Tribe.net. Local Connections Emma http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#3f7d70c0-e656-40f7-8abd-105a9548fa38 2009-06-18T16:24:42Z 2009-06-18T16:24:42Z

yeah I agree Lecky, I know i am being selfish suggesting Bham as it's the nearest big city to where i live, but i don't mind travelling, but feel theres a lot that goes on in London in the BD world, and so would be nice to move it around, for all dancers dotted around the UK! I'm sure last year when i attended Raqs B they already had flyers with the dates for the next year, but I haven't heard anything for 2010 so maybe an alternative venue is being considered? Love the Winter gardens as a venue inside, but it does need some work. I don't know if I'd go again next year as I've been the last 3 years and think it needs somewhere fresh to keep it appealling. I might try some of the other festivals, dance events in the UK!

Emma 2009-06-18T16:24:42Z Alexis http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#b0d44868-4c27-439d-8ec8-e8df120767ae 2009-06-16T17:12:05Z 2009-06-16T17:12:05Z

then it wouldn't be Raqs Britannia would it ;)

Alexis 2009-06-16T17:12:05Z Alexis http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#232c87ac-ad5d-426d-9f53-40d5abb1908c 2009-06-16T17:09:58Z 2009-06-16T17:09:58Z

I have to say, I LOVE Brighton during the day - it's a fantastic place that has this amazing atmosphere, but at night it was just as bad as Blackpool for drunken revellers. Not being one to go out and get drunk every weekend (or at all, as I rarely drink!), it always frightens me when people are falling around drunk not knowing what they're doing and shouting and being aggressive, so maybe i'm a little over-sensitive to it. London is great and at Tribalondon I found that the night time crowds are fine. I can honestly say, without being biased, I always feel safe in Birmingham at night - Broad Street is not a very nice place at a weekend I will admit, but the drunks tend to concentrate there and unless RB was held at the ICC you wouldn't even see any drunks. If it were to transfer to Brum then the NEC would probably be most likely, which is in a relatively peaceful location right by the airport and B'ham International train station with loads of hotels around - hence the great transport links statement. I'm not necessarily saying that I wouldn't go back to RB if it was in Blackpool again, nor am I saying it should be moved to Birmingham - but i'm sure an equally suitable venue could be found somewhere in the UK in a nicer location, with more to do outside of the event itself. And hell, if Mardi Love was there I wouldn't care where it was!! ;)

Alexis 2009-06-16T17:09:58Z The Gaslight Troubadours http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#dc06f339-7018-4d29-a872-9073948a92cf 2009-06-16T13:20:44Z 2009-06-16T13:20:44Z

I fear that Birmingham would be just as, if not more, intimidating a location. I've DJd at a few club nights there until the early hours and couldn't wait to get back to the hotel, so for me personally I don't think that would be a great solution. Brighton might be OK, but it depends on the venue and cost of hiring I'd imagine. There are also some great locations on the South West coast, with probably a less pissed bunch of revelers to deal with when you get outside, but then again you'd probably get the potential of aggro wherever you go, sadly. I liked the Winter Gardens as a venue. I feel I've done Blackpool, so wouldn't mind at all if it wasn't there, but could cope if it was and I was asked back to DJ again. I like the idea of the location moving around, but really I suspect the $1000 question is, what location would attract the most belly dancers? I suspect somewhere near London, but I could be wrong because I don't know the belly dance demographic in the UK.

The Gaslight Troubadours 2009-06-16T13:20:44Z Hilde http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#5d41f9e1-b4cb-4422-b97a-0eff040bc939 2009-06-16T11:21:06Z 2009-06-16T11:21:06Z

WAW adrian, great feedback as always!! I AM especially impressed with your suggestion to bring Raqs Britannia to BRIGHTON next year, hahaha, YES TO THAT TOTALLY!

Hilde 2009-06-16T11:21:06Z jesse http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#b211cbd1-34a3-4ccb-837a-9cc7df29097b 2009-06-13T20:06:41Z 2009-06-13T20:06:41Z

Thanks Adrian!! We work very very hard to ensure the event goes as smoothly as it can. I know I enjoyed myself and thought that it was an excellent event. :) Glad you all enjoyed yourselves :) :)

jesse 2009-06-13T20:06:41Z Alexis http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#758cae76-ddfd-4ab5-ad4d-7f9b901e025e 2009-06-13T18:27:09Z 2009-06-13T18:27:09Z

Hi Adrian, thanks for the suggestions but he has actually done all those things on previous occasions in Blackpool (and felt they were overpriced, which these things usually are), except for getting the tram elsewhere, which he will probably appreciate the tip for! Have to agree that, despite all our moans (!) Raqs was brilliantly organised this year. A shame that I was announced on the open stage as Alex (which I hate, instead of Alexis) dancing to Dope Crunch (instead of Crunk) but hopefully that will not happen again!!! I thought of another improvement for next year, in keeping with Adrian's RB theme - workshops with Zoe and Mardi - I am itching to take workshops with them! I'd go to all of theirs to soak them up!

Alexis 2009-06-13T18:27:09Z Adrian http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#8729e028-a4f5-43d5-8f99-f5a6babce583 2009-06-13T16:29:12Z 2009-06-13T16:29:12Z

I didn't take any workshops but I've been to all the RBs, so here are some opinions: It seemed very well-organised, so credit to Rosie, Jesse, Barbara, etc, for pulling it off again and for being so helpful. Like most people, I also found the Friday night show disappointing, although an evening featuring the non-BDSS teachers must have sounded promising. I won't say who I'm thinking of, but one performance in the first half left me bewildered by what I was seeing! To be fair, though, the highlights were very good and it was worth attending just to see the sheer class of Mira Betz, who I must admit I previously had no knowledge of. As for the buffets, I thought Friday's was dull, but Saturday's enjoyable. But £12 isn't cheap so I felt that the Winter Gardens caterers could be less mean; I know that someone who initially had very little on her plate on Saturday (partly for dietary reasons) had difficulty persuading the staff to even let her have a bit more salad, on returning to the table! The Saturday show, albeit not quite the full European premiere that had been announced, impressed me, although I'll wait until the tour later this year before deciding how 'The Art of Bellydance' compares to other productions. I agree that PJ's six veil dance was fantastic, with some new touches as well as yet more viels. Great colour combinations too. I thought Sonia gave her drum solo something of a new look and although I was surprised to see Kami in the drum solo slot normally occupied by Jillina or Bozenka, but she did a great job. I always like the 'bellynesian' piece so I wonder if there' one in the full show? I saw Sharon by the merchandise stall the following day and told her that I felt her solo "went beyond anything I'd previously witnessed with regard to combining dance with nerve-shredding discord", which was a compliment that she liked! I thought the young guests from Lancashire and Greece did really well; they who were more prominent than I expected, and blended in very well with the others. Regarding the post-show entertainment on the two nights, it was good to hear some Beats Antique songs on both nights. I preferred the Oojami appearance two years ago because I think you can't beat a complete live band and he/they mostly used pre-recorded backing this time, but that didn't prevent his set from going down very well. I must also give credit to the dancers who confidently (or bravely) performed on the open stage, as the standard was consistently good and several would have been worthy of a slot in a Friday night show. The junior contest entrants, who were nearly all in the 15-18 age range, were also impressive and I expect that even some of the girls outside the top three will have a career in dance ahead of them. One 'unsung' person who deserves praise is Eve Morris who is reponsible for the beautiful illustrations that appear on the passes each year. I thought her design this year was perhaps the best yet. Although the Winter Garden is excellent in terms of offering the rooms needed, I share some of the concerns about Blackpool. Clearly the anti-social drunks on the street are still a problem, although if you stay at (eg) the Ruskin or Feathers hotels, you basically walk down one street and it takes less than 5 minutes to get back. There might also be something to be said for moving it to different places although I realise that the organisers feel that hardly anywhere can offer both the facilities and plenty of accomodation. Birmingham sounds fine to me, but are there plenty of rooms available for a reasonable price? I thought maybe Brighton could have potential, and would be good for those of us who have had to make a long journey from the south. There seemed to be less people attending this year, albeit with a higher Opera House attendance for BDSS, so even increasing local support seems unlikely to enable the event to maintain earlier levels of support. To attract more people again to Blackpool, it would probably take the return of Rachel Brice and a Friday night performance by Le Serpent Rouge! Lecky (or anyone taking a partner who woud welcome something else to do): why doesn't your boyfriend leave the WG for a while and (eg) visit the Tower/zoo/waxworks/art gallery/Pleasure Beach (for rollercoasters, etc), or take a tram north to Fleetwood, or a tram & bus south to Lytham and St Anne's. Blackpool, for all its faults, is a popular holiday destination and has enough attractions to amuse practically anyone for at least a weekend!

Adrian 2009-06-13T16:29:12Z Sherinna http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#9742e78c-6ae6-4201-8d60-ad9502748a6b 2009-06-13T13:40:56Z 2009-06-13T13:40:56Z

Missed Raqs B this year, thanks for telling me about this thread Emma! Sounds like I missed some good workshops. I'd love it to be in Birmingham as well. Still remember the maggot falling from the ceiling during one of Sonia's workships last year in Blackpool-grossed me out. Birmingham is not easier to get to for me but it is nicer. One thing though....when you're told somewhere is 5 mins walk from the railway station..count on taking half an hour! Think my legs are shorter than Brummies legs or something!! Nice thread!! Sherinna

Sherinna 2009-06-13T13:40:56Z Afsana http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#fe8e3881-8d6a-4814-a756-989ec8f6cd2a 2009-06-12T21:17:25Z 2009-06-12T21:17:25Z

Birmingham? , tss, don´t be selfish. Do it somewhere on the continent :-D

Afsana 2009-06-12T21:17:25Z Zee http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#f672bdc3-9fd5-4839-ae49-53e2ec002419 2009-06-12T21:14:21Z 2009-06-12T21:14:21Z

Well rumour has it if there is a move next year it will be London, easier to get to maybe but the constant tube problems and strikes and the cost of good accommodation may be a neagative. My first Raqs B and great to meet up with online friends though I missed seeing a few. Note for Miles maybe a friend meeting point? 6 workshops and was chuffed how well I kept up after only 9 months of dancing. I agree with you Melanie was nice to see Ansuya do the combo from the Indian section of Fusion Fun in the show. Thanks to Bozenka my locking shoulder problem in snakey arms is fixed and I can do more than 3 things with my arms lol. The dear Moria stopped me from feeling so short and got me a complement from my teacher in class when we did shimmies as I used my glutes (also awaiting delivery of the Anatomy DVD) she recommended. Dear Ansuya helped consolodated the bollywood workshop I took with Yvette Cowles earlier this year and got strange looks when I was showing part of the Spaish/Gypsy combo to a friend in front of the Loos at work. Sabah helped to extend my lines no end and got me to project which is great as I have my first group perfornance coming up in 2 weeks. Ms Liddle got me to switch off my brain and just dance and to dance through the pain in my feet after taking 3 workshops back to back. Aaah and then the perfect end as The Devine Miss K taught me to kiss my own ass, even if despite the size of it I didnt quite get there. But I was pleasantly surprised that I rememberd the names of yoga poses from classes taken over 8 years ago. And the hug and peck on the cheek didnt go a miss either. Agree on the Friday show and food. Saturday well it was my first show so I wasnt seeing repeats. Sharon was my highlight such precise yet fluid moves and so jealous of her awesome tattoos lol

Zee 2009-06-12T21:14:21Z Emma http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#efb71f2f-f2f7-4612-8649-8cc490fcf4bf 2009-06-10T14:02:44Z 2009-06-10T14:02:44Z

wow 8 workshops, that would leave me exhausted too! i find it isn't jsut physically tiring from the dancing, but more a brain overload from so much good info, tips, choreography, combos etc. let's start a petition to bring it to Birmingham!! : ) the Winter grdens is a stunning place in some ways, but it has been neglected & needs some TLC. but it is the streets of Blackpool that are the worst thing!

Emma 2009-06-10T14:02:44Z Melanie http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#fbf1771c-8147-47b2-afdc-e9f28dfa8208 2009-06-09T22:33:39Z 2009-06-09T22:33:39Z

My first Raqs Britannia and I had a great and exhausting time, thanks to my friend Ali who persuaded me to go and drove us up there and back. I took 8 workshops and got so much from them. I agree that the Friday night performance was a bit of a curate's egg, but I think on balance there were fewer pieces which left me thinking 'what was that?' and more that held my attention (like Khaled's shimmies!). Seeing Mira Betz and Amel Tafsout dance made me glad that I had booked their workshops. I got a bit of a thrill doing Ansuya's Fusion Fun workshop, and then seeing her performing the same combinations on the Saturday night. Sharon Kihara's solo and her personal attention on my sacrum! Mira Betz woke me up to mindful dancing, locating muscles and developing good habits. Amel Tafsout's Andalucian was such fun, with an intro to veil fans as a bonus. I also enjoyed Susie White's Ghawazee workshop, although by then I was completely knackered. Petite Jamilla's veils, she just seemed to fix the crown of her head at a point in space and turn around it! Amazing! (I thought the Tanoura were surplus to requirements, and thought they were better in Babelesque, possibly because they were on a bigger stage when I saw it.) And nice friendly chatty belly dance people all over the place. And I had a really comfy bed at our hotel, pity I wasn't in it for longer ... I think perhaps when everyone in the audience gets the 7-8 clapping right, Issam might decide it's time to stop, having finally educated us all! (Mind you, it gets me too when people are still clapping in the wrong place after half a dozen tries!) I was under-impressed by the buffets, although I was so hungry by then, it didn't matter too much. Next time I'll book fewer workshops so that I have time to watch the open stage/auditions/competition and go round the souk. It was a good job I didn't have much time for the souk, as I'll need my money to replace my poor old car, which I wrote off by skidding into a hedgebank and rolling, on my way to Ali's house on Friday morning. (Thanks Philippa for your concern). All in all, quite an eventful weekend!

Melanie 2009-06-09T22:33:39Z Alexis http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#accdef82-6653-44af-a44a-01bdc81cd4b3 2009-06-09T21:21:07Z 2009-06-09T21:21:07Z

Haha, I agree with Birmingham, though I'm also biased cuz I live in Wolverhampton! However everything you say is true - it is central, has great transport links not just for UK but for the whole world, and if they were to have it somewhere like NEC you wouldn't have to deal with drunken stags and hens cuz it's not in the city centre, just a short bus or train journey away (so the other halves could go shopping/do whatever else in the city!). But like you say, anywhere is fine! You do get the drunks in almost every town an city in the UK, so it's pretty hard to avoid it, they just seem to have a larger concentration in Blackpool! As I said, it wouldn't be so bad if there was something for my boyfriend to DO during the day!!

Alexis 2009-06-09T21:21:07Z Emma http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#f0173bf7-55bd-4d1a-9465-b7ceb8af8c5a 2009-06-09T20:28:51Z 2009-06-09T20:28:51Z

i love to hear your opinions, i think it proves that there's something for every ones taste! and feel free to say the high's & the lows ! The low for me was fri night show I'm afraid, and also, it may seem a small thing, but me and my friend both booked the sat night show tickets at exactly the same time - we were on the phone to each other & pressed 'click' at the same time! But she was in row B & I was in row L! so I don't know how they allocate the seats but I didn't think that was very fair. I would have done more workshops but as mentioned, I also had my other half with me, and don't want to leave him for too long, so maybe something for men/non-dancers is a good idea - don't know what though! Not a fan of Blackpool, i dont feel comfortable or safe walking home, and this may be unfair as I lvie close by, but i think Birmingham would be an ideal location! Central, good transport links, loads of places to stay, you've got the NEC, NIA, etc. Please move around venues even if it's not in the Midlands! But for me the good bits still out weigh the not so good, and I love the selection of stalls at the Souk, the variety of workshops on offer, and that it is all under one roof. And the general friendliness and buzz of belly dancers getting together to share their passion!

Emma 2009-06-09T20:28:51Z Iga http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#ea147eab-724b-49d8-b3cb-e6cdc0044829 2009-06-09T19:21:39Z 2009-06-09T19:21:39Z

Ohh my first Raqs Britannia :)! I took 5 workshops and learnt so much new stuff! I had my first workshop with Mira ever, and I was soo amazed by her! Such a wonderful personality. And I loved the show. Although Im more of a tribal girl, I loved Petite Jamila spinning solo, especially because I loved the song she was dancing to for a long time and it just moved me how beautiful it goes with veil and spinning. And Sharon's performance was so... Sharon? Beautiful and strong... so much of her personality showing through. And loved the suprise Sam's performance later that evening. I enjoyed my first solo performance on the open stage. And the junior contest. I think I didnt do too bad considering ive been only dancing from 9 months. And it was really amazing to get feedback from all the dancers and Miles. However Id prefer for the next Raqs Britannia not to be in Blackpool... it was really hard for me to get there and the city is really not enjoyable...

Iga 2009-06-09T19:21:39Z Stef http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#08bd648b-bf11-477e-8275-920267b65431 2009-06-09T19:11:05Z 2009-06-09T19:11:05Z

I took workshops with Sam, Mira and Kami who were all fantastically funny and great teachers - and got a hell of a lot out of them and felt so inspired to eek out my own flavour of dance even more. Until next year im going to seek out as many different teachers as I can! It was great to see wee Tigerlily performing a stonking solo in the Junior Comp and also the duet with Sophie to Boogie Wonderland :P The BDSS show in Saturday just blew me away, especially Sharon's solo (which made my eyes fill up!) and the Bhangra-bollywood tribal fusion mix! The costumes have me so inspired, i dont think there was any part i didn't enjoy. Can't wait till next year, hopefully by then i'll be on the open stage too.

Stef 2009-06-09T19:11:05Z Alexis http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#2d7a898b-b927-459f-bc85-3de07aa63bee 2009-06-09T12:25:16Z 2009-06-09T12:25:16Z

I'm not a huge fan of Ansuya's performance style either, but the workshop I did with her was excellent and you can't deny that her personality fills the stage. As a teacher she was funny, inspiring and she is incredibly beautiful so I was in complete awe of her over the course of the weekend. I think Issam's counting thing is cute, especially if you've never seen the show before - what gets me is that by the final set before the dancer comes out, people are still clapping on 5, 6!! THAT makes me want to scream!! I liked Sharon's performance because I felt it reflected her personality - she's funny and silly and she loves heavy metal! I think it suited her down to the ground but I can understand how people in the audience might not 'get' it. If you'd said about the whirling dervishes on the stage when they did Babelesque last year, I would have agreed with you - there were four on the stage which completely detracted the attention away from her. The two in the background this time didn't bother me, but I loved the addition of the tribal girls and the extra two veils!! Never liked the Reggaeton, don't understand it and it pains me to see Bozenka doing it!! I saw a few dances that we've seen before and I did note Miles said that we would see BITS of the new show, which infuriated me as it was advertised as THE NEW SHOW! However, despite my whining (sorry girls!) I thought the show was great and I can't wait for them to be back next year (or again this year?!)!

Alexis 2009-06-09T12:25:16Z Liz http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#bb97ed4e-c1bb-404f-847d-82c6639c5833 2009-06-09T11:59:42Z 2009-06-09T11:59:42Z

Permission to winge..granted ....thanks darlink..OK...deep breath 1. The friday show was patchy but I think that's the nature of the beast and the teachers have to reflect what they are teaching which might mean there isn't the balance of performances but overall I enjoyed it 2.Saturday show: If I hear and see Issam's "act" again I shall screeeeaaam( I can count and hear a doum and a tek)..and that is not to detract from some nice drum solos from the girls The tribal image was great but I find I tire these days of the routines and Sharon's I just did not get! This is a matter of taste as some of you will love Ansuya...I do not "get her" at all...I am not a fan of clattering zills and super-fast dancing much as I may admire energy and beauty. Petite Jamilla fills a stage with spectacular veil work so why oh why the pitiful "Tannoura" ...yet again Shaabi....beledi...er no not convincng at all Reggaeton..the Yorkshire girls did it far better on friday night The costuming is beautiful, the show is mostly slick but the sparkle wsn't there most of the time..and we were promised a new show! Note: One does not need to SHOUT into a microphone

Liz 2009-06-09T11:59:42Z samantha http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#3eb4588d-2fa0-45e5-9f2e-cfe3e190cc0e 2009-06-09T10:13:52Z 2009-06-09T10:13:52Z

My highlights... Mira's workshops were excellent as always, I have been fortunate to take a few in the States but to have her on home turf was great this weekend. I also took a workshop with Amel , a woman I could listen to and watch all day, she has such a wealth of knowledge, we were lucky to have her. I couldnt fit as many workshops in as I would have liked in between teaching my own and doing tech rehearsal for the show. I missed Wendy Marlatt being in the friday night show a she is moving back to the US, but I loved seeing Amel, Michelle Pender and Mira up there...thats all I managed to see because of rehearsal. I thought the line up of teachers this year was one of the best yet, great variety, I even tried an Ansuya pop choreo workshop and felt like a right fish out of water, but its all good experience. The show was nerve wracking but seeing familiar faces in the front row made me feel better so I relaxed into the show and had a lot of fun indeed. It was a highlight to see Bozenkas solo in the second half, she moves me to tears every time I see her dance. I would like to thank the UK crew for all their hard work in making sure everyone has what they need, this year felt very smooth, goes to show all their hard work over the past few years is paying off. Shame they cant have control of the outside world too, but that's most town centres in the UK at the weekend man, I know even Exeter where I live is a scary place on a saturday night with the booze and fighting and insults. Long as no one gets hurt I can put up with a bit of verbal to enjoy all the workshops etc at the winter gardens. We were lucky to have Barbara back on merch for the weekend, we miss her alot now that she is busy in France. Hmm, what else...oh yeah, cream cakes. x

samantha 2009-06-09T10:13:52Z Alexis http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#31d1d02a-4b52-4b40-9cf4-9f78738e5761 2009-06-09T06:40:19Z 2009-06-09T06:40:19Z

then tell us! I for one would love to hear them! (I'm always up for a good moan! ;) )

Alexis 2009-06-09T06:40:19Z Liz http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#c7d8e638-c8bc-48c5-8764-7c29b75765ac 2009-06-08T23:51:18Z 2009-06-08T23:51:18Z

I thought we were just supposed to write about our best bits..oh I could go on about the others (GRIN)

Liz 2009-06-08T23:51:18Z Alexis http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#90edca0d-2b16-4fb8-92ac-86779a4f8aaa 2009-06-08T18:35:48Z 2009-06-08T18:35:48Z

Had a great weekend at Raqs B. I did 9 workshops so i'm feeling it a bit today but so glad that I did because I got s much out of it. My highlights in terms of workshops (and this is really difficult to choose!), as I did a mix of cabaret and tribal, for cabaret Ansuya & Bozenka's classes were fantastic, and for Tribal I cannot gush enough about how amazing Sharon's Advanced Drills class was - 15 people = lots of individual attention and she taught backbends and Turkish drops in a way that I finally understand how they work. After 3 years of trying to do a backbend I actually did one this weekend! What I took from her workshop was the inspiration to work my butt of a lot more on drills and strengthening, and I think that's better than any combo I could ever be taught (though I love combo's too!). It has to be said, without a doubt that Petite Jamilla stole the show - 6 VEILS!!! WOW! That piece was SO beautiful, I just sat there open mouthed, captivated. Great choice of music too. I also thought Sharon's solo was great, so much her personality! I personally was a bit disappointed by the ballet with Tribal - I think Sabah is such a strong dancer on her own and her ballet fusion is so powerful it just felt a bit overshadowed by having too much going on on the stage imho. I didn't like the opening dance either, but the rest of the show blew me away. Thought the addition of the 'normal' (can't think of a better word, sorry!) girls was a great idea too, especially as the stage looked so much less empty with an extra two! They did really well and should be really proud of themselves - what an achievement! I was also so disappointed with the Friday show but Mira Betz was just electrifying - I saw her in Brighton two weeks ago and she was amazing but she surpassed even that. She was probably worth the ticket price alone to be fair! I can't not complain about Blackpool - sorry locals! It was absolutely fine in the day (which took me by surprise because in previous years it was just as bad in the day as it was at night) but on the way back to our hotel on the Saturday evening at about 6pm (I had just come off the open stage so had inches of make up on!) I got leered and jeered at by loads of men and one group threw food at my boyfriend. The Winter Gardens is gorgeous - if only there was accommodation iside and then we'd never have to go into the outside world of drunken idiots. To improve next year, other than the obvious thing that most of us will come up with (ie: move it elsewhere!), I think it would be great if they put more entertainment on for the other halves who are dragged along each year. My bellydance widow boyfriend gets dragged everywhere for workshops and this weekend (as I had a total of 17 hours of workshops!) he was bored senseless! There's only so many times you can walk around the shops, look at the souk and watch the open stage! Probably my fault for leaving him so long, but it would be nice if there was something geared towards the non bellydancing men/women in our lives! Sorry for the long post, as you can see I have a lot to say!

Alexis 2009-06-08T18:35:48Z Liz http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#dce8a04e-7a68-4b0c-8f6a-679fbb4bb8f9 2009-06-08T11:06:41Z 2009-06-08T11:06:41Z

It's always good to meet up with dancers from here and there. Friday show Khaled,Amel and wow Mira Betz..she was stunning Saturday show. Opening and Closing routines with the 2 new girls (go Romy go!) doing so well. And I surprised myself by loving the ballet/fusion (Sabah?) a neat tight performance My workshop with Amel so informative, such fun Thanks to those of you who bought your Just Because T shirts. And welcome to the new NADA members. Note to Miles; Blackpool has never claimed to be beautiful! It's brash and honest..never beautiful. (GRIN) And to all detractors of the town. We went to 2 really good restaurants,plesant service all around ,managed to avoid all stags and hens, the Winter Gardens needs work and investment but is still a glorious old lady. And our B&B in Gay Village was immaculate and welcoming!

Liz 2009-06-08T11:06:41Z Emma http://bellydancesuperstars.tribe.net/thread/b4c2f609-e218-4e67-aa6a-efce7dc5b45e#fb78bdc5-9408-4bcf-afb2-44c46f608172 2009-06-07T21:31:53Z 2009-06-07T21:31:53Z

what a great weekend as always at Raqs B - the sun even shined a few times in Blackpool! This is my 3rd year there, and i just love the Souk, every year I spend more & more...the BEST place for costumes, hip scarves & props, all under one roof, love it! I have to say i was a bit disappointed in the fri night show, i thought the calibre and variety of dancers weren't as good as previous years, and i think it showed in the audience numbers as it seemed very quiet. I only took 2 workshops this year, as I went with my other half so didn't want to abandon him for too long! but I did a pop choreography with petite Jamila and a drum solo with Ansuya, both fantastic dancers, and teachers. The Sat night show was my best bit of the weekend, It was nice to see Ansuya back, but i think the star of the show was PJ with her 6 veils - fantastic! i hope she doens't mind me saying, during my workshop with her prior to the show she said she was nervous as she'd only performed it about 3x before, but she made it look effortless, and mesmerising! i also love Issam's interaction with the audience & his love for his drumming really shows through, and well done to the two who auditioned and only had 2-3 days to learn choreography, it was great! and a lovely idea from the BDSS to include some new talent in with their show. I enjoyed watching the junior BD competition earlier today and thought it was another great idea but some of the dances went on far too long & I lost interest. But such great talent in the UK! Overall, I always enjoy Raqs B - what did you all enjoy?

Emma 2009-06-07T21:31:53Z