September 6-9, 2024 Southwest Oregon

Workshops with Mezdulene and more to be announced

"Escape to the beautiful Oregon woods and experience the magic of dance, music and friendship!"

For women only.

Plus: campfires, swimming, hiking, dancing, fun and more dancing!

Come enjoy nature as we celebrate the sisterhood of our dance.

What people have said about retreat:

“What a weekend of true sisterhood!”

“Thank you for an amazing and empowering experience.”

“Four days of pure bliss!”

“Camp is a nurturing and encouraging opportunity to grow in our dance, and to mentor, or be mentored.”

“Thank you for hosting the retreat--I have never met so many fabulous women in such a short amount of time!”

“Thank YOU Mezdulene! It was a weekend of pure magic!”

Registration Form link

Cira

Cira has been a part of the Salem Belly Dance community for over 30 years and has taught and shared her love of the dance throughout the state. She loves bringing the joy of the dance to her local community and her current goal is to rekindle the joy of soloing again. Cira will be teaching Persian dance and 6/8 rhythms. She says, “After spending time dancing in a Persian restaurant in the Portland area I grew to love the music and style of this dance. We will be dancing a fun scarf dance choreography and learning to zill a 6/8 rhythm. If you have small scarves and finger cymbals please bring them. I will also provide extras.”

Roxy

Roxy is the producer and owner of Oriental Bliss Productions, which produces Oriental and Middle Eastern dance workshops and shows in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. She has produced and sponsored showcases with local, national, and international superstars. Roxy was the 2015 Belly Dancer USA, the 2015 Belly Dancer of the Universe Universal Champion, and the 2015 Belly Dancer of the Universe Specialty Prop Champion. Now Roxy is focused on learning music and traveling to learn and experience life worldwide.​ In this workshop, you will experiment to experience a version of yourself as you dance with Roxy in the safe space that Mezdulene created for all of us. There is only one unique and extraordinary version of you in the world.

Mezdulene

Mezdulene is known for her flowing dance style where she weaves and undulates filling the room with love. Her hands and arms are mesmerizing and almost hypnotic. When she dances, she becomes a channel for unconditional love and light using her hands and arms as conduits to bring the love from her heart and into the room. She will be teaching her trademark Hypnotic Hands and Arms.

Miz LaFontaine

Miz LaFontaine Bollywood started dancing Bollywood in 2011 in Seattle and struck out on her own in 2014. She choreographs her own pieces and teaches weekly classes in Salem Oregon. She's had the opportunity to perform at Microsoft, Boeing, TedX Salem, and performs at Salem's World Beat Festival yearly along with numerous events both public and private. She brings these lively and fun dances from the movies of Mumbai India that are always crowd pleasers. 

Samara

Single fan veil is mesmerizing, elegant, and dynamic. Learn how to use your fan veil to create a whole new range of diverse textures while traveling through various plains of movement. Beginners will go learn basic movements and techniques, and then incorporate the principles into skill-level-appropriate combos. Advanced will review basic movements and techniques, then build into increasingly complex combos.

Dunyah al Hannah

Dunyah al Hannah, has been in love with Belly Dance and the beautiful music that accompanies it, since 1976, when she saw her first performance. A lifetime of pursuing studies in the dance and music followed. The rhythms of the Middle East are the foundation of our dance vocabulary - the dancer must illustrate in her movements that she or he understands the rhythm. Bring zills and drums and enjoy an hour exploring some of the fascinating rhythms of the dance.  Dunyah co-founded the band Americanistan, which performed for hundreds of shows throughout the Northwest and beyond.

Angela

Angela discovered mid-eastern dance in her teens and never forgot the wonderful music and movements from those lessons, When pregnant with her second child in 1981, a teacher moved to Florence from California who had learned from Jamila Salimpour and was a dancer with the troupe Baraka. Angela was an enthusiastic student who practiced and performed as often as family and work would allow. Since then, Angela has won awards, hosted dance shows, organized dance festivals, started and administered a dance guild, and became a dance teacher.

In Angela’s workshop, you will be designing your own dance tiara. She will bring supplies but if you want to match a costume, please bring what you need.

Tamra Khan

Tamara Khan started her dance career before she was born, as the daughter of icon Nemra Khan. She made the local papers as the "Youngest Professional Bellydancer in the Pacific Northwest" at age nine when she accepted a monthly dance spot at the Downtown Deli and Greek Cusina in Portland, OR- a gig she continued through college! Tamara also studied multiple dance forms and spent 10 years in New York City performing in Regional and Off-Broadway Musical theater productions. Currently based in LA, with a focus on comedy and improv, Tamara uses her background to create theatrical, fun, and unique fusion dances, which she is delighted to share with all of you!

nemra khan

Nemra Khan is our featured master teacher this year. She is a Pacific Northwest Icon, award-winning teacher, coach, competition judge, and performer for 40+ years. She specializes in the style we have come to know as American Cabaret. She will be teaching simple choreographies with Zills, to a couple of vintage songs from the Light Rain /Dark Fire Album. We will be exploring Zill patterns blending with dance movement.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH 2022: 
3:00-4:30......Welcome & Registration
4:30-5:30…..Settle into your cabins
5:30-6:30…..Rebecca: Laughter Yoga! Start your retreat experience with joy.
6:30-7:30…..Dinner (On your own)
7:30-8:30…..Campfire Circle
9-???............Dancing!!!

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH
8-9:00am....BREAKFAST (On your own)
9:30-10..…..Gathering & Visualization
10-11……....Cira: Beginning Persian Dance
10-11…….....Roxy: Intermediate Finding Yourself in Dance and in Life
11-12……....Cira: Intermediate Persian Dance
11-12……....Roxy: Beginning Finding Yourself in Dance and in Life
12-1……......Mezdulene: Hypnotic Hands and Arms!
1-2:30....…...POTLUCK LUNCH
2:30-3:30…..Drum Rhythms (Bring your drums!)
4:00sh….....GROUP PHOTO!! (Please join us!)
4:30-6:00…..FREE TIME!
6:00-8……...DINNER (On your own)
8-?????..…..Dancing and more dancing!

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH
8-10am….....BREAKFAST (On your own)
10-11……....Miz LaFontaine: Beginning Bollywood for some dance spice and joy.
10-11……....Samara: Intermediate Single Fan Veil
11-12……....Miz LaFontaine:Intermediate Bollywood
11-12……....Samara: Beginning Single Fan Veil
12-1………..Angela: Make Your Own Dance Tiara! (Angela will provide supplies but if you have a costume you want to match, bring what you need.)
1-2:30....…...POTLUCK LUNCH
2:30-?.....…..Tamra Khan: Fun Dance! This year the colors are ocean colors, blues/greens so bring costumes/veils for the theme. It’s becoming a tradition to learn then perform together in the show!
3:30-6:00…..FREE TIME!
6:00-8……...DINNER (On your own)
8-?????..…..Dancing and more dancing!!

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH

8-10am….....BREAKFAST (On your own)
10-12……....Master Class with Nemra Khan! Nemra will share delightful choreography complete with zill rhythms.
12:30-2… ....LUNCH
2:00....……...Break camp, clean-up and good-byes

SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT YEAR!

Here is more information about the retreat:

DANCING  Everyone is welcome to dance Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. There will be troupe dances, solos and open dance. This is just for fun, so please feel free to join in. bring a 3-5 min. CD. Please respect the time limit. If you want to dance longer than 3-5 minutes, you can dance on Friday or Sunday night.

 CLASSES are held outside in the meadow. Be prepared for uneven ground and sunshine! 

FACILITIES  There are cabins with bunks and mattress pads, a nice kitchen and dining area for mealtimes, bathrooms and showers, electricity, a swimming hole in the creek, well-maintained and beautiful hiking trails and more.  

MEALS  B.Y.O.F. (Bring Your Own Food). Saturday and Sunday lunches will be potluck. Refrigeration, pots, pans, dishes and silverware are provided. You are responsible for your own clean-up. This is why the cost for the weekend is so low compared to other retreats. NOTE: No coolers in the walk-in refrigerator.

CAMPING Cabins are provided, but there is also a beautiful area under tall trees for camping out. Self-contained motor homes are also very welcome; the road is paved.

VENDING Vendors are welcome and outside only. You need to bring your own set-up. There will be a $50 vending fee in addition to the retreat fee and vending will be closed during classes.

DIRECTIONS From I-5 just south of Roseburg, take the Winston/Dillard exit into Winston, then travel WEST on Highway 42 to the town of Bridge. Turn LEFT onto Myrtle Creek Road and go approximately three miles to Camp Myrtlewood. Camp Myrtlewood is almost 50 miles west of I-5.

From 101, take Highway 42 (five miles south of Coos Bay) EAST to the Bridge Junction, and turn RIGHT onto Myrtle Creek Road, and go approximately three miles to Camp Myrtlewood.

The phone number of the camp is (541)572-5307. 

WHAT TO BRING

CLOTHING AND MISC: Comfortable camp clothes (warm and cool), jacket, swim suit, flashlight, towels for showers and swimming, personal effects, small pillow to soften the logs around the campfire.

SLEEPING GEAR: Sleeping bag or blankets, pillow, tent if you want to sleep outdoors.

FOOD: Food and Drink.

DANCING: Workshop wear, dance outfit, zills, drums, notebook, pen for notes.

REGISTRATION/QUESTIONS

TO REGISTER: Please Fill out and Send in the Registration Form. If you know of anyone else who might enjoy this retreat, feel free to Print and Photocopy this Page and Form.

 FOR ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS:
Email: Mezdulene@mezdulene.com or call (541)315-5550
Write: P.O. Box 3145, Coos Bay, OR 97420