Fun Times

Our local bellydance performance was really fun. I lived through my solo just fine (a surprise to me after stressing so much over it). I am really comfortable dancing in a group but when it comes to solo work...gulp! Very intimidating.

I kept debating what music to dance to. At first it was "definitely Karshilama", then, "maybe not", then "for sure not", then, "what the heck", so I ended up doing a Karshilama, but the obsessing and indecisiveness were very counter-productive. My former dance teacher always encouraged me to improv rather than choreograph, so I did, and I give myself extra credit for going out on that limb!

(And for you belly dance purists, yes I did do veil work with it, but I needed that veil. I think it's a kind of security blanket for me. It gives my arms something to do, and it's almost like having a swirly, silk dance partner.)

Most dancers don't like Karshilama for some reason. It is a very fast 9/8 rhythm, and there are fun traditional moves that go with it, mostly jumping and bouncing. My former teacher said when she would dance at Greek restaurants the drummers would challenge the dancers to keep up with the Karshilama and only the best dancers had the stamina to last as long as the drummers played (I'm sure my teacher was one of them, because in her sixties she would come and give our troupe a group lesson and kick all our butts!)

At any rate I did it, but realized afterward that I forgot to take off my glasses. Duh! I always dance with my glasses off so I can't see the audience and thus I'm much less nervous. Oh well! I also did a group dance and then later we had a free dance with all the dancers.

Here's a group shot. Amazingly, several of these gals qualify for the senior discount, but you'd never guess it by their energy and talent.