Venus Uprising Bellydance New York City

DANCING AT THE KOOZA AFTER-PARTY WITH ANIL: BY AYSHE

I wanted to wait for the photos before blogging about this..... Well they only just came, but were definitely worth the wait.  Geri, the photographer for the event, really caught the ambience I thought- pure exotic elegance (www.geripix.com).  Working for a large organization like Cirque du Soleil can be maddening with its complexity, but they really treat their artists with love and respect-- it's almost a shock, as in NYC one is often on the defensive, waiting for the next underhanded hit.  We worked hard, but were well-paid. Indian costuming was important as the event had to have a lush Indian feel to match the feel of Kooza.  Anil has so many costumes in his collection and the event organizer was in awe-- (seebelow)  

made me email photos to the board of directors in Montreal so they could oogle......

THE COSTUMES: Here are some of what we wore: my costume in gold/orange, flowers, garlands  and gold ornaments for the gods.  In India, a classical dancer can take 4 hours to get into costume and character.  In our case, 2 hours was the limit.  We were 3 American and 3 Indian dancers.  The two Americans, besides myself, had no Indian dance training at all, but Anil was great at giving them movements they could easily imitate-- that, plus an extra bit of makeup, some braided hairpieces (see photo above),  3 saris, and, presto, we fit in seemlessly (lol). 

THE BEST PART: THE MUSIC--- The event director found and amazing trio which played on top of the Cirque dj's mix.  The sound system was perfect and the mix was so spectacular, my anxiety just disappeared and I went out and danced with abandon--- What an unexpected thrill!!!  

There were other performers as well: a fire dancer, and my yoga teacher and his partner performing a yoga duet.  There was a gorgeous Brazilian bodybuilder, who Anil dressed up in the gold pieces to depict Shiva.  He spent the evening serving tea and basically presenting is be-jeweled physique.  An old guru read palms and a bunch of lovely ladies did henna and Indian makeup for the guests.  We were introduced to the board of directors and the owner who had come from Montreal for the premier.  All the performers attended, as well, and we got to entertain them for a change.  One upset, at the last minute the organizers decided my incense pot might cause allergic responses and the flower petals for the ceremonial offerings might be a safety hazard, so we had to stick the flowers in the pot instead of using the incense (it's always something)-- but the upside was that they gave us endless supplies of Red Bull on ice in our dressing room, so I forgot the let down of having to balance flowers on my head.  Below are photos to hopefully lend some of the excitement of the evening to the readers.  MAYBE SOME OF YOU WILL EVEN BE INSPIRED TO TAKE OUR WORKSHOP ON JUNE 13!!!

 

Spirit of the Tribes 9-- incredible spirit and inspiration:: Ayshe

Well, I just never expected to have such an amazing experience as what I encountered on my recent trip to The Spirit of the Tribes in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.  I have been out to Rakkassah East and Spring Fest over the years, as well as dance camps, NYC workshops & Haflas, and the unbelievable New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (which also includes a lot of dance), but this was something else, and totally unexpected. The performers were so different and inspiring, and incorporated so many different styles of dance and elements in so many unique ways-- it was awesome!!!! and awe-inspiring!!!  Plus the weather and the people were so gracious,..... and the Saturday after-party down by the riverfront was so perfect with live drummers and firedancers on the outside cafe, and world music with the dj inside. 

Maja is a true spirit of the ethnic dance and her troupe blended the Indo- Sharqui together with such exquisite costuming, color, and staging.  The Friday and Saturday night shows featured true ethnic dancers and those that danced with that "ethnic" flavor plus so much more!  There was tribal mixed with hip-hop, modern dance, burlesque, gothic, fantasy, fusion, Indian ethnic, North African ethnic, african ethnic, Persian/Azeri/Afghan ethnic, and Latin/Flamenco fire.  What an amazing melting pot of excellence in dance this "bellydance" has become.  Like our country, our dance is evolving into something new, fresh, and absolutely magnificent!!! 

From our area, Sera solstice added her own unique blend of modern, gothic, tribal, martial arts, robotic, hip-hop bellydance-- just amazing!!!  Elena made a riveting, breath-taking appearance to music by Phillip Glass, which had a Spanish feel to it.  She glided out on the stage with a flowing silk veil in brilliant chinese red, with one end fading to black. Her dance layered moves with highs and lows, and seg-wayed into a fan dance.  The auditorium was so still you could hear a pin drop.  Also, there was the electric salsa dance of Griselle Ponce and her group from NJ.--- what a wild freeing dance they did....  Oh, and me-- the fantasy/ fusion/ wings representative.  I did my Firebird dance with all red costume and wings, which appears on our new Fantasy bellydance dvd.

I wish I had time to go through all the different groups I saw and describe their unique visions, but no words could describe the beauty and delight of their performances.  I will post photos here as they come in and suggest you all visit Maja's website to see what went on:  www.majanile.com..... and of course, if you ever can get there, I highly recommend a journey to the Next Spirit of the Tribes!!!

Many, Many, Many thanks to Maja who created this event and makes it all possible year after year-- you are an amazing blessing to our community and to women everywhere! 
    

COSTUMING AWARD :: sarah

I heard about costume-con on tribe.net from Maral who created a Mata Hari costume. Since I also had created a Mata Hari costume I was keeping an eye out for her posts. When she talked about Costume-Con I decided I wanted to check it out this year.

Costume-con is an annual conference about costumes. It features classes, exhibits, a fashion show, several masquerades, and other competitions. The convention is dedicated to the art and craft of costumes and costuming of all types. It has its roots in science fiction and fantasy conventions and historic re-enactment type events. That said all forms of costumes are welcome, and encouraged, including, (but not limited to), anime, fursuit, steampunk, original design, interpretational, recreation, and so on. Costume-Con is also a "traveling" national-level convention, and is in a different city and run by a different committee each year. This year visit us in Timonium, Maryland! May 1-4, 2009.

Friday night there was social time. It was wonderful to talk with sewing crazy like-minded people. Everyone was really friendly and welcoming. There was a large number of Victorian costuming with amazing craftsmanship.

All weekend long there were tons of photographers and everyone happy to pose for any camera or anyone interested in what they had created.

 

More about Mata Hari Costume: http://shakemyday.com/site/2007/07/mata-hari-unveiled/

There were casual fun awards given out Friday night. While standing around being social someone got on the mic and announced awards. While wearing my Mata Hari costume I won the “Spectacular Award”. I shall be putting the award on my mantel! Such fun!

I submitted my Salome costume to the Historical costuming contest. The Costume-con 27 Historical Masquerade Contest recognizes creativity, scholarship, stage presentation and workmanship skills in the context of historical clothing. It celebrates the history of costume, including all cultures, periods, and types of dress. Historical costume is costume based on clothing that was worn or could have been worn somewhere in the world. I was honored with the award for “Workmanship: Excellence in Beading”.

more about Salome costume: http://shakemyday.com/site/2008/06/salome-costume/

The lectures were very informative on a wide variety of topics. People were so open to sharing information and skills. I came home full of ideas and lots of leads to find more information.

Costume con website:  costume-con.com

THINNING THE (COSTUME) HERD :: tanna

Beautiful costuming was absolutely the element that initially attracted me to bellydance, and costuming is still my favorite part of the process.  I love designing unique, new costumes for every single possible event.  My costumes, especially those that I made myself, are very special to me, and it is incredibly hard to make the decision to let them go. 

Unfortunately though, while my love of costuming is endless, my available storage space for said costumes is regrettably finite.  Costumes and costume items now live in all three of my closets, under and around my queen-size bed, in a huge cedar chest, and in several drawers.    Really, it is just too much, yet, costume-addict that I am, I still crave more!

So, last year, with grim resolution, I determined that I had to sort through my costume wardrobe and pull out the items that I really could live without.  It was easiest to start with the miscellaneous items - skirts, veils, pants, etc. that were not part of specific costumes.  Some of my outfits from prior DVDs (Floorwork and Total Body) were culled, as was a lovely "Persian Princess" costume that had been fashioned for a long-ago duet.  It was painstaking and painful, but I ended up with a shopping bag full of items which I took to Spring Caravan & Rakkasah to sell.  Lady Luck smiled on me, and I sold everything except one bright pink ombre skirt set, (if I accepted credit cards I could have sold that too!)  It made me happy to see my beauties going to new owners that would enjoy them and get use out of them.

Now I am turning my attention to my prizes - my bra and belt sets that represent hours and hours - no - actually YEARS of labor.  I think that is part of the problem - knowing how much hand labor went into these totally unique costumes makes it so difficult to put a realistic price on them.  Unfortunately though, the market for second-hand costumes is the tiniest fraction of what it once was.  When I started in this field, most dancers made their own costumes, or paid a costumer to make them.  The vast array of costumes now available on the Internet was not even a figment of anyone's imagination.  I still remember the active professional dancers coming to our locker room before class and selling their wares - fraying skirts, veils with cigarette burns in them, well-worn costumes that need tons of TLC, etc., yet the students scurried to buy whatever was suitable.  It was like a bellydance Santa Claus was visiting!

Today, dancers can purchase all types and styles of costumes, and for a wide range of prices.  On the whole, I would say the professional standards of costuming have gone up, even though the individuality of costuming has declined somewhat. 

My paisley costume (featured here) was originally one of three, which I made for a trio under the direction of Samara at least ten years ago.  Over the years I greatly augmented my own set with additional beadwork, enhancing the paisley pattern in the base metallic brocade and adding multi-layer fringe.  The initial design came from a costume worn by one of my favorite dancers - Samia Gamal.   It is an elegant, classic costume which I've worn for private gigs, club gigs, live music shows, and most recently in the Bellydance Show Basics DVD.  Still, I'm ready now to let it travel to a new home, and indeed a new potential owner is already at my door.   If I can let go of this one, perhaps the next one will be easier.

(b&w photo by Kristin Reimer, color photo by Ania Bibulowicz)

HOW I FIRST CREATED AND USED WINGS: BY AYSHE

  Recently I was contacted by a dance historian, who is working on an article about bellydance and who asked me for some information about the history of wings in bellydance.  I was the original creator of wings for use in bellydance shows and wrote her back explaining my creative process.  I thought sharing my process might be of some interest to others, so I have included it below......

Question: Was there anything else, aside from the obvious pharaonic connections and them being used in the Vegas and carnival acts, that inspired you to have the wings created?
What were your first wings like – what sort of fabric were they made of? Were they pleated?
 
Answer: I first saw wings while working in a show that was new-age in nature.  One of the dancers had bought 2 sets of wings from a disbanded dance troupe in upstate New York.  They were used for pharaonic dance (ancient Egyptian dance).  Since that was a style I learned before I began to bellydance, I was very taken by them.  It took me 2 years to figure out how to make them and to find out that the pleats were made in a factory.  My first set was the 18k deep gold lame.  Yes, they were pleated.  Once I found a pleating factory, I hired a pattern-maker to make a pattern which would set the pleats.  I bought the material, sewed it up, and then brought them to the factory where they steam-set the pleats with the pattern.  Some time after the first pattern was made, that factory closed down and I lost that pattern.  I went to a couple of other places and finally settled where I am now.  The basic difference with my present company's pattern is the pleats are smaller and the potential length is more-- I can now make them up to about 64 inches (originally the limit was 54"), and have even worked on special sets for the stilt dancers in BDSS.
 
Question:  Did you modify the design as you began to work more with them (I know that you have developed swallow tail and other 'cuts' of wings but I was wondering about whether the original basic concept has changed much)?  When did you start dancing with double wings and how did that come about?

Answer:  How I came to start using wings in my bellydance performance was a matter of survival; particularly in places where I worked on a regular basis and constantly needed to reinvent myself.  A one point I had about 20 different costumes that I would rotate.  I began to add different skirts to make them look different and add novelty. Also, I used many different props to keep my regular audience interested and wanting more.  One evening I was on my way to a wedding which was particularly confronting as I always found it hard to fill a large dance floor in any catering hall, particularly since bellydance is such an intimate dance form.  I was thinking about what I could do to make a spectacular entrance that would be memorable.  I looked over and saw the wings hanging on the back of my closet door and it all suddenly came together.  When I entered the dance floor that evening a wild applause broke out from the crowd.  From then on I continued to make more wings of different colors and materials to continue to enhance my show and my costuming.  Over the years I tried all different winged "goddess" and "creature" effects; including layers, masks, face veils, head-dresses, incense pots......    In the mid-nineties, when I became part of the Shoshana Dance Theater, I started to make wings for all the members.  Then whenever we did group shows we always had an edge, as we could do group wing dances which was unmatched in the community.
 
EVOLUTION OF STYLE, COLORS & MATERIALS:
Initially, a few dancers caught on and began to use wings also.  They always wore the same 14k gold color, which made me decide to try different colors and materials and to also layer them.  Since no costumers made assorted colors of wings, I was the only one out there with such a variety.    Also, around this time iridescent organza first appeared on the market.  Initially it sold for $12/yd (very expensive as you need about 7 yds per set).  I first used it for veils and skirts--- audience members said I looked like I was dancing in cellophane.  It suddenly struck me that they could work as wings.  Once I made my first set, I was totally in love with the look and feel of the organza.  Also, once I saw the two types of materials side by side, I started layering them and began to experiment with different ways to have them attached, so I could vary the ways I wore them.  I made one set that attached on my upper arms with arm bands.  This proved to be anti-climactic, compared to the ones that hung from the neck and were so much larger and spectacular.  I decided, if I could make the neck bands detachable, I could easily add and combine all my sets to constantly come up with new variations.  Also, if the neck band was detachable, I could use the wings without being attached.... like a large circle veil with sticks inserted.  Eventually, I ended up with a velcrox base for the neck piece, with the wings attaching from velcrox attachments.  I experimented with different sizes for the attachments, in order to come up with a length that proved secure, so as to avoid having them come apart in the middle of a performance.  Initially, I made the neck  bands out of elastic for the comfort, but this was impractical since the elastic would disintegrate from the constant perspiration.  Also, the weight of hanging multiple wings made them sag.  Finally I decided on using velcrox backed on a satin ribbon with an adjustable velcrox fastener.  This proved to be much more durable, sturdy enough, and yet still soft and comfortable.
 
EVOLUTION OF SHAPE:
A first, I used only the large round circle shape.  When some dancers started using small wings for small spaces I thought they looked silly, like a large friars frock collar.  I thought if I could cut them short at the arms and then let them cascade down the back long, this would look far more elegant.  When I cut my first set and got them back from the pleaters, I was surprised that they hung differently then I had envisioned.  Their outline curved in and out..... and thus was born the swallowtail cut.  From this came the indented swallowtail cut with long sticks. 
 
When I was creating the character of the Sorceress (from Gothic Bellydance-Revelations DVD),  I needed to start with the dark shawl of and old witch that would open up and transform into a bid.  Thus I created the layered circle and swallowtail look.  On the outside I wore black iridescent organza wings.  I came out with them draped over may shoulder like a cloak and a black veil over my head (very guedra looking).  I fastened the wings at my wrists with clear elastic so that my hands were free, but I could easily grasp the sticks when I took on the bird form. At the point the old sorceress casts her spell and turns into a great giant bird, I through off the black veil on my head (revealing my headpiece),  grabbed the sticks, stood up and for the first time opened the wings full span-- on the inside was a fuchsia swallowtail form revealing the shape of the bird.
 
NEWEST LOOK:
Most recently I am in love with what I call "sparkle net".  The look I call "fairy wings".  This new material is a net that is durable, but looks extremely delicate and diaphanous.  It is encrusted with sparkles and comes in many shades.  For my Firebird Dance (from the upcoming "Fantasy Bellydance" Dvd), I used this sparkle net in red, not just for my wings but for my entire firebird costume, mixing it with red feathers. 

THE MAGIC OF PARVATI AND SHIVA: BY AYSHE

        For our latest Tarot show I was assigned the eternal love story of Parvati and Shiva from Hindu mythology... a daunting task as no potential Shiva appeared.... none the less, onward I went.  In searching for archetypal themes and images I found these amazing paintings online which became the source of my inspiration in creating the world of Parvati amidst the peaks of the Himalayas.  I wanted to share some of these magical images with all of you....... Below is a photo of the Himalayas that I used as a palette for the colors I used in the tule mountain I "constructed".  Then there are the paintings, first of the birth of Parvati.  Another shows Parvati in a gold and coral dress (I loved this and it used to inspire my costume, along with the gold laden and flower adornments of other photos).  There is one lovely vision of Parvati serving Shiva, making him a wreath of flowers to capture his heart, and finally     

 

Parvati meditating on her eternal love for Shiva.  Minus all the jungle creatures, here is what I arrived at in the end: 

 

 

TAROT

Wednesday night was the first company rehearsal for our upcoming show TAROT - fantasy bellydance concert. I sat there in amazement as each dancer or group of dancers embodied these powerful archetypes... At some points I got goosebumps, feeling the kind of emotions only dreams provoke. Whew! and this was only a rehearsal.

I must warn everybody that tickets are very limited this time so go and get yours right away, we would love to share this with you!

Venus Uprising presents
TAROT - A FANTASY BELLYDANCE CONCERT
Saturday November 1
Sunday November 2
8:00 PM

Merce Cunningham Studio
55 Bethune St
(at Washington St)
West Village, NYC

Subway: A, C, E to 14th St. L to 8th Ave.

Buy tickets now

Here's the program:

The Fool - Blanca
The Magician - Neon and Blanca
The High Priestess - Sarah Locke & Alchemy Tribal
The Empress - Ayshe
The Emperor - Toshi Hamada
The Lovers - Neon and Angel
The Lovers - Yoshina
Adjustment - Irina Akulenko
The Hermit - Tanna Valentine
The Wheel of Fortune and Lust - Sarah Skinner, Kazja and the Sisters of Salome
The Hanged Man - Alicia and Heather of BellyCraft
Death - Fayzah and Aurea Dancers (Sangeeta Vallabhan & Zahra Hashemian)
Judgment - Autumn Ward & group
Temperance - Andrea Anwar
The Devil - Anasma
The Tower - Sherene Vismaya
The Star - Elisheva & Kittarina

Buy tickets now

THE FLOWER COSTUME BLOOMS! :: tanna

AT LAST!

Over a year ago (July 2007, to be precise) I wrote about finally commencing one of my planned flower costumes.  While I had hoped to finish it that summer, unfortunately it ended up going back in its box on top of my closet for the winter months.   With Spring came renewed inspiration, and I worked hard to complete it in time for a planned photo shoot with Lina Jang at the end of this July 2008.

Saturday past I received my photos from Lina and I am so happy!  While Lina prefers to work with darker backgrounds and smoke machines and sultry lighting, she saw from the start that such a mood would not work with this costume.   Lina is a great friend, so she totally indulged me by allowing me to stage this costume a la Fragonard, one of my favorite painters.    Fragonard is NOT one of Lina's favorites, so I really appreciated her artistic concession during this shoot. 

And did I mention that I love the photos?!  Now I have to figure out when, where, and to what I will perform wearing this floral creation.    That might have to wait until next Spring.  You can't rush these things...

COSTUMED FUN :: neon

The soon-to-be-published photo / graphic novel "Dance of Mind" by Venus Uprising is moving quickly through the final stages of production. Only a couple photoshoots left and a handful pages to finish. In the course of the two and a half years that it's taken us to complete this project (at a leisurely pace!), we grew from clueless NYC bohemians to skilled photonovel actors deeply in touch with the internal architecture of the superheros, villains and victims we portray.
A couple of recent photoshoots involved fun costume play as we fleshed out the "past life" subplot. Here are a few images from the upcoming book with our period-costumed characters.

Blanca, Carmine, Neon

Neon, Sarah Skinner

Carmine, Ayshe

On the set:

BAND MEMBER COMING SOON :: sarah

So many people in the belly dance world are pregnant right now! I had the opportunity to photograph the drumming trio Sedio, Kazuki and the soon to be announced member. I photographed Neon in her swan costume earlier this year. She left behind this gorgeous huge piece of coco brown silk. So when Kazuki showed up in her favorite color: pumpkin spice, the coco silk was an instant thought. I dragged it out and we had a blast. Even the comedy hound that Sedio is, was in awe of how pretty she looked and he got right into the moment.

Capturing the character of the couple was a great deal of fun too!