São Paulo – An Arab dance festival should transform the Syrian Sports Club, in São Paulo, into a large “souk” from April 13 to 15. The 19th Mercado Persa (Persian Market) is the main Arab dance fair in the world, according to the organizers, and should include great names in Arab culture, such as the Argentine Saida Helou, currently the most popular Arab dancer, as well as a series of other presentations. The festival is promoted by Oriente, Encanto e Magia Eventos, a company specialized in Arab culture.
Despite being focussed on dance and including not just shows, but also competitions, the event does not include just the area, so it is called Mercado Persa. The programme includes exhibition of typical products, like clothes, musical instruments, decorations, art exhibitions, music presentations, competitions of several kinds and cultural workshops. Visitation is expected to reach 8,000 people over the three days of the festival.
Among the dancers, there are Brazilians, Argentineans, Americans and Europeans. According to Shalimar Mattar, the general director of Mercado Persa, and owner of Oriente, there should be an exhibitor from Egypt, with costume jewellery, handicraft, typical clothes and decoration, and a Moroccan artist. The Moroccan makes art in Arabic scrip at international fairs.
In dance, there should be both shows by professional dancers and even presentations by dance groups and competitions. The dance competitions should take place in several modalities, female and male, from the baby to mature categories. The main dance presentation will be the show by Saida Helou, on Saturday (14). Apart from her, another great Arab culture professional is Arab music conductor Mario Kirlis, also Argentine.
There will be art competitions and drawing in silk, arts typical in the East, and a beauty contest for all ages and sexes, in which participants should be dressed in Arab clothes. In the contest, however, the evaluation will not consider the Arab features of participants, according to Mattar, but characteristics like balance of aesthetics and appeal, among others.
Arab food will be present at the event, with cuisine from the colony and appetizers offered at the Syrian Sports Club restaurant.
Mercado Persa was the brainchild of dancer Tamira Samia, one of the first belly dancers in Brazil, to promote art, dance and Arab music. The first edition took place in 1995, organized by Samia, at a time in which belly dancing faces some bias in the country. In the second edition of the festival, Shalimar, whose mother was a ballerina, participated in the organisation, which she is currently responsible for.
Shalimar is of Syrian and Lebanese routes, on her father’s side, and usually danced at family events on her father’s side at her mother’s request. Initially, however, the entrepreneur studied ballet and then Arab dance. Currently, apart from running Oriente, she has a dance school, Shalimar, where Arab dance, flamenco, ballet and other dances are taught. At school, other kinds of knowledge of the Arab world are offered, like history and geography classes.
The organizer of the festival says it attracts a great number of participants, from Brazil and abroad, as it is one of the only ones to offer the possibility of group dance presentations. “This is very Brazilian, to join several dancers on the same stage,” she said, adding that the fraternisation made possible by the event makes it "multi-coloured". The festival brings together dancers of several origins and professions, art enthusiasts from the colony itself, missing their roots, and lovers of art as a whole, after great shows.
The festival’s name was chosen by Shalimar’s mother, as she wanted the event to bring to mind a Persian market, with several attractions at the same time.
Service
Mercado Persa 2012
At the Syrian Sports Club – Avenida Indianópolis, 1192 – São Paulo.
From April 13 to 15. Friday, from 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm. Saturday from 9:00 am to 11:00 pm and Sunday from 9:00 am to 9:30 pm.
Tickets: Shows on the 13 and 14, at 8:30 pm: R$ 30 each (US$ 17). Saturday and Sunday: R$ 40 (US$ 22 – half-priced ticket) and R$ 80 (full-priced ticket), for the whole day.
Further information: (+55 11) 5041-6103 / 5542-3860.
Site: www.mercadopersa.com.br
*Translated by Mark Ament
