Cultural Dance Fest 2012

On Sunday, I am going to be performing with Daughters of the New Moon at the JACC for the Juneau World Affairs Council's "Cultural Dance Fest 2012", part of their "I Am Juneau" series. Looks like a good line-up, not as long as I think it had originally been planned for, but the shorter time will make it doable for people to stay for the whole event if desired. Here's the schedule we were just sent:
    1:00 - Hula hoop students
    1:30 - Polynesian Dances
    2:00 - Yees Ku Oo Alaska Native Dance Group
    2:30 - City of Juneau Highland Dancers
    3:00 - Daughters of the New Moon
    3:30 - Janice Holst Dancers

So, if you're in the neighborhood... come by and watch and learn about these different styles of dance.  They've asked that each group give a short spiel about history, background, costumes, training, or what have you to help emphasize the 'cultural' side of things.  I'll be the one speaking for the troupe and I haven't decided if I won't have enough planned to say or if I have too many notes about what talk about and I'll have to cut back!  I don't want our performance set to bump into the next group because I was too wordy!

We have a dress rehearsal tomorrow, so I'll be spending some time steaming the wrinkles out of my long-packed green Eman costume.  I specifically chose not to perform with fan veils for this performance because I can't get quite the arm movement but my solo was needed to fill a prop void, so I'll be dancing with a regular veil this time.  It's been awhile and I'm rather looking forward to it!

It'll be fun! Hope to see you there!

Summer Performance Recap & Hiatus

Troupe rehearsals are on official break although we haven't met for a real rehearsal since mid-June due to performances.  Some of us love dancing together so much we'll be meeting elsewhere during the break, but its options :)  It's been a busy couple of weeks for performances -- 4 performances, 3 weeks:
 - donated "dress rehearsal" show to the Pioneer Home
 - annual Concert's in the Park performance
 - donated post-CiP show to Wildflower Court (it was their 'turn' in the donation rotation, but they hadn't been available the week before and we wanted to see them this summer)
 - 4th of July Parade performance


Hopefully, I'll get some photos to share in a few weeks!

The first 3 performances had added stress because it was the first time the troupe performed (demoed) a "zeffa" wedding processional (more on what a "zeffa" is in a future post).  A lot of fun, but also a lot of prep work with extra props and making sure we would have a faux bride and groom at each performance.  I'm glad we had a new member and her friend who were willing sports about it!  I busted out my shamadan (a candelabra you wear on your head) for its first viewing also -- let me say that real candles are much lighter than having 18 AA batteries on your head! I am super excited for the time when we are asked to perform a zeffa at a real wedding reception, it will definitely make for a unique event!

Saturday was also my last class for a month or so.  The last two years I've held classes all through the weeks of summer.  This year though, I'm taking a break.  In part because I need to find new studio space and also in part due to visiting family from both sides starting to arrive in the next couple of weeks.  It will be fun but I'll miss my students (the ones I know and the ones I've yet to meet).  But I'll come back refreshed in the fall; ready for new classes, new locations, and getting danced off my feet in September by our guest workshop instructor Morocco!