MY SUPER CONDENSED ARTISTIC LIFE STORY

Since the age of seven, I was rounding up groups of girls on my street and setting choreography on them to perform for neighbourhood audiences. At the age of fourteen, I was fascinated in ancient Egyptian mysticism and consumed many a book on the subject for the next seven years.

In 1980, I walked into an Arab Night Club and was instantly transfixed by colours, sounds and smells that covered me in goosebumps and froze my step. The unfamiliar sounds of live Arab music on traditional acoustic instruments consumed my heart combined with the strong smell of garlic, lemon and charred meats.

I barely blinked the whole evening taking in all the joyful ruckus around me including a sensual dancer who breathed the music through every pore in her agile body. Finally, at the end of the night, the singer seemed to be wailing with passion. Beautiful women were swooning and large burly men held their hands high with huge smiles while tears ran down their faces.

And I thought ... whatever drug they are on, I want to be on it too.

The next 40 years were dedicated to offering live audiences around the world this emotional ecstacy and passion, sometimes through the medium of 45 dancers and musicians on a stage weaving together a tapestry.

Until now.

Through the accidental making of the film "Al Qamar", I have found a perfect medium to express emotional ecstacy with movement, music, mysticism and the Arab world's rich cultures both modern and ancient all combined.

My goal is and has always been to open the hearts of all to the wonders of what lies within and all around us.

Directing filming of “Al Qamar”

Photo: Steve Blackburn