Hippy hippy shake

[badseed1980]

Last night after dance class, I ended up hanging around in the classroom to chat with my teacher Amira, her assistant, and a girl who's new to the class but who's taken belly dance classes before. I mentioned to the assistant that I still need to pick up my DVD from the last recital, and we started talking about the solo I did to "Black Magic Woman". The assistant decided that it would be even cooler if I were to buy a couple of big feather fans and use them in dancing to the same song, in a semi-burlesque fashion. "You have the sassiness to pull it off," she said. *gleeful grin*

Now, I've bought small feather fans (not dance size) for friends at a renfaire before. I remember they were about $20. I could only imagine that the huge kind used in dance would be WAY more expensive. I was expecting them to be about $60-75 each at the very least, and wondering whether it would be worth it. Well, I just checked good ol' shimmyshimmy.com, and they are charging $20 per fan! This looks perfect. It's 15" high by 29" wide fully opened. I just might give that a try. Of course, I'm tempted by this as well, which is huge. I've already started going over my choreography in my mind, adapting it to using the fans.

We also talked costumes a bit, and discussed the regional popularity of tribal dance here in Boston, versus cabaret elsewhere and traditional Arabic in DC. It was nice. I'm starting to feel a little less like a clueless n00b and a little more like a dancer. Amira is starting to treat me almost like another assistant in class...not so much asking me to correct people or anything, but using me as a model: "Those of you who haven't done this before, watch S (the assistant) and Laura." She asks what step I think would be better for the class to learn next. I think that next year, I will go on to the more advanced class, if Amira's ok with it. I still don't feel like I'm good enough for that, but the class I'm in is getting to be rather easy, and somewhat repetitive. After all, her daughter went on to the advanced class, and I've always thought of myself as being at roughly the same skill level as her.

Must dance more. Dance good.

Comments

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

That whole site is great. I got my last costume from them. Fast shipping!

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

They're gawgeous!

[ex-lark-asc.livejournal.com]

Black and peacock feather fans! *faints* I'd kill</> for one of those!

[kiya]

Waugh, shiny peacock-feather fan . . .

I really should get some formal dance training somewhere. Don't know if I want to do bellydance or any of a number of other things, though. Is where you study T-accessible?

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

Yup, very T-accessible. The BU East stop on the B line is right outside the building.

She's a phenomenal teacher, too. I adore her.

[kiya]

Ahhh, to have been in the headspace where I am now back when I lived on the B line. :}

[sacredchao23.livejournal.com]

Hello, I followed you from nonfluffypagans and you look like an interesting person, and since we live in the same area I'd thought I'd say hi. I'm going to friend you if you don't mind.

And bellydancing is fantastic.

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

Ok, cool. :)

Yes, it is fantastic. No pun intended. Oh wait, this is me--I always intend the pun.

[sacredchao23.livejournal.com]

I wish I was cool enough to say that my pun was intended, but it wasn't.

[delirifacient.livejournal.com]

That's interesting that you mention that there are regional preferences for different types of dance. In New Orleans, it would definitely be burlusque.

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

LOL...no surprise there. We were talking specifically about different belly dance styles. I really want to take a burlesque class, though. It would add so much to my performances.

[delirifacient.livejournal.com]

Burlusque is so sexy! If only I could do a headstand or the splits!