Penning Photography Daily

Troupe Zahava members doing a sword dance.

Last night was a “Summer’s End Gala” for Troupe Zahava, a local Middle Eastern Dance Company in Springfield, Illinois. They had guest artists from as far as Washington, D.C. and performed a full evening of a wide variety of dances.

India, Romany, Persian, Uzbek and Sufi were some of the cultures represented in dance form. All were a delight.

This shows four of the troupe members balancing swords on their heads as they perform a graceful dance. This portion of the dance is a highlight, were all four are in alignment in front of each other in various stages of a kneeling position. A cascade of swords, with the graceful arms of the dancers undulating on either side of them .

As I entered the auditorium, one of the troupe members put a red mark on my forehead. A tilaka marking of Hindu custom indicating the mind’s eye and the idea of spiritual enlightenment. When I came home and greeted Karen, she stared at my forehead in horror “What happened to your head!?” I laughed and told her, I had forgotten all about the mark.

It was an enlightening evening and one full of the delights of this troupe’s hard work.