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I’m on day three of a four day intensive with Rachel  Brice and every cell in my body is quivering with new information. Less than an hour in the studio today and all of us were dripping in sweat. The day starts with a yoga practice, then warming up the spine, joints, then focusing on cardio and flexibility, then finally  working on a complicated  layered choreography. This material is pushing my boundaries, challenging my body and mind, expanding my possibilities as a dancer.  Amazing stuff. Tomorrow is the last day …stay tuned.

Happy solstice to all! The 21st truly was a long day for me and I didn’t really get a chance to pause and honour the solstice…I hope you did! But I am basking in the energy of the longer days and all of a sudden sleep is an option that pales in comparison to all the things I want to do in waking life this summer. This month brings a very special treat I’ve been looking forward to for months: an intensive workshop with Rachel Brice. That’s right she will be in Toronto during Pride weekend for a sold out intensive hosted by Dark Side Studio. I last did a workshop with Rachel is San Fransisco a couple of summers ago, only a half day but she packed it full of intense drills and collaborative choreography exercises. Amazing. I cried twice in that session…once out of frustration (with myself), once out of elation (with myself yet again. Yes it was a personal journey).  That being said I can’t wait to see what inspirations and challenges  it will surely bring.

As for shows, you can catch me dancing at every Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington market from July to September –check Upcoming Shows  page. This summer will bring  my debut with Serpentina North Ensemble, dancing mesmerizing ATS /ITS pieces by Orkideh, AND a re-emergence of the Om Laila percussion/dance ensemble as dreamt up and directed by Roula Said. The Sugar Shakers are also out in full force, you can find us this Sunday at the Spadina House Garden Party (see Upcoming Shows page) debuting our latest piece choreographed by the sugar mama herself, Virgie — called ‘That’s a Plenty.’

Be sure to check out Juvia’s site for all of the whats what and who’s who of Toronto’s bellydance scene www.bellydanceintoronto.com

And music, there’s always so much music to discover and bask in..I’ll be at Jagga Jazzist @ Phoenix Concert Theatre – June 30th.

Keep your ear to the ground…

 

 

Well its finally the summertime I’ve been waiting for, bright languid days and sticky breezy nights. And its street festival season! Tons of things to do and people to see. As for dance stuff the weekends are booking up quickly. I had a chance to watch some of my favourite local bellydancers at the first Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington Market. My favourite acts were Lavish and Serpentina North Ensemble and I can’t wait to start performing with Serpentina. My ATS training is coming along nicely and I am learning some great new moves and working on the different posturing and angles of the genre. I continue with Roula Said and  just came back from a workshop at Om Laila where she taught us drumming, zylling and a dance choreography to an old Arabic song Tahtil Shibbek.  It was nice to get back into that groove after our Sunday jam sessions ended a while back…we would dance drum  zyll and sing. But the summer is busy and everyone seems close to maxed out with things to do so that transformed into monthly workshops.

On the flapper side of things, Sugar Shakers just debuted a new piece at the Frankie Manning Tribute Night — a major event in the swing community. It was an amazing night of great vintage jazz and dance performances in honour of an old dancer who had quite an influence on the Toronto lindy hop scene. As a newbie to this scene, I recently learned that he taught dance workshops here well into his 90’s and is credited as a major player in the resurgence of lindy hop with younger generations. This Saturday, the Sugar Shakers will be on a float at the Veggie Pride Parade and be doing a show afterward at Trinity Square behind the Eaton Centre.

Stay tuned for more updates on shows, events and workshops for this summer.

Song of the day: Picnic in the Summertime by Dee-Lite circa 1994

Last weekend was the Georgian Sound Festival, where I had the honour of sharing the dancefloor with some very fine    movers. Sugar Shakers did a flapper number,  a Toronto-based lindy hop group danced as well as Joanna (chief confectioner of the Sugar Shakers) and her dance partner Laurence. Between the 12 of us we stayed in three lovely places at the base of Blue Mountain and had Friday for social dancing before the shows on Saturday. Saturday was a long day with hours in between our sets. Luckily there was some great music to be had and we all got our dance on. Sunday we had just enough time to enjoy the outdoor hot tub before the drive home. The Sugar Shakers have been performing at this event the past few years and judging by the crowds response, this wont be the last. I was inspired by the lindy hoppers and as a solo dancer just starting to explore vintage partner dance, I can’t wait to learn more. This month I will be focusing on just that… Joanna and Laurence are teaching partner lindy hop every Monday night in May at 8pm at Dovercourt House. Right before that is solo Charelston for guys and gals, maybe you want to come too! Info at http://www.SugarShakers.ca

My bellydance practice continues, with solo shows being less of a priority right now I train and dream up new pieces that fuse all of my interests. I’m learning so much in the past while about styles of dance I’ve always been interested in and it will take a while to digest it all and see what comes out the other end of my brain (or feet!).

Festival and street party season is fast approaching and I can’t wait to get out there and perform with Sugar Shakers and Serpentina. Check out the upcoming shows section, there are a few already set!

Don’t miss the Roaring 20’s edition of Funkabelly at Lula Lounge. I am incredibly excited for tonight when two of my favourite wolds collide and I get to perform with the Sugar Shakers at a belly-dance focused event. Funkabelly has broadened so much in the past few years encompassing many different styles of music and dance, but in my mind still remains rooted in bellydance. Funkabelly has helped nurture me as a performer, has provided a venue for so many talented artists and is just always simply a rip-roarin’ good time!

There will be the ever-growing Funkabelly bazar, with vendors pedalling their local handmade wares. Look out for my heart fascinators that everyone’s been asking about. Tonight will feature the R2F (Roaring 20’s Funkabelly) run, each one of a kind, handmade and limited edition. These amazing upholstery fabrics are scavenged by yours truly and are often end of rolls never to be found again. So if you see one you like, its now or never baby!

Be there or be square.

FunkaBelly Dance Party at Lula Lounge featuring Roula Said, David Buchbinder, Nomadica, 3 dance shows and the most happening dance floor and inclusive party scene in Toronto!

7:30 – doors/dinner (not included, but call 416.588.0307 for dinner reservations: guaranteed seating)
8:30 – dance class with Roula Said & Crew, as well as a Charleston lesson from Virgie of the Sugar Shakers
9:00 – showtime (Sugar Shakers on at 10:45)

Our featured dancers:
THE SUGAR SHAKERS – Charleston beauties
http://www.sugarshakers.ca/
High Priestess of the hula hoop – SADIE SPINS
http://www.hooptoronto.com/
Bellydance-flapper-fusion – DANIELLE LOTTRIDGE
http://www.danielledances.com/
…$15 BUY NOW AT THE FUNKABELLY SHOP!
http://bellydance.myshopify.com/products/funkabelly

While dressing up is always optional at FunkaBelly, we love to see you bring the theme to life. Best “Roaring 20s” outfit wins some bling.
Live Gypsy Funk by NOMADICA
>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeH-Q-gF4XQ

Nomadica line up:
David Buchbinder – trumpet, Roula Said – vocals/percussion/qanun, John Johnson – reeds, Demetri Petsalakis – guitar/oud, Yoser Rodrigez – bass, Rick Shadrach Lazar – drums, Jaash Singh – percussion

global grooves by DJ MEDICINEMAN
>>> http://www.myspace.com/medicinemanradio

Adorn yourself with gorgeous Henna by GORD GROVER

Get your picture taken by ART MOPO in our “Vintage Photo Booth”

AND…

Enjoy our FaBulous Vendors

I am proud to announce that I am now working with and learning from Serpentina North Ensemble, one of Toronto’s few ATS (American Tribal Style) troupes. Started by Orkideh, originally from New York, who is certified by Carolena Nericcio to teach ATS. I’m excited to study ATS with Orkideh and this lovely group of women, and although I haven’t done more than a few ATS workshops here and there I have been inspired by FatChance Bellydance specifically in my early days of exploring bellydance. I have also been studying tribal fusion for the past few years, which has been an amazing supplement to my regular studies in more traditional Egyptian styles and has helped me fuse my bellydancing with my other creative interests. Growing up with the more experimental side of electronic music, I am drawn to the tribal fusion scene for its appreciation of strange music and strange movement. As for ATS, I am always captivated by the group interaction of the dancers and the way in which the dance is truly designed for a tribe of women.

Carolena Nericcio has been an inspiration to me from afar as before I even knew who she was, I saw images of her that spoke to me and encouraged me to pursue bellydance. Later I was surprized to find out she is also vegan and has an affinity for Kwan Yin, goddess of Compassion. Its possible to feel a great solidarity with someone you have never met and I know this about the many people I look up to without ever having encountered them face to face. A couple years back, during my first year in San Fransisco for SF Mecca Immersion, I did have an opportunity to take some of her workshops and attend a class and hafla at FatChance. Lucky me, it was everything I imagined it would be and left hoping to have more time to study ATS. However with few opportunities here in Toronto as well as even fewer free hours in my week, it remained one of those things on my to-do list.

I am in my third week of rehearsals with Serpentina and am loving it. The core group is preparing for an upcoming show, Salon Noir, in April –as for me, I’m learning the choreographies still. I have very little background in the ATS vocabulary in terms of the formations and cues so that will be the big learning curve. And of course, something very distinct about ATS is toned down range of emotion expressed in the performance. Not that its a stoic dance by any means but it does not require range of theatrical facial expression that characterizes Egyptian styles –no flirty, no coy, no maiden running across a field. ATS is a more zen group dynamic, one that has a completely different feel to it than most of the stuff I’ve worked on. Don’t get me wrong, I love theatrical, but I enjoy having time for some straight up dance meditation.

Stay tuned for more on my new adventures in ATS!

The evening was cold and wet but as I ran toward Second City, the block was filled with people waiting to get into the Late Night Cabaret. As I squeezed through the crowd and into the closed doors, the room was bustling with pre-show energy. The show was sold out, and people were getting turned away at the door. All of the performers got ready and found small spaces to stretch in the cramped backroom. The show was an  hour and a half of comedy, sexy aerial sculptures, a 20’s inspired trapeze piece and an amazing group hoop act. It was exciting seeing three hundred people fill the two level space and a lot of fun to dance in this show. As usual the few minutes of stage time went by too quickly and after it was all said and done I was energized by the performance. More so I was inspired by the muti-talented people I got the opportunity to share a stage with. Thank you to Angola for producing this monthly show, its only the second month and already sold out! If you didn’t come out or couldn’t get in, there’s always the April show. Tickets only $12 via Second City site.

Only two more days…hope to see out a nice crowd. It may still be bitter cold outside but this cabaret will warm you up fast! I will be performing on of my favourite Meaghan Shields choreographies. Having just come back from a class at Om Laila tonight I am pumped and ready to go for Friday. This choreography was taught to a small group of dancers on one of Meaghan’s visits back to Toronto from Israel last year and I am honoured to dance her creations as usual. I’m pumped to see all of the performances, especially the silks artists. Hope you can make it out…

Thanks for stopping by, my blog is dedicated to the various forms of dance I practice and love. I will also keep you posted on upcoming events, special projects and collaborations I’m working on. You will find more info on my dance background in the bio section and I will soon have my dance CV posted.