The Abbey Studio in Cumberland welcomes back Farima Berenji this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Berenji is a scholar and an award-winning, internationally acclaimed performing artist, instructor, dance ethnologist, and archeologist.
Her love and passion for dance and history has led her on an extraordinary life-long journey throughout the world, from her home countries Iran and Azerbaijan to other neighbouring Silk Road countries such as Armenia, Kurdistan, and Turkey.
Her scholarly background includes in-depth studies of dance, music, poetry, art, history, as well as mythology, and the ancient and spiritual traditions of Iran and Central Asia.
Farima travels worldwide to perform and teach dance and wellness. Farima is strongly connected to spirituality and healing and is under the guidance and teaching of Mevlana Order Sufi master and dervish Dr. Rahmi Oruç Güvenç of Turkey.
She hopes to help and guide people to the historic beauty and richness of the Silk Road culture and to help people find their inner bliss through dance, music, and sacred healing. She holds a BS in Health Science with a Minor in Art History and the Performing Arts, as well as an MA in Anthropology and Archaeology with a special emphasis in Persianate Studies (Persian and Central Asian Studies).
Cathy Stoyko of the Abbey Studio brought Farima to Cumberland earlier this fall and the response was so positive that she is coming back again.
At the event on Friday evening, we will start with sacred dance performances by Farima and special guests at 7 followed by Sema Gathering at 8.
Farima will guide us through personal and spiritual Sema (Sufi Whirling) as well as other turning practices, while listening to sacred poetry and music. Feel free to bring a poem to share or play us your favourite musical instrument. Bring snacks or drinks to share and wear white or light-coloured clothing and wear socks or soft-soled shoes.
Doors open at 6:30, all are welcome and there will be a sliding scale at the door to determine admission fees.
Farima will teach dance workshops that same weekend at the Abbey Studio on Saturday and Sunday. Each day we will learn a different dance style, technique in the morning and a choreography in the afternoon. Workshops are limited to 16 participants; please pre-register.
This time, Farima will also share two evening lectures with a potluck and Q&A. The subject Nov. 30 is Persian history and Dec. 1 it's Folk dances and peoples of Iran.
For more information and to pre-register for the whole weekend, contact Cathy Stoyko at 250-218-0704. The Friday evening Sema gathering and performances as well as evening lectures and potluck are open to public with no need to pre-register.
The Abbey is at the corner of First and Penrith in Cumberland.
For more information and to register, call Cathy, e-mail cdstoyko@uniserve.com or visit cathystoykodance.blogspot.com. For more info about Farima, visit http://farimadance.com/home.html.
— The Abbey Studio