Debka is a traditional Middle East Folklore dance rooted in rich history and culture. This class will take you step by step through the Traditional Debka, as well as teach variants of the dance, influenced by the Lebanese and Palestinian cultures. Be prepared to enter a journey of not only dance, but traditional Arabic music and history.

Meet the Instructor:

Ibrahim Miari, is a Palestinian Israeli theater artist and educator living in Boston. He holds an MFA in Theater Education from Boston University’s College of Fine Arts. He graduated from the Western Galilee College, and the Acco Theatre Center’s Actor Training Program. As a member of the Acco Theatre Center Ensemble for nearly 12 years, Ibrahim directed, danced and acted in various national and international plays as well as in various commercials and short films.  As an actor he was recently seen at “The Fever Chart” production of Underground Railway Theater, Cambridge MA for which he is nominated for the IRNE award 2011. Currently Ibrahim is performing his one man show “In Between”.

Since 1997, Ibrahim has also been performing folkloric, Sufi, and sacred dances. As a member of the Shaharazad Dance Company, he performed at international folk dance festivals in Latvia, Spain, Portugal and Croatia.  In 2002 Ibrahim co-choreographed and danced in “Prayer”, Sacred Music, Sufi, and Sacred Dance show  which was the opening event for the Acco Theater Festival.  The show also toured in Vienna, Istanbul, NYC, and Albuquerque. He has taught Dabkeh dance workshops at high schools and colleges across the US and in 2007 choreographed Sacred Dance show for the Aurora Borealis dance festival at Boston University.

Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm, Wednesdays, 4/13-5/18/2011
Tuition: $120, Drops are welcome $20/class
Instructor: Ibrahim Miari
Location: Center for Arabic Culture located at the Armory, 191 Highland Avenue, 6B, Somerville
Register: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=gfvorrcab&oeidk=a07e3msacifc5269ec2

Hello, my name is Omar Baba and I created this website to promote the art of Arabic calligraphy. I started ArabicCaligraphy.com in 1999 as a virtual gallery for calligraphers Mokhtar El Baba (my father) and Kamel El Baba (my grandfather). They spent their professional lives creating beautiful artwork, some of which you can see in the gallery sections of the site.

Today, the site is also a blog about all things related to Arabic calligraphy, whether it’s on paper, on walls or on your screen. Since I’ve started blogging, I discovered a whole new world of Arabic calligraphers and typographers with incredible talents that are pushing the boundaries of the artform into new directions.

I would love to have your contributions to this site. Please contact me with any relevant links, pictures or articles that you would like to share. You can also contribute by writing comments about each blog post.

CALL FOR ENTRIES 2011

TO SUBMIT YOUR FILM TO BPFF 2011 PLEASE READ BELOW AND THEN:
click here

The Boston Palestine Film Festival (BPFF) is now accepting entries for its fifth annual festival to be held in October of 2011.

BPFF seeks to present the extraordinary narrative of a dispossessed people living in exile, under military occupation and siege, and within Israel. Palestinian cinema represents a powerful means of interpreting the collective identity, historic struggle, and surreal life circumstances and challenges that Palestinians presently face.

ELIGIBILITY

BPFF will showcase the diverse and creative work of all filmmakers (any nationality) exploring both historic and contemporary themes related to Palestinian culture, experience, and narrative.

The BPFF Selection Committee accepts films, videos and digital media in the following categories:

• Feature Films
• Documentaries
• Shorts (including animated and video art)
• Youth Work (created by filmmakers under the age of 18)

Entries can be of any length. All foreign language entries must be subtitled in English. Entries should have been produced between 2006 and 2011. Any works currently in production may be submitted as rough cuts. Selected works must be provided in final form with English subtitles no later than September 15th, 2011.

Formats accepted for Submission (for the selection process only):
DVD(PAL or NTSC) or QuickTime movies on CD (for shorts or youth work only)

Formats accepted for Exhibition (for presentation at the festival):
Film:     35mm and 16mm
Video:   DigiBeta (PAL or NTSC)
DVDs:  The above formats are preferable to DVDs unless they are for a short film of under 15 minutes. Even if DVDs are submitted for consideration, final tested exhibition copies (at least 2) must still be re-sent to us if the films are accepted.

DEADLINES
April 1, 2011: Submission of all entry materials are due
(incomplete entries will not be considered)
July 31, 2011: All applicants notified of film acceptance/rejection
September 15, 2011: All works selected for the Festival must be provided to BPFF in final form with English subtitles no later than this date (no exceptions)

TO SUBMIT YOUR FILM TO BPFF 2011: CLICK HERE

MAILING ADDRESS FOR FILMS

Boston Palestine Film Festival
955 Massachusetts Ave. #333
Cambridge, MA 02140
USA

For all submissions inquiries please email: submissions@bostonpalestinefilmfest.org

Please forward to interested parties.

Thank you!
The BPFF organizing committee

http://www.bostonpalestinefilmfest.org

This course will expand the students’ basic Arabic calligraphy knowledge and skills by introducing them to more advanced calligraphy and art techniques. Students will be continue to practice various scripts of Arabic calligraphy and will be provided with persistent hands-on practice including in-class practice, individual/group instruction, and take-home assignments as well. This course will combine lectures with visual materials, discussion of reading and/or visual evidence, and hands-on practice with bamboo and ink.

Previous exposure to Arabic Calligraphy is recommended.

Time: Thursdays from 7pm-8:30pm, 5/19 – 6/23
Instructor: Wafaa Al-Shimrty
Tuition: $120 plus $10 for materials
Location: Center for Arabic Culture located at the Armory, 191 Highland Avenue, 6B, Somerville
Register: Please click here

This course will introduce participants to Arabic calligraphy and its historical context within the Arab-Muslim world. Students will be introduced to various Arabic calligraphy scripts and will be provided with persistent hands-on practice including in-class practice, individual/group instruction, and take-home assignments. This course will combine lectures with visual materials, discussion of reading and/or visual evidence, and hands-on practice with bamboo and ink.

Familiarity with the Arabic Alphabet is recommended but not required.

Time: Thursdays from 5:30pm-7pm, 5/19 – 6/23
Instructor: Wafaa Al-Shimrty
Tuition: $120 plus $10 for materials
Location: Center for Arabic Culture located at the Armory, 191 Highland Avenue, 6B, Somerville
Register: Please click here

Kareem Azab, vocalist and Oud player. He started his music studies at the age of 12 in his village Ara in Palestine where he studied Piano and played it for 7 years. Then he moved to Jerusalem, where he started to play Oud by hearing and self-teaching. In Jerusalem, he played and sang with several bands. In 2007 he moved to Boston, and since then he plays and sings with The Arabic Music Ensemble at Tufts University.

In this course we will provide basics of playing the Oud, including: history of the Oud, holding the Oud, music theory (notation and rhythm), Arabic tuning, playing open strings and right-hand plucking techniques, left-hand fingers and positions, basic Maqam theory, practice Maqamat: Nahawand, Kurd, Bayati, Saba, Rast, Hijaz, and Sikka. In parallel to the lessons in class, a Facebook group will be opened and will include written materials and videos for practice at home.

Please note students are responsible for providing their own instrument.

If you do not already have an Oud or are having difficulty in finding an Oud, please contact us at: info@cacboston.org

Time: Thursdays, 7:30pm – 9:00pm, 4/21/11 – 5/26/11
Instructor: Kareem Azab
Tuition: $120
Location: Center for Arabic Culture located at the Armory, 191 Highland Avenue, 6B, Somerville
Register: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=gfvorrcab&oeidk=a07e3kf3pxt1a0e7fb2

Colloquial Arabic is used in daily communication between people in the Arab world. Rooted in classical Arabic, it is simplified for daily use and infiltrated by non-Arabic worlds depending on the geographical location, external cultural and linguistic influences. This class will focus on the Levant dialect, which is spoken in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine. It is for adult students who have been exposed to Arabic, either formally or informally. The instructor will use music, movies, recorded conversations and other cultural means to move from Modern Standard Arabic to the Levant dialect.

Students should have a strong command of Arabic vocabulary.

Time: Saturdays, 9:00 am – 10:30 am, 4/9/11 – 5/14/11
Instructor: Nezha Almahi – LeBrasseur/
Tuition: $120
Location: Center for Arabic Culture located at the Armory, 191 Highland Avenue, 6B, Somerville
Register: Please click here

Colloquial Arabic is used in daily communication between people in the Arab world. Rooted in classical Arabic, it is simplified for daily use and infiltrated by non-Arabic worlds depending on the geographical location, external cultural and linguistic influences. This class will focus on the Levant dialect, which is spoken in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine. It is for adult students who have been exposed to Arabic, either formally or informally. The instructor will use songs, movies, recorded conversations and other cultural means to move from Modern Standard Arabic to the Levant dialect.

Students should be familiar with the alphabet and have a grasp of Arabic vocabulary.

Time: Saturdays, 10:30am – 12:00pm, 4/9/11 – 5/14/11
Instructor: Nezha Almahi – LeBrasseur
Tuition: $120
Location: Center for Arabic Culture located at the Armory, 191 Highland Avenue, 6B, Somerville
Register: Please click here

Colloquial Arabic is used in daily communication between people in the Arab world. Rooted in classical Arabic, it is simplified for daily use and infiltrated by non-Arabic worlds depending on the geographical location, external cultural and linguistic influences. This class will focus on the Levant dialect, which is spoken in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine. This level is best suited for beginners who have had little or no exposure to the Arabic language. We will be covering the Arabic alphabet and explaining the differences in pronunciation between the modern standard Arabic and different dialects. We will also cover some basic conversational skills.

Time: Saturday, 12pm-1pm, 4/9/11-5/14/11
Tuition: $90
Instructor: Nezha Almahi-LeBrasseur
Location: Center for Arabic Culture located at the Armory, 191 Highland Avenue, 6B, Somerville
Register: Click here to register