“Everything in dance is poetry. Every movement describes a story, a feeling. The dancer takes the audience into a world of fairy tales.” ~Farima Berenji
Once monthly dance workshop on Central Asian ethnic dance taught by Nancy Rose Aktas, Farima Berenji, and Dr. Gurbuz Aktas. Cultural styles taught include Uzbek, Tajik, Afgan, and Azeri. Workshop dates are January 13, February 10, and March 10. Both men and women are welcome! Students have an opportunity to perform in a future dance […]
Learn the fundamentals of turning and how it enables you to find a sense of self and a connection between body, mind, and spirit. Discover the vital balance in the rhythm of your breathing, movement, posture, and concentration. At first, it can take great effort to combine all of these elements in harmony, but with […]
Emptiness as Fullness: In Nothingness, We Find Everything Sufis believe that as you whirl, you find harmony in the motion of the universe, that as you turn with outstretched arms, you collect the energy from your environment -- enabling you to direct it within yourself and back to the earth. In this class, we will […]
Join us online for a fun social dancing workshop and party. Follow along with Farima as she illustrates Persian social dance moves and styles for parties and weddings. Discover her secrets for being the best social dancer at Persian parties. Stay to the end for improvised dancing to some fun Persian pop music. A delightful […]
Learn Uzbek traditional dance technique, choreography, and history with Rashid Shadat and Farima Berenji. Part of our Silk Road dance intensive program. At each monthly intensive you will learn history, music, costuming and choreography from Farima and guest master instructors. The program focus by month includes: April: Georgia May: Uzbekistan June: Azerbaijan Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, […]
Silent Whirling: Sema and Dancing to the Rhythm and Melody of the Heart Whirling in silence, solely to the rhythm of one’s heart, enables us to focus on finding calm and peace within moving meditation. Although circumstances vary, those who practice silent whirling meditation within a group are often more likely to experience and share […]
Poetry in Music and Motion for a Millennium An online workshop for musicians and dancers with Persian dance scholar Farima Berenji and music scholars Dr. Lloyd Miller and Nariman Assad. A dastgah is one of the basic melody types of traditional Persian music as identified by music masters originating from the nineteenth century. It is […]
Mistikler Kervanı-Sufi İnzivası
Music and Sema Workshops, Zikr, Sema Gathering, Sacred Circles, Sohbet [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2hzd3MYBo8&w=800&h=450] With Yarsan Pir (Master) Seyed Salman Hosseini, Sufi Dance Master, Farima Berenji, and musicians and teachers Evren Evin, Evan Phillips, Hatice Gülbahar Hepsev and others... UPDATE: Master Seyed Vessal Hosseini from Iran (vocalist), the amazing Fatih Kocer from Turkey (vocalist and musician), and […]
Music and Sema Workshops, Zikr, Sema Gathering, Sacred Circles, Sohbet Sacred dance, music, and mysticism workshops with masters Farima Berenji, Pir Salman Hosseni, Pir Darush Hosseni, Evan Phillips, and more. Discover the magic of Metanoia Wellness and Retreat Center nestled in the heart of the Chouf Nature Reserve. Accommodation, high-quality food, and transportation included. Join […]
Music and Sema Workshops, Zikr, Sema Gathering, Sacred Circles, Sohbet https://youtube.com/shorts/RE8TqH2LmuQ?feature=share Join us on an unforgettable journey of self-discovery and healing at Metanoia Retreat Center, Lebanon for five days of immersion of heart centric prayer and movement medicine. We will open the portal to a deeper space of healing and transformation. Your day will be […]