FCBD Store Sale!

Hello my friends! Just a heads up the Fat Chance Belly Dance catalog has TONS on sale this month, lots for 20% off - including the FCBD 25 year anniversary charms! So pretty:

 Click here to go right to their store:  http://www.fcbd.com/catalog/

What Does it Take to Perform?

Wendy Allen, Fat Chance Belly Dancer and leader of the student troupe, shares her thoughts in a poignant blog post found here:

http://spinofftribal.blogspot.com/2011/06/what-it-takes-to-perform-with-ats-group.html

She sums it up very well:

So. If you want to perform with an ATS group, here's what you do. Show up consistently to class. Have a good attitude, don't be a diva. Focus, do your best to fit in with the culture of the classes. And no matter how experienced you become, always go back to Level 1 and Level 2, because in spite of what you may think, you have never learned everything there is to learn about any one move.  If you think you know everything, you're sorely mistaken.

Diligence in practice, integrity of character and patience will be your strongest assets. No one wants to dance with a know-it-all, do they?! Humility really is key. Key to opening yourself up to more learning, more experiences, and the key to not annoying your fellow dancers! No one is the teacher but the teacher, and unless she specifically asks, she does not need anyone to help her do her job. Just my two cents ;)

Keep dancing!

Your Only Impulse Should Be to Dance!

   A few weeks ago I found an interesting video on Ted Talks. Benjamin Zander is a conductor, speaker, and leading interpreter of Beethoven and Mahler. In this talk he speaks about the love of his life, classical music. He explains how a student of piano progresses from novice to intermediate, and how it comes through in the music.

   The video is just over 20 minutes long, so if you don't have time, the part i'm referring to is 1:00 until about 3:30 - if you can, the entire Ted Talk is worth the watch.

You can watch it from YouTube in the player above, or click >Here< to go to the original Ted Talk page.

   Zander notes how the learning of a skill progresses. The novice puts an impulse, an emphasis or concentration if you will, on every key. They have to think about each note as a separate entity. As their skill increases, they don't have to think so much about each note - their fingers know where to go and the emphasis is on fewer notes. Finally they become so proficient that they place even emphasis on an entire phrase of notes - one impulse for an entire stretch of music. This is where the magic happens! The notes are smooth, beautifully running into one another with no hesitation.

   This idea of impulses can be applied to dance as well. A beginner concentrates on each facet of each move, and you can see it in their bodies - the concentration as they move between each motion. There's nothing wrong of course, this is just the start and I'm sure we all looked a little jerky and robotic in the very beginning. However, when you look at a professional dancer - Carolena Nericcio, Rachel Brice, etc - you will see no impulse, no jerky hesitant movements. Their motions run gracefully together in a stream of dance.

   You can see this easily when you watch videos of Fat Chance Belly Dance, and other extremely skilled troupes as well. Why do they seem so graceful? So in sync and smooth?  Other troupes may do the exact same movements, but you cannot deny the certain 'je ne sais quoi' that FCBD possesses. Well, now you do know what - they have so few impulses. Their skill has grown so great that they are playing their instrument with only one impulse.

   Let me give you another example. The Reverse Turn in ATS. It is a slow move, and there are 5 basic motions within the move. 1 - Floreos above the head. 2 - The right hand moves down and both hands floreo. Gaze cues the turn. 3 - Both hands do a floreo as the body turns. 4 - Hands floreo to each side of the body. 5 - Right hand moves up as hands floreo once more.

   When I learned this move, I did each part as if it was a separate move. I was doing the move, yes, but robotically. Now that I've improved, most of the move has smoothed out. I'd honestly guess I have maybe 2 or 3 impulses on the move now - the first floreos flow easily together, the turn I still have to focus on, and then the last two floreos flow together. My dance teacher, on the other hand, has one impulse on the entire move. Each motion flows into the next without the need for concentration. We do the same move, but because her practice and skill has so minimized her impulses, she looks a hundred times more graceful than I.

   Here is a video of Carolena dancing slow. Notice how she moves without any pause or hesitation. She is dancing on one impulse, as we should all aspire to. There is a Reverse Turn at 0:40. Enjoy the video :)

 

Shopping Spotlight: Fat Chance Belly Dance

   You knew you could watch their beautiful performances, be inspired by their costumes and grace, and be mesmerized by their technique. But did you know you can shop with them? Yes, it's true - for those who did not know, Fat Chance Belly Dance has a shop! And guess what else? Until August 31, most things are

25% off!!!

They carry everything from hip scarves to music to training DVDs to patterns to jewelry. Here is a sampling! (Click on the picture for the link)



 

 

 

 

So much fun stuff I can't even decide what I want. Now I've never ordered from them before, but I mean c'mon - it's FCBD. I'd expect nothing but the best!

Videos: FCBD and Carolena

Here is a weekend treat for you! Some recent Fat Chance Belly Dance and Carolena performances! Enjoy :)

ATS: The Folkloric Moves

American Tribal Style is made up from many styles of dancing, from many cultures and eras. These are some of the more folkloric looking moves. That does not mean they are historically accurate necessarily, it just means their inspiration is from a folkloric dance, such as cane dancing or indian/egyptian folklore. These moves feel more earthy and are often simpler than the more modern moves.

Arabic
Arabic Shimmy (not ASWAAT)
Chico Four Corners
Circle Step
Double Bump/Single Bump
Egyptian Basic
Ghawazee Combo
Head Slide
Pivot Bump
Reach & Sit
ReShamka
Ribcage Rotation
Shimmy
Shoulder Shimmy/ Hip Drop
Turkish Shimmy (not TSWAAT)
Up2Down3
Wet Dog

Source: Wendy from FCBD - http://ats.tribe.net/thread/54d3d3ce-5e87-4252-8581-49dceeb0e6f3

The Tribal Code

COMMITMENT

Be there for your dance sisters. Whether it’s making sure your cues are strong or getting to a gig on time, we all need to depend on one another.

COMMUNICATION

Ask questions and learn from the more experienced dancers and teachers. Also, don’t let things fester. Express yourself in a constructive, respectful way.

AWARENESS

Be aware of how your words or actions can affect others. What makes sense to you may be understood differently by someone else. Take considerations to think before you speak or act.

TEFLON

Don’t take things personally! There are too many unique individuals in this group to avoid minor misunderstandings. Let things slide off your ego – don’t let things stick!

HUMILITY

We all can benefit from going to Level 1 and Level 2 classes and working on technique. We can also benefit from allowing room for all our personalities to exist.

TRUST

This dance form is founded on trust, on and off the dance floor. Earn people’s trust and give yours as well.

RESPECT

Treat your fellow dancers (and human beings) with compassionate respect and be mindful of others’ talents and limitations. Respect the dance form for what it is rather than how you would change it.

SUPPORT

Come to the shows of FatChanceBellyDance and of your fellow dancers. Not only does it support the dancers, it is a great way to learn about performance! 

JOY

Dance for the love of it! Enjoy yourself and the company of others.

* Written/Created by the lovely and talented ladies of FatChanceBellyDance

FCBD at Cues and Tattoos 2011 - Videos

Colour Theory for Costuming: Part Three

So we've talked about colour practically, what is pleasing to the eye. Let's go deeper now and see how colour can affect mood and convey emotion.

First off, there are warm and cool colours, and both give a different mood. Warm colours are in the red/orange/yellow family.  These colours give a feeling of openness, joy, and comfort, also life and energy. Cool colours include blue/green, and purple if it has more blue than red. These colours tend to recede and can convey coldness and distance, but also peace and tranquility.

Secondly, each colour has a certain feel to it. Here is a list to consider:

Red - passion, sexuality, energy, romance, love
Orange - vitality, action, excitement
Yellow - joy, happiness, freshness
Green - growth, nature, fertility, health, healing
Blue - sadness, peace, loyalty, faith, heaven, tranquility
Purple - royalty, power, luxury, magic
White - purity, innocence, perfection
Black - drama, death, evil, mystery, elegance

Third and last of all, there are general themes that come to mind when certain colours are seen. Bright hues of yellow, orange and green would bring feelings of joy, energy, and health. This might be perfect for a summer festival daytime performance. What about a night-time performance where you want to look elegant and mysterious? Black would be a must, along with purple and maybe some red. Some colour combinations actually create a picture in one's mind, suchs as blues, greens and teals looking like the ocean, or red, orange and yellow making you think of fire. So many options and ideas! Be creative!



http://www.fcbd.com/

Here are more resources if you are interested:

http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-theory-intro.htm
http://www.julianarosalia.com/TD102/colorTheory.shtml
http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html

Fat Chance Belly Dance Video

Carolena Nericcio ~ The Mother of Tribal Style

Imagine this: there was a time in history, a long time ago,

when the bounce and sway of a woman’s hips

was considered so beautiful that they set it to music

and made a dance out of it...

~ Carolena Nericcio

Carolena is the creator and leader of American Tribal Style Belly Dance. She teaches and performs with her troupe Fat Chance Belly Dance. You can have a look at her website here: http://www.fcbd.com

The troupe name comes from the inevitable question every belly dancer will be asked: "Do you do private shows?"  To which Carolena would indignantly reply: "Fat chance!" Her dance moves and costume inspiration stems from middle eastern, indian and north african roots.

Carolena's most incredible accomplishment, in my opinion, is the dance language of cues that allows for pure improvisation. An ATS dancer from Spain, who speaks only Spanish, can meet with an ATS dancer from China who speaks only Chinese. They may not be able to introduce themselves or talk about the weather, but if you set them to music, they will be able not only to dance but to perform - and no one would ever guess that it wasn't long rehearsed choreography. I think it is a dance miracle if there is such a thing, and an incredible experience to witness or be part of!

It is this same philosophy of improvisation that seems to create the ambience of ATS dance. Improvisation forces the dancers to trust each other and rely upon each other. This is evident from the very first session. What a relief from society's constant mental bombardment of focusing on the self to be able to enjoy a dance that trains you to build each other up instead.


That's what the tribal way of life is all about! Thank-you Carolena!