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<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> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Archive"><U><I><U>September Archive</U></I></U></A></div> <div> Front Page</div> <div> <A HREF="id10.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Editorial"><U>Editorial</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id9.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bellyworld"><U>Bellyworld</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Music"><U>Music</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="introduction_yoga.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fitness"><U>Fitness</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Move of the Month"><U>Move of the Month</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Business"><U>Business</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="16c87590.png" border=0 width="135" height="89" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#CC0033" FACE="Berlin Sans FB" >  |    </FONT> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Navel Magazine"><U>Home</U></A></div> <div> Front Page</div> <div> <I><B>Amy Luna Manderino: The Polyamorous Bellydancer</B></I></div> <div> <I>Interviewed by Eleyda Negrón</I></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="162fe9c0.jpg" border=0 width="254" height="412" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="20" VSPACE="0">The main idea of creating Navel Magazine is to unify all different styles in bellydance and other ethnic fusions in a friendly environment with love, respect, and tolerance to one and other.  Therefore, in our first issue, we wanted that kind of bellydancer, one that has infinite love for the dance itself, no matter the style or influence.  Who can represent Navel's purpose?</div> <bR> <div> I don't think there is a better name than Amy Luna Manderino, a versatile artist that represents many art forms and loves them all.  A true inspiration of what the world of bellydance should be: a loving place for all styles, living together in harmony.  Directly from the Bahamas, Luna took some time off her busy schedule to answer some questions and talk to us about her experiences in this great world of bellydance.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel: </B></I><I>How did you discover bellydancing?</I></div> <div> <B>Luna:</B> I had just returned from a three month trip to Brazil where I had been studying and performing capoeira, the Brazilian martial art. Some of my capoeirista friends and I attended the Festival at the Lake in Oakland, California, where I saw Fat Chance Belly Dance perform for the first time and I was hooked.  I had previously managed a crisis hotline for the local battered women's shelter in college and spent countless hours counseling clients to realize their strength, dignity and sisterhood as women.  When I saw the American Tribal Style presentation I thought they conveyed the same message without words and I wanted to be a part of that.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel: </B></I><I>As bellydancers we have a notion where to go and study bellydance.  Where did you research and study to be able to perform the other ethnic dances?</I></div> <div> <B>Luna:</B> This is one of my favorite parts of my work, hunting down the resources to put together the music, costume and choreographies of dances rarely performed in the U.S., like the Indian Bhavai and Sapera dances of the Kalbeliya.  I was invited by the Galhar musicians of Rajasthan, India to perform at the Jaisalmer Desert Festival in 2006 and was able to study and document the dances from several different towns and villages.  When I returned I was asked to give a command performance of these dances for the Indian Consul of San Francisco.  Earlier this year, I was honored to be invited by Voice of Roma to present my research at this year's annual Herdeljezi Roma Festival where I was on a panel with two other respected Ph.D. scholars in Romani dance.  My research has also been included in the Romani Archives at the University of Texas at Austin.   In addition, as a member of Mensa, I was recently invited to present my research on Romani dance at their annual San Francisco regional meeting this November.  This was a prestigious invitation acknowledging the importance of preserving world cultures.   For me, presenting my research to these communities is one of the most important aspects of my work.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel: </B></I><I>We know you do bellydance, teach piano, design clothing and many other things. If you had to pick ONE, which of these do you prefer and why?</I></div> <div> <B>Luna:</B> Music, dance and costume design are all forms of creative expression. The choice of medium is not the important thing in the creative process.  What's most important is that you are creating.   You start from an idea - just a thought - and through work, discipline and love you physically manifest that idea to bring new joy or beauty to the world, or to preserve a tradition that speaks to your values.  But if asked which is my favorite, it must be dance since that is what I spend the most time creating.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel: </B></I><I>You have also mastered more than one style in bellydancing and ethnic dances; tell us more about all the styles you perform.</I></div> <div> <B>Luna:</B> I have choreographed and/or performed Bellydance (Tribal, Folkloric, Cabaret and Romani), Flamenco, Bollywood, Kalbeliya, Bhangra, Turkish and Russian Rom, Balinese, Salsa, Jazz, Burlesque, Capoeira, Spinning Poi, and Body Percussion.  I've also dabbled in Hula, Sufi, African, Samba, Korean and Moroccan styles of dance.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel: </B></I><I>Why are you interested in more than one style of bellydancing/ethnic dances?</I></div> <div> <B>Luna:</B> Performing many styles of dance allows me to express different parts of myself.  When I perform the sensuality of Bellydance, the playful joy of Bollywood, or the defiance of Flamenco it's like being an actress playing many juicy parts.  I am also fascinated by the choices that are made by different cultures regarding musical instrumentation, rhythm, and movement vocabulary.  Dancing a Turkish 9/8 or a Flamenco 12/8 is a wonderful opportunity to explore new musical worlds.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel:  </B></I><I>You have had appearances on TV and film, as well as having performed live at different venues.  Which one do you prefer: live performance or film?</I></div> <div> <B>Luna:</B> Hmmm.  That's sort of an apples and oranges question.  Film is great because you get total control over the outcome (that is, if you're doing the editing!) so you can present your vision as you wish.  Live performance depends on so many variables - the venue, the audience, the technical support - that you never know what you're going to get.  After rehearsal, I always think, "Well that was the rehearsal, I wonder what's going to happen in the show ..."  But that's the excitement of live performance, it's different every time and you have to be on your toes to react to any situation.</div> <bR> <div> But there's nothing comparable to the reward of appreciation from an enthusiastic live audience.  In a world of many illusions and delusions, having the opportunity to transport others to a place of authenticity and truth - if only for a moment in time - is an ancient, sacred tradition I am grateful to practice.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel: </B></I><I>I have to ask this: where did you learn to dance on top of wine glasses?</I></div> <div> <B>Luna:</B> One of my teachers mentioned years ago in a class that some dancers dance on glasses and I'm not sure why I was so intrigued, but I was!  I could never find any information on it, so I just worked it out myself.  I experimented with many different types of glasses and consulted experts, etc.  I used the same process to develop my flaming sword technique.  It always amuses me that dancing on wine glasses with a flaming sword on my head is actually one of the easier things I do as a dancer - it's mostly about balance and not dance technique, per se - but it always gets the biggest reaction and is my signature dance.  You can see it for yourself on the DVD "By Dancers for Dancers - Volume One" available on my website.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel: </B></I><I>Tell us your most memorable performance, and the one you would love to forget.</I></div> <div> <B>Luna:</B> By far the most memorable was participating in the Beijing International Cultural Festival in cChina performing bellydance with Lunatique, my bellydance company. Our first performance during the festival was on live national television for a viewing audience of over ten million people.  All the heads of state were in the audience and soldiers lined the aisles of the theater carrying machine guns! Another show in the Festival was outside for about 10,000 people and at the end they had the most incredible fireworks display in our honor. It was a great joy to share that moment with my dancers who had worked so hard to be there.</div> <bR> <div> Also, performing with Shuvani, my Romani dance company, in World Arts West's educational theater show "People Like Me" is a treasured memory. In three weeks, we performed 23 shows for over 14,000 Bay Area school children introducing them to the rich cultures of four different continents.  I was very proud to be a part of that show.</div> <bR> <div> As for the second question, I don't want to forget about any experience good or bad, as I believe we learn the most from our mistakes and challenges.  But I can say the least enjoyable performances for me are when the artist is not provided the necessary tools to perform well.  A cold dressing room, no place to warm up, no food or water backstage, sloppy lighting and sound, or an unsafe dancing surface are all distracting at best and dangerous at worst to presenting the art you've devoted years to perfecting.  Providing solid technical support is so fundamental, and yet often overlooked or not affordable for the event producer.  Unfortunately, our culture all too often does not have an awareness of the importance of supporting the arts through proper funding and consideration for artists.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel: </B></I><I>Are there any influences you would credit with your success?</I></div> <div> <B>Luna:</B> Absolutely!  I love studying the biographies of women dance pioneers like Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Dennis, Gulabo Sapera (famous Kalbeliya dance originator) and Sadayako, (the first geisha to travel to the west).  Their stories give me the courage to keep going in the face of the many challenges of an artistic life.  I've also been blessed with many supportive mentors over the years, too numerous to mention here. Throughout my career, I've formed treasured friendships with master dancers in many styles from varied cultures, who I've been honored to share the stage with, and who have inspired me with their art.  And, of course, I have to thank all my students over the years for their devotion and support.  Particularly Lisa Snodderly, Lunatique's Assistant Director and Gail Corrado, my Teaching Assistant.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="166ae760.jpg" border=0 width="686" height="374" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="20" VSPACE="0">Navel: </B></I><I>Lunatique is an awesome troupe that I personally enjoy watching.  Can you talk to us more about your troupe?</I></div> <div> <B>Luna:</B> Thanks! Founded in 1996, Lunatique was one of the first American Tribal Style spin-off troupes and we are featured in Kajira Djoumanha's excellent book "The Tribal Bible" as an early contributor to the development of ATS Bellydance.  Over the years, the company has evolved as I've evolved as a dancer and Artistic Director.  We've done many different styles of bellydance from Tribal to Folkloric, Cabaret and Romani inspired interpretations.  Several well known bellydancers made their debut in Lunatique, such as Frederique of Belly Groove, and Michelle Joyce who produced the "By Dancers for Dancers" bellydance performance DVDs I mentioned earlier.  This year, Lunatique was awarded first place at the Belly Dancer of the Year Pageant as the 2007 Belly Dance Troupe of the Year.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel: </B></I><I>Café Bellie is one of the most awesome and meaningful projects that I have seen around the Bay Area.  Tell us what this is about.</I></div> <div> <B>Luna: </B>I wanted to provide a venue for my students to perform on a regular basis.  Ashkenaz Community Music and Dance Center has been my studio for ten years, and it hosts many benefit concerts to aid the community, so it was the perfect choice for a venue.  I wanted to make a contribution from the dance community to local women in need, so I contacted the Women's Drop In Center of Berkeley, which aids homeless women and children.  Since 2002, we've raised close to $10,000 for the homeless and hosted just about every major Bay Area bellydance company and soloist.  Cafe Bellie occurs three times a year, in April, August and December.  After five years, it's still going strong!</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel:</B></I><I><B> </B></I><I>Which is your current or next big project?</I></div> <div> <B>Luna:</B> Well, I'm currently performing at Club Med in the Bahamas on a two and a half month run that will end in the middle of October.  This has been an awesome experience.  Scuba diving with hammerhead sharks by day, and performing six different styles of dance every evening to an audience of hundreds of people from around the world is quite a rush!  Following this contract, I'll join Voice of Roma's Ivo Papasov and Yuri Yunakov tour on the East Coast for several dates and then it's back to the Bay Area to edit my instructional DVDs filmed earlier this year: a four volume Romani dance series, and two volume Bellydance practice companion series.  Next year, I'll begin my Romani Roots tour under the representation of Voice of Roma, traveling to schools, universities and dance communities to teach and perform Romani styles of dance. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel: </B></I><I>For you: Bellydance is…</I></div> <div> <B>Luna:</B> …a joyful celebration of Woman's grace, strength, and sexual power, which creates the miracle of life.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http:// www.lunabelly.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http:// www.lunabelly.com"><U><I>http://www.lunabelly.com</I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.shuvani.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.shuvani.com"><U><I>http://www.shuvani.com</I></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>