Over the weekend, Mag and I attended a showcase of local belly-dancers by Alhambra and main reason why we went was to see the Belly Twins - Neena and Veena, who were guests performers for the night. It is just unfortunate that I am so rusty in Belly Dancing (and I mean really super rusty) that I wasn't ready to sign up for their workshop cuz that would have been really cool to go for that. Am hoping that they will come back sometime in the future, and by then would be ready (as in be able to say that am at beginner's level confidently) to attend such workshops cuz the twins seem to be really fun gals to learn from.
There was alot of waiting before the show and the organisers tried to entertain us by having a singer who sang live, with a drummer and another one playing on the keyboard. There was also a bazaar that had like 10 tables of people selling hips scarves, jewellery, carpets etc. We went round them tables like many times cuz we were there at 7pm and expecting to shop but it was rather disappointing cuz the clothes were either very 'makcik' like or things that we didn't want to lug home like carpets. The shawls were nice and the hip scarves were also okay. To kill time, we finally did henna painting but we didn't anything too elaborate. There was a male and female henna artists there. Mag and I got mall ones done. Now guess which work is done by the male artist, and which one by the female :o)
Above: Mag's 'bracelet' henna - very feminine and costs her $1!If you look at the picture, it's still with the henna on and mine (below) has dried up some so you can see how it's all cracked and came off soon. The colour wasn't so strong initially but when we got up the next day, it was nice henna colour!
Above: I asked for one FEMININE symbol and I got a modern looking design :o)
We sat through the performances by the dancers fromthe school. They had some nice outfits that the dancers wore and ..... well that's it. Honestly, the hightlight was the Belly Twins and I WISHED they just focus on the twins performing cuz it was so cool. Loved the way they were not static when they were dancing like some other performers that we saw that nite, the twins had variety where they danced with cymbals, and another time with not one but two swords. And it was my first time seeing dancers (i.e. live performance) using swords (and the twins even went for the double swords) and it was like sooo coool!!!
They also layered their moves when they were dancing. What I mean is that there was one point where one of the twins would be standing and the other was infront of her but she was on the floor shimmying away. And they interacted with the audience. When one twin was down on the floor, the other was still dancing on stage so even if from your seats you can't see both twins, you can still watch one on stage. That's the difference between the professsionals and wanna-be. The former knows what they are doing *grins*
But what spoilt the nite for me (for a short period of time) was the encounter I had with a VERY-IMPORTANT-SHE-PERSON-FROM-THE-SCHOOL (to be referred to as the IMPORTANT-SHE-PERSON from now on). Let me elaborate. The emcee made an announcement that no videotaping of the belly twins performance and that we were to respect their wishes. Hey, am totally cool with respecting people's wishes. I had my camera with me and I had the choice of using the camera part orthe video cam to take short clips. And respecting the wishes of the twins, I used the camera mode. Now, those of you who have used digi cams would understand that when you are taking pictures indoors in a dimly lit room, it would take a long time for the camera to take picture and you have to stay in that position for a wee bit longer. The technical bit I am clueless about (with all them shutter speed and more light etc) but I know it's something I need to do. While trying desperately to take pictures of moving dancers, mind you, not one but TWO dancers on stage, a voice from behind and it was the IMPORTANT-SHE-PERSON. Here's what happened:
IMPORTANT-SHE-PERSON: Please do not take video.
ME: Am not taking video. This is a camera (and points to my Canon camera).
IMPORTANT-SHE-PERSON: That's a video (points to mycamera).
Hmm, the gadget that she pointed to is definitely not a 'video', it could look like a videocam to some people (to maybe a small group of people who have never used a digital camera before) but let me assure you, it's a little digicam.
ME: But I am NOT taking any video. This is a CAMERA. Pictures can ya. Video cannot? (about to show her the pictures I took).
IMPORTANT-SHE-PERSON: Yes, so please respect their (i.e. Belly Twins) wishes and stop taking video. They don't want people to You Tube them. (She walks away leaving me stunned and totally frustrated).
Now, if I didn't have a new camera that I just purchased recently, I would have loved to slam the camera to her face. Yes, my impatience and tolerance level has gone down recently these years (and am not proud of it). What frustrates me the most:
1. People who accuse me of something that I didn't do.
2. People who THINK they know what they are talking about but obviously don't.
Such people just end up looking VERY STUPID and I end up feeling very pissed!
So wise people out there, I will let you be the judge and you decide if what I am going to show you are PICTURES or VIDEO CLIPS of the Belly Twins:
Below: Veena and Neena looking gorgeous on stage as they danced.
We were getting a good deal, two great performers on stage! And they were enjoying themselves as they danced and we enjoyed ourselves watching them dance!
Above: Neena and Veena taking turns to show us what they could do.
Then, out came the swords. One sword for one twin and it was awesome how they were at ease dancing with the swords.
Above: Am wondering if having certain assets will help do this?
Above: Some ways to position the swords
One sword each wasn't enough, and out came two more swords with each twin handling two swords. One of the twins had a little difficulty balancing two swords but hey, we all have our good and bad moments, and the crowd still cheered on cuz we knew it was tough managing one, what more two!!
Above: Balancing and dancing with two swords wasn't easy and the girls did a great job!
And if there are any people from the Belly Twins team out there checking, let me assure you that I have not taking any video clips that I can upload onto YOUTUBE. I love watching performances on YOUTUBE but am sure the twins have their own reasons for not wanting that, and I can totally respect their wishes. And have only gone home with pictures (and rather blurred ones too if I might add thanks to the quick shots I had to do and no flash allowed) of them dancing.
Over the weekend, Mag and I attended a showcase of local belly-dancers by Alhambra and main reason why we went was to see the Belly Twins - Neena and Veena, who were guests performers for the night. It is just unfortunate that I am so rusty in Belly Dancing (and I mean really super rusty) that I wasn't ready to sign up for their workshop cuz that would have been really cool to go for that. Am hoping that they will come back sometime in the future, and by then would be ready (as in be able to say that am at beginner's level confidently) to attend such workshops cuz the twins seem to be really fun gals to learn from.
Above: Mag's 'bracelet' henna - very feminine and costs her $1!
Above: Am wondering if having certain assets will help do this?
Above: Some ways to position the swords
5 Comments:
I am happy to hear you enjoyed the twins' performance and I enjoyed reading your review here.
I have other names to call the important she-person from Alhambra. She is an ignoramus about many things. I have had my run-ins with her too. Don't let her spoil your enjoyment of bellydance.
Nice review although you clearly do not understand much about dance, but I think you were quite ignorant and selfish in that camera issue: in most of the venues it is said )or should be said)"videography and recording of any form including mobile phones and cameras are strictly prohibited" - as almost all digicams include recording function it is just good that someone tried to stop you - hope she does it again!
Thanks ladies for both your comments. Appreciate you both taking the time to write the comments and yes I enjoyed watching the twins' performance :o)
Maybe if the emcee had been clearer and said 'videography and recording of any form including mobile phones and cameras are strictly prohibited', that would make perfect sense and my camera would have stayed happily in my bag. And since I did ask if was okay to take pictures, and I was actually told it's okay by the important-she-person, lil old me (together with many others who used their flash despite being told not too, and am proud to say that I made sure my flash was switched off) went snapping away. If I were the organising committee, I would take it as feedback that their instructions were not clear and should be more specific. Hmmm, maybe they can try saying 'If got camera, keep inside bag. Don't take out k. Don't take picture, don't take video. Don't take anything. People don't like so must respect' *laughs*. That way, many more of us might just understand.
As for me not understand much about the dance. That's true. I don't have a piece of paper that says I am a qualified person to comment about the dance. I have not had the priviledge of being tutored by the masters (taking part in workshops don't count to me). I simply enjoy watching belly dancers dance. Thus, no claims made by moi that am a pro in the subject. Merely sharing what I thought. That's all :o)
On principle, photography or videography are everyone's right just as everyone has a right to express their opinion. I see no reason why such a practice would be forbidden when it clearly does not interfere with the performance. Maybe the anonymous commenter is afraid that photography can steal a person's soul (like some African tribes believe - and I am not implying anything about the ethnicity of the anonymous commenter)? I suspect that the actual reason is different but I doubt that it is any less irrational and ludicrous.
[start of rant]
As for the comment about pieces of paper (by Liz) to certify something about a person... well I have met too many so called certified people who clearly did not deserve that piece of paper. In fact, they were giving a bad name to the issuing authority of that certificate by their display of (lack of) skill or knowledge. Point being, that just because someone has no certificate you cannot say that they are not qualified to have an opinion on something. And should they have an opinion it cannot be discounted off hand as worthless. Enough of the so called qualified people have opinions that are worth little more than the piece of paper that their certificate is printed on. Yet somehow they stand behind their certificate and claim authority. I do acknowledge that it is unfortunate that those who have worked for their certification and genuinely deserve it now have that distinction diluted. But, so is it unfortunate that all those "bad people" cast a shadow of suspicion on the rest of us making our lives more difficult.
Each of us has intrinsic intelligence and there is no need to certify that. It is a God given gift. Granted some have been blessed more than others. I just find it ludicrous that you have to certify that someone has a brain.
I wish that we put less emphasis on what others say about us (via certificates, etc) and more on who we are. I can wish, no ...
[end of rant]
That would be my $0.02 worth.
Great pictures of the twins. I was there too but somehow my camera skills not as good as yours. Ended up taking their back views most times. Heehee! :p
Now about Important-she-person: I was her pupil previously. Just one encounter and you can already be pissed off with her. Imagine what I had to go through. sinlady is right, don't let her spoil your enjoyment of bellydance. Important-she-person almost did it to me.
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