From Spain to the Orient is a dance performance prepared by participants in the BOK–MCC workshops: the Oriental Dance Workshop led by Idalia Kowara–Schmidt and the Carmen Flamenco Dance Workshop led by Magdalena Zientara. Guest performers will include: Aleksandra Prysłopska (Alex), Aleksandra Krzywicka (Farizah), the Al-Mara group, as well as Elwira Janitzki and S.T.O. Arabeska.
Aleksandra Prysłopska (Alex) is an award-winning solo dancer, oriental dance instructor and member of two dance groups from Poznań. In Poland, she is known above all for her emotional, highly feminine approach to dance, which radiates through her performances. She has been a finalist and winner at numerous prestigious dance festivals. In 2016, she received the title of Miss Belly Dance Poland 2016.
Grupa Tańca Orientalnego Al-Mara is a comprehensively trained team with many years of experience in dance and extensive stage experience. The group has existed since 2007. Its founder is Małgorzata Yanarim Zujewicz, a dancer, choreographer, director and long-time Arabic belly dance instructor at dance schools in Wrocław, as well as the founder of the first Oriental Dance School in Wrocław and the second runner-up in the Polish Championships in the Belly Dance Show category in 2012.
Aleksandra Krzywicka (Farizah) learned oriental dance—including classical raks sharqi, Middle Eastern folk dances and contemporary fusion—during classes in Wrocław and Jelenia Góra, as well as at numerous workshops in Poland and abroad. In addition to oriental dance, she is also passionate about flamenco and tribal fusion.
S.T.O. Arabeska is Alicja Kowal’s oriental dance group.
Alicja Kowal from Bolesławiec began her dancing passion with folk dances, followed by ballroom dancing and disco, but it was oriental dance that completely captivated her. Oriental dance, incorrectly limited by some people to belly dancing alone, is one of the oldest and most sensual dances in the world.
Elwira Janitzki is a professional belly dancer (oriental dancer), Persian and Romani dancer, instructor and choreographer. As a child, she performed folk dances; she learned the basics of ballet under the supervision of Maksymilian Moroz, a former choreographer of the Wrocław Opera. She has lived in Berlin for more than twenty years. In 1994, she began studying belly dance at Tanz Akademie Cifuentes in Berlin. The school, which hosts many world champions, remains popular to this day and maintains a high standard. Elwira is one of the first instructors active in Poland. From 2001, she regularly led workshops in Wrocław at Klub pod kolumnami and later at Dom Tańca Pałacyk, where in 2005 she initiated the first National Belly Dance Festival.