Istanbul : Hadja Pasha

The first reason I was here was to watch a belly dance show. Blame it on my sister. She got us hooked to it.

And just because I have big fat hips, it doesn't mean that I can do a perfect shimmy. I'm so horrible at dances where I need to remember my steps. I just go stiff. But you can rely on me dancing in the dark. huahaha..

There were a few choices to choose from to watch a traditional Turkish dance show. Some included a cruises, some dinner but we chose going to watch the Hadja Pasha Cultural Dance Show.

Location : Serkeci
Price : 50 TL per person (refreshments included)
Duration : 1 and a half hour

 and I look like a vampire here =F

It was more than belly dancing. They performed wedding dances, cultural dances from parts of Turkey, warrior dances and also a Shepard dance.

Photos and video recordings were not allowed to be done during performences. Please take note of that. But I still see people holding their video cams recording. I found a video on Youtube actually. Just search Hadja Pasha.

With all due respect, I didn't record any of their performances. Those dancers worked hard and the last thing they want is people to steal their dance routine.

Anyway, about the venue. It was actually a Hamam once upon a time. A hamam is a Turkish Bath, more like a traditional spa. A whole building for a spa.

The center stage.

So they turned this hamam into a cultural performance venue and it was very pretty. With the lighting and all.

Outside, they have discriptions of the dance and it's history, where it comes from and their purpose.

The stage for the musicians.

I just wished that their performance were longer. =S