Ibrahim Farrah (also known as Bobby Farrah) is best known as a pioneer for Belly Dancing in the USA. Born in Pennsylvania of Lebanese descent he went on to become famous as both a performer and a choreographer, as well as publishing the international ethnic dance magazine Arabesque.
In the early 1960s Farrah taught at the Internation dance School at Carnegie Hall and in the 1970s he set-up the Ibrahim Farrah Near East Dance Group. He was particularly influenced by the more traditional dances of the Lebanon, Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries.
Farrah died from a heart attack in 1998, but his legacy lives on in his writings, teaching materials, research and photographs (known as the Ibrahim Farrah Papers) as well as in the skills and choreography he taught his many (sometimes famous) pupils.
This video shows a tribute to Farrah from 2000, performed by Morwenna and Walid Assaf:
I was one of his student from 1972 till 1989. I moved to Florida in December of that year. He was my mentor and friend. He was the best Instructor of Middle Eastern Dance that I have known. I was very fortunate to have lived in New York and because of that I was able to come to class two or three times a week. In those classes we learned everything that I am able to teach my students. I miss him so much , he gave all of himself to the dance and to the Arabesque a journal of Middle Eastern Dance.
I will never forget how kind and wise he was.He would always read my little “Dear Mr. Farrah” letters and thank me for the information.I know his time was valuable beyond measure, so his time was such a treasure.The steps I learned in the workshop I took, I can remember to this day over thirty years later.He was THAT GOOD.
.-= Liorah´s last blog ..Xahira- Die Rabentochter Gothic Bellydance =-.
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