Blast from the past V

Now playing: shimmycast.blogspot.com
mood: a cheeseburger and funnel cake

A pic of moi at the Mansfield Ren Faire 2000, approx. 5 months into my bellydance career. I am thinner, blonder, and petrified.
Also in the background: Zahava, Marsha, and Jessamyn. We all look so extatic to be there, LOL!

I added a Frappr Map to the side bar ->
I thought it would be fun to see if anyone responds by adding their location. I added myself to the Shimmycast map. Tee Hee. I have been listening to the pod casts all day. Yea!

Go there! Listen!

~N

Naima's wishlist

Now playing: Band of Brothers
Mood: okanomayaki

Here are a few items that are on my BD wish list.

This super awesome silver bedlah with gold accents from dahlal.com . I really like the scalloped edge and looped fringe.

I have been wanting a silver Hand of Fatima pendant for a long time. I am kinda particular about the style though. I like the kind that hang down with the double thumb or thumb on both sides. I also really like the ones that have filigree work, but the solid metal ones are cool too. They range from pretty to earthy. The pendants seem to come small. I want one that is a least 2inches long if not bigger. I found this pretty one with blue stones on a German blog. No idea where it came from but it's nice. I'm still waiting for one to call my name.

I want a really full skirt like this one fromScarlet's Lounge. The material on this 10 yard skirt is gorgeous! I know, I could make one but I'm lazy.

I also want a Randa Kamel performance video. I've been holding out for the one from the Nagwa Fouad workshop hosted by Little Egypt last August in Dallas, which I saw live. All they currently have available is the Miami show.

~N

Blast from the past IV

Ok, I don't remember the name of the group or what year this was. But, I do remember this was a really cute Tunisian dance and the girl in the middle is Jane, Dahlal International's main model. She's modeled for Dahlal for like ever. If you know more about the dance or dancers in this pic leave a comment.

Now playing: ...communing with my ancestors on this Memorial Day
Mood: a smoothie or something with cold slushy bananas

I made pink leaves!

Now playing: Adobe Photoshop
Mood: special dark

I decided my blog needed a little something but I really didn't want to spend any time or effort on it. I made this spifty title bar playing around in photoshop.
Now as reward for my hard work, I'm gonna partake of a special dark chocolate bar...
THIS BIG

Sisters of the Moon Workshop featuring Zivah Serpentina

Maharet and Naima - for serious

Now playing: Counting Crows – August and Everything After
Mood: coughing til I throw up

So yeah, I’m sick AGAIN. My husband caught it from his sister at the Mother’s Day brunch we all went to. I was doing great. No hugging, kissing, drinking after each other, etc. when I started getting a sore throat on Thursday. Best we can figure, I had been exclusively using the laptop and then used the desktop, sharing the key board and mouse, and now I am sick again. Not as sick as my hubby, but sick. =(

The workshop in Buffalo was a lot of fun. Harika, Alia, Dani, and I headed out for the workshop Saturday morning together. Maharet had rented the local community center and there was a rep from Judy’s Creative Costuming as well as a couple of local ladies selling their wares. Zivah had a table with some cute tribal wear and jewelry. Zivah was also sick. During her workshop last fall, which I was at, I was nasty sick then too. We determined that she and I are just doomed if we are at the same workshop together.

The majority of the dancers there were beginners from the Buffalo area, the Springfield crew, and a troupe from Springdale, AR. (can’t remember their name currently, have to look it up.) The newbies were bright-eyed and eager in their secondhand and homemade skirts with their shiny new hip scarves and pretty jewelry. Me on the other hand, being an old heel, was wearing sweat pants, an old sweat stained tee shirt, some ballet slippers, and a sweater 3 sizes too big (which I’m wearing right now.) I have determined the difference between a new dancer and an old dancer is this: new dancers treasure their cholis and hip scarves wearing them every chance they get, picking up the loose coins and beads that unravel and fall on the floor, even going so far as to walking around the room trying to match the coins/beads to another hip scarf so it can be rightfully returned to its owner. Older dancers can’t remember where they put their hip scarves and are more pleased that their “dance clothes” are only slightly musty as opposed to right out smelly…forget the matching jewelry.

Zivah taught basic American Tribal Style (ATS) moves and transition cues the first half of the day and a skirt choreography the second half. Yeah, I know ATS and choreography aren’t really supposed to go together, but in a workshop situation with newbies and non-ATS dancers (such as myself), it was good practice using the moves, transitions, and so forth. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it very far into the choreography before my cold took over and I sat outside with Harika on a picnic bench with my tissues.

After the workshop, we caravanned to Maharet’s house to change for the show. Zivah had pretty much lost her voice by this time. And at some point there were slushy cold pina coladas to be had. We also successfully talked Dani into dancing her first performance doing improv to “Dragula,” which had her in a nervous tizzy for a bit, but she made it through quite nicely (see video previous post.) Much better than my first time that’s for sure. All I can tell you about my first performance is what the carpet looked like. I was too scared to look out at the crowd. And here Dani is doing Turkish drop stuff and dancing out into the audience.

What you can’t see in the video is the gang of Red Hat Ladies sitting in the front row. I call them a gang because they came in wearing their red and purple “gang colors” and their neck scarves and hats with poofy flowers and bows, all frowning and making everyone nervous. Just like a real gang. When I danced, I did notice one of them was smiling out of the corner of her mouth, but I don’t think she meant too. (She probably gets in trouble for it.) The rest of them were stone cold frowners. I heard a small town rumor once that Red Hat Ladies have to steal something as part of their “initiation,” LOL! No joke, I really heard that, along with a he said, she said “true” story to go along with it.

Pic: Zivah with Meira Nawal

Oh yeah! I almost forgot. About 95% of the time, when you dance in a workshop show, you are given a blank note card when you arrive that morning to registar. They ask you to write something about yourself and/or dance and give it to the MC by the end of the day. So...I loathe "the card." I never know what to write. Everything I ever write always seems to sound dumb. I go so far as to hand it to one of my dance buddies and try to coerce them into writing it for me. They know me best right? I mean, there are only so many ways I can write, "Hi, my name is Naima. I've been dancing X amount of years. Tonight I will be preforming to a song I pulled out of my rear and hope not to step on my skirt and fall on my face...please clap for me." etc. This time I said to hell with it and wrote the following:

"Naima is from Springfield, Missouri. She has been dancing over 7 years.

Please feel free to go make a sandwhich if you get bored during her set.

It's ok. Naima likes food too."

And then I drew a stick figure of myself in bellydance attire on the back with a big arrow that said "see picture->" And bless his heart, Bill the MC, read it. I heard a few chuckles out of the audience but I'm not sure they knew what to think about it. But REALLY, I hate filling out the card.

At the end of the show, Maharet called all the performers on stage, thanked them, and gave everyone flowers. Afterward, a man stopped me and said, “Thanks for what you did…” and something else in there like, good job or something. I said thank you and went on my way. Still wondering what I “did.” After which, Jabez asked if I would sign his boob. But when I put him to it, he couldn’t produce a sharpie. So, still no go on signing autographs. Meanwhile, Dani was complaining that her kuchi* smelled bad, at which we all did the Beavis and Butthead laughs, “huh, huh, huhuhuh…” (*type of Afghani jewelry)

Pic: Dani, Naima, and Zivah. I was gonna crop this but I got a kick out of the "Winged Bison Composite Squadron" plaque.

Over all, the workshop was nice. Low key and cheap, just the way I like them. I enjoyed all of the dances, particularly the newbies. Mostly because I was still in reminisce mode and feeding off of their nervous enthusiasm. I’ve gone through the, “OMG! This is awesome!” stage, to the jaded stage, and now the, “It’s all good” stage. I’ve given myself actual stomach aches from the BD politics and personality conflicts to the point I don’t care anymore. I dance for me and I dance for fun. Now, when I see others doing the same, I don’t really mind if I don’t like the style of dance or choice of costume, or what troupe they are from, or any of that nonsense. I can honestly share in the happiness BD gives the other dancer regardless of her skill or style. And hopefully, she can do the same with me. (I think I just vomited a Hallmark moment all over this post.)

Moral of the story: Bellydance = Happiness

On a side note, I did miss a crazy-go-nuts weekend in Dallas at the Fifi Abdo workshop. Zahava and Shiara went, and I have to say, Zahava’s email about her adventure had me rolling. I wanted her to post it but she said I’d have to wait until her memoirs come out where all the names are changed, LOL!
~N

:x(

i am sick again. since thursday of last week. had to call into work yesterday.
i will post about the workshop asap, but no guarantees.
~n

Videos from Buffalo Workshop

Now playing: see below
Mood: texas fries from Ziggies (cheesy-bacon-tator goodness)

Here are 2 videos taken by Dani's hubby Ryan at the Buffalo workshop on Saturday. We talked Dani into dancing at the last minute. Not only was this her first workshop show, she rocked it out to Rob Zombie with a "Death Fusion," LOL. *woot*


And here is yours truely. The way I run out on stage, you'd think I had ants in my pants, haha!

Wish You Were Here?

Pic: Dani, Naima, and Zivah

We're having more fun than you! Buffalo Workshop post on its way...

If you'd like more intelligable info on Bellydance check out shimmycast.blogspot.com

Latest Greek Night Shinanigans

Pic: my candle tray, with lighter and "Stick-Um" candle adhesive. It's a sticky wax that holds the candles in place but never dries for easy removal.

Now playing: Pacific Standard Time - Steve Ewing
Mood: hash browns (or any fried tator, but it’s before 10am, so I’m going with the logical choice)

I must start off by saying my abs hurt today (Monday) from Greek Night on Saturday. I don’t think it’s because I danced my butt off but more along the lines of being out of shape from work. I am getting the “secretarial spread” from sitting on my rear 50hrs. a week leading to a disproportionate soreness in my abdomen from dancing. But then again, maybe I do dance my butt off for GN. It was pretty hot and humid this time around and I kept getting this cold wet noodle feeling on my back when I was dancing. Apparently, it is the fringe on my belt swing up and smacking me on my sweaty back. Mmmm, sweaty back noodles. Yumm!

I started my GN by not waking up until around 1:30pm that afternoon. DOH! So all of the things I wanted to do on my Saturday were blown out the window while I finished putting our 3 sets of music together, picking out costumes, bathing, hair, so on and so forth. I pulled out my candle tray to pack and it was covered with icing and candy sprinkles from the last birthday party I danced with cupcakes on it. DOUBLE DOH! Took me a while to get that back in working order.
I went to Sa’dia’s new apartment to get dressed in costume before we headed over to GN. I pulled out a kitchen chair to put on my hermes sandals and it unceremoniously dumped me into the floor. Sa’dia, through her laughing, tells me, “oops, that chair is broken!” Luckily no injury there. We got to Galloway around 8:40pm ready for the first set at 9pm. First, J. and A. were running around looking for an adaptor for the music console. A. ended up running to Wal-Mart. Then C., the owner, says he wants to run home and get a shower, so can we wait to dance until he gets back? Our set didn’t start until 9:30pm and C. didn’t go home until afterward. Meanwhile, there were grumbles of, “The Greeks!” “The Germans!” “I work with idiots!” “Too many people think they are in charge!” while we sat in the back office waiting for our next set to start. Every time I sat in one of the office chairs and they would jerk, I would almost have a heart attack thinking it was going to throw me into the floor as Sa’dia’s chair did.

The joys of changing in the back office include one of us having to hold the door while the other changes her bra. At one point in the evening while changing, Sa’dia said I was winking at her. I looked down to discover I wasn’t quite settled into my bra and part of me was “peeking” out over the top of it. Thank goodness for BD changing buddies.

To add to the wonderful evening, our music for the second set started in reverse. J. bumped us up to the 3rd set until he could figure out what was wrong. Sa’dia had to dance on glasses in the wrong skirt with her ankle brace still on because of the switch around. Luckily, her boyfriend had this really cool big round tray made out of stainless steel for her to dance on. It’s all shiny and smooth. He calls it her “Bellydance Shield.” And, I made really good tips that set for some reason. I think it was because I was so sweaty they just stuck to me instead of falling out of my belt as usual.

Lots of people I had not seen in a while showed up through out the evening. I tried to stop and talk with everyone since I normally don’t get the chance. Going back and forth from the air conditioned office to the humid dance floor made me all stuffy and sinusy. So, I apologize if I breathed my smelly sinus breath all over anyone. It’s not like I had to get right in your face and scream because the music was SO LOUD!

Then we were informed the next GN is going to by July 21st. NOOOO! The one workshop I’ve been planning since March of 2006 is that day! Sa’dia and I asked J. if they could reschedule and now we are waiting to hear back. Yeah, so I guess that pretty much sums up GN. Sweaty, sore, and I don’t know where I was originally going with this.

On different dance news, Dream Dancers are spearheading a new studio open to all forms of world dance, as well as other things. It is a place for all local dancers and troupes to hold their own classes and functions by renting time. That way we are all in one place but still able to focus on our own styles. The World Dance Studio, (I believe opened this week,) will be having their grand opening in a month or so once the mirrors are installed, etc. From my understanding, Jemina is taking care of the business end of things. You may know her as the organizer of the Springfield Bellydance Meetup. Contact her if you have questions or see below:

World Dance Studio
3165 S. Campbell Ave. Ste. C7
Springfield, MO 65807
417-881-4477
http://www.dreamdancers.org/ and http://www.globaldancecollective.org/

Places you might bump into me =)

Zivah Serpentina, May 19th 2007, presented by Sisters of the Moon,
@ O’bannon Community Building
315 E. Ramsey St.
Buffalo, MO.
http://www.redmoontribe.org/ for flyer.
$30 at the door.

Jim Boz, July 21st, presented by Judy’s Creative Costuming
@ the Best Western Hotel
Hwy 65 South and Clinton Rd.
Sedalia, MO.
judicc@peoplepc.com
$50 by July 13th, $55 at the door.

Quote of the day:
“Stand up from the cubical,
The nine to five funeral,
Paint the smile on the frowns,
The frown of a corporate clown,
Being out with my friends,
Is the best way to deal with stress.”
Steve Ewing- Boys’ Night Out

~N.

PS. Hi mom =)

Filler Bunny*

Now Playing: tormentedradio.com
mood: cinnamon life cereal

Here is a pic of me dancing with tray o'flaming cup cakes for a friend's bday last October that I didn't know I had uploaded. I don't know have I posted this before? Ah, who cares.

Here is a hand drawn rendition of me in my natural habitat.

I decided just now that I should work out a little. Get some cardio before bed. So, I scrolled down to the "Cane Dance" post and watched that video again. Shoo! now I'm worn out. Working out is tough!

Greek Night post coming soon.
~N.

*Johnen Vasquez reference

Happy Bday!

Beth and Jabez!

Party hats all 'round


Now playing: walk like a camel
mood: ravioli

peachy king

now playing: the beekeeper ~ tori amos
mood: shrimps

Been getting feedback on my blog lately. Cool, people read it, lol!

So, in BD we talk a lot about muscle memory, and after a while your body will just kinda remember the movements and free you up to focus on other things, you know the harder stuff that takes more concentration and such. (bare with me, tangent ahead.) Well, I got to wondering if there is a way to get rid of the stuff in your long term memory, and is it taking up valuable space that could be used for those things that need more concentration.

For instance, when I was in 8th grade (about 15yrs ago, so you can do the math,) my English teacher, Mrs. Vinson had us learn the "23 verb list, Go!" She used to also say, "peachy king" a lot. It was a list of 23 verbs, that were important, why I don't know anymore. But she would have us drill them by writing them over and over randomly through out class. (Hence the "Go!" part.)

And now, 15 yrs later, I can still recall the "23 verb list, Go!" It's not like I drill it either. It just pops up there randomly and I recite it to myself. So, is this taking up valuable memory that could be used for dance? I mean, could I do a tummy flutter or Turkish drop if I could just forget the "23 verb list, Go!" or what? Would I be able to remember to keep good posture and pretty arms if that wasn't taking up space in my brain? And if so, how do I get rid of it? Is there a "return to default settings" button in there somewhere?

I'm pretty sure the answer is no, unless I go through hypnosis or something. In which case, I would probably still remember "23 verb list, Go!" and instead see dead people.
~N

is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been, has, have, had, do, does, did, shall, will, should, would, may, might, must, can, could

Blast from the past III

Now Playing: work work work work work
mood: sushi

Pic: the late, great Jasara. Closing the show in Sedalia, MO. circa 2002-03?