Banat Mazin - meeting Khyriyya Mazin in Luxor for a unforgettable ghawazee dance class -part I

Well, WHO does NOT know KHYRIYYA MAZIN?!?

At least, if Khyriyya sounds not familiar to you - Banat Mazin should!!!!
The three sisters (daughters of Youssef Mazin) famous for their unique style of dance called "raqs ghawazee". The Mazin family especially settled in Upper Egypt (you may know that there are also ghawazee families living in the delta in lower Egypt) and their dance reflects the typical upper egyptian music style played usually by a mizmar band - consisting of 3 mizmar players (a musician playing the mizmar is called "zammar") and a tabla baladi but also a rababa band is an option.

For some years now, Khyriyya is the only one of the Mazin familiy practicing their authentic ghawazee-style. If she one day decides to retire, not to dance and not to teach anymore, and she will find nobody whom to pass on the dance, maybe an important part of Egyptian dance history will disappear forever.....

Jesus!!!! I don't want to even think about it!
FORTUNATELY I am a "lucky monkey" (ok.... THAT'S another story!! I will tell you next time) and I met Khyriyya some years ago in Luxor and since then I am happy seeing her every time I am in Luxor for chatting and dancing a little bit - and of course she always teaches her unique Banat Mazin raqs ghawazee to the dancers of my folklore and belly dance holiday I do organize :-)
*happyhappyhappy* yaaaaay

Ooooooh - every time I remember the first time I met her in her flat in Luxor - I get excited even now - years later and I have tears in my eyes remembering the emotions I had when she opened the door and I saw HER in front of me!
the REAL Khyriyya Mazin!

I remember a sentence, my dear friend and teacher Sahra C. Kent told us during a stage.... if Khyriyya quits dancing, this dance will extinct as she is the only one passing it on....
Of course, my FIRST thought, when I came to Luxor some years ago the first time, was....
the only thing I CANNOT MISS when I am in Luxor (and who knows when I will come back - ok... at that time I did not know, that I would have come back like twice or three times a year LOL) is taking a private lesson with Khyriyya Mazin.

Ok... come on girl..... what you do?!? I'll ask the guys from the music band I met before.... hoping, they would bring me to the REAL one. Maybe you've heard about, that there is people bringing you to other dancers instead of her.

So, I tried my best, asked the guys insisting I wanted to go to see Khyriyya Mazin for a dance class. They told me... ok ok... we call her and we will bring you and your friends (there were other 3 girls with me who wanted to join me) to her home.
YALLA BINA!

4 girls and two guys inside a tiny yellow "Ferrari" (ok... another story to come!!)
moving from one end of Luxor to the other - kind of - 
then we stopped in front of a house with several flats.... ok, come out, we arrived ....
oh my god.... I was kind of going crazy... because I did not know, what ... better ... WHO was waiting there for us ..... Khyriyya or some other unknown dancer?
so we went up the stairs.... stop in front of a door.... the guy knocking at that door.... me there ... kind of paralyzed not knowing what would happen....

FINALLY.... the door opens and..... YEEEEEAAAAAH.... I was jumping around like a child, tears in my eyes, I was SOOOOO happy.... it was KHYRIYYA... really really Khyriyya
I think she was even more surprised than me.... finding this "happy jumping bunny-girl" in front of her door LOL
well... that was the first time we met :-)

We chatted for a while, had some egyptian tea and than finally our dance class in the famous "green room" you will know maybe for some youtube-videos around.
It's still the same - also today - believe me :-)

first time I met Khyriyya some years ago in her flat

 After that, I decided to start "Eshta!!! The special folklore and oriental dance holiday in Luxor" and to offer dancers a special holiday and a unique way to study egyptian dance. Not only you'll have the best local dancers and teachers, but you will also experience the feeling of dancing to live music during all dance classes and learn how to interact with the musicians.

And last but not least - you always will have your terrific dance class with Khyriyya Mazin..... among many other stunning experiences and dance classes!!!

Khyriyya and me in Luxor - november 2014