“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
Sema, Semah, Sacred Dance, Music, and Poetry Honoring Sheb-i Arus Join us this night to celebrate our fellowship in love and spirit with whirling dance (Sema and Semah), meditation, music, and poetry. Sheb-i Arus commemorates the death and thereby union between the Persian mystical poet Rumi and the universe. We will open with sacred and […]
Farima will present a lecture and perform at the 2019 Persian Art & Letters Conference in London. Farima will also present a workshop in Persian Classical dance. Persian Art & Letters Conference Theme: "Dawn of Hope – بامداد امید”. All plenary sessions will be offered in Persian and English, with dedicated programs for children and […]
A dance and music concert by the Simorgh Dance Collective, adapted from the Persian epic Conference of the Birds by Farid ud-Din Attar. Featuring Persian sacred, classical, and folkloric dances choreographed by Farima Berenji, Persian music performed by Homeyra Banejad and Ensemble, and expertly narrated by award winning actor and director Sadegh Hatefi. "It was […]
A dance and music concert by the Simorgh Dance Collective, adapted from the Persian epic Conference of the Birds by Farid ud-Din Attar. Featuring Persian sacred, classical, and folkloric dances choreographed by Farima Berenji, Persian music performed by Homeyra Banejad and Ensemble, and expertly narrated by award winning actor and director Sadegh Hatefi. "It was […]
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 […]
From the mystic East comes an epic tale befitting Romeo and Juliet, a tale of love between a Sufi Shaikh, a Christian maiden, and a simple love that grows despite the divisions of their beliefs. Based on the 12th century story by Attar of Nishapur, Tarsa is a dance drama accompanied by traditional Persian music […]
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 Farima for a Sufi Whirling Workshop and Sema Gathering, with sacred music, meditation, and whirling. We will create a sacred, supportive space where we can all release whatever energy no longer serves us, relax and open our heart, body, and mind. We will discover the power and mystery of ancient dances and rituals – […]
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, […]
Whether you are an actor or dancer this workshop will help you identify how to improve your performance on the stage. Stage presence refers to the ability to command the full attention of a theater audience by the impressiveness of one's performance. When combined with skill, experience and hard work, stage presence can create a […]