In honor of Gothla's return...

Last year, I attended Gothla US: The Divining and wrote this article, which was intended for Gothic Beauty magazine but which never quite made it there. A deadline was missed or computer Gremlins ate an email or something nefarious worked its dark mojo on it, I'm not sure what.

But, in honor of Gothla's return -- this year it is dubbed Gothla US: The Evoking and it will take place March 5-7 at Cal Poly Pomona -- I'm posting the article here as a sort of welcoming back.

Gothic belly dancers, Steam Punkers and a menagerie of their fans gathered March 6-8 in Pomona, California, for Gothla US: The Divining: Cogs in Motion to celebrate dark fusion at its finest and build on the event’s success as the first major Gothic Belly Dance festival to be held in Southern California.

The festival, now in its second year, topped last year’s attendance, attracting locals and travelers from across the nation, as well as Mexico, Sweden and New Zealand.

It’s the event’s “uniqueness and the allure of the alternative side of belly dance” that draws so many participants,” says festival co-founder Sashi of Ascend Tribal Dance, a dance company based in Orange County.

That’s exactly what attracted Glenna McLendon, a Gothic belly dancer from Charlotte, North Carolina, who visited California with three friends for the sole purpose of attending the festival.

“We were Gothla Gluttons,” she says. “I went to almost every workshop. … There is nothing like [it] offered anywhere here on the East Coast.”

The first festival—held in 2008 and dubbed Gothla US: The Conjuring—was a collaboration between Sashi, Tempest and Ariellah, all internationally known performers, instructors and leading innovators of the Gothic Belly Dance movement.

This year, Sashi and Tempest carried the festival forward, moving it from the Imperial Ballroom in Orange County to the student center of Cal Poly Pomona, in Los Angeles County. And what the new site might have lost in quirky downtown cool, it more than made up for with a professional-quality stage, a bigger floor to accommodate more vendors, and more comfortable space for workshops.

“Last year’s title was ‘The Conjuring,’ which is about bringing something into being, in magical/metaphysical terms,” says Tempest, who in addition to her dedication to Gothic Belly Dance is an artist, designer and writer commonly known by the sobriquet “The Gothmutha” and is featured in her own instructional Gothic Belly Dance DVD titled Bellydance for Beautiful Freaks. “This year was ‘The Divining,’ which is about consulting oracles and determining the future or the path of the art we love.”

The organizers also added the tagline “Cogs in Motion” to reflect this year’s Steam Punk theme.

“The Steam Punk theme of the event provided the attendees and vendors with a reference point from which to explore an aspect of the Gothic subculture,” says Sashi, who is featured in the Gothic Belly Dance DVD titled Dark Fusion Bellydance: The Ascend Tribal Dance Format and appears with Tempest on the Gothic Bellydance II: Revelations DVD.

The theme also helped guide the festival’s aesthetic and music choices, which included performances by The Unextraordinary Gentlemen, L.A.’s premier Steam Punk band, and Jill Tracy, known as San Francisco’s Dark Lady of Cabaret.

“Personally, I see Steam Punk as an offshoot or direct kin of Goth,” says Tempest, who recently relocated from the Bay Area to New Jersey. “A lot of the old school Goths I know—including myself—have embraced the Steam Punk music and aesthetic as the next incarnation, especially those who started off as ‘Romantic’ or ‘Victorian’ Goths.”

She captured that vision in the artwork she created for this year’s event, in the image of the sword-wielding, tarot-card holding, clock-adorned dancer who graces the print and electronic promotional materials.

Many dancers who filled the full day of performances on Saturday, as well as the evening gala, incorporated Steam Punk into their acts, including The Elysium Dance Company, which brought the festival to a standstill with its “Peach Plum Pear” piece.

Set to a vintage music box tune, four dancers wove a story about a robotic girl who wants to become a real dancer and is helped by three Victorian ladies on her quest. The choreography not only demonstrated how theatrical Gothic Belly Dance can be, but how broadly it can be interpreted.

Taking such an expansive view of Gothic Belly Dance is something that comes naturally to Elysium Dance Company dancer Sina Muckenfuss, who has seen first hand how the Goth movement has evolved over the past decade. During the 1990s, she was immersed in the Goth subculture in Florida with all the vinyl and velvet gear, makeup and boots that entailed (“Talk about suffering for fashion!” the Los Angeles resident says now), along with the death rock that characterized most classic Goth music. She says she still harbors the same “dark aesthetic and morbid proclivities,” but prefers these days to incorporate her Goth background, as well as many other influences, into her dance.

Like many of the festival’s performers, Christina Shadburn of Palmdale, who dances as Desdemona, considers herself to be part of the Goth fold and appreciates that the festival showcases Gothic Belly Dance style in all its variations—not just Gothic tribal fusion, but also Gothic-style cabaret and Gothic-style folkloric belly dance.

“It embraces all forms of belly dance, with a unifying theme of ‘Goth,’ she says. “It’s the idea of adding a little more drama to your performance, setting a scene, telling a story, etc.”
The opportunity to explore that sense of drama and emotional intensity also appeals to dancers who enjoy Gothic Belly Dance even if they don’t fully immerse themselves in the Goth movement, such as Najma, a dancer who performed a duet—Naji Noire—with her dance partner, Taji.

“I’m not a Goth—I just like the music, the romance and the aesthetics of the subgenre,” Najma says. “This means that I have to do careful research when planning a performance, so that I can show respect for and understanding of the culture just as I do for Middle Eastern dance performances.”

To help participants who are new to the movement or interested in attaining a deeper understanding, the festival’s organizers included in the lineup of dance-related workshops a two-hour “Understanding the Gothic Scene” session for dancers and non-dancers, which covered various subcategories of the movement, such as romantic, industrial and death rock, as well as tips on creating an appropriate stage presence.

This year also saw the addition of Motif, an experimental gathering for Gothla US participants that blended music, dance and ritual. It was billed as a communal interaction, not a performance.

“Not only did we have two of the most knowledgeable trance facilitators in our midst, but also four remarkably talented and culturally significant musicians among us as well,” Sashi says. “The opportunity to walk away from Motif having experienced a transcendent spiritual, musical and physical experience was one of a kind and remarkably invaluable. You can count on Motif being a mainstay component at Gothla US for years to come.”

Something else Gothla US attendees can expect in the future is an extra day of shopping and onsite food concessions, she adds.

Next year’s event is tentatively scheduled for March 5-7 at the same location, Cal Poly Pomona.

To some great pictures and video taken at last year's event, check here.

O.C. Belly Dancer Spotlight: Sashi

Sashi is the kind of belly dancer who likes to play with expectations and test the limits of what is possible, and in the process creates captivating performances that showcase her exceptional dance talent as well as her theatrical skill. By layering elements of storytelling, acting and stagecraft into her choreographies, she catapults her work beyond a traditional belly dance performance into the realm of performance art. But it's not all for show. At the heart of Sashi's dance is a deep awareness, understanding and respect for the diversity of cultures from which belly dance draws its music and dance.

In addition to traveling extensively across the nation and overseas to perform and teach workshops, Sashi leads Ascend Tribal Dance, a dance company she founded in Orange County, and conducts an ongoing Gothic Tribal Fusion dance course in Costa Mesa.

Another way this energetic and innovative performer is making her mark on the dance world is with Gothla US, a festival celebrating Gothic belly dance that she co-founded last year. Gothla US: The Conjuring debuted in Fullerton, California, in February 2008 with tremendous success. And it returns next month (March 6-8) as Gothla US: The Divining, primarily at Cal Poly Pomona.

Sashi is busy with the final preparations for the upcoming festival, but she took time to answer a few questions about herself, her inspiration and her unique approach to belly dance.

What is your style of belly dancing?

I am a Tribal Fusion and Gothic Tribal Fusion Bellydancer. I am most known for being a Gothic Tribal Fusion Bellydancer, as I am one of the foremost innovators of this newer style of belly dance, as well as one of the co-creators of Gothla US, the largest Gothic Bellydance Festival in North America.

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

I have been belly dancing for 17 years now. I started because I was fortunate enough to attend college at San Francisco State University in Northern California. Due to their wonderfully diverse dance department, I was afforded the opportunity to experience all kinds of dance and music classes from all over the world. My main focus became African Haitian, West African, Jazz and Modern dance, as well as West African and Native American drumming. After learning so much about other cultures through their dances and music, I realized that I wanted to learn more about my culture through our own styles of dance. I’d already grown up with the folkloric versions of my culture’s dances, but I wanted to get into belly dancing and find out more about my culture that way. So, I signed up for the belly dance class at the studio around the corner from my house. It just so happens that the teacher of that very first class I took was none other than Carolena Nericcio. I’ve been studying the dance since then. I have a broad background in many styles of the dance, including ATS [American Tribal Style], Egyptian and Lebanese Cabaret, Folkloric and Tribal Fusion.

Who are your favorite or most influential teachers?

I’d consider my most influential teachers to be Angelika Nemeth, Sahra Saeeda and Tina “Enheduanna” Elkins. I learned strength and classic technique from Angelika, who had such a graceful and respectful way of imparting the dance to her students. She inspired me to want to be as respectful and knowledgeable about the dance as I could. As a student and member of Sahra Saeeda’s troupe, I learned about the histories, stories, meanings, nuances and intricacies of the folkloric dances of the Middle East. Sahra inspired me to know all the aspects of the dances I took part in and to hold the dance and the people in a place of respect and reverence, making sure not to engage in cultural appropriation or misrepresentation. Lastly, from Tina “Enheduanna” Elkins, I learned the grace of presentation through the body, especially facial gesturing. I also learned about the use of space onstage and in choreography, which is an art form in and of itself. Most of all, I learned a sense of graciousness and patience for fellow dancers by being her student and a part of her troupe. Each of these teachers inspired me because they approached the dance in a genuine way, allowing for me to witness, incorporate and eventually emulate this sense of humility and grace.

What is your favorite place to dance?

I don’t know if I have only one favorite place to dance because, for me, my favorite aspect of the dance is the interaction between dancer and audience that can happen almost anywhere. So really, my favorite place to dance would be wherever the maximum energetic contact with an audience can take place, whether that includes only one member or any amount more than that.

What music do you most like to dance to?

While I would not want to pigeonhole myself into one or two genres of music, I can definitely say that I have an affinity toward Gothic-Industrial and EBM styles of music, but anything with a good strong beat, energy and accent can inspire me to move.

What was your most memorable performance?

For me, I would definitely say that my most memorable performance would be my “pierced wings” performance at Tribal Fest 2006. There was such an amazing energy exchange between myself and the audience. I had entered a trance-like state with the pierced wings and brought that energy with me onstage. As I began dancing, the energy washed through me and into the audience. Most of the audience absorbed the energy, interacted with it and allowed it to flow back to me. So, for the length of the performance, a cyclically continuous flow of energy existed in that large room and impacted each of us, humbled us and moved us in our own ways. I have always been awed by that experience and hold it with me in reverence.

What is your dance regimen?

I strength train for two hours two times a week, run one to two miles a day and do abdominal exercises for 30 minutes daily. I dance three times a week for two hours and drill daily.

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

I imagine what separates an accomplished dancer from an amateur would be the level of dedication, intent, stamina, technique and performance the dancer has. Some people get involved in this dance for the sake of exercise, to experience the sensuality and spirituality this dance conjures, etc., while others decide that they would like to take this art form to levels of performance and notoriety which requires a professional level of dedication. Thus, I would say that level of dedication and intent is the divisive factor in this realm.

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

I am always working to improve my creativity. There are times when the performance of a particular style becomes stale and even though this is what is being asked of you in the venues you are hired for, it has the possibility of stifling one’s creative flow and ability to see things anew. Therefore, I always make a point to review what I am doing, engage in new experiences and seek to incorporate new concepts into my dance.

How long have you been in Orange County ?

I’ve lived in Orange County since I was 4. When I was 17, I moved to San Francisco and stayed up there for college and two rounds of graduate school before retuning to Orange County for a job 13 years later. I’ve been here ever since.

For more about Sashi, her performances and classes, visit http://www.ascendtribaldance.com/.

For more about Gothla US: The Conjuring (March 6-8), visit http://www.gothla.com/.

Gothla US update

Gothla US: The Divining won't be returning to Fullerton this year after all. The festival that celebrates "dark fusion at its finest" will take place March 6-8, largely in Cal Poly Pomona's Bronco Student Center.

The event's theme is steam punk (think H.G. Wells and Jules Verne).

Workshops will be conducted by Tempest, Sashi, Asharah, Callisto (Sweden), Anaar, Lee Ali and Marjhani. Others may be added, so stay tuned to http://www.gothla.us/ for updates, as well as information on performances and vendors.

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/.