Anatomy of a Bellydance Performance
Performace prep:
One month prior: Pick out music... in this case, agonize forever because we can't find a third piece both short and distinctive enough to compliment the other two songs. Start breaking out the sections-- what will be improv, and which parts should be choreo. Plot out where the solos will be. Come up with many, many inappropriate hafla ideas as we reject song selections ("Oooh, Kinda Kinky!"). Attempt to write troupe bio. Insert bits about wayward banditos and lovelorn saloon girls. Find a third song. Rejoice.
Three weeks prior: Start working combos that will hit certain musical cues. Spaz about costuming. Simple bra tops, or tribal bras o'glory? How much lime green can we put with our teal and purple before we cross over into Kajira territory?
Two weeks prior: Finally decide on a costuming game plan, raid Joann's for appropriately sparkly glitter dot material. Awesome dance partner applies sewing-fu. Start repeating the phrase, "don't worry, it'll turn out alright."
One week prior: Completely forget how to dance. Take ten minutes to remember how to do a rompi. Have many gigglefits. Fume when "lime" hairflowers ordered show up decidedly pee-yellow.
Three days prior: Costumed run-through. Decide that a) we're hot and b) we rock.
Day of performance:
10:30am: Big breakfast. I definitely won't be eating for awhile.
11:40am: Flissy shows up early because she just couldn't sit still. We start to work on the hair. This takes approximately an hour, and there is much swearing on my part. I start to realize that trying to do tribal hair on freshly-washed strands was not my most brilliant idea ever. But, with Flissy's help, I end up with a big yarnfall ponytail with sparkly hairsticks coming out, a gazillion flower clips, a headband, and cowrie falls. My head is now incredibly heavy. The Boy comes downstairs and gasps... "it's just... it's just so big!" Chortle at this reversal of role.
1:00pm: Costuming extravaganza! Layer upon laters of cholis, jingly bras, Melodias, fringe, kami skirts, metal belts... also, the judicious application of glittery makeup.
1:25pm: Costuming meltdown! Despite being in perfect condition during dress rehearsal, bits start to fall off my headdress and one of my cowrie falls is defunct. Emergency sewing ensues.
2:00pm: Run-through. Things go pretty smoothly. I feel pretty good. Except now my fringe is falling apart. WTF?
2:30pm - 3:00pm: Emergency fringe repair. Stab self several times with needle. Curse. Inject caffeine. Finish in the nick of time. Definitely get "wtf" faces from the neighborhood kids as I leave the house. I swear, between this and Renfest, I really do believe they think I'm a fairy.
3:30pm: Arrive at venue, which is already starting to get packed. Notice the setup is somewhat changed, get a little nervous. Notice that they're oddly sitting people in the stage area. Get a lot more nervous. Friends arrive-- hug everybody hello.
4:15pm: Act I.
5:00pm: Break for dinner. Attempt to use the restroom in full tribal gear. Feel very accomplished that none of my fringe falls in the toilet. The nerves are now full-force and my hands are like ice. Attempt to make small talk, but mostly the running dialogue in my head is "oh man, oh man, I'm gonna ralph." The Boy is awesome and makes me a plate so I can eat after the performance. I must be looking like a deer in headlights at this point because people start telling me it's going to be okay. Did I mention my horrendous stage fright?
5:45-ish pm: Act II. They move the people who were sitting in the stage area for this act, and I am a little relieved.
6:00pm: We're up! And... it's done in a big blur. The stage fright is gone. The whole 10-minute set feels like it takes place in a blink. Flissy and I grin at each other like major nerds. We receive lots of applause. We decide we are supahstahs!
6:10pm - end of hafla: I attempt to eat to ground myself, but mostly I'm still on an adrenaline high. Did you attempt to speak to me during this period? Yeah, chances are I don't remember at all. Mostly I'm just smiling and clappy and totally blissed out that it's over and I did not fall on my face. Awesome.
But yes, overall it went well. We've gotten a lot of good noise and some extremely helpful constructive criticism. We're riding high for a bit, and gonna debrief on Thursday to discuss the crit, swap stuff, and talk about our next direction. If Flissy's foot is healed up enough after a month and a half of rest, we might perform again at the end of January, so I guess we'll see.
Thanks to all my awesome friends (and little bro) who came out to see us, and to the lovely ladies of Kallisti for their support. I love that we have a genuine bellydance community in our area. It's a great environment to grow in. Lots of love and smooshes to Nina for running the show. Anyway, that's all I got!
Pics will be up when I get 'em, which is good, because I need a Verve Tribal icon!
One month prior: Pick out music... in this case, agonize forever because we can't find a third piece both short and distinctive enough to compliment the other two songs. Start breaking out the sections-- what will be improv, and which parts should be choreo. Plot out where the solos will be. Come up with many, many inappropriate hafla ideas as we reject song selections ("Oooh, Kinda Kinky!"). Attempt to write troupe bio. Insert bits about wayward banditos and lovelorn saloon girls. Find a third song. Rejoice.
Three weeks prior: Start working combos that will hit certain musical cues. Spaz about costuming. Simple bra tops, or tribal bras o'glory? How much lime green can we put with our teal and purple before we cross over into Kajira territory?
Two weeks prior: Finally decide on a costuming game plan, raid Joann's for appropriately sparkly glitter dot material. Awesome dance partner applies sewing-fu. Start repeating the phrase, "don't worry, it'll turn out alright."
One week prior: Completely forget how to dance. Take ten minutes to remember how to do a rompi. Have many gigglefits. Fume when "lime" hairflowers ordered show up decidedly pee-yellow.
Three days prior: Costumed run-through. Decide that a) we're hot and b) we rock.
Day of performance:
10:30am: Big breakfast. I definitely won't be eating for awhile.
11:40am: Flissy shows up early because she just couldn't sit still. We start to work on the hair. This takes approximately an hour, and there is much swearing on my part. I start to realize that trying to do tribal hair on freshly-washed strands was not my most brilliant idea ever. But, with Flissy's help, I end up with a big yarnfall ponytail with sparkly hairsticks coming out, a gazillion flower clips, a headband, and cowrie falls. My head is now incredibly heavy. The Boy comes downstairs and gasps... "it's just... it's just so big!" Chortle at this reversal of role.
1:00pm: Costuming extravaganza! Layer upon laters of cholis, jingly bras, Melodias, fringe, kami skirts, metal belts... also, the judicious application of glittery makeup.
1:25pm: Costuming meltdown! Despite being in perfect condition during dress rehearsal, bits start to fall off my headdress and one of my cowrie falls is defunct. Emergency sewing ensues.
2:00pm: Run-through. Things go pretty smoothly. I feel pretty good. Except now my fringe is falling apart. WTF?
2:30pm - 3:00pm: Emergency fringe repair. Stab self several times with needle. Curse. Inject caffeine. Finish in the nick of time. Definitely get "wtf" faces from the neighborhood kids as I leave the house. I swear, between this and Renfest, I really do believe they think I'm a fairy.
3:30pm: Arrive at venue, which is already starting to get packed. Notice the setup is somewhat changed, get a little nervous. Notice that they're oddly sitting people in the stage area. Get a lot more nervous. Friends arrive-- hug everybody hello.
4:15pm: Act I.
5:00pm: Break for dinner. Attempt to use the restroom in full tribal gear. Feel very accomplished that none of my fringe falls in the toilet. The nerves are now full-force and my hands are like ice. Attempt to make small talk, but mostly the running dialogue in my head is "oh man, oh man, I'm gonna ralph." The Boy is awesome and makes me a plate so I can eat after the performance. I must be looking like a deer in headlights at this point because people start telling me it's going to be okay. Did I mention my horrendous stage fright?
5:45-ish pm: Act II. They move the people who were sitting in the stage area for this act, and I am a little relieved.
6:00pm: We're up! And... it's done in a big blur. The stage fright is gone. The whole 10-minute set feels like it takes place in a blink. Flissy and I grin at each other like major nerds. We receive lots of applause. We decide we are supahstahs!
6:10pm - end of hafla: I attempt to eat to ground myself, but mostly I'm still on an adrenaline high. Did you attempt to speak to me during this period? Yeah, chances are I don't remember at all. Mostly I'm just smiling and clappy and totally blissed out that it's over and I did not fall on my face. Awesome.
But yes, overall it went well. We've gotten a lot of good noise and some extremely helpful constructive criticism. We're riding high for a bit, and gonna debrief on Thursday to discuss the crit, swap stuff, and talk about our next direction. If Flissy's foot is healed up enough after a month and a half of rest, we might perform again at the end of January, so I guess we'll see.
Thanks to all my awesome friends (and little bro) who came out to see us, and to the lovely ladies of Kallisti for their support. I love that we have a genuine bellydance community in our area. It's a great environment to grow in. Lots of love and smooshes to Nina for running the show. Anyway, that's all I got!
Pics will be up when I get 'em, which is good, because I need a Verve Tribal icon!