : 4:00-5:30pm

August : Sing, Gadje, Sing! - (All levels. For everyone who wants to sing, plus melody and percussion accompaniment.) We will learn how to sing some Southeastern European songs, explore different ways to harmonize with each other, and deepen an appreciation for loud, clashing notes.


Saturday : 4:00-5:30pm

August : Soloing and Improvisation - (All levels, melodic instruments) We will workshop a variety of ideas that can improve your solos and taqsims in Middle Eastern and Eastern European music. The class will also address group dynamics such as how to organize in informal settings and how to play a supportive role for other musicians.


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Awalim Tribal Dance Co. (GA) www.awalim.com
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Awalim has provided our own percussion for many of our shows and love showing how you can do it for your own dance company. Majda spent the Fall semester of 2008 taking music classes at the American University at Cairo and will be sharing her new found knowledge with everyone!

www.youtube.com/watch

www.youtube.com/watch

www.youtube.com/watch


Awalim was formed in 1999 under the Direction of Ziah Ali McKinney-Taylor as a group to bring World Fusion Tribal Bellydance to the stages of Atlanta and the Southest US. Awalim's particular flavor of Tribal is decidedly upbeat and earthy while being sophisticated and urban, bringing what we feel are Atlanta's strongest characteristics to the Tribal genre.


What does Awalim mean?

Awalim is plural for Almeh. An Almeh was an educated entertainer that was very highly thought of in Egypt during the 1800's. She was educated in music, poetry, song, dance, history, religion and politics. All of these things were considered interconnected and important knowledge for any real artist. The Awalim were very well respected and left Cairo when Napoleon's invading army treated them as "common" entertainers. We call ourselves Awalim because education is very important to us. We all study at least one musical instrument along with the finger cymbals (zils). I also stress the history and sociology of the wide spread area that is called the Middle East which brings us (and our audience) closer to an understanding of the culture we are emulating.


Friday : 10:00-11:30am

Awalim : Drumming 101 for dancers – The Drumming Dancer, Teejei & Majda of Awalim - If you've never picked up a drum, or have taken the cursory "whack" at it now and then, this workshop is for you! This class is an absolute introduction to the most basic concepts of drumming for the dancer who wishes to begin her study of rhythm. We will begin with hand and body posture for the DUM, TEK, and KA sounds as played on the Doumbek and Tar/Frame Drum. We will then discuss useful musical concepts and practice several popular rhythms including the beledi family, chiftitelli, and others.


We also had to start from square one in building a live music and dance show for our Georgia Ren Faire engagement and it taught us a lot. We'd like to share some of our secrets with you, including standing and moving with your drum, interacting with your fellow performers and the audience, and the Dueling Drums!


Please bring a doumbek and zils, and a frame drum if you have one.