Who needs a name!

So something that's been rattling around in my brain a lot lately has been this concept of labels in bellydance. It seems like everyone is in a big toot to fit themselves into some sort of hole. ie: "I'm Cabaret" or "I'm Tribal Fusion". Or even more specific "I'm Egyptian Cabaret" or "I'm Gothic Tribal Fusion". Then they all like to get in their respective corners and stay there. There's nothing more sad than hearing a dancer say "Oh, I don't want to take that workshop because the teacher is Tribal and I'm a Cabaret dancer".
It reminds of cliques in high school. You had the "Popular" girls over here, the "Goths" over there, the "Band Kids", the "Drama Kids", etc. & then there was me who made it a point to not fit into any of the cliques and just pick & chose the people and events that I actually liked.
I've noticed that I've done the same thing in bellydancing. I'm really not cabaret. I can't call myself tribal because I have no real background in ATS. I suppose you could consider me "Cabaret Fusion", but I hate the term fusion! It really doesn't describe anything. I think dancers just use it as a license to vary from the norm. Personally, I just like using the umbrella term bellydance and leaving it at that, but if pushed into a corner I would have to call what I do Modern American Bellydance. I like the word modern for two reasons. One, I feel like I pull a lot on my background in modern dance, and two, I take a literally modern approach to the art form. I'm not trying to be classical. The word "American" is thrown in there because I feel that what I do is much more western than eastern. Once again, not classical or folkloric at all. It draws on American influences in music & costume & movement styles. A lot of people get there nose bent out of shape that Bellydancing isn't very Middle Eastern anymore. So I just don't claim that it is! & of course there's the ever present debate about the word "bellydance". It might have some negative connotations to it, but I the general public GETS what bellydance is. I don't use the term Middle Eastern Dance, because (as stated above) what I do is way too westernized. & the term Oriental dance, just confuses people.
Whew! That was a mouthful! My real point with this post is to challenge dancers to challenge the title that they give themselves. Don't let yourself be pigeon holed into one little corner. Feel free to step out of bounds explore what else is out there. After all, that's what art is all about!

Baby Block?

So this is frustrating. I apparently (& maybe it's just a today thing...) can no longer just put on music & dance. I'm not sure if it's because everything just feels so different on my body, or if it's because I seem to have pretty high expectations of myself lately. I either feel like I'm just prancing around or going through a list of beginner moves. It's really strange. Technique-wise I feel I'm really pretty solid, but creatively (at least when it comes to dance) I really don't think I'm in a good place. I get too brainy. Maybe I need to do some work to feel more comfortable in the space I'm in. I feel very out of place & exposed dancing in this apartment. Bleh.

The Artist Date

So I took one of these last week and thought it would be a good thing share :)

I first read The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron () as part of my senior project in dance in college. Fabulous book for anyone persuing an artist path.

One of the things I learned from that book and have continued to do is the Artist Date. So what exactly is this date?

I like to think of it as a play date for your inner artist :) No one else is allowed to go (no friends, no significant others); Just you and the artist/little kid that lives inside you and might not always get to come out and play. The point is to do something to nuture your artistic self. It doesn't have to take all day, it doesn't have to be expensive.

Things I've enjoyed doing in the past: going to see a movie, checking out a museum/art exhibit, doodling in sketch book in a park, going window shopping, or maybe shopping with the express idea of buying something for less than five dollars that would just make me really happy but has absolutely no practicle use (buttons, silly toys, chocolate, things that smell good....)

It's really amazing how good it feels to do something just for yourself. Having some time to yourself and then exposing yourself to something new and great food for the artistic soul.

As an artist, particularly as a performing artist, we focusing on giving all the time. We take what is inside us and try to express it to world outside. It's like scooping water from a bucket. Each time you create or perform, you take a scoop out and share it. However, eventually the bucket will become empty if you don't stop to refill it every now and then.

That's what the artist date is for!

Here's what I did on my last date: I left the apartment knowing that I needed to run some errands. So I took care of everything I *needed* to first. Then wandered through the shops in Aggieville (a local shopping/food/bar district). I looked at pretty clothes and jewelry that I knew I couldn't afford. Then I looked a shop that just sells really random stuff (Acme Gift, for the locals). I love this shop. They have some seriously funny and random stuff. I ended up walking out of there with 2 cute buttons to add to my purse. One had a cartoon teapot and cup and the other had a smiling cupcake with a pirate eye patch :) Did I *need* these? Oh heck no! But they made me happy. I put them on my purse (with my other random buttons) and they make me smile every time I see them. I enjoyed walking between the shops, enjoying the fall weather.

It wasn't big or important. But it was nice to just hang out with myself :)

I challenge you to give it a try sometime!

Getting back to it....

Okay...So I've really been neglecting my poor blog. However, I am going to try to do better! Here we go!

Since I lost wrote, a lot has been happening. The biggest news is that it finally looks like I'll be moving! My husband is just about done with his PhD and will (more than likely) be taking a job in San Diego (there's a still a few things that could change that....). I've already picked out the dancers whom I'm like to study with the most: Heather Stants of Urban tribal & Jim Boz. Heather's style is a truly beautiful mix of modern dance & bellydance. Right up my alley, no? And Jim does classic Egyptian cabaret. I'd love to get a more firm grasp on the basics, particularly the historical and cultural side of the dance. That just isn't something I've the opportunity to experience yet. So decisions will have to be made when the time comes and in general I'm just getting all kinds of excited & nervous at the same time!

Due to the move, I'm once again not teaching....and loving it! It's nice to be able to just focus on myself (selfish, I know, but it's necessary). I feel like I'm finally beginning to dig out what my personal movement style is. One of the days I'd really like to take Mira Betz's performance intensive. It's designed to do just that! If you go with Bartinieff Fundamentals, my movement style definitely has free flowing energy, not bound. In general, you see free flowing more in cabaret style while bound energy is found more in Tribal Fusion (ala Rachel Brice). I'm also getting more comfortable with the idea that my style isn't like anyone else's. I like colors and perkiness and a general sense of nostalgia. I want my dance to have a message, to be more than entertainment, to be art.

At least, that's where I am today...

Isadora, Mira Betz, and a personal push

This is going to be an exceedingly random post. So hold on to your socks.

1. In something completely non-dance related, I've been learning how important it is to write things down. Thoughts are merely thoughts and nothing more until they are written down. Once written, they become more concrete and the writer is suddenly held liable for her statements. So in that vain, I'm going to try and write more and try to overcome my adversion to the written word! (Well, I only find it adversive when I'm the one doing the writing!)

2. One of the more recent books I read was the autobiography of Isadora Duncan, one of the founding mothers of modern dance. She was one of the first people to reject to strictures of ballet and develope dance as a more organic art move; Not a dance based on rules and lines and angles, but of flow and expressing the inner workings of the mind. She shed the leotards, tights, and point shoes and opted for flowing silk tunics and bare legs & feet (which was rather shocking during the Victorian period that she lived in). Her life complete revolved around her dance. Creating "pure, athentic" movement was her sole drive and she completely devoted herself to it. It was amazing to read about her dedication, creativity, and pioneering spirit. It's a fantastic read for any dancer out there! I think if she were around today she would definitely be a belly dancer. I think what we call modern dance has once again become too codified and structured and that Isadora would be drawn the more organic form and open spirit of bellydancing. This whole book really got my brain spinning off into new directions...

3. Somewhat spawning from reading this book, and also just coming from my own craving for continuing education and enlightenment in my chosen art form, I've decided that what I would really like to do this summer is an intensive study with someone. Over the past 5 years, I've been to various short workshops with a single instructor, or a longer series of workshops taught by multiple people I'm getting tired of just getting a taste of someone and their style and then being kicked out the door! I really want to sink my teeth into something juicy! In the fall, I did 6 months of online classes with Suhaila Salimpore and really enjoyed it. I could take class from someone else who definitely knew what they were doing everyday! However, I eventually became frustrated with how muscular based her system is. I was (and still am!) yearing to go deeper; To get away from just learning moves and really learning how to express myself with that. So upon doing quite a bit of research, I decided that I'd really like to study with Mira Betz. One reason is because she's one of the few instructors out there who offers regular intensives, rather just random workshop here and there. The particular one I'm looking at would give me 13 hours of instruction with her in a limited sized group over 3 days. I need just a little more information for that workshop, and then hopefully I'll sign up for it! Yay for con. ed.!

4. So I believe I've mentioned in a post blog how I've decided I'd like to try my hand at starting a costuming business. Well so far, I haven't done much! I really need to kick my butt in gear. I just finished reading Brisingr (which was totally sucking up all of my attention), so I'm hoping to get a little more focused. I have actually completed my first prototype. It needs some work, but hey! It's a prototype! Right now my biggest hang up is getting the patterns for the different sizes made up. It's hard to size something that isn't meant to fit yourself! I'm hoping to meet up with some friends this week and have them try my patterns on just to see if I'm even in the right ballpark. I think once that step is done, I can start actually creating belts, which will be much more fun!

And so apparently I need to write these blogs more often so they don't end up running so long. Hopefully I'll make another installment soon!

Mission Statement

Okay....I need a mission statement for my new business. Let's make it real by writing it down! Hmmm...how about starting with a list of things I want to incorporate?

* Create high quality, handmade dancewear
* Accomodate for a variety of body shapes & sizes
* Focus of using colors, from pastels to flurescents!
* Provide a basis for DIY-ers by making items that are less costly and can be individulized.

There! That wasn't so hard! Let's roll with that for awhile and see how it works :)

Starting a Business...

I want to start a business. A costuming business. I enjoy sewing and making costumes, and I think there's a definite niche to be filled. I like a lot of the tribal stuff, how it's made to fit a variety of body shapes, the styling. I just don't like how so much of it is dark! Where are the bright, fun colors! Does no one else want to dance in pink & lime green, & baby blue?
I think I'm going to call it Gaitri's Design, with a big scripty G for a logo. I want something that actually isn't silly. Something rather sophisticated, but with room for fun. I like the slogan "Because every dancer needs a little sparkle!"
I want to start with belts that tie on in standard sizes. I'll have a few basic shapes and make them out of "reclaimed" denim, then cover them in pretty stretch fabrics. The tie will be from grossgrain covered in the stretch fabric. From there, I will decorate them in various degrees. So a customer could be a less expensive, plain belt, and decorate it herself, or buy a more expensive belt that's all decorated & ready to go. Hmmm....they could be DIY, Ready-to-Wear, and Extravagant. I can also do custom orders.
I want to use pink & black as my logo colors and sell stuff of etsy. When I ship, I'll wrap them in pink paper and add a card. I love getting "presents" in the mail!
I'm targeting bellydancers who are more playful and/or more cabaret. We don't all want to be dark & serious all the time!
Once I'm done with my Disney scrapbook, I'm going to start dedicating 1 hr a week to my business. I'm hoping when we move that I won't take a job & I'll just work on this and start our family. (For some reason, writing all this down and "publishing" it makes it much more official and gives me more drive).

Here's Hoping!