Pleasant Gehman's Blog, page 2

STAGE PRESENCE, CROWD CONTROL AND TIPPING

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7xCcK_7Ca8..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7xCcK_7Ca8..." width="357" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Kat Bushman</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "" "times" "" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "" "times" "" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> People tell me that me that when I perform, my presence is so large that it fills the entire venue. But it wasn't<i> always</i> that way. Over the years, on what I call my "Work/ Study Program", I learned to master the art of crowd control...<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">especially</i> in venues where tipping was encouraged. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "" "times" "" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As a baby dancer, I avidly observed professionals working. I studied the way they handled crowds, watched their interactions with the audience, the way they got the crowd all fired up, how they accepted tips and the crowd control tactic they employed for handling rowdy customers. I noticed that the dancers <i>never</i> broke from their stage persona, even when in a small venue where they personally could relate to the audience, all up-close and personal.</span><br /><br /><b> </b><b><span style="font-family: "" "times" "" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: "" "times" "" , "serif";">T</span>he most <i>important</i> thing I noticed was that direct eye contact is paramount! </span></b><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "" "times" "" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dancers always appreciate a lively, demonstrative crowd, and<i> it’s our job</i> to get the audience riled up and festive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So don’t be afraid to make direct eye contact with your audience members- it’s the surest way to make them feel connected to you- <i>and to get them to tip you!</i> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "" "times" "" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> As for rousing a reticent audience, by using eye contact gestures alone, you can have the entire crowd clapping along to the music, or get them to be silent during a quiet part of your set. If you want to break the ice with a tough crowd, the best way to do it is to call a child up to dance with you- they’ll almost always jump at the chance, it’s totally cute and of course, people love a good photo op! If there are no kids around, select a pretty, vivacious-looking woman, and pretty soon her friends will join in... cause it’s a great social media moment!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "" "times" "" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If someone you’ve gotten up to dance overstays their welcome, just “present” them to the crowd, and get them all to applaud- <i>everyone</i> will understand the idea that their <i>dancin’ machine</i>friend is now taking a bow, and should return to their seat.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "" "times" "" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> As for tipping- at belly dance shows, it's a popular practice that stems from hundreds-if not thousands of years of tradition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both the audience and the dancer enjoy tipping; the performer makes supplemental income, but tipping also allows for audiences to interact with the dancer and show appreciation for her skills..and once again, if you want to get tipped, eye contact is crucial!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sI-pIjdbPJ..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sI-pIjdbPJ..." width="253" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Kat Bushman</td></tr></tbody></table></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "" "times" "" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As far as tipping goes, most clubs and restaurants have a system in place where an employee, such as the manager or a waiter, will pick up the dancer’s tips and bring them to her dressing room after the show. If tips fall from your costume and a customer notices, they’ll sometimes let you know. In this case, I either assure them the waiter will get it for me or ask if they wouldn’t mind retrieving it. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "" "times" "" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Inevitably, you’ll encounter some show off that’ll offer you a tip… <i>held in his teeth.</i> I’ve found that the best way to handle this is with humor and pantomime. I’ll either pat the guy on the head as though he was a dog with a bone in his mouth, or gaze directly at another member of his party, point at the offender and pull a comical face that silently asks “What’s <i>he</i> doing?” Usually, someone will make him stop- <i>or they’ll grab the money and tip you properly! </i></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "" "times" "" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Once in a while, things can get a little out of hand, especially if the venue serves alcohol. If <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">an audience member </span>does anything during your show that pushes your personal boundaries, interferes with your comfort-zone, or personal safety, or is just being disruptive or seems intoxicated, you have two choices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can enlist the service of the nearest waiter or simply remove yourself from the situation right away and report it to the management. This type of behavior is always frowned upon- there <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are </i>definitely certain circumstances where the customer is not “always right</span><span style="font-family: "ｍｓ明朝"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "" "times" "" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "" "times" "" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Many audiences are unsure of tipping protocol, and don't want to offend the dancer or do something impolite. There are a few discreet ways to let them know that tipping is OK. Often, dancers will <i>seed</i> their belts with hidden a bill or two (which can be prudently revealed mid-set) giving the audience the idea that tipping is acceptable. </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Another way to do this is to have the servers help you out before you go on by courteously asking patrons if anyone needs change to tip the dancer.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "" "times" "" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Whenever you get tipped, make sure to thank the person who tipped you, either verbally or with a nod of thanks, and big smile...once again looking the audience member directly in the eye!</span><br /><span style="font-family: "" "times" "" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><br /><i><span style="font-family: "" "times" "" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tipping is a way for the audience to tell you how much your performance meant to them. It’s our job as dancers to transport the audience, and by receiving their tips graciously, you can also take satisfaction in knowing that you have done your job… and done it well.</span></i><br />#<br /><br /><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My workshop, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m With The Brand: Marketing And Promotion For Dancers</i> is now available as an online class…</span></b><br /><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Purchase here- and watch as many times as you like!</span></b><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><a href="http://www.princessfarhana.com/shop.h... /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><br /></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"> </span></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TytGRJx6sx..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TytGRJx6sx..." width="320" /></a></b></div><br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Come say hi to me on the Inter-Webs !</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><br /><a href="http://www.princessfarhana.com/"... /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pleasant.gehm... /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/princess.farh... /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/PrincessFarhan... /><a href="http://www.instagram.com/princessofho... /><br /><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

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Published on February 25, 2016 21:31

THAT'S JUST HOW I ROLL: TIPS FOR AMAZING ABDOMINAL WORK

See that long vertical line going up my belly? That's my rectus abdominis muscle. Photo by Marcus Ferrando
Strong abdominal work is something that all belly dancers-and audiences- love and admire. Among dancers, abdominal technique is always coveted, but rarely mastered. Spectators go crazy for rolls and flutters, too. Dancers and “civilians” alike regularly ask if I have an alien in my belly…or if I do crunches to get such strong abs. However, though I occasionally enjoy pretending that I’m a Reptilian Hybrid from a distant planet, the answer to both questions is a resounding “no”. Seriously, the only way I train my torso is with belly dance abdominal work. Though I love Pilates, and have dabbled in Yoga, I knew zilch about either discipline when I started working on my abdominal technique. I’m here to tell you that all it takes for amazing belly work is a little knowledge of proper technique… and a lot of practice time. If you’re willing to put in the time, you’ll have a wild “alien belly” just like me, I promise! Here are a few tips for achieving strong abs- and there are no sit-ups, crunches, or cross training involved. With practice, you’ll be able to achieve mind-bending rolls, undulations and flutters yourself. First, let’s discuss undulations. There are two types: Muscular and Muscular Skeletal. The first kind uses only the muscles of the abdomen; a belly roll is muscular only, meaning that the bones or joints-or combinations thereof- are completely still.The second type of undulation uses muscular engagement combined with bone/joint movement, usually coming from the pelvis and ribcage. A fine example of this would be the movement most of us know as a Camel. But even though a Camel appears to be coming from the pelvis itself, it requires the interior abdominal muscles to engage in order to look really pronounced. When I perform this movement, I tighten up (or engage) my lower abs –and also the muscles of the pelvic floor- when I pull back with my pelvis, and release them when the pelvis itself pushes forward. The muscle predominantly used in belly rolls is the rectus abdominis, a long, strong-banded pair of vertical, parallel muscles, which run up the length of the torso. The banding in the muscles is what creates the hot “six pack” on guys who are super- fit. The banding creates natural sections in the muscles, which are enhanced by training. But for us belly dancers, even though the bands are present, the movements we do while dancing enhance the muscles length-wise, or vertically, so they look a little different…I like to refer to this as our chick pack. Most of us have a very strong rectus abdominus…but only around our middle band, the one that falls at our natural waist. We often don’t use the parts of the muscle that is above or below that spot- and getting those areas stronger is essential for heavy-duty belly rolls.A great way to train for rolls is to locate the muscles of your pelvic floor and tighten them up, much the same way you’d do a kegel exercise. Pull in with the rectus abdominis as though you were zipping up a zipper all the way to the top of your rib cage. Hold it there for a moment, and then try to zip the “zipper” downwards again. My flutters are even, highly sustained and large enough to see from the back of the room- no matter what size the venue is. They do not come from an ability to move my abdominal muscles in and out quickly. I could definitely do that if I wanted to! However, if I engaged my abs by pulling them in and out super-fast, then I wouldn’t be able to layer belly rolls with my flutters…a movement that I call the “flundulation”.The main secret for crazy flutters is to keep your abdominal muscles soft and relaxed, while your skeleton remains in standard dance posture- pelvis neutral with the tailbone tucked slightly towards the floor, ribcage lifted, and shoulders back and down. This sounds a lot easier than it actually is! Think about it: our abdominal muscles are constantly engaged, whether we’re conscious of it or not. When enter in performance, our abs are always engaged- we’ve been trained to do that! When we walk into a party or social gathering, we automatically pull up into a regal posture, without even thinking about it. Trying on a costume or an item in a store’s dressing room, we immediately suck in our stomachs. Letting our bellies remain loose and relaxed is completely conditioned out of us by society, so it might take you a while to get the hang of keeping your skeleton engaged and your abdominal muscles soft. When I was training to do this- and I taught myself, no one showed me- I’d place my hands on my sides, actually hooking my fingers just under my top ribs, so I could really feel my ribcage staying lifted as I let my belly go soft. It looks kinda dorky, but try it- it works!After you’ve gotten comfortable with that, it’s time to discover your diaphragm, which is the place of initiation for all my flutters. The diaphragm, the large, major muscle that controls our breathing, is strong and kinda dome-shaped, sitting in the lower middle of your torso. Though we’re usually not aware of it, the diaphragm contracts rhythmically as we breathe as we breathe in and out. But if you concentrate, you can control the diaphragm- like when you breathe in deeply, holding your breath before diving into water. Think of your diaphragm as an inflatable ball. It fills up as you inhale and deflates when you exhale. So you can feel it in motion, place your hand on your diaphragm and breath slowly and deeply. Once you’ve located your diaphragm and felt it moving naturally, try it a few times with conscious control, breathing in and out slowly and deeply as you keep your skeleton lifted and your abdominal muscles soft and un-engaged. Now, try exhaling sharply, cutting the diaphragm’s muscle movement off. You’ve done this correctly if you feel a little clutch or catch. Repeat this a few times, allowing yourself a couple of moments of regular breathing in between, so you don’t hyperventilate and become dizzy. A word to the wise: while many people advocate catching your breath and “cutting it off” at the throat, I don’t like this practice at all! Not only are the little “catches” you make while doing that visible to the audience, the movements also cause the tendons in the neck to pop out and look stringy and ugly…even on younger dancers! Instead, try to visualize the little clutch or catch staying just at the top of your ribs, directly under your cleavage…or, if you're a guy, directly under and between your man-candy pectoral muscles. Remember, the diaphragm is one of the strongest muscles in our entire body because it’s in constant use as we breathe. If you repeat these practice movements even just a few times a day, the strength in your diaphragm will build up really quickly…and soon, you will have a an "alien in your belly", too!#

If you liked reading about abdominal technique here, then you’ll LOVE my instructional DVD, “ABS-olutely Fabulous”- it’s packed with info on flutters, belly rolls, and undulations! Get it here: http://www.princessfarhana.com/shop.htm
I’d LOVE to connect with you on the Inter-Webs! www.princessfarhana.com www.facebook.com/princess.farhana
www.twitter.com/PrincessFarhana
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Published on February 04, 2016 20:07

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF DRESSING ROOM ETIQUETTE

Charlton Heston in the 1956 version of The Ten Commandments <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">1. Dance Is The Lord Your God, The Dressing Room Your Temple</span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We worship at the altar of dance; we live and breathe for it. Seriously, to a dancer, dance is spiritual; it’s a religion. That means preparing for a show is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">an act of devotion.</i> The places we usually “worship” in aren’t made of alabaster pillars and draped in brocade, filled with priceless relics. They’re often up or down steep flights of well-worn stairs, the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>walls covered in graffiti, full of lamps with missing light bulbs. They’re stuffy and musty or too drafty, and no matter how spacious they are, they’re <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always</i> too small. But just like an ancient temple, what happens inside a dressing room is pure magic.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> 2. </span>Thou Shalt Not Hog Mirror and Counter Space</span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">It’s always a good idea to get into the dressing room early so you can claim a prime spot for getting ready. But just cause you arrived at the venue on time doesn’t mean that you’re allowed spread out over half the backstage territory. Hang your costumes up if there’s a rack and stow your gig bag- with your street clothes in it -under your make up station or in a corner, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> on a couch or chair that someone might want to sit on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep your cosmetics contained to an area that’s roughly the width of your shoulders- the room’s going to get crowded soon and mirror space will be at a premium. If you’re done with your stage make up and there’s somewhere else you can go, it’s courteous and professional to offer your mirror space to another performer, especially one who came in from out of town and didn't have the leisure of getting ready at home. If you’ll need your spot back later- like to put on a wig, do a make up change, or costume change, just say so.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">3. Thou Shalt Cleanse Thine Dressing Area Continuously </span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’ve blown through five make up wipes and half a package of Q-Tips while getting you’re Stage Face on, if you've just wolfed down a power bar, used a bunch of double-sided tape, opened a new package of hose, unwrapped a gift, or finished a bottle of water, throw that stuff away pronto! There’s limited<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></b>space in any dressing room- no matter how large it is – and that’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">before</i>a bunch of dancers start cramming into it. Quarters are always tight and space is at a premium, so it’s seriously doubtful that other cast members would be super-enthused about preparing for the stage amidst your trash. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">4. Thou Shalt Not Run Thine Number Within The Sacred Inner Sanctum Of The Dressing Room</span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some dancers pop in their ear buds and quietly listen to their music while they’re getting ready. Others practice in the hallway, on the stage after tech rehearsal is over, or <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>go outside the venue to run their numbers a few last times. However, many soloists, and even troupes somehow think it’s ok to crank up their music and rehearse right there in the dressing room, amidst the suitcases, cosmetic bags, garment racks, and all the other dancers, many of whom are trying valiantly to get dressed while dodging somebody else’s elbow during a quick turn sequence. We’ve <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i> seen this, cause it happens constantly!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dancing in the dressing room is a really big no-no. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s extremely discourteous to other cast members, on many levels. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consider the following ideas and you’ll get the picture. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many dancers don’t want to hear <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">your</i> music, they’d rather hear their own…and that’s precisely why they brought their ear buds. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others desire a peaceful environment so they can get in character, or into The Zone for their performance. Several performers of all levels of experience have serious stage fright, and a boisterous rehearsal in a tiny space will work their last nerves. And nobody wants to have his or her costumes knocked off the rack or get a black eye cause you wanted to rehearse! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">There’s a reason it’s called a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dressing room,</i> not a rehearsal hall or dance studio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please respect that. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">If you truly need to run your number and the only place to do it is inside the dressing room, at <i>least</i> give everyone fair warning before you start, and limit running the number to one time, ok?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">5. Thou Shalt Only Use Thine Inside Voice Within Thine Dressing Room</span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s always terrific to have some serious backstage bonding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dressing room is often the single place many of us get to catch up with close friends we only see a few times a year. We joke, we crack each other up until we’re crying, and we gossip and swap dancer war stories. We compare costumes and trade make up hints, some of us enjoy a glass<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(or more likely, a plastic cup) of wine together before or after the show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lively group of dancers who’re stoked to see each other and all amped up on performance adrenalin can make for a really fun ‘n’ rowdy time. Although we dancers know that the “real” show often takes place backstage, it’s important to remember that there’s an actual show<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>going on, and the performers onstage –as well as the audience- really don't need to hear us shrieking about the latest rumors or the adorable pair of boots someone just got on sale.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Also, many backstage areas have notoriously bad cell reception, so please remember not to scream into your phone, and that it needs to be put on vibrate or shut off just before the curtain goes up. Oh yeah, and if there’s a toilet in your dressing room, don't flush it until intermission!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">6. Thou Shalt Switch Off Or Unplug All Appliances When Not In Use</span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do this for safety’s sake! How many times have you seen a red hot curling iron left plugged in on a dressing room counter top, when the owner is nowhere in sight… and there are highly flammable costumes nearby? Can you count that high? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t. Once I was in a green room where some idiot had left a flat iron <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">plugged into a wall socket</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sitting in a puddle of water in the sink!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Turn off or better yet<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> unplug</i> everything with a cord after you use it, including but not limited to hot rollers, electric kettles, flat irons, electric shavers, blow dryers and curling irons. And don’t forget the vanity lights on the mirrors when you’re done with your make up- if no one else is using them, they don’t need to be on, because they’re so damn hot they can turn a crowded dressing room into a sauna in no time at all!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> 7. </span>Thou Shalt Not Leave Food Or Drink In Close Proximity Near Thy Neighbor’s Personal Belongings</span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure, you <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">need</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>that miso soup, latte, burrito or <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>sports drink to keep your energy up before you go on… and there are many dancers who simply can’t <i>live</i> without chocolate or red wine backstage- but please <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do not</i> leave any of this sustenance sitting out next to someone else’s make up and costumes!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">8. Thou Shalt Respect Thy Neighbor’s Costumes, Make Up And Props</span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While it goes without saying that you’ll probably <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">covet thy neighbor’s costumes</i>(who doesn’t?) please don’t touch anyone else’s stuff without their permission. Period. End of Story. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do not</i> move someone else’s things- no matter what it us-for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">any</i> reason, unless you ask first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somebody could need a specific prop, accessory, wig or cosmetic product for a quick change; your dressing roommate might’ve placed it there specifically so they could access it immediately. If you absolutely<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>must<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>move something when the owner isn’t there, let them know about it the second you see them. If you’re about to go onstage and have just moved an item, ask someone else to inform its owner that it’s been moved.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">9. Thou Shalt Issue Forth A Spritz Alert Before Spraying Thine Products</span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before you douse yourself in hair spray or your favorite fragrance, please announce to everyone that you’re about to use self-tanner, perfume or Aquanet, or whatever, and make sure it’s ok… someone might be severely allergic to the product(s) you’re about to use.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">10. Thou Shalt Leave Thine Dressing Room In Better Condition Than Though Hath Found It</span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some productions have a volunteer crew to tidy up the dressing rooms, or assign small backstage cleaning tasks to each dancer, but many do not. Also, many venues actually charge show producers<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cleaning fees for dressing rooms that were left looking like a tornado hit them. No matter what condition the dressing room was in when you first entered, it’s just plain old good karma to leave it spotless!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">#</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Come say hi to me on the Inter-Webs !</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><a href="http://www.princessfarhana.com/"... /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pleasant.gehm... /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/princess.farh... /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/PrincessFarhan... /><a href="http://www.instagram.com/princessofho... /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

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Published on November 22, 2015 21:05

HATERS: A DANCERS GUIDE TO DEALING WITH TROLLS, FRENEMIES, UNDER MINERS AND STALKERS

Khalil Gibran wasn't ever a dancer... but apparently he knew all about trolls!

I’d LOVE to connect with you!http://princessfarhana.net/ www.princessfarhana.com
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Published on October 20, 2015 00:10

ILLUSIONS OF GRANDEUR: FABULOUS HACKS FOR COSTUMING AND STAGE MAKE UP

http://princessfarhana.net/ www.princessfarhana.com
www.facebook.com/princess.farhana
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Published on September 21, 2015 21:39

DANCERS BACKSTAGE RITUALS: PHOENIX OF DENVER

Phoenix performing at Art Of The Belly in Maryland, photo by Stereo VisionI have always said that the world of dance is chock full of amazing alpha women… and Phoenix, a Denver, Colorado based belly dancer who teaches workshops and performs nationally, is probably one of the most dynamic chicks I know! A virtual power house, she’s not only an incredible performer and instructor- she’s a dance mamma to legions of dancers in her hometown and directs a couple of troupes- she’s also an event producer , a full-time nurse, a terrific cook, and a doting kitty mamma.
I met Phoenix years ago at the Tribal Dreams belly dance event in Nebraska, and was blown away by her powerful and artistic performance ( her non-stop spins and work with Isis Wings were both off the hook!) as well as her sweet, fun loving off-stage personality. It was there that I discovered that she the co-sponsor along with partner Selayma Anan, of the long-running annual “Shimmy 2B Free”, a large-scale belly dance event and theater show in Denver. The proceeds going to various foundations assisting with health, financial and socio-economic issues, and the show and workshops are super well-organized. I’ve had the pleasure of teaching and performing there twice, and the event, in addition to raising funds for worthy causes, always runs like clockwork.
Phoenix’s unique belly dance style is a pastiche of Egyptian and Turkish cabaret, spiritual dance, khaligi, and tribal, and she’s also into various types of fusion, with performances ranging from progressive and transcendent theatrical and dark Goth pieces to light-hearted comedy acts. She’s a master at Isis Wings, often using custom wings two at a time. In 2008 she released her internationally acclaimed instructional DVD “Isis Wings With Phoenix”.

She's also the creator and publisher of "Dancing From Within", an innovative deck of belly dance class cards. This deck , based on her holistic knowledge and teaching methods, focuses on physical and emotional development using the chakras, elements, movement and technique, and is a great tool for students, teachers or troupes.
Phoenix is always s always preternaturally calm at shows, whether she’s organizing , performing or both… maybe it’s the nurse thing- she’s used to dealing with critical situations on an every day basis!

Walk softly and carry large swords: Phoenix by Artist Edge Photography
Here, in her own words, are some of Phoenix’s backstage secrets:
“For me prepping for a great show involves organization and focus. I am an improvisation dancer most of the time but this still involves somepreparation regardless if the music is picked in advance or it is a live band.
Organizing myself prior to a show may be the morning of - or day before if I can swing it. I consider my audience, music and venue. If I’m not dancing to live music, then I do like to have my picked prior to that week and listen to it. This helps 'set the stage' for what I am planning to present. Knowing that setting helps me decide on what am I planning to present. What I mean by that is - is it emotional, fun, flirty, dark or what is the energy or story? Knowing this helps me easily pick my costume and make up. Once I have these items planned out then the performance often flows with ease.
Practicing for the show means listening and dancing to the piece of music or the band. When I do choreograph a piece, I am working on remembering it but ensuring the choreography is not forced and feels natural. For most of my performances, I practice dancing to the music to get a feel for the changes and accents. Knowing the music for an improvisation piece allows me to relax and interact with my audience.
The day of the show, I like to have a little down time. It might be relaxing with my cats or taking time with the troupe. I try to not pack my day if at all possible. Sometimes, that’s not avoidable so in those cases I do try to have some quiet time while I put on my makeup. The day of the show, I only allow myself to run a routine one or two times if at all. Practicing too much the day of the show actually stresses me out. I often have a much smoother performance if I have a "go with the flow" attitude.
The hour or two before the show, I have my costume, props and cover up ready to pack. I prefer to get ready at home and show up mostly dressed if possible. I try to arrive early as the drive is always the most stressful time for me. I am always concerned about surprise traffic and such. So once I am there then I can take a moment to relax.
The moments before my performance, I do a little warm up with shimmies, slides and a few pops. I can use whatever music is there to do this or might listen to mine in an iPod. This ensures my muscles are awake and ready to roll. I do try to have a minute of private focus time by just standing alone and deep breathing to relax my mind and body. I do often get backstage 4 to 5 numbers prior to mine to ensure my costume is in place and ensure I do not distract from other acts. I can often watch from the side stage while doing a quiet warm up and focus. It is hard for me to sit still prior to dancing so I love being earlier in a show rather than later. This way I get to see more of the show also!
I feel working together backstage is really important for all. The energy we create impacts each other. I love being a part of shows where people are excited even if they are nervous. If there is a drama or turmoil, I avoid it to ensure that I do not absorb negativity.
As any sponsor will tell you, the ritual and plan for shows where you are the sponsor changes drastically. The basic ritual is to ensure all are okay and show is starting then be backstage on time. For these shows, I pick music and props that do not require a ton of prep and often dance to music I have used in the past.
Experience has shown me that if I need too much prep time, something might happen so 'keep it simple' and 'remember what brought you here'. I feel if you hit the stage with that attitude and good training - that is what the audience also came to see!”

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Phoenix is teaching at The Las Vegas Belly Dance Intensive on this coming Sunday, Sept. 13th, 2015 8:30-10:00am. Her “Express Yourself” workshop focuses on connecting emotionally to the music.Info: http://www.bellydanceintensive.com/index.php?pag=cms&id=774&p=the-2015-grand-schedule-of-events.html

Find out more about Phoenix’s classes and shows in Denver as well as her national events , her cards and DVD here: http://phoenix-dancing.com/
Visit the Shimmy 2B Free website: http://shimmy2bfree.com/about/

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Published on September 07, 2015 15:01

A WEEKEND IN THE LIFE OF A TRAVELING DANCER

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RwbKBoPg3qs..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RwbKBoPg3qs..." width="400" /></a></div> So many people- friends, family members, aspiring dancers and even random strangers sitting next to me on airplanes- are always very curious about what it's like being a traveling professional dancer. My standard answer is usually something along the lines of :<br /><br />"It's a lot of fun, but it's also a lot of work!"<br /><br /> But that doesn't really begin to scratch the surface.<br /><br /> There are indescribable highs, like getting paid to travel the world doing something you adore, seeing fabulous sights and meeting wonderful new people. There are extreme lows, too, like working when you're absolutely exhausted and riddled with jet lag or working while injured. Both of these are constants, no matter how young, flexible or healthy you are, no matter how well you eat or how much you try to take care of yourself. Often, your injuries don't have <i>time</i> to heal because a) you need to work constantly and b) you never get enough sleep-<i>ever</i>! Homesickness can be an issue too. Even if you love to travel, when you're doing it all the time, you miss your loved ones.<br /><br /> Unless you've "been there", you really can't imagine what being on the road is really like. But here's a blow-by-blow approximation of one of my typical weekend trips,which I do two to four weekends a month-unless I'm on an actual tour...enjoy!<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">FRIDAY</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">7:00- 7:15 AM </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wake up, hit snooze on the alarm, prepare strong coffee and a green smoothie. Drink both while rinsing off your face, popping in contact lenses, feeding and petting the kitties. Get dressed in sweats and sneakers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">7:15-8:20 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Swift 20 minute walk. Shower, apply body lotion and moisturizer. Put on the clothes you’ll wear to the airport and apply just enough make up- eyebrow power, mascara, lip gloss and a touch of blush- so that the general public won’t scream and run when they catch sight of your sleep-deprived, puffy face.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">8:20-9:00 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Cut up some veggies to take on the plane while scarfing down an apple mixed with Greek yoghurt and cinnamon...which you use liberally because of it's anti-inflammatory properties. Drink another cup of coffee while paying for your checked bag online and printing out your boarding pass. Stuff your Tempur-Pedic pillow into the bag of teaching clothes and merch you’re checking through to your final destination. Go through your cosmetic bag to make sure all liquids and gels have been removed and placed in the TSA Approved quart-size plastic bag that will live in your purse. Do a “dummy check”, making double sure you have every piece of the two costumes that are already sitting in your carry-on bag.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">9:00 AM-10: 30 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Open the Uber app, request a car and bring both suitcases outside. Say goodbye to your boyfriend and the cats. Load your bags into the car when it arrives, ride through gridlock Los Angeles rush hour traffic to LAX.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">10:30-11:15 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arrive at the airport, check your bag curbside. Get in line to go through Airport Security, trying not to become disgusted with the idiots who haven’t obeyed the “3-1-1’ quart baggie rule and are holding up the line. Find your departure gate. Purchase a hideously overpriced liter of water. Discover (yet again) that the notoriously bad Free Wi-Fi at LAX isn’t working well enough for you to log onto Facebook. Buy a tabloid and read it until your flight starts boarding.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">11:50 AM </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Your flight finishes boarding and takes off. Go through the notes for the workshops you’re teaching, even though you’ve taught them many times. Glance at the schedule for the weekend;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>happily you don’t have to judge a competition, only<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>teach and perform. Finish the tabloid and donate it to the flight attendants. Eat your veggies, trying not to cave in to the salted peanuts being passed out, because if you eat them, you'll arrive looking like The Elephant Man. Idly browse though the airline magazine tucked in the pocket of the seat in front of you while trying to ignore the loudly whining child whose repeatedly kicking <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the back of your seat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">4:40- 6:45 PM CST</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re now on Central Standard Time, laying over at ORD, aka Chicago O’Hare Airport. Take the shuttle between terminals to your next departure gate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Text your sponsor to let her know your plane seems to be taking off on time. Rejoice in the fact that the ORD free Wi-Fi actually has a strong signal. Do some administrative work during remaining hour before your next flight, returning emails about an up-coming class series, sending workshop descriptions to a potential sponsor for next year and photos to producer designing a poster for a show you’re doing in five months. Buy a salad at an airport kiosk. Text your sponsor again, letting her know that due to stormy weather, your flight has been delayed for a half hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Board the next plane, eat your salad and try to discreetly stretch in the aisle near the galley and restrooms while the rest of the passengers doze.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">9:45PM- 12:20 PM EST</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arrive on the East Coast, wait twenty minutes for your checked luggage to appear, drag both suitcases out to the curb to meet your sponsor. Sponsor arrives, greets you with a hug, helps you load luggage, and you both chat while she drives you to your hotel and you check in. Bring luggage up to the room, call boyfriend to tell him you are safe at your destination. Go out in search of food. Most places are closed at this hour; drive around for nearly thirty minutes, winding up at TGI Friday’s perusing the menu for something healthy to eat. Have a glass of wine with sponsor, eat, giggle. Return to hotel room.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">12:20-2:10 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Turn on the television; cruise through the channels until you find a suitably riveting reality show. Unpack; hang up costumes, iron skirts and veils for tomorrow evening’s show. Move dance togs and merchandise into your carry-on bag to bring to the workshop in the morning. Remove make up, wash face, brush teeth, set alarm for 6:45 am, and try desperately to fall asleep. Finally, you do.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">SATURDAY</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>6:45 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wake up, hit the snooze button repeatedly on your phone. Toddle down to the lobby in the clothes you wore on the plane, make a “to go” plate of the only things you can eat at the breakfast buffet- hardboiled eggs, a banana, an apple. Pour a huge Styrofoam cup of super-weak hotel coffee. Go back up to the room. Dump a pack of Starbuck’s Via instant coffee into the hotel coffee, find another reality show, watch it while guzzling the doctored-up coffee and eating your breakfast, to which you’ve added a one of the nutrition bars you packed in your checked luggage. Get in the shower.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">7:45-8:37 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Dress in your teaching clothes, apply make up so as to look as though you are actually a member of the human race. Remember that students will want selfies with you, so apply a little more eye shadow and a brighter lipstick so that you will vaguely resemble the promo photos for the event that are plastered all over Facebook. Sponsor texts you saying there will not be time to return to the hotel after the workshops and before the show, and that she will arrive in fifteen minutes to bring you to the studio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Madly dash around the hotel room, packing your costumes and cosmetic bag into the suitcase with the merch…so much for the ironing you did last night! Take elevator to the lobby, wait outside for the sponsor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulls up, helps you get your bag in the trunk and hands you a tall latte with an extra shot of espresso. Hear angels singing as you sip the coffee, trying not to spill it as the sponsor races to the studio.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">9:00Am-1: 29 PM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Arrive at the dance studio, set up your merch, greet students and make small talk. Class begins ten minutes late due to stragglers. Teach for an hour and a half, take a break and sell some merch, pose for photos with students. Resume teaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The workshop is supposed to end at noon, but everyone wants more photos. Chat with students while they are taken. Lunch is supposed to be from 12:30 to 1:30, but since you’re being mobbed, the sponsor has thoughtfully sent out a volunteer to get you a salad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eat the salad sitting on the floor in the studio while returning emails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Call your boyfriend and leave a message. Check Instagram and Twitter. Students trickle in to the studio, chat with them and take more selfies. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">1:30-4:49 PM </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Teach your second workshop, sign a few DVD covers and sell more merch during the break. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Three dancers you’ve taught several times before in two different states greet you and there are hugs all around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’ve driven for <i>four and a half hours</i> to come to this event. One of them gives you a gorgeous necklace; the others confide that they have a bottle of champagne for later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pose for a class shot with the sponsor and all the students; pack up your merch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drag luggage to the car, put it in the trunk.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">5:15 PM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arrive at theater; claim a corner in the dressing room, lay out costumes, and hang up veils. Do a tech check for sound and lights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go to men’s room to apply Stage Face undisturbed, since the venue is overrun with female dancers, and the lighting in the dressing room <i>blows </i>for make up application. Eat some grapes somebody's sharing with a nutrition bar and call it dinner. Guzzle a sport-sized bottle of water mixed with powdered green juice mix.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">7:00 PM<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The doors in the venue are open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Warm up and stretch in a hallway backstage along with a few other performers while listening to your set on your iPod. Socialize in the dressing room and have half a plastic cup of the champagne your friends are passing around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Change into your first costume.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">8:30 PM </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The show has started. Shimmy non-stop backstage and try to stay somewhat quiet as more selfies-this time with crazy faces- are taken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Text the BF at home; he answers back that the cats are all good. Watch bits and pieces of the show from the wings of the stage…many good dancers are performing tonight.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">9:15 PM </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Intermission. Much of the cast is in the lobby mingling with friends and family. Pack up your first costume; change into the second one. Put your hair up in pin curls and stage-proof the wig that goes over them. Change your lipstick color to a darker, retro shade. Touch up your eye make up. Warm up...again.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">10:00 PM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The show went great, the curtain call was fun, and the cast has given you flowers. Pack up<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>your stuff<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>while socializing amidst a dressing room full of shrieking dancers all still high on stage adrenalin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Give gentle critique to the dancers who (inevitably) ask for it. Go to the lobby, pick up your merch and payment from the vending table. Pose for more photos. Grab your suitcase from the dressing room and drag upstairs and to the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throw in the sponsor's trunk.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">10:42 PM- 1:38 AM<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">After party at a local restaurant. Of course your bag comes into the restaurant with you because you’re too paranoid to leave it in the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drinks are served; you nurse one because you have to be on point in tomorrow’s workshops, plus you’re super-tired…and <i>starving</i>. The restaurant is crowded with tables full of rowdy, elated dancers. Make the rounds and chat with everyone. Take pix and post them on Facebook and Instagram. The food is taking forever; you’re ready to eat the furniture.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">2:11 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Arrive at the hotel; try to work up the energy to scrape all the glitter and eyelash glue off your face. Turn on The Weather Channel for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Storm Stories</i>, switch to a true crime show because you’ve seen that episode before…last week, in fact…in another hotel room, in a different state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unpack your costumes and drape them over a chair to air out. Repack your carry on with merch and teaching clothes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wash your face as the killer whose being profiled on the crime show is being sentenced. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">2:53 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Call your boyfriend to say goodnight because it’s three hours earlier in Los Angeles. Slather your sore hips with Arnica, your face with heavy-duty moisturizer, guzzle water and take vitamins. Try valiantly not to pick at the “road zit” that’s developing on your left cheek. Cover it in toothpaste, which works as a pinch-hitting astringent, replacing the Clearasil you apparently forgot to pack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Listen to the uproarious racket of dancers having an after-after party down the hall.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">3:16 AM </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Turn off the television and lights, grateful that the workshops are starting at 10:30 am; as opposed to 9:00…you get to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sleep in</i>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pass out cold.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">SUNDAY</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">7:32 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Somehow, you’re wide-awake. Lounge in bed for twenty minutes returning emails before getting up for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real</i> when your phone alarm goes off.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>8:00 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Stumble down to the lobby, noticing under the fluorescent lights in the buffet line that your limbs are still coated in glitter from last night’s show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Become ridiculously happy that there’s scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast because it’s Sunday. Eat tons of food in the lobby’s café area, semi- incoherently rehashing last night’s show with a couple of dancers who are also staying at the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They admit they’re extremely hung over, but are excited about today’s workshops. Steal a couple of bananas from the buffet for later and fill a to-go cup with coffee. Stop by the front desk and print out your boarding passes for tomorrow morning’s flight.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">8:36-9:59 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dump two packets of Starbuck’s via into your shitty hotel coffee, shower, make up and stretch to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Real Housewives Of New Jersey</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Return emails; one of them is from and LA dancer asking if you can sub her class the day after you get back. You accept and note it on your calendar. Another is from a sponsor asking about your music for a show that’s happening in a month and a half. You write back, saying you’ll send it when you get home the next day. Try not to notice the road zit, which is reaching massive proportions and looks like it’s going to blow like Mt. Vesuvius at any moment. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">10:02 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sponsor -fully made up but looking half asleep- arrives to pick you up from the lobby. She suggests stopping for espresso at a local coffee drive through and you practically jump on her in gratitude.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">10:30 AM- 12:30 PM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Teach your first workshop, which gets off to an awfully slow start because everyone’s bushed from the show and parties the evening before. Pose for photos, sell merch. Take a call from your boyfriend, the kitties are good. You miss them terribly and feel guilty about leaving them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">12:40 PM-1: 25 PM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lunch at a Mexican joint near the studio with lots of dancers. Shovel a tostada salad into your mouth, wishing it was enchiladas... and that you could have a margarita and nap after you licked the plate clean.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">1:30 PM-3: 30 PM </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The second workshop actually starts on time; the dancers pick up technique quickly, and it’s a blast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take a class photo, sign some books. Dancers who are leaving the event come up and say their goodbyes, take more photos with them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">4:00 PM-6: 7:17 PM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three private lessons in the studio, two single lessons and one small group who wants pointers on choreography in progress. They show up in full make up and costume, running there number-which looks great-like a well-oiled machine.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">7: 20 PM<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Return to the hotel to drop off your suitcase, change and freshen up for dinner. Call the BF, no answer. Return emails from the lobby while waiting for the sponsor to arrive.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">7:45 Am -9:50 PM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The sponsor and her troupe members bring you to dinner at lovely local restaurant. Everyone is exhausted but happy, dinner and cocktails are ordered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hear about some local dance drama during appetizers. Share dessert with everyone and call it a night.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">10: 14 PM- 1:44 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arrive back at the hotel; listen to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Scared Straight </i>on television while packing your suitcases. The checked bag is considerably lighter because most of your merch was sold. Yay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Talk to your boyfriend and your sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Facebook chat with a European sponsor ( it's morning over there) about an upcoming workshop weekend. Write a cursory entry in the journal you didn’t have time for all weekend long. Start working on a new blog post while listening to some creepy paranormal documentary on<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nat Geo</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get ready for bed. Pass out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">MONDAY</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">6:45 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Wake up, shower, and grab breakfast in the lobby while trying to write another journal entry. Slip an apple and a hardboiled egg into your purse to eat on the plane. Take the elevator back up to your room, pack up your toiletries, do a dummy check, and leave some change for the maid. The Do Not Disturb sign has been up on your door all weekend and the bathroom in particular is a horror show, full of wet towels covered in glitter and body make up plus an overflowing trash can.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">7:57 AM-9: 02 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sponsor meets you in the lobby to check you out and pay you. Sit on a floral couch under a gaily-colored over-sized annoying "corporate art" painting while going over the finances for the event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pays you and asks you back for the year after next. You accept. Load the suitcases into the car, drive to the airport.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">9:30 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sponsor drops you off, you hug. It was a fabulous event. Thank the Universe silently for TSA Pre-Check as you whiz through the long Monday morning security line.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Find your gate; buy a liter of electrolite water and a copy of<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Allure</i> to read on the plane. Board the plane, silently surround your row with White Light, praying that no one will join you and you can stretch out. Your prayers don't work, but you congratulate yourself on being anal about always booking an aisle seat.</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">11:30 AM CST</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Change planes at ORD, thankful that the sky looks clear because it seems like every time you go through this damn airport there’s a severe weather delay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Find your gate, read about the new anti-aging techniques that are being developed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feel a slightly depressed because now you not only have wrinkles, your face is puffy from far too few hours of sleep and the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">road zit </i>is now the size of South America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Board your second plane and heave a sigh of relief because this time the White Light trick actually worked! Spread out. Eat lots of tiny packets of salted peanuts...who cares if you look like The Elephant Man when you're on your way home?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3:30 PM PST</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally home after narrowly missing LA’s Monday Rush Hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cats swarm you, purring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your boyfriend has cleaned the house and it looks amazing. Put your phone on the charger, slather Clearasil on South America, and pig out on some watermelon before taking a nap.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">5:45 PM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wake up with your phone’s alarm. You could totally sleep waaaay longer, but then you won’t be able to sleep at all later, and you have a full day of errands- plus a Skype private <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> the class you agreed to sub- the next day.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">6:07 PM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walk into the living room, open your suitcases, and a kitty jumps in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trying not to disturb him, add in a new stack of merch: t-shirts, more DVDs, copies of your book, and a box of promotional postcards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remove your class clothes and costumes, replacing them with fresh leggings, unworn tank tops and different costumes…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">because you’re doing this all over again in four days.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> #</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> <style> <div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lIsJJl3Qwqk..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lIsJJl3Qwqk..." width="212" /></a></b></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For some truly<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> crazy</i> stories about my years of travel, check out my memoir <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Showgirl Confidential: My Life Onstage, backstage And On The Road.</i> Purchase an autographed copy here:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.princessfarhana.com/shop.h... class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

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Published on September 03, 2015 23:25

PLAYING WITH FIRE: EGYPTIAN RAKS AL SHAMADAN

Raks Al Shamadan as performed in an Egyptian Golden Age film
One of the most elegant belly dance props ever is the shamadan. Spelled phonetically in various ways, the shamadan is a large candelabrum balanced on top of a dancer’s head, in a tradition unique to Egyptian dance. This beautiful dance prop is historically used in the Egyptian wedding procession, or zeffah. The Arabic word zeffah literally means “procession with noise”.

Me performing raks al shamadan, 1995 in Los Angeles
I became interested in Egyptian Raks Al Shamadan at the very beginning of my belly dance career, and began performing it early on. Not only was I attracted to the fiery beauty of balancing a large candelabra on my head while I danced, the tradition surrounding raks al shamadan is fascinating. In my dance career, I have performed raks al shamadan at many theaters and night clubs, as well as at over a hundred Egyptian and Arabic weddings. The traditional Egyptian wedding music, "Zeffah Al Arousa" gives me goosebumps and makes me cry every time, even if I have never met the bride and groom before bringing them in!

I've also performed this gorgeous dance at the weddings of many belly dancers... one my favorite belly dance wedding performances was for Jillina's nuptials, where a huge line of belly dancers including myself, Neena and Veena Bidasha, Louchia, and many more all made the zeffah procession in ruby red and gold costumes, playing our cymbals for all we were worth, and zaghareet-ing like a bunch of banshees! The other was for Arkansas-based dancer Lena Regina, who was hosting me as a workshop instructor for the annual event Shimmy Fest. The night before I left for Arkansas, she called me at midnight to tell me that her and her boyfriend has decided to have a surprise wedding...at the event, directly after the show! She wanted me to lead the zeffah, so of course I did! Lena was a beautiful bride in bright orange, and the whole crowd and all the performers joined in the surprise wedding, it was pretty spectacular!

Performing non-traditional shamadan fusion, 2003Now as in years past, a zeffah is a joyous wedding parade, usually taking place at night, consisting of hired dancers (with or without candelabras atop their heads) musicians, singers and family members, winding through an entire neighborhood, taking the bride to her groom’s house. In the years before electricity was used, dancers would balance large, lit-up lanterns- and later specially made candelabrum- on top of their heads, to illuminate the bride and groom’s faces during their first appearance as man and wife. These dancers were hired, and depending upon the wealth or status of the wedding party, there could be a large range of shamadan dancers, from just one or two to many performers. Today, though outdoor zeffahs still occur in Egypt, many are performed in hotels or rented banquet halls, making the wedding procession much shorter in duration.

Raks Al Shamadan as part of the zeffah procession began in the early 20th century. Prior to that time, the lighting for the zeffah was provided only by long, over-sized, decorated wedding candles as well as by illuminated lanterns ( klob in Arabic) which were carried by members of the wedding procession. It is believed that the dancer Zouba El Klobatiyya ( also spelled in various ways) was the first performer to dance with a lantern-or klob balanced on her head- hence, her name. If she wasn’t actually the first dancer to perform with a lantern balanced atop her head, she did at least become the first to gain recognition for it. She was followed in quick succession by a Coptic Christian dancer, Shafiya El Koptyyia ( Shafiya The Copt) who also performed this skill. Legendary Egyptian dancer Nadia Hamdi, who is known the world over for her shamadan skills and floor work including splits, is noted for her skills with shamadan, having been trained by the original dancers, and is still in action today, preserving the tradition. As a young girl, Nadia Hamdi learned the practice from observing Zouba El Klobatiyya first hand, and then was formally trained in the tradition by her grandmother, a contemporary of Zouba El Klobatiyya and Shafiya El Koptiyya.

Older versions of Egyptian-made shamadans(even as late as the early 1990's) were fitted on the bottom with a slightly inverted cup, which balanced by sitting on the on the crown of the dancer’s head, a skill which took precision, grace and- usually- years of practice. Today, most modern shamadans are constructed with an attached head band which fits around the dancer’s temples. This beautiful dance prop is still used today in the Egyptian wedding procession, or zeffah as well as in folkloric and theatrical shows, and sometimes even incorporated into night club or theatrical belly dance routines.

1980's shamadan dancer in Egypt
For a brand new imported or Egyptian-made shamadan, expect to pay anywhere between USD$100.00-$300.00 (as of this writing) outside of Egypt. This is because they are all hand-constructed, and heavy to ship. There are many different styles, some are extremely intricate, and others are more utilitarian. Shamadans from Egypt are large and sometimes not altogether stable the arms may move around, but this can be fixed with pliers or by soldering or gluing them.

The crown of the shamadan should have a snug, almost tight fit around your head, resting just above the temples. If your shamadan is too loose, it will wobble on your head. It is easy to glue sponge rubber or some other type of padding to the inside of the crown to prevent it from slipping around, and this will provide you with a more comfortable fit. In fact, I even know some belly dancers who share their candelabrums with various troupe members; in order to allow the shamadan to fit every gal, they actually use self-stick maxi pads inside the headband, adding or subtracting the pads as needed!

Larger shamadans look very impressive, but slightly smaller ones are more portable, and much easier to work with. There are now even “collapsable” (portable) shamadans, though I have never used one myself. Never leave a shamadan in your car or trunk for even a short length of time- even the slightest heat in a short amount of time will melt the candles! When traveling with a shamadan by car, lay it on it's side wrapped in a towel, or strap it in with a seat belt. The crystals or beads and coins decorating some shamadans can be repaired if the chains break with a jewelry pliers or even, in a pinch, a regular set of tweezers. These crystals can also be replaced by purchasing new strands at stores that sell lamps and lighting fixtures. If the crystals get covered with wax drippings, remove them from the shamadan , put them in a baggie and put them into the feezer for a few hours, the cold wax will pop right off the glass, and they will be good as new.

After every shamadan use, clean out the candle's drip-cups, or the wax will build up and be more prone to spill onto your hair. You can either use a butter knife and pry the dried wax out, or you can train a blow-dryer set to high heat on the wax drippings, which will soften them up enough for the wax to be wiped away with a cloth. Since shamadans are still constructed by hand, and candle sizes vary, some of the candle holders may be loose- wrap your candles with tinfoil for a snug fit. Remember that longer candles or long dinner tapers are also heavier, short emergency candles look good and are lighter on your head, they're also cheaper than dinner candles-remember, you're going to have to use at least nine, maybe twelve candles. Even if a candle is "drip less", there's no such thing when it's on your head! Make sure that you always keep a book of matches or a lighter and extra candles with your shamadan, as well as a small craft pliers for any chain or crystal repair or re-fastening.

An Egyptian shamadan - notice how some of the drip cups are tilted

When dancing at a wedding or on a stage, avoid ceiling air-conditioning vents, as it will blow the hot wax onto you, all over your hair and costume. Be careful of ceiling and doorway clearance, and of course, be very wary of draperies. Also- makes sure to thoroughly check with your venue and the local Fire Marshall concerning fire/open flame/insurance laws. Many places do not allow open flames, or require performers working with open flames to carry fire insurance. In this case, if you are un-insured, you can purchase LED or battery-operated candles (from a craft shop or florist supply store) but note that these candles will be much heavier and therefore more difficult to balance.

As far as costuming goes, especially if you aren't used to wearing a shamadan, don't select a costume to wear which will allow the inevitable wax drips will show up ( because, believe me, wax willbe dripping!) and potentially ruin it.

Many balady or hagallah dresses made in Egypt are made of netting, which make it easy to pick off the dried, melted wax. Of course, these are best if you don’t want to stain your costume. If you get a stubborn patch of wax on your net costume, put it in a plastic baggie and place it into the freezer overnight. The wax will freeze and stiffen up, so that you’ll just be able to pop the wax off with a flick of your finger! When using real wax candles, don't light up until just before you're about to dance because of the wax-drip factor. If you're not doing a zeffah (Egyptian bridal procession), pick a slower song or a taxim, because dancing quickly with a shamadan negates its stately beauty.

Shamadan resources:

Watch a video of me performing raks al shamadan here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFRNCEam7OE

Purchase my instructional DVD “BELLY DANCE AND BALANCE: THE ART OF SWORD AND SHAMADAN” by clicking here:
http://www.princessfarhana.com/shop.htm

Purchase a gorgeous shamadan from Turquoise International here:
http://www.turquoiseintl.com/filigree-shamadan/

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Published on August 21, 2015 13:16

DANCERS BACKSTAGE RITUALS: ROSA NOREEN

<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q8lQjgXEsJo..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q8lQjgXEsJo..." width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosa Noreen in Giza, Egypt 2015</td></tr></tbody></table></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rosa Noreen is a shining beacon in the belly dance community. Hailing from Portland, Maine, she lights up the stage like the famous lighthouses that illuminate the New England coastline. An up-and-comer in the world of Oriental dance, Rosa is the proprietress of Bright Star<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>World Dance, a beautiful, airy studio on the top floor of an arts center in downtown Portland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She teaches several classes a week there as well as bringing in dancers from other states for workshops, and she produces several dance events per year. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This past April I had the pleasure of teaching at her studio and performing in one of these events, which wasn’t “just” a hafla.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Springtime Spectacular” was held at a beautiful small theater called One Longfellow, and featured local musicians, singers and belly dancers as well as many performers from New York, Vermont and Massachusetts.</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E1nIcFDVh5A..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E1nIcFDVh5A..." width="256" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosa looking gorgeous in a Hallah Moustapha costume</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: right;"></div><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rosa made her first pilgrimage to Egypt recently, and loved it so much she’s already booked another trip for December, 2015. Her ballet background and ethereal stage presence <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>plus the two instructional DVDs she’s produced and starred in (<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Delicious Pauses: Negative Space In Movement</i> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and the brand new <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rhythm And Pause</i>, a 2-disc set including an Arabic rhythm CD by<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the talented Jonatan Gomes Derbaq) have made her a popular workshop instructor. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: right;"></div><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first time I ever saw her perform was onstage at The Las Vegas Belly Dance Intensive a few years back, and I was blown away by her sheer elegance. However, as<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>refined and polished as she appears in performance and authoritative in class, she is not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always</i> that way in real life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she’s off duty, she’s fun and extremely silly,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is a doting kitty mom, and has what some would call eclectic taste in entertainment. We liked each other a lot<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the first time we met, but <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>something happened while we were getting ready for the One Longfellow show that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i>bonded us. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I heard horrible screams coming from<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the room where Rosa was getting ready…. and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>somehow, it sounded strangely familiar. I walked in and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>asked,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“Hey, are you watching some <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">murder show</i> ?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked at me, blinking <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>her huge, doe-like brown eyes and replied sheepishly,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“Um… yeah, I…uh….”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-27vB6OIJFvg..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-27vB6OIJFvg..." width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonded by belly dance...and trash television!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">It was apparent she was grappling for any excuse that would make her pre-show<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>routine seem legit and hoping I wouldn’t think she was completely crazy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I adore crime shows!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I declared, “What one are you watching?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I immediately informed her that I too have a penchant for watching “murder shows” while I get ready. She looked at me almost suspiciously before <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>saying, “You do?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I assured<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>her that my “happy place” while getting ready<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to dance<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is watching <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cold Case Files </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lockdown</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>she<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>heaved a sigh of relief<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>before we both started giggling.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“Want me to turn it up?” she asked, like a gracious hostess.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here, in her own words, is what Rosa<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>does ( in addition to her penchant for crime shows!) to prepare for her shows:</span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“For me, the most effect way to prepare for a performance is to work hard in advance, and <i>not </i>work on it at all the day of the show itself. That helps to ensure that the performance itself is fresh and not over-rehearsed. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While I'm putting on my make-up, I like to watch murder mysteries. CSI Miami, Midsomer Murders, and Criminal Minds… they take my mind off the upcoming performance and they generally make me giggle at the preposterous nature of the scenario (or the writing) at one point or another!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that terribly grim?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Before my entrance, I like to do a warm-up that is centering and familiar. I lead my students in this warm-up at the beginning of each class, before we begin belly dance movements, and before any group performances. This reminds me to breath consciously, which is an important aspect of performance. Without conscious breath my dancing will be stilted or hurried or both; with breath I'll be in the moment, I'll remember to enjoy the movements, my face will be more relaxed--and everyone will have a fun time!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The more warmed-up, the better, so I also like to dance to everyone else's music while backstage if I'm at a multi-dancer show. If it's a bellygram or similar, I'll at least spend a good chunk of time shimmying and playing my zills (silently) in my changing area. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If I'm nervous--which, thankfully, happens only rarely nowadays--I'll do ballet barre exercises, interspersed with belly dance movements. Ballet technique is all consuming, and it feels like coming home. But in ballet your center of gravity is much higher, and you're specifically trying NOT to move your hips. So putting some belly dancing movements between the barre exercises reminds me to ground myself, to be ooey and gooey, while ballet comforts and gives extra confidence. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If I'm performing in a show with a backstage and an intermission, I believe in staying backstage for the duration of the act I'm in. This is my theater and ballet background showing… in theater there is very specific rules that everyone needs to follow in order to ensure that the production goes smoothly. Sometimes that means boredom (though who can be bored when there is dance?). Sometimes that means you don't get to see all of the other performers… Those are some of the sacrifices we make in order to experience the glory of sharing your dance with an audience! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Having some set rituals is grounding. It is comforting. It helps me know where the boundaries are… and then, once everything is as it should be… I can break them! “</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">#</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Purchase<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rosa’s fantastic instructional <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>DVDs – ON SALE until July 31, 2015, here:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://rosanoreen.com/shop/">... <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qqUGiyhAETM..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="350" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qqUGiyhAETM..." width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rosa teaches "A Dancer's Hands And Arms" at The Las Vegas Belly Dance Intensive September, 2015:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.bellydanceintensive.com/in... style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://www.bellydanceintensive.com/in... style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rosa will be at the Pittsburgh Belly Dance Festival, November<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2015: <span style="mso-field-code: " HYPERLINK \0022http\:\/\/pghbellydancefestival\.com\/\0022 \\t \0022_blank\0022 ";"><u><span style="color: blue;">http://pghbellydancefestival.com/<... class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rosa will be at Art of the Belly, March 2016 <span style="mso-field-code: " HYPERLINK \0022http\:\/\/www\.artofthebelly\.com\/\0022 \\t \0022_blank\0022 ";"><u><span style="color: blue;">http://www.artofthebelly.com/</spa... class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

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Published on July 27, 2015 00:24

STAGE MAKE UP FOR DEEP SET AND HOODED EYES

<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OdI8b8qPfmA..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OdI8b8qPfmA..." width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Work with the shape of your eyes by lengthening them instead of trying to widen them. Photo: Maharet Hughes</td></tr></tbody></table></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><br /><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><i> I get so many questions about stage make up for deep set and/or hooded eyes that I'm re-posting this article that was originally published in 2010. If you're a "hoodie"(like me) I think you're gonna love this! Enjoy... </i></span></b><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Onstage, a dancer’s face is every bit as important as her body. As performers, it’s imperative that we convey emotion to the audience, and without a well made up “stage face”, that task is nearly impossible. I have always been adamant with my students about the importance of wearing appropriate stage make-up.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">When I perform, depending on the venue, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the make-up I wear runs the gamut from Standard Stage Face to Ridiculously Over The Top Extravaganzas… yep, that means I like to pile it on, with all the bells and whistles! Of course, like most women, I enjoy playing with make-up in my “civilian” life, especially if I am going out at night. But contrary to popular belief, I don’t go overboard with cosmetics 24/7, I do give my skin a rest on <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>my days off. Much to my amazement, even when I am wearing just a<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> little</i> make-up on the street or in class, people shower me with compliments on my “beautiful big eyes”, my “ exotic cat eyes” and my “bedroom eyes”. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Why does this surprise me? Because, as the late magician Doug Henning was so fond of saying,</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“It’s an illusion!”</span><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AtU5mhvonUs..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="104" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AtU5mhvonUs..." width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My eyes with no make up at all</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Have a look at the pictures here, and you will see my eyes with and without make-up. In truth, my eyes are small. Very small. They are also narrow, almond-shaped, deeply set, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">extremely</i> hooded and they actually turn down at the corners. If you want to get all scientific and official about it, my eyes have a very pronounced Epicanthic Fold…. which sounds a lot more exciting than it actually is. The Epicanthic Fold is a common genetic trait among many Asians, Eastern Europeans, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders… and since I am an American Mutt with at least two if not three of those gene pools, I got hooded eyelids in spades- more than anyone else in my family, who all have big, wide peepers. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">My Epicanthic Fold is so extreme that when my eyes are open, none of my eyelids visible at all…and my eyelashes actually recess back into the fold as well. On my face, the Epicanthic Fold looks almost like Asian eyes, but the area above my eyes is puffy, not flat, and always has been. People have often speculated about my ethnicity because my eyes are not an average shape.</span><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I3HtwflYSr0..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I3HtwflYSr0..." /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With "civillian" evening make up</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Growing up, I suffered severe Eyelid Envy, and always wanted “normal” eyes, with big lids and cool eye sockets that made hollows under the brow bone. We always want what we don’t have, right? I flat-out HATED my eyes-and all the brutal teasing I endured in school because of them- with a passion. That is, until I discovered eye make-up. When I turned twelve, one of my mother’s theater students gave me a little tin of Mary Quant Eye Crayons and a tube of mascara… and my life changed forever. I learned, through trial and error, how to turn a “flaw” (my hooded, deep-set eyes) into an asset. Suddenly both men and women were drooling over my exotic eyes.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I got so good with make-up and wore it so consistently that once I even fooled my landlord of four years into thinking I was someone else. He came to demand the<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">very</i> late rent; I answered the door sans make-up, and he had <i>no idea</i> that I was!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“ Please tell her I stopped by”, he said, earnestly. I closed the door, amazed that he didn’t recognize me. Ah, the power of make-up!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">As an adult, I realized that many women have eyes exactly like mine, or eyes that share similar traits. Out of curiosity, I looked up some tutorials for hooded eyes on You Tube. Yes, there are many of them, but sadly, most of the videos seem to get the make-up application all wrong. They mostly focus on creating the impression of a lid or crease, which to me just looks kind of weird. They try to “bring out” the eyelid by applying a lighter shadow there-, which might work theoretically, but is absolutely useless if your hooded eyelid recesses under your Epicanthic Fold. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">There is such a dearth of information on applying make-up for eyes with this unique shape, I thought I’d share some of my tips and tricks. They will make your eyes look strong and exotic onstage, and you can use fewer products and a lighter touch for an every day look as well.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">If you have hooded eyes, don’t believe all the “experts” who say that dark eyeliner will make your eyes look smaller. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Au contraire</i>- dark liner, ringed around the entire eye, will actually make your small eyes look much bigger. If you don’t believe me, try this on only one of your eyes, then look in the mirror and see what a difference the dark liner makes! Don’t be afraid to play around and experiment, you will probably need a few tries before you get comfortable with it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">First of all, instead of trying to “draw the lid out” from the hood with a lighter shadow, line the entire eye with a dark color. You can use black, dark or light brown, deep blue, green or grey- the color doesn’t matter- it’s the deep richness and darkness that does.Make sure you use a powder eye shadow and a soft thick eye shadow brush, not a sponge applicator, which tends to feel almost sharp, and doesn’t hold as much product. Get a lot of pigment on your brush, tap the brush or blow on it sharply to remove the excess powder, and line the entire upper and lower lids, working from the roots of the lashes outwards. I do this with my eye shut, working the shadow well into the lash-line. Making sure that the entire upper and lower lids are covered evenly, I then fade the dark color up above the crease onto the hood, or Epicanthic Fold, for a smoky effect. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">In order to make the most of your narrow, lidless or hooded eyes don’t fight their shape; work with it, instead of against it. Trying to fake a crease will probably only make you look weirdly surprised, or like you have raccoon eyes! Instead of trying to create the illusion of a crease, or wide-open eyes, go for extending the<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> length </i>of your eye. Applying the powder shadow a bit past the outer corner can do this. This can be done a few ways: by applying the shadow straight across, by adding a bit more shadow in a V-shape smudged at the outer corner, or by winging the shadow sharply upwards along your the hood of the eye for a cat-like effect. For stage, I always use a black liquid or gel liner to intensify this lengthening effect, especially on the lower lid. Personally, I don’t always use eyeliner extended outwards on the upper lid, because on my eyes (and perhaps also on yours, depending on how hooded they are) the upper line won’t be really visible. It might work for you, though, so try it out on both top and bottom.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">From the center point of my lower lid, at about the middle of the iris when I am looking straight ahead, I use my eyeliner to draw a thin straight line over the powder shadow and extending outwards, to just beyond the edge of my eye. I then take white liquid eyeliner, and draw a thin line of white just above the black liner. From up close, this looks a little strange, but from the stage, it actually tricks the audience, giving the impression of extending the whites of your eyes, making them appear much longer-and larger- than they actually are. You can also use a soft eye pencil in white (MAC makes a great one) or use some frosty or matte white powder shadow applied with a thin brush, for the same effect.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">If your eyes are hooded, chances are that once you open your eyes, your natural lashes will almost disappear. For every day wear, using an eyelash curler with a few coats of mascara may help make them more visible, but for stage, false eyelashes are essential. There is nothing that highlights and frames your eyes better than faux lashes and they look lush and gorgeous. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">If you have never used false eyelashes before, you may be a bit apprehensive, but once you get the hang of it, the application is simple. Many newbies tend to opt for a lash that looks natural, but if you’ve got hooded eyes, a shorter lash just won’t cut it, it will get lost as easily as your natural lashes will. It’s length and volume you’re after, so bigger is better! That being said, if you haven’t used false eyelashes before, they may feel a bit heavy on your lids, so try a medium sized lash and work your way up to full blown drag-queen length slowly.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Most faux lashes are manufactured to be intentionally too long length-wise, so they can fit a variety of eye shapes and sizes, so trim them if you need too. The outer ends generally are longer, so trim the lash from the shorter hairs on the band, the part that will sit on the inside corner of your eye. Some faux lashes are designed especially for Asian eyes. Instead of the lashes being longer on the ends, these are longer at the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">center</i>, and tapered on each end and they look terrific on hooded eyes. A friend brought me some Korean eyelashes that were shaped this way, and I wore them until they disintegrated. Unfortunately, since the label on the box was in Korean, I have no idea what they were called! Some brands available in the USA that make false lashes which are longer in the center are Japonesque and Sonia Kashuk, whose make-up line can be found at Target. You could also try hunting down lashes like this at Asian beauty supply stores, or finding them <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on the Internet.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">After you’ve trimmed your lashes, roll the band of the lash around a little with your fingers to make it more pliable, so that it will conform to the shape of your lid more easily. Apply a thin band of glue to the base of the false lash, (you can do this with a toothpick, painting it on the band to avoid any big glops of glue getting onto the lashes themselves) and let the wet glue sit for at least 30 seconds, even up to a full minute or two, until it gets tacky. The brand of the glue, or the amount you put on the lash will determine how quickly it dries, as will the climate. If you are in a humid area, (or are doing your make-up in a small dressing room full of sweaty dancers) it may take a little longer to get tacky enough to use. The most common mistake most people make when applying lashes is trying to stick them on when the glue is too wet. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I recommend "DUO" lash glue in clear/white, or Revlon's Precision Lash formula because they hold extremely well and are also the least irritating of any brand I've used. Clear glue will dry invisibly, making any mistakes less obvious. To apply the lash, sit it on your upper eye-lid, just above your natural lash-line. Press down lightly in the middle first, and then tap the lash down lightly towards inner and outer corners. Keep your eye closed for a moment, to let the glue take hold. You may have to gently press the lash upwards, towards your brows, with the pad of your index finger. This will give a more “open” look to your eye.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Many women cut the lashes in half, and use them only from the center of the eye to the outer corner for a wide, doe-eyed effect. Also, the lashes are a little easier to apply this way, and this technique will also aid in the producing a cat-like look.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Your eyebrows are very important for expressing emotions on stage, so make sure they are accented too. I like to use a stiff, slanted eyebrow brush and powder for eyebrow shaping, and also to fill in any bare areas. Use light, feathery strokes, and follow the natural shape of your eyebrow. You can also use an eyebrow pencil, but make sure it’s sharp, and again fill in and darken up your brows with feathery, short strokes. To add a lift to my entire eye area, when I am doing make-up for the stage, I usually extend the brow upwards and outwards towards my temple at the outer edge.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Heavy brows sitting over hooded eyes tend to make them look smaller, so if you have very thick eyebrows, you may want to have them shaped by a professional.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">After I’ve done my brows, I finish up by contouring the hooded area just under them. I cover the inner corner of my eyes under the brows with a powder shadow shade that is a little darker than my skin tone, or in the same color family as but a little lighter than the shade I used to lie my upper and lower lids. I then add frosty white powder shadow as a highlighter just under the brow from the middle of the eye, extending it to the outer corner. I generally tend to keep the highlight thin, because on hooded eyes, a lighter shade spread over the hooded part will only accent its puffiness more. Sometimes I add a little bit of pearly white powder shadow to the area just above the tear ducts, or inner corner of the eye. For stage, I often use a small dot of white liquid eyeliner here- again; an effect that looks kinda bizarre up close, but it really opens up the eyes (by making the whites appear bigger) for the stage. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--E2DQk63_vs..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--E2DQk63_vs..." width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up of some really insane stage make up; note the white at the inside and outside corners</td></tr></tbody></table></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">If you’re a “hoodie” like me, take some time to play with make-up, and see what works for you. Fool around with colors, and with different techniques for shading, lining and shaping. You’ll learn to love your unique, exotic eye shape. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">And who knows… maybe one day some chick with huge, round eyes with big lids and fantastic eye sockets will probably sigh in envy, telling you she wished she had your wonderful, exotic eyes!</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">#</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></b><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Purchase my<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>instructional<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>stage make up<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>DVD<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Bombshell: Dramatic Make Up For The Stage, Photos And Glamourous Occaisions” here: </span></b><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.princessfarhana.com/shop.h... /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t1cgr-SXTXs..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t1cgr-SXTXs..." width="456" /></a></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

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Published on July 15, 2015 00:20