Merf

Now playing: The RPGs Killed Emily Vol II
Mood: cinnamon apple jacks and cheesecake

I am feeling oddly attentive today. Got some extra sleep in. That helped.
So! Henna and US Midwest culture…Don’t really know what to think of one another. I have been getting 2 reactions to my henna as of late.
Young 20-something males that tell me my “hand tattoo” is cool, HUH HUH, HUHUHUHUH…
Business professionals (like bankers, city clerks, and other court house slaves,) with sideways, cock-eyed, glances obviously not looking at it as I fill out important documents to be filed and notarized. OBVIOUSLY
However, once both of these groups see my unshaven, greasy, manual labor tired husband wearing soccer cleats (don’t ask,) they both kinda pinch up their mouths like a sideways letter “s” and sort of squint their eyes in that, “Uh Huh” kind of way.
(**~ )
But for entirely different reasons.
My palm is already starting to fade but I haven't taken any precautions to protect it. Still washing my hands, hair, and dishes as usual. The back of my hand darkened a bit more and seems to be holding steady.
Tomorrow night is the Global Dance Collective grand opening. I think I've settled on a song to dance to. Something new. Not that it matters really. I will be amongst friends. I could stand on my head and that would be fine too. Oh! and my week vacation starts today after work! WHOO! I think I will chisel away at somemore back episodes of Shimmycast to make my day go by.
I'm outie

~N

Bellydance Depression

(forgot to post. post dated for 06/26)
Now playing: Raks-I Feyzan 2
Mood: frowny

I’m sitting here frowning at the walls trying to decide what music to dance to this Saturday. All of my music seems old and tired. Not to mention my costumes. Bah! I’ve worn them all a billion times. I think having put my dance aside because of work and finances is starting to make me frowny. I have BDD (Bellydance Depression.) I need like a bellydance shopping spree. New music, new costume, new choreography. ‘Cause I’ve got that feeling you get that can’t be satisfied until you rummage through your closet and try everything on, digging through the dresser drawers looking for that long lost black thing that blends in with all of the other black things in your laundry, (I lost a black silk veil once for two years like that,) and then grumble a lot ‘cause all of your stuff sucks.
Meanwhile, I have a big pile of forms and applications for the business behind me and they are glaring at the back of my head yelling, “IRS!” “Unemployment insurance!” “Payroll!” “Hidden Expenses!”
*sigh*
I could also use a nap. I was at a promotional/birthday after party on Saturday night that I didn’t get out of until around 5am. My sleep schedule is all FUBAR now.

Henna II

Now watching: more alien ants

mood: Bacardi Silver Raz

Here is my henna after 24hrs. My palm is crazy dark whereas my wrist and back of hand are a bit slow to catch up. The backs of my fingers are a little sloppy. I was getting tired by the time I got to those designs and just threw it on. My hands and feet are all swollen and poofy tonight. Don't know why but it is making me uncomfortable. I don't think I will get around to my feet until the weekend. I start a one week vacation on Friday through the 4th of July holiday. Whoo Hoo! I also will be dancing at the Global Dance Collective Grand Opening this Saturday evening. I will get to see a lot of dancers I haven't seen in quite a while.

Sleepy Time

~N

Henna

Now watching: H and C shoot giant alien ants
mood: cereal and milk or cheddar cheese, can't decide

Got my henna powder in Saturday. It has been awhile since I ordered from hennacaravan.com. They have added a neat little reorder catalog and an extended henna instruction manual with more free patterns and descriptions. I ordered 20gr of henna powder with the sucrose already added and a vial of cajeput oil.
I mixed the powder with lemon juice and let sit for 12hr. Then I added the oil and let sit another 12hr or so. I filled some mylar cones with the paste. I kept one for my design and put the rest in my fridge.
I only did my left hand but plan on doing my feet later. I think it is much harder to put henna on myself than other people because it is harder to get into the right position yourself, whereas with other people you can move around freely to work on.
The orange marks you see in the picture are from a watercolor pencil I used to sketch out my design. The Hand of Fatima was from the Henna Caravan booklet as well as the heart design on the back of my hand.
I will post again once the henna is removed and my stain has darkened.

~N

Blast from the past VII

Now Playing: Raks-I Feyzan vol. II
mood: Mos Burger

Here's a pic of me doing my very first sword solo. While that is dandy and all, the novel thing about the picture is the weather. Notice the umbrella in the foreground and the yellow poncho clad sound guy in the background. Not to mention the ever so inconspicuous Ryder product placement.
This was the day I learned if you go out on a limb and try learning something new or unique, and are in a troupe, you will most likely get pigeon-holed into being the (insert noun) dancer. For instance, I became the "sword dancer". Not because I was very good, but because I was the only one who had ventured into sword dancing at the time. We also had a "veil dancer," the "duet," etc. So for every show there after, I got to do a sword number. Yeah, that meant I got to dance a solo of sorts, but that meant aside from the troupe number, that's really all I got to do. Because we needed variety in our show, whether or not I wanted to dance at all. Take one for the team...see me sword dancing, in the rain, for the good of humanity.

Food for Thought

Don't ask me how, but the resemblance is close enough it's kinda creepy.

Whipped Cream and Other Delights

Now watching: some video game with giant ant aliens invading earth...?
mood: leftover KFC

Got this today at my local Borders. I LOVE this kind of music (kinda side-show, french vaudeville, gypsy.) AND the compilation is bellydancable! That makes it even more awesome! It reminds me of the days when I was young and I would stay at my grandma's and we would listen to her record collection. Mostly classical. I would stand on the ottoman and "conduct" the music like a conductor. One of the few non-classical of my favorites was Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass-Whipped Cream and Other Delights. Different genre than Le Serpent Rouge, but gives me the same feeling.



Found this pic out on myspace. me with RMT (A, M, N, and Z). We're so cute when we're fuzzy, eh?

And lastly, a very happy Beebin. This is what a happy love face looks like.

~N

Heavy Red **

Pic by Maharet, Bryant Photography from photo shot 06/10/07

Now: going straight to bed
Mood: peanut butter and Kairo syrup

Holy crap! look at everyone on the Frappr Map. I suddenly feel presure to be awesome and not suck.

~N

**UPDATE:
The photos above and in the post below where done at Bryant Business Graphics by Chris Bryant (aka Maharet). She makes me look awesome =)

On Hiatus

crop of photo taken by Maharet at Bryant Photography in Buffalo,MO. May '05

Now watching: Sanchez taking a kitty bath
mood: sloppy joe

Just a quick post. I went to Maharet's studio for pictures today. She will be announcing her next workshop for May 2008 soon, and your's truly will be teaching. YaY!

There are a few things to finalize, then flyers will be out soon. She also gave me a killer idea for a comedy dance routine. Too funny! Maybe I'll bust out my comedy soon.

I did want to give everyone a heads up that my posts might be a bit irregular the next few weeks. My husband and I have been thrown full speed into our business venture. My free time has been spent removing tile and carpet from a 4000 sq/ft place. Sweeping, cleaning, etc. We are both very sore and bruised but excited. We have had lots of help from all of our friends, which has been a blessing.

So, having said that, I am sure I will post just as much as usual.

~N

Blast from the past VI

Now Playing: Gypsy 83 Soundtrack
Mood: Kentucky Fried Chicken original recipe, slaw and mashed potatoes w/gravy. Ooo! and sweet tea, but from Mcalisters Deli.

This is a pic of Marsha and me after my very first solo performance. Pretty boring I know. But what you don't know is that I made that costume after seeing a black and gold one online with big beautiful gold coins hanging from it for $500. I threaded all of that fringe myself, but for the coins...I didn't know where to get any.
So my friend mentions how Bass Pro has these things called Jig Spinners that reminded him of the coins I needed. You put them on fishing lines to reflect light and get the fish's attention
I totally went to Bass Pro and bought a bunch of gold tear drop shaped Jig Spinners and put them on my costume.

I WORE FISHING LURES!

That's hardcore Bellydance right there.

~N

Now playing: ...
Mood: chocolate cheesecake (hold the icky gooey fruit toppings, yuk)


I have been ridiculously inspired lately. However, it's been by American music. You know, jazz, funk, gospel, rock.
I think I need to start a comedy dance troupe. A group that can make fun of themselves and dance to any song that floats my boat. I've been wanting to do an Elvis number with rhinestone jumpsuits forever. Or maybe a James Brown number where someone comes on stage and puts a 'wings of isis' cape on my shoulders and wipes my forehead for me.

The numbers I have in my head are pretty outrageous. Go-go boots, bad hair, cross dressing... Ugh! The humor is overwhelming me! I have Broadway numbers bouncing around in my head! Whole stage shows! Cheesy visual jokes! Weird Al-like shenanigans!

Sound appealing?

~N

How do you choreograph?

Now Playing: 30secondstomars (iheartthem)
Mood: olives, humus, and cheese (seriously, not just ‘cause I BD)

I thought I’d do double duty and answer one of Shimmy Cast’s questions of the week and post it here as well. “How do you choreograph?” This isn’t the current QoW but I can still answer it on SC’s forum.

This can actually be an involved process for me. First, I am VERY particular about the music I dance to. Mostly, I have to REALLY like the song. Otherwise, when I sit down to choreograph, I will get frustrated with it if there are too many parts in the song I can’t wrap my brain around. I sit down with a piece of paper and pencil and listen to the music preferablely on a CD player that shows the time of the song as it plays. That way, as I write, I can notate a certain section by what time it is at (i.e. minute 2:43 drum section,) and fast forward directly to it when I want.

I mark every eight counts out on the margin of the page and the minutes of where the important time changes are:
0-0:24 Intro
8
8
8
8
0:25-0:52 Melody
8
8
8
…etc.

I do this for the whole song. Then, 90% of the time, I already know what moves I want in a certain section, because I already imagined those in my head when I first decided I liked the song. I go ahead and write those moves in next to the corresponding 8 counts of the music.
Then I go through the song, usually from top to bottom, and play it, dance, write it down. This process very rarely goes smoothly, as I sometimes skip around depending on what part of the song inspires me at the moment (this is where knowing the minutes in the song comes in handy.) And I REALLY don’t like to just write down a move to fill an 8 count just because I need to fill it. If I write in a movement or combination I want it to properly express that section of music as I hear/feel it when I listen.
This often times leads to my choreographies lying around unfinished for weeks and months because I wait until inspiration hits. I have notebooks that have had unfinished choreographies in them for years. I also find, that as time passes, I can dig out an old choreography, listen to the song, and hear it in a whole different way. I can then fill in old blank spots or even better define sections I had previously written.
As to how I actually choreograph, I of course play the song and dance to it, but since Middle Eastern music tends to be complex and layered it is easy to think of many different movements for the same section. Should you dance to the drum? The melody? A certain accent? I usually approach it by kinda-sorta singing along. I don’t mean I actually sing the song, but in the way you may find yourself explaining the song to another dancer… “You know the song that goes, ‘La la, doom, tec, doo, dee, do, tec.’” The parts I find that I would sing along to to describe the song are the parts I tend to choreograph my moves to. With songs that are heavy on melody or drum, etc. I can switch it up and dance to underlying instruments or sounds to add a more dynamic interpretation to the piece.
That’s not to say I don’t leave sections unchoreographed for taxim or improv, but it is definitely a love-hate relationship for me when it comes to choreographing.

OMG!

watch this!



i'm never gonna get any work done!

The Indigo @ Tribal Fest 7 - Opening

I saw a link to this clip on thebellydancersasylum.blogspot.com
...too funny

"Are You Arabic?"

Note: this is cross posted from an old blog dated 07/18/05. I was a bit apprehensive to post this at first, 'cause I'm strutting like rooster 'cause I got some compliments. And I hate for anyone to read this, think I'm awesome, then see me in person and be like, "WTF?" But, I don't have time to write anything witty and entertaining, so you're just going to have to deal with a two year old post with me bragging to myself.

Now playing: everything Bellydance
Mood: Like an Egyptian

I had a great time at the Sahara workshop this weekend. I was pleasantly surprised when we got the "Tour of Egypt" on folkloric and authentic dances. Sahara is a dance ethnologist (sp) and has been studying, working, living, etc. in Egypt on and off for the past 10-15 yrs. We all got Egypt maps and followed along as we learned about the people and dances of different regions in Egypt including Hagalla, Fellahin, Fisherman along the Suez (can't remember the proper name), Melaya Luff, Shammadan and Zeffa, Saidii, Ghawazee, and Nubian. Apparently, the flyer had said she would teach a tabla, so we had to stop in the middle and learn a drum =(

I was set to go 3rd from the end in the show (which is a big deal). I was all ready to go on and the music started playing the wrong song! I went over the the sound guy trying to figure out what was wrong. I must have burned the wrong CD. I didn't recognize the music but had my backup copy in the room. So, Haleema graciously went on early while I ran down to get it. I pulled the case out of my bag, opened it and it was empty. My heart sank, because I was really looking forward to dancing that number. Backstage again and Audrey said she would have the sound guy flip through the tracks until I recognized something and I could 'ad lib' so to speak. So she went out to announce me again. The sound guy hit play on the first track, and that was it! Apparently, I burned the right CD but the tracks were shuffled. WHEW! By then I was really embarrassed for being the dancer who screwed up her music (we all have heard the horror stories and been coached on making sure you have the right music, it works, etc.)

So now I am dancing 2nd to last. Out I went to puzzled/blank stares, grinning like an idiot. I was so wound up by then that my lip was twitching from the stress of smiling. I forgot a section but faked it, but pretty much everything went off without a hitch after that. Once finished I made my way to the back of the audience to watch Shiara close the show. Jen came up to me and I told her what happened to the music. She said, "Well, you need to talk to Sahara and see what she said about you. I'm not going to tell you." She was smiling but I wasn't sure I wanted to know. When the show was over, I went and thanked Haleema for going in my spot while I was running around looking for music and tried my best to avoid Sahara. Amira H. wanted a pic of Jen and me in costume. So we went up to the stage area where Sahara was also for pics. She walked right up to me and asked, "Are you Arabic?" I was almost dumbfounded. I told her no, that I was "American Mut". She said I dance Arabic and wanted to know where I studied. I answered just by going to workshops and videos. Then we were interrupted with picture taking. I was floating high by then. I talked to some more dancers/audience before leaving. One lady said she was in awe while I danced and made the open mouth face. I joked that I wondered why everyone had such a funny look on their faces while I was dancing.

I changed and then Alia and I packed up the car and headed home. We were all excited and yapping away about the workshop when there was this terrible noise coming from her (new) car. She pulled over next to the lighted building out in BFE. I opened my door and got out to see the back passenger tire smoking. We had blown the tire and I mean BLOWN! It was so hot we couldn't hardly touch it to get it off. And the bolts were on so tight that once we had the tire iron on I had to hold on to the trunk and jump up and down on it to pop them loose. It put us home around 1:30am but no more shenanigans ensued.