Ok so I have done the deed.
Just what all hardcore dancers will Tell you is crossing over to the "dark" side..
HAHAHaaaaaa
yes yes... I have become a Zumba instructor... Much to the absolute shock and  HORROR of my Flamenco teacher... (and probably some of the hardcore tribal bellydance community)

And let me tell you why... The second I looked into the eyes of my students and saw how much they loved and needed it - for their minds, bodies and souls... It suddenly wasn't about me anymore..
Performing was always an internal affair, Yes I was sharing some of it with the audience but that was about all..

Helping people love themselves and become fit and furiously happy is so much more rewarding. I can't even describe it.

Best part - I get to partner up with one of the most inspiring ladies that ever hit planet earth! Not only jam with her but share this journey..

and YES - we have dress up parties ALL the time - the more the better

Our students are piling up but even when there was only 1 (yes that did happen at the beginning.. hehehehe... 2 instructors and one student - has the potential of being largely awkward) - I laugh just thinking about it... ONCE we came to class and it was just US ...... Let me tell you that we STILL had the time of our lives...

BUT having said that - our lives are in chapters and each one has a role to play and is as important as the next..

This chapter - Im a Zumba JAmming,, colourfull, mad jumping around, boody shaking, messup and makeup - shake it till you make it - twist and shout, Tango, cumbia, Zumba instructor, and loving it.


Im off to the Zumba convention in Orlando soon and cant wait to go wild with other Instructors from around the world. It's like going to a club that is in a bubble and clean cut... Just what the doctor ordered.

commercializationalismismingling

So,,, what did you think of my performance, oh wonderful- advanced- professionals, who have flamenco running through your veins- performed in spain everynight for years ladies ?????


......" COMMERCIALIZATION."....


um erm... Explain please???


"no, just C~OMMERCIAL~zATION....." big sigh, wont say more.... ...  ...


I have just fumbled over my feet backwards, upside down and sideways,,,,, dented the floor with enthusiasm and flung my skirt in a dignified way (or so I thought) to Timbucktuuuuu and back again.... and thats what I get???

I thought my backbend and juicy hip move followed by a fierce fancy footstamping medley was quite impressive!!... ... 


If flamenco was pulsating through my veins as intensely as some of my other endeavors then I would be highly offended by the great sighs made obvious to the rest of the universe, nervous twitches and head held dramatically in hands at each rhythm skipped and missed, ALONE,,, forgetting the prepared words exclaimed in question.


Your arms were wrong, elbows too low, forgot your steps, rhythm WAY out, posture baaaad.... now that would be far safer then saying the dreaded word.... commercialization !!..


Granted, it cant be easy when an eager beaver with no experience, a bit of potential perhaps and mad energy, invades well earned space.
But what happens when they are partly responsible for creating this FRANKENSTEIN DANCE MONSTER..   ??????????????????


As soon as I have gotten over my bruised ego, cringed silently over my garganteous rhythm and coreo blank madness and decided to embrace my wonderful commercial side ... (twitch)....
I will make the approach and hopefully get some feedback worth something a bit more then just.....
COMMERCIALIZATION ¬!!!!!!




Ultimately when someone like . Jaquin cortes's , name is uttered with disgust in some purist flamenco circles that I have encountered and as far as my daft mind, short life and no experience with the arts in any form, performance or dance, can tell.... HANG.... it might not be such a poisonous word to be called after all....
(when you have checked out the jaquin cortes link above you might have an inkling as to why on earth I would say such a thing)........ one of the few flamenco dancers that I can watch without falling into a deep hundred year sleep. ~(ouch!! Im really going to get it for that one).

OF COURSE I AM WELL AWARE THAT THE CHANCES OF ME CHOKING ON MY OWN WORDS IN THE FUTURE ARE PROBABLY QUITE HIGH....

subculture

When I was asked to do the subculture photo shoot and article, the first thing I did was, be sure that I knew exactly what I was getting myself into.

definition - a subculture is a group of people with a culture (whether distinct or hidden) which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong.
 

hmmm I suppose that you could call tribal fusion bellydance a subculture of bellydance.
If that was the angle.


But then you get questions like, how do you live your life?
what do you eat?
what kind of clothes do you wear?
bla bla bla..... 
answer... you are either born a part of this type of subculture or not....
(the lines were definitely blurred as to what EXACTLY the subculture was that was being referred to) 
there...... earthy, love nature, vegetarian, beautiful things that mystify, music that moves the soul, decorations on oneself ,trees, with some edge .... but once again, thats just me.


The Doosh subculture.. he he he...


With science fiction fandom, teenybopper, steam punk, military brat, anarcho punk, cybergoth and bodybuilder in the list of KNOWN subcultures ANything could be added to that list!


Anyway,,, here are a few of the pics .... by Astrid Bradley photography

Gumfusion, confusion..... GUMFUSED YET????

AAAI yayayeee YAYAYAyeeee...
Eish Wenna,,, smacking those boots,,,, after 10 seconds of it, I don't have the use of the lower half of my body!
RESPECT!! to gumboot dancers..... ... ....
With gumboots 2 sizes too big and a hundred pairs of socks to make up the difference, a tribal
fusion bellydance twist and determination the size of my ego (big and fat when not kept in check)....
I'm ready to confuse or rather GUMFUSE myself and my audience to bits.....


I think I'll add a pinch of die antwoord for good measure....


To make it even more interesting, a truckload of GUts and Gumshion, enough to fill up the space with pulsating energy to get my blood pumping...


I LOVE IT so much that I could quite possibly stamp a hole in the floor..... (to put it mildly).......


one thing missing in this performance......


The other half................. with POWer And PaSsIOn charging through her veins and
a Crazy love for the art..... .... .... ....

The next one is going to simply KICK !!!!


p.s. yes..... that is a role of duck tape on my arm,,,,,,,,,,,,

You talkin to me ????

Ok so WHAT!!! I did it............ ....... everyone does, at some point in their lives...... don't they?


We live and we learn, 
we have to try everything at least once
We learn from our mistakes
You have to hold your head up high no matter what
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger..... AND SO ON>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.!!!!!!!!!!


dancing in a shopping mall isn't the be all and end all.......
YEs that is what I said........
My first SHOPPING MALL... experience............ and except for feeling half my initial size 
and boring even myself half to death in the luminous, fluorescent lighting...


IM STILL HERE !!!!!!!
I have done the shopping mall,,,, I can do ANYTHING.... so bring it on!

Yes or No......?

I just can't decided wether or not I like it... or rather wether or not I want to do it......

I have great respect for the people who pull it off.
question arrises... Is it because I truly don't like it? or because its scrutinizingly(if that is even a word) and excruciatingly  difficult.?
If the latter then HELL... NO..!!!!. Im not giving up.. until Iv'e kicked its butt....!!!
But if the former... hmmmmmmm... ..... then why? put? myself? through the hours of boredom...
It feels so tight and limiting.... (Anyone with any knowledge on the subject would have let off a low snort of annoyance at the naive pigheadedness of that remark).......
Is there really a point if its not what I want....

I have to admit.. I've learnt a certain amount of control and my arms are rippling with muscles that they didn't know existed before..... (a definite plus)


now for the ultimate question.. after hearing all of the rumbling,,,,,,
should I carry on? or no?.............
p.s. What IT is precisely.... is irrelevant but here is a clue in case
                                             

Big Audience, Little audience....

Ok so I admit, I have on occasion gently nudged and encouraged non suspecting victims to sit and watch me perform..... Its not like I tied them in the chair and ducktaped their eyes open!!! (well maybe only a couple of times).

I love big stage performances with smoke, lights and a big fat sound!!!

But performing down on the ground in the midst of the excitement to fewer people also has it's plus points.

They can see you clearly, You can see them clearly.

You can feel energy close up, you can GIVE  energy close up.

hmmmmmm... which one....
I don't want to choose. I want to do them both when and if I feel like it.
I want to dance for huge media events and get fame and fortune and I want to dance for anyone wanting to watch for no other reason then, that I LOVE it and it might inspire.

dress up time!!!

one of the best bits about performing is ..............................
It's GREAT to have an excuse to dress up..
Ok, granted,, I usually wear dingly and danglies to weed the garden and such like, shimmering cloths and bits and bobs hanging off fingers and ears to do the grocery shopping, hitched and pin up odds and ends to hang out the washing, but all the more exciting when I can unleash my creativity without worrying about scaring the neighbors or the till lady at pick n pay.



I do know that its not only about how much stuff one can cram onto ones self or how much eye liner one can smudge onto ones face.... More about the dance ,, yes?,
When my flamenco instructor said " you know some people dress too flashy and it detracts from the dance",
 I couldn't keep my mouth shut for even a second. "thats exactly what I do" I said.. (now who owns up to such a thing when they are trying to look cool and collected?).


Mind you , don't misunderstand... The dressing too flashy part... YES<< I LOVE IT>>>

.The, detracting from the dance bit.......... WHO ME!!!!!!!!!???... well not all the time at least,  (just for the boring bits).

One day Im going to do a dance in plain black, nothing distracting and we can see how I fare. (I'll post the video up)............... (oh shucks, what have I roped myself into!!!!),
p.s. jokes aside, the first thing that I thought of when I wrote that was,, there must be a zillion cool ways to make plainblack look awesome.(I had better do the experiment in my pajamas to be fair)

what the

What am I doing this for?????
How do you explain to someone the need that a performer has to perform?.
Comments such as "you just want to be the centre of attention", can only be answered with.....'Why yes of course!'
There is no point in pretended that you don't.
You can be anything, do anything, say anything, all in the name of 'performing'... What more could a person ask for?
The adrenalin is something hard to explain..
I LOVE IT and all that goes with it!!!

So much smoke on the stage (to create the dramatic effect!) that i couldnt see the audience or anything around me for that matter. I felt as though I was dancing in a cloud in the air with myself surrounded by beautiful lights. It was Surreal.(vvvvv)
When I realised that I wasnt in one of the best dreams that Ive had, I broke out of the cloud into the clear to see the audience looking up at me. I had to switch back on quickly and loved every minute of it

Article for the RAKSAFRICA magazine 2010

                                                        photograph by Marc Pradervand

Article

It started feeling really good when I could look into peoples faces, read their expressions, sense their reactions.
Before that, the nerves took over and a performance was something to ‘endure, something to get over with as quickly as possible, a flash of adrenalin that mixed everything into a frantic blur. Running on pure, raw, instinct.

For people who have been performing for a long time and who don't remember before the clarity, it may take them a while to remember now, how wonderful it was, the year, the day, the moment, when time seemed to be moving a fraction of its usual pace.
When each bone , each muscle, each sinew, stretched itself to its maximum, every single finger moving perfectly in sync. Every bend, twist or shake, perfectly and clearly anticipated and executed. All while enjoying the intimate exchange of energy between you and the audience.

I don't and won't , even for a moment , take the clarity for granted , because just as the quality of the experience is a hundred fold more exhilarating then before, it doesn't seem to be something that is always easy to grasp.

A dollop of exhausted body and mind,,
Not enough blood sweat and tears ,
A dash of cockiness
A pinch self importance
And we have a perfect recipe for…
BACK TO SQUARE ONE

Which is not where I want, or intend to be. (but… mind you…… have been, more times then Id like to admit).

With each new 4 minute experience , I have been given another chance to slip into that extreme world of exchange, clarity and controllable adrenalin.

 I have been given a chance to imprint deeply into somebody else's (and my own) memory, with all of my fears, my hang-ups, my endurance, my determination, my creativity, my energy, my passion, my fire, my self.

Rushka Johnson (SAreal performing arts company)

How to laugh at yourself when you feel like a twit!

Article for the RAksafrica magazine
by Rushka Johnson

The other night I found myself in a ridiculous situation that I hope never to have to experience again. (But I know it will most probably, more then likely happen without me realizing it) If for no other reason then to give me a kick up the pants and bring me crashing back down to earth.

There I was, taking myself very seriously, dressed to the T in my tribal gear.When I say to the T, I mean elaborate eye make up, wild and wonderful headdress, uncomfortable poky feathers, you name it. (granted, most of the outfit was pinned on so that I could use the material again in another arrangement without forking out a wad of cash each time, but nonetheless Nobody Knew that!) I grandly enter the venue to make my way backstage, only to be welcomed by a sea of shocked old ladies and gents, peacefully drinking from their crystal glasses, talking of the latest gossip in church and the history of their rose patches. (This should tell you a bit about the predicament I was in).
They were shocked to see such a weird character entering. Now this is when I had a large plane cloth draped over myself covering my jingles and jangles, feathers and shells. 

THEY HADN'T EVEN SEEN WHAT I WAS WEARING YET, let alone what I was about to do! The night thus far, had been filled with a boys choir singing, 'you raise me up", ' yesterday" and so on and suchlike.
Their angelic voices filling the hall and delighting the audience... (MY future audience!!). Well what was I to do? Running out of their in a whirlwind of feathers, cloths and beads did occur to me but It was too late! They had already seen me and were fidgeting in their seats in a nervous expectant sort of way.



I had but two choices, I could go on up there and dance in a shy, sort of not wanting to offend the choir boys sort of way OR I could stop a few old ladies hearts and watch in amusement, dads blocking kids eyes while trying , with all of their hearts, to avert their gazes towards something more "respectable". I wont tell you which of the two I chose to do.

But I will tell you this.
When I glanced at the door leading backstage , the choir boys looked as though they had morphed into the shape of the door, squashed into a tight rather uncomfortable looking rectangular shape.
The shocked and horrified, conservative faces that I expected to see emerging from the darkened audience had transformed into faces with the same expression (watered down version) that I remember on my daughters face when she saw her brother being born. The expression that a person has when seeing something for the first time and discovering that ...to their horror... they actually love it.
Rushka Johnson Port Elizabeth