Newsletter volume 2 issue 4.pub

Volume 2, Issue 4
Hip Circles
The Official Newsletter of the High Desert Belly Dance Guild
September 2007
HDBG Annual Meeting
Slated for Nov. 10
The High Desert Belly
Dance Guild will hold
its annual membership
meeting on Saturday,
November
10th at the
Central Oregon Environmental
Center. The
official purpose of an
annual
meeting is
to review what we’ve
done as an organization
over the past year, to
elect officers for the
next year, and to plan
future activities. It is
also a good time to
meet your fellow members, socialize, and
have fun! Everyone’s
What: HDBG Annual
Meeting and Potluck
Party
When: Nov. 10, 3 pm
Where: COEC; 16
NW Kansas Ave. Bend
Please bring a potluck
dish to share, along with
ideas for Guild programming for next year.
participation is valued
and there were many
good ideas that came to
fruition from last year’s
annual
meeting - Cont. on page 4
October Quarterly Showcase: Stay Tuned!
It’s been nearly two months
since the HDBG members
rocked Jokers at the last Quarterly Showcase, which means
that the next show is fast approaching! Once again, the
Guild board is looking for the
best venue, and we’re hoping to
have a Halloween theme for the
next show! So keep practicing,
prepare your costume, and keep
your eyes open for an announcement of when and where
the October show will take
place. It’s sure to be a festive
and fabulous event!
If you would like to dance or
volunteer at the show, please
contact Jennifer Smith:
[email protected]
Stay Tuned!
Inside this issue:
Special points of interest:
July Showcase Review
2
• July Showcase Highlights
Bellydance Camp
3
• Fall Schedule of Bellydance Classes
“Coming Home” by Samara
4
• Details about September workshops with
Saqra
Fall Class Schedule
5
• Bellydance Camp Highlights
Saqra Coming to Bend!
7
Upcoming Events
8
• Returning to Bend, a story by Samara
• Upcoming Events
News and Reviews: HDBG July Quarterly Showcase
By Sitris
Our summer guild showcase found us at
Joker’s comedy club, due to the sudden
closing of our beloved Grove, where our
showcases have been held since our conception just a few years ago. Despite the
name (who wants to be associated with
comedy when you’re dancing?!) it turned
out to be a fine spot to have a show. It
may have been a bit drab compared to our
former venue, but there was plenty of
space and great sound. Once we got the
tables and chairs arranged, we were ready
to go.
Raven was our announcer,
which pleased me immensely. Besides having
an elegant speaking voice,
she takes the trophy for
best audience member
(including you,
mom!) More than a few
times this woman’s cheering, clapping, yipping and
bobbing along have
Our Emcee Raven
rescued me from what
felt like a tortuous solo. Her love of the
dance is absolutely infectious. So cheers
to Raven as the anouncer! I hope next
time she dances too!
The Bijou Project opened the show, of
which I am a member, so my review will
be somewhat skewed as I didn’t actually
get to see what we looked like! The
The Bijou Project
crowd was a pleasure to dance for and
clapped along raucously throughout our
fast song. We got to throw in some of
our new moves, and even made some up
on the spot! I hope next time our other
local tribal troupes join in, as tribal style
adds depth and variety to the whole
show. But this time around it was only
us, and as always, we thoroughly enjoyed
performing.
Marina of Redmond was second to take
the stage and entertained us with an upbeat veil dance. No small feat, but she
carried it well
with graceful
phrasing and
masterful
fluidity. The
colors of her
costume were
perfect for
summer; refreshing
pinks, yellows
and purples
were uplifting
Marina
to watch. But
the soft colors didn’t give anything away,
this girl’s got spunk, and talent to
boot! Her posture and belly rolls were
inspiring. Her face was
veiled throughout her
performance which
added to the feeling of
mystery that veil dances
can convey.
Up third was Monica,
who danced to one of
my favorite bellydance
songs of all time, a
Loreena McKinnet tune
Monica
called Mummer’s
Dance. Monica also did a veil dance, but
the vibe was totally different than the
solo before her. It was a pleasure to
watch in it’s own right. Her homemade
costume was gorgeous; the gold belt and
matching top set off her aqua skirt and
Sahara’s Mirage
veil. While there are many details that
make a great dancer, Monica’s hands were
especially mesmerizing and fun to watch.
Fourth came Sahara’s Mirage, a new student troupe from the award winning choreographer and dancer, Sahara. Their
dancing was crisp and expertly synchronized, yet sensuous in
all the right
places. The trio did a
beautiful job and
showed us once again
that Sahara has some
talented ladies in her
classes.
Kadeesha was fifth in
the showcase, dancing
to “Gypsy Fire”. The
upbeat rhythm went
Kadeesha
perfectly with her
playful persona. Sensuous isolations
paired well with her complex layering. All in all a delight to witness!
Our local legend, Bali Ram, was next, and
took a more traditional approach this
time around, both in
dress and in music.
Playful and ever the
romantic, he showed
off his winning dramatic stage presence. His ankle bells
were Cont. on page 6
Bali Ram
Page 2
All photos by Fred
H I P C I R C L ES
Bellydance Camp!
A Class Review by Rasha
After having taught day
camps for kids at the High
Desert Museum for years,
it is only logical that my
love for bellydance would
translate to a summer
class for high school girls!
After mentioning the idea
to a fellow dancer and
instructor Zweena, the
ideas just kept flowing.
We pitched the camp idea
and the class was picked
up by Bend Parks and
Recreation, and the first
Bellydance Camp was
born!
A brand new mom for the
second time, Zweena vol-
arrived, the girls shared their thoughts on
the class. They loved learning all the different styles of dance, and experiencing the
tastes and sounds of Middle Eastern culture. They also were amazed to learn of
some cultural differences that they did not
expect, for example, that bellydancing is
not always respecting in most Middle Eastern countries.
Bellydance Campers: (L to R: Bahira, Callista, Malkia, Rasha, Kardelen, Habibah)
unteered to help
me plan the camp
from home, including finding a
diverse menu of
foods to taste and
a variety of Arabic words to
learn. Her husband even
jumped in to
Sahirrnee with Habibah
create an original
song for a choreography that the students
could perform.
The class was held over 2 weeks for a
total of 40 hours, and was open to girls
entering grades 9-12. Held at a cozy
dance studio above the Cascade All Stars
Gymnastics facility, I had the pleasure of
working with 5 lovely girls. We began by
choosing
dance
names,
learning
some isolations,
and briefly
becoming
familiar
Zweena teaching Rom
with the countries in
the Middle East. Bahira, Habibah,
Kardelen, Malkia, and Callista were delighted to learn that we’d be sampling a
different regional snack each day, starting
VOLUME 2, ISSUE 4
with hummus with pita and veggies, and
watermelon juice, yum!
Over the
course of
the next 9
days, the
students
learned
various
dance
styles from
guest instructors,
Raven teaching Candle Dancing
including Turkish
Rom with Zweena, candle dancing with
Raven, Saidi cane dancing with Layla, and
American Tribal Style with members of
Gypsy Fire. They also got started on a hip
belt with master bedlah artist, Sahirrnee.
Finally, they were adorned with henna in
preparation for their performance by Sahara, who also offered some professional
tips to polish the students’ performance.
Toward the end of the class, I realized that
it had taken me nearly 10 years as a dancer
to gain the
amount of
information
that these
girls had
learned in 2
weeks!
When the
final day
Layla teaching Saidi Cane
At their hafla, the students and their families and guests were able to see performances by some of their guest instructors,
and witnessed their teacher perform a drum
solo that they choreographed! Finally,
sporting
matching
black
dresses
and their
own original hip
belts, they
ATS with Gypsy Fire
performed the choreography they helped to design. Using veil
and zils, they started with a beledi rhythm,
a chefti segment that they choreographed,
and a complicated veil combo (wearing
their zils!). They topped it off with a sassy
drum solo segment and a rousing exit with
zils blaring!
It is certain that this class will be offered
again next summer. And, with so much
Sahara applying henna on Callista
interest from my sister dancers, I may offer
it as a weekly program for adults! Stay
tuned….
Thank you to all the guest instructors who
volunteered their time and resources. And
a huge thank you to Zweena for all her
help and experience, this class couldn’t
have happened without you!
Page 3
Coming Home
I had spent nearly a year in Alabama.
Things started out fresh and new, but as the
end drew near I began to feel as though I
was sifting through a slightly stagnating
haze. Being the only professional tribal
style bellydancer within a two hour radius
gave me public recognition that I might not
have received otherwise, but it also took its
toll on my energy and inspiration. While
soloing had taught me a great deal, I found
myself constantly longing for the familiar
sisterhood I’d left behind.
As I watched my temporary residence grow
increasingly distant in the rear view mirror
I began to direct my attention to the road
ahead. I allowed miles to pass by as I contemplated the prospect of the approaching
future. I had been away from the bellydance community in Oregon for almost a
year. The duet I had co-founded was now a
troupe. While I knew the other members, I
had little experience dancing with them.
The Bijou Project’s culture had inevitably
changed and I wondered how I would fit
into the new climate.
Traveling through the four corners, my
husband and I stopped briefly in Mesa
Verde to stretch our legs and slow down
the scenery. Walking amongst the Anaszi
ruins I marveled at the longevity of their
constructions. The past inhabitants of this
area had used their knowledge of the environment to shape their way of life. They
created villages that were sheltered from
the harsh impacts the sub arid climate, and
then mysteriously vacated the area. The
structures they left behind have remained
intact for centuries.
As I knelt down and ran my hand over the
grinding bins where women once sat to-
By Samara
gether turning
grain into
flour, a wellknown sense
of longing my
constricted
my throat.
These ruins,
just as our
dance, had
remained
intact for
centuries.
Structures
built on such
a timeless
foundation
could not
be de“If a community of familiar
stroyed in
the blink of
friends greeted me, I knew I
a year. If a
community would again find my place in the
of familiar
village.”
friends
greeted me,
I knew I would again find my place in the
village.
My first weekend back in Oregon lead me
to Bend for the Unmata workshop and
show hosted by Sahara’s dream. This was
my first reunion with the community
women I’d left during my travels south.
Stepping out into the Central Oregon sunshine I was bathed in the fragrance of
juniper and an endless sea of warm embraces from familiar welcoming arms.
The weekend swept by quickly. Unmata’s
workshop was a deliciously complex and
challenging blur. The evening show
forced me to question whether my sisters
HDBG Annual Meeting
so bring your ideas and join us.
There will be a general board
meeting that is open to the public
beginning at 2 p.m., followed by a
potluck, the election new board
members, a 2007 review and suggestions for 2008 activities, and
entertainment (yet to be decided
on) as well. All members and inPage 4
had bloomed as much as I perceived,
or if I’d simply come to appreciate
their talents all the more—I decided it
was likely a combination of both. I
logically assumed that this event
would be the climax of my return to
Oregon, and rode through those days
lifted by the high that interacting with
my sisters provided.
At the Unmata show Kamini and I had
reunited in a choreographed duet that
we’d learned separately through the
grace of modern technology. All
things considered it went smoothly.
We had another show the next weekend hosted by the Middle Eastern
Dancer’s Guild of Eugene (MEDGE).
For this event we were learning a different choreography and also planned
to perform a piece of improvisation.
As the day of the show arrived I felt
fairly confident about the choreography; though we had yet to practice it together, our instructional video was clear
and we’d allotted time to work out any
kinks before the show. I was decidedly
less at ease with the prospect of improvisation. Kamini and I hadn’t really danced
together in almost a year and I was unsure
what issues our potentially altered vocabularies would produce.
Kamini arrived to meet me in Eugene early
that day. After a few hours of practice we
both felt the ease of understanding our own
limitations. We decided to put practicing
on the shelf, and spent the remaining time
enjoying one another’s company. Basking
in the warmth of the spring sunshine we
drank in the afternoon and all that it held.
After our ritualistic
Cont. on page 5
Cont. from page 1
terested parties are encouraged to
attend, as the HDBG is a membership driven organizations and
we need your feedback and ideas
to keep growing and improving!
Mark your calendars now! More
information on the Annual Meeting will be provided soon.
HELP WANTED:
We are looking for a few good women to volunteer on the High Desert Bellydance Guild
Board of Directors!
Several of the current board members have
served their maximum duration, and must step
down for the next year. Here are the positions
to choose from (look for a ballot soon):
Secretary
Newsletter
Librarian
Publicity
Co-Chair
Treasurer
Webmistress
H I P C I R C L ES
Fall Class Schedule 2007
Terpsichorean Dance Studio: 1601 NW Newport Ave. Bend
American Cabaret Style Bellydance with Sahara:
Sundays starting September 23
6 Week Session
Beginners: 4-5 PM
For a detailed descriptions of Classes by Guild instructors,
visit the HDBG website: www.highdesertbellydance.org
Click on the “Teachers” tab
$50/ $10 drop in
Intermediate/Advanced: 5:15-6:45 PM $72/ $13 drop-in
For a one-of-akind party
program, give
your birthday
girl and her
guests a live
To register contact Sahara: [email protected], or call
541-788-0480
American Tribal Style Bellydance with Quinn Donovan Fradet:
Tuesdays starting Sept. 4 8-Week Session
Beginners: 8-9 PM
$60/ $9 drop in
For more info: www.gypsyfirebellydance.com or email
[email protected]
COCC Continuing Education Program: American
Cabaret Bellydance
bellydancer!
Bellydance Basics: $45/ 8 Week Session
With Rasha in Bend: Wednesdays 6:30-8 PM Starting Sept. 19
at Pilot Butte Middle School
With Jerusha in Redmond: Tuesdays 6:30-8 PM Starting Sept. 25
at the Redmond Senior Center
Group Bellydance with Zweena bint Asya:
$49/ 8 Week Session Thursday evenings 6:30-8 PM starting Oct. 11
at the Mazama Dance Studio at COCC
Contact COCC Continuing Education to register:
541-383-7270 or online at http://noncredit.cocc.edu
Tulen Center: Level 3 Tribal Fusion with Sitris
$60/ session, $15/drop-in. Tuesdays 7-8:30 PM Starting Sept. 18
Contact Sitris for more info: [email protected]
Bellydance Birthday
Party with Rasha
Rasha will perform a full Egyptian routine, including veil
and drum solo, for your guests. Then, each young
bellydancer-in-training can wear a hip scarf for an exclusive dance lesson! Not only fun and healthy, bellydance also promotes self esteem and body awareness.
Contact Rasha for prices & details:
Ph: 410-4614
Coming Home
Cont. from page 4
primping we arrived at the Jaqua Concert
Hall. It was revitalizing to see the lovely
ladies of MEDGE and share such a delicious
venue with them. Kamini and I prepped
backstage before our set. While neither of us
appeared nervous I couldn’t help but notice
our pre-show hug felt more intense than I‘d
become accustomed to.
I don’t remember who led, what moves we
used, or even the duration of the song; my
focus was swept away with the swirling of
skirts. With each move the feeling rising
within my frame became more familiar.
These were not empty movements isolated
in their own solitude, each one flowed into
the next creating a shared gift between us.
Standing in the wings our music began to fill
the auditorium. I breathed in the space and
held it caged for a moment. Thoughts clear, I
allowed the exhale to carry me onto the stage
and into the warmth of the ellipsoidals above.
As we moved through space and time the
realization hit me that the foundations of our
friendship and dance had remained unchanged. We were a sisterhood again, freely
conversing in our mother tongue. Circling
to face each other the audience disappeared
VOLUME 2, ISSUE 4
Email: [email protected]
as we welcomed one another back to the
communal place we’d come to know so well.
With unconscious efforts my sister had led
me home.
It has been said that it is the journey and not
the destination that holds the true rewards. I
have come to realize that both hold their own
unique experiences and lessons. The two
cannot be separated, or neither has meaning.
In the grander context, every destination
leads to a new journey, and every journey a
new destination, it is this cyclical motion
that propels us forward and yet keeps us
together.
Page 5
July Showcase , Cont. from p. 2
a great touch, but the
headdress was the
topper!
Leaving us with a
spunky conclusion to
the first half of the
showcase was
Kamini, with an upbeat song that we
enjoyed clapping
along to. Don’t ever
let this woman’s tribal
Kamini
costume fool you; she is
a soloist to the core, as her friendly smile
and audience interaction prove. She put a
cabaret twist on tribal moves, and showed
her mastery of the shimmy undulation, all
with grace and poise.
The open dance during intermission
showed nearly all of the performers and
some audience members joining in for a
fun round of bellydance- freestyle. Among them were two veteran
dancers who were not in the showcase,
Audrey, who now teaches flamenco, and
Kathy, who teaches bellydance at Gold’s
Gym. We hope to see them both
again! Sadly missing from the entire
evening were both Sahara and Jerusha, as
well as the newest tribal fusion duet,
Equinox, and the veteran tribal troupe,
Gypsy Fire. We also hope to see all of
them again soon.
Back from intermission, Bali Ram and
the ever captivating Rasha greeted us
with a sweet and playful duet. The lyrics
Bali Ram and Rasha
Page 6
to their song, “I love you, you love me,
let’s go do the dance” were a catchy proclamation. Rasha showed us her talent
with the zills, and was beautiful in her
silver and black costume. It’s great to
have this talented duet in
our community as they add
something unique to our
group.
Next was Layla, dancing
to a tune by the same
name, which turned out to
be a medley of four
parts. Lucky for us to see
all of her talents! She is
the kind of dancer who
Layla
has so much poise that
she makes the dance look deceptively
easy. Added to this was her masterful zill
playing which seemed to come as easily
to her as breathing comes to the rest of
us. Her slow section featured a beautiful
tricolor silk veil.
I followed Layla with a modern piece that
reminded me a little of my 80’s pop idols,
Madonna and Cyndi Lauper. So, to capture the spirit, I wore a pink and purple
ensemble complete with arm bands, wrist
warmers (with thumbhole cut outs) and a
vest with a keyhole back. My dance featured many of the moves I learned in
Sahara’s class, and I wish she had been
there to see them. Thankfully, Audrey
was there, who
was my instructor a handful of
years ago, and I
got to showcase
a few of the
moves I learned
from her. My
routine went off
with minor
hitches and my
favorite compliment was someSitris
thing along the lines of,
“Just because I’ve seen you dance before
doesn’t mean I know what your next
dance is going to be like.”
The stunning and talented Rasha was next
in line. Ever creative, she danced to a
remix of the 80’s hit “Walk Like an
Egyptian”. (Glad to know I’m not the
only one who loves 80’s pop music!) Her
dancing cleverly depicted the lyrics; this
was an inspired dance for sure! Her isolations were perfect, her zill playing was
spot-on, and as usual, she looked gorgeous!
Sahara’s Dream finished out the show
with their award-winning choreography. This troupe was missing their matriarch, but shined none the less. Dressed in
burgundy velvet cholis and mermaid
skirts, they looked elegant and sophisticated without being overdone. Funny
that such simple costumes would be worn
for such a sassy and strong dance. Always in sync, the choreo was bold and
exciting, yet traditional in all the right
Sahara’s Dream
ways. These gals will
be competing in a few months and by the
looks of it will be remembered as something absolutely wonderful.
Another free-dance finished out the evening, with just as many participants as in
the first. Once again, it was a pleasure to
get together as friends to enjoy our passion for bellydancing. The showcase,
though held at a new venue, still felt familiar and fun, and proved to be just what
we wanted it to be; a supportive environment for students and veterans alike. I
realized later that there is no difference
between a creation and a celebration; by
celebrating our supportive and talented
bellydance community, we end up
strengthening it and creating it anew.
N E W S L E T T ER T I T L E
Saqra Coming to Bend! Saturday, September 22
Multi award-winning Master Instructor Saqra is coming back to
Bend! She is recognized around
the world as an acclaimed instructor and performer, traveling extensively throughout the United
States and Canada, as well as Internationally.
She is a exceptional workshop
instructor - known not only for
her ability to communicate the
breakdown of basic to complex
dance movements to newer students while continuing to challenge experienced performers, but for
her sense of humor as well.
Two workshops and an evening show
will be held at the Bend Community
Center, 1036 NE 5th St., Bend
Workshop Schedule:
“Drumming & Rhythm for the Dancer”
10:00 am
Pregregistered, prepaid by 9/10: $25
After 9/10:
$30
“Saqra’s Amazing 4/4 and 9/8 Combos”
1:00 pm
Pregregistered, prepaid by 9/10: $25
After 9/10:
$30
Lisa “Sahara” Smith
Director– Sahara’s Dream &
Sahara’s Mirage
[email protected]
For further information on the workshops, evening show, and scheduling a
private lesson with Saqra, contact:
541-788-0480
~Evening Show: 7 PM~
Featuring Two Performances by Saqra,
including Quadruple Veil and 4-yard Veil!
With special guest “Zephyr” from Salem,
Oregon, and workshop participants
Advanced Tickets (by 9/21) $10
At the door:
$12
Ear Expressions
221 W. Cascade (hwy 20)
Sisters, Oregon
549-9572
“fun things and earrings”
…plus, hip scarves, veils, choli tops,
finger cymbals, bindi and more.
Now through October 31
15% off any one item for
High Desert Bellydance Guild
members!
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1
Performance or Portrait Photography Available
Affordable Guild Member Pricing
Page 7
The High Desert Belly Dance Guild
PO Box 2185 ΠSisters, OR 97759
www.highdesertbellydance.org
Upcoming Events
September 14 Rasha performs monthly at Taj Palace Indian Restaruant, 2nd Fridays: 3 shows, starting at 7 pm
The Taj Palace is located at 917 NW Wall St., Downtown Bend. Call 541-330-0774
September 15 10:00 am HDBG Monthly Meeting! All Guild members are encouraged to attend, and are welcome to vote at
meetings. Bend Public Library, upstairs meeting room.
September 18 7-8:30 pm Level 3 Tribal Fusion class with Sitris begins: Tulen Center See p. 5 for details
September 19: 6:30-8pm COCC Bellydance Basics class with Rasha begins. See p. 5 for details
September 21 Gypsy Fire performs monthly at Taj Palace Indian Restaurant, 3rd Fridays: 2 shows, starting at 6:45 pm.
September 22 Saqra Workshops and Show See p. 7 for more details
September 23 Sahara’s Fall Term begins: 4-5:00 Beginners, 5:15-6:45 Int/Advanced. Terpsichorean Dance Studio. See p. 5
for details
September 25 6:30-8pm COCC Bellydance Basics class with Jerusha begins in Redmond. See p. 5 for details
September 28 Rasha and Bali Ram perform monthly at Taj Palace Indian Restaurant, 4th Fridays: 4 shows, starting at 7 pm
October 5 Featured Dancers Raqsafar perform at the Taj Palace Indian Restaurant. Performances every First Friday at Taj
Palace feature dancers from throughout Central Oregon. 2 performances begin at 7 pm.
October 11 Zweena’s Group Dance class begins 6:30-8pm at Mazama Dance Studio See p. 5 for details
October 12 Rasha performs monthly at Taj Palace Restaruant, 2nd Fridays: 3 shows, starting at 7 pm
October 13 10:00 am HDBG Monthly Meeting! All Guild members are encouraged to attend, and are welcome to vote at
meetings. Location TBA
October 19 Gypsy Fire performs monthly at Taj Palace Restaurant, 3rd Fridays: 2 shows, starting at 6:45 pm.
October 26 Rasha and Bali Ram perform monthly at Taj Palace Restaurant, 4th Fridays: 4 shows, starting at 7 pm