This is an avenue for me to share all my experience, knowledge, and those little details that can help you on your belly dance adventure.
Feel free to post helpful comments as well. We're all students of dance, now and forever.
At Bahaia's 2011 Cabaret Dance Camp (belly dance camp), I had the privilege to be mesmerized by Zafirah's voi work. What is voi? Basically, it's poi with a veil attached. You can do single or double poi in your performance, and I swear it's one heck of a workout too!
Video from Amy Massicotte's Youtube Channel. This is Zafirah and her amazing voi work.
Making the voi is pretty simple, and reasonably inexpensive. The cost runs about $20 for all the poi materials, with shipping and handling figured into the cost. This doesn't include the cost of the veil either. I referenced the videos below as my "how to" guide.
Part 1: Discusses materials required for poi handle making.
Part 2: Assembling the parts of your poi handle, plus voi demo!
I used the discount code "dyed4you" at the site Home of Poi (http://www.homeofpoi.com/) to get 15% off my purchase, along with a trip to Lowes for some of the more common items (foam pipe cover, rod coupling nuts, key rings, and duct tape).
List of items required:
Site: http://dyed4you.com/blog/2010/11/making-a-voi-weight/
Honestly, it was very simple to make, minus the cat interference and the heavy duty stitches in the poi. Otherwise, assembly was a breeze.
Handle assembled, bag not sewn yet. The rod coupling nut is in the cut foam, and heavily duct taped before placing into fabric bag for extra protection.
All finished! I made sure to add extra stitches to really secure the key ring onto the poi body.
Now, how to use this thing?! Well, practice, practice, and more practice is definitely the first step. Make sure you are holding the handle loosely around your fingers, and not in a fist! This will limit your moves significantly. You can always attend a workshop with an experienced dancer, watch Youtube videos, or pick up a video such as Michelle Joyce's "Poi Spinning for Beginners." Also, there are cheaper alternative you can use to practice before you commit to voi, such as a tennis ball in a stocking, with a little duct tape to keep it in place and the opposite end looped off for ease of holding. Which ever you select, have fun! It's definitely a neat prop to get to know, plus it looks great. I love the arm workout too.
After a few years of belly dancing, or a few blow out sales you attended, chances are you will have a jewelry box busting at the seems too. In my case, my earrings were so big, they consumed my jewelry box drawers and/or they didn't fit! Now what to do? Until recently, I stacked them in boxes by my jewelry box, but that was before Pants and Pickles decided to go crashing through my setup repeatedly.
Then, I thought about options. I wanted something that would display my earrings so I remembered what I had, and also allowed for easy removal and replacement day to day, or performance to performance. Plus, I didn't want it to look drastically out of place on the wall.
At about 3:30am, my brain screamed a picture frame with screen mesh! Paint it, jewel it up, design it however you please! So, I listened, and I love the results. It was really easy, and I would be happy to make one for you in any color or shape you would like. Contact me for details and pricing at calamarjanidances@gmail.com or message me on Facebook at Cala Marjani.
"A
dancer, if she is great, can give to the people something that they can
carry with them forever. They can never forget it, and it has changed
them, though they may never know it." ~ Isadora Duncan
In the process of mentally drafting this piece, my brain kept fighting me on titling it "Your First Belly Dancer." Perhaps it was due to the title alluding to sexual connotation, but also it's not that simple. Originally, this was going to be a "bubble gum" piece that was very light on subject matter. Then, I really thought about it. My first exposure to belly dance was not at all that simple, nor something to brush off, instead itCHANGED MY LIFE! So, I hope to do this topic justice, because this is somewhat of a thank you to Ms. G, and hopefully a realization for you as a dancer as to how inspirational you can be to someone watching you just once.
Take Rachel Brice's first experience with belly dance:
"Rachel Brice first fell in love with Belly Dance when she saw the famous Hahbi'Ru in the early nineties. The spectacular antique tribal jewelry, facial tattoos, and rich textiles blew her
mind, but even more exciting was the variety of the performers' body
types. She'd always loved to dance, but felt self conscious about being a
little curvy. When she saw big, gorgeous, proud women with such strong
carriage and charisma, it changed the way she saw beauty. She started
classes right away."
I saw this video years ago, yet it somehow bubbled up in my memory. Well, that and I've been reminiscing about my start in belly dance 13 years ago. I was at a high school talent show, and it was your classic showcase of expected performances. Then, it happened! Ms. G took the stage in all her glittery brilliance, and I was in a state of awe. She glided and swayed across the stage, her every move interpreted the music with such emotion, it seriously overloaded my neurons! I wanted to force people to watch, I wanted them to all feel like I felt, I wanted to explode from this amazing wonder that just blew my little universe to smithereens. Here was a teacher who I saw all the time, and now she was this goddess up on stage!
Sure, I quickly noticed the audience grumblings of how that performance was "inappropriate" for an educator, or that she is "too old to be doing that type of thing." Still, I didn't care, I was addicted and in love. I sought Ms. G out as if my life depended on it, and thankfully she agreed to teach me privates. As far as I knew, she was the only belly dancer around the Jersey Shore at the time, but I am so appreciative she was there. I remember studying in her low-ceiling, dimly lite basement for hours. It was heaven.
Ms. G and I studied for several years on and off, depending on schedules and money (I was an undergrad, so dance classes were a luxury for sure). Then, I moved across the country to Oregon (a mecca of belly dance), and now Oklahoma. Still, through all that moving, I've kept up on my belly dance studies, and currently teach and perform as much as possible.
All that being said, I think of how my life changed because of this dance. Before belly dance, I was a very unhappy, shy, significantly overweight, lost girl. I had no idea who I was, nor did I love myself. I absorbed every nasty comment about my weight and skin, and I believed and ate everyone of them up literally. It's still hard to reflect back to that time, and I wish I could apologize to that girl back then.
Now, I honestly love myself. No, it did not magically happen overnight, but it did happen. Ms. G opened the door to that path for me. She taught the moves, but it took me appreciating how my body moved to the melodies to start to love myself. Sure I beat myself up for not looking just like her out of the gate, but I could do the moves, and they looked damn good too. I loved how my body looked doing hip lifts and figure 8's. Eventually, I even looked at myself in the mirror! I use to blur my vision so I didn't have to see that fat girl in front of me, and when I stopped you know what happened? I liked what I saw, there was no "fat girl," just a healthy, happy, young woman.
After that breakthrough, I started dressing up for dance. I purchased nicer exercise clothes, earrings, and a fancy hip belt too. Then after that, I started dressing nicer outside of class. I took time to put on flashy earrings, did my hair, a little makeup, and carried myself as if I were in class. People noticed too, and constantly remarked on my confidence and how I projected myself as a strong woman. As of recent, some women in my graduate program have told me they wear earrings, do their hair, and dress a little nicer because I inspired them! I helped others, unbenounced to me, appreciate themselves a little more too.
Now could all of this have happened without belly dance? I highly doubt it, because I don't think I would ever have learned to appreciate and love my body for what it is unconditionally. I think without dance I would still not be able to look in the mirror, and I doubt I would have ever thought I deserved pretty earrings. I certainly would had laughed in your face back then if you told me that in the future I would dance on a stage in front of strange people with my stomach exposed! Yet, here I am, in all my glittery glory.
Ms. G's veil ripple effect continues to expand, as a few weeks ago one of my students performed her first solo. Afterwards, a teenage girl told her she was her favorite. We found out later that this was the girls first belly dance show, and we even have pictures of that young girl dreamily watching my student dance. Even after the show, she told my student that her dance was still her favorite. How incredible. My student was this girls first belly dancer, how absolutely inspirational. Now, this girl may never go onto dance, but she had been moved by this single performance so much so she had to let it be known.
Ms. G may never know exactly how much she changed my life (or others, as now I teach), and I really should write her one of these days. Still, I thank her in my heart every single time I dance on stage or in my apartment, as well as to all those who have inspired me along the way. There are many dancers who are in my heart, and there are also many students past and present in there too, constantly getting thanked for all they have given me, whether they know it or not.
Just remember, every time you shimmy or whirl your veil, you may be starting a veil ripple effect for someone watching. You may very well find yourself an inspiration for someone. Perchance another Ms. G?
Last Saturday I performed at an event that I had done the year prior. Yet, the stage they used this year was very different. Basically, it consisted of 4'x4' blocks of carpeted raised cubes pushed together. There were gaps about 2 cm in between too! Yikes. I asked to perform on the floor, but the event was so crowded, the coordinator opposed it, since the back tables would not be able to view my dance. So, here I was just coming off a nasty Achilles injury, and had to face this questionable stage.
Not the actual stage, but similar.
After the introduction finished, the music started up and I begin to enter the stage. So far, so good. Then I started to do some travel moves and felt the stage wobble under my feet. Oh, no! I lowered my center of gravity in the travel moves, and tried to flatten my feet as much as possible to get a better grip. Mentally, I had to conjure up a variety of different moves that wouldn't result in me going head over heels. Thankfully, I typically practice what I've heard called "structured improv," which is that you have certain moves designated for certain points in the music. The rest is organic to that performance. Well, let me tell you, that was one organic performance! I had to really know my weight in those turns, and I had to be very mindful of certain areas on the stage (i.e. the 2 cm gaps!). This is where practice and understanding your body really comes into play! I emphasize this aspect in class, because I know that it's incredibly important not just to execute certain moves, but to really know your body and how to make it work with you in a situation such as this one.
Now, this was not the first time a stage or dance area has taken me by surprise. In my former dance community, there is a restaurant that hosts monthly belly dance shows. Well back then, my goal was to dance on that stage. In order to accomplish that goal, I had to do my time in the belly dance trenches, even audition via a Student Showcase. I nailed it, and was able to dance in the next show. I had watched dozens of shows there prior to performing myself, but no one, I mean NO ONE told me about the stage! I started dancing, and had all these crazy veil tricks and turns all planned out, and as soon as I started turning I felt the loose blanks of wood under the carpet. I felt it was only about three of them, but my goodness it made for a complexity that I had not even entertained in my head thus far. I always wondered if the regular dancers were either very use to it and forgot to mention it, or if it was new. Either way, it taught me to know your stage! I got through the performance that I dedicated to my mentor, and it went fantastic, loose planks aside.
Now there are other surfaces I caution you about, such as pavement, grass, and different types of floor coverings. I would advise you to always CHECK THE STAGE BEFORE YOU DANCE!!! I do, and it has never been a problem either. I typically arrive early, and try to walk the stage if possible. Also, make sure you are aware that if you are in a show with various dancers (belly dance or other), that dancers can loose beads among other items that could get under your feet and create a big problem for you. If you are worried, I'd recommend purchasing some Hermes sandals. Honestly, I'd purchase a pair anyways, because they are ideal for street performances, restaurants, hookas, and anywhere you run the risk of stepping in or on something and hurting yourself. Also, most food venues require you to have shoes due to hygiene requirements.
I've already written about those "final touches" to really pull your look together, but I feel I need to elaborate a little more. Specially on what I have found useful as I've gone along, and as I've become a more matured dancer. One of those items would be henna.
This is my favorite color. I'm such a fox!
When I was back in Oregon, there were a ton of dancers that had such vibrant and healthy locks. I inquired what they did to obtain that gorgeous hair. Most of them informed me they used henna. Yes, there were those that used chemicals to dye their hair, but the henna really made it look different to my eye at least. It was more shiny, and the color more natural too.
So, as the grays started coming in with age, I read up more on henna. I found that henna worked to stain the gray hair, where some chemical dyes could only cover it at best. Also, henna can easily be washed out if you are not thrilled with the color.
Before henna.
Henna
I am in LOVE with henna. Yes, it is a love/hate relationship, but more love. I love what it does for my hair, but I hate applying it every 40 days or so. Applying henna is akin to applying wet dirt to your hair that smells like pot (or so my husband says), and leaving it on for an hour. It takes awhile to rinse out the grit, but afterwards your hair is conditioned and so soft! I like to put cinnamon in my henna to lessen the smell. Also, apply heat to really let the natural pigments work their magic! I won't go all chemical on you, but trust me heat is a very good activator, just be aware of the plastic cap when heating with the hair dyer. Oh, and get about six big, plastic clips (never metal, since that would create an unwanted reaction) to hold the hair up under the cap. Lastly, use distilled water if you are in an area that has "hard water," due to the minerals in that water that will compromise a good henna coloration.
I included a color chart for you see color options from my favorite brand, Light Mountain. So pick your animal, and henna on :)
After I got photos back from my first student show, and asked the advice of a professional dancer that I had the privilege of studying with at that time. She took me by surprise when she commented I needed to polish my look up. I was taken aback. What did I miss? I put foundation on, the bright red lipstick, flattened my hair, had a ton of eye makeup on (or so I thought). So what did I miss?
Student Show, 2007
In looking back, I missed a lot. She told me to go and spend the money for a professional makeover, specifically at the MAC counter. She also informed me that as a redhead herself, she had to work hard at first to figure out what makeup made her features really "pop" in photos. So, I did all that, and after my next show, I saw the results instantly!
Now, I have even more knowledge on what makeup works best for me, and I still get makeovers every other year to learn new ways to apply makeup for performances. Also, I've learned to incorporate fake lashes (boy, they make a difference!), gradual tanner, jewelry that completes the look, and how to do my hair.
Nutcracker, 2012
Recently, I had two new students start with me, and I had seen performance photos from their former studio via Facebook. I advised them to get a makeover if they were serious about performing and eventually competing. At the next dance event, they took my advice, and their photos really showed it! I asked how they "felt" in the makeup and fixed up hair, and they commented it really did make a difference.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not a superficial person, but in truth if you want a good photo or video you can't have your lips disappear on your face! Yes, that happened to me. Oh, and my eyebrows also disappeared! I'm emphasizing that polishing up your look really does give you better photos. I also believe it helps you to channel that dancer personality too.
