The Gaslight Faeries - a show at the Panopticon

It's very easy to think that a hafla is of the only home for bellydance performance - I guess I've been thinking that for a while. But last night I saw a beautiful, ambitious, clever, carefully constructed belly dance show and it blew me away.

Gaslight Faeries sounded like a bit of a gimmick. Presented  by Sarasvati Tribal, a group of 4 tribal fusion style Scottish belly dancers, in the Panopticon Theatre, the oldest music hall in the world, no ticket price, only donations. Well, that would be quite enough to get bums on seats, right? People would turn up just to see the amazing old theatre, and sit beside the dancers and musicians who are already fans of Sarasvati. It was a sure-fire success, right?

I confess that I was one of those who really wanted to see the Panopticon. And that I'm a Sarasvati fan, even if a lot of tribal fusion bellydance leaves me a bit cold. But Gaslight Faeries was also a beautifully put-together show. Most of the dancing was exceptional. It was clearly devised with love and attention to detail, cleverly planned and programmed. The music - oh, the music!! It was carefully chosen and researched, and for the most part, perfectly set the tone of the evening, and complimented the Panopticon. I would *love* a CD of the music that was used in the show! (HINT!)

A hafla this was not. At a hafla, we clap, shout and zhagreet. I can't help making lots of noise when I watch belly dancers (even tribal fusion dancers!) For most of the night, the audience was silent - rapt and attentive, yes, in a very British fashion. The woman in front of me scowled at me when I made the zhagreet. Which is a bit odd, since we *were* in Glasgow, after all!! So, I am guessing that this show pulled in an audience well outwith the belly dance community.

The Panopticon had asked that the show be as 'old' as possible. It's an old building full of history, and they like to put on olde-worlde shows - they have music hall afternoons and show back-to-back Laurel and Hardy films. So Gaslight Faeries, like a special Tardis for bellydancers, took us back in time to see some historical dancers. There was ancient Egpyt, a Victorian beach, the roaring twenties, the Casino Opera. I loved most of the performances. If you want to know about them all, you can take me out for a coffee! But my highlights are here.

The Sarasvati girls were great. When they dance, they work together as a team. They look like they really want to dance, and they really want to dance with each other. Their choreographies were great, really utilising their group dynamics. Each of them had lovely presence, but (a-hem!), through the strength of their common endevour, they achieve more than they achieve alone.

But lordy, did they achieve alone too!! Laura (who needs to be respected and thanked for having the vision, and for putting the whole show together) did a Mata Hari number. Laura admits she has not been seen dancing oriental style belly dance for quite a few years. I admit I was suprised when there was no sting in the tail - she didn't switch from graceful oriental to scary seductress tribal fusion. But she has clearly not lost the oriental magic! She was *amazing*. Seductive, captivating - you can read the dance through her eyes - with isolation and smooth moves to die for. There was *no* slack in her performance at all. Stunning.

Sarasvati's Ali danced "An Homage to to Loie Fuller", who was a pioneering dancer at the turn of the century. Ali wore a full length white dress (not bellydance style), and had 2 white fan veils. The way she moved the veils, the way she interprerted the music, the way she held the audience ab-so-lute-ly RAPT, was just *stunning*. I don't think anything I could say would do it justice.

The evening was compered by The Ringmistress, jaw-droppingly and immaculately beautiful, in red bustier, fascinator top-hat, red tails, thigh-high boots and fishnets. There were Seaside Frolicks with Saucy Sal and Lord Trust-Me-Not - better known to the bellydancers in the audience as Irene and Margaret from the Daughters of Isis. Their burlesque Victorian beach skit had the audience in fits of laughter, performing, as always, with conviction, charisma and tongues in cheeks! I hope to see more of Margaret's moustache because it deserves a show of its own. Susie of Habiba Dance performed a majestic, elegant and beautiful dance to transport us back to the roots of Oriental belly dance, the 1920s Cairo nightclub, the Casino Opera. The amazing Nagwa was theatrically and elegantly revealed for the delight of the audience as Queen Cleopatra, presenting herself to Mark Anthony. Yes, we were entranced!

I went with my mum, who isn't a dancer, but is supportive of me - and thus a veteran of haflas. She loved the show too. In the end, we were both a bit disappointed by the Panopticon - let's just say, there's still rather a lot of restoration still to be done! - but delighted by the show.

Gaslight Faeries has been a bit of an epiphany for me. It's made me feel that I could do with much more creativity and imagination in my approach to belly dance.What usually pulls the rug out from under me is a dazzling Egyptian oriental style dancer whose technique and presence makes me feel like a perennial under-achiever who should give up and go home. But Gaslight Faeries, as well as being full of dazzling dancing, had as its strength a wonderful imagination and creativity. And I'd love to see it again!

Workshops with Lorna of Cairo

Well, it's Ramadan and that means that the very wonderful, super-talented amazing dancer Lorna of Cairo is back in the UK for a few weeks!

Lorna has been working in Cairo as a bellydancer for a few years now, and before she went she was teaching hundreds of women from all across Scotland - including me - to bellydance. 

I have the pleasure of organising workshops for Lorna while she is here. She is on tour across the UK, teaching and dancing, and on Saturday 4 September she will be teaching in Edinburgh! If you're a dancer, do you best to get to these workshops - you'll learn a lot and have a great time.

Workshops with Lorna of Cairo in Edinburgh: Saturday 4^th September 2010 at The Club, Jewel and Esk College, 24 Milton Road East, Edinburgh EH15 2PP

Both workshops are suitable for all levels, but not for complete beginners.

Noon – 2pm: Core Cairo

Five key moves to make you dance like an Egyptian – plus a few more tips to Egypt-ify your performance.

2.30pm – 4.30pm: Oum Kalthoum – what every dancer should know.

Oum Kaltoum has a unique place in the Egyptian heart. How can dancers make the most of her songs and reflect the reverence? Lorna will use Oum Kaltoum favourites to help you with expression and interpretation. This workshop will be dancing, not just talking – and afterwards you won’t go wrong!

Each workshop costs £22, or book both for £40. Numbers are limited. Please book your place before Friday 27 August.

Book Now!: To book your space send a cheque, made out to E Alexandra, to Elspeth Alexandra, 32 Claremont Road, Edinburgh EH6 7NH. Please be sure to include your email address and phone number.

Summer holidays

After the Musselburgh Hafla I had a full month of no dancing at all. Instead I painted my kitchen, went on a family holiday, tried out Zumba, did a few races and generally did other stuff - it's good to have a holiday!

When August came around it was time to get dancing again, and when I put on Egyptian pop music and started to move my body again, it was a familiar and as comforting as putting on my favourite pyjamas. Feeling my muscles move was a great sensation, just out-of-practice enough to know that I've missed it, but so familiar that my reactions are instantly happy.

I'm working on my classes for next term, which starts at the end of August. I'm giving my classes more emphasis on moving to the music. It might sound strange for a dance class, but especially for beginners I often spend a lot of the time *without* music playing - breaking down moves, talking them over, explaining them with words. This term I'm going to try to talk less and boogie more!

So if you come to my classes this term you can expect it to be energetic and fun, with lots of poppy Egyptian music and easy-to-follow routines to learn.