The Zar Dance

Moving presentation of a mystical dance--the zar!
There are a number of trance dances in North Africa and the Near East, but the Zar, in its various forms, is exceptionally powerful.
Traditionally it is a dance of healing, of mind, body or spirit, for an afflicted individual. It is not entertainment or a social dance but
a communal experience related to healing. Ibrahim Farrah, whose contributions as a Near Eastern dancer, teacher and scholar are widely
recognized, put together a dramatization of the zar dance experience and filmed it. The resulting video is as close you can get to
the zar experience without being in the now very rare times and places in North Africa or Near East where it is performed. The challenge
of the production was to have dancers who could perform the ritual dance movements authentically and expertly but also would have the
acting ability to play their roles in believable ways. The resulting production succeeds magnificently with an evocative setting,
beautiful costuming and...

The Zar Dance
I am very happy I bought The Zar Dance DVD. I feel moved and inspired every time I play it. I found it to be both educational and entertaining!
I highly recommend this DVD. It is a pleasurable way to learn about this rich history of this culture and dance. I was highly impressed by the
choreography and the way that the Late Ibrahim Farrah interprets and puts together the entire concept. The Bonus features clarify and make a better
understanding of the main feature. The dancers are excellent, knowledgeable and beautifully execute this wonderful work of art. Just watching this
exceptional DVD and hearing this inspirational music got me off my chair and dancing around my living room! Leeza



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