Hipnosis was Mesmerizing!
by Fikriyyah (published in the May/June 2005 issue of Zaghareet! Magazine)

Those of you who know me or who have read my reviews or recommendations about workshops know that I often talk about the shortcomings of workshops I attend.  Fortunately or unfortunately, I tend to be critical when I have traveled several hours and have paid what I consider to be a sizable fee to study with a particular teacher or group.  With this in mind, I would like to describe a workshop that I recently attended that was fabulous in all respects.

On November 13 and 14th, I traveled to Bryn Athyn, PA (north of Philadelphia) to study with a tribal dance group known as Hipnosis.  The price of these workshops was very reasonable and directions to the workshop site were readily available.

Right from the start, I was impressed.  There was an organized and simple registration process complete with name tags to encourage people to learn each other’s names. There was a nice variety of vendors, who were physically separated from the class area so we were not distracted by all the goodies while we were working.   The dance area itself was very nice complete with hardwood floors, that had been swept, plus incense, candles, and nice music.

Throughout the workshops, the women of Hipnosis were very professional.  They had worked out ahead of time who was going to teach which movement or combination and they flowed smoothly from one person’s teaching to another.  They spaced themselves throughout the room so that everyone, even in the back, could follow along as we learned something new.  Finally, the teachers were very patient and helpful as they moved throughout the class correcting people’s techniques and answering questions.

During the two 5-hour workshops we really worked hard.  We didn’t take half-hour breaks or even 20 minute breaks to shop or hear about a particular teacher’s merchandise.  Instead we worked for a solid 2 ½ hours then took a  1 ½ hour lunch break followed by 2 ½ more action-packed hours.  Did I mention that we worked our butts off?

Finally, the thing that will stand out most in my mind was the camaraderie that developed during these workshops.  Never before have I attended workshops where I actually knew almost everyone’s name when I left, let alone made new friends.  The teachers and other workshop participants really made everyone feel comfortable and there were lots of opportunities to work with different people.

I feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to study with Vikki, Maeve, and Jess.  If Hipnosis has any more workshops in the future, I will be sure to register.  If you want a great tribal dance workshop, I suggest you do the same.