Raqs Sharqi in Vejer with Meret Gabra - 7 nights

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1 Raqs Sharqi in Vejer with Meret Gabra - 7 nights Lose yourself in Raqs Sharqi (an Egyptian dance for women) with celebrated performer Meret Gabra. Discover in Vejer de la Frontera the magic of Andalusia - a beautiful whitewash-walled village with wonderful views over the countryside and just two hours away from the coast of North Africa. Dates and Prices 2 October to 9 October Unique Features Your teacher Meret Gabra: Meret comes highly recommended. You will find her classes fun, entertaining and full of beauty. Daytrip to Morocco: Feel the North African vibe, buy Belly Dance costume and Music, lose yourself in the street maze of the Zoco (Old town) and look back at Spain across the straits of Gilbratar. This excursion is offered as an optional extra and can be bought at the time of booking your holiday. Your Holiday Enjoy the beauty of Raqs Sharqi - female folk dance of Egypt. Discover in Vejer de la Frontera the magic of Andalucia. Vejer is a beautiful whitewash-walled town located in the south of Spain, just fifteen minutes drive away from the beach and only a few miles from the coast of North Africa. What's Included Return flights from selected UK Airports to Jerez Airport (ask us about alternative flight options to Seville or Malaga) Meet & Greet upon arrival at Jerez Airport if on our selected flights Return airport transfer at Jerez Airport if on our selected flights 7 nights bed & breakfast accommodation in the two star Hotel la Casa del Califa 10 hours dance tuition Club Dance Holidays Tour Host Welcome Drink and Orientation Pack on arrival What previous Customers Have Said about this Holiday 'I have been on several Dance Holidays and they have all been great. This one was 10 times even better than the rest put together!.' 'The best holiday I've ever had - a chance to relax and laugh with like minded people.' 'I liked the fact of being able to actually immerse myself in a small town in a new country and dance - something I really enjoy.' 'Meret was an absolutely incredible dancer, teacher and woman in general. In class you could see her love, talent and passion for the dance. She was able to show individual attention and teach a large class all at once. As a person her intuition and kindness as a human being surpasses anything I have seen.' 'Vejer was spectacular, an amazing venue and I would love to return there again. I could not believe how pretty it was.' 'Kati, our tour host was so friendly, welcoming and helpful. With her around it was impossible not to have a good time!' Your Destination, includes sightseeing Discover in Vejer de la Frontera the Arabic legacy left to Southern Spain by the eight century long Moorish kingdom Al Andalus. The town of Vejer is a sprawl of brilliantly bright whitewash-walled houses, labyrinths of cobbled streets and the home to delicious, rich Andalucian cuisine. You cannot fail to fall under its spell. Up until the 1950s, women in Vejer still dressed in the Mediaeval style Cobijado dress (identical to Muslim women s costume). This is a village which has had a strong Moorish past. Getting lost in Vejer is almost inevitable with its higgledy-piggledy streets and its sprawling nature over the hill. Happily you couldn t choose a more delightful and safe place to get lost in. Vejer is located in the province of Cádiz to the south-west of Andalusia. It is situated on a hill which rises dramatically one hundred and ninety metres high above the green countryside of Cádiz. Aromas from the countryside and the sea will reach your senses at once. Sights to see in Vejer are the church, the convent, and the whole old town.

2 Nearby Beaches: The nearest beach to Vejer is the Beach of El Palmar just ten kilometres away (fifteen minutes by car) and stretches 5km along the coast. The famous beach of Trafalgar is also close by - fifteen kilometres away. Both have beautiful clean sand and views out to the Atlantic. Climate and weather Weather: During this holiday date, the day usually promises sun with clear blue skies. Because of the wind, common in this part of Andalusia, the evenings may be chilly. Average temperatures during October are between 18 and 30 C. Your Accommodation La Casa Del Califa - Hotel** (Bed & Breakfast) (Included) Hotel Casa del Califa is a charming two star hotel beautifully decorated in Arabian style, recently opened (2001). It is situated right in Plaza de España the main square of Vejer, which has a fountain, little bars and palm trees. There is a spectacular terrace beautifully lit at night with lovely views over the surrounding countryside. This hotel is full of character and personality having been converted out of the original Nineteenth Century town houses of this classic Andalusian village. Each room has ensuite facilities, television, hairdryer and telephone. Accommodation at this hotel is limited and rooms will be allocated on a first come first served basis. This hotel was rated in 2002 as one of Spain s top one hundred hotels. Due to the age of the building, the rooms come in all shapes and sizes. Please ask at the time of booking. If you have problems with stairs please speak to the Reservations Staff. The Triperia Extension: The Triperia extension are 5 rooms part of La Casa del Califa located in a separate building 30 seconds walk away. These rooms have the same character and different personalities as the rooms in the main Hotel. The Triperia Extension has a swimming pool (the only Hotel in Vejer with swimming pool) and terrace area. For this reason, we will sell the rooms in the Triperia Extension first. Bookings will be on a first come first served basis. The dance studios are at about a 20 minute walk. Because Hotel El Casa del Califa and the Triperia Extension are located at the heart of Vejer, it may not be possible for the coach to take you right up to the door - you may need to walk with your luggage from the coach drop off point to the Hotel. Classes and Workshops Raqs Sharqi, meaning "Eastern Dance" in Arabic, is a dance tradition of Egypt handed down through families, changing and adapting to reflect the moods and influences of the times. It retains a core technique which gives the dance dignity and beauty. There is no age barrier, no fixed idealised image of beauty. What counts is an emotional response to the music. Your Raqs Sharqi course is ten hours long: Two hours a day over five days. The whole group will have their tuition as a single class. The course is open to people of all levels and experiences.your dance course programme: Day 1: Technique and introduction to the choreography. Day 2: Choreography technical breakdown. Introduction to essence and qualities. Day 3: Music interpretation. Techniques across types of music. Day 4: Improvisations. solo work building your own choreography. Day 5: Pairwork. Dance studios: The dance classes will take place in Vejer's local Sports Centre. These afford a good floor (appropriate for Raqs Sharqi) and changing rooms. They are located at 20 minutes walk from both hotels. Belly Dance course with Beatrice Curtis (optional extra): With its haunting & dramatic music, sheer diaphanous veils, glittering sequins and tinkling finger cymbals, Belly Dance envelops all the senses, for both the dancer and the spectator. Release yourself and rejoice in the spontaneity, glamour and sensuality! The whole group will have their tuition as a single class. The course of ten hours is open to people of all levels and experiences. This course should be purchased at the time of booking. Daily Itinerary Sample Itinerary This is a provisional itinerary aiming to give you an idea of what your holiday will look like. There will be some elements which will change: (OP) indicates an optional extra for which a charge will be made in advance. DAY 1 Arrival and transfer to hotel. Evening - Overview of the week. Welcome Drink. DAY 2 Afternoon - (OP) Belly dance classes. Or Walk and talk of Vejer. Evening - Informal dinner. DAY 3 Afternoon - (OP) Belly dance classes Afternoon/evening - Cape Trafalgar beach. Dance at sunset. Later - Meeting for tapas and drinks.

3 DAY 4 Afternoon - (OP) Belly dance classes. Or Time for relaxing and sunbathing at El Palmar beach. Evening - Dancing and tapas by the hotel pool. DAY 5 Afternoon - (OP) Belly dance classes Evening - (OP) Excursion to Cádiz to see a Flamenco show DAY 6 (OP) Daytrip to Morocco. Take the ferry to Tanger and spend the day (including lunch) wandering around the streets, buying clothes and gifts. DAY 7 Afternoon - (OP) Belly dance classes Evening - (OP) Arabic cuisine last night dinner. DAY 8 Transfer to Airport Nightlife In the evenings we will offer you a variety of activities, parties, shows and relaxed socialising. We will enjoy some haflahs where you can put into practice the dancing that you have learnt, dine out at an excellent North African restaurant, watch a Flamenco Guitar Recital and hang out at the local bars. Your Teachers Professionally formed by the Raqs Sharqi Society s Hilal based school from 1993, Meret Gabra takes her personal dance development from the experience acquired in her early years in Egypt where she was born. She has attended numerous workshops with teachers of international standing as Mahmoud Reda, Raqia Hassan, and Suraya Hilal as well as with celebrity teachers in the UK such as Liza Wedgwood and Anne Ashcroft In the last four years Meret has combined her teaching with an extensive work as a performer and choreographer. Her dancing has delighted the audience at the Greenwich Dance agency, Docklands Festival, Steiner House Theatre and the BBC among others, apart from several private parties. Food and Meals Andalusian cuisine: In Vejer you will find many cosy, family-run restaurants offering traditional dishes such as paella, patatas a lo pobre (potatoes and green peppers), morcilla, chorizo, guisos (stews), migas (fried breadcrumbs), gazpacho, boquerones (whitebait), calamares (squid). Tapas/Raciones culture: Tapas bars are an intrinsic part of Andalusian culture. Tapa translates as lid. The idea is that you keep you hunger in check by eating small plates of food. With each drink that you order, you order a tapa. In most tapas bars you don t sit down. Rather, you stand or sit on stools at the bar. In tapas bars and in many restaurants you can also order raciones. A ración is a plate of one type of dish (either meat or fish or salad etcetera). The idea is for a group of people to order a ración each and for the group to then share the dishes between themselves. It s a great way to be able to try different dishes! If you would prefer to eat a sit down three course meal, we suggest that you eat at a restaurant with a set menu. Optional Extras What are optional extras? In addition to your holiday we also offer you a variety of optional extras to make your holiday even richer and add some local colour. You can buy your optional extras at the welcome meeting at the beginning of your holiday. We will ask you to pay in cash and fill out a form. These are the optional extras that we anticipate running actual details and prices will be confirmed on arrival. Some may require minimum numbers. Belly Dance course with Beatrice Curtis: With its haunting & dramatic music, sheer diaphanous veils, glittering sequins and tinkling finger cymbals, Belly Dance envelops all the senses, for both the dancer and the spectator. Release yourself and rejoice in the spontaneity, glamour and sensuality! The whole group will have their tuition as a single class. The course of ten hours is open to people of all levels and experiences. This course should be purchased at the time of booking. ( 55). Afternoon trip to the Trafalgar beach: Time for swimming and sunbathing while waiting for the sunset and the music. A picnic bag is included in the price ( 9). Daytrip to Morocco: A day in the city of Tangiers giving you a fantastic opportunity to glimpse Morocco. The excursion includes a forty minute return taxi transfer Vejer/Tarifa, a forty minute return ferry journey Tarifa/Tangiers through the Stretch of Gibraltar, six hours in Tangiers accompanied by bilingual tour guide and lunch. The guide will take you by foot around this city which bridges Europe and Africa, showing you markets and shops. This excursion is subcontracted from the Spanish Travel Agent "Ferrys Rápidos del Sur SL". If there are high winds making the ferry crossing impossible, the trip will be cancelled. ( 55). Flamenco show: Excursion to Cádiz to see a Flamenco show. ( 38). Price includes entrance, a drink and coach

4 travel there and back. Last evening dinner: Delicious North African cuisine dinner. Aromatic Arabic cuisine, mildy spiced pastes made from nuts and aubergines with cous-cous which remind us of Vejer's Moorish heritage ( 20). Single Room Supplements, Upgrades and Budget Options Option 1 - Included La Casa Del Califa - Hotel** Bed & Breakfast - (02/10/2006 to 09/10/ nights) Triperia Room 6 (Double bed) (1 Person) GBP Triperia Triple room (Based on 2 sharing) Triperia Triple room (Based on 3 sharing) Twin (Single Occp.) (1 Person) Twin Room (Based on 2 sharing) GBP GBP GBP Included Extra Nights Junior Suite (Double) (Per Room) Junior Suite (Twin) (Per Room) Triperia Junior Suite (Large double bed) (Based on 1 sharing) Triperia Junior Suite (Large double bed) (Based on 2 sharing) Triperia Room 6 (Double bed) (Based on 1 sharing) Triperia Triple room (Based on 2 sharing) Triperia Triple room (Based on 3 sharing) Triperia Twin Room (Based on 1 sharing) Triperia Twin Room (Based on 2 sharing) Twin (Single Occp.) (Based on 1 sharing) Twin Room (Based on 2 sharing) Twin Special (Per Room) 72 GBP per night 72 GBP per night 32 GBP per night 85 GBP per night 85 GBP per night 34.5 GBP per night 43 GBP per night 60.5 GBP per night Flights and Transfers Flights: Published prices are based on flights from UK airports and there is usually a choice. Our customer care team are happy to price you a flight from any airport and you can also buy the holidays without a flight and make your own way there. If you live outside of the UK you can travel directly to the resort. There could be substantial "Early Bird" prices available so please see our special offers page on our website or ring us to find out what these are. Transfers: We are normally able to meet you at the airport and take you by private transfer at no additional charge to your hotel. Sometimes you may have to wait a short while at the airport to connect with this transfer. Occasionally depending on your arrival time there may not be a group transfer available and we may ask you to make your own way to the hotel by taxi or public transport. In these circumstances we would give you easy to follow instructions. Making you own way to the hotel for ground only package Making Your Own Way to Vejer: For those whose flights don't coincide with our Airport coach transfer, please let us know at what time you estimate arriving at the hotel. If you are flying to Malaga you can use the following transport options: By bus from Málaga Airport: *Take a taxi from Málaga Airport to Málaga bus station (about 9 euros). Journey time: 15 minutes. *Take the Málaga-Cádiz and get off at La Barca de Vejer (about 17 euros). Journey time: 3 hours. *Take a taxi to Vejer (2.5 km uphill). To get a taxi, ask in the bar or call (about 7 euros). Journey time: 10 minutes. (You can also catch a bus from Málaga to Sevilla and then to La Barca de Vejer, but this takes longer as the connections aren't nearly as good). By Taxi from Malaga Airport: Take taxi from Málaga Airport to your hotel in Vejer (about 225 euros). You should check the price with the driver beforehand.

5 By Taxi from Jerez Airport: Take taxi from Jerez Airport to your hotel in Vejer (about 100 euros. 1.5 hours). You should check the price with the driver beforehand. By Train and taxi from Seville Airport: *Take taxi from Seville Airport to Seville Santa Justa Train Station. *Take train from Seville Santa Justa Train Train Station to Jerez de la Frontera Train Station. First train Last train trains a day. About 9 euros single. Journey takes 1 hour. *Take taxi from Jerez to your hotel in Vejer (about 100 euros. 1.5 hours). You should check the price with the driver beforehand. What to Expect in terms of Organisation On Arrival: You will receive a detailed itinerary and annotated map, details of any optional extras including the meal ticket and any extra classes we are running. We also include information on the local sights and recommended restaurants and other helpful tips. Independence within the social activities: Your holiday is fully hosted. We also believe our guests like to be free to do what they want whenever they want. So we give you quality information and an itinerary including a map and all the addresses of where we have organised social and dancing activities. You can decide for yourself if and when you want to turn up. You are fully independent on these holidays. If you are travelling on your own the tour host will be at all the meeting points on the itinerary and there is always company and normally the chance say to share a taxi back the hotel. Club Dance Holidays Tour Host: Your holiday tour host is there to make your holiday as enjoyable as possible. Club Dance Holidays Tour Hosts are a cut above your typical Holiday Rep with a lightness of touch that enables you to get the best out of your holiday without being in the least bit interfering. We make sure you get the best out of the destination even though you are there for a relatively short time and we do this through our local knowledge and our knowledge of dance. Club Dance Holidays Tour Hosts normally offer much more of themselves than you would expect including making sure your nights are sociable and fun often well into the small hours if that is your whim. During the daytime the level of participation and presence of Club Dance Holidays tour hosts varies according to the nature of each holiday and its destination. Overview of the Week and Welcome Drink: At the beginning of your holiday there is an Overview of the Week where your tour host will tell you about all details of your holiday and answer any questions you might have. At the Overview of the Week you can buy your optional extras. Also at the start of the week, Dance Holidays will invite you to a drink. Getting Around: You are responsible for making your own way to the dance classes and meeting points on the itinerary. Vejer is a small town, so we can enjoy walking everywhere, which means taking some exercise as the town spreads itself out over a hill. We will bo by taxi to a couple of places out of town. You can easily take a taxi to any one of the nearby beaches at any time. Before Your Go Books on Andalusia and Spain: It may be worth your while reading up on your destination before you go. Penelope Casas writes beautifully on Spain, such as The Blue Guide or The Foods and wines of Spain. Ian Gibson s The Fire in the Blood is one of the most fascinating insights into Spanish Culture. The Rough Guide to Andalucia is the best guide book. Budgeting for your holiday: Here are some guidelines on prices, to help you do your own calculations. Please refer to the optional extra section of the fact sheet for the prices of the optional extras. Three course meal including drinks in the centre of town: euros An evening of tapas and drinks: 8 euros Taxis: Not needed as you can walk everywhere. Rum and coke in a nightclub: 5 euros Beer in a bar/cafe: 1.50 euros Coffee in a bar/cafe: 1.50 euros Entrance to a monument or museum: 5 euros Health and Fitness: There are no particular health requirements for a dance holiday. However you should be able to dance for at least two hours a day in order to be able to enjoy the dance classes. Insurance, Visa and Passport Requirements: Refer to the brochure for full details. In brief, Insurance is a condition of booking. Visas may be required for non EU citizens. British nationals need a full passport to travel to Spain. Travel Documents: You receive these when you have paid for your holiday in full and we have received your airline tickets. In some cases the airlines do not release the tickets until five days before the departure date. We also confirm the address and phone number of the hotel and the emergency contact numbers. Essential equipment Useful Things to Bring:

6 and clothing to bring Swimming costume and swimming towel for the beach! Camera Shoes suitable for spending a long time walking around the streets Late summer clothing for day Light weight coat for evenings This fact sheet and Joining Instructions Passport, money, plane ticket. What to bring for dancing: Loose/stretchy clothing that you can move in easily, such as a leotard/tshirt and leggings/skirt A scarf to tie around your hips Soft soled shoes (this is for those who have tender feet and do not wish to dance barefoot - ballet slippers or jazz shoes would be fine) Veil (your teacher will have a limited number of veils available to borrow) Sagat/finger cymbals/zills (teacher will have a limited number of sets to borrow). Generally your studio clothes should allow absolute unrestricted movement including the possibility of full body movement close to or on the floor. For the haflah and evening social events, you may wish to bring slightly more flamboyant wear to get yourselves into the spirit of the party! At Your Destination Banks and Money: The easiest way to buy euros is by using a credit card at one of the cash points. You can buy small amounts, as often as you like, at any time, without queuing. You will need to know your P.I.N. Bank opening hours are normally 9.00am to 2.00pm Monday to Friday. Banks will change cash, travellers cheques and will sell you currency on your credit card providing the lines are open. You will always need to show your passport at a bank. Tipping is generally not that common in Spain. There is no need to tip taxis but it is usual to leave a 5-10% tip at a restaurant if you are particularly pleased with your dinner/lunch. We feel our tour hosts work hard to give you an exceptional holiday and sometimes you may find that they add some special touches which are beyond the call of duty. If you agree with us, you might wish to show your appreciation by way of a tip. You can do this by putting money in an envelope on your own or by getting together with other guests. This evidently is entirely at your discretion. Making friends with the Locals and people not on the holiday: If you make friends with a local and would like them to come along to the activities organised by us, then just ask your Tour Host and except for the dance classes and provided they pay their way there should not be a problem. We are here after all to interact with the locals. Generally, however, we discourage people who are not on the holiday from coming out with us or joining the activities and we ask for your discretion is this respect.