Ahlan!
5 August 2008

Welcome, I thought I would join the millions of 'others' out there in cyberspace, and write a blog.  A bit of blah, blah, bla-dy blah, for lack of a better word, on my views and thoughts on dance, but namely bellydance.

For me there are two categories of dance expression, dance that has originated in thought (left brain thinking), and feeling dance (right brain thinking).  One logical and thought out, planned, structured with patterns, motifs, shapes and use of space, either with the inspiration from the music or a theme and than find music to suit the idea.  The other improvisation, or freestyling as some other dance forms call it, is a mere expression of feeling to a piece of music in that moment in time that is stirred to such a state of passion, heat of the moment, with no thought present in the mind but a kind of spiritual connection to something higer, a meditation of sorts where you the dancer meld with the music and the two combine to make another energy with movement and emotion, a creation on the spot as your body becomes the mind of movement.  It is like poetry in motion.  Being a poet myself, I feel that improvised dancing is somewhat the same as I channel in a piece of poetry, sometimes it is brillant and other times mediocre!


11 September 2008
Today we take a moment to remember those that died in the 9/11 disaster in the US.  We send love and thoughts of great compassion for all those families who are thinking of their father, mother, daughter, son, friend today.  Let us hope, that out of this horror, a new desire for unity, love and compassion will grow.  May we strive as a human race to evolve to a higher consciousness that will find other ways to resolve conflict and tolerate differences.

28 December 2008
Where has the year gone?  I just don't know where the time slips away, but it always feels we never have enough of it.  Right now life is just relaxing for a few days before we have to start swinging into the New Year.  What that will bring ? Who knows.  This year, I hope to finish doing a couple of dvds of beginner dance choreographies that a number of dancers from overseas keep asking me when will it be ready, and also to write an e-book on my own dance tips.  I would have been going to Egypt in July next year, but my 'gut' says that the World situation does not look good for next year, and maybe staying home and seeing what happens would be best.

Our next show for 2009 needs a new theme, so our thinking hats are on.

I will be teaching a workshop on "Discovering and Developing your Improvisational Self".  Which will need some work, afterall, doing something natural such as improvisation in your dance is like telling someone how they should smile or walk.  You don't - you just 'DO'.  

FOR MORE GO TO MEDANZ WORKSHOP PAGE ON IMPROVISATION

8 April
My Thoughts on the Talented Contempory Group Backlit on "the Story of Stuff" which I dicussed with Mary Jane O'Rielly, the Director and Choreographer of the Legendary "Limbs" Group. 
 

The Story of Stuff by Backlit was nothing short of admirable for their innovative, creative use of abstract imagery, to portray the likely but not limited to, consumerism of women in today's world. The 'unexpected' start of the show to ensure that the audience had impact was done by using the audience to participate by standing on stage before sitting, gazing skyward or rather to the circles as the music video styled routine started with the girls in a take off of the sexy women strutting her stuff, and the rather large light flashing boobs the centre dancer wore spoke of the consumerism of breast implants and the need of women to be sexy. The audience got seated and the show continued with the bringing on of the stage props on to stage.

There is a lot to talk about, however, I will just pick out the highlights and areas I wish to comment on. I did enjoy the somewhat 'Pandora's box' that was opened up on the scaffolding, the hoarding and possessiveness of the 'goodies' inside and the finally opening and being elated with such magic, the kind of magic that happens when wishes and desires are satiated - cleverly portrayed. I especially liked out of the slow moving scenes the progression of the mirrors, because this scene evoked beauty and mystery to me the viewer who delights in such. The light reflection on the walls and seeing the faces in the mirror were intriguing and unusual. The changing moods, including humor and mediums of communication were clever, no doubt, however, I personally feel that using voice in the show spoilt the 'mystery and focus of the dancer'. In other words the 'Mimer' should never use the voice, the dancer is a mimer of sorts and using voice is like mixing TV and Radio to portray a message, you can't focus on both. The two scenes where the toy dog and the dancers integrate the mimic motion of the head and rag doll movement was clever, as was the two dancers doing additions and fazing it into a dance routine on the desks. The use of the stage and change of focus was also great! There are many areas to comment on that were fabulous, too many to mention, including the aesthetically beautiful ending which I enjoyed very much, for the colour and change in costume (finally! The mid knee pants were awful) and the beautiful violinist who clearly showed another talent. The weight of the other dancer she had to pull in, must have been quite difficult, but I don't think I really understood the last 'abstract scene', or maybe it was just a way to finish? The ending wasn't obvious so, it took a while to clap for everyone. The ending was beautiful so it didn't matter the meaning.

The negatives for me. Remembering that my opinions are unsubstantiated due to a lack of formal education and exposure to contemporary dance. It is further affected by the flip side of the coin of dance expression I do, which is based on quite different rules and measurements of dance.

Although very imaginative, creative abstract idealogical expressions of a woman's consumerism, I felt it lacked dance expression. There was not enough actual dance movement, dance vocabulary, dance flow and finer grace. I understand that it isn't ballet or Jazz, but I have seen dancers in contemporary that are more elegant and flowing in movement and agility. I found that some of the dancers couldn't carry off the movements they were attempting and they looked awkward at times, core strength and posture was lacking. I am not picking the instance of walking on teacups as I took that to be the portrayal of wearing high heels and that is why the dancer made it look awkward and clumsy and, as if, off-balance. I am talking about the 'spider movement' the balancing atop other items where leg lifts done did not look good. So, if we are to say that they should look awkward for what they are saying, than to me we move this to 'movement theatre' and not dance. I understand dance to look as if there is some skill, fluidity, flow to it, rhythm of movement, otherwise anyone and his dog could stand up and do exactly the same thing and the only difference is the script of the story. The contemporary leg kicks that take you to the floor or just to turn around had a nice line of movement, but unfortunately for me many of the executions of the movements were done too fast and spoilt the rhythm of flow that a movement should have to be appreciated, like singing a song with the wrong tempo.

As a comparison to my own dance style, which accentuates and celebrates being ALL woman and the feminine energy, there is no room for poetic expression but to portray the instruments and sounds of the music and the rules that apply to that. The control of body muscles rarely used is what is special, emotion is used in the takasim area, where the dancer is introverted and may show her softness, her heart. From what little I know of contemporary dance is that it is a way of expressing ideas and opinions with movement and that is usually done in a 'cynical way', often resulting in ugliness. From an artistic point of view, this is a wonderful thing to use the medium of movement to paint a picture of the world and what goes on according to an individual's observation or mainstream expressions. The down side to this in the entertainment world is that the audience is few and far between that can appreciate it. Just like poetry, these modes of expression require a mind that is predisposed to being able to interpret metaphor or use metaphor. I feel people like this appreciate ART as a whole. If you are like my husband, he doesn't and finds it horrible and won't go to a contemporary show unless there was something in it that was beautiful. But for a moment during the show when the girls proceeded to take off their bras, he sat up and was glued to the stage waiting for the moment that never appeared!!! LOL... men for you huh? Which part actually I didn't get... what was that to mean bent over taking off your bra and than distorting the arms and staying bent over... tell me what that is please.

Back to the general average joe bloggs (which I think, were the people that left the show, two people left only half way into the show, than another 5 or 6 people left later on). Maybe they were expecting theater? Or were they dance enthusiasts that were wanting more dance? On the whole, to reach the average person, artistic abstract ideas are not appreciated or understood. Simple and basics of dance movement and music is understood and is probably why belly dance can be sold to the average home for entertainment where they will hire you to dance at their home party. They like the glamor of costumes, the highlighting of beauty and femininity upbeat and happy.

Last but not least I personally find that whilst many expressions of contemporary dance is cynical often knocking what it is to be a woman, the underlying message to me is a rather negative one. It pushes the idea of being feminine as something that we must be rid of, or is such a burden. For me and most other belly dancers (is it the type of person?) find that the celebration and expression of being feminine and beautiful is something to strive to for the PURE reason that we LOVE to be a woman and feminine. We feel lucky to be able to dress up in sparkly things and be sensual, sexy and soft and be proud of it. Not for the reason that women in the early 1800s or 1900s had to be to please a man, NO, to please ourselves, because we love being a woman. To recognized the two energies one masculine one feminine, that connecting to one's femininity makes a woman feel whole, to feel great self esteem in that. That by being feminine she is powerful. This is not to knock that some women like to be masculine, that is fine. It is a paradox, whilst some contemporary dance expression is striving to free the woman from being or striving to be beautiful as freedom, I see it as a lack of true self esteem, acceptance of the feminine and it's true strength. The belief that they are not beautiful lingers deep inside, whether this is the average woman's thoughts and the result is dance taking the mainstream trends and putting it into dance or is it coming from the contemporary dancer and is she a certain type? Belly dancers generally are a certain type – the feminine, pretty I love sparkly things and being gorgeous type.  I still ponder on these thoughts and feel quite pleased that the world of Dance has so many facets to it, that there is definately something for everyone, and my own opinion just one of many.