Marina "Ajsa Samia" Rehbein in Port Elizabeth

By Melanie Wallis

I got the chance to attend a workshop by my mentor.

We did a Russian skirt gypsy dance...

Now I'm totally biased in that I did my teachers training under Marina, so I obviously think she is just the best.

Marina was born in Serbia and now lives half the year in Germany and half the year in South Africa. She is the founder of Palace of the Winds, an international organization that was formed in 2005. It is registered as a non-profit organization , NPO 052-395.

Ajsa Samia’s Vision and Mission:

“By forming The Belly Dance Theatre I would like to connect a wide range of people across the entire social spectrum in Cape Town through the art of dancing. Through involvement in The Belly Dance Theatre participants will be educated in the culture and dance of oriental and near-eastern countries. Participants of all ages will practice this dance form as either recreational dance, aesthetic dance, a fitness and toning routine, amateur performance at festivals and celebrations or professional appearances in theatrical productions and restaurants. Women of various backgrounds and age groups will be introduced to one another in a relaxing, sociable setting that does not require any skills at the introductory level and allows for development of the individual at her own pace. Through the dance women will accept, appreciate and value themselves in an environment that belies the stereotypical image of women that is current in modern consumer society.”

The above ethos comes through whenever she is teaching and the gypsy workshop was fast paced, intricate and loads of fun.

Marina's relaxed and easy approach to teaching, makes even the beginner dancer feel confident.

The workshop explored the use of skirts and intricate group work, fast footwork and jumps.

By Jessica Perelson

I did Marina's (aka. Ajsa Samia) upper body workshop. The focus was on chest movements and isolating them from the hips when traveling.

I found the traveling isolations very informative and while I knew all the chest movements, it was nice to have a refresher.

I've done workshops with Marina in the past and her method of teaching is very easy to follow as she breaks down every thing into easy to understand sections. She is also very down to earth, which I always love in a teacher.