Split Tribal Fest

It is over a months time since i was in Split to attend the lovely Split Tribal Fest 2011 so it is about time that I say something about it! First of all it was so warm that I was melting before even starting dance practice at the workshops and with about 9 hours of dance each day it was quite exhausting times… BUT SO WORTH IT!! The workshops I took with beautiful and talented dancers April Rose, Elizabeth Strong, The Lady Fred, Manca Pavli and Samantha Emanuel was packed with so many valuable tricks and loads of beautiful moves to bring with me to my own practice!

I’ve learned to think differently as a dancer and I long to try some strategies out in coming choreographies! One dance form that especially struck my heart was Liz Strong’s Turkish Roman Dance – such joy for the body!! Lastly I cannot emphazise enough how valuable it is to take classes from many different dancers/teachers as they all have their individual approach to dance and to movement and they all have something worth snapping up.

The festival gave me the pleasure to meet other lovely dancers from all over Europe and Split itself was beautiful with it’s shiny pavings in the old town. Lastly it was such a thrill to perform in the old peristyl in front of a large audience, a memory of a lifetime!

 

Thanks so much for the video, Alexis Southall!!

Gismonda’s Falling Garden

Finally I’ve opened my little shop at Etsy!! Check it out at Gismonda’s Falling Garden…

 

Sneak peak…

I’m in joyful sewing mode and will soonish upload a few handmade pieces and a few vintage items for sale in my Etsy shop Gismonda’s Falling Garden. Here comes a little sneak peak of my work:

 

 

Fine Tuning

It has now gone far too much time since my last post! Some really amazing happenings has taken place during this time and I will start with my UK experience of the Bellydance Superstars:

Bombay Bellywood by Bellydance Superstars

The Lowry, Manchester, UK

I have seen one previous Bellydance Superstars show and that one took place a couple of years ago in York, UK. That time it was the tribal performances and the bellynesian performance that really stood out for me. This time the show seemed much more coherent in it’s Bollywood theme and I truly enjoyed the colour, the beats and the happiness of the Indian influence. Two of the cabaret dancers really shined clearly on stage: Sabah and Aubre. Their smiles clearly shone from within and out and their wonderful performances made me smile with my face and soul! Another  star of the show was male dancer Samir who truly shone like a dazzling peacock on stage and  clearly enjoyed each and every step he took up there!

It was also of course pure pleasure to see the four tribal superstars: Moria Chappell, April Rose, Sabrina Fox and Colleen. The big standout here was April Rose; what a dancer in technique and presence! However, in a stunning and powerful duet with April and Sabrina, the latter clearly stood out and visualised her elegant and beautiful dance power.

Fine Tuning workshop taught by Moria Chappell

It was pure luxury to take this workshop as we were only 7 students there. Moria is not only a stunning dancer but also a very good teacher who in this session broke down simple basic drills and movements in a way I haven’t learned them before. She taught me a few vital tricks to make me move on in my own practice.

 

Well home in Sweden again I have taken a couple of workshops by amazing Dud Muurmand in ATS; something I really need to get more into! I have also taken a lovely workshop in gypsy dance which is a not only a visually stunning dance to see but also so much fun to dance with skirt technique and attitude!

Dance incoming!!

It has been pretty dead on the social dance front for my part since January and the Donna Mejia event in Brighton and i’ve only focused one home practice of yoga and dance drills since then. Now though some happenings start to line up; I’m going over to UK next week and am very excited to see the Bellydance Superstars show Bombay Bellywood in Manchester on the 8th of April followed by Moria Chappell’s workshop Fine Tuning (Saturday 9th April) which focuses on fluid and polished movements and combinations.

As a real treat for myself I have also booked Split Tribal Fest in the end of August!! A dream will come true studying with excuisite dancers Elizabeth Strong, The Lady Fred, Samantha Emanuel, April Rose and Manca Pavli ♥

Und mied den Wind

Last Saturday me and my love visited the Operahouse of Zürich for the first time. We had decided to see the ballet performance Und mied den Wind and what a perforance then!! I remained stunned during the whole set by the very talented male and female dancers of the Zürich ballet. The theme was the elements of earth, wind and fire, each in one separate set, and the dancers incorporated their ballet in a modern, narrative and very graceful way to the tones of a single celloist playing Bach and sometimes even to no music at all. The choreography and the gorgeous simplistic costumes was made/designed by Heinz Spoerli.

The choreography reminded me of Donna Mejia’s Silvestre Technique workshop I took this January through the elements and the dance movements connected to them. Grounded earth, playful wind and sharp fire was some of my impressions from the ballet performance. Also effectful repetition, continuity and poses inspired me for future performances of my own.

 

Memories of summer…

I am so longing to perform again, it was a long time since the last performance now, in fact I haven’t performed since Malmöfestivalen last August. Awaiting performance opportunities I want to share this very dance, the joy and the summer with you!

 

Salomé-mania!

I found this interesting article today on one of my favourite blogs Japonisme; the article courtesan sidebar: Salomé-mania! takes up a part of our heritage of the image of oriental dancers…

One of my favourite inspirations; dancer Cléo de Mérode.

Mardi Love’s Voodoo Lily

Gorgeous dancer, choreographer and costumer Mardi Love has opened her own little Etsy-shop Mardi Love’s Voodoo Lily where she sells “Accoutrements for Dancers, Dreamers, and the Perpetually Adorned”. I simply love her necklaces and especially this blue darling which you can buy in her shop…

Soon enough I am planning on opening my own little Etsy-shop – stay tuned!

Donna Mejia!!

Last weekend a dream of mine came true and I also experienced a turning point in my own dance; I was in lovely Brighton, UK, to attend Donna Mejia’s (http://www.donnabodyvision.com/)  four workshops:

“Warming up Wisely & Clarifying Technique: The Art of Refinement and Physical Integrity”

“Beyond Stationary Practice: Near Eastern/Electronica Fusion in Full-Blown Motion”

“How Do You DO That!?”: Donna Mejia’s Curves, Slides, Waves and Hits”

“CROSS TRAINING FOR FUSION DANCERS: Silvestre Technique with Donna Mejia”

 

On Friday evening I attended the dance show including Donna as well as many very talented UK dancers in oriental fusion styles. Donna herself delivered two stunning solos. She has such presence, musicality and shine and I am just in love with her style and personality!!
On the Saturday and Sunday Donna taught her wonderful workshops which gave me a whole load of drills, aspects and combos. I really valued the workshop about warm-up and technique as I discovered new and very useful ways of toning, training and keeping the body safe and correct for dance. My big discovery though was the wonderful modern dance art of Brazilian Silvestre technique which incorporates the elements of nature; earth, fire, water and air. Very beautiful in mind and in movement I found this style which is based in the gestures and mythology of the dances of the Candomblé religion. Donna describes it on her homepage as an esoteric, codified system of contemporary dance technique. Very inspirational, fascination and very, very beutiful and powerful!! I feel so very privileged to have been able to study under Donna Mejia and I am greatly thankful to her for giving me a whole new way of looking at my dance and at life. Thank you, Donna!!