Lise Szwann
Lise has travelled extensively in the Middle East and visited Egypt many times to pursue her deep interest in Middle Eastern culture. Drawn to the dance by a love of Arabic music she originally began learning Egyptian belly dance but, inspired by seeing Suraya Hilal perform at Sadler’s Wells, began studying Raqs Sharqi with the Hilal School (the predecessor of the Raqs Sharqi Society) in 1991. A year later she began performing at community dance events and festivals including Hackney Show, Chat’s Palace, Stoke Newington Festival and the Chisenhale World Dance Festival, followed by theatrical performances including Hilal School Showcases and Sara Kahan’s Raqs Sharqi Show at the Steiner House Theatre.
More recentlyLise has focused on her solo career as a performer at cultural events and private parties. She enjoys performing in an intimate setting which allows the dancer to build a rapport with the audience and frees her to communicate the whole range of colours that are the subtle and expressive art of Raqs Sharqi.
“I believe a dancer’s style evolves constantly. It is important to draw on diverse influences to develop technically and artistically. In 2002 I visited Cairo to gain an insight into dance as it is taught and performed there, observing cabaret performances and attending classes in the modern Cairo style of Egyptian dance with prominent dancers and teachers including Aida Noor, Randa Kamel and Dandash. My most recent dance visit to Egypt in May 2007 was as part of the Tarab group led by Béatrice Grognard. The cultural evenings on this trip gave a glimpse into the complexity and contradictions of authentic Egyptian culture and an opportunity to see Béatrice improvise to live music.”
Lise has been teaching Raqs Sharqi since 1997 and graduated from the Raqs Sharqi Society Teacher Training Foundation course in December 2000. Her teaching uses the principles of Alexander Technique and Pilates to help students develop the good postural habits that will enable them to dance with ease and fluency:
“In my role as a dance teacher I work to cultivate students’ enthusiasm for the dance and develop their confidence as performers in a supportive atmosphere. Trips to Egypt for students to immerse themselves in the culture are, of course, also strongly encouraged!”
