Leith Festival Halfa - Tuesday 11 June 2013

I'm really excited about this year's Leith Festival Hafla. I can hardly believe it's the third year we've had it!

Last year's poster! But this one is very similar, only the date has changed... JUNE 11TH!!

Once again I've invited some lovely dancers to come along to The Parlour Bar on Duke Street, Leith, to bring some shimmy and sparkle to the Leith Festival. Sadly the festival is a bit smaller this year, but as long as it's got some bellydance in it, I consider it to be small but perfectly formed!

This was me performing at the first Leith Festival hafla in 2011.

And this year our listing in the Leith Festival programme caught the attention of The Leither, our well-kent, idiosyncratic local publication. In the page 3 editorial, it says:

"Please allow me to indulge myself by invoking the spirit of the (never) bettered Travelling Vacuum Flask Museum from a few festivals back in offering up a few lovingly chosen leftfield choices from the 2013 programme which, I hope, tickle your fancy.

"Dance? Surely the promise of 'Cairo on Duke Street' meets all your terpischorean needs? A Hafla (get together), hosted by the wonderfully, if improbably, named, Elspeth SwishandHips, cries out for a well-choreographed stampede to the ticket office."

Isn't that nice? Although, of course, it's a free, unticketed event, so there's no need to stampede. Just turn up, grab a drink and enjoy the dancing and the atmosphere. I will be there to lead you through the evening's proceedings, teach you to cheer like a middle eastern crowd, and sell you raffle tickets for the brilliant Just Because charity.

The last two years have been packed, standing room only. So come along at 7.30pm for an 8pm start - or come later if you don't mind standing, it's very informal! and bring some money for drinks and raffle tickets. And feel free to get up and join in, if you feel inspired (but it's not compulsory!)

Hope you can come!

A Bit More Cairo on Duke Street

Leith Festival Hafla
Tuesday 12 June 2012, from about 8pm (but you can come any time if there's still room to get in)
The Parlour Bar, Duke Street, Leith

Event poster by Shelley Skail (who rocks)

This will be the second Leith Festival Hafla I've organised. Last year's was fantastic, and despite the downsizing of the Festival, we're going ahead with another one.

Me dancing at last year's Leith Festival Hafla

I've tried to get as many dancers from Leith as I can. New to Leith is the brilliant Moyra, an established dancer and teacher, graduate of Shafeek's stage school, the UK's first and only professional performance course in Arabian Dance Arts. Leith and Pamela, Leith dance stalwarts and two-fifths of local dance troupe Zahira, will dance in duet form. Beautiful Beth has performed at Shimmy by The Shore, and is exploring new fusions in her bellydance. I can't wait to see relative newcomer Ruth perform, another Shimmy By The Shore dancer. Newcomer (to Edinburgh) Emily will be dancing at her first Edinburgh hafla. And there will be more!

The venue is The Parlour Bar on Duke Street, now established as a smashing, friendly pub which serves smashing tea and biscuits,  well as the usual shandy-business, plus a tasty range of drinking snacks including Monster Munch (all flavours) and wasabi peas. During the day they regularly entertain smaller customers with boxes of Lego and colouring-in.

If you would like to come along and enjoy the performances, it's free entry, just hitch up and get yourself a comfy seat (there are settees as well as bar stools). Come on out for a fun, schoolnight hafla and catch a wee bit of what's left of the Leith Festival ambiance!

Great bellydance depends on a great audience, but don't worry if you've never been to a hafla before, I promise I'll be gentle with you. You won't have to get up and dance - unless you want to!