This would be like a dream come true especially since Hollywood continues to be such a disappointment in the 21st century – at least in terms of honoring such an extraordinary history and culture.  It is my sincere hope that this will provide the kind of riveting, spectacular theater akin to the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb – not to mention the invaluable historic information that will be bought to light.

My skepticism is far outweighed by my desire to have such a remarkable find revealed in my life time….   so much more to know and understand of a radical time in Egyptian history.   Did the people of Egypt and indeed Nefertiti herself, grow to hate Akhenaten and his religious regime as has been suggested by some scholars? Was Nefertiti crowned Pharaoh following Akhenaten’s demise under another name?   How and when did she die? What role did she perhaps play in the transition back to the former religion?

Perhaps we will learn this and more…however should this be the final resting place of Nefertiti, the most exciting aspect of this for me is that it would prove Omm Sety to have been correct (yet again).

http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/spanish-leak-reveals-hidden-chamber-tutankhamun-tomb-full-treasures-005399?nopaging=1

Interview with Dr. Nicholas Reeves

some related documentaries of interest and speculation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwD_m7MkNGc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hu7Us0Wtks

Egyptian Elementals Dance and Movement was founded in 2002 in response to my need to find a ‘home’ that would best represent – what was then – 22 years of experience with Egyptian dance – (now 36 years – my first professional performance was in 1980!)

I already had a clear concept of how the EED training would assist dancers by bringing depth and clarity to their technical training and invaluable cultural understanding to the movement and expression. The website content came together very quickly, as I was able to immediately categorize and publish many articles that I had already completed to assist my students with dance.

What was a lot more problematic and challenging was the simple logo….simple? really? How do you encapsulate something so profound in a graphic?….It was a long and tortuous process (more for the designer than me! lol), of to and froing, until I felt enough of the most important elements were represented. ‘It’s a bit busy for a logo’ was the designers response – ‘not ideal for ease of publishing’. Practical and pragmatic have never been my strongest suits, so personally satisfied that the most significant bases had been covered – (and much to the relief of the graphic artist!).. I finally signed off on the EED logo. Here is an article I wrote at that time to introduce the logo to the world. For details on how you can experience the strength and empowerment of EED for yourself please contact via the website or facebook.

http://www.eed.com.au/page/culture/the_logo/index.html

Let us transcend the debate that surrounds the ethnicity of Rumi and give ourselves up to this beautiful documentary.   Who could claim exclusive kinship to such a universal truth? Whether from Iran, Turkey or Afghanistan… Rumi’s thoughts and words did not spring from a society, a culture, or a school. His words transcended any moral codes and mores….his words and understandings are meant to unite us, not divide us – to expand our consciousness, not to confine it in the bounds of doctrine, expectations and mortal mind games. Now more than ever we need to be reminded of the beauty of Rumi’s legacy.  Juliet Le Page January 2016

Follow the link below to an article by National Geographic providing a detailed description of the findings of the much anticipated investigation into what lies beyond the north wall of King Tutankhamun’s burial chamber. It provides a detailed account of this exciting event, written with the sensibility of ‘new’ history about to be uncovered.  The scans were conducted by Hirokatsu Watanabe, a Japanese radar specialist.  A full and final report of the findings has yet to be tabled, however the preliminary results are consistent with the speculation that there is another chamber beyond the North Wall.   Dr. Nicholas Reeves, who instigated these proceedings, believes that it could be the final resting place of Nefertiti.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/11/151128-tut-tomb-scans-hidden-chambers/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=link_fb20151128news-tutscans&utm_campaign=Content&sf16100199=1

http://egyptmyluxor.weebly.com/tutankhamun-tomb-kv62-ndash-radar-results-conference.html

Also this report from Al-Ahram News Cairo

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/News/14918/47/Discovery-of-the-century-.aspx

Urban Pharaohs Festival and EED are thrilled to announce there will be two (only!) dance workshops offered. They will be fun, light hearted and filled with joy…reflecting the dance itself!   These workshops will be open to all levels and will be conducted by Ehab Hassan, General Manager, Director, choreographer and trainer of the Mahmoud Reda Troupe, and Nesrin Bahaa Principal Dancer and personal assistant to Mahmoud Reda.

Ehab Hassan – Began his career with the troupe in 1978 and soon became the troupes Principal Dancer. His talents where further recognised when he was appointed General Manager, artistic supervisor and trainer to the troupe, roles he has held since 1985/89.  Ehab  has received many accolades and awards worldwide for his work with the Mahmoud Reda Troupe both as dancer and artistic supervisor.

Nesrin Bahaa with the legendary Mahmoud Reda

Nesrin Bahaa – A dancer of extraordinary grace and presence, is the Principal Dancer of the troupe and has also been a member and teacher of the Egyptian Festival Nile Group since 2006.    Nesrin continues to transverse the globe teaching Egyptian Folkloric dance.

All are welcome to attend these workshops which will offer a genuine taste of Egyptian performance art as pioneered by the legendary Mahmoud Reda, with whom both Ehab and Nesrin originally trained.

This is a rare opportunity to experience a workshop with two of the most respected, acclaimed and accomplished master trainers in Egypt today…

Master Trainer Ehab Hassan conducting workshops worldwide.

DATE: Friday 30th October 2015

CONTENT/TIME:
Ehab Hassan session time: 12.30 to 2.30 p.m.
Nesrin Bahaa session time: 3.30 to 5.30 p.m.

COST: Any one workshop $125.00
Both workshops $195.00

CONTENT:

Ehab Hassan:  Saidi

Nesrin Bahaa: Maleya Laff

PLEASE NOTE: All levels welcome. Direct all further enquiries to email: juliet@eed.com.au

LOCATION: BRIGHTON VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
Full details of payment, location, public transport/parking etc. will be given on application.
To book or for further information regarding this event please do not hesitate to contact Juliet  via email: juliet@eed.com.au

BOOK NOW TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT – NUMBERS WILL BE CAPPED

For more information on concerts and other events during this week visit The Urban Pharaohs events page: https://www.facebook.com/events/977949465601813/ or website: www.urbanpharaohs.com.au

THE ART OF URBAN PHARAOHS PRESENTS…..

An event opportunity not to be missed! In addition to an evening of Egyptian music and dance at the award winning Belleville Restaurant on the 29th October, there will also be 2 performances by the internationally acclaimed Mahmoud Reda Dance Troupe, on Saturday 31st October and Sunday 1st November at the National Theatre St. Kilda.. Tickets have now on sale and can be purchased at this link http://www.nationaltheatre.org.au/dances-of-egypt.html

But wait…there’s more!…. we are thrilled to announce there will be two (only!) dance workshops offered. They will be fun, light hearted and filled with joy and humour….reflecting the dance itself! These workshops will be open to all levels and will be conducted by Ehab Hassan and Nesrin Bahaa.

All are invited to share in these workshops which will offer a genuine taste of Egyptian performance art. So come and experience a rare opportunity to workshop with Master Trainers/performers/choreographers of the renowned Mahmoud Reda Folk Dance Troupe.   

Ehab Hassan – Began his career with the troupe in 1978 and soon became the troupes Principal Dancer. His talents where further recognised when he was appointed General Manager, artistic supervisor and trainer to the troupe, roles he has held since 1985/89.

Nesrin Bahaa – A dancer of extraordinary grace and presence, Nesrin is Principal Dancer to the troupe as well as trainer and assistant to the Director of the Mahmoud Reda troupe.

DATE: Friday 30th October 2015

CONTENT/TIME:
Ehab Hassan session time: 12.30 to 2.30 p.m. Saidi
Nesrin Bahaa session time: 3.30 to 5.30 p.m. Maleya Laff

COST: Any one workshop $125.00
Both workshops $195.00

PLEASE NOTE: All levels welcome for the workshops, come and enjoy the uplifting benefits of dance and music!

LOCATION: BRIGHTON VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
Full details of payment, location, public transport/parking etc. will be given on application.
To book or for further information regarding this event please do not hesitate to contact Juliet via email: juliet@eed.com.au

BOOK NOW TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT – NUMBERS WILL BE CAPPED.
For promotional video of The Mahmoud Reda Folk Dance Troupe in action, please visit the Egyptian Elementals Dance and Movement facebook page.https://www.facebook.com/elemental.egyptian.dance?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
For more information on concerts and other events during this week visit The Urban Pharaohs events page: https://www.facebook.com/events/977949465601813/ or website: www.urbanpharaohs.com.au

Scientists Reconstruct the Face of Ancient Egyptian Priest – linked from Daily Mail

Experts have reconstructed the face of an ancient Egyptian priest using cutting edge forensic techniques.

The mummy, called Kent, lived during the XVIII Dynasty and may have witnessed the reigns of Tutankhamen or Nefertiti.

A CT scan of the mummy revealed that the man was around aged around 50 years when he died.

Dr Matteo Borrini, forensic anthropologist and lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University, applied forensic techniques on the remains to reconstruct the features of the mummy.

Scanning allowed scientists to create an exact copy of the skull without disturbing the fragile bandages that hold the remains together.

The scan also allowed individual muscles of the face to be reproduced.

Experts believe the the mummy, which is the oldest at the Egyptian Museum of Florence, was a high ranking person and probably a dignitary or a priest.

The hair, that could not be approximated from any anatomical remains, were designed by Dr Borrini in collaboration with Professor Donatella Lippi from the University of Florence and the Director of the Egyptian Museum Dr Maria Cristina Guidotti.

They took both the dynasty and the social status of the mummy into account when coming up with the style.

EGYPT’S 18TH DYNASTY

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3226253/Giving-mummy-face-Forensic-techniques-used-reconstruct-bandaged-head-ancient-Egyptian-priest.html#ixzz3lOHpUhif

Conflicting report from Softpedia proposing Kent lived in XVII Dynasty:

http://news.softpedia.com/news/scientists-reconstruct-the-face-of-ancient-egyptian-priest-491234.shtml

Update 2nd October      Dr. Nicholas Reeves announces in a press conference held today that Tutankhamun’s gold funerary mask originally belonged to Queen Nefertiti

Nevine El-Aref,  Thursday 1st Oct 2015 follow this link for  more:  http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/151817.aspx

Sept 2015:

The following link is shared from the Blog of Bernard M Adams, who was fortunate enough to be present at the first official press meeting at the tomb and witness first hand the latest regarding the possible hidden rooms in KingTut’s tomb, and what theories there currently are as to the contents of such rooms…

http://egyptmyluxor.weebly.com/tutankhamun-tomb-tt62—hidden-rooms.html

I have been waiting for this for 15 years now, and wonder why it has taken so long?…I will be adding latest updates as they come to hand on this post.  Feeling just like a child waiting for sleep Christmas Eve…can hardly stand the suspense – what will they ‘unwrap’!

During the last three sessions we have begun to explore choreography. How do you construct your very own? ……Ah! Choreography!…… not my favorite subject – for me it detracts from the essence of dance, I much prefer improvisation – an unrehearsed, visceral response to a feeling, a moment, the impetus of spirit opening the soul to speak. It seems so counterintuitive to students who are often in a hurry to fly! and be free!  But therein lies the diachotomy between freedom and that little thorn – training!   Although it often seems counterintuitive to students, they can benefit from the apparent confinment of choreography.  Especially if it is a carefully crafted choreography that trains the genre at their level… first they are guided to construct their sky and earth (technique) through which their dance (soul) will be set free to roam.   These words from the indomitable Martha Graham sum it up beautifully:

“Simplicity and spontaneity are only arrived at through years of training”.

I would also share with you this most beautiful quote from Charles Sanders Peirce:

‘Enter your skiff of Musement, push off the
lake of thought, and leave the breath of
heaven to swell your sail. With your eyes
open, awake to what is about or within you,
and open conversation with yourself.’

the dichotomy of Egyptian dance….Rooted to fly

The tomb of King SenebKay (Circa 1650BC)* was discovered in January 2014, and prior to this there had been no record of this King of the Second Intermediate period.

Further to this, archaeologists believe his burial site is just part of a necropolis of a forgotten Dynasty in Abydos, yet to be exhumed.

However it is the recent results of the forensic examination on his skeleton, revealing shocking insights into his most brutal death, that have lead scholars to hypothesise that King SenebKay may have fought against the Hyskos during the second intermediate period (Dynasties 13 to 17).  This premise is significant as previously it has been thought that King Senakhtenre was probably the first to take arms against the Hyskos.  Although Senakhtenre was also unsuccessful in his quest to regain upper Egypt,  his attempts (and those of his successor, Seqenenre Tao 11 ‘The Brave’) are believed to have inspired his grandson’s Kamose and Ahmose to also take up arms, but it was Ahmose who finally succeeded in reunifying Upper and Lower Egypt.

This great and significant victory by Ahmose 1 began the golden age of the Egyptian Empire.

Here is a link to further information on not just the lost King SenebKay, but on the possible discovery of a whole lost Dynasty!   http://www.sci-news.com/archaeology/science-senebkay-pharaoh-ancient-egypt-01698.html

Follow the link below for more information on King SenebKay’s forensic report.    http://luxortimesmagazine.blogspot.nl/2015/02/american-egyptologists-prove-pharaoh.html