Resolvi dar uma revisada nesse texto e postá-lo novamente! Às que estão começando a estudar agora, o be-a-bá do Tribal! O que são todos esses gêneros dentro de um gênero que ainda é tão novo e desconhecido? Vamos lá! Com tantos estilos e rótulos é bem fácil confundir-se com as nomenclaturas no tribal. Por isso, coloco aqui os principais nomes que encontramos:
*** Tribal - Genérico, assim sem nenhuma especificação, geralmente faz referência ao Tribal Fusion ou ATS® versus a Dança do Ventre, mas também pode significar uma dessas duas danças distintas:
1) Danças regionais típicas de diversas partes do mundo, o que é um problema em si, pois na visão ocidental em geral, são consideradas “tribos” apenas as populações não-brancas ou de povos originários.
2) O estilo tribal "original" feito pela Jamila Salimpour e sua trupe Bal Anat nos anos 60, na Califórnia. Caracterizava-se por diversas danças árabes tradicionais misturadas em um só show. Trabalho em grupo e solo, uso de snujs, uso de coreografia e danças folclóricas com um "tchan". Porém, deve-se observar que esse estilo de "tribal" demorou para ser chamado assim na época. De qualquer forma, foi o estilo que deu início ao movimento tribal que temos hoje em dia, pois Jamila deu aulas para Masha Archer, que deu aulas para Carolena Nericcio, que criou o ATS®.
*** American Tribal Style® ou ATS®, agora renomeado de FCBD Style (FatChance BellyDance Style)
O ATS® nasceu no final dos anos 80 em São Francisco, CA. Quando a trupe de Masha Archer, chamada "San Francisco Classic Dance Troupe" se desfez, Carolena começou a dar aulas para que tivesse parceiras com quem dançar. Suas aulas tornaram-se populares entre as pessoas mais alternativas que queriam fazer dança do ventre mas não se encaixavam nos padrões estéticos da dança na época. Da sementinha deixada por Masha, Carolena continuou a plantação, e criou o estilo que veio a ser chamado de ATS®. Segundo ela, o "american" do título deixava claro que era uma criação americana, e portanto não oriental, e o "Tribal"descrevia a sensação estética da dança, com mulheres dançando juntas, em tribo, e com uma mistura de trajes autênticos de diversas partes do mundo. O ATS® é um estilo de improvisação coordenada em grupo em que, com base em um repertório comum a todas as bailarinas do estilo, cria-se uma dança improvisada por meio de sinais, chamados de "cues". Para dançar ATS® precisa-se no mínimo de duas pessoas, e o repertório de movimentos vem principalmente da dança do ventre, mas também tem forte influência do flamenco nos braços e postura, e pitadas de danças folclóricas do Oriente Médio e danças clássicas indianas. O principal exponente do ATS® é o grupo da própria Carolena, chamado FatChance BellyDance®, ou abreviado FCBD®. Para mais informações, acesse o site do FCBD .
***ITS - Improvised Tribal Style (ou estilo tribal de improvisação)
O ITS também é um derivado do ATS®, e indica simplesmente que um grupo utiliza o sistema de improvisação coordenada em grupo do ATS®, porém com repertório de movimentos que vai além, ou até mesmo em direções diferentes do utilizado no ATS®. Mesmo sistema de improvisação, repertório de movimentos diferente. Um dos principais exemplos que conheço de ITS é o grupo californiano "Unmata". Elas além de coreografia, trabalham o sistema de improvisação coordenada em grupo por meio de combos. Um outro exemplo de ITS mais novo, é o formato Datura, da Rachel Brice, que apesar de não usar a nomenclatura de ITS por conta de toda polêmica em torno do uso do nome “tribal”, é exatamente o que é!
*** Tribal Fusion -
Esse estilo foi o principal responsável pela propagação mundial do tribal. Ele surgiu quando bailarinas do ATS® foram saindo para criar suas próprias estilizações e acrescentar ainda mais fusões ao caldeirão de influências. Não existe uma ordem certa de quem iniciou esse movimento, pois na época não havia nem pretensão e nem consciência de que isso tomaria proporções tão grandes. Apenas aconteceu que, algumas bailarinas/alunas de Carolena, quiseram se aventurar em suas próprias experiências, dando vazão à criatividade e fazendo uma fusão em cima da fusão. Daí o nome "Tribal Fusion": é o "tribal" do ATS® acrescido de fusões do que a imaginação permitir, seja de origem oriental ou ocidental, antiga ou moderna. Algumas das bailarinas apontadas como pioneiras do Tribal Fusion e que estavam na cena desde o começo foram Lady Fred, Jill Parker, Rachel Brice e Heather Stants, entre outras. A cena acontecia quase que exclusivamente na região da baía de São Francisco, CA. Como o Tribal Fusion não tinha um formato específico como o ATS®, bailarinas solo surgiram, até que o grupo internacional BellyDance Superstars lançou o estilo para o mundo, e as bailarinas do grupo, como Rachel Brice, Sharon Kihara e Mardi Love viraram referência instantânea do estilo.
Do Tribal Fusion, surgiram e ainda surgem muitos sub-gêneros como o Dark Fusion, praticado pela Ariellah, o Tribal Brasil, praticado por várias bailarinas brasileiras que misturam ao Tribal Fusion influências de danças regionais brasileiras, como Kilma Farias, Samra Hanan e Cia Shaman, o Tribal Gótico, e assim por diante. Muitas bailarinas criam um nome para seu estilo pessoal, daí vão se criando cada vez mais sub-gêneros... Mas o importante é saber que todos eles vêm da mesma raiz, e são apenas mais um pequeno desdobramento da grande e constante evolução que é o estilo!
... >Leer más.
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Resolvi dar uma revisada nesse texto e postá-lo novamente! Às que estão começando a estudar agora, o be-a-bá do Tribal! O que são todos esses gêneros dentro de um gênero que ainda é tão novo e desconhecido? Vamos lá! Com tantos estilos e rótulos é bem fácil confundir-se com as nomenclaturas no tribal. Por isso, coloco aqui os principais nomes que encontramos:
*** Tribal - Genérico, assim sem nenhuma especificação, geralmente faz referência ao Tribal Fusion ou ATS® versus a Dança do Ventre, mas também pode significar uma dessas duas danças distintas:
1) Danças regionais típicas de diversas partes do mundo, o que é um problema em si, pois na visão ocidental em geral, são consideradas “tribos” apenas as populações não-brancas ou de povos originários.
2) O estilo tribal "original" feito pela Jamila Salimpour e sua trupe Bal Anat nos anos 60, na Califórnia. Caracterizava-se por diversas danças árabes tradicionais misturadas em um só show. Trabalho em grupo e solo, uso de snujs, uso de coreografia e danças folclóricas com um "tchan". Porém, deve-se observar que esse estilo de "tribal" demorou para ser chamado assim na época. De qualquer forma, foi o estilo que deu início ao movimento tribal que temos hoje em dia, pois Jamila deu aulas para Masha Archer, que deu aulas para Carolena Nericcio, que criou o ATS®.
*** American Tribal Style® ou ATS®, agora renomeado de FCBD Style (FatChance BellyDance Style)
O ATS® nasceu no final dos anos 80 em São Francisco, CA. Quando a trupe de Masha Archer, chamada "San Francisco Classic Dance Troupe" se desfez, Carolena começou a dar aulas para que tivesse parceiras com quem dançar. Suas aulas tornaram-se populares entre as pessoas mais alternativas que queriam fazer dança do ventre mas não se encaixavam nos padrões estéticos da dança na época. Da sementinha deixada por Masha, Carolena continuou a plantação, e criou o estilo que veio a ser chamado de ATS®. Segundo ela, o "american" do título deixava claro que era uma criação americana, e portanto não oriental, e o "Tribal"descrevia a sensação estética da dança, com mulheres dançando juntas, em tribo, e com uma mistura de trajes autênticos de diversas partes do mundo. O ATS® é um estilo de improvisação coordenada em grupo em que, com base em um repertório comum a todas as bailarinas do estilo, cria-se uma dança improvisada por meio de sinais, chamados de "cues". Para dançar ATS® precisa-se no mínimo de duas pessoas, e o repertório de movimentos vem principalmente da dança do ventre, mas também tem forte influência do flamenco nos braços e postura, e pitadas de danças folclóricas do Oriente Médio e danças clássicas indianas. O principal exponente do ATS® é o grupo da própria Carolena, chamado FatChance BellyDance®, ou abreviado FCBD®. Para mais informações, acesse o site do FCBD .
***ITS - Improvised Tribal Style (ou estilo tribal de improvisação)
O ITS também é um derivado do ATS®, e indica simplesmente que um grupo utiliza o sistema de improvisação coordenada em grupo do ATS®, porém com repertório de movimentos que vai além, ou até mesmo em direções diferentes do utilizado no ATS®. Mesmo sistema de improvisação, repertório de movimentos diferente. Um dos principais exemplos que conheço de ITS é o grupo californiano "Unmata". Elas além de coreografia, trabalham o sistema de improvisação coordenada em grupo por meio de combos. Um outro exemplo de ITS mais novo, é o formato Datura, da Rachel Brice, que apesar de não usar a nomenclatura de ITS por conta de toda polêmica em torno do uso do nome “tribal”, é exatamente o que é!
*** Tribal Fusion -
Esse estilo foi o principal responsável pela propagação mundial do tribal. Ele surgiu quando bailarinas do ATS® foram saindo para criar suas próprias estilizações e acrescentar ainda mais fusões ao caldeirão de influências. Não existe uma ordem certa de quem iniciou esse movimento, pois na época não havia nem pretensão e nem consciência de que isso tomaria proporções tão grandes. Apenas aconteceu que, algumas bailarinas/alunas de Carolena, quiseram se aventurar em suas próprias experiências, dando vazão à criatividade e fazendo uma fusão em cima da fusão. Daí o nome "Tribal Fusion": é o "tribal" do ATS® acrescido de fusões do que a imaginação permitir, seja de origem oriental ou ocidental, antiga ou moderna. Algumas das bailarinas apontadas como pioneiras do Tribal Fusion e que estavam na cena desde o começo foram Lady Fred, Jill Parker, Rachel Brice e Heather Stants, entre outras. A cena acontecia quase que exclusivamente na região da baía de São Francisco, CA. Como o Tribal Fusion não tinha um formato específico como o ATS®, bailarinas solo surgiram, até que o grupo internacional BellyDance Superstars lançou o estilo para o mundo, e as bailarinas do grupo, como Rachel Brice, Sharon Kihara e Mardi Love viraram referência instantânea do estilo.
Do Tribal Fusion, surgiram e ainda surgem muitos sub-gêneros como o Dark Fusion, praticado pela Ariellah, o Tribal Brasil, praticado por várias bailarinas brasileiras que misturam ao Tribal Fusion influências de danças regionais brasileiras, como Kilma Farias, Samra Hanan e Cia Shaman, o Tribal Gótico, e assim por diante. Muitas bailarinas criam um nome para seu estilo pessoal, daí vão se criando cada vez mais sub-gêneros... Mas o importante é saber que todos eles vêm da mesma raiz, e são apenas mais um pequeno desdobramento da grande e constante evolução que é o estilo!
... >Leer más.
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A única época em que sofri bullying na escola, eu ouvia aos berros enquanto passava, que eu era “baiana". Era bem nova e ficava pensando naquilo... Baiana é quem nasce na Bahia, oras! Isso não é xingamento! Para ela (loira de olhos azuis) e para muitas pessoas aqui da região sudeste, ser "baiana" implicava em se vestir ou usar roupas ou acessórios chamativos ou que não combinam.Anos depois, penso que a Carmem Miranda imitava uma baiana com trajes típicos e fez carreira em cima da imagem. Sua figura é icônica até hoje, e nem brasileira ela era. Penso que tive o prazer de visitar a Bahia duas vezes a trabalho e que amei tudo que vivi lá. Penso que tenho amizades com pessoas incríveis da Bahia, e Salvador é uma das cidades que visitei que mais me encantou.Na Bahia também, presenciei um comentário de uma bailarina estrangeira que dizia que geralmente vendia as roupas mais coloridas "em lugares como esse aqui", com um tom de ironia.Então quem sabe a ironia da gringa é a mesma do país, das partes Sul e Sudeste principalmente, que ainda menospreza uma porção tão grande de seu território por uma visão eurocêntrica.A visão que nos separa e consolida a falta de senso de identidade na dança, na vida. Espero que ainda haja espaço para nos apropriarmos de tudo que temos de bom, tudo que podemos ser. Especialmente com as eleições chegando. Que a gente vote pelo país inteiro e não só pela parcela que já tem o que é necessidade básica, olhando só para o próprio umbigo e para o eixo “padrão global” Rio-SP.E se hoje em dia já se sabe que é feio menosprezar o lugar de nascimento de alguém, ainda carregamos muito desse preconceito escondido (nem tanto). Que possamos evoluir para além desse pensamento colonial.... >Leer más.
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A única época em que sofri bullying na escola, eu ouvia aos berros enquanto passava, que eu era “baiana". Era bem nova e ficava pensando naquilo... Baiana é quem nasce na Bahia, oras! Isso não é xingamento! Para ela (loira de olhos azuis) e para muitas pessoas aqui da região sudeste, ser "baiana" implicava em se vestir ou usar roupas ou acessórios chamativos ou que não combinam.Anos depois, penso que a Carmem Miranda imitava uma baiana com trajes típicos e fez carreira em cima da imagem. Sua figura é icônica até hoje, e nem brasileira ela era. Penso que tive o prazer de visitar a Bahia duas vezes a trabalho e que amei tudo que vivi lá. Penso que tenho amizades com pessoas incríveis da Bahia, e Salvador é uma das cidades que visitei que mais me encantou.Na Bahia também, presenciei um comentário de uma bailarina estrangeira que dizia que geralmente vendia as roupas mais coloridas "em lugares como esse aqui", com um tom de ironia.Então quem sabe a ironia da gringa é a mesma do país, das partes Sul e Sudeste principalmente, que ainda menospreza uma porção tão grande de seu território por uma visão eurocêntrica.A visão que nos separa e consolida a falta de senso de identidade na dança, na vida. Espero que ainda haja espaço para nos apropriarmos de tudo que temos de bom, tudo que podemos ser. Especialmente com as eleições chegando. Que a gente vote pelo país inteiro e não só pela parcela que já tem o que é necessidade básica, olhando só para o próprio umbigo e para o eixo “padrão global” Rio-SP.E se hoje em dia já se sabe que é feio menosprezar o lugar de nascimento de alguém, ainda carregamos muito desse preconceito escondido (nem tanto). Que possamos evoluir para além desse pensamento colonial.... >Leer más.
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Depois de bater muito a cabeça com figurino ao longo dos anos, descobri algumas maneiras de errar menos (repare que falo em errar menos e não em não errar! 🫢 )
Aqui compartilho 5 dicas que me ajudaram:
1- Aprenda a enxergar as proporções:
Você conhece seu corpo e sabe quais pontos quer valorizar ou disfarçar no palco. Às vezes detalhes afetam muito o resultado final do figurino. Cada bracelete, brinco , colar e headpiece importam muito! Perceba se as proporções estão equilibradas, onde precisa de mais ou menos volume, onde tem informação demais ou “de menos”.
2- Entenda as cores que te valorizam:
Existe uma regra geral do que fica bem em cada pessoa mas isso pode mudar dependendo da cor ou estilo de cabelo que estamos, ou até se você se bronzeou recentemente. Entenda isso e aplique tanto no figurino quanto na make, use pontos de cor que te favorecem na roupa, make e cabelos, se a cor da roupa for mais neutra ou preta.
3- Saiba como seu figurino vai se comportar
Nunca vá para o palco sem dançar com a roupa completa algumas vezes. Você vai descobrir que precisa tirar algum acessório por causa de um movimento específico, ou prender melhor outro. Isso você só vai saber dançando com a roupa. Não vale a pena testar na hora.
4- Decida a "vibe" que quer passar com a roupa
Às vezes buscamos uma aura mais moderna, às vezes mais vintage, às vezes mais rústica… Perceba como aquela roupa conversa nesses detalhes com a música e a coreografia, e faça os ajustes de acordo. Nem sempre o que idealizamos de primeira é o que dá certo.
5- Você não precisa usar tudo de uma vez só
Eu sei que amamos acessórios e exagerar na produção, mas não é tudo que vai ficar bem para toda performance. Às vezes menos é mais! ... >Leer más.
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Depois de bater muito a cabeça com figurino ao longo dos anos, descobri algumas maneiras de errar menos (repare que falo em errar menos e não em não errar! 🫢 )
Aqui compartilho 5 dicas que me ajudaram:
1- Aprenda a enxergar as proporções:
Você conhece seu corpo e sabe quais pontos quer valorizar ou disfarçar no palco. Às vezes detalhes afetam muito o resultado final do figurino. Cada bracelete, brinco , colar e headpiece importam muito! Perceba se as proporções estão equilibradas, onde precisa de mais ou menos volume, onde tem informação demais ou “de menos”.
2- Entenda as cores que te valorizam:
Existe uma regra geral do que fica bem em cada pessoa mas isso pode mudar dependendo da cor ou estilo de cabelo que estamos, ou até se você se bronzeou recentemente. Entenda isso e aplique tanto no figurino quanto na make, use pontos de cor que te favorecem na roupa, make e cabelos, se a cor da roupa for mais neutra ou preta.
3- Saiba como seu figurino vai se comportar
Nunca vá para o palco sem dançar com a roupa completa algumas vezes. Você vai descobrir que precisa tirar algum acessório por causa de um movimento específico, ou prender melhor outro. Isso você só vai saber dançando com a roupa. Não vale a pena testar na hora.
4- Decida a "vibe" que quer passar com a roupa
Às vezes buscamos uma aura mais moderna, às vezes mais vintage, às vezes mais rústica… Perceba como aquela roupa conversa nesses detalhes com a música e a coreografia, e faça os ajustes de acordo. Nem sempre o que idealizamos de primeira é o que dá certo.
5- Você não precisa usar tudo de uma vez só
Eu sei que amamos acessórios e exagerar na produção, mas não é tudo que vai ficar bem para toda performance. Às vezes menos é mais! ... >Leer más.
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Pessoalmente está muito marcante o tema do estilo tribal brasileiro nas últimas semanas.Não no sentido de "Fusão Tribal Brasil", mas num sentido de identidade. Algo que nos distinga, que faça com que ao redor do mundo sejamos reconhecidas por essa marca.
Temos nossas peculiaridades na constituição física e no movimento. Porque então não temos uma marca específica, algo que faça as pessoas comentarem "ah sim, aquele estilo das brasileiras, sei como é!"...
Já crescemos demais e temos um bom número de profissionais qualificados. Mas, ainda podemos amadurecer mais no quesito de apropriação do estilo. Já sabemos toda sua linhagem e o que podemos alcançar com a criatividade que nos permite.
Temos referenciais do estilo norte americano, europeu e russo por exemplo, bem delimitados enquanto "escolas". Vejo diversas linhas nos EUA, seguindo mais as fontes de Jamila Salimpour ou Masha Archer, ou mais modernizados com referências do "The Indigo" e suas integrantes ou até mais puxado para o cabaret americano. Vejo o estilo europeu como mais experimental, mais "simplificado" nos trajes e puxado para a dança contemporânea. O estilo russo tem os trajes mega brilhantes, deslocamentos, movimentos de impacto, muito alongamento, pernas e braços e uma tendência para músicas eletrônicas ou para o lado dos Balkan (sem surpresa aí rs).
Gostaria de poder acrescentar a essa lista características bem brasileirinhas em que puxamos a sardinha para nossos pontos fortes! Investir em investigar o que podemos trazer de único para o estilo em termos de movimento, leitura musical e onde estão nossas afinidades em relação às raízes, sem "estar devendo" ser longilínea e ter o quadril estreito, entre outras coisas que se distanciam dos padrões da grande maioria de nós por aqui!... >Leer más.
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Pessoalmente está muito marcante o tema do estilo tribal brasileiro nas últimas semanas.Não no sentido de "Fusão Tribal Brasil", mas num sentido de identidade. Algo que nos distinga, que faça com que ao redor do mundo sejamos reconhecidas por essa marca.
Temos nossas peculiaridades na constituição física e no movimento. Porque então não temos uma marca específica, algo que faça as pessoas comentarem "ah sim, aquele estilo das brasileiras, sei como é!"...
Já crescemos demais e temos um bom número de profissionais qualificados. Mas, ainda podemos amadurecer mais no quesito de apropriação do estilo. Já sabemos toda sua linhagem e o que podemos alcançar com a criatividade que nos permite.
Temos referenciais do estilo norte americano, europeu e russo por exemplo, bem delimitados enquanto "escolas". Vejo diversas linhas nos EUA, seguindo mais as fontes de Jamila Salimpour ou Masha Archer, ou mais modernizados com referências do "The Indigo" e suas integrantes ou até mais puxado para o cabaret americano. Vejo o estilo europeu como mais experimental, mais "simplificado" nos trajes e puxado para a dança contemporânea. O estilo russo tem os trajes mega brilhantes, deslocamentos, movimentos de impacto, muito alongamento, pernas e braços e uma tendência para músicas eletrônicas ou para o lado dos Balkan (sem surpresa aí rs).
Gostaria de poder acrescentar a essa lista características bem brasileirinhas em que puxamos a sardinha para nossos pontos fortes! Investir em investigar o que podemos trazer de único para o estilo em termos de movimento, leitura musical e onde estão nossas afinidades em relação às raízes, sem "estar devendo" ser longilínea e ter o quadril estreito, entre outras coisas que se distanciam dos padrões da grande maioria de nós por aqui!... >Leer más.
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Na minha jornada de yoga comecei com uma professora incrível que descobri ter sido aluna do Gerson D'Addio, com quem depois me formei. Com eles aprendi que yoga é uma coisa que a gente faz mais com presença do que com posturas elaboradas (embora essas possam fazer parte do pacote).Ao longo dos anos fiz aulas com muitos outros, mas raramente encontrei algo como aquelas aulas mais "simples" da Hatha. É simples e muito difícil apenas estar numa postura. Respirar, aguentar a mente que quer sair da posição, ansiosa. Esse é o desafio! Ficar quando corpo e mente querem sair correndo.Asana não é pose pra foto. Asana é presença.Encontrei no Instagram uma jovem moça indiana praticando yoga. Reparei nela um estado de presença e meditação, mesmo nas posturas mais complexas, que não via há tempos pelas redes (que sempre insistem em me mostrar as moças ocidentais - de preferência loiras e magras).Apesar de não querer reduzir o assunto a "ocidente X oriente", lembro da tendência que temos em valorizar o que é mais técnico e mental.Em meio a tantas "correções" técnicas que recebi em aulas de yoga, eu não conseguia alcançar o objetivo máximo das posturas: estar.Não seria o mesmo para a dança?A origem oriental da dança do ventre não requer nada menos do que a presença e estado meditativo de um asana. A dança é uma prática integral que passa e fala pelo corpo, ela requer presença: cabeça e coração em uníssono. E não "chegamos lá" pensando em qual movimento de impacto usar a seguir.
... >Leer más.
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Na minha jornada de yoga comecei com uma professora incrível que descobri ter sido aluna do Gerson D'Addio, com quem depois me formei. Com eles aprendi que yoga é uma coisa que a gente faz mais com presença do que com posturas elaboradas (embora essas possam fazer parte do pacote).Ao longo dos anos fiz aulas com muitos outros, mas raramente encontrei algo como aquelas aulas mais "simples" da Hatha. É simples e muito difícil apenas estar numa postura. Respirar, aguentar a mente que quer sair da posição, ansiosa. Esse é o desafio! Ficar quando corpo e mente querem sair correndo.Asana não é pose pra foto. Asana é presença.Encontrei no Instagram uma jovem moça indiana praticando yoga. Reparei nela um estado de presença e meditação, mesmo nas posturas mais complexas, que não via há tempos pelas redes (que sempre insistem em me mostrar as moças ocidentais - de preferência loiras e magras).Apesar de não querer reduzir o assunto a "ocidente X oriente", lembro da tendência que temos em valorizar o que é mais técnico e mental.Em meio a tantas "correções" técnicas que recebi em aulas de yoga, eu não conseguia alcançar o objetivo máximo das posturas: estar.Não seria o mesmo para a dança?A origem oriental da dança do ventre não requer nada menos do que a presença e estado meditativo de um asana. A dança é uma prática integral que passa e fala pelo corpo, ela requer presença: cabeça e coração em uníssono. E não "chegamos lá" pensando em qual movimento de impacto usar a seguir.
... >Leer más.
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I have to write down a few more thoughts. It's the accumulation of thoughts and things I have been saying privately for the last couple of years, so I might as well say these things here.
Back in 2014 I rescued some vintage bellydance magazines from a shop in New Orleans. Not only a glance back in history, what initially caught my eye were articles on Ruth St. Denis (one of my idols) and North African dances. The following summer, I was gifted a bunch more vintage bellydance publications, several of them coming from the city I now live in. Between the two hauls, the majority of issues spanned the 70's through the 80's.
As I sat down to enjoy them, my eye was drawn away from the prize articles and delicious photos to editorials and articles discussing the state of the dance. Issue after issue, dancers voiced their opinionsabout quality of dancers, whose style was more authentic, what was appropriate costuming, who could dance to what music, where was the line between fusion and authenticity, undercutting, 6 week wonders, double-scheduling, lack of professionalism, etc. With no punches pulled and lacking the art of critique, dancers ripped apart each other, rival events, and so forth.
Rather than being inspired by history, my heart sank. I flipped close the magazine in my hands and looked at the date on the cover. 1978. I said to myself, "these people have been arguing about the same old shit for as long as I have been alive." I remember many stories from my dance mentors, so it's not like this was a new revelation for me. But seeing it in print, page after page...it sucked at my soul.
All that time, and seemingly so little progress on these issues.
I could go into extensive detail about how these arguments have continued to play out for the entire time I have been involved in dance. How many times the community has essentially set fire to itself in that timeframe - in ALL of its factions, regardless of what label you want to use. But I'm tired of/from hashing it out again and again. Of lip service and no action.
In early 2015, I talked about the decline of the dance community population. Throughout the last two years, I wrote about issues and solving problems, from fostering innovation and expandingcommunity to tackling cultural appropriationand considering why we dance. And so much more, even if it cooled down to about a post a month.
And here's the thing, I didn't just write about these things. I did them. Everything I write about, I practice. In my classes and workshops, at events, in what I produce and bring to the stage. And I'm going to continue doing that, even if I'm not writing about it. I know it works, and see the growth.
Y'all can argue about labels and styles all you want, but it's basically arguing about what the gravestone should read and who gets to carve it, all the while kicking the body into the casket. There are bad representations of the dance in EVERY style, and no amount of labeling is going to fix that internally or externally. Yes, there's plenty of stuff labeled as bellydance that makes me want to tear my hair out, but that doesn't change what *I* can do.
It all doesn't matter if there's not a new generation of younger dancers coming in. If we're not fostering an inclusive, positive environment for people to come to. The hilarity of the young vs. old bitch-off is the "young" dancers are mainly now in their late 30's-40's,so perceptions need to drop on all sides and reality needs to set in. Another divide the drama sinks into, when there are real things to consider.
So if you're interested in growing the dance and building community, here's the bullet list I recommend for doing it:
-To get more interest and classes growing, there needs to be outreach and interest for a younger generation, as well as reaching out more to the general public - a larger, more diverse demographic. Dancers for dancers is lovely, but it doesn't grow the dance. Promote outside the dance box, and be welcoming to all ages, sizes, genders, cultures.
- ALL areas of the dance need to address the sticky topic of cultural appropriation vs. appreciation. It's not going away, and it can be handled with grace on all sides. Tradition has always held hands with innovation, both can be encouraged and positive for each other.
- ALL teachers of the dance need to address history and culture, connect movement with music, promote professional ethics, behavior, and give constructive feedback. Even in a "for fun" class, students can be exposed to the cultures the dance comes from, see both tradition and innovation, be introduced to building community, and professional standards.
- Practice collaboration vs. competition. Foster positive and open communication in your town/city/state/country. Separation doesn't help, working together with mutual respect does. Nobody wins playing shark in a empty fish tank.
My (hopefully) last words on all of this: I don't think we're going to be able to build a bigger community in the next few years to come, but I do believe we can each build a better one where we dance.
And final words by Billy Joel: "We were keeping the faith. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Keeping the faith. You know the good ole days weren't always good. And tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems."
... >Leer más.
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I have to write down a few more thoughts. It's the accumulation of thoughts and things I have been saying privately for the last couple of years, so I might as well say these things here.
Back in 2014 I rescued some vintage bellydance magazines from a shop in New Orleans. Not only a glance back in history, what initially caught my eye were articles on Ruth St. Denis (one of my idols) and North African dances. The following summer, I was gifted a bunch more vintage bellydance publications, several of them coming from the city I now live in. Between the two hauls, the majority of issues spanned the 70's through the 80's.
As I sat down to enjoy them, my eye was drawn away from the prize articles and delicious photos to editorials and articles discussing the state of the dance. Issue after issue, dancers voiced their opinionsabout quality of dancers, whose style was more authentic, what was appropriate costuming, who could dance to what music, where was the line between fusion and authenticity, undercutting, 6 week wonders, double-scheduling, lack of professionalism, etc. With no punches pulled and lacking the art of critique, dancers ripped apart each other, rival events, and so forth.
Rather than being inspired by history, my heart sank. I flipped close the magazine in my hands and looked at the date on the cover. 1978. I said to myself, "these people have been arguing about the same old shit for as long as I have been alive." I remember many stories from my dance mentors, so it's not like this was a new revelation for me. But seeing it in print, page after page...it sucked at my soul.
All that time, and seemingly so little progress on these issues.
I could go into extensive detail about how these arguments have continued to play out for the entire time I have been involved in dance. How many times the community has essentially set fire to itself in that timeframe - in ALL of its factions, regardless of what label you want to use. But I'm tired of/from hashing it out again and again. Of lip service and no action.
In early 2015, I talked about the decline of the dance community population. Throughout the last two years, I wrote about issues and solving problems, from fostering innovation and expandingcommunity to tackling cultural appropriationand considering why we dance. And so much more, even if it cooled down to about a post a month.
And here's the thing, I didn't just write about these things. I did them. Everything I write about, I practice. In my classes and workshops, at events, in what I produce and bring to the stage. And I'm going to continue doing that, even if I'm not writing about it. I know it works, and see the growth.
Y'all can argue about labels and styles all you want, but it's basically arguing about what the gravestone should read and who gets to carve it, all the while kicking the body into the casket. There are bad representations of the dance in EVERY style, and no amount of labeling is going to fix that internally or externally. Yes, there's plenty of stuff labeled as bellydance that makes me want to tear my hair out, but that doesn't change what *I* can do.
It all doesn't matter if there's not a new generation of younger dancers coming in. If we're not fostering an inclusive, positive environment for people to come to. The hilarity of the young vs. old bitch-off is the "young" dancers are mainly now in their late 30's-40's,so perceptions need to drop on all sides and reality needs to set in. Another divide the drama sinks into, when there are real things to consider.
So if you're interested in growing the dance and building community, here's the bullet list I recommend for doing it:
-To get more interest and classes growing, there needs to be outreach and interest for a younger generation, as well as reaching out more to the general public - a larger, more diverse demographic. Dancers for dancers is lovely, but it doesn't grow the dance. Promote outside the dance box, and be welcoming to all ages, sizes, genders, cultures.
- ALL areas of the dance need to address the sticky topic of cultural appropriation vs. appreciation. It's not going away, and it can be handled with grace on all sides. Tradition has always held hands with innovation, both can be encouraged and positive for each other.
- ALL teachers of the dance need to address history and culture, connect movement with music, promote professional ethics, behavior, and give constructive feedback. Even in a "for fun" class, students can be exposed to the cultures the dance comes from, see both tradition and innovation, be introduced to building community, and professional standards.
- Practice collaboration vs. competition. Foster positive and open communication in your town/city/state/country. Separation doesn't help, working together with mutual respect does. Nobody wins playing shark in a empty fish tank.
My (hopefully) last words on all of this: I don't think we're going to be able to build a bigger community in the next few years to come, but I do believe we can each build a better one where we dance.
And final words by Billy Joel: "We were keeping the faith. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Keeping the faith. You know the good ole days weren't always good. And tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems."
... >Leer más.
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| Photo of Tempest by Carrie Meyer I feel I have come to the point where I've said pretty much everything I can say in regards to the bellydance community.
For the last several years I've written extensively and passionately about bellydance as a living art, a tradition, and a community. I did it from the combined perspective of a teacher, performer, producer, vendor, audience member, and student; situated on a bridge somewhere in the middle of various generations, styles, and views.
As I announced last month, I'm taking a hiatus from event producing to focus more on my artwork, writing, witchcraft, and other projects. I will continue to teach and perform dance, where and as my heart and spirit calls me. I found this piece I wrote back in 2009 for Belly Dance New England , and was published on this blog in 2010. I find it still very relevant today, so I am sharing it here one more time.
I'm leaving the article intact, copied below - even though I'd probably tweak a few things. The only thing I'd add, I'm putting right here and it's alist of beatitudes for fostering community of any size: be inclusive, be respectful, be collaborative, be communicative, be engaging, be ever-learning, and be kind.
"What Is Community?"
I talk a lot about the “bellydance community” to my students, in workshops, online, etc, and depending on the situation, the community may refer to the global one, a regional one, or a stylistically based one. But what does it mean to be a part of a bellydance community? What is its purpose?
I have also said on several occasions that I don’t believe in a “sisterhood of the dance.” Actually, I still don’t, but that doesn’t mean at one time I did. And I firmly believe that the “bellydance community” and (the fabled) “sisterhood of the dance” are two very different entities, and I think it is very important that we all understand this difference.
What do I mean? Read on…
Part I: The Myth of the Sisterhood
I came to this dance (and through most of my life) as a tomboy. I grew up with two older brothers and no sisters. For most of my life, I was hanging out with the guys more than the girls, partly out of familiarity, also most of my female friends threw me for a loop (and under the bus, in the closet, and down the stairs) – I couldn’t understand why they were so mean, cruel, and backstabbing. I idolized my brothers’ girlfriends – they were so pretty, so smart and sophisticated, so above all the nonsense I experienced with girls my own age. Truly, I thought, there must be some magical change that happens, some possible sisterhood in my future. (naïve much?)
So in coming to bellydance, hearing these undertones about the sisterhood of the dance, female fellowship, the beauty of “tribal”, etc – YES! Here it is! Here we are, we can celebrate the beauty of our diverse female bodies – all size, all ages, and enjoy the dance together! Finally! I can have sisters! We all love the dance, we love and support each other, we share the joy! Um…wait, why are they so mean, cruel, and backstabbing? “Clearly, you have never had sisters…” was the reply. The truth is, people are human no matter what, and sometimes age doesn’t improve on the lesser traits. And the only way a “sisterhood” is going to exist is in a family-like structure, and with that comes all of the good, and all of the bad. Luckily, you can choose your troupe-mates more than you choose your family, but that doesn’t stop it from being dysfunctional and chaotic at times, as well as fabulous and supportive. So, the “sisterhood” exists more in a microcosm, a contained group working together, and takes a great deal amount of personal work and energy. But putting together 2 or more of these units does not mean that a grander sisterhood will instantly happen. Just like in real tribal communities (meaning non-dance, anthropologically), one tribe does not automatically trust another tribe. Regardless of style or background.
Part II: Community: Making It Work
Now just because the “sisterhood” is an illusive entity does not mean that community has to be as well. Community is about looking past the individual for the greater good and needs of the many who are a part of it. Community does NOT mean we all have to be the “bestest” of friends, but rather, it’s about working together even if we’re not. So let’s look at what purposes a bellydance community serves, how it works, and how we can all build it.
What is the purpose of the bellydance community, what is it all about? I believe there are 5 key elements: 1. Networking & Fellowship (to share the dance!) 2. Education of students, other dancers, and the general public (classes, workshops, events) 3. Support structure for professionalism (upholding wages & standards/fighting undercutting, creating excellent guidelines for students to follow) 4. Providing performance opportunities (haflas, shows, events) 5. Marketplace (to sell/swap goods and services)
Things that a bellydance community should NOT be about: Bolstering egos Exclusion & cloistering Supporting unsavory practices/unprofessional behavior Cutthroat competition & playing mind games Spreading misinformation for any purpose
So what does this mean?
As a Teacher: As teachers, we need to realize that we must be positive examples for our students and are responsible for their exposure to the bellydance community outside of our classrooms, and how they behave once they’re out there. It is our job to not only guide their class experience, but help them interact positively with other dancers and teachers, and bring them to the larger community as informed students. We all have our opinions of what we like and dislike in the dance, but it’s important to be tactful and respectful in expressing those opinions. You can’t make yourself look better by being rude about other area dancers and calling them names – rather, this drags you down as well, is a negative experience for the students, and can definitely come back to bite you in the bedlah. As the saying goes, you get more flies with honey than vinegar, and it’s far better to teach by positive example then a tear-down. It also our responsibility to be as educated as we can about what we teach and discuss so that we can share this knowledge with our students which brings us to the next category…
As a Student:
Aren’t we all students? (we should be!) As students, we must be respectful of not only our teachers, but others as well. It is up to the individual student to listen, to practice, and to learn as much about the dance as possible – and never stop doing this, no matter how many years you’ve been dancing – there is ALWAYS something new to learn, and there are always basics to review. Even if we can’t do regular classes, taking workshops whenever possible will always present you with new ways to explore the dance. Don’t be afraid to attend cultural events, haflas and shows, even if you’re not scheduled to perform. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself. Is there a style you don’t understand? Ask your teacher about it, read up on it, take a class on it. It is far better to be educated than ignorant. You can always learn something from each experience, even if it’s not your “thing.”
As a Performer:
If you’re a professional performer, then maintain industry standards. Stick to the going rates, and work to improve them whenever possible. Don’t undercut for “exposure”, “experience” or any reason! Yes, we all love the dance, but dancing for free/less in venues where a rate has been established doesn’t benefit the dance. There are plenty of opportunities to share your love of the dance – benefits, haflas, etc – without damaging what others have worked hard for and making their living from. Take care of your costuming, dress appropriately for your gigs, have a cover-up, and keep your behavior professional when you are in costume! You never know who is watching, and yes, your naughty behavior can reflect badly on other dancers! Also, respect your fellow performers and event coordinators at events by arriving promptly and prepared, have your music labeled and ready, don’t hog the dressing room, be aware of what’s happening on stage, and be a good audience member – which means if you’re in the audience, smile, interact, and be supportive for ALL dancers. Again, you never know who’s watching and hearing YOU.
As a Vendor:
Vendors are the source of shiny goodness in our community, and are often the backbone of events. The fees vendors pay to be at an event help pay for the venue, the instructor costs, sound gear, etc. By supporting vendors, we support our whole dance community. But it is also important for vendors to speak positively, plan accordingly, be responsible for their wares, and be respectful of the space and other vendors. ... >Leer más.
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| Photo of Tempest by Carrie Meyer I feel I have come to the point where I've said pretty much everything I can say in regards to the bellydance community.
For the last several years I've written extensively and passionately about bellydance as a living art, a tradition, and a community. I did it from the combined perspective of a teacher, performer, producer, vendor, audience member, and student; situated on a bridge somewhere in the middle of various generations, styles, and views.
As I announced last month, I'm taking a hiatus from event producing to focus more on my artwork, writing, witchcraft, and other projects. I will continue to teach and perform dance, where and as my heart and spirit calls me. I found this piece I wrote back in 2009 for Belly Dance New England , and was published on this blog in 2010. I find it still very relevant today, so I am sharing it here one more time.
I'm leaving the article intact, copied below - even though I'd probably tweak a few things. The only thing I'd add, I'm putting right here and it's alist of beatitudes for fostering community of any size: be inclusive, be respectful, be collaborative, be communicative, be engaging, be ever-learning, and be kind.
"What Is Community?"
I talk a lot about the “bellydance community” to my students, in workshops, online, etc, and depending on the situation, the community may refer to the global one, a regional one, or a stylistically based one. But what does it mean to be a part of a bellydance community? What is its purpose?
I have also said on several occasions that I don’t believe in a “sisterhood of the dance.” Actually, I still don’t, but that doesn’t mean at one time I did. And I firmly believe that the “bellydance community” and (the fabled) “sisterhood of the dance” are two very different entities, and I think it is very important that we all understand this difference.
What do I mean? Read on…
Part I: The Myth of the Sisterhood
I came to this dance (and through most of my life) as a tomboy. I grew up with two older brothers and no sisters. For most of my life, I was hanging out with the guys more than the girls, partly out of familiarity, also most of my female friends threw me for a loop (and under the bus, in the closet, and down the stairs) – I couldn’t understand why they were so mean, cruel, and backstabbing. I idolized my brothers’ girlfriends – they were so pretty, so smart and sophisticated, so above all the nonsense I experienced with girls my own age. Truly, I thought, there must be some magical change that happens, some possible sisterhood in my future. (naïve much?)
So in coming to bellydance, hearing these undertones about the sisterhood of the dance, female fellowship, the beauty of “tribal”, etc – YES! Here it is! Here we are, we can celebrate the beauty of our diverse female bodies – all size, all ages, and enjoy the dance together! Finally! I can have sisters! We all love the dance, we love and support each other, we share the joy! Um…wait, why are they so mean, cruel, and backstabbing? “Clearly, you have never had sisters…” was the reply. The truth is, people are human no matter what, and sometimes age doesn’t improve on the lesser traits. And the only way a “sisterhood” is going to exist is in a family-like structure, and with that comes all of the good, and all of the bad. Luckily, you can choose your troupe-mates more than you choose your family, but that doesn’t stop it from being dysfunctional and chaotic at times, as well as fabulous and supportive. So, the “sisterhood” exists more in a microcosm, a contained group working together, and takes a great deal amount of personal work and energy. But putting together 2 or more of these units does not mean that a grander sisterhood will instantly happen. Just like in real tribal communities (meaning non-dance, anthropologically), one tribe does not automatically trust another tribe. Regardless of style or background.
Part II: Community: Making It Work
Now just because the “sisterhood” is an illusive entity does not mean that community has to be as well. Community is about looking past the individual for the greater good and needs of the many who are a part of it. Community does NOT mean we all have to be the “bestest” of friends, but rather, it’s about working together even if we’re not. So let’s look at what purposes a bellydance community serves, how it works, and how we can all build it.
What is the purpose of the bellydance community, what is it all about? I believe there are 5 key elements: 1. Networking & Fellowship (to share the dance!) 2. Education of students, other dancers, and the general public (classes, workshops, events) 3. Support structure for professionalism (upholding wages & standards/fighting undercutting, creating excellent guidelines for students to follow) 4. Providing performance opportunities (haflas, shows, events) 5. Marketplace (to sell/swap goods and services)
Things that a bellydance community should NOT be about: Bolstering egos Exclusion & cloistering Supporting unsavory practices/unprofessional behavior Cutthroat competition & playing mind games Spreading misinformation for any purpose
So what does this mean?
As a Teacher: As teachers, we need to realize that we must be positive examples for our students and are responsible for their exposure to the bellydance community outside of our classrooms, and how they behave once they’re out there. It is our job to not only guide their class experience, but help them interact positively with other dancers and teachers, and bring them to the larger community as informed students. We all have our opinions of what we like and dislike in the dance, but it’s important to be tactful and respectful in expressing those opinions. You can’t make yourself look better by being rude about other area dancers and calling them names – rather, this drags you down as well, is a negative experience for the students, and can definitely come back to bite you in the bedlah. As the saying goes, you get more flies with honey than vinegar, and it’s far better to teach by positive example then a tear-down. It also our responsibility to be as educated as we can about what we teach and discuss so that we can share this knowledge with our students which brings us to the next category…
As a Student:
Aren’t we all students? (we should be!) As students, we must be respectful of not only our teachers, but others as well. It is up to the individual student to listen, to practice, and to learn as much about the dance as possible – and never stop doing this, no matter how many years you’ve been dancing – there is ALWAYS something new to learn, and there are always basics to review. Even if we can’t do regular classes, taking workshops whenever possible will always present you with new ways to explore the dance. Don’t be afraid to attend cultural events, haflas and shows, even if you’re not scheduled to perform. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself. Is there a style you don’t understand? Ask your teacher about it, read up on it, take a class on it. It is far better to be educated than ignorant. You can always learn something from each experience, even if it’s not your “thing.”
As a Performer:
If you’re a professional performer, then maintain industry standards. Stick to the going rates, and work to improve them whenever possible. Don’t undercut for “exposure”, “experience” or any reason! Yes, we all love the dance, but dancing for free/less in venues where a rate has been established doesn’t benefit the dance. There are plenty of opportunities to share your love of the dance – benefits, haflas, etc – without damaging what others have worked hard for and making their living from. Take care of your costuming, dress appropriately for your gigs, have a cover-up, and keep your behavior professional when you are in costume! You never know who is watching, and yes, your naughty behavior can reflect badly on other dancers! Also, respect your fellow performers and event coordinators at events by arriving promptly and prepared, have your music labeled and ready, don’t hog the dressing room, be aware of what’s happening on stage, and be a good audience member – which means if you’re in the audience, smile, interact, and be supportive for ALL dancers. Again, you never know who’s watching and hearing YOU.
As a Vendor:
Vendors are the source of shiny goodness in our community, and are often the backbone of events. The fees vendors pay to be at an event help pay for the venue, the instructor costs, sound gear, etc. By supporting vendors, we support our whole dance community. But it is also important for vendors to speak positively, plan accordingly, be responsible for their wares, and be respectful of the space and other vendors. ... >Leer más.
In my spiritual path, this is a time of closing the door on the previous year and preparing the way for the new year – a balance of endings and beginnings. I am very excited for the new year, with many new developments and creative opportunities on the horizon to focus my attention on. My artwork is becoming very popular and greatly appreciated. I've written one book for a major publishing company and I just contracted for a second one. My ideas about witchcraft and spirituality have been receiving such fantastic feedback. I have an incredible creative life in music and dance with a real partner whom I love more than anything in the world. We've started new collaborations and ideas with other creative folk. There's big travel/touring plans on the agenda. We've even considered expanding our family beyond cats. I am so blessed beyond words and a bit breathless over it.
In order to have the time and energy to devote to these new projects (while also maintaining sanity), I need to make some changes in my workload and the various hats I wear. The biggest one of those changes concerns Waking Persephone. Producing such a festival is a year-long task that requires an enormous investment of my time and energy, even with the help of a fantastic staff. I know the following news is going to be very difficult news for many of you, but I need to listen to my gut. I am taking a hiatus from producing a major event for at least a year, possibly longer.
I have been creating and producing dance events for nearly as long as I've been a dancer, with my first BD events starting in 2001. (The timeline goes back a bit farther if you start with Art or Pagan events.) Despite being an introvert, I come from a long line of doers, so when I see and feel a need, I manifest the thing.
I have been extremely successful at it, and despite the repeated results (the proof in the pudding), I'm always a bit awed and amazed – yet I always stress about it all coming together, how will people feel/react/what will be their experience. I've also stepped up to help a lot of other folks make their events happen. I've done every aspect of what makes an event happen – from headliner to vendor, student to web designer, and everything in between.
I co-produced Gothla US from 2008-2010, and stepped away from it, handing over the reins, because I didn't feel the amount of work I was investing in it directly benefited my own students, as I was living on the east coast and it happened on the west coast.
After that, I thought that I was done doing big events for a while, but then the universe hit me with the idea for Tapestry Dance Retreat, followed by the idea of Waking Persephone. I'm a weird mix of gut-feeling, instinct, business sense, and organization. If I feel a thing strongly in my gut and heart and I sense a path in my brain, I make it happen.
Different from a festival, Tapestry called to my sacred and folkloric roots, and focused on a much more intimate atmosphere. WP allowed me to take the parts of Gothla I found the most useful, and forge them into a safe and creative space for the dance - in my own backyard, steeped in my own values and visions. I saw it as a way to build fusion dance to be stronger, to expose it to its own roots, craft its artistry, while bringing to light new teachers and performers among the established ones. To step away from cliques, cults of personality, and cloning copycats. The focus would be more on learning and building, rather than performing.
Tapestry took place in September 2011 in Providence, RI, a week after I came to the decision that I wanted a divorce from my marriage of 15 years. It felt like literally walking directly into a hurricane on so many levels, yet I came out of it renewed and reborn on the other side. Waking Persephone took place in April of 2012 (also in Providence) – with divorce proceedings happening the week before the event (and my ex not relocating out of the house until the end of May). Despite the turbulent undercurrents of my life, both events were successful and meaningful for so many people.
I decided Tapestry would return when “the stars aligned again”, and we're still waiting for that to happen. But WP got scheduled to happen again in Providence in 2013, with my local students and other community folks stepping up to help since I had relocated to Seattle. The event grew, but I was reminded how difficult it was producing an event from 3000 miles away, no matter how enthusiastic my PVD students and friends were. As we contemplated the 2014 event, our venue got bought out by developers, and if you don't know, finding the right venue is the biggest factor in producing an event.
I had spent months trying to find the right venue the first time back in PVD, and there was slim chance I'd be able to do it again from across the country. So that meant considering moving it to Seattle – but the West Coast had multiple events happening very close to the same time-frame. Being aconscientious producer, I chose not to dump my event on top of those. I found a venue that would work with our design and budget, and then worked with other local producers to select a weekend that didn't directly compete with existing events, even though our format and scope was completely different than anything else out here.
So if you're keeping track, I not only moved my event across the country, away from the community that helped build it, and changed it to a completely different time of year, but I was also presenting this weird model to a new community that didn't fully understand what I was presenting. Year 3 ended up being like Year 1 in size and reception, which was very hard. But to my surprise, for many of the people who did come, they loved it. Not only that, but they seriously stepped up to help build it when I wondered if I should keep it going or not.
Year 4 was off the hook. We had the venue figured out, we had a team in place, and word about the event was spreading far and wide. The event more than doubled in size in terms of registration from the previous year, putting it back on track despite the year 3 upheaval/setback, Gala shows were back to selling out like in the first years, and the Underworld Ball was huge. For the first time, as we first approached and then wrapped up the event, I wasn't asking myself if we should go another year or not. It had been a running joke since the first year that I would be all “hey guys, I'm not so sure about doing this next year” and by the end of the event, they had me convinced we'd do it again. This time around, I was already booking the venues before we were done.
Coming off of Year 4, word was spreading like wildfire for Year 5. We had over 100 teaching applications, and had to turn down many performers as well for the shows. Registration was steady and consistent all the way throughout the year. Vending was sold out in a hot minute. We could have made it bigger, offered more classes and space, but I decided we still had room to grow in other ways, and it was important to keep everything to scale. I'd rather have an overflowing PB&J sandwich of goodness than too much bread and not enough filling. Year 5 was a huge success. I couldn't have asked for better.
But personally, as I moved from 2015 into 2016, I sensed something different in my gut, and I hunkered down to analyze it.
I knew the event would be successful, both in concept and financial success. Truth be told, Waking Persephone has been an event that has been designed to and has paid for itself since Year One. I don't create events with the specific goal of making money on them, but I do build them in such a way to pay for themselves. The feedback/response from participants also proved that it was on track and appreciated.
The gut-feeling was from a different source. I had managed to produce events while my life was falling apart and rebuilding itself. But in the past couple of years, my artistic, spiritual, and personal life has been expanding in new and amazing ways. Coming into this year's event, I've spent a lot of time thinking, talking with my partner, my mentors, and the coordinating staff of WP. So yes, I had reached this decision before this year's event came to be. But I refused to change the feel of the event by announcing the hiatus for 2017. I had friends recommend that I announce it to “fill the classes more” because other events that had announced it was the last year saw a boost in attendance. WP doesn't work that way. You come because you feel the need to come regardless. You came because you were called to come, by your own guts and spirits. We also unanimously agreed that it wouldn't be the same for anyone else to take the helm. I've been told again and again that WP is the event it is because of me. I believe it's because of you as well.
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