Bellyworld: The Reviews

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <IMG SRC="21aa56d0.png" border=0 width="165" height="109" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#CC0033" FACE="Berlin Sans FB" >  |    </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CC0033" FACE="Berlin Sans FB" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0033" FACE="Berlin Sans FB" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Navel Magazine"><U>Home</U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Editorial"><U>Editorial</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Front Page"><U>Front Page</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Music"><U>Music</U></A></div> <div> Bellyworld: The Reviews</div> <div> <A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bellyworld: Donna Mejia"><U>Bellyworld: Donna Mejia</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id16.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Business"><U>Business</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="downward_dog.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fitness"><U>Fitness</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Move of the Month"><U>Move of the Month</U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> Bellyworld: The Reviews</div> <div> <B>Two Shows and a Book: The Reviews</B></div> <div> <I>By Eleyda Negrón</I></div> <bR> <div> Long lists scare me. Honestly.  Looking at stuff that has more than ten items, names, or anything else is something that brings me concern because it can be more than you can handle.  Sometimes it's true, sometimes it is false, sometimes it just is.  Here are two events (I know I am a little late) and one book I will give my two cents: all of them with long lists.  </div> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="1fe0da00.jpg" border=0 width="269" height="416" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="10">Blood Moon Zoo 2007</B></I>: October 27, 2007 was the 7<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> Annual Blood Moon Regale celebrated at the Colonial Theater in Sacramento, CA. This event had the following cast: Hot Pot Studio Students, Sina & Aepril Rose, Modern Gypsy, Oh La La, Samira, Mira Betz, Crystal Silmi, Luna Taylor, ORIGIN, Lorraine Hanson, Damage Control Dance Company, Lapsus, Agua de Beber Capoeira, Samantha Riggs, Suhaila Salimpour, Unmata and Amy Sigil.  With them, Sooz as the very funny tour guide. </div> <bR> <div> <I>The Goods:</I> They offered a full package: workshops, event, and after-party.  I just managed to be at the show and the after-party but rumor has it the workshops were great.  About the show I must say that I loved: the Elephants (Modern Gypsy) which probably had the best group choreography for the night, the Monkeys (Agua de Beber) that breaks the belly dance thing into a very nice Brazilian mode, the Ostriches (Ooh La La) I mean… Ooh!, the Jellyfish (Mira Betz) with the best costume ever, the Wolf (Ariellah) that was probably the spookiest, and the Lion (Suhaila) and the most amazing dance made up only with Maya… That said, Maya in one leg, Maya while in a split, and many other combinations of Mayas that I would never imagine they are anatomically possible. I enjoyed as well the Lemurs (Sina & Aepril) as probably the most acrobatic piece I have ever seen in belly dance. Oh! And the belly dance at the after-party was as ass kicking as the show itself. Plus, vegans know their ways in the gelato department, and I loved the vendors: few high quality vendors. Nirvana!</div> <bR> <div> <I>The Bads:</I> In general Blood Moon runs like a well-oiled machine but there are some little things that might need to be fixed to make it better.  Phone reservation was so-so. I called for reservations and when I claimed my ticket at the entrance it was not available. That said, they were quick to sell me one as I went there early anyway. The show started a little late.  Also, I prefer less flyers and probably a more classic program with information about the performers, volunteers, and such (collectors and writers like me LOVE either to buying them or get them for our notes). When it comes to performances I think it was fantastic, I would love to see less boycott and more dance from Lapsus, as they are a very good troupe that is becoming one of my personal favorites (which I regret the fact I forgot to mention them in the Gothfia article… Silly me). Also, I am not sure if it was costume selection, animal selection, or natural selection but Luna Taylor's seahorse fell a little bit short. I do not blame Luna though, I think she stretched what a seahorse can do dance wise in that sense. Luna, kick the seahorse outfit for me please.  </div> <bR> <div> <I>Overall: </I>The trip to Sacramento is a little long for me, but with time and probably staying there for the weekend I can see myself going back again this year to this terrific show. It is well balanced, suitable for all the family and just a lot of fun. 4.5 out of 5</div> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="1fb0b900.jpg" border=0 width="267" height="400" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="10"></B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Shadowdance:</B></I> On November 10<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> 2007, at The Metro in Oakland CA, the second Shadowdance was celebrated.  The casts for this event was: Aixela, Anaar, Romka, Unmata, Sashi, Serpentine, Mitara, Electric Vardo Cera, Auberon, Haven, Freyja, Ariellah and Amar, Soozhy Q, and DJ Decay in the music.</div> <bR> <div> <I>The Goods</I>:  The show is fair to the name. Shadowdance is a fest of the macabre in all its glory. This is not a treat for kids though, and you must be a Goth lover.  The Goth community in SF enjoyed one of my favorite Goth/Industrial DJ's - DJ Decay, who obviously is unknown in the belly dance world (unless you are Goth of course). This year it also had an outstanding set of workshops and I took them all. Ariellah had Yoga conditioning, Freyja had Pop and Locks, and Unmata had their Unamata 110%. All of them were just fabulous and I had a couple of moves I still working for myself. I loved the trapeze artist. I mean, a trapeze! Freyja, Cera, and Ariellah were my favorite performances, as well Anaar with her “The Ring” like performance. She still scares the heck out of me. The nice projection screen with the name of the performers was a very good idea as well. Unmata was interesting but dudes, really, tetanus shot? Anybody? Ah! And you gotta love online ticket sales. Priceless!</div> <bR> <div> <I>The Bads: </I>Because this is a Goth event, and a belly dance event, if you are not into Goth or alternative belly dancing this event can be a little dense for spectators.  Also, Aixela's invocation was not well appreciated.  I am not sure if it was male sacrifices act with hanging penises (I know, odd) or what the heck was that but it was so disturbing it was laughable. The performances in general were all OK but, from my own perspective and people I talked within the public; we were expecting a little more dancing and a little less theatrical. After all, it should be a belly dance event. Also, I liked the screen, but it was on the side, so I would love a bigger participation from the lovable Raven (I really loved her outfit, as well she is a fine MC). Finally, I think this event is growing very quickly, so even the Metro is small and nice, it might be too small already.  Maybe you might consider moving it to a bigger place where special price is not differentiated by seat or no seat, but front seat or back. </div> <bR> <div> <I>Overall: </I>For a show that is once a year and this is the second one, I think this is a fine show for the dark belly dancer. Workshops are for all belly dancers, not necessarily just Goth and they are great. Indeed, probably the most useful workshops I took in 2007. I think it is a young event and many things improved from the first show to this one. On this growing path it will surely change many others for the third show this year 2008 and I'll be there to witness them.  4 out of 5</div> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="1fc3bdb0.jpg" border=0 width="315" height="475" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="10"></B></I></div> <div> <I><B>“Stories from Inside the Mirror”: </B></I>The belly dance inspired book edited by Robert Rohloff and Miriam Cunha is a compilation of several stories that should narrate the dancers, dancer partners, and belly dance lovers why they are so inspired by belly dance. The book has more than thirty five authors (yes, more than 35) plus three articles about choreography, selecting a stage name, and Raks Sharki music.</div> <bR> <div> <I>The Goods:</I> This is a very honest and genuine effort.  “The Mirror as my Teacher” by Amira was probably the most touching story.  “Le Danseur” by Ariellah (yes, the very same Ariellah that is also in this magazine, was at Blood Moon and Shadowdance. Is she a hard worker or what?) was a very cute insightful work and I loved when foreign languages were used: she used some French, as she speaks it fluently as well. Also, other stories were in English and Portuguese versions. Robert Rohlloff wrote very funny and true stories from the husband perspective that fit almost like a glove my poor husband.  Miriam Cunha last articles about choreography, music, and stage names were a nice little detail to add and I enjoyed greatly the writing from Despina and her interviews from the Down Under.</div> <bR> <div> <I>The Bads:</I> As I love other languages I will use a little Spanish to describe this thought. “El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta” which in essence means “Don't bite off more than you can chew”.  Even the book had about 37 authors or so, it has only 155 pages which imply just one thing: not a lot of content.  I can tell most of the dancers wrote from their own personal experiences, and personal experiences are valuable even if they are written as a Pulitzer Prize winner or a fifth grader.  Even though, this is a book, and many of the articles are not book quality.  In my humble opinion, when it comes to a book, you need writers that are belly dancers, and not belly dancers that might be able to write a paragraph or two.  As an English as a second language writer, I can forgive editing mistakes and other stuff but again, I need content.</div> <bR> <div> <I>Overall: </I>It is hard for me to rate this book as I have double feelings towards it.  For many of them belly dance was the difference between a self conscious and minimized woman and a powerful and victorious female.  For others, belly dance literally saved their lives.  But on the other hand, I don't think that two paragraph stories that explain that they like belly dance because it made them feel good is worth to buy a book.  I would recommend this book though, for the newbie belly dancer or that friend that is struggling with their own lives. They might find some raw wisdom here. For the hardcore reader, this is not your Oprah's Book Club next recommendation. 3 out of 4 (Due the effort these ladies and gentlemen made).</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>