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Jun. 21st, 2005 01:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alonewiththemoonLots has happened since my last real update. The major things were the Oojami show and my performance last night in Amira Jamal's class. So:
Oojami: as I implied in my Sunday post, it was a fantastic show. Ziaf opened; I liked what they did very much, although it had a little bit of a one trick pony feel. Still, if you like French chanteuse cabaret, then Ziaf is the thing for you. Then we did our number, somehow avoiding all the clutter that rock bands fill the stage with and more or less keeping in formation. It really was a lot of fun working with this group of women. We come from different parts of the Boston belly dance scene, and I think it spoke volumes that we could get together and accomplish something without any bickering or infighting or cattiness. In that way, we weren't representative of some of the major factions in the scene. I know I've complained a little about style and techinique things, but the overall spirit of the group was one of willingness and compromise and dedication to putting on the best show we could. It was the absolute best side of the sisterhood of belly dance. There was some confusion about whether we could go back on to dance with Oojami or not; initially, the band said that their bellydancer would just pick one of us to go onstage and dance with her. In our freshly-nurtured solidarity, we said no way, all of us or none of us. But there really wasn't enough room on the stage for six bellydancers and the band. The house bellydancer and Za-Beth came up with a good solution: we came out one at a time to dance. Of course, it was also a terrifying solution, but I got through it. I definitely rushed myself offstage too quickly, but I'll just have to learn to deal with that. I also was a bit stymied by the Turkish music*, so I've made it a goal of mine to get more comfortable with it, even if it's not what I love the most. The band members were all really nice people as well, very welcoming to us, and they put on such a high energy show.
*They had their bellydancer on for what they consider their more belly dance songs, and since they are mostly of Turkish origin, those songs were Turkish in feel. I find Egyptian movements work really well with the more electronica/club stuff (plus I was wearing pants, as you will read below), but we didn't get a choice about the songs.
Amira Jamal's class: as part of her workshop series, I performed an 11-minute routine of baladi taqsim, cane and drum solo last night. I was not so great during the taqsim--in the slowest parts, I got sucked into the chiftetelli and couldn't break free of it. Usually I dance to the violin, so I don't really know what happened there. The cane dance went okay, very cute, but my drum solo was *on*--Amira Jamal said it was seriously the best she'd ever seen me dance, and one of her comments in her written feedback was that I am finally starting to really come into "YOUR OWN" (caps hers). I got good feedback from people, and I do start to believe now that when people compliment me on facial expression, it's not just because they can't think of what else to say, I am actually doing a good job of it. So I went home feeling much better about myself than I have in a while, and with some clear goals to work on in my dancing. I'm so glad she's running this workshop series, and I highly recommend her to anyone in the area, even if you usually work in a different style. She knows how to help create good dancers, regardless of style.
I also feel better about myself after Sunday's show, because the belt portion of the bedleh that I've had for a couple of years now is fitting a little loosely. Oddly, the bra portion is a little tight, but if that's how my weight wants to distribute itself, I'm okay with that! Though it's most likely due to better posture, holding my ribcage wider, and stronger back muscles. Also, we had gotten changed out of our costumes before we found out that we could all go back on, and as I was getting changed back into my costume I decided to put on the bedleh top but leave on my pvc pants and beaded net hip scarf, and I have to say it was damn hot if I do say so myself. So, a good body image weekend.
On a completely different topic, I also saw Batman Begins, and was quite enthralled. Christian Bale was perfect, I thought; not only did he make a good Batman, but just as importantly he made a good Bruce Wayne. I did see what he meant in interviews about drawing on his Patrick Bateman experience in creating the role. There were a few things I'd change about the film--random one-liners by random people, for one thing--but I enjoyed it a lot and hope there will be more. I can't imagine what was cut for the Imax showings, but probably not the things I would have cut. You never know, though, perhaps the Imax version would be more in line with my vision. Some of you people who saw the Imax one let me know what you think after you see the full version.
Tomorrow the weasels see the animal dentist for an assessment of their teeth. Ronan's will need cleaning for sure; it's affecting his breath. He had pretty gunky teeth when we got him, probably from a poor diet. I figured I'd bring Seti in for a checkup as well, since he's three now. Oh! And in exciting Ronan news, he fits down the tunnels now, even the cardboard one! He figured this out on Sunday and spent the next 20 minutes just going up and down tunnels. We're all very happy for him. And Seti is starting to really play back with him, rather than just running around him in circles. I think he feels more confident with Ronan now that Ronan's lost some weight, because now Seti can push him off when pinned down.
ok, back to work...
Oojami: as I implied in my Sunday post, it was a fantastic show. Ziaf opened; I liked what they did very much, although it had a little bit of a one trick pony feel. Still, if you like French chanteuse cabaret, then Ziaf is the thing for you. Then we did our number, somehow avoiding all the clutter that rock bands fill the stage with and more or less keeping in formation. It really was a lot of fun working with this group of women. We come from different parts of the Boston belly dance scene, and I think it spoke volumes that we could get together and accomplish something without any bickering or infighting or cattiness. In that way, we weren't representative of some of the major factions in the scene. I know I've complained a little about style and techinique things, but the overall spirit of the group was one of willingness and compromise and dedication to putting on the best show we could. It was the absolute best side of the sisterhood of belly dance. There was some confusion about whether we could go back on to dance with Oojami or not; initially, the band said that their bellydancer would just pick one of us to go onstage and dance with her. In our freshly-nurtured solidarity, we said no way, all of us or none of us. But there really wasn't enough room on the stage for six bellydancers and the band. The house bellydancer and Za-Beth came up with a good solution: we came out one at a time to dance. Of course, it was also a terrifying solution, but I got through it. I definitely rushed myself offstage too quickly, but I'll just have to learn to deal with that. I also was a bit stymied by the Turkish music*, so I've made it a goal of mine to get more comfortable with it, even if it's not what I love the most. The band members were all really nice people as well, very welcoming to us, and they put on such a high energy show.
*They had their bellydancer on for what they consider their more belly dance songs, and since they are mostly of Turkish origin, those songs were Turkish in feel. I find Egyptian movements work really well with the more electronica/club stuff (plus I was wearing pants, as you will read below), but we didn't get a choice about the songs.
Amira Jamal's class: as part of her workshop series, I performed an 11-minute routine of baladi taqsim, cane and drum solo last night. I was not so great during the taqsim--in the slowest parts, I got sucked into the chiftetelli and couldn't break free of it. Usually I dance to the violin, so I don't really know what happened there. The cane dance went okay, very cute, but my drum solo was *on*--Amira Jamal said it was seriously the best she'd ever seen me dance, and one of her comments in her written feedback was that I am finally starting to really come into "YOUR OWN" (caps hers). I got good feedback from people, and I do start to believe now that when people compliment me on facial expression, it's not just because they can't think of what else to say, I am actually doing a good job of it. So I went home feeling much better about myself than I have in a while, and with some clear goals to work on in my dancing. I'm so glad she's running this workshop series, and I highly recommend her to anyone in the area, even if you usually work in a different style. She knows how to help create good dancers, regardless of style.
I also feel better about myself after Sunday's show, because the belt portion of the bedleh that I've had for a couple of years now is fitting a little loosely. Oddly, the bra portion is a little tight, but if that's how my weight wants to distribute itself, I'm okay with that! Though it's most likely due to better posture, holding my ribcage wider, and stronger back muscles. Also, we had gotten changed out of our costumes before we found out that we could all go back on, and as I was getting changed back into my costume I decided to put on the bedleh top but leave on my pvc pants and beaded net hip scarf, and I have to say it was damn hot if I do say so myself. So, a good body image weekend.
On a completely different topic, I also saw Batman Begins, and was quite enthralled. Christian Bale was perfect, I thought; not only did he make a good Batman, but just as importantly he made a good Bruce Wayne. I did see what he meant in interviews about drawing on his Patrick Bateman experience in creating the role. There were a few things I'd change about the film--random one-liners by random people, for one thing--but I enjoyed it a lot and hope there will be more. I can't imagine what was cut for the Imax showings, but probably not the things I would have cut. You never know, though, perhaps the Imax version would be more in line with my vision. Some of you people who saw the Imax one let me know what you think after you see the full version.
Tomorrow the weasels see the animal dentist for an assessment of their teeth. Ronan's will need cleaning for sure; it's affecting his breath. He had pretty gunky teeth when we got him, probably from a poor diet. I figured I'd bring Seti in for a checkup as well, since he's three now. Oh! And in exciting Ronan news, he fits down the tunnels now, even the cardboard one! He figured this out on Sunday and spent the next 20 minutes just going up and down tunnels. We're all very happy for him. And Seti is starting to really play back with him, rather than just running around him in circles. I think he feels more confident with Ronan now that Ronan's lost some weight, because now Seti can push him off when pinned down.
ok, back to work...
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Date: 2005-06-21 06:25 pm (UTC)Yeah--I could have gone for more twitchiness from Bruce Wayne, and I hope that future films explore self-control/anger issues, but our boy did mighty fine. I loved the sense of entitlement he radiated as both Wayne and Batman, even when he was in the pits of the Chinese prison.
Hooray for Ronan's progress!
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Date: 2005-06-21 06:27 pm (UTC)