November 2019

Dance of the Nightingale

Just yesterday I returned from an epic journey of love and learning in beautiful Turkey and Lebanon. First, I was witness to Love is Calling, a magical Sema gathering in Yalova, Turkey with over 400 beautiful souls who came the world over to participate in whirling, sacred music, songs, chanting, poetry, rituals, dance, and prayer over three days! From there I traveled to Lebanon to greet another group of souls who came from world over for workshops in Sufism, Persian mystical dance, and ancient Iranic rituals. I wish to express my gratitude to all who made these amazing events a success, to all musicians and mystics, and to all who shared their love.

My classes in the Bay Area resume on Thursday November 14 with Persian and Silk Road Dance. Join my students and learn Persian dance as we prepare performances for Journey of the Simorgh, our next Simorgh Dance Collective production debuting in Menlo Park in January 2020. This production retells the Persian epic Conference of the Birds by Farid ud-Din Attar with live music, lavish costumes, and featuring Persian sacred, classical, and folkloric dance.

Next year I am excited to announce our next production, Tarsa, a dance drama performed by the Simorgh Dance Collective. This is an epic tale befitting Romeo and Juliet, a tale of love between a Sufi Shaikh, a Christian maiden, and a simple love that grows between them despite the divisions of their beliefs. It debuts February 22 in San Jose.

Finally, on Nov. 20 attend my next Dance of the Soul workshop in Mountain View to discover the power and mystery of whirling as a gateway for self-growth and spiritual enlightenment through movement, music, and meditation.

Where ever you are I hope to dance with you soon.

Blessings,
Farima

Prayer for Musicians

Please God, offer honey to musicians who bring us such joy!
Give them strong and untiring hands to keep playing their music.
Give them vision so, like birds in love, they can bring Your message to our ears.
Let them drink plenty from Your river and grace them with Your strength
so their music becomes the pillar of Your glory.

~Rumi


About farimadance

Farima is an award winning, internationally acclaimed performing artist, instructor, dance ethnologist, and archaeologist.  Recognized as one of few world experts and scholars of Persian dance history, Farima infuses spirituality into her dance and teachings to impassion, empower, and inspire.