“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
Enjoy amazing folk stories from Persia in this one hour lecture by scholar Farima Berenji. Hear of the ancient stories that inspired and have been adapted many times throughout history to become classic tales as well as Disney films such as • Rapunzel • Sword in the Stone • Romeo and Juliet • The Game […]
A special virtual gathering (Zoom Conference) to celebrate Mehregan and conduct the ICF annual general assembly. The gathering features invited celebrities including Dr. Abbas Kheirabadi and Dr. Alireza Ghiamati of Mashad University, Ms. Ziba Shirazi and Ms. Farima Berenji. Attendance is open and free for the general public. Hosted by patrons of Houston Poetry Night […]
Mehregan is the Persian festival of autumn, one of the most ancient Iranian festivals known, when the community gathers together for prayers of thanksgiving and blessings. On Mehregan, friends and family gather to celebrate the beginning of fall and its colors. Hosted by the Roya Foundation, the 2020 Mehregan Celebration is held entirely online with […]
Free lecture on sacred and Sufi music, musical instruments, and dance of Iran followed by Q/A presented in collaboration with the Center of Eastern Music of Iran, University of Tehran, and the Yarasan Sufi Order. Special lecturers include Dr. Lloyd Miller, Seyed Salman Hosseini, Farima Berenji, Rouhollah Kalami, and Koroush Shokouhi. Online webinar from Iran […]
Free lecture on sacred and Sufi dance and music of Iran followed by Q/A. Presented in collaboration with the Center of Eastern Music of Iran, University of Tehran, and the Yarasan Sufi Order. Special lecturers include Dr. Lloyd Miller, Seyed Salman Hosseini, Farima Berenji, and Rouhollah Kalami. Online webinar is in Farsi and English. Registration […]
Persian dance inherits a historic culture of 8000 years in history with a blend of enchanting sacred movements rich in the elemental beauty of nature: birds, animals, flowers, and the elements. In ancient Persia, it was believed that these beings and elements carried the spirit of the Divine. Dance is inspired by mystical Persian poetry, […]
A Lecture by Scholar and Ethnologist, Farima Berenji We have always known of Christmas on December 25th, with a traditional decorated tree, candles, and gifts. Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ yet its rituals and traditions far precede that time. Unquestionably, our ancestors adopted the rituals from an ancient Iranian pagan religion known as Mithraism, […]
Join us for an evening celebrating Yalda (winter solstice), the longest night of the year. Shab-e Yalda (Yalda Night) is the Persian Winter Solstice Celebration on the eve of the Winter Solstice. The Persians believed that this night is the night of the birth of Ahura Mazda and Mithra, Persian God of Light and Truth. […]
Sepandārmazgān was a day when women rested and men had to bring them gifts.Learn of the history and origins of Sepandārmazgān, the Persian festival of love, in this enchanting one hour lecture by Persian Scholar Farima Berenji. Sepandārmazgān is dedicated to Spenta Armaiti also known as “Diana” the Persian Goddess of love, beauty, and desire. […]
Mithrasim, Zoroastrianism, and our cultural roots The roots of mystical thinking were found in ancient Iran. The philosophy of Iranian mysticism by nature fosters adoption of other cultures. It is not based on a single source but is based on many, and that philosophy traveled to emerge among many civilizations. Many of today's […]