EEMED

An Evening of Experimental Middle Eastern Dance

Between 2000 and 2008 and again in 2013, Amara annually produced An Evening of Experimental Middle Eastern Dance (EEMED).

The greater Los Angeles area was home to one of the largest and stylistically varied populations of professional Middle Eastern dancers. But at that time there were almost no venues where innovative Middle Eastern dancers could perform. And so, EEMED was born.

EEMED video clips

Amara Dances & Ya Helewa! Volatile Bodies

Amara Dances & Ya Helewa! Structured Improvisation #2

Amara Dances & Ya Helewa! Hole in the Willow

Local, National and International dancers produced cutting edge works exclusively for EEMED. Their pieces, based in the Middle Eastern dance idiom, made traditional borders, edges, and standard representations visible by playing in-between and pushing past them into a new fringe spaces.

With multi-week runs, extensive lighting design, fixed stage space and option for sets, EEMED offered dancers & choreographers opportunities to inhabit and develop their pieces.

Each work was often a year in the planning and went through an audition process. This nurturing process developed a strong community of artists and lead to new and exciting avenues of expression.

EEMED was featured in the Middle Eastern dance community and the greater Los Angeles media. Reviews commended on the show’s originality, thought-provoking nature and deep emotional impressions.

EEMED had the honour of being LA Weekly’s “Dance Pick of the Week” (2005), cover story for The Argonaut (2004), and LA Beat’s dance pick in “7 Days in LA” (2003).

In 2001, EEMED concerts became available on video. And expanded its national and international audiences.

Visit theEEMED website and Read Reviews.