… was another one of those warm, wonderful nights where the whole place feels like one family. The ensemble of musicians consisted of Mike Gregian, Hagop Garabedian, and Arthur Sperou – they played a really lovely Turkish set for me. I had a couple of tables of friends there, including some of my students, and the two tables closest to the stage held a Persian group and a group that was a combination of Irish and Israeli. Their enthusiasm for the music and appreciation of the dancing gave me that synergistic energy boost that brings out the best in a dancer – you other performers know what I’m talking about. 🙂 It gives me more to give back in turn to my audience. The band made sure to play some songs from Israel and Persia, resulting in smiles and dancing all around. Even the young boy and the baby girl with one group got up on the dance floor to stamp their feet.
Nights like these are a huge part of why I dance. They embody what music and dance are all about.
That sounds like a wonderful night. I think this is a place I went to in 2002 to see a Turkish style dancer who’s stage name I am forgetting, I think her name is Bonnie and she was a university professor. She also danced at MidEast in Cambridge, and I danced a show there as well – courtesy of some of the dancers who performed that night.
You’re thinking of Sardis – she still dances at the Athenian Corner, and a number of other venues in greater Boston. 🙂 I was going to suggest if you were in the area you needed to go to the Athenian. The regular band is still the Fred Elias Ensemble, and they are not to be missed.