Monday, April 22, 2013

Belly Dancing - Roshana Nofret




I know I haven't posted in a very long time. I encountered several problems along the way, to be honest.

First, I felt discouraged. I had lost some very important friends to me toward the end of my blog, and I sat there going, "What am I writing this for? Does anyone even read it? Does it help anyone, or is it just junk on the internet, bogging down someone else's Google search?" I had wanted to reach out and be closer to people, but honestly . . . I got scared and retreated. Now, I'm trying to overcome that again. I'm still scared of being judged and writing crap, but I feel like if I start out going through the motions, then maybe I can create something good and nice for folks. And, I was recently inspired by Amanda Palmer (when I say recently, I should say that she's been inspiring me ever since I discovered her shortly before my birthday in September! She and her husband! So much love!!) to be more of myself and just get out there and make what my heart wants to make, even if it's not "perfect," and even if my childhood bus driver still would say I couldn't make money doing it . . . Why was I listening to a bus driver? :p No offense, bus drivers! We need and love you!! I'm just skeptical that that was his dream job, though he did seem pretty happy at the time.

Then, my husband and I also had less money to work with. I didn't realize how much our previously convenient financial situations really helped our creative lives! Baking food costs money! Taking classes costs money! Everything I wanted to do and blog about costs money. And then, we settled in our house (it's still so much in the works that I'm not eager to share photos. Sorry!), made enough that I could start belly dancing lessons while still paying down our debt on mandatory repairs to the house (sewer repair and replacing our furnace shortly before winter because the other one the house came with had suddenly died the day after we moved in). Now, we've paid off one credit card (wahoo!) and my husbie Terinati thinks that we can start being a tiny bit more flexible.

Finally, the most damaging problem was time. I was doing a new job, we've moved twice really since I've been blogging steadily, and between the commuting and the different type of work I was doing both at home and in the office, I had no time for blogging or doing much of anything. It was sleep, work, and sleep some more. Then, I started working from home! :D Commutes all gone, and easy access to my own computer during breaks.

So! No more excuses not to blog! . . . Except for my humility, I suppose. :}


I'm starting a lot of new things, and while it was easy to blog or talk about my achievements when I was younger (learning to bake in one's early twenties is not so strange, since I had just moved out on my own), I find it really hard to tell people, "Hey! I'm 31 and starting to really focus on composing music and dance," because it seems like adults (haha, I'm really more or less a cat!) are held to a different standard than younger people. :p Not allowed to wear as much sparkly and colorful clothes, not given the same kind of patience that children are given . . . Frankly, I don't understand why children are treated so much better than adults. I mean, they just grow up. We're all still people. Do you stop loving a kitten you adopted just because they got older? It's so bizarre! But, that seems to be the reality I'm in, so . . . be gentle. :} I'm going to share things with you, and I admit up front that I'm far from perfect. But, maybe because you will share my victories and failures with me, the times when I'm doing well will mean that much more to both of us. :)

That being said, here are some videos and pictures of belly dancing!! =^00^=


This was my second time ever performing belly dance-related stuff with Gypsy de Rose (in this case, my first time with her higher-level group, Afet). It was for the Roshana & Friends Nomadic Dance Concert on April 19th, 2013. We had high ambitions for being able to perform outside at Country Village in Bellevue, WA, but the rain just wasn't having it, so most of us were ushered inside. This resulted in the event being more crowded than planned as well, so I have to apologize because we didn't get video of all of the dancing, and many fabulous dancers (and a cute doggie too) were left out. Half the time, we couldn't see the dancing ourselves as I insisted upon standing in the back so that those who paid for admission had better seats or were standing in front of us. :( I also don't know the names of everyone since there was no pamphlet that listed all of the musicians and dancers (I suspect some were added after the signs were made.). But, I will update this as I discover more!

   So, first, take a peek at the bandari dance that Afet did together. Tamalyn Dallal, the owner of the Zamani Culture House (and a fabulous dancer herself, of course!) created the choreography for us and taught Afet how to dance it only weeks before we were scheduled to perform! So, while there's room for improvement, I think we did pretty well!


Next up, Shimmy Sister Kate! Love her amazing shimmies, plus her amazing expression . . . She had me at the Halloween Halfa with her vampire dance. Of course, every teacher at the Zamani Culture House has their own unique style and crazy flavor that blows me away!


This dance, if I remember correctly, roughly translates to "The Mirror Dance." I know that Janelle Bel Isle is one of the lovely dancers in this trio, but I'm not sure who the others are! I will update if I find out.



And, last but not least, the featured artist of the event, Roshana Nofret! Watching her dance, to me, was like watching a magical doll come to life. I was fortunate enough to arrive at just the right time in the evening for volunteer work, before dancing started, and got to make jallab with Roshana! :D Admittedly, I didn't recognize her (I'm horrible at faces, probably near aphasic) until I was already helping out for a few minutes, and then it was a pleasant surprise! Not the least bit of diva about her. :) She was sweet and patient, and she even made me forget how awkward I am, just by being in her presence. To me, that's like, something I imagine being true of fantasy princesses. I think there is nothing better than meeting someone wonderfully talented, plus obviously dedicated to the hard work that requires, and then discovering that they are sweet and kind as well. =^--^= Just another inspiration for my own future, though I have to find my own style, of course.

Sorry to say that I missed the names of the incredible musicians behind her, but if someone tells me who they are, I will update this ASAP!

Anyway, speaking of dancing, I believe that I've run out of my fleeting time after work to post this as we're to get together and practice! EEP! I hope you enjoy the videos, and perhaps some pictures will be forthcoming as well.




UPDATE ADDED: 5/8/13: More photos one of my friends took while she saw us performing of the various dancers at this fun event:



Afet, dancing bandari.

Bella Rosa Troupe

Dahlia Moon! Such an amazingly skilled dancer! Her precision always blows my mind. One of these days, I'm going to have to take one of her work shops. :)

Malia! Another sweet instructor at the Zamani Culture House.

The musicians who backed up Roshana Nofret. Love them! If anyone knows their names, let me know so that I can add them here. :)

And the lovely Roshana Nofret, of course!

She made it all look so comfortable and easy! Magical, dancing doll, I tell you!!

And Roxy, dancing with bowls on her head. I was so nervous for her, but she was amazing as always. :)