. . . TO EGYPTIAN RUBAIYAT TO BE STAGED AT FESTIVAL

Balance is a basic weapon in every dancer’s arsenal, but to the dancers of Rubaiyat, it’s the central thrust.

The 10 members of this ensemble featuring North African and Near and Middle East dance are all women. They balance wicked-looking steel sabers on their bare bellies while maneuvering through a maze of serpentine dance designs in one piece from their repertory. And they support elaborate three-tiered candelabras atop their heads in another--ignoring the 10 lighted candles that flicker above them as they wend their way through the graceful curves of the choreography.

Rarely does San Diego get to see authentic Egyptian dancing. The slithery belly dances and deep backbends that pass for pure Egyptian dancing in this part of the world had their genesis in American nightclubs, not in ancient Egyptian folk forms.

But the San Diego State University International Festival has ferreted out the genuine article for this cultural celebration.

“There is no such thing as the dancing people think of as Egyptian style,” said Romany Beeson, artistic director of Rubaiyat, during a rehearsal break. “People think of the poses seen on the Egyptian friezes when they think of Egyptian dance, or they expect belly dancers with bare feet to do belly rolls and fast, vibrating movements. But those are really American belly-dancing styles, not Egyptian.”

What Rubaiyat will perform at the International Festival on Sunday evening is authentic and more subdued than the American offshoots. But, as Beeson explained: “People will be able to recognize it as belly dancing, even though it’s not the typical version.”

The troupe will perform two pieces--a solo for Kathy Thomson titled “Shamaadan” (“Candelabra”) and “Shebekni il Hawa,” an ensemble work danced to contemporary rural music. The costumes will be authentic, but modern in style.

“They’re a little Westernized,” Beeson acknowledged. “The dresses are colorful and sequined, and they’re danced in shoes--no bare feet. (The costumes) are a little like the Las Vegas type.”

As Beeson pointed out, “Egyptian dancing has only been accepted as an integral part of Egyptian culture for the past 30 years. Before that, it was banned in an attempt to westernize the country--and because it was against the Muslim religion to do those dances.”

The Rubaiyat dancers chose Egyptian-style dancing for their festival contribution, Beeson noted, “because of the large Arab population on campus, and because we’d like to add some Egyptian culture to the program. Lebanon and that area was represented by student groups, so we decided on Egyptian. And, of course, everyone associates belly dancing with Egyptian dance, so we wanted to do at least one authentic dance in that style.”