I was a guest blogger on DanceAdvantage.net:
Guest Post: Am I Pretty? Exploring How Costumes Can Make The Dancer
The following is a guest post by Halyma [aka Tracey, designer, TAV
Creations]. She is a belly dancer and costumer, however, she offers
pointers and considerations on costuming, color, and expressing
oneself through their own creations …
Go to Dance Advantage’s blog to read it!
Ottawa Twestival pics by wtl. Click on pic to see more!
Ottawa Twestival, originally uploaded by WTL-Ottawa.
This past week brought two completely different but equally important events to Ottawa’s Byward Market.
On Sunday, February 8th, Shakti Fusion presented the Dark Fusion Cabaret at the Mercury Lounge. The evening featured local tribal style dancers, raks gothique, and dark fusion performances.
This type of show brings “belly dance” into the community in an artful and creative style that can be appreciated by those who enjoy a darker flavour to their entertainment!
ATS or American Tribal style belly dance has been around in the US for a while now, and has been making great headway in Canada. It offers a different approach to belly dance that appeals to many dancers, be it in the costuming, the structure, the group dynamics and/ or the music.
Raks Gothique, and a variety of darker fusion styles also appeal to new dancers who are more interested in dancing in a belly dance style, yet to music that is less arabic in nature { although there are some amazing pieces that bridge the styles for sure!}
There are some fabulous photos taken of the show by Lainie Cambria, viewable here on her online gallery.
The second show that happened this week was presented at the Ottawa Twestival on Thursday evening at Suite 34. I am a member of the international online community/social media network,Twitter. In a very short time, one of the Canadian members, Amanda Rose, took it upon herself to start the ball rolling for a one day fundraiser to raise $1 million for the Charity: Water.
And it worked. In over 200 cities, all over the world, February 12th brought out many twitter members to their local Twestival events.
Online video podcasters got together to create a video to explain and promote the concept.
When I first heard about it, I realized that this might be a fun opportunity to bring the Belly Dancing For Fun Dancers out to play and asked the organizers if they thought this would be of interest. @bitpakkit and @sassymonkey { their Twitter ids} were my main contacts and they were very receptive to the idea!
I contacted the ladies and we made our plans! We chose costumes and I mixed some classic cabaret tunes into a 15 minute track that allowed us to create an energetic and fun improvised dance show!
We had a blast bringing the awareness of cabaret style belly dance to a community of social media folk who, for the most part, have not actually had the opportunity to see belly dance in person before this!
I think we are already booked for next year!
Click on the main pic to take you to @WTL‘s flickr page to see more shots from the day!
Click on the pic for a few more photos!
Live Artfully – backstage, originally uploaded by campdancer2000.
My thanks to Vashti and Erika for being able to come out and join me at the Bay, Bayshore!
We performed as part of the entertainment between fashion show sets during the Live Artfully Funky Fashion show.
Performing at these events can be approached from a few viewpoints, but really adaptability is what is needed. That and professionalism! And these ladies were great for both!
Actually most of my Belly Dancing For Fun Dancers have behaved professionally and been flexible – that’s why I choose to work with them!
We arrived with the barest of information – only having been able to confirm the evening before what length of time our show was going to be. So, dropping from 15 minutes that included a few solos, to 5 minutes, of short and sweet intermission time dancing was not so bad.
Note: Sometimes organizers forget that the performers actually need to know what is going on, other than be there on this date for this time! We were not the only performers in the event and I think the others were given the same kind of haphazard information. What matters is how you deal with it – I don’t want to train this organizer that it is okay to wreak havoc by not giving out pertinent information, but I also want her to know that we can work with last minute changes to the plan in a friendly and self-sufficient way.
We knew where to meet, and that our contact would arrive to take us to the changing room when she passed by – she was dealing with a lot so no worries there. I always try to imagine the worst case, and in many situations it involves stepping around a corner and dropping the cover up and placing our stuff near the dj booth or backstage – out of the way, but handy. Fortunately, she arrived and we headed off with her so that final costume adjustments could be dealt with!
When we got there , we found the main stage quickly enough so before even seeing our contact, we met the Dj. I gave him our cd, so that was taken care of – I try to always make sure I talk to the dj directly if I can. The few times that someone else has offered to take the cd to the dj has seemed to go badly, so lesson learned.
We were told to come out when we were ready, so that meant we would use our veils as cover-ups for the few minutes that we would be waiting for our time on stage. That gave us a bit more time to see how the crowd was filling up and decide on a “game plan”.
With no advance knowledge of the staging area for events, it is not worth trying to establish much of an advance plan. You brainstorm when you get there and be creative and flexible, assuming that if one of the group forgets, everyone keeps smiling and works it out somehow!
The plan worked perfectly! Three dancers: Vashti with her large veil up on the catwalk first with Erika and I worked our large veils while off on the sidelines amongst the crowd, ready to be cued up. Then Erika took the catwalk and showed off her double veils [ I assume from the Veiled Eye] at the time in the music when she knew would work for them. Then she cued me up and I was able to play up the taxim and have some fun!
And then I invited them back onto the catwalk with me, sans veils and we all were able to improvise, switching places as we danced, taking turns at the front, and playing with the crowd!
It was fun, short and sweet, and a great experience! I even had one of the audience chase after us as we were off and done to find out where she could take classes! Her kind words included how she was sitting with her Lebanese friends and they were very impressed with my dancing – always a bonus for the ego!
We had time to head back stage, get some quick shots and then change into regular clothes as WTL and I were heading off to a wedding east of Ottawa. I love the fast and furious shows – you get ready, dance and go!
And the video clip![youtube=http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=iHmbIcEphgo]
After the big show, there is a lot of ruminating, revisiting, self-discovery and awareness increasing that happens.
Amongst the organizers, it involves some nachos and shots accompanying complaints about things out of our control and ideas to improve things within our control.
Amongst the performers, there is self-congratulation and self-flagellation over what-ifs, could-have-beens and moments of glorious, “I did it”s. And the chattering of many voices over how beautiful the other dancers were, how great each others bits were and general participation in the wonderful “mutual admiration club”. It is all good. It is all part of the process.
Sometimes called De-toxing, sometimes called the Post Mortem, the “after party” gatherings, that consist of a small group that will include the organizer and a few select volunteers and participants from the evening, serve to remind us that we are all in it together and no matter how we did on stage, we are all there for each other.
Can a dancer perform 4 times in one night and survive? Yes. Can that same dancer learn 4 different routines perfectly and perform them all with accuracy and grace with less than 6 weeks to learn them? Maybe. Should she? Maybe not.
It becomes a question of choice- or does it?
Peer pressure plays a role for sure. All of the other students are performing – of course she is too! Expectations and the idea of our own personal reputation also play a role – I can do it! I am a _______ [ insert: advanced student, professional, teacher] therefore I have to do it!
But here is our reality: are you a full time dancer or a part time dancer? If you are a full time dancer, teacher, performer, choreographer, etc. and are making a living at it, then yes, by all means you should be able to put on a varied and exciting show of multiple acts and know them all perfectly with or without others on stage with you.
If you have an unrelated day job, teach part time, perform even less often than you teach, and actually want a social life beyond your work and your hobby, then maybe you can cut yourself a break. NO one will mind, no one will care if you say “NO” to that extra routine. Or if they do care briefly, they’ll get over it.
Two years ago I had to come to terms with what was becoming my mantra: “I cannot do everything”. I was overworked, underpaid, and stressed on a daily basis. How has this changed – I am not as overworked. Still occasionally underpaid, but I am working on that. And I have begun to choose my options more carefully.
No one is saying that I have it all figured out – I don’t. I have good friends who are there to help when I need them. I have a fabulous Husband who supports my choices. And I try to make my choices based on what will be good for me, and good for those around me, in the best ways I can.
Time passes after each event, giving it some perspective and less emotional attachment. If we can live in the moment, just that little bit more often, we can allow ourselves the chance to make mistakes, and learn from them. Or do things perfectly and be graciously appreciative of that moment. But they are all moments which will pass – the happy and the sad; the powerful and the weak, the profound and the pathetic.
But it’s all good in the long run…
Sometimes you have to just curl up and sigh….
And sometimes you need to take it all in stride….
