Pics from the Ren Fair

I missed the fair last year, but it seemed to me that there are a lot -- a lot -- more belly dance-type costumes roaming around this year. And there were new troupes (but many familiar faces) dancing at the Trader's Market stage.

The musicians of Baba Ku (including Gorkem Somer, far right, and Ed Lee beside him)

Baba Ku dancers and musicians

Baba Ku dancers and musicians

Baba Ku dancers and musicians

Bey Abi dancers and musicians (Yes, that's Sooz dancing far left)

Bey Abi dancers and musicians

Bey Abi dancers and musicians

Hanging out with Long Beach-based dancer Katerina

My baby belly dancer's first faire! (Yes, we're pretty proud parents...)

Pics from Sunday's World March for Peace and Non-violence at Merry's

Sarah al Nour organized United We Shimmy, a great belly dance showcase and fundraiser to support the World March for Peace and Non-violence cause, on Sunday at Merry's in Long Beach. I love going to the events at Merry's (very stroller friendly!) and they just get better and better.

In addition to the silent auction and raffle, there was an amazing lineup of dancers and musicians who donated their time and energy to the cause.

Here's a peek at some of them:

Merry welcomes the crowd

Sarah al Nour says hello

The awesome musicians, from left: Craig, Austin Cameron,

Donavon Lerman, Ed Lee, Marc Cornelius

Camille started off the dancing

Mandala Dance Works' first tribal fusion number

Mandala Dance Works' second tribal fusion number

IrinaXara performed an exciting gypsy number

Sooz (who was an excellent mistress of ceremonies

throughout the event) performed with her amazing

ATS troupe, Azuluna

Edenia proved once again she is the pop and lock queen


The awesome Katerina dancing to live music





The Om Sisters join Katerina (or Katerina joins the Om Sisters)
for some tribal improv

JJ and the Habibis raq it out

Rene performed a beautiful Egyptian number

The Om Sisters did themselves up hippy style to close the event

with a tribal fusion piece set to a 1960s medley.

Yes, they are just that awesome.

There were more wonderful dancers, but I didn't get a chance to snap their picture cuz I was starting my Christmas shopping early, buying raffle tickets, getting a henna tattoo (see below) and just generally socializing while trying to keep a sleepy baby quiet.

For more (and better!) pics, though, you should check out what Richard Lowe has over here.

Recap of Friday's belly dance showcase and booksigning

Friday was one of the hottest (and most humid!) days of the year here in Orange County, but the Cameron clan had a very cool time at the booksigning and belly dance showcase that Laguna Beach Books hosted for us.

The event took place on The Old Pottery Place's brick terrace overlooking Coast Highway and the beautiful Pacific Ocean, with the lovely Danielle Bauter starting things off. After her introduction, I gave a short reading of THE BELLY DANCER and then the real fun began with live Middle Eastern drumming and lots and lots of belly dancing.

I was thrilled that so many friends came out for the event, especially Diane and Mara (who also danced!) who took great care of my little belly dancer while I manned the microphone and signed books, and my multi-tasking husband managed the sound system and drummed.

Here's a peek at the evening:

The darling Taide was our first dancer for the evening

Irma Garcia followed with a great tribal fusion pieceThen it was IrinaXara, who adds a touch of Gothic flair to her tribal fusion performanceAnd then the always spectacular Sooz and troupe Azuluna, with special guest Soy, performed traditional American Tribal Style as the sun started to set Sherrie followed with a sassy tribal fusion solo

Then Mara dazzled the crowd with her awesome Egyptian cabaret style

And Shanna, who came all the way from L.A., followed with another awesome Egyptian cabaret number

And Ninyshenka wowed us with her graceful dancing Next up was Tivka, who danced to a lively Middle Eastern number

And then JJ & the Habibis, a local Laguna Beach favorite, ended the night with a big troupe number

Photos from THE BELLY DANCER Book Release Party & Benefit

Is there any other way to celebrate a book about belly dancing than with a night filled with belly dancing and belly dancers? I think not.

We had dancers, lots and lots of dancers, as well as drummers, belly dance costume models and even pirates! (Oh yeah, and some of them were even extras in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies).

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Merry's Fashion with Passion boutique in Long Beach for allowing us to take over her store (and her sidewalk, and her alley, and the street in front of her shop...) on Saturday night to throw this party for our friends, family and folks who wanted to get their own signed copy of THE BELLY DANCER.


We had a phenomenal turnout -- at least 200 people at one point packed the store and back patio, where the guys from Hana Lima Industries set up the most amazing Moroccan tent. The crowd was so thick, it spilled out onto the sidewalk and street. My husband says he watched as the traffic on Broadway had to maneuver around the crowd, and at one point a city bus slowed down to a crawl so the driver and passengers could get a good look at the dancing and drumming taking place on the sidewalk.

We sold out of the books that Laguna Beach Books so kindly provided!

The event was such a wonderful success because of all the help and support from so many people.

The dancers: Katerina, Sarah al Nour, Enala, Sooz & her troupe Azuluna & the Om Sisters!

The musicians: Ed Lee, Donavon, Austin Cameron, Marc, and their friends


Andrea Farese of Stellar Advantage for providing the belly dance costumes for the fashion show.


Rachel from O.C. Bellydance Connection for taking great photos!

And of course, my parents, who kept my 9-week-old daughter fed, dry and entertained during the madness, and my dear friends Alane & Diane, who were the first to arrive and the last to leave, and stepped in to help me fix all the little problems that popped up throughout the night.


Honestly, I can't thank everyone enough. You're the best :-)

(Photos courtesy of Rachel of OC Bellydance Connection)

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.

Sunday trip to Merry's and Shimmy Showcase

We headed down to Long Beach on Sunday afternoon to share in Merry's celebration of the New York Times bestseller THREE CUPS OF TEA, about author Greg Mortenson's efforts to build schools and reduce poverty in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Shop owners Merry and Dallas hosted the three-hour party, which featured tribal belly dancing by the Om Sisters and male dancer Marked Khalil, along with dancing and live music by tribal troupe Oojahm. In addition to enjoying the live entertainment, guests were treated to belly dance lessons, nibbled on gingerbread camel cookies, sipped champagne, and made donations to Pennies for Peace, Mortenson's humanitarian foundation.

This was such a great event, and I can't wait until July 25, when Merry and I will be celebrating the release of my debut novel, THE BELLY DANCER, with another big belly dance party at her shop. I'll have more details on that very soon! (Here you can see Merry with me and my ever growing pregnant belly! And if it looks like I'm holding onto that new purse for dear life, it's because I was not going to set it down for one second -- even to take a picture -- because I didn't want anyone else to snatch it up. It's my new favorite thing...)

The THREE CUPS OF TEA celebration will continue at Merry's at 6 p.m. March 11, when Jamshed Rasul will speak on art and culture in Pakistan, and a silent auction will raise more proceeds for Pennies for Peace. If you're in the area, stop in and check it out!

And of course, since we were in the area, we stopped in at the Coffee Haven to see the Shimmy Showcase. My very good friend Katerina was dancing in true ATS fashion with Sooz and Alexiis, along with four of their students, to live music performed by the Ansuz ensemble, led by Fernan Cobian. The dancing was awesome and the live music was concert quality. It was such a terrific way to end an already terrific day.

Registration underway for Tribal SDstyle festival workshops

Sooz, one of our favorite tribal teachers in Orange County, will be teaming up with Rachael to teach a workshop on duets for ATS at this year's Tribal SDStyle festival, and you don't even need to bring your own partner. Dancers will be paired on the spot.

Other workshop leaders will be Laura Rogan, Steven Eggers, Ayse Cerami, Politti Ashcraft, Olu, Kirti Sristava, Sabrina, and many more.

Tribal SDstyle's daytime performances and marketplace will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 8-9 at the Coronada School of the Arts in Coronado, a few minutes outside downtown San Diego. Find out more here. An evening show with performances by the instructors will begin at 8 p.m. Nov. 8 at The CoSA Theater. For more information, visit the Web site at http://tribalsdstyle.com/festival/2008.