1) Hold the Line – Major Lazer

2) Modeselektor  - Silikon

3) Azaelia Banks – 212

4) Lady Gaga – Americano

5) Solace – Bounce

6) C’est Ci Bon – Eartha Kitt

7) The Heavy – How You Like Me Now

8) Gossip – Heavy Cross

9) Justin Timberlake – Let the Groove Get In

10) Etta James – I Just Wanna Make Love to You

Members of SFOF/F&G with Mira and her adorable baby

This past weekend, members of Skirt Full of Fire and Fire & Gold traveled up to Tempe for the opportunity to spend a weekend immersed in workshops with Mira Betz. What an experience! Mira’s teaching style transcends the barriers of “tribal” and “cabaret” and simply teaches you to be a better dancer no matter how you dance. This weekend’s workshops had a strong emphasis on improvisation, connection with the music, and honing the general skills of an expert dancer. A lot of the concepts that we worked with were drawn from theater, which was perfect for me because I’ve been getting into the idea of character pieces this year.

I’m really excited that Rachel, Melanie and Sandy came up for this as well. I think it’s great when troupemates take workshops together, because then you can all internalize the lessons and start applying them to group choreographies and troupe dynamics! Plus it gives you a group of people to discuss things with, and get a different perspective on what the teacher said. All week, I’ve been watching lightbulbs go on over our heads as Jolie says something in class and one or more of us is obviously thinking “I can apply this thing I learned to this exercise. YES!” I’m still filling my dance journal with excited notes as I remember different tidbits from the workshops, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.

One of the things I love most about attending workshops at Plaza de Anaya is that there’s almost always a gala show, which is also held in the studio. These shows have a real intimate atmosphere, and like the bellydance fangirls we are, SFOF/F&G grabbed seats in the front two rows so we could absorb every detail of dance and costume. And let me tell you… that moment when Mira is just two feet away from you and you lock eyes at an intense moment in her performance? Electrifying.

This image was recently posted on our Facebook fan page and I was really moved by it. It’s all great advice for performers, but #7 really stood out to me. “The only rule is work.” So simple and true. It’s become my new dance motto.

It’s very easy to become complacent in dance (or it is for me at least). I often find myself thinking “Oh, I know the choreography for tomorrow well enough and it’s not like I’ll get that much better if I practice it today” or “Sure, I could practice hips on the down at home, but why not ask to do them at class? I bet everyone else wants to get better at them, too” or “Well everyone loved my solo at the last performance so obviously I am awesome and I just don’t need to work anymore.”

And then what do I do while I’m not practicing? I sit here at my computer on Facebook and Pinterest. I look at pictures of amazing dancers with beautiful lines and gorgeous costumes. I read status updates of teachers returning from tours in Europe. I watch videos of festival performances. And I sigh and think “Oh, I wish I was that good. I wish that was me. I wish I looked like that.” I daydream about what my life will be like when I’m a big-shot professional dancer.

But the truth is, none of the women who I admire became who they are by daydreaming alone. They trained hard to dance beautifully. They either stitched those costumes themselves, or worked hard to make the money to buy them. They paid professional photographers to take beautiful pictures. They traveled to festivals, to perform, teach, network, and build their reputation. Most if not all of them work out and do yoga and cross-train in other dance forms to maintain a strong, beautiful body. And I bet that not a single one of them has said to herself “Ok, I’m good enough, I don’t need to work at it anymore.” If she did, we’d probably get bored of her when she never grew as an artist, and she’d fall off our collective radar, replaced by new, hard-working dancers who haven’t grown complacent.

There are many paths to being a great dancer. You can train with one teacher or many, or even be self-taught. You can focus on one style or fuse a couple. You can be a soloist or join a troupe or do a little of both. But they all have one thing in common: work is the only rule. Go to class. Practice at home. Sit down with needle and thread, or work extra hours to afford the costume of your dreams. Book a photographer. Update your website. Jog three times a week. Read biographies of great performers. And yes, daydream from time to time to remind yourself of where you want to be. But above all, work.

Sophia Ravenna is a member of Fire & Gold Bellydance. She also blogs at http://dancepantsaddict.blogspot.com

All my love,
Jolie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9HVAHbg_3k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XhTA4xOxCc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYZfcFzcwxo

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R27KxREogQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y-QW-t-KRA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwy1_a1pvOg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv5dWJhqaUY

Keep it in perspective.

People are busy, that’s the long and short of it.  If a producer doesn’t contact you back with the information you need within a week, a friendly reminder might be needed.  Keep it light!  When working with a lot of performers, things can be forgotten.  The best intentions of keeping up with communication go by the wayside when life gets in the way and, especially, when you receive upwards of 50 emails a day from people who need detailed and thoughtful responses.  Acknowledge that a lot of work goes into producing an event and that they will get back to you when they have a chance!  That being said, if you are missing critical information from a producer and the date is drawing near, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

READ.

There is nothing more frustrating than having to give the same information over and over to different performers because they didn’t thoroughly read what you needed from them.  It is unprofessional and time-consuming.  Before you send that email asking for information, make sure you’ve done your homework!  Check  any emails the producer might have sent, check Facebook invites, and check websites associated with the event.

Do your homework.

When a producer asks for certain things (like MP3s instead of other types of music files or high-res images) and you’re not sure how to provide them, check out google for the information first!  You want to make yourself as easy to work with as humanly possible so you will be one of the first people they ask for when they set up their next event.  Google is amazing.  If you can think of a question, someone has a tutorial on how to do it.  Take the time to educate yourself so that next time you won’t have to think twice about it.  Besides, it’s empowering!

Arrive on time.

The day of an event, a producer has about a million things on his or her mind.  Will anyone show up?  Will I have sound issues?  Will rodents of unusual size take over the venue?  Will I forget how to speak English?  The LAST thing a producer wants or needs to worry about is whether or not you are going to show up.  Pay attention to call times and do whatever you have to do to abide by them.  That being said, if a call time is more than an hour before an event and there is no tech-rehearsal required, make sure the producer is respectful of your time and energy.  If you show up in hair and makeup ready to go and you’ve sent your music ahead of time, you should be able to get away with showing up a half an hour early.

Choose your battles.

Inevitably, if you’re performing for long enough, you will run into things you do not agree with.  It’s bound to happen.  My suggestion to you is to really think about whether or not you want to create an issue out of it.  Often times, if I find that something really bothers or offends me, I’ll give myself a deadline of a few days or upwards of a week.  If I still feel that the issue is too much to let go, I’ll spend a day or so trying to craft a diplomatic email addressing the problem.  Obviously, some issues warrant immediate response, but lighter issues should be considered before action is taken.  Use your best judgment.  The main thing is, you don’t want to burn bridges by being persnickety about everything.

Share the event!

While performers shouldn’t be expected to sell x amount of tickets for a performance (that’s a promoter/producer’s job) they should pimp the event to ensure that it is successful for everyone.  The more people come to your show, the more energy will be in the audience, and the more fun you will have performing!  While it can often slip a performers mind, be sure to at least post about the event the month before, two weeks before, and the week leading to the event.  Post the information to groups that might be interested in attending, and send your super-supportive grandma the information for the event.  Performers that consistently bring in a good amount of people get hired again, so do yourself a favor and at least try to get people to come to your shows.

Get your game face.

No matter what is going on in your life, show up in a positive mood, ready to dance with NO EXCUSES.  The energy you bring to a gig should be light, professional, and fun.  The more positive everyone is backstage, the better the show is.  I find that to be true every time.  Be sure to limit your alcohol intake or just don’t drink while performing.  Alcohol is a depressant and you don’t really know how it’s going to affect your mood until you’re in the thick of it.  When you are working with a group of people, even as a soloist, the energy that you all have affects the way the group works together.  Even if you don’t have any group acts, you will all feed off of each other’s energy and that will make for a more entertaining performance for all, especially the audience.

Show up prepared.

Double check, triple check, and quadruple check that you have absolutely everything you need or could need.  Show up with hair and make-up in place whenever possible so that you aren’t taking up valuable dressing room space.  Show up with safety pins, hair-spray, make-up, an emergency sewing kit, a cover-up, and all your costume pieces.  Additionally, show up with your music on CD and an iPod.  You never know when you’ll have music problems.  When you consistently show up and behave professionally and, excuse my language, have your shit together like a grown-ass adult, you will gain a reputation as a good person to work with.  Your job is to make no one worry about you and to constantly perform to the best of your ability.

Be clear and keep copies!

Any interaction with a producer should be saved and filed away for the benefit of both parties.  Pay, length of sets, location of event, and time commitment should be clearly written out.  The week before an event, be sure that you read back through the details of the event so that you are clear on what is required of you and what you will get in return.

Say thank you.

I am so bad about this.  I’m always running 90-to-nothing and forget the most simple thing you can do to keep communications with hiring producers.  SEND A THANK YOU NOTE!!!  This keeps you in the producers head when they are hiring and also lets them know you appreciated the event and would like to participate again.

I have been given non-stop compliments and thanks to be shared with you for you guys showing up for the UMC holiday party. Everyone LOVED you, staff, patients, everyone, and they hope to have us back for future events (and you guys are getting mad props in our newsletter).

One person in particular, a patient, really loved you. Every year we adopt families in need and give them baskets full of gift cards and groceries and holiday type items to help them through the holidays. One of our adopted families, while here getting his treatment that day, heard there were going to be dancers, and asked the nurses to wheel him out so he could watch you perform. He stayed for the entire set, beaming from ear to ear and really enjoying watching you all dance. He died Christmas morning. His wife shared with my team that she took a picture of him that day while watching you perform because it was the first time she had seen him look genuinely happy and uplifted in months, and it is the last picture to be taken of him. His wife is so touched and grateful to have been given that gift during his last holiday season.

I hope you can understand how much you all impacted and gave this man and his family in his dying days and what you gave to everyone by showing up and being your beautiful selves. I don’t know if you have ever worked with the elderly or the sick, or have personal experience with end of life, but it’s true when they say that it is the little things, even a dance performance put on by strangers, that can make the biggest difference. Interning here has shown me first hand how painful and scary the end of life process can be, but also how beautiful it can be. The holidays are stressful for anyone, even more so for our patients and their families as they have the added stress of fighting to survive cancer. Not only did you give everyone some much needed holiday cheer and joy, you gave this man a beautiful exit.

I hope you can understand how meaningful your performance meant to everyone and especially to this family. I am truly blessed and honored to be a part of a group that is as beautiful and wonderful as all of you.

I remember this man and remember how happy he was to watch us.  Truly, one of the most engaged and responsive audience members I’ve ever had.  This just goes to show that there is no gig to small, you never know who is in the audience and what they will take away from your performance.

For the past five months, I’ve been living my life here in Tucson with one foot out the door. I’ve neglected my business, my personal life, and my family because I couldn’t fully commit to the idea of being here. Tucson itself wasn’t necessarily the problem, it was my attitude. A friend once told me “if you can be bored in any city, it’s just proof you’re a boring person.” I love that. And, to a large degree, he was completely right. I mean, sure, other cities have resonated more with my ideal lifestyle, but Tucson has a lot that I can appreciate and work with. So, here’s the real issue…I’m completely at home with picking up and moving on. I’ve moved around my entire life. It is useful, that ability to adapt and change, but it ultimately means I have a difficult time committing to most things past a certain point. I lose steam, get bored, lose focus, start to eat a lot and fantasize about other things I could do with my life. I bet training horses in Nebraska is fun, and if that proves too much of a pain in the ass, I could teach kids in Botswana to whittle.

My friend Lady Jack and I joke about our existential crises all the time. I think part of it is about the fantasy life of the artist. Not that the artist’s life is anything to fantasize about, just that we of a certain creative disposition tend to live so fully in our fantasies that we can lose focus with what is, like, you know, actually happening in the world around you.  Case in point, I started this blog entry about three weeks ago during a sudden rush of inspiration, and then I watched some Dr. Who and began thinking about creating my own sci-fi franchise.  I lost some time in there, and it was kind of a jolt to come back because I, you know, had people asking me to do my job.

So, how to tame the artists’ whims…it’s a tricky subject.  To a large degree, the artists’ whim is what gives you what you need to create.  Although it is largely unreliable, when it delivers, it delivers spectacularly.  Conversely, any time I’ve forced myself into a creative work pattern (besides the necessities of taking classes, self-rehearsal, and administrative chores), the work has been tedious and boring, not worthy of my time or forced effort.  This is what makes it difficult not to feel like a lazy-ass of astronomical proportions.  I admire people who plug away every day at their creative work, really making the material come about by tooth and nail, but I don’t seem to have much luck with that method.

I think what I’ve learned about myself is that I function better with structured chaos.  I cannot be tethered to one art-form, nor can I fully dedicate myself to scheduled creativity.  I work best under extreme pressure of deadlines and having people rely on  me for what I am providing.  I am a perfectionist, 100%, so it is difficult to relinquish the time to polish material until it’s my perfect vision, but I doubt that anything would ever be good enough for me if I actually gave myself the time to make it flawless.  So I have to give myself pressure and I also have to let go.  That’s a weird balance to strike.

Recently, Cera Byer created and released a “Dancer’s Day Planner”.  I find this to be a pretty genius way to track habits regarding dance and nutrition, maintain inspiration, and keep things organized.  I think, with proper implementation of this tool and tools like it, artists can keep themselves motivated and focused.  I tend to thrive on list-making, myself, so I’m interested in seeing what this very specific kind of day-planner could do for me.

This is me saying to 2013, watch out.  I’m regrouping and reorganizing, and I will kick your ass.  How about you?  What are your plans for when the world doesn’t end?

I could have taken the time to write lengthy responses to all of the guilty parties, share my woes with other members of the community, and publicly lash out against the offenders, but I ultimately chose to put my energy to better use by focusing on my own priorities: my dancers, my technique, my creative output, and my life.  I ignored the guilty parties knowing that they will, eventually, reap what they sow, and I’d like to gain as much distance from them as I can when that happens.

I share my own story because  I so often see people in all kinds of communities bring their issues with other members of said community to common grounds such as Facebook, Twitter, and blogs.  While I understand the frustration and pain caused by others behaving in a negative or unethical way, it does very little for you in the long run to bring your issues to a public forum.  Even if you win the argument, what do you gain?

The best way to get over negativity is to find things that make you feel good and to focus on your own goals.  Let the nay-sayers do their own thing; I promise you, they won’t get far.

We’re are taught from the time we are little that showing emotions can be linked to weakness.  Boys are taught to hide their tears and girls are taught to buck up.  It becomes and remains scary to show our true emotions and to really let go and express what we feel, and this becomes a hindrance to us as adult dancers.  So, let’s think about what is really scary about showing emotion on stage.

1) What if the audience doesn’t like it?

So?  What if the audience doesn’t like it?  Will it make you want to stop dancing?  If the answer is yes, a career in dance is not for you.  You, as a dancer, will be given your fair share of unresponsive audiences.  That is par for the course.  If you truly love dancing, you must face the fact that you will not reach every audience member and that’s completely o.k.  An audience has a right to choose what they like and what resonates with them just as you have a right to choose what you like and what resonates with you.  It is not their job to clap for and support you.  We must get away from the idea of our life revolving around being superstars.  You will, in the course of dancing, have people that do not care for what you bring to the table.  If that is the hardest thing you ever have to deal with in life, congratulate yourself and move on.  Many people face much worse in their lives.  Don’t let a bad audience make you retract what is true and beautiful about your dance, but also don’t put on your rose-colored glasses and neglect to see what works and what doesn’t.  Find your balance, but don’t let it eat you alive.

2) What if I lose myself in the emotions I’m bringing up?

Why would that be considered a bad thing?  We are strongest when we express fully an idea or concept without regard to how it makes us look.  Be honest in your moments and seek to lose yourself.  It’s only by losing yourself in those emotions that you will gain more control of yourself as an artist.  And, don’t forget,  you can also lose yourself in joyful moments.  I’m assuming you wouldn’t always dance to slow, sullen songs.  Allow yourself that range of emotion and seek to experience all levels of it.   Your audience will, more often than not, appreciate things that are genuine.  An audience may not know the difference between a clean or sloppy belly dance movement, but they will know if you aren’t feeling it 100%.

3) What if I fail at what I’m trying to express?

Good!  You are meant to try and fail just as you are meant to try and succeed!  You should put yourself out there to risk things not working out because it will make you a stronger entertainer, dancer, and artist.  You will learn quickly what works and what doesn’t if you just try it.  Allow your mind to seek the grandest outcome and reach for it.  If you aren’t failing at times, you are not trying hard enough.

I know it’s trite, but the old quote “there’s nothing to fear but fear itself” is true.  You are capable of amazing things, but you have to operate with a sense of fearlessness.  Try and try again the things that you want to do.  Fall on your face and practice more!  Let your journey be rocky and let that reward be even sweeter because the trip was hard.  You will be a stronger artist if you let go and stop operating out of fear.

I unabashedly love this song, just can’t help myself, and it totally fits this entry.  ”Baby, you’re a firework/Come on, show ‘em what you’re worth!/Make ‘em go oh! Oh! Oh!/As you shoot across the sky.”  Don’t be afraid to show yourself, really show yourself.  Don’t be afraid to make it personal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGJuMBdaqIw