Wearing Pink to Bellydance Parties is Dangerous

I meant to earn money at tonight's hafla at the Abbey in Cumberland. As well as dancing there was a bazaar table provided, and I thought I would sell some of my seldom-used bellydance items. And I did. I sold a yellow veil, two tops that weren't quite right for me and a sword that just wouldn't balance on my head.

But tonight I wore pink to the dance party. And Kathy Stoyko (enormously talented seamstress and Abbey owner Kathy) had a beautiful outfit for sale. It was pink, pink, glorious pink. A dancer named Laura (who bought my sword) thought it might be a beautiful costume to invoke the goddess Flora. Did we think so too? Bronwyn and I nodded yes.

Then again, Laura reconsidered, Flora liked most of all to be invoked by dancing in the nude.

I picked up the chiffony floral top and tried it on over my summer dress. Oh, too cute! But did I know there was a flowing chiffon skirt and silky harem pants that matched with it? Sigh, my sword and veil money flew mostly out the window and left me with a profit of five dollars. Oh well.

Bronwyn said I look great in pink and that it really suits my skin tone. I have to say that I used to abhor pink...but for some reason it is a colour that seems so fun and pretty to me right now. As Tai would put it, I'm exploring my inner Barbie.

So much for pale skin, black clothes, and mournful poetry. Darn it, I'm just a Perky-goth who wears pink and likes spiders.

I am feeling reinspired to dance after tonight. So many beautiful dancers! Everyone wanted a turn! And the atmosphere was so relaxed and warm and friendly. Women lounged on cushions drinking wine and zagareeting their appreciation. Sherry observed that sometimes when the whole audience is composed of performers, dancers feel more intimidated than dancing for a roomful of strangers. But tonight it felt like a roomful of friends. And looking around, I realized that many, many dancers ARE my friends.

I was so proud of the Yalla Gypsies tonight. That's the name of my own little troupe. I ached to be up on the stage with them doing Santiago. It's a great little gypsy fusion dance and our very own choreography. I am going to dance it with them on July 23 at Cafe Cairo. At least, that's the plan.

I didn't perform myself tonight because of my still-healing belly but my heart was with them. But I couldn't resist dancing to the gypsy music at the end of the evening. It just draws you in. Kathy and Edith, in their peasant blouses and swirling skirts, led us ...and nobody was in their seats.

Edith ( who is also my French and drumming teacher as well as bellydancer extrordinaire) also introduced me to her mother who is from Quebec and doesn't speak any English. Edith said it was good she was here because I could speak French to her. Heh, most of the French I know flew out a window in my head but I managed to stumble through a few polite sentences. I was glad when Chris from my dance troupe showed up and started speaking in French to her. I could follow along a little bit and did my best to nod intelligently and say "oui,oui" every once in a while.

It was a great evening! Yalla habibi!