What a fantastic week we spent at La Maison Anglaise, Taroudant, an ancient walled market town little visited by tourists. Enjoying the best winter climate in Morocco due to its southerly setting in the fertile Souss Valley, it sits between contrasting mountain landscapes: the majestic High Atlas and the extraordinary Anti-Atlas bordering the Sahara and just an hour from the Atlantic coast.

Some of us gathered in London to start our journey at the St Pancras champagne bar before heading to Gatwick for an overnight before a very early flight to Agadir where we were picked up and driven about an hour along the Souss Valley in time for lunch.

La Maison Anglaise is a house within the city walls and an easy walk from the centre.  Lovely interiors and plenty of spaces to rest and read their library.

Taroundant itself is a relaxed and attractive town enclosed with ochre red walls which are particularly stunning at sunset.  I was very happy to bring people here as it is an easy place to get to know and to feel at home in.  Known as the Little Marrakech, the souk is easier to navigate and is known within the country for its' quality products.  

On our first full day, we started with pre-breakfast bodywork. Then some went to the hammam and I led a small group to the souk. A lesson in Moroccan Arabic (which I struggled with because of the differences with Egyptian) and then a touristy caleche trip round the city walls.  We ate dinner early to dance on the terrace as the heat of the day cooled to a lovely warmth.

The next day we took a trip into the Souss Valley, to the stunning Palmery of Tioute, with Said whose expert knowledge of the local plants and wildlife answered all our questions and more - camel thorn hedges, olive and argan trees, golden wheat and the smell of orange blossom in the air and birdsong everywhere.  And en route we saw the famous argan nut eating goats up in the trees.

One of the highlights for all of us I think was a visit to a women's argan oil production co-operative - La Cooperative Agricole Feminine at Taitmaitine.  We saw 2 women sorting nuts into bags and then were taken into a large hall where about 25 women were breaking open the nuts using stones.  There was a range of all ages and we heard how the co-op worked, dividing money taken from the products between all the women, and about the creche and educational facilities provided to enable the women to work there.  We felt a real positive energy and somehow that led to everyone drumming and singing together!  The women didn't want their photos taken, which is quite usual in Morocco, so of course we didn't.  But I'm sure Clare won't mind the picture of her trying to crack open one of the nuts - she didn't have much success....

​Our dance sessions were taken on the roof terrace with views over the rooftops of Taroudant to the High Atlas mountains, occasionally stopping as the call to prayer spread out across the town, and finishing as the moon appeared and we often had a cup of lemon verbena tea before sleep.

​On Friday the group visited the village of Dounia, one of the women who works at La Maison Anglaise.  They were very moved by the welcome they received and once again the drums were brought out for action.  I'm not sure they were as comfortable with the traditional way of eating their couscous lunch - with their fingers.   

Photo - Geraldine Calverley

​On Saturday, we visited the Claudio Bravo Museum.  I really wasn't prepared for how inspirational this place was going to be.  We arrived on a caleche to a garden full of giant cactii and then were guided from one stunningly beautiful room to another.  We were given mint tea in a pavillion in the garden and visited the stables where I fell in love with Hiiro, an Arab stallion.  

I even sat in Omar Sharif's chair!

​Sunday was shopping day!  Bartering is of course a way of life here.  And we spent time looking at jewellery, shoes, ceramics, spices, dresses and djellabas.  Then sat in the main square watching the story tellers and life in general.

Photo - Sandra Stewart

​And then - what an evening - with a local Berber band.  Or should I say Imazighen.  (One of the first things we learned, in our Arabic class, was that the term Berber comes from the word barbarian, and is not a term used or liked by the local Imazighen people.  It's only used because it is considered that outsiders recognise it.  So I will no longer be using the term.
So back to the Imazighen (or Amazig) band.  Morocco's dance is fascinating partly because it gives an insight into the diversity of the cultural mix of the country, but also it's the bridge between Middle Eastern dance and flamenco.We danced and drummed  - Arabic, Imazighen and Sufi songs. In one style of dance - houara - the steps and how they fit with the accents and rhythms clearly link the dance to that of Spain.  It was fantastic fun and really energetic.

Then on the final day, some went trekking into the High Atlas mountains, while others took a chance to explore Taroudant a little more.  We got lost in the Kasbah, drank mint tea in the lovely Palais Salam gardens and had a henna tattoo.

And on or final dance session we consolidated what we'd done throughout the week: bodywork to enable relaxed upper body movement, baladi and folkloric armwork, some Nubian dance, and creative work to some special songs - all danced in bright moonlight towards the end of our session.  Magical!

And just a word on the food - well not a word - some photos.  The wonderful fresh, healthy salads and vegetarian cooking of La Maison Anglaise, the art of pouring the fragrant mint tea and those oranges - the sweetest, sweetest oranges.

So thank you to all who had faith to book on this trip.  It was such a wonderful group.
And to Jane Bayley and all the staff (who we now,I think it's safe to say, consider friends) of La Maison Anglaise.
Scroll down for some videos that might be of interest and the music list is on the Resources for Dancers page.