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Upcoming
Shows & Drakon's
Performances
JUST KEEP
SCROLLING DOWN.......
The show itself averages
2-hours
The music is mostly recorded,
but there are live bands at various shows throughout the year.
THE
FOLLOWING
LINEUPS CHANGE OFTEN
And at the very bottom of this page are reviews of the last few shows !
*******************************
SHOW LOCATION
The Eternal Way Center 1122 South Lamar, Austin, Texas
Eternal Way's
Entrance
Use the glass door just
to the right of the SUV
In case it helps, The
Alamo's Show Times are
7:00, 7:15, 7:40, 8:00 pm
SATURDAY, Nov 1 - 8 PM Eternal Way Show
Featuring in the 1st Half
Drakon, Elizabeth & Valerie, Alana
(San Antonio), Other Dancers TBA (slots are still available)
And to make the 2nd half really special,
Dancers: Drakon, Sonya, Nassma, Inaya, Sahhira
Venders
ARARAT MID EAST FUSION Wraps, Pastries & Beverages
Knighttime Creations Hand Made Jewelry Line by Nassma *******************************
SATURDAY, Nov 15 - 8 PM
M'lilah will emcee the
show, and
Visit their site for more Info
http://www.anaidbellydance.com/mystique/noir/performance.php
SATURDAY, Dec 6 - 8 PM Eternal Way Show
Various Styles Featuring Drakon, Rachel Irene (SA)
Shyrra, Juliana, Pamela, Gypsy Rogues, Randomosity, Other Dancers TBA (slots are available)
********************************** PLANNING WAY IN ADVANCE !!
Here are the scheduled
shows for 2009
Now the fun part.... filling the dance slots with the best dancers we can find....so,
if dancing in one of our shows appeals to you,all you need to do is ask !
January 3
Eternal
Way – Austin
January 17
Georgetown
February 7 Eternal
Way – Austin
LIVE MUSIC
February 21
Dance
Unlimited - Buda
March 21
Georgetown
April 4
Eternal Way – Austin TRIBAL
April 18
Dance
Unlimited - Buda
May 2
Eternal
Way –Austin INSTRUCTOR/STUDENT
June 6
Eternal
Way – Austin
LIVE
MUSIC
July 11
Eternal Way – Austin
August
15 Eternal
Way – Austin
Sept 12
Eternal
Way – Austin
October 3
Eternal Way –
Austin
TRIBAL
Nov 7
Eternal Way – Austin **********************************
REVIEWS
REVIEW OF
October 4th SHOW
Pictures Here Now -
Photo by The Primal Image - Jamie Akers
It is always nerve racking
to produce one of our shows in a new location, but this was about as close
to perfect a place as we have ever found ! McCoy Elementary School
Cafeteria, just a block off of I35 at 1313 Williams Drive was
convenient for everyone - even those who got a bit lost - Okay, I will
admit, it was hard to locate in the dark and I do not seem to know left
from right – may be why I don't dance! Anyway, we arrived early to set up,
and there were LOTS of helpers, so it all went so smoothly. It was one
big open room with plenty of chairs for a change.....and a real stage,
dressing rooms and everything. We had 2 treasure venders, Nisa with
Em-belly-shments, and Nassma with Knighttime Creations. Ivy with Ararat
Mid East Fusion set up a table to tempt the crowd with her pleasing aromas
and delicious wraps. We ended up with a full house - I was thrilled when
I walked out on the stage to see such a gathering of patrons !
DPMEDC members
(Jennifer, Connie and
Nassma) opened the show with the new folkloric cane choreography
Drakon teaches in class. They have it down really well and it looks
really good when Jennifer starts spinning her cane like a cheerleader’s
baton !
They
were followed by Gabriela and
Sofia
performing a duet....they were inspired by and borrowed parts of the
choreography from a workshop they took from Desdemona. They are so cute
working together. Drakon’s classes actually have 3 mother & daughter
teams. Editor's
Comment: Gaby's husband, Scott, was the DJ for the evening, and we all
give him a big round of applause, both for being willing to come help
set-up and take-down all our equipment, but most of all for being such a
wonderful supporter of his wife and daughter. Zira (not pictured) leader of the Gypsy Rogues troupe in Cedar Park, played "minute-woman" and performed an impromptu solo in American Tribal Style.....thank you Zira for pulling in the slack in our lineup....you’re a champ.
Infiniti,
from
Ft. Hood, does “tribal fusion” and her style is very different from Zira’s,
making a good contrast. Infiniti’s moves are much faster and
it seems the faster tribal style gets a better response from the audience.
Gabriela
also performed solo...and that blazing smile keeps all eyes on her, making
it a sure fire interaction technique that wins an audience fast and
judging from the applause, a welcome change from the more solemn facial
expressions of the tribal style dancers. She has taken classes from
Drakon for 2 years, and this performance was the “drum solo” Drakon
teaches in class.
Alana Shea
has won my heart, so I convinced her to drive from South Austin. She does
what I call a “cabaret fusion” style, which is to say she does her own
personal style. That pink feather boa she twirls around really makes a
fashion statement – I love it ! Drakon was supposed to close the 1st half, but when his music started, the lights went out....he often has special lighting effects, so I didn’t think it odd. He came out anyway right on his musical cue and was dancing in the dark. That’s when I realized we had a problem. Scott stopped the music, and Drakon danced off-stage. Drakon usually electrifies the house, but this time he blew the fuse ! It was time for intermission anyway, so we shopped and enjoyed Ararat’s wraps while the stage crew changed the cords to a different circuit.
After we managed to get
everyone back into their seats, Stephanie helped me give out the
door prizes. Nassma
followed with a Bollywood inspired number. She is getting all the hand
moves and facial expressions down well – must be watching a lot of movies,
and although she brought an Indian friend along, he claims he does not
have any rhythm, so I couldn’t talk them into a duet. That is her
class homework assignment............. Gypsy
Rogues
(left) were next, and their performance was pure American Tribal with all
the cues and transitions coming from their teacher and leader, Zira.
They had not rehearsed, it was all off the cuff. This was their first
stage performance, and with only 6 months of training they were really
scared and freely expressed their nervousness in the dressing room.
That’s a scary thing for the students, but the whole idea of American
Tribal is to have a leader and the others must carefully look for and
follow her cues. Patron Comment:
Last
night marks the first time those of us in Zira's tribal class have ever
performed. We had quite a case of the nerves, but managed to get on and
off the stage without fainting! Thanks to Zira's encouragement and
confidence in us, we were able to trust in her and face the bright lights
as we carefully watched for her cues. It was also wonderful to see our
instructor do such a sultry solo. Mlilah,
as usual, brings a lot of love and acceptance through her thoughtful
remarks and empowers the audience to show their appreciation. I was
delightfully surprised at the positive reaction of the audience during our
dance and going off stage. We could have never performed without this
wonderful atmosphere of warmth and the obvious love the audience showed of
the various dance styles exhibited. Every dance of the evening was
engaging and joyful to watch, so it is not possible to pick a favorite. I
have gotten to see 1001 Nights three times and it gets more interesting
with each viewing. I am also now interested in dancing with a cane after
seeing the first act. ps The lemon cookies from Arafat are out of this
world! pss we will come back every month! Marcia Then
DPMEDC's little angle,
Sofia,
came out with those gorgeous silver wings. She wore a silver costume with
a bit of red in the belt and with her olive skin and dark hair, it was a
perfect color for her. She has been taking classes from Drakon for over a
year, and actually has some very advanced moves for an 8 year old, but the
wings overpower her hips, so she looks best doing spins and wide arm
circles using the wings as they are intended.
DPMEDC
members,
Connie, Jennifer, Nassma and Heather
performed
a veil dance to “Sou Akhbarak”. All of Drakon’s student learn this
routine, and these 4 were great examples of the grace and beauty of the
dance.
Becky,
who normally dancers with
her mother and sister as part of the Kan Zaman Trio, performed solo
this time, and it was so very different from their troupe dances, that I
did not recognize her !
We were very honored to
have another close friend of mine, Rania, willing to make the drive
from South Austin, and her professionalism really wowed the crowd. She
has years and years of dance experience, currently dancing with both the
Sabaya Belly Dance Collective and Raks Helwa at Ruta Maya as well as in
various restaurants and other shows around
Austin. Her style is classical Egyptian cabaret, Raks
Sharki, and since her lineage is pure Egyptian it is so appropriate. She
says, “I was conceived in Cairo of Egyptian parents and born in American,
so I enjoy the best from both worlds”.
And to close the show,
combining Classical Arabic Music and Literature, Drakon & Gabriela
as Shahryar & Shaharazade presented "Alf Leylah Wa Leylah" (1,001 Nights)
. Although I have watched it several times, in different shows, this time
it had a playful touch. That sword looked threatening, but the smile on
his face indicated that he couldn’t use it ! However, I watched a lady in
the audience who had her hand over her mouth with big wide eyes, so maybe
some in the audience were not so sure ! I want to thank all the patrons for coming to the show. And certainly want to thank Gabriela, Scott, Sofia, Tracey, her husband and sons, Connie and Stephanie, Debra, John, and a whole bunch of other helpers.........we were out of the cafeteria by 11:00 pm and Drakon and I were at home in Buda by12 Midnight !! That is almost 2 hours faster than we usually manage, so thanks so much for making it easy on us !
The plans........yes, we will do another
show in Georgetown, but with the holidays coming up, we will probably wait
until January 17th....
******************
September 6, 2008 I have been totally spoiled. I hate writing reviews and my usual writers have slipped out this month ! If anyone would like to take a pen to paper, all right, fingers to keypad, and write a review of the Saturday, September 6, 2008 show at Eternal Way,. I would be more than happy to insert the pictures !! Hint ! Hint ! Anyway, I was so glad to be “home” after doing 2 shows on the road. It was mucho fun at Carver, and a lot less physical work, but we cannot afford them on a regular basis. We will be back there in March ’09 though ! And Dance Unlimited show on August 23rd was less work, but even less attended. I cannot figure out why these shows are not packed. For some reason, the dancers always shine in the Desert Passion shows..........you are missing a rockin’ show when you stay away ! And since we are running in the red again, the community runs the risk of losing DPMEDT as a venue..........that will be too bad. See you next month ?
The show opened with
Jennifer Daniels (pictured below) playing her violin. She started early,
so those faithful who came early to enjoy food from Ararat had special
entertainment. And this lady is good !
New to the
Austin area, Jennifer
has over 25 years experience playing violin in a multitude of venues
including professional orchestras, pit orchestras, quartets and solo
performances. Over the last 6 years, she has specialized in
improvisational work and folk music and has performed at many festivals
and fairs throughout the
New Orleans
area as accompaniment to various belly dance troupes and solo dancers
(both tribal and cabaret).
Then at 8:00 sharp, Jamie Lynn from San Marcos graced our stage with her
sinuous beauty displayed in a ravishing beautiful red & black costume.
She says she has been working to incorporate a lot of new moves into her
dancing, and I think it shows ! She will be back on the EWC stage on
December 6th.
Evelyn, one of Najla’s
students, came next and her style was pure Gypsy carnival. She seems so
relaxed on stage and I am confident in saying that she is one of the arts
rising stars. Great teaching....Najla ! Above Photo by M'lilah
Above Photo by Sahhira Najla, even while floating on an proud-of-a-student induced high, came bursting onto the floor like a conflagration. Orage and red veil swirling, and the lights flashing off the new golden irrisident costume. Wow ! Almost hurt the eyes it was so flaming ! She has written an awesome article about the upcoming Mirage show – see page ( ) of this newsletter. I just had to print it for all to enjoy !
Above Photo by M'lilah
Above Photo by Sahhira After Najla's solo,
Evelyn joined her for a duet. I asked Najla just before the show
started if she could be a "Minute Man" and lengthen her set 3-4 minutes,
maybe add a drum solo or something, and instead, she used it as a teaching
moment and taught Evelyn what it meant to be prepared and being able to be
flexible. Lori was next. She seemed a bit rushed, and it was my fault. I messed up her schedule by moving her from the 2nd half to the 1st. I apologize so profusely !! I have to fill in gaps sometimes, and then the whole lineup gets shifted around, but Lori seemed to take it in stride. Thank you Lori for leaving a party early to come dance for us.
Above Photo by Sahhira Alana Shae was next and her costume was all black and pink and that feather boa really made a statement. She is normally a fusion dancer, and I asked her to go with cabaret for this show, so her style was unique for the evening. Which goes to prove that this artist is equally at ease in several styles.
Drakon said he does not want the reputation of doing the same thing over and over, so he warned me he was doing something totally different. And I have accused him of being too feminine in some of his moves, so those “bicep muscle” poses were to keep me happy. His just being on stage keeps me happy ! I love to watch him dance. And he was different, dancing to a piece of music by Adam Basma Arabic Dance Ensemble, entitled “Ada el layal” and judging from the applause, I am not the only one who loves to watch him perform. And yes, I made that costume ! I found a skirt with that pleated bottom and then made pants out of it ! Cool I thought !
Above Photo by Sahhira At intermission, Kelly was kept busy making those delicious wraps. She saves Drakon and I one for after the show and I am always anticipating the treat. I actually like those yummy pastries better than the wraps......as my waist indicates. Thanks for supporting her in Ararat Fund Raising efforts. I cannot wait until she manages to reopen her restaurant ! Jennifer Daniels again entertained during the last part of the intermission, and when the lights dimmed, she turned on the georgeous blue lights on the bow and changed the tone of her music.....Drakon can out in a new red & gold costume (it was created especially for Drakon by Taryn and M’lilah). He had never heard any of Jennifer’s music, and their performance was not rehearsed. I think they discussed it for a minute or two before the show, but it was improv from their hearts.
The next 3 performers, entertained with 3 totally different styles, but styles that blended very well together. First, Asjah – fusing belly dance with touches of her modern dance background – she’s always exciting. BTW: she will receive her degree in Middle Eastern Studies in December....congratulations !
Infiniti (Kim Harrington), from Killeen, says she began dancing when she was just six years old, but when she decided to start bellydancing a few years ago, it was as if she rediscovered herself, and had come full circle to where all her childhood dreams had begun. With a background in ballet, modern, and jazz, she shares her love with you through her developing Tribal Fusion Bellydance.
And to bounce back to
Cabaret – Kay, and her daughters Sona and Becky have been studying with
Bahaia and are now dancing together as the Kan Zaman Trio. Their
performance would have been a lot better if the music had not played games
with them. It seems it did more skipping around than playing. I guess
that is why improv is such an important skill for dancers, then when
something happens to the music, it will not interfere with the
choreography. They were also vending
their
Custom Belly Dance Accessories! Performance jewelry, costume
embellYshments, practice wear, bumper stickers!
Check out
The last two dancers were
very versatile artists, equally talented in both Tribal and Cabaret, they
are both members of Raks Helwah performing at Ruta Maya, Angie first
(Phillip what were you doing to make her laugh so much ?) burned the
floor. She was so hot ! And then Rania, in this awesome black and emerald green costume, closed the show with her usual blood pressure raising style.
All and all, it was a totally rockin’ show. Too bad you missed it ! The pictures and my writing cannot even begin to do justice to these wonderful artists. DPMEDT is taking to the road again. Sat., Sept 20th, we will be at McCoy Elementary Cafeteria, in Georgetown ! Spectacular lineup – a real stage ! Ararat will be there ! All of you should be too ! Visit my website – Calendar Page for directions and more details. Then, back at Eternal Way on November 1 – and it is themed to be a MULTI-CULTURAL show – we already have some Flamenco lined up, and the Village International Folk Dancers are coming back, and who knows what else we may come up with, EvaTennessee was walking out with a hula hoop, so we may even throw some of that in............and the music does not have to be Middle Eastern for this show ! Those dancers with backgrounds in other countries now get a chance to show their culture ! ******************* AUGUST 23, 2008 DANCE UNLIMITED, BUDA (All Photos Taken by Lee Arntzen) DPMEDT went on the Road ! Why not ? For years, patrons and dancers in the South Austin/Buda/Kyle/San Marcos/Wimberley area have “complained” about the long drive to Austin to see these shows, and with the increase of gas prices, DPMEDT decided to move a bit closer to home. Since M’lilah & Drakon’s homestead is near Buda, and since Drakon has been teaching at Dance Unlimited for several years, they decided to introduce Middle Eastern Dance to the Buda community ! The first show was Saturday night, August 23rd, and was NOT too well attended, I am sorry to say. The Studio is huge, with such a beautiful floor, that with a few minor decorating touches, it gained the DPMEDT feel easily. All the dancers on the evening’s lineup were from the South Austin-San Marcos-Kyle-Wimberley area. Ararat Mid East Fusion Catering & Events vended their great food and that stroked the atmosphere as well as the stomach. Dawn, a Buda resident and one of Drakon’s Saturday morning students, greeted the Patrons at the door. Lee helped set up, and both Tim and John drove down to support as DJ & Cameraman ! Thanks to all of them ! Drakon, wearing a new red & gold costume (created jointly by Taryn & M’lilah) opened the show. His burning passion for the music and movement that is ME dance clearly showed as he danced to his current favorite, a blend of popular Arabic music by the Al Ahram Orchestra. He tacked a short drum solo onto the end, which the audience loved as usual, but the whole number was for him a different style than usual.
Mabruka – formerly from NY, now living out near Mustang Ridge, danced a Classical Egyptian style and with her flaming red hair her blue cabaret costume really sparkled.
4 members of Troupe Amar, touched with
a Flamenco/Arabic urge, earned lots of applause. It was difficult
for
Phillip to hide in the crowd with only 3 ladies around him
!
Jamie Lynn, from San Marcos, a member of Midnight Breeze,
Angela Nations –so versatile and surprising – filled her
Drakon and Mabruka performed a duet, and although not as dynamic as it has been, it once again showed what happens when 2 dance artists really put their shimmys together....these 2 along with Gabriela, were given a "Best Innovation" award for dynamic male & female relationships in dance at the 4th Annual Troupe Competition recently held in Austin.
After a short intermission, the entire
2nd half of the show was live with The
Hands of Fatima Drum & Dance Company providing the entertainment.
The drummers - Charles & the 3 Daves - were jointed by Guest Musician, Ike Ikenburg on
the mandolin - provided lively music for dancers from the Midnight Breeze
Dance Troupe. FYI: A couple of years ago
HOF
earned an Award for the Most Authentic Performance at the Excalibur Ren
Faire in Lockhart.
******************* July 5, 2008
Unmata Show
George Washington
Carver's
Review written by Andrea
Wagnon Just driving up to the Carver Cultural Center was a lovely segue into an absolutely smashing show. The rotunda and the glass curtain wall entry really gave a feeling of Texas splendor. A modern day traveling bazaar filled with treasures and pleasures added sparkle and wonder to the journey into the theater. Assigned seating was also a pleasure. There were no worries about getting a good seat or saving enough for friends. Honestly, there didn't seem to be a bad seat in the house. The Carver Center's theater is well designed, giving the air of “plenty of room” for each seat, yet a feeling of intimacy still abounds. The theater totally supported the artists. The sound, lights, backdrop, and moderately sized stage were perfect for a solo performer as well as a medium sized troupe. The announcing system was a pleasure to listen to and didn't overwhelm either the announcer or the audience. The Saturday evening show was really a treat. Unmata's Amy Sigil and Shelly (aka Rashel) got the party started with some very challenging yet doable workshops earlier in the day. The workshop participants were ready to bring it on the stage and give their love in the audience when the show started. The Unmata stars, Amy and Shelly, sat in front row center and gave their undivided attention to Austin's feast of the divine. Note: Unless indicated otherwise, all of the pictures in the Show Review were taken by Lieven and all the vender pictures were taken by M'lilah. The theater was not the best place for photos, the lighting was not really adequate. Houston's premiere tribal belly dance troupe and sponsors of Third Coast Tribal, Urban Gypsy (pictured left) whetted our appetites with Eastern Indian flair and color. Amiya and Kat both looked radiant and confident as they improv-ed a skirt routine to music by Atash. I always enjoy Urban Gypsy and what they bring to the table. These gals know how to deliver a wonderful performance every time. They are highly-professional, with a sense of style and flair all their own. Absolutely *the* way to start a show! www.urbangypsy.cc
Intermission was fun with
M'lilah and her young assistant, Sofia, giving away door prizes. I love
M'lilah's down-home Texan style. She has a no-nonsense way of entertaining
her audience that puts a smile on my face. It is obvious she loves her job
and loves supporting both the bellydance community and her sweet
life-partner’s passion for the dance.
Indigo Rose
brought the energy up to at least "11" with their top-notch smiles, bursts
of sunny energy and swirls of skirts. They intrigued us all with their
Turkish spoons and their mastery of the Karsilama rhythm. Lots of fast
folksy movement with their colorful skirts and crocheted tassel belts made
for a dazzling performance. They ended with a simultaneous drop to the
floor and then sauntered offstage with a flirty bounce in their step.
www.indigorosebellydancing.com
www.gitanestreasures.com
Note: There was a tiny break here, to allow Michelle and the others standing backstage time to return to their seats as no one wanted to miss a second of Unmata (which, BTW, is a Sanskrit name for the night-blooming hallucinogenic flower we call Datura or Jimsonweed and the best meaning is divine inebriation.)
Unmata
moving... so fierce, powerful, engulfing. Mesmerizing. Wholly themselves
and bits of a fine-tuned, well-oiled, fired-up machine of brilliantly
moving dazzling parts. Yet, when they are caught in still shots, that's
where you begin to divine the secret. They are playful; full of joy;
totally, “in the moment” and innocent of the past and the future, content
in themselves and their relationship with each other. They weave that
gravity, that feeling of grounded ness into their movement. And POW! You
are knocked out and awoken at the same time. They transform energy and
carry you with them and effortlessly change you like a little girl chasing
a butterfly. It is obvious Amy is the Alpha in the squad. And
that seems to be “okay” with a capital O. Each troupe member is fully in
her own right and acknowledges her ability to lead in a group. But it's
Amy's electricity and sweet bitch-queen energy that pumps it up and they
revel in it. She is truly a delight and a wonder to behold. Shelly's
amazing sense of herself and her own glory shows what knowing how to
support the lead with rock solid attention is all about. Shelly has the
technical sass and abilities that really pop when she's leading and ground
when she's not. She's the ultimate partner in the breath-taking endeavor
that is Unmata.
The show ended with M’lilah serving up “dessert” Austin style by presenting Amy & Shelly matching tie-dyed Keep Austin Weird t-shirts as a thank you for coming all this way to share their “tough love” bellydance. They hammed it up by sliding right into those shirts and shooting us some peace and air-toking a little love. What a great way to end the show for our unique little slice of the bellydance pie here in Austin. Thank you, M’lilah, for bringing us such fun! I can’t wait to see what you do next !
SAHHIRA’S
SOUK - VENDERS LINING THE ROTUNDA & HALL
!
Totally managed by Sahhira, the Market ran Saturday from |
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