WELL BALANCED: CRIB NOTES ON THE USE OF BALANCED PROPS IN ORIENTAL DANCE

The history and use of balanced props in Oriental Dance is as subject to speculation as the dance form itself, but it seems that for decades- if not centuries- belly dance performers have often used balanced props to display their grace and skill. Though this is by no means at all a complete history on the use of balanced props, perhaps it will help you, dear reader, to understand why we-belly dancers-use some of these gorgeous "dance partners" on stage.

The origins of sword dancing are unclear; and many people believe it came from American Cabaret belly dance, and was never traditional in Middle Eastern folkloric dances performed by females, let alone as a part of raqs sharqi. Used as a display of weaponry or prowess, swords, scimitars and daggers have been used often in dances or displays ( by men) in the Gulf regions, as well as in The Levant.

However, the roots of sword or scimitar dancing as performed by women do seem to come from North Africa or Turkey. There are many 19th century Orientalist paintings and lithographs depicting scenes with musicians playing as jewel-bedecked women dance with curved scimitars atop their heads, and there are also numerous written references to dancers performing with sabres stemming from the same time period. It is difficult to tell if this was merely an Orientalist fantasy, or a recording of actual events as seen by Western travellers.

Exotic and glamorously dangerous, sword dancing is extremely popular today in cabaret and fusion style performances. The curved scimitars are balanced on the head, chest, shoulders, wrists- as well as many other locations-on the body of the dancer, and many dancers use more than one sword.

The contemporary version of sword dancing ( dating from the late 1960's into the '70's) has been attributed both to noted dancers Leona Wood (who used a custom made carved wooden sword) as her prop, and to Jamila Salimpour, whose troupe Bal Anat was a precursor to the American Tribal style of belly dance.

Raks shamadan, performed by a dancer crowned with large, flaming candelabra, is an Egyptian wedding tradition, dating from the turn of the last century, in the time before electricity. Shamadan-bearing dancers lead the zeffah al-arousa or bridal procession through the darkened streets, illuminating the newly married couple, a tradition that is still continued today. Because of its spectacular effect, the dance was also performed theatrically, as part of both cabaret and folkloric Oriental performances.

Some believe that in the 1920’s, Badia Masabni brought the dance to the stage of her Cairo nightclub, The Casino Opera, where legendary Golden Age dancers like Tahia Carioca and Samia Gamal began their careers. But a more likely version of the origin is credited to a pair of Egyptian dancers from the Mohammad Ali Street district of Cairo, at the turn of the last century. It is believed that Egyptian dancer Zouba El Klobatiyya was the first performer to dance with a lantern-or klob- balanced on her head- hence, her name. If she wasn’t actually the first dancer to perform with a lantern balanced atop her head, she did at least become the first to gain recognition for it. She was followed in quick succession by a Coptic Christian dancer, Shafiya El Koptyyia (Shafiya The Copt) who also performed this skill.

Much more recently, Egyptian dancer Nadia Hamdi, who is known the world over for her shamadan skills and floor work including splits, is noted for her skills with shamadan, having been trained by the original dancers, and is still in action today, preserving the tradition.

Other folkloric dances from Egypt that sometimes incorporate balancing skills include balass (water jug) dance, where the vessel is held on the shoulder and sometimes balanced on the head of the dancer, and raks assaya, where the performer manipulates a cane, twirls it, and if skilled, balances the cane on various parts of the body. Tunisian and Moroccan folkloric dancers balance clay pots (or stacks of them!) on the head, as well as doing head balances with large brass trays, sometimes laden teapots, glasses. Both male and female performers perform tray dancing, and the illustrious John Compton is one of the masters of this dance.

Please be aware that working with any type of balanced prop can take years to perfect. It requires absolute stability of the head and neck, and increased flexibility and power (especially in the upper thighs, abdomen and arms) for floor work. The heightened isolation skills, mental concentration and slower movements necessary for balance will have a very positive affect on your overall dancing. You will need to practice- a lot. You also must be sure that in addition to your regular warm-up, to really thoroughly warm up your neck, shoulders, upper arms and thighs before attempting to balance anything…even if you are already comfortable with performing floor work, and the extra weight on your head.

Above all, please remember when balancing any sort of props, whether used with or without fire: SAFETY FIRST!

THE E TICKET TOUR

Hello, Dear Readers!

It’s been such a long time since I’ve written, I fear you may have abandoned me…but here I am again!
This entire year has been full of amazing things, but it’s also been so hectic I’ve barely had a chance to catch my breath. This summer was no different. In fact, I’ve taken to referring to my summer travels as “The E Ticket Tour”, because I spent most of the summer in England and Egypt…. and yes, it really was a E-Ticket ride!

In June and early July, my Eternal Egypt co-tour leader Zahra Zuhair, and I took a group of seventeen belly dancers to Egypt. I’ve always wanted to bring a tour group to Egypt, and so I finally realized a longtime goal. In truth, I couldn’t have done it without Zahra- it was a lot of work- I doubt either of us slept for more than four hours a night, if that!

But in spite of the insane jet lag, a wonderful time was had by all- it was an awesome group of really fun people. I know I sound like I’m bragging, but the tour itself was truly fantastic, and there was certainly a lot of bonding going on. In fact, I’d say that it was rare that ten minutes would go by without someone bursting into laughter. Our group included amateur and professional belly dancers from all over America, including two sets of mothers and daughters. Most of the group had never been to Egypt before, and they were speechless with awe over everything: The Ahlan Wa Sahlan dance festival, The Sphinx and pyramids, the incredible music and belly dancing that is literally everywhere, the crazy traffic in Cairo, and the antiquities- not to mention the relentless heat- of Upper Egypt.

So- before reading on, I just must tell you that it was such a terrific experience; Zahra and I are definitely doing it again in 2011!

Of course, the highlights for us were seeing all the belly dancers, and boy, did we get saturated with belly dancing! We saw Randa Kamel on the Nile Maxim our first night in Cairo. Her band set up and she literally ran onto the stage in an insane lime green costume, it’s bra covered with huge, spiky rhinestone flowers that resembled Christmas decorations. We were seated close enough to notice her purple and silver airbrushed nails! Randa is magnificent and powerful, mixing her trademark dynamic, sweeping kicks with a flurry of subtle shimmies and internal muscular technique. Her emotions were written all over her face, and her unbelievable energy never flagged. Devilla, an LA-based professional dancer and make-up artist (and my roomie the entire tour!) commented

“Randa is like a racehorse- sleek and stunning!”

The shows at Ahlan WA Sahlan were equally over-the-top. The Opening Gala featured Cairo-based Russian Dancer Katia Sherbakova, Cairo-based Brazilian dancer Sorraya Zayed, and, have course Dina. Each one a full, night-club length show, complete with their own singers and twenty-plus piece orchestras…and Dina’s band this year included a full Western-style horn section, complete with trombones… which I’m very thankful were absent during her classic Oriental numbers. Kati was spectacular as always, with her swift, athletic style, powerful vibrations and mind-boggling deep backbends. During their sets, Dina and Sorraya both danced to “Enta Omri”, and it was pretty incredible to see the stylistic differences in each dancers interpretation of the same song: Sorraya’s was technique-driven, quick and almost minimalist, while Dina’s was full of emotion and juicy shimmies. This year, Dina looked tiny… and extremely buff! I found out later from Katia that Dina has been “religiously” doing yoga and Pilates! Of course, Dina’s costumes always have everyone all agog. She wore an acid yellow number with the same type of chunky “Christmas” bling as Randa’s costume from the previous night, and she also had on a stunning Sahar Okasha number, a skin-tight zebra- printed dress festooned with coral beads.
The Gala was equally as great, and we were treated to new talent, including Aziza from Egypt (not to be confused with American Aziza) who did an energetic set and displayed technique that was just full on ridiculously amazing. She also had a blind singer with her, whose voice gave me immediate goosebumps the moment she began her song… I wish I’d caught her name! At one point during her closing song, Aziza literally whirled her head around non stop- as though she had no bones in her neck and spine- to the beat of a drum, for like, over two minutes. Sitting next to me, Zahra was as shell-shocked as I was, and commented:
“I don’t know how ANYBODY will be able to follow that!”

The other “new face” on the scene was a gorgeous dancer named Jouanna, whom I believe is also Egyptian- her announcement said she’d been working in Dubai and Sharm El Sheikh. She slid onto the stage in a Fedora, doing a really Fosse/ jazz type opening that somehow managed to be oriental at the same time, and then proceeded into a high-energy set which included standard Arabic songs, a really cute Saidi number, where she danced through the crowd.

During Ahlan Wa Sahlan, I spent as much time as I could catching up with old friends, like Hallah Moustafa, LA dancer Aleya (now living and working in Cairo, Diana Esposito (another American living and working in Cairo) and the wonderful Karim Nagy. I also spent a lot of time at Hannan’s atelier inside The Mena House …and yeah, I admit it, I bought a shitload of costumes! At Hannan’s, I also always seemed to bump into Chicago-based dancer Raksanna, who is delightful. Shaabi music was always blasting, Hannan’s little daughters danced on top of chairs while other kids run through pulling each other along on a skateboard using a gold assaya cane as a handle and older kids delivered Turkish coffee. Hannan herself bustled around with a mouth full of safety pins, overseeing everything from fittings to purchases. Seven months pregnant at the time, Hannan was radiant; her gorgeous, finely boned face made up with brilliant turquoise eye shadow, which matched her headscarf exactly.

Speaking of costumes, I also spent a lot of “quality time” with Yaz Taleb, who is the brains behind King Of The Nile Belly Dance Costumes. Yaz, a true gentleman, helped my tour group immensely, in every way possible, from making our group custom ordered costumes in ridiculously small amounts of time, to taking the gals on shoe-shopping expeditions, to translating for us at Khan Al Khalili, to bringing us tons of delectable take-out Koshary whenever we got hungry.

Yaz and I also embarked upon a super-secret joint project that is already in the works… but for right now, mum is the word- all I can say is that it’s very exciting and hopefully, when it comes to fruition, you will be as excited about it as I already am!

Upper Egypt was serene and beautiful- we spent our time on a Nile Cruise between Luxor and Aswan, on a charming boat called The Cheops, after the Pharaoh of the same name. The temples, ruins and antiquities were wonderful, but even more so was our guide Bishoy, who not only spoke perfect English, but gladly took to the name our group bestowed upon him, “Big Daddy Pharaoh”.

After two weeks in Egypt, the group went home with Zahra, but I went on to do two weeks worth of workshops and performances in the UK. As with all my previous trips to the UK (and I’ve been there so much, I think I’ve actually lost count of how many times it’s been) every sponsor was delightful! My first weekend was spent with Charlotte Desorgher from Hipsinc, which is one of the largest belly dance schools in the country, based in the greater London area. Charlotte has sponsored me many times, but on this trip I actually had a bit of downtime with her and got to relax at her lovely country house in Kent, and pet her next-door neighbors- two adorable donkies! They threw a really wonderful hafla at a great venue with a nice large stage, and my pal Ozgen, a wonderful male belly dancer, from Turkey, came out to the show, so we had a blast hanging out backstage. I also got the chance to watch-and meet- many of the Hipsinc instructors, who are all incredible women- not to mention amazing performers. Just as I left, the Hipsinc crew was preparing to film some instructional DVD’s…. and my advice to anyone would be- BUY THEM AS SOON AS THEY’RE ON THE MARKET! These women totally RAQ!

From there I went on to Yorkshire, to the city Leeds, which is full of fantastic, well-preserved Victorian buildings. My sponsor, Beverly Smith and her crew of women were also super-sweet, crazy in that awesome-belly-dancer way, and just loads of fun. Beverly herself is a tiny dynamo, with crisp, beautiful Egyptian technique, and all the other dancers I met blew my socks off as well. My workshops were held in a drama school, during one of the most intense thunderstorms I’ve ever experienced. I thought it might be “normal” weather for Northern England, but when all the workshop attendees showed up looking like drowned rats, I knew we were having an Extreme Weather Experience! The show the next evening was put on at a beautiful black box theater, and from what I saw standing in the wings, it was just superlative.

I also must give a shout out to the wonderful people at The Cosmopolitan Hotel in Leeds. Since I travel so often, it really makes a difference when the staff at wherever I’m staying is gracious and helpful, but in this case, I actually bonded with two hotel employees: Marc Philpott and a wonderful girl named Freddy. They not only made my stay worthwhile, but I gained two friends! We stayed up after my gigs laughing and talking like old friends.

My last UK gig was a Gothla UK 2010 in Leicester. Again- what a lovely experience! These women sure know how to run a festival! Bridie, Heike, Rosie and everyone else had it all down to a science. And the sheer amount of creativity involved in all the shows was stunning. Most of the dancers on both of the Gothla shows made their own costumes, and truly brought drama and passion to their performances. Gothla may be the only place where one could witness a belly dance performance entitled “Teatime At The Asylum”, and involved performers looking like a bunch of hot, spooky Victorian nurses! I had a ball teaching 1920’s style stage make-up and combinations, and also hanging out with some old dance friends, like Lynne “Fulya” Chapman, her sister Julie, and my wonderful pal, fusion dancer Tree Russell.
There seemed to be a lot of “Eastern Bloc” women at Gothla this year- including many Polish dancers who were all beautiful and unique. Who knew Eastern Europe was so “dark”?!
My co-headlining Gothla instructors were both from America: Ariellah, whom I’ve had the pleasure of doing many shows with previously, and the super-amazing Sera Solstice, whom I got to know better. Sera brought along her charming three-year-old daughter Sequoia, who quickly became the backstage favorite!

I’ve been home almost a month, and am still reeling from my “E Ticket Tour”…. But, of course, I’m on the road again, this time off to Texas for belly dancing at Yaa Halla Y’All this weekend… ya think I should bring my cowboy boots?

*Photos: Pool sign at The Oasis Hotel, Giza; Gothla UK Babydolls

AVENTURES ABROAD

Hello Dear Readers,

I am off to Cairo, Upper Egypt and points beyond in a couple of hours, and so excited!
Hopefully I will find the time to post some new articles while I am gone... but just wanted to let you know you can follow my adventures on Twitter by going to www.twitter.com/princessfarhana

Hope you are all having a lovely Summer Solstice!

xx Princess Farhana


Photo: Snapped by Aleya at The Mena House Oberoi, Giza, Egypt July 2009

FUN WITH KEYWORDS, PART FOUR

You know I always get a major giggle out of the search/ key words people type in which direct them to this blog. It's an excercise is surrealism! Some of the phrases typed in are are earnest, honest and just a little challenged in the spelling department... but others really fall into the dubious category of "Things That make You Go HUH?!?!"
Feast your eyes on Part Four in the continuing series "Fun With Keywords"...and remember: all phrases here have been copied exactly as they were typed in!


From Egypt:
AZZA SHERIF BARE FEET TOES PICTURE

From Orlando, Florida:
SCARY CLOWNS

From Australia:
I’LL DANCE FOR A DOLLAR, I’LL SWING ON A POLE, I’LL DANCE ON A TABLE

From Englewood, New Jersey:
HOW TO GET YOUR WIFE TO BELLY DANCE

From Turkey:
FREE WORK POINT FOR LADYS CLOSINGFACTORY ISTANBUL


From Indonesia:
FARHANA FABULOUS CATS OWN BRAND

Last but certainly not least… and all from Saudi Arabia:
LATEX BELLY DANCES
NICE HUGE SYRIAN BOTTOMS DANCING ON YOUTUBE
BELLY DANCER ORDERED TO HER DRESS REMOVE
NEW GLASSES or WEARS GLASSES or HER GLASSES or WEARING GLASSES

JUST DO IT! MAKING YOUR DANCE DEBUT

Is there really a perfect time to make your dance debut?

In the beginning of your dance-journey, no matter how many months or years you spend training at classes, private lessons, rehearsals and practice sessions, you will never feel completely “ready” for your first performance.

Stage fright is common- even after years of experience, many professional dancers- as well as actors, musicians, public speakers, newscasters, teachers, and many others in the public eye still suffer from performance anxiety. But there is a huge difference between a healthy pre-performance adrenalin surge and a stultifying, self-sabotaging sense of doom.

Whether you are dancing for a hobby or if you haven’t yet turned pro but have the desire to, early performances in a supportive environment can help you to grow as a dancer. If you have what it takes technique-wise, own or can borrow a costume and have done your dance-homework faithfully, then it’s time to tough it out, be brave, and try to put your self- doubt to rest. Then get yourself out there and perform as much as you possibly can!

I was always a big time ham, but as a baby belly dancer, even though I desperately wanted to turn professional, the idea of performing filled me with apprehension, if not outright dread. I was used to performing in the theater, on film and as a singer fronting a number of bands, but the thought of non-verbal communication through dance was terrifying. I usually didn’t suffer from stage fright at all- but the thought of failing at something so important that I loved so dearly- belly dancing- scared the hell out of me!

I was afraid my performances would be torn apart by other dancers, fearful that I would embarrass my teachers, not to mention convinced that ethnic audiences would see me as an “imposter”, and that civilians might get bored with watching ethnic dances.

Not only that, I had plenty of other handy excuses: in order to perform, I had to have the perfect costume (which I couldn’t yet afford) and I needed to find the perfect music, which apparently hadn’t yet been composed and recorded! Also, I was absolutely sure I was clumsy, over weight, lacked personality, would never get hired for dance jobs, and that I needed to study for…oh, at least another decade or so!

Many of my early belly dance teachers pushed me to perform when I didn’t think I was ready to, because they could see that I was ready, and, due to their experience, they could also tell I was only getting in my own way by resisting due to my own insecurities.

One dancer, Zein Abdel Al Malik, who was my teacher, friend and mentor (he also actually got me my first job) even spent hours- if not days -patiently and compassionately listening to my long litany of fears … but then he said bluntly:

“Get over it!”

So, teeth gritted, palms sweating, and with more than a few butterflies in my stomach, I took the plunge. Ultimately was glad that I did. I quickly realized that while some of my fears were valid, most of them were more neurotic than founded in actual truth. Even as a newbie, after biting the bullet and performing a few times (improvising to live music, no less) I realized that what you learn intrinsically from every performance is leaps and bounds beyond what you absorb in a class or during practice! In fact, for me, this belly dance “work/study” program was so accelerated, it seemed as though every five minutes of actual performance was worth five hours spent in the studio!

Here are some points to consider:

Check in with your instructor(s) and make sure that they agree that you are ready to perform. Usually, the instructor knows BEFORE the student does. Many of my own students didn’t think they were ready to perform, when I already knew-for months- that they had the capability to perform and do the job well. I have trained many professionals and award-winning dancers over the years. It makes me so proud that I had a hand in shaping these women’s careers… and also that it was me who (very gently) pushed them into performing. Many of them are now teaching others and sharing the joy of dance.

On the other hand, if you don’t think you are ready for the stage but your instructor does, trust her instincts. Think it over; you don’t have to agree to perform right away, and you don’t need to start with a solo, you could join a student troupe, or do a duet with someone in your class. Dancing in a student troupe has many benefits, not the least of which are learning combinations and choreographies for free! And I can’t even begin to tell you how many students I’ve had that were extremely reluctant to go onstage… but who came off stage feeling elated and hungry for more!

If your instructor is over-critical of your performances, appearance or abilities in general, it’s time to consider going elsewhere for your training. Dancing should be fun and enriching, and classes should be supportive environment. Constructive critique is one thing; bullying, sarcasm and derogatory comments are quite another.

Be fully prepared: Know your musical selections inside out, have your choreography or marked improv down, make sure you have a costume that fits well and is in good repair- i.e. securely fastened, hemmed, and not shedding coins or fringe. Use enough make-up, and check with your classmates or teacher if you need to. Stage make-up needs to be much heavier than every day make-up, and it may look strange to see your face so painted up. Before leaving for your show or recital, double check and be certain you have all pieces of your costume with you, as well as your music and any props or accessories you will be using. Bring shoes and a cover-up.

Before going onstage, take a few quiet moments for yourself, and focus on your performance piece mentally. Warm yourself up completely, starting with some light dance steps or aerobic activity, transitioning into gentle stretching. Before you go on, take a few deep breaths to center yourself, and remind yourself not to rush and to finish every movement. Think of something that makes you happy, and then your smile will look genuine, not forced.

Remember to have a great time onstage…. even though you will probably not remember your actual performance! Have fun and your audience will, too. Try to project your energy outwards- find a friendly face in the crowd and focus on that person, not the floor!

Performing live- in a “safe” environment, such as in student troupes or showcases, at haflas, and belly dance events will teach you things about audience interaction, spatial concepts, and application of technique that you can never possibly learn in a classroom situation. You will grow as a dancer because of it.

Just do it!

Photo: Princess Farhana in 1992, performing for Anaheed's showcase at The Middle East Connection, Burbank, CA.

EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK…. COMMON HOUSEHOLD ITEMS THAT ARE GREAT FOR DANCE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

I love to recycle…but through necessity, I’ve also become a veteran of re-purposing everyday household items to pinch-hit in the event of a “dance emergency”! I can’t even tell you how many items I’ve found just laying around the house that makes preparing for shows, costume trouble-shooting or dealing with last-minute dance disasters much easier. There are so many useful things I’ve found for problem-solving in my “junk drawer”- not to mention under the sink, in the tool kit or even the fridge.
Though I seriously DO NOT recommend using a Sharpie pen for eyeliner the way I once did at a gig when I forgot my make-up bag (it didn’t hurt me at all, but you might not be as lucky!) you might find some of these common household items helpful to keep on hand…. just in case!


FROZEN VEGETABLES
Did you over-do it at a rehearsal or performance? Remember R.I.C.E – which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Instead of fussing with ice-cubes sloppily wrapped in a towel, instead, use pre-cut, packaged frozen vegetables as an ice pack. When you’re done icing your injury, pop them in the microwave, and eat them – you’ll need their vitamins to help your body heal!

PLASTIC UTILITY BAGS
These are fantastic for storing your dance wardrobe, and they come in many different sizes. The gigantic two-gallon freezer bags are large enough (and strong enough) to hold a full costume. Smaller sizes can be used to hold veils or accessories, and then slipped into the larger bag holding your bra, belt and skirt. I also use recycled plastic grocery bags to store dance shoes, or even to hold sweaty rehearsal or class-wear in my dance bag on the way home from the studio.


DISPOSABLE PLASTIC FOOD CONTAINERS & CASSEROLE TRAYS
The plastic leftover containers and casserole pans come in many different shapes, and with covers, too. They are great for storing wigs and hairpieces, especially because they can be labeled and stacked on shelves to maximize storage space. They not only protect your falls and wigs, they pack flat and will fit into almost any sized gig bag. I also use the smaller and deeper covered round-shaped plastic containers (meant for soups and salads) to store and transport tiaras and hair-ornaments, and line the tiny square or ob-long “one portion” containers with felt and store costume jewelry in them while I’m traveling.

SANDPAPER
Nothing works better to keep a sword from sliding around on your head than sandpaper- it beats waxes hands-down! Simply cut a thin strip of rough, large-grain sandpaper, and glue it to the balance point of your sword. It doesn’t show at all during performance, and gives you that extra little bit of grip. Remember, when using a sword-safety is primary, so this doesn’t count as cheating! You can also attach a small piece of sand paper to the back of clip-on flower hair ornaments to help them stick to your head a little better.

TOOTHPASTE
I learned this trick from an estate jewelry dealer: use any sort of toothpaste as a gentle, non-corrosive, non-abrasive polish for rhinestone jewelry…and it also works for metal coins (real or stamped) or any type of antique or costume jewelry. If you own vintage pieces, it won’t ruin the finish or the nice patina, it will just add a little shine as well as keep the tarnish from wearing off on your sweaty skin during performance.

DENTAL FLOSS
Strong and sturdy and easier to knot (and stay knotted) than fishing line, dental floss is great for sewing coins or heavy beads on to costumes. In a pinch, I’ve also used waxed dental floss for a temporary repair on Sally Rand Fans.

RUBBER BANDS & HAIR-TIES
These are perfect to wind around the bottom of your dancing canes, to prevent the cane from slipping out of your sweaty mitts during performance! Rubber bands are virtually invisible onstage, but colored hair-ties that actually match the colors on your cane are even better!

If you don’t want to spring for an expensive boa for stage use, buy a few cheaper ones, and twist or braid them together, clasping each end with a rubber band or hair-tie. The volume of the feathers with disguise the rubber band, and no one will be the wiser.

You can also sew lengths of larger, thicker rubber bands (the type used for produce at the market) into the back of your heavier dance belts in the same way you would a piece of fabric-covered elastic, because the rubber will grip your skin and prevent the belt from slipping.

PACKING TAPE
Here’s another trick for keeping your canes in top condition: Since the decorative foil sometimes unravels, simply wrap the ends of the cane with clear packing tape to prevent this from happening.

COMMON TOOLS, HARDWARE AND SPARE CHANGE
Keep them handy! Pliers, screwdrivers, even-in a pinch- a tweezers will help you keep your fans performance ready- use them to tighten the bolts holding the staves together, so you can control your fans more easily. A tweezers can also be used in lieu of jewelry pliers for re-affixing coins, repairing earrings, or fixing the broken crystal chains on your shamadan.
Metal washers can be used to separate the blades on a fan so it opens and closes more easily, and can also be used creatively for costuming- my friend Tempest pioneered using metal washers as decoration on her corset belts.

Got a jar of pennies you’ve been saving? Here’s an old trick from a pal whose a theatrical costumer- take a few pennies and sew them into the hem of a costume if you need some added weight there. This also works with smaller washers.

VODKA
Drink your good vodka and save the cheap stuff for cleaning and deodorizing your costumes! I learned this one in the theater too, from a New York wardrobe mistress who worked on Broadway. Make a mixture of 50% water, 50% vodka, put it in a spray bottle and spritz it on your costumes to refresh them and alleviate unwanted odors. It won’t stain or discolor any sequins, coins or stones, and your costume will smell clean and fresh.

NAIL POLISH
We all know that clear nail polish will stop runs on stockings, but did you know that you could also repair beading on costumes? If a row of fringe on a costume or hip-scarf or costume is fraying, stop it immediately by dabbing a bit of clear nail-polish on the end of the threads where it’s coming apart.

When you are cutting Egyptian fringe or even crocheted trim for costuming, you can seal the ends in the same way. And if the pearl or metallic large beading on your costume is chipping or coming off, you can paint the individual beads with nail polish so they look new again. This is a bit time-consuming, but worth the effort.

Another trick for clear nail polish is to paint it over the prongs of the crystals and rhinestones on your costumes, to keep your veils and skirts snag-free. Since the polish dries clear, it doesn’t interfere with the sparkle of the stones, and is completely unnoticeable.

BLOW DRYERS
Train a blow dryer on the drip-cups of your shamadan to melt the accumulated wax enough so it can be pried out and removed easily. You can also hang veils in the bathroom while you are showering, and the steam will release any unwanted wrinkles. Go over the veil quickly with a blow dryer to fluff it up, and you’ll be good to go!


BUTTER KNIVES
Nothing works better than plain old butter knife for scraping the hardened wax- drippings out of the candleholders on your shamadan! Butter knives can also be used as a tool to flatten and secure the prongs on the large crystals decorating your costumes.



ALUMINUM FOIL
If the candles for your shamadan feel wobbly in their holders, wrap the ends in aluminum foil for a snug fit. It’s not only fireproof; it will protect the drip-cups from getting clogged with melted wax.


BABY SOCKS & KNIT BABY BOOTIES
I believe Morocco may have been the originator of this helpful hint: baby socks or knit booties can double as finger cymbal mufflers if you want to practice your zills in the house, without driving your neighbors to murder! Just pop the cymbals into the ‘foot’ of the sock, and the elastic will hold it in place over your zills. It’s thin enough for you to be able to play freely, and will keep the clanging muffled and neighbor-friendly.

DIAPER PINS
I know I don’t have to tell you that sturdy diaper pins with plastic covers are a dancer’s best friends… but I will anyway! Their uses are myriad: HOARD THEM LIKE GOLD!

TOILET PAPER & PAPER TOWEL ROLLS
The cardboard rolls inside toilet paper and paper towel are great for packing veils and keeping them virtually wrinkle-free. Iron or steam your veil, fold it carefully into an oblong shape, and then wrap it around the tube. When you get to your gig, simply un-wrap the veil, and hang it up before using it.

DOUBLE-SIDED CARPET TAPE
Though I don’t recommend using this on a regular basis because the adhesive is very strong and can be irritating, I have used double-sided carpet tape as an emergency fix for everything from holding up droopy gauntlets and gloves, to attaching pasties! To add a little traction on the bottom of ballroom shoes or ballet slippers, just stick a piece of carpet tape to the shoe, under the ball of the foot.

WIRE
There are many uses for plain old household wire, picture-hanging wire, etc. You can use it to shape buckram for headdresses, sew it securely into felt as a backing for a costume piece, or even thread it through the butt ends of fan staves as an emergency holding tactic. Just twist the ends together securely and you’ll be fine, for at least one performance!

SUPER GLUE
Super glue comes in very handy as a quick fix for repairing broken nails, re-attaching stones onto a costume for a last-minute repair, or even dotted on to secure the bolt of a fan that is coming loose. I’ve also used it for last-minute repairs on canes, swords-you name it. Keep a little container in your gig-bag; you never know when you might need it!

POTATOES
My friend Maharet, a belly dancer and professional photographer, taught me these trick- use potatoes for an instant “facelift”! Nothings works as well for reducing eye-puffiness! Just cut a couple of slices of raw potatoes, put them over your eyes, and relax for ten minutes. Rinse it off and you’ll look fresh as a daisy before you put your make-up on for photo shoots or performances.

GYPSIES, TRAMPS & THIEVES

This year I have been on the road non-stop… right now, I feel like I “woke up” in the middle of May-it’s hard to believe that 2010 is almost half over. After many back-to-back trips, most recently to Miami and Tribal Fest in Northern California, I’m home in LA and, miraculously, will be here for three full weeks. Being home with my wonderful boyfriend and my four amazing kitties-not to mention sleeping in my own bed and NOT living out of a suitcase seems like quite a luxury…but even with my vagabond lifestyle and occasional bouts of home sickness, I love my life. Even though I have been doing this for years, it never gets old. Every day I am not only thankful that I am doing something I love to make a living, but also that my profession allows me to meet so many remarkable people- both artists and behind-the-scenes folks!

On the first weekend of May, Joharah brought me to Florida for her spring event. a weekend of workshops and shows at The Miccosukee Resort, just north of Miami. From the moment I arrived, it was non-stop fun. Joharah’s assistant Jeanette picked me up and brought me to Joharah’s house, for an incredible homemade dinner. In addition to being a costume designer, running a bustling import-export business and putting on huge events, Joharah is also a kick-ass gourmet cook! And so funny- what a sense of humor that woman has - we got along so well immediately, she is charming and earthy. Her house is literally a palace of bling-bling; full of gigantic piles of costumes, mounds of rhinestone jewelry, and the tabletops littered with intricate little perfume bottles from the Arab Emirates. The walls are hung with hand-sewn Egyptian tapestries, there was furniture covered with gold leaf and made of wood inlaid with mother-of-pearl, Saudi-style low cushioned couches, Moroccan rugs… it was a feast for the eyes.

My workshops started the very next day, and all I have to say is that Joharah knows how to throw an event! The whole weekend was so well organized, not to mention being completely fun and totally detail-oriented. Her support staff and family members help her and everything runs like a well-oiled machine…. The theme for this weekend was “Seventies” and it was carried out in full even to Disco-Ball decorations on every table. At the end of the workshops, Joharah gave away many full costumes for door prizes.

Miami is chock full of incredible, well-trained, dedicated dancers who are beautiful inside and out. Everyone brought their A-game to my workshops and to the stage. There is a diva-licious fierceness that the local dancers have which seems to be unique to the Miami scene. I have never seen such collective hot attitude and stage presence-not to mention such an assortment of awesome, sparkly, animal-print costumes- anywhere else. All of the performances on both of the nights were great, but a few really stood out to me… and two were even dedicated to me- what an honor. One was from Superior Dance Arts, directed by Monica and Sarah Silvestri, and featured a hot chair dance: imagine my surprise when, at the end, the chairs were tipped over and the underside spelled out “F-A-R-H-A-N-A”. The other dedication was offered from Jihan Jamal’s Bellyrinas. I had never met Jihan before… and was excited to, because when I first started belly dancing, I actually carried around a picture of her in my wallet that I’d cut out of “Arabesque” Magazine. I used to stare at it every day for inspiration. I was so touched that Jihan dedicated her group’s performance to me because of my baby-dancer/ fan-girl obsession, that when I admitted this to Jihan afterwards, we both became teary-eyed. Another beautiful dancer I shared a teary moment with was Lamis, a veteran dancer and one of the “mothers” of the Miami scene, to whom the entire event was dedicated. Lamis performed an elegant fan number with huge Sally Rand fans, and was a light-filled presence both onstage and off. I had met dancer Princess Turimmi in Cairo last year, but had never seen her perform, which she did Saturday with her new Egyptian husband, Mahmoud Shalaby. They did a Tannoura (whirling dervish) duet- and for some reason, perhaps a spiritual connection, Tannoura always makes me cry… so yes, it was a tear-filled weekend, but oh, such happy tears! Last but not least, I was totally blown away by Andrus, a young make dancer who dances modern Egyptian style. In addition to being completely fun offstage, his stage presence is dynamic; he also has impeccable technique, gorgeous, clean bodylines and an impressive sense of control.

I also got to hang out with my pal Carrara Nour, a Connecticut-based dancer who was visiting Florida, and Michael Toscano, who'd been a production assistant on my movie "Stuck!". Both of them came to Miami and brought a lot of laughter with them!

After Miami, I was home for two days and then off to Northern California for Tribal Fest 10: A Decade Of Deca-Dance. One of my favorite events ever, I have been teaching and performing there for the past six years, and it’s always a blast! Even though Tribal Fest was the very first-and still the largest -Tribal and Tribal Fusion event in the world, every year it just gets bigger…and better! And every year I’ve attended, I come home hoarse from laughing and yelling- because it’s always so much fun! Kajira Djoumahna and her husband Chuck Lehnard really know how to throw one crazy party that is also another event which practically runs itself: with total precision and a lot of behind-the-scenes help from volunteers. If you have never attended Tribal Fest before- I urge you to… no matter what style of dance you like or perform, you will be left dumbfounded because it’s such an eye-opener! Such diversity of style, so many terrific up-and-comers, so much creativity in dancing and in costuming.

For starters, here’s a sampling of just some of the teachers: Rachel Brice, Carolena Nerrichio and Fatchancebellydance, Amy Sigil & Unmata, Kami Liddle, John Compton & Hahbi ‘Ru, Heather Stants, Ariellah, Deb Rubin, Sharon Kihara, Suhaila Salimpour, Tempest, Paulette Rhys-Dennis, Zoe Jakes, Artemis Mouratt, Jeremiah Soto, Elizabeth Strong and Mardi Love. Everything from folkloric Rom dance to yoga, from “old-school” Tribal to deejay mixing to all sorts of fusion is offered… everything that is except possibly strict cabaret-style dancing- but this year, even that taboo was broken- and not by me…. But by Rachel Brice, who taught an entire workshop on fusing Tribal with cabaret!

Over the course of the three days of performances, there were way too many stellar shows to mention. But some high points were: rising young dancer Frank Farinaro’s athletic set, Zoe Jakes, Elizabeth Strong and Rose Harden’s Beats Antique extravaganza, which featured everything from Roaring Twenties style showgirl floor work to fan dancing to a precision chair dance done in white Israeli gas masks… Colorado’s gorgeously blinged-out fusionistas, TribalTique; John Compton and Habi’ Ru, who are always crowd-pleasers, Ela Roger’s elegant solo, and Kami Liddle’s beautiful dance, which, unbelieveablely was performed less than an hour after a car accident: she was rear-ended on her way to the event! More jaw-dropping performances included Colleena Shakti’s exquisite Indian piece-she is always so divine; and of course the fantastic group work of, as I like to say, “The Big Four”: Fatchancebellydance, Kajira’s Blacksheep Bellydance, Unmata and Gypsy Caravan.

Perhaps the highest-or lowest… as the case may be… point in all of the shows was Kajira’s husband Chuck’s novelty tribute to Tribal Fest’s 10th year anniversary,” King Chuck and The Chuckettes”, featuring Rachel Brice, John Compton, Heather Stants, Tempest, Kajira, Michelle Manx, Amy Sigil and myself, with sign language interpretation by Lori Tawasha of Evil Eye Belly Dance.

Done to the tune of Steve Martin’s “King Tut”, King Chuck and The Chuckettes had one highly disorganized on-site rehearsal, which resulted in gales of laughter and disbelief from all who participated. Rachel Brice showed up to the rehearsal all serious and ready to tape the choreography, which mainly consisted of all the dancers doing kooky “walk Like An Egyptian” cheesy moves, perfecting our “show-biz faces” and generally hamming it up. Chuck admitted then and there that when he asked all of us to join in, he never dreamed we’d really take him up on it!

We performed our debut -and farewell - performance on Saturday afternoon in silly, over-the-top costumes, including John Compton dressed as a mummy and Amy Sigil in a cabaret outfit that nearly fell off as she took the stage! There’s nothing quite like the backstage mechanics of a “number” like this, including Chuck’s bout of stage fright and not to mention seeing Rachel Brice in a cheap Cleopatra wig dumping an entire can of baby-powder onto John Compton’s mummy rags to “age” them! Heather Stants had just run off the stage following her performance and was transformed immediately into a tacky showgirl with a cheap wig and my sparkly leopard-print caftan. The on-stage dancing was constantly interrupted by John Compton’s “Mummy Dearest” antics, as he pawed at Rachel and me, leering one-eyed through his mummy rags. Frank Farinaro even threw underwear onto the stage as though it was a Tom Jones concert!

It’s insane moments like these that could never happen at another dance festival that makes Tribal Fest unique and so much fun! If you’d like to view the hysteria, you can see it on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIq1W1gckQ0

With that, I’m off to actually cook dinner…. something I NEVER gets to do when I am on the road!


Photos: Rachel Brice, John Compton and I backstage at Tribal Fest before performing "King Chuck" ; Andrus and I hanging out post-show in Miami