Work shops, haflas, poi, and belly dance
April 22 was the best day of my life. It was my first workshop ever and it was with sword. The first session was just warming up and getting use to our sword balancing. We had lunch from the Nile (strips of beef, humus, and pita bread yummmy). Then after lunch there was the drum workshop which mostly consisted of Dale (the teacher) explaining the different names of the tabla and where they come from. We only played the tabla like the last 10 minutes of the workshop it was pointless however a fun instrument to play. At last the 2nd session of the sword workshop. I was doing so good in the choreography until it came to the floor work. We had to lay on our side and turn over on our back. As I was going down to my side my sword slipped off my head, the handle hit my skull and the tip of the blade smashed my finger which split my middle finger nail in half. I looked down almost in tears from the pain and saw a small pool of blood in my palm. Liz was next to me and she had seen the whole thing and gasped really loud. I ran out during the choreography and into the bathroom. I thought the bleeding was never going to stop. When I came back, with multiple paper towels wrapped around my finger, Carenza was like "OH MY GOD WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!!" She took my sword and was like maybe you shouldn't have this. However a measley little finger injury isn't going to keep me from dancing with my sword.
After the workshop I went to Mom's house. She looked at my finger and freaked out. So she took me to ST. John's ER. It was so embarassing to have to explain the story of how my finger came to be split. The ER doctor had a good sense of humor about it and recalled some movies that had belly dancers in it. He asked me if I kept a bullet in my belly button and stuff like that.(I think that was in some James Bond movie). They gave me a tetnis shot, cleaned my wound, wrapped it and sent me on my way. So I had to keep it on for the rest of the night.
That night at the hafla Julie and I arrived late and missed almost all of the other dancers. I was bummed because I had made friends with the dancers that were at the workshop and didn't get to see them perform. Then Liz came up to me and said she had my music. I was like uhhhhhh what? She was like ya you're next. I totally freaked out. I danced my first improv solo to Modest Mouse's 'The Air'. People got a lot of pictures and I look terrified in every one of them. Needless to say I did alot of hand motions in front of my face totally forgeting what had happened to my finger. Everybody loved my performance I was pretty proud of myself for over comming my solo fright. I felt like a reached a new step in my dancing career. Then Molly did her fire poi and staff and tore ass with it. I got some awesome pictures of her.
The next day was the poi workshop. (you know the little balls that you lite on fire with string?) anyway I learned so much at that workshop and have become a poi addict. I learned the butterfly, the weave, some other move that's really easy. I taught myself the behind-the-back butterfly. It's rad Molly is the best teacher. She's a good friend and a wonderful talented performer. I have so much respect for that woman.
And finally last night was a lot of fun. I went back to Carenza's studio to start my first tribal fusion belly dance class ever. She kicked my butt but I love her for it. I might have a dancing interview with the guy at the Nile. Carenza gave me some really good advice for dancing in restaraunts. I need to start this as soon as I possibly can. I need to save money for my African missionary trip that's going on in October. If I can't go this year I will be able to go the next.
After the workshop I went to Mom's house. She looked at my finger and freaked out. So she took me to ST. John's ER. It was so embarassing to have to explain the story of how my finger came to be split. The ER doctor had a good sense of humor about it and recalled some movies that had belly dancers in it. He asked me if I kept a bullet in my belly button and stuff like that.(I think that was in some James Bond movie). They gave me a tetnis shot, cleaned my wound, wrapped it and sent me on my way. So I had to keep it on for the rest of the night.
That night at the hafla Julie and I arrived late and missed almost all of the other dancers. I was bummed because I had made friends with the dancers that were at the workshop and didn't get to see them perform. Then Liz came up to me and said she had my music. I was like uhhhhhh what? She was like ya you're next. I totally freaked out. I danced my first improv solo to Modest Mouse's 'The Air'. People got a lot of pictures and I look terrified in every one of them. Needless to say I did alot of hand motions in front of my face totally forgeting what had happened to my finger. Everybody loved my performance I was pretty proud of myself for over comming my solo fright. I felt like a reached a new step in my dancing career. Then Molly did her fire poi and staff and tore ass with it. I got some awesome pictures of her.
The next day was the poi workshop. (you know the little balls that you lite on fire with string?) anyway I learned so much at that workshop and have become a poi addict. I learned the butterfly, the weave, some other move that's really easy. I taught myself the behind-the-back butterfly. It's rad Molly is the best teacher. She's a good friend and a wonderful talented performer. I have so much respect for that woman.
And finally last night was a lot of fun. I went back to Carenza's studio to start my first tribal fusion belly dance class ever. She kicked my butt but I love her for it. I might have a dancing interview with the guy at the Nile. Carenza gave me some really good advice for dancing in restaraunts. I need to start this as soon as I possibly can. I need to save money for my African missionary trip that's going on in October. If I can't go this year I will be able to go the next.