Counting to six

In an over exuberant moment I decided a few days ago to start on a new costume to wear at a photo shoot scheduled for July 20. It's an impulsive decision, and my right arm is stiff from sewing beads. I feel like this a race to the finish line, and I just hope I make it.

I've written about being in a dance funk, but I haven't written much about the happy things in my life. Among them, a shorter, brighter, sassier hair cut, wonderful dance plans for my students (and myself) this fall, and a professional photoshoot with an amazing artist!

I've wanted photos for quite awhile so when I learned this last week that Pixie was coming to Austin I knew it was time. I've never met her personally but I've seen her dance photos of other dancers and I'm just blown away by her work. She seems to really capture the personality and beauty of each woman. Besides, who wouldn't love someone named Pixie????

Although I have several back up cabaret options, I really wanted something different, something new. I did a little online shopping but didn't really see what I wanted (in a price I was willing to spend right now). Then, I thought about the supplies for a fuchsia costume that have been sitting in my closet for over a year now, and now I'm off on this mad frenzy. For a gal who shunned pink most of her life, I'm feeling quite obsessed about it right now.

I ordered upper arm cuffs and base for the belt from L-Rose on Thursday (because they have matching velvet fabric) and had them do a rush shipment. (Which they did...at no extra cost...yeah!). Friday after the Patsy's show I went bra shopping and found a new base for the bra, tore it apart and reconstructed it in one evening. Saturday I covered the bra in charmeuse satin and velvet ribbon and began beading.

Today (Sunday) I'm still beading, and in fact have spent way too many hours counting out tiny glass seed beads in sets of six just to make the correct edging. If I make it through the next week I'll have a fabulous new costume and no feeling in my right arm. Wish me luck.

P.S. Here's a photo of the bra as of Sunday afternoon, around 4ish. If I can move my arm tomorrow, I'll check back in with everyone.

Funk Update

I've posted off and on this last year about feeling like I'm in a dance funk, and in the recent months I've been working on how to get out of that funk and on to to other things. I've realized several things in the process. First is I've been performing way too much given all the other things going on in my life. I work a full-time job, teach 2-3 classes a week, take 2-3 martial arts classes a week...and oh, then there's the laundry. On top of all of that, I've been performing 20-30 times a year.

Most of the performances haven't been strategically planned, they just get scheduled or rather I get asked to dance, or I think 'how fun' that would be. For many dancers, this would be wonderful and exciting, but I really have moved beyond the phase where I feel that I should dance at every possible opportunity into a phase of selective solos.

That being said, I've got a solo planned tonight at Patsy's Cowgirl Cafe. Yeah, don't laugh...this is Texas. It's a quirky little place that I haven't danced at since last November when I had a really nasty stomach virus (not related to the restaurant) hit me literally less than an hour after dancing. It's a fun venue and you get to eat queso after dancing!

But, here I am still at work trying to get in the mood. And, after deciding this summer I would no longer put myself in this position, I'm actually a little miffed at myself. I've been working so diligently on my 'plan' for this fall to get back in the groove and focus more on my creative energies, my dancing and myself and this one just isn't fitting in.

My biggest dilemma for the evening? What to wear and what to dance to. Here's the TMI portion of the post: I haven't shaved my underarms and don't want to because I want to get them waxed next week (which is big news for a woman who's always shaved). I have a couple of more casual/fusion outfits with sleeves that would be perfect for the venue, but I'm not feeling the fusion-y dance vibe. I've been feeling very cabaret classic lately. So I may just go with the more traditional song and less traditional outfit, 'cause I'm thinking the cowgirls may not know the difference :-)

If Emily Post had learned to belly dance

I've realized that over the years I've accumulated a great deal of belly dance knowledge and etiquette. Maybe it's a sign of me growing older, but I'm often disappointed or even worse, shocked at some dancer's behavior in and about town. I consider myself the Switzerland of the local belly dance scene. I get along with most everyone, I can be invited to almost any event, and I don't start any wars!

So, in the spirit of neutrality and with the hopes of providing some nuggets of information or resources to newer dancers, I've decided to start my own, "Dear Najla" column. I posted recently some tips about attending a workshop but now I'm the process of working on several posts about dancing at events, getting invitations to perform and being a gracious guest or dancer. Don't even get me started about costuming issues either...we could spend sooo much time talking about how regular bras are not dance bras. (I'll save that one for later).

For you the reader, I hope you enjoy. If you have any topics or suggestions you'd like me to take a stab at or have pet peeves you'd like addressed, leave me a comment. But be nice, be gracious...be like Switzerland.

In honor of Judd's pants

Cottonwood Heights Elementary---late 70's---Salt Lake City, Utah---Fifth grade---Judd Adams. I know we all have those geeky awkward stages of our lives that we'd like to forget but show up through family scrapbooks or now, Facebook posts. I don't need a photo however to recall Judd Adams' pants. They were made out of that dark navy, fake blue jean stretch fabric that was such a rage in those days. Judd's particular pants had extra wide bell-bottoms with red, white and blue flag fabric inserted into the flair on the side. By themselves the pants would have been quite a sight, but on Judd who was very tall, and gangly at that age they seemed to only accentuate his long, angular lines. Now whether or not Judd loved these pants or just didn't have many wardrobe options we may never know but I do remember he wore them quite often.

Now, when I started belly dancing we didn't wear pants, unless they were the harem style. However, with the influence of tribal, fusion and goth styles and the popularity of Melodia-style pants, belly dancers everywhere traded in their requisite chiffon circle skirt for flared or bell bottom pants. Initially I resisted, especially because of my memories of Judd's pants and the fear of looking ridiculous at my age. But I did give in and became very fond of the way these pants flatter and fit all shapes and sizes. Now, my dance wardrobe is not complete without them.

Some of my all-time favorite flare leg pants come from Brandy Bollin with Tribal Evolution in Dallas. I wear them when teaching, and for some of my fusion performances. I was saddened to hear at the Austin Belly Dance Convention that she was taking a break from making the pants. (Okay, I was sad until I found out they were all on sale for $20 each, woo hoo!!!) So, despite my plans for other purchases that weekend I spent a large majority of the weekend in the bathroom trying on every conceivable pair of pants that may fit me and walked away with a nice new stash.

There was one pair I just could not add to the pile. They were dark, heavy, navy-blue stretch fabric and the only difference between these pants and Judd's was the lack of a flag fabric insert. I tried them on several times, but kept putting them in the reject pile. All I could see looking in the mirror was that tall, awkward kid from my past wearing those goofy pants. On the last day, at the last minute, I gave in. In a spontaneous gesture I picked them up, and purchased them simply because I couldn't let such a good deal pass me by.

I'm happy to say I now love my pants, and they may become my staple while teaching classes. I'd also like to think that somewhere right now Judd is telling his kids or friends about these super-cool pants he had in elementary school but still misses to this day. So Judd, wherever you are...I'm keeping the memory alive...but in a much more attractive form!