Is fusion getting "too hot"?

 I came across an old interview with Rachel Brice I had not read before, conducted by Salome of OrientalDancer.net. While it doesn't have a date on it, it speaks a bit about the Bellydance Superstars tour as if it were still a fairly new tour, which makes this article as much as 8 years old (she began touring in 2003), though the video accompanying the article is 2009, it may have been added later... But I digress.  Regardless of the age of the interview--which is largely the typical 'who did you study with?', 'what is it like to tour?', etc.--it has a couple of nice pearls tucked away in a short, otherwise typical RB interview. I thought I would share my faves:

On performing so much you can't grow:
"I think, however, my main struggle is that of growing as a dancer when there's no time to create. We're always performing, so that leaves very little time to go watch other dance forms, find new music, sneak into the underground for costuming ideas, practice yoga with new teachers, or make new dances. Since newness is one of the things I require to feel passionate about my dancing, I am afraid that I'm lacking direction sometimes. In fact, just the other night I had a dream that I was given amazing powers, and a guide to show me how to use them, but the guide was killed. I think this is indicative of my mental state."

On fusion straying from the purpose of tribal:
"I love the individuality of Fusion, but I think sometimes it strays from the original intent of Tribal Style. Overtly seductive movement with flirtatious expression seems to be creeping back in here and there, and the lack of that is one of the things that drew me to Tribal in the first place. With the thirst for new developments, I hope we always keep striving to go deeper rather than hotter."

Oh, Rachel! I love that. Deeper rather than hotter. For sure!

You can read the full article here: http://www.orientaldancer.net/star-interviews/belly-dancer-rachel.php

(PS The photo is from a photo shoot conceived by Kristine Adams from FCBD, where Rachel dressed as Carolena and vice versa. Isn't it awesome! There are some other great poses from this same shoot, it's really fab!)

Cues & Tattoos This Weekend!

The festival season is upon us, and for Deep Roots Dance that starts with the festival of all festivals for improv tribal dancers: Cues & Tattoos!  We are so blessed to have this festival right here in Seattle, chock full of workshops, shows, and shopping.  Nomaditude and Students of Deep Roots Dance will be performing this Saturday at 2pm. Full details on the show and much more at http://www.troupehipnotica.com/cues/

Fabulous Friday - Yasmela & John Compton

Dancing Makes Us More Alive

A fantastic article about dance and its role in our history and social interactions.  There are some real gems this author touched on, and some fabulous quotes from New England dance teachers within.
http://harvardmagazine.com/2011/11/dancing-makes-us-more-alive

“Unlike rowing a boat or chopping wood,” Marsalis noted, in “dancing you became more of yourself as you became one with others. You almost never got tired because your spirit soared the more you danced—because this was play.”

and


"Great dancing is not about satisfying the ego—it is “an offering” of your gifts, Johnson says. “If you are really dialed into the dance then you cannot think about yourself; the energy and focus [present in that creative moment] are too big. We think of that kind of thing as ‘New Agey,’ but if you are open and accessible” to merging the movement with the music and other dancers, then a new state of being surfaces. “I think it is being in touch with the soul,” Johnson explains. “These days we are so empirical; we want to know the how and why instead of having some mystery that defies words. In dance, you know the feeling when you feel it, and therein lies the connection” among body, mind, and spirit. "

Mm Mm Monday - Blue Diamonds, FC Student Troupe

An inspiring piece of work by students from the FatChance studio, performed at Rakassah just last week. Enjoy and be motivated to be just as graceful, joyful, and connected!

Fabulous Friday - Jamila Salimpour

Teaching Dance - My Job is To Expect More of You (and then some...)

My job is to push you, to challenge your limits.  If I am doing my job right, I am regularly encouraging you to move out of your comfort zone, test your stamina and bend your brain. Some classes you will leave sweating and exhausted, but I don't consider my work with you to be a drill sergeant. Some classes you will leave with your mind percolating with discourse on history and creativity, but I don't consider my work with you to be only dance theory. Some classes you will leave frustrated, some you will leave exhilarated, some you will leave feeling a mix of both; but in all cases I want you to leave feeling awakened and accomplished.



My job is to expect more of you than you might think you are capable of.  At times you may feel frustrated or even resentful of what I am asking, but I promise you that I won't ever ask anything of you that I am not confident you will be able to achieve. All I need from you is effort and an open mind. Together we will reveal what you're truly made of.


My job is to help you set realistic expectations.  While sometimes I will push you when you want to hold back, at other times you may feel I am putting the brakes on when you want to rush forward.  My goal is to instill enough trust in you to believe I have your best interests at heart--I want you to be able to put your best foot forward, and sometimes that means pulling back, reigning in, paring down.  I want you to be proud of everything you create, and never regret rushing a moment of your dance path that you could have sunk into and savored.

Mm Mm Monday - Amy Sigil

Before Amy Sigil and Unmata were a household name, they were just some group of gals in cream colored costumes standing in front of my vending booth at Tribal Fest.  I remember they were lined up waiting to go on stage, watching the act before them, and blocking my table!  You see, I was right at the front of the room in front of the dressing room--a prime spot for foot traffic, but woefully easily blocked off by dancers "in the wings". LOL  I remember Amy turning around and realizing it, and apologizing so sweetly. She was beautiful, tattooed as all get out (even more than many tribal dancers I knew), had a kind smile and wonderful energy.  I remember watching her troupe moments after that and thinking they were really talented, and later realized that Amy was one half of a troupe I did know at the time, Haruspicy, when she danced with her dance partner at the time, Shawna Rai

The next year, when they did their Tahitian fusion, is when Unmata really took off like a rocket.  But I will always remember her warm smile and the beautiful bellydancing of that first year I met her. Here is a snippet of her solo from that year:

Fabulous Friday - Tuareg

Do What You Love...

LifeHacker is a great blog with much wisdom tucked within. I loved this one and thought you might, too.

http://lifehacker.com/5890679/forget-self+improvement

"You can spend your life fretting about how healthy, interesting, or successful you are. In fact, a whole industry depends upon this, and is eager to help you make plans to change.

On the other hand, you might consider simply finding what you love, and letting the rest take care of itself."

What a concept, right?

YIP Podcast - John Compton!

YIP Podcast did a great interview with John Compton of Hahbi 'Ru recently, which I thought y'all might enjoy if you weren't already aware of it.

When asked how he became interested in Bal Anat and studying with Jamila Salimpour:

"I moved to California in 1971...I think. In 1972 was the first time I saw Jamila's group. I didn't know if they were from the moon or what the heck they were. The drum beat just got to me, and I just wanted to be a part of it so bad.


I approached some of her dancers and they said 'Oh no, I can't teach you. Jamila... that lady...she would kill me is he knew I taught you.'"


...


"Finally somebody...a friend of mine... told me where Jamila's secret studio was. And there was a little room you went in before you actually went into the studio and there was a black curtain which separated the two. She said wait until after the class starts, and sneak into that room and you can see


And I pulled the curtains apart just enough to peek into the room with one eyeball, and then try to do the step in this little waiting room, and I did maybe basic Egyptian, Arabic 1, 2, and 3 or something. And all of a sudden the curtain ripped open. Jamila was a step above where I was standing...she looked huge...and she just went 'YOU!' pointed at me, 'IN HERE! SIT!'"

Wanna know what happened then? You have to give it a listen! More about John Compton's first performance with Bal Anat, why he quit and moving out on his own, influences on Hahbi 'Ru's stylizations, and so much more.

http://www.yippodcast.com/2012/01/episode-53-john-compton_29.html

Mm Mm Mondy - Urban Gypsy

We interrupt this regularly scheduled Mm Mm Monday video post to bring you this late-breaking video footage of my beloved friends and sisters in dance, Urban Gypsy.  Just this week they posted video from their performance from 3rd Coast Tribal (incidentally, this is the festival they put on every January in Texas), and it is pure, unadulterated Old School Tribal. You know, that stuff I LOOOOOOOVE.  They incorporated many pieces of inspiration from Hahi 'Ru including a pot dance, and Jamilo, the lively coffee-making harvest dance which increases in speed to an insane fervor by the end. Not to mention a capella finger cymbals, and features sections with live singing, drumming, and even Sahira hopping over to play flute.  Basically, I passed out from pure adoration, and then played it back a few more times. I am pretty sure a lot of you, my dear readers, will do much the same. Enjoy!

Fabulous Friday - Tribal Makeup