Coming attractions

You meet the nicest people in the darnedest places... On Thursday I was speaking at the Romance Authors' Tea for the Friends of the Huntington Beach Library, and I had the good fortune of meeting Michelle, a fellow pupil of Angelika Nemeth. She told me about a couple shows coming up that will feature Angelika, as well as other local belly dancers.

At 6:30 p.m. Feb. 28, the "Orchid Dance Show -- A Global Experience" will take place at Orchid Restaurant. The show will feature Angelika, Fahtiem and Lee Ali, and all proceeds will be donated to the relief efforts in Haiti. Tickets are $30 at the door, $25 in advance, and include dinner and the show.

The restaurant is at 3033 S. Bristol St., Costa Mesa, and the phone number is 714-335-7349.

The second show is "World Dance -- A Colorful Celebration of Movement & Ritual" at the Orange Coast College Robert B. Moore Theatre at 7 p.m. May 21.

The show is directed by Angelika and, according to the flier, performances will include classical dances from Southern India, dances from Egypt and Persia, Latin dance styles, African drumming and songs from around the world.

Tickets are $10 for the 7 p.m. performance, and a free concert will be held for schools at 11 a.m. Call 714-432-5967 to register classes.

To buy tickets or for more information, call 714-432-5880 or click here.

Interviewed about THE BELLY DANCER

Here's a video that a couple of Orange Coast College students did in conjunction with the school's newspaper on the upcoming release of my novel, THE BELLY DANCER, with some footage from Angelika Nemeth's OCC belly dance class thrown in because she has been a tremendous influence on me.

Next time I'm interviewed -- if there's a next time :-) -- I have a long list of things I would do differently. But it was a great learning experience, that's for sure.

http://www.coastreportonline.com/articles/2009/05/28/video/news05belly.txt

Market at the Casbah 2009 recap

The 11th annual Market at the Casbah, organized by local belly dancer and instructor Deborah Peterson and Wanda Lee Sundberg at the Fullerton Senior Community Center on Saturday, was an incredible event with lots of vendors, great workshops by Angelika Nemeth, Middle Eastern food, and nearly continous performances throughout the day.

It was fun seeing Angelika (who ran out to see a student's performance before the first of her two workshops began), as well as Serena, Laura and Veronica -- whom I haven't seen in months because being pregnant has kept me out of dance class. I also got to visit with Najma, Mara and Shauna Roberts (a writing friend who is now taking belly dance classes in the Inland Empire!)

My good friend Enala and I also spent a lot of time at the O.C. Bellydance Connection table (generously donated by Deborah) to say hi to Rachel (who gets the credit for starting what has become a really robust local meetup group for belly dancers), as well as meetup members Gigi Lenker and Elena Wise.

We also had a great chat with belly dance costumer extraordinaire Doyne, who told us a terrific story about how he turned the tables on some Internet scammers (you have to ask him about it -- it's a great story!) and I had the opportunity to say thank you in person to Mher of Hollywood Music Center, and its sister company http://www.bellydance.com/, for his generous donation of raffle prizes, which I'll be giving away at my July 25 Book Release Party & Benefit (more info on that later, or you can check here). He also helped me replace my outdated VHS version of Fat Chance Belly Dance's Tribal Basics tape with a brand new DVD version.

Here are some pics:

Ana

Westside Belly Dance Project

Tribe Roman Morga

The view of the floor

Taji and the Johara Dancers

If you're interested in dancing next year, reservation forms will be available in January. You can find out more at http://www.marketatthecasbah.com/.

Market at the Casbah on Saturday

The annual Market of the Casbah returns on Saturday to the Fullerton Senior Multi-Service Center for its 11th year with lots of performances, live music by John Bilezikjian, shopping and two great workshops with local legend Angelika Nemeth.

In the first workshop, "Folkloric Styles to Enhance Your Dance," which runs from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., Angelika will teach participants how to "add folkloric styling to your dance routines," including "appropriate music, body postures and costuming for Saidi, Khaleeji, Zar and Debke." The cost is $40 at the door.

Then, from 3 to 4:30 p.m., she'll present "Polishing Your Performance: Now That You Know the Steps Let's Dance!" In this workshop, participants will learn "how to use breath, phrasing, dynamics, transitions and expression to take your dance from the ordinary to the extraordinary!" The cost is $35 at the door.

I'll be there to watch and shop, and I'll have some of the super-pretty promo cards for THE BELLY DANCER with me. If you'd like one, just ask -- they're free :-)

The festival opens at 11:30 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m. The Fullerton Senior Multi-Service Center is at 340 W. Commonwealth in Fullerton. For more information, check http://www.marketatthecasbah.com/.

Reflections Dance and Fitness studio in Anaheim to close

Our local belly dance community has been growing with more classes and more instructors for so long that it is with great sadness that I received this news from local instructor and performer Marlena:

Due to the troubled economic situation of so many businesses and families, people are forced to budget and eliminate any extra expenses. Reflections Dance & Fitness is closing as of March 31, 2009. Therefore, my Thursday classes will no longer be available in the Anaheim location. This is a very sad situation. I will miss teaching there and all the great people, especially the owners, Jessica and Ify. My heart and prayers go out to them.
We must keep our chins up and dance the sadness away!
Marlena

If you're looking for a local class, there are still many out there. Check Marlena's Web site, as well as the sites for Angelika Nemeth, Sashi, Sooz, Lilla Varese, Tina Enheduanna, and the OC Bellydance Connection. If you know of others, let me know and I'll be happy to post those, too.

New Angelika video on YouTube

Angelika Nemeth performed this original choreography at the Spring 2008 Dance Concert at Irvine Valley College's Performing Arts Center to "Yearning," a sexy, sultry track from her CD, "Angelika Unveiled."

Gorgeous!

O.C. Belly Dancer Spotlight: Angelika Nemeth

Few belly dancers have devoted themselves to the art, teaching and practice of belly dance as Angelika Nemeth has over the past three decades. It began in the mid-1970s, when she established herself as a professional dancer in Southern California, and her repertoire soon grew to include teaching others to master the intricacies of Middle Eastern dance.

Angelika’s performing and teaching career has taken her to countless venues throughout the United States and abroad, and she has taught countless numbers of young dancers, including many who have gone on to professional dance and teaching careers of their own. She also has been influential in the local education system as a faculty member at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, Calif., and other surrounding community colleges. She has led the development of Middle Eastern dance programs at these institutions and helped them to grow while ensuring they deserve a high level of respect from their peers in the greater dance community.

And just as she encourages her students to strive for improvement, she is always searching for ways to expand her own understanding of the dance, its music, its culture and the many influences affecting them. Her ability to grow and evolve as a performer, choreographer and teacher—even as the dance form grows and evolve—makes it no accident that she has become one of our community’s most vibrant and accomplished dance professionals.

1. What is your style of belly dancing?
I find this a challenging question because I enjoy performing various Middle Eastern dance styles. Ultimately it is the music that dictates what style I will use. I started by learning the Turkish/American/fusion style that was in vogue when I took my first belly dance class. I also have learned and continue to learn and perform many of the regional and folkloric dances from throughout the Arab and Persian world. In recent years I have been using predominately Egyptian and occasionally Lebanese compositions—both classical and pop—for my performances. Therefore Pan-Arab would best describe my current style with my own personal dramatic flair.

2. How long have you been belly dancing, and how did you get started?
I took my first class in 1973 at the Long Beach YWCA with Feiruz Aram. At the time she was performing at a popular nightclub in Hollywood, The Fez, which was run by Lou Shelaby. I have been performing 34 years. My professional performance career began in the summer of 1974 at Apadana, a beautiful Persian-owned nightclub in the Fashion Island shopping district of Newport Beach, Calif.

3. Who are your favorite or most influential teachers?
In thinking about how to answer this question, my list kept getting longer and longer. I realized I could write a book on this subject. But I will do my best to fit my answer into the confines of this interview. My first influence was my first teacher, Feiruz Aram. As a performer she completely captivated me with her sensual fluidity and barefoot earthiness, with her playfulness and strength, and with her elegant demeanor. The web she wove was magical and irresistible. As a teacher she was patient and encouraging. Sometimes in class she would get carried away by the music and just dance for us. I especially loved her Turkish interpretations to fast 9/8 rhythms. Her timing, hand gestures and expression were wonderful. She went to Egypt to perform in 1976. When she returned she had changed her style. It was of course more Egyptian and a new look for her—one that took me a while to appreciate. It was a lesson for me to observe the process involved in internalizing a major stylistic change.

Ibrahim Farrah (or “Bobby” as he was affectionately called) exerted a tremendous influence on me. He was so grounded in his knowledge and opinion of all things Middle Eastern. He was also powerful in his stage presentations not only as a dancer, but also as a choreographer and artistic director. I learned many of his choreographies and with his permission staged some of them for my theater concerts at Orange Coast College (OCC). My first encounter with him as a teacher was in the late seventies at his first workshop in Los Angeles. A local dancer, Nasima, who was a colleague of Feiruz had taken his workshop in Detroit. She was so impressed that she arranged to have him teach a class in Los Angeles. It was a historic moment for the dancers who were fortunate to be there. The most revolutionary outcome from that session was changing our posture from leaning back to standing upright with a relaxed but lifted chest. I remember how eloquently and authoritatively he talked about the proud upright postures of the great Egyptian dance stars like Samia Gamal, Nagwa Fouad and Sohair Zaki. I never forgot that lesson. His research and knowledge answered some of the many questions I had about the dance: its conflicting origins and its cultural identifiers in regards to technique, gestures, costuming and music.

It was through Bobby that I met, studied and performed with the great Nadia Gamal, who at the time was the premier dancer of Lebanon. Her only public workshop in Southern California was in 1981 at the Long Beach Convention Center. It was another historic moment in USA Oriental dance history. Many of my colleagues, like Sahra Saeeda (aka. Sahra C. Kent) and Suhaila Salimpour were there. Her teaching style was strict and focused. I remember she scolded the large group of dancers that day for not being serious enough. She did not allow us to wear skirts or harem pants; she needed to see our knees in order to closely observe our technique and make corrections. She also talked about the power inherent in this dance form and how it was danced best by someone who had lived life, i.e. had experienced not only the joys but also the sorrows of the human condition. For me and many others, being in her presence, listening to her philosophies, experiencing her passion and just simply dancing behind her in class was transformational! It gave me a deeper understanding and respect for this oft maligned and misunderstood dance form.

As I stated earlier, I have much to say on this subject, so for the sake of brevity I will just list some of the many other amazing artists who have inspired and influenced me in no particular order:

Nagwa Fouad
Sohair Zaki
Mona El Said
Mahmoud Reda & The Reda Troupe
Amani from Lebanon
Dina
Raqia Hassan
Dahlena
Leona Wood
Jamila Salimpour
Galya (One of Jamila’s dancers)
Aisha Ali
Morocco
Souhail Kaspar-Arab percussionist
John Belizikjian-Oudist
Jihad Racy-Scholar & musician
My dance coach, Dorothy Hefner
My dance concert collaborator in the 1980s, Sabina Tibold (aka Agnes Makk)
My Middle Eastern dance conference collaborators in 1997 and 2001, Sahra Saeeda and Shareen el Safy
My dance “buddy,” Fahtiem
My students
My dance company and
My audience

4. What is your favorite place to dance?

For me it is a toss-up between the intimacy of a nightclub and the austere, larger-than-life arena of the proscenium stage. I love both.

5. What music do you most like to dance to?
Egyptian classical and pop music, and recently the music on my own CD is what I am currently using for performing. After more than 30 years of involvement in Oriental dance I decided to make a dream come true and produce my own CD. I worked with a composer/arranger who wrote original music for me, and I had a dedicated and talented creative team who helped me accomplish this goal. Each piece was lovingly crafted to my specifications. It has musical pieces I especially like: a dramatic entrance, an earthy belady, exciting drum solos, and an emotionally moving taqsim. I was also pleased that it recently got high marks in a review on the Gilded Serpent. The CD is called “Angelika Unveiled.”
www.gildedserpent.com/art45/Joettereviews3CDs.htm

6. What was your most memorable performance?
One my of most memorable performances was my first night as a featured ingénue dancer at the renowned nightclub The Fez in Hollywood, Calif. That night Zenouba was the featured dancer and the celebrity football star Joe Namath was in the audience. I was aware of who he was because we share a similar last name (he spells it differently) and a Hungarian heritage. But equally memorable were the many times I set foot on the Robert B. Moore concert stage at Orange Coast College. I still get a thrill to this day. It is especially meaningful to me because when I was first hired onto the dance faculty at OCC in 1977, I was not asked to perform at the annual faculty dance concert. It was only after years of proving my dance skills and my dance form “worthy” that I was finally allowed to perform on that stage. I also enjoy the camaraderie of performing with my dance company be it at local events or in Cairo, Egypt, in 2007 at the prestigious international dance festival Ahlan Wa Sahlan.

7. What is your dance regimen?
Most of the year I teach and rehearse five days a week for an average of four hours a day. I also like to take vigorous hour-long walks and do my own half-hour yoga routine three or four times a week. In the summer my teaching schedule lightens and I sometimes go on tour, so my routine gets altered. Two of my resolutions are to get back to weight training and swimming laps. I like to incorporate all three types of workouts: cardio, stretching and strength-training. Another aspect of my dance regimen is time spent viewing dance videos (instructional and performance), reading dance journals, magazines and textbooks, listening to music and creating choreography. I also attend all types of dance concerts and plays and visit museums—always hoping and ready for that unexpected spark of inspiration that initiates the creative process.

8. To you, what separates an accomplished dancer from an amateur?
Attention to detail, dancing with passion, and moving with confidence and dignity.

9. As there is always room for improvement in dance (just as there is in all art forms), what are you still working to improve?

Deepening my understanding of Middle Eastern culture in order to achieve a more authentic expression of oriental mannerisms, gestures and movement patterns. Maintaining physical, emotional and mental health through mindful living and nutritional eating. Continuous training with teachers in all genres. Reading, listening, watching and continuing to be astonished by the world around me.

10. How long have you been in Orange County?

Since 1977

For more about Angelika Nemeth, visit http://www.angelikanemeth.com/.

Available now: Belly Dance magazine's summer issue

The latest issue of Belly Dance magazine is out, and I'm excited to tell you about the two articles I contributed. The first, "GOTHLA U.S.: The Conjuring" (starting on page 38), features the terrific event that Sashi, Ariellah and Tempest presented in Fullerton in February. It was a weekend packed with workshops, performances, shopping and a gala show -- all in celebration of the dark and sublime side of belly dance.

The event was such a success -- dancers arrived from all over the country and even overseas to participate -- that plans are already in full swing for a February 2009 festival.

More information will be available soon at http://www.gothla.com/, and you can also see what's in the works at http://tribes.tribe.net/gothla.

I was thrilled to see that the feature was given star treatment in the magazine, with loads of great photos from Richard Lowe Jr. There was a mix up on some of the photos, though. I took the handful of smaller ones credited to Ruslan Batenko, and I hope he isn't upset by the error. The editor was juggling many photos from this event from a number of photographers and I know as a former editor myself, mistakes like that sometimes happen despite vigilant efforts.

The second article I contributed was a short review of Angelika Nemeth's CD, Angelika Unveiled (page 82). I was delighted to share my thoughts on this album, as anyone who knows Angelika knows she is a perfectionist. You better believe she brought the same attention to quality and detail she directs toward her performances to this collaborative effort with producer Raul Ferrando.

I hope you'll get the opportunity to read these articles and the many others that fill this season's issue. If you'd like more information about the magazine, visit http://www.bellydancemag.com/.

The best in Orange County

One of the last things I wrote for Orange Coast magazine before leaving to work full time on novel No. 2 was a nomination of Angelika Nemeth as the best belly dance teacher in Orange County for the magazine's annual Best of O.C. issue. I'm happy to say that the July issue is now out and available just about anywhere magazines are sold in the county.

I'd also like to say that choosing a best teacher in Orange County isn't nearly as easy as it used to be. I chose Angelika because she is not only the teacher who has been teaching the longest in the area, but also because she is the teacher of so many terrific dancers who have gone on to great performing and teaching careers of their own.

The fact is, we're lucky in Orange County to have many wonderful teachers. Some of my personal favorites are Marlena Shaw, Mara, Sashi, Abby Duval (although she's soon heading for the big A.Z.) and Jheri St. James, and there are so many others I have heard terrific things about but haven't had the pleasure of studying with. Teachers like Sooz and Tina Enheduanna and Lilla Varese. I'm sure I have left some of them out, and that's where I'd like your input. Who has most inspired and motivated you? Who is your favorite local teacher, and why? Don't be shy, there are no wrong answers... :-)

O.C. Belly Dancer Spotlight: Jheri St. James

Talk to anyone in the region about the Orange County belly dance scene, and you can bet Jheri St. James’s name will be mentioned. She’s a prolific performer who began teaching Middle Eastern dance through the Laguna Beach Parks & Recreation Department in 1986 and formed one of the county’s best-known troupes, J.J. & the Habibis Laguna Beach Belly Dancers, in 1990. In 2004, her mastery of the dance form earned her the title of Belly Dancer of the Universe in the divine category.

Beyond her dancing skill, Jheri also has been an enthusiastic supporter of many local festivals and events, and this year marks her 26th as the belly dance director for the Sawdust Art Festival in Laguna Beach. (Check the O.C. Events—column to the right—for the venue’s upcoming schedule.)

For this inaugural O.C. Belly Dancer Spotlight, which I hope to make a regular series, I couldn’t be more pleased to feature Jheri St. James.

What is your style of belly dancing?

I would call my style American belly dancing, as I am an American woman and have no pretenses about being Turkish or Egyptian. I do perform in both of those styles, however, and in my classes always reference what style we are working in. And I hope never to become an “ethnic policewoman,” assessing how perfectly anyone else is dancing in another country’s style. Also dance in tribal styles, American and Middle Eastern.

How long have you been belly dancing, and how’d you get started?

I have been dancing for a couple of decades now and got started as a result of an argument with my boyfriend. I was just so fed up with him and all my prior boyfriends, that I thought, “I’m going to do something wild now and forget all this crap,” signed up for two classes, and the rest is “herstory.”

Who are your favorite or most influential teachers?

Angelika Nemeth at Orange Coast College was my first and main instructor and how blessed I am—feet, hands, correct posture—to have had her as my belly dance “mother.” Other important influences have come from Mahmoud Reda, Faten Salama, Karim Nagi, Sahra Kent, Shareen El Safy, Dahlena, Hassan Deeb, Alexandria from Santa Barbara, Aziza from Washington, etc.

What is your favorite place to dance?

Right now my favorite place to dance is the Southern Rennaissance Faire, as I was invited by Baba Ku, the band in the Turkish section, to dance there this year, and did so twice. Total ecstasy! The trees, the sky, the live music ... yum!

What music do you most like to dance to?

Gosh, there are so many genres here available for an American dancer. I really enjoy that great, rich acoustic Egyptian music with taxim; I also love dense and dissonant Turkish sounds. But I have been known to melt to Dead Can Dance and some of the newer Gothic music. Shuvani’s gypsy music, and Jamila’s Raks Sharki also come to mind.

What was your most memorable performance?

Sorry, there are more than just one: This summer, dancing with Baba Ku at Ren Faire. Winning two trophies at Belly Dancer of the Universe Competition. Dancing with the Habibis for “America’s Got Talent” audition (120 out of 6,000). The year I danced for Senator Howard Metzenbaum’s retirement party. And looking forward to the one on my 100th birthday for all my family and friends who are still alive.

What is your dance regimen?

Yoga practice as a foundation. As I am teaching six classes a week right now, that pretty much covers my dance regimen. I get to practice with zills, veils, work on my figure 8s and shimmies (17 so far), practice my choreographies (30-plus) while teaching them, and whatever else the topic for the week is. As well as work in improvisational format with my Level 4 dancers. We are co-creating a new dance now. Personally, I love balancing dances, and bringing yoga postures into dance. I have a new prop right now that I’m looking for the right music and refining how to balance that thing on my head.

To you, what separates an accomplished dancer from an amateur?

Angelika always used to say you’re not a professional until you dance with live music. The results of that kind of improvisational experience definitely show in moment-to-moment confidence and poise onstage. The twirling hands thing is always a dead giveaway to a beginner, and moving too fast, doing too much. Americans need to slow down and layer their movements, not be busy little housewives doing every chore on the list in one minute. Eye contact and smiling are always good, too. Fake it till you make it!

As there is always room for improvement in dance (just as there is in all art forms), what are you still working to improve?

First, I am always working to bring a yoga/spiritual center to all my life, personal and dance. I’m also working hard on the 17 shimmies and more combinations, refining my choreographic abilities, and studying to be a better teacher. As well, I am always refining my communication skills with other dancers, and networking in the field to promote dance and find/make more dance ops for all. I am particularly interested in findings ways for dancers and women to be supportive of each other, rather than competitive. Women could save the world if they ever really stopped outdoing each other in separative ways like appearance, weight, age, fashion, men, dance and you get the idea.

How long have you been in Orange County?

Since 1971. I came to Laguna Beach after living in San Francisco. I was originally an Ohio farm girl. They’re shaking their heads down on the farm...ha.

Jheri's next class sessions in Laguna Beach, at 515 Forest Ave., will begin on July 8 for Level 1 (at 6:30 p.m.) and Level 2 (at 8 p.m.). Level 3 (7:30 p.m.) and Level 4 (9 p.m.) will begin July 10. The cost is $100 for eight weeks.

If you’d like to learn more about Jheri St. James, visit her Web site at http://www.pinkgypsy.com/habibis/jj.htm.

Angelika's Summer Classes

Angelika Nemeth's summer schedule is out:

* A 6-week mixed level class meeting 6-9:50 p.m. Fridays starting May 30 at Irvine Valley College. (She said in class this week that she'd like to include some folkloric steps this term, as well as the 9/8 rhythm karshlima);
* A 3-week intermediate/advanced class meeting 7-9:55 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays starting June 2 at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa;
* A 6-week mixed level class meeting 6-8:05 p.m. Wednesdays starting June 18 at Golden West College in Huntington Beach;
* A 6-week beginning class meeting 6:30-8 p.m. and an intermediate/advanced class meeting 8:15-9:45 p.m. Mondays starting August 18 through Tustin Community Services.

For more information, check her Web site.