Tribey Bloggy Goodness

I thought we were just going on a hike... (the engagement story)

KJEspelien — Sun, 10 May 2009 17:58:17 GMT

(Posted this on Facebook yesterday but I've been neglecting tribe so I figured I'd post it here too.) A few weeks ago while we were in San Jose for George and Rebecca's engagement party, I bought a pair of Merrell hiking shoes. Charlie and I had talked about going hiking the last couple weekends but, for whatever reason, it hadn't happened. We'd heard the weather was going to be beautiful today so we planned a hike. Normally we go to the trails on base so naturally I was suspicious *eyebrow raise* when Pismo Beach was mentioned. (Keep in mind, I knew the ring was in the house but not when the proposal was going to happen.) I kept my suspicions to myself as we loaded up the dog and headed north. After we tried a couple places (Jager found a doggie boyfriend at the second one!), we checked out the pier and then kicked off our shoes so we could walk on the beach. It was pretty crowded so Charlie casually mentioned that he wanted to walk over to the dunes. We stood there for a while and watched people flying their kites. I told him I loved him and he asked me if I was "sure." Of course, I said yes. He got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. Again, I said yes (who knew I was so agreeable?) and he took the ring out of his pocket and put it on my finger. =) Lots of happy hugs and smooches followed. We celebrated with clam chowder and fish & chips at Pismo Fish & Chips. :-) Charlie asked me to add that he took me to see Star Trek as part of our engagement celebration. I was previously unaware of Star Trek's significance in the courting ritual. Apparently I have much to learn. ;)

Skillz, I has dem!

KJEspelien — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:25:49 GMT

Just back from the Fat Chance General Skills Intensive in Seattle. All I can say is WOW! I hadn't danced in a few months and was worried I'd be left in the dust. Thankfully I held my own and didn't make a complete fool of myself (aside from nearly falling down the stairs after tripping on my pantaloons - oy). That being said, I definitely got back in touch with a few muscle groups that hadn't had enough attention - hello, mid-back! As for the GSI itself, Carolena and Megha were lovely and gracious as always. They make teaching look so effortless. They answered our endless questions and kept their senses of humor throughout. How do they do it?! I came away with pages and pages of notes which will hopefully make me a better dancer and teacher. Now all I need to do is start classes!! To everyone who was at the GSI this weekend, I had a fabulous time dancing and talking with you all! Hope to catch up with many of you at Cues & Tattoos! :)

Big changes...

KJEspelien — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 16:06:01 GMT

Some of you already know this (to others, it may be a complete surprise!) but I am leaving Colorado Springs to move to California. A really cute Air Force boy made me an offer I just couldn't refuse. :) We leave October 15th and will be living at Vandenberg AFB for the next year or two. After that, we may end up in scenic Minot, ND - try to control your jealousy. ;) Given his career field, we will be back in the Springs at some point. Sorry, folks, you can't get rid of me that easily! The Colorado bellydance community has been a huge part of my life since I took my first class in 2004. Thank you to everyone who made me feel at home as I found my way in this dance. As part of Mizmar Madness, Baharat Sharqi and the Denver Nuggets group, I've had the honor of performing with so many fantastic dancers. I consider myself extremely lucky to have had those experiences (yellow t-shirts and all). :) When I began dancing, I never considered that teaching would be a part of my path. I owe a huge thank you to Barb for encouraging me to try it. It has been amazing! A special thank you to my students for their patience, their enthusiasm and for teaching me far more than I ever could have hoped to teach them. :) My Wednesday night tribal classes will continue under the direction of Deb and Kristina from Mizmar Madness. Thanks, ladies!! You rock!! They have been familiar figures at the Studio and I know the students will welcome them to teaching with open arms (and lifted elbows, of course!). As for the Colorado Bellydance Yahoo group, I will remain a member but the moderator reins have been turned over to Amy (Amia Algier). She'll take great care of it! :) For those in the Springs, I'm planning to be at the Cedars show tomorrow night. Hope to see some of you there. Am scheming to find a way to attend the Topsy Turvy show on the 11th so I can say goodbye to the Denver peeps. No promises though as I may be overwhelmed with packing - the movers show up at my house on the 14th. Yikes! Huge thanks for the support many of you have already given as I embark on this big new adventure. It's a huge step and life feels a bit chaotic at the moment but I'm incredibly excited! For those in Cali, hope to see you at Tribal Fusion Faire in December!

Cues & Tattoos!!!

KJEspelien — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:21:54 GMT

ZOMG, we had an amazing time at C&T!!! Here's a quick wrap-up: Thursday: Flight to Seattle with Deb, Barb and I dressed like tribal rock stars. We got to the Hotel Nexus and chilled for a bit before Karen picked us up for dinnarz. We had nummy Ethiopian fudz at Habesha and dessert at Dilettante. Karen being the fab person she is brought us a whole bag of groceries - fruit, Airborne, croissants... Yum. Friday: Tourist Day! Deb had never been to Seattle so we did the Underground Tour and Pike Place Market. We got a hot tip for lunch from the boys at Utilikilt (nom nom Indian buffet) and scored awesome tribal jewelry at a bead shop in the Market. That evening was bowling goodness at The Garage. It was really fun to see everyone before the festival started. I loved the temporary tattoo Shay put on me. Definitely good touch. :) Saturday: Workshop goodness, let me show you it! We started off with inFusion's Tweakin' class. So much fun - lots of great moves (as we have come to expect!). After that was an ass-kicking by Unmata. We learned the Hula Hop and Raven's Jig. We danced in quartets and passed each other with the Hula Hop - many near collisions. We finished the day with Fat Chance's Improv for Large Stage. It was really fun to see Sandi, Marsha and Kristine dancing with Carolena. After the workshops, we scarfed some Chipotle and went back to the hotel for a little hot tub action. Then we headed back to the Community Center for the show - stopping for sushi at Blue Fin along the way. We perused the vendors - Deb and I ended up buying vests for our Nuggets pre-game show cabaret costumes. Go all the way to Seattle for a tribal workshop and buy cab costuming. Silly. The show was super fun (if a bit long). So many great performances but Unmata stole the show. They came out in full-on FC tribal gear - turbans, cholis, skirts, tassels. It was wild to see that. They did FC improv and the moving meditation. After the meditation, they took off the tribal costuming to reveal their regular costumes. I got some of it on video - will have to post it. After the show, Shay picked our sorry butts up in the parking lot (we were dragging) and took us to Macaroni Grill. We got to hang with the inFusionistas and some of the other dancers. A bag of squeaky toys appeared and we did a lovely rendition of beledi with them. Sunday: Sweet baby jeebus, we were TIRED! Barb decided to pass on the first workshop but Deb and I were troopers. I'm glad we went because we learned SO much from Read My Hips! They have a lot of great combos. Am hoping we can use them in MizMad. After that, we went to Gypsy Fire's workshop. They are really lovely and taught us some gorgeous new moves. After that, Deb and I had a break so we went back to the mall for Chipotle and a little MAC store action. Barb caught up with us when her back gave out in the Unmata workshop she was taking. After a bit of retail therapy, we went back for our last workshop - bhangra with inFusion. It was a ridiculous amount of fun and a great way to end the festival. Not sure where I found the energy but I bounced my way through the entire thing. It was probably my favorite workshop of the entire weekend. Once the workshop was over, all the adrenalin was GONE. We stopped by the sushi place on the way back to the hotel. Apparently that was only a warmup because we then broke out our leftovers from Habesha. Then we hit the hot tub. We had all the energy of wet noodles so we packed up our stuff and got ready for bed. Monday: Our flight left Seattle at 7:00 in the morning. The car came to pick us up at 4:30. Dear god, I don't want to see 4:30 unless I'm awake from the night before. :) Flights were good. Our caffeine consumption was off the charts. Today: Back at work. Preparing for a CRAZY week full of dancing goodness.

Call for Dancers - Rocky Mountain Tribal Soiree

KJEspelien — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 15:23:43 GMT

The Third Annual Rocky Mountain Tribal Soiree is seeking student and professional dancers of American Tribal Style (ATS) or Tribal Fusion belly dance to perform. The purpose of the event is to build community among dancers and provide an opportunity to showcase the talent among Tribal Style belly dancers in the Rocky Mountain region. Date: Saturday, May 3, 2008 Time: doors open 6:00 pm, show at 7:00 pm, live music and open dancing following performances Location: Avalon Ballroom ~ 6185 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder www.tribenawaar.com/soiree08.html If you are interested in performing, please email Kari Espelien at kari@karibellydance.com no later than February 22, 2008. Please note the following time limits for performances: solos and troupes of 2-4 members are limited to 3 minutes or less, larger troupes are limited to 5 minutes. Please pass this on to help us reach all the tribal dancers in the region! Thank you! Jennifer Secrist Goran & Kari Espelien Your 2008 Tribal Soiree Hostesses (Photo by Benjamin Buren of Alive Studios http://www.alivestudios.com/)

Shirts! We has them!

KJEspelien — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:49:25 GMT

((Big thanks to Julie of Copper Camel for her design assistance and to Dennis for organizing this effort!)) We are proud to offer the first-ever Mizmar Madness shirts for pre-order. We won't be stocking extras, so please order now if you want one! Look fab and be super-comfy in these soft cotton shirts made by American Apparel. For now we are only offering ladies styles: Boat neck, 3/4 sleeve: http://tribes.tribe.net/mizmarmadness/photos/f6dbbe64-1166-4a32-a704-dfc222be6d3b Cap sleeve: http://tribes.tribe.net/mizmarmadness/photos/b503cd9b-f8fd-4698-8b40-8f32eb5106fe Printing on back of both styles: http://tribes.tribe.net/mizmarmadness/photos/b1308142-8ab2-470e-b016-f884d7aaff41 Prices are $22 for the 3/4 sleeve and $20 for the cap sleeve. Please add $3 per shirt if you need them shipped. Otherwise, you can pick them up at my classes. The lovely and talented duo of Deb and Dennis will be handling the orders. Please keep them sane by remembering to include 1) the style you want, 2) the size you want and 3) your address if shipping is required. Payments accepted are cash, check made out to Mizmar Madness or Paypal to mizmarmadness @ yahoo. com (take out the spaces). Deadline for pre-orders is JANUARY 4th. Please let me know if you have any questions! ************************************** Added size chart: http://tribes.tribe.net/mizmarmadness/photos/28c3fb3f-7951-4e21-9de4-ed14cb65621f If you can't read that one, please go to AmericanApparel.net and click on Women's short sleeve or long sleeve shirts to see their chart.

Hedgehog show!

KJEspelien — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 21:50:41 GMT

Yep, it's that time again. The Rocky Mountain Hedgehog Show is this weekend in Denver. Details can be found on www.rockymountainhedgehogshow.com Stop by if you can! :-D

MizMad on Springs Culture Cast

KJEspelien — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 20:18:44 GMT

Here's the segment they filmed on Friday: http://springsculturecast.blogspot.com/ (episode 47) or http://www.brightcove.com/title.jsp?title=1127745619 (permalink to MizMad episode) They did a fabulous job! My only (teeny tiny) gripe is that the video doesn't match the audio on the jewelry section. May have to hand in my tribal bellydancer badge if people think I don't know the difference between Tuareg anklets and Afghani cuffs. ;-)

Can you say "workshop addiction"?

KJEspelien — Wed, 30 May 2007 16:16:10 GMT

There was a post on Zafira's tribe asking who people have studied with. I started going through my records and here is the list of workshops I have taken since I started bellydancing in June 2004 [workshop sponsors in brackets]: 2004: Jul 11 - Domba!: Spicy Tribal Combos [Marrakech] Oct 24 - Urban Tribal Dance Company [Marrakech] 2005: Apr 3 - Rachel Brice [Marrakech] Sep 3-4 - Tribal: Pura [Amber Waves - Fargo, ND] Oct 1 - Jenna Woods - ZILLPOWER and Dancing with Zills [Izzy] Oct 23 - The Spark Tour with Urban Tribal Dance Company, Ultra Gypsy and Jenna Woods [Marrakech] Nov 12 - Souhail Kaspar and Bahia Sultan: Rhythm & Movement for Dancers Dec 11 - Kassar [Marrakech] 2006: Jan 22 - TribalTique: Tribal Make-up and Turban Wrapping Workshop Feb 19 - Dalia Carella - Maghreb Compositions, an interpretive blend of North African dance movements and rhythms, and El Mundo, a fusion of movements from Middle Eastern, Latin Caribbean, and Flamenco dance [Mahisha Alail and Alrakasat] Mar 21 - Belly Dance Superstars workshop with Kami Liddle [Marrakech] May 2 & 4 - Classes at Morocco's studio in NYC May 6-7 - Rachel Brice [Marrakech] May 18-21 - Tribal Fest 6 - Azure & Clandestine (Hip Combos), Jill Parker (Jill's Drills & Juicy Ultra Gypsy Combos), Colleena (Odissi: Classical Indian Dance from the Temples of East India- Level 1), Donna Mejia (Fundamentals of Intelligent Dance Technique), Terri Walden (Salamat Signature Combos) [Black Sheep Bellydance] Jul 3-4 - Rachel Brice [CC Dance Festival] Jul 7 - Donna Mejia: midnight African Dance workshop [CC Dance Festival] Jul 15-16 - Tribal: Pura Workshops With Carolena & Megha; Rachel Lazarus Of Blue Damsel [Marrakech] Aug 27 - TribalTique: Tribal Make-up, Hair Garden and Turban Wrapping Workshop [Zafia] Sep 23-24 - Unmata, Urban Tribal and Sharon Kihara [Marrakech] Oct 21 - Sword Workshop with Rafi'ah [Jaiya] Nov 18-19 - Gypsy Caravan; Benu Dance Company [Marrakech] Dec 9 - TribalTique 'Thrills, Chills & Drills' workshop 2007: Feb 4 - TribalTique: Tribal Hair Garden and Extension Making Workshop [UCCS] Apr 13-15 - Elevation 2007! - Rachel Brice, Zafira, Blue Lotus Tribe and Unmata [Marrakech] May 16-20 - Tribal Fest 7 - Sarah Johansson Locke (anatomy), Tenley Wallace (floorwork), John Compton (zills), Sabine and Tribalation (ATS sword combos), Carolena Nericcio (ATS history), Shay Moore of inFusion (ATS combos, group transitions), TribalTique (ATS combos, duets), Samantha Riggs (Bollywood) [Black Sheep Bellydance] And this weekend is Jim Boz. Wheee!!!!!

TF7 - trying to find the words

KJEspelien — Tue, 22 May 2007 17:21:00 GMT

I haven't even fully processed everything that has happened in the last week but here are some initial thoughts: * I love my crew! It was so amazing to spend time in the company of people I truly enjoy. I don't think I have ever laughed so much in my life. * Had a lot of fun catching up with everyone from last year and meeting new people this year. Big smooches to everybody! * The performances made my socks roll up and down and then knocked them off completely! The creativity in this community astounds me. * Big thank yous to everyone who was super supportive during our set! We were ridiculously nervous but ended up having a fantastic time on stage. More later...once I've finished with my caffeine IV. :)

Got a bunch of time to waste?

KJEspelien — Thu, 03 May 2007 17:43:45 GMT

These should help: http://icanhascheezburger.com/ http://granades.com/2007/05/02/loltrek/ And don't blame me when you don't get your work done. Blame the people who sent them to me. :)

Inspired all over again

KJEspelien — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 23:41:23 GMT

Okay, as if a weekend with RB, Unmata, etc, wasn't quite enough dance inspiration, I got this link in an email from the lovely Donna Mejia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RtFgo2-NWk She is truly one of the most beautiful women on the planet and such an amazing dancer. Her performances are always so powerful.

True Colors tour at Red Rocks

KJEspelien — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 14:16:48 GMT

Bought tix for this concert yesterday. So excited! I realize the lineup is already fantastic but I'm hoping for some bellydancing by Ms. Cho. :-) http://www.redrocksonline.com/pages/concerts/detail.asp?id=3761 For the first time ever, music legends and today’s hottest artists take the stage for a historical musical event -Cyndi Lauper, Erasure, Debbie Harry, The Dresden Dolls, The Gossip and The Misshapes with host Margaret Cho join in celebration of the inaugural True Colors concert tour in support of the Human Rights Campaign. The True Colors Tour was conceived by Cyndi Lauper stemming from her desire to give back to the gay and lesbian community for the love and support they have given her throughout her career. Through a joint program with the Human Rights Campaign-the nation’s largest organization working for GLBT equality- as well as PFLAG and The Matthew Shepard Foundation, the True Colors Tour will bring together Americans across the country to voice their solidarity against discrimination and for equality and raise public awareness about the issues facing the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. One dollar of every ticket sold will benefit the work of the Human Rights Campaign. True Colors is a celebration of the basic values and freedoms that should be shared by all Americans. Fans will experience these values through the music of both legendary icons and the newest and coolest acts this generation has to offer. “As an American I was raised to believe that all people have the right to live with the same dignity, opportunity and safety. This should include everyone no matter what gender or sexual orientation,” said Lauper. “This tour was created to celebrate our differences by raising awareness for liberty, fairness and dignity for everyone - not just some of us. Our fans can come out to celebrate a great cause while also hearing some great music.”

Giddy!

KJEspelien — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 15:13:01 GMT

Was feeling a bit down this morning - tired from our 3-hour rehearsal, worried about catching the crud that's going around, stressed about starting our gig on Thursday - but everything is okay now. I just ordered NEW PANTS! Yes, the Melodia store finally had my size in the dark brown and plum sashes. Yays! Of course it is a bit twisted how ridiculously happy I am now that I have ordered these pants. They must truly be (as Neph says) magic pants. Teeheeheeheeheehee!! :-D

Happy Hedgehog Day!!

KJEspelien — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 15:08:40 GMT

Reposted from http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/hedgehogday.shtml While we all look forward to Groundhog Day on February 2nd and the forecast for an early spring from the two greatest weatherhogs on the planet - Wiarton Willie in Wiarton, Ontario and Punxsutawney Phil in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the truth behind this 200 year-old tradition is oftentimes forgotten. Long before the advent of Groundhog Day on February 2nd, the Romans observed a similar event thousands of years ago on the exact same day. Rather than use the North American groundhog, the Romans used the hedgehog. “If during hibernation, he (the hedgehog) looks out of his den on 2nd February and sees his shadow it means there is a clear moon and six more weeks of winter so he returns to his burrow.” The only difference between this ancient event and the present day version (aside from the hedgehog, of course) is the fact that the Romans would look to see if the hedgehog saw its shadow under a clear moon at night. Here in North America, where we have no indigenous species of hedgehog, we replaced the hedgehog with the native groundhog. To this day “Punxsutawney Phil” and “Wiarton Willie” battle it out to see who is the better weather forecaster, but little do they or their handlers know that the original prognosticator of spring was a hedgehog.

snort

KJEspelien — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 02:14:40 GMT

I just love The Onion's horoscopes (http://www.theonion.com/content/horoscope/jan-31-2007). Here are mine for the last 2 weeks: 1/24/07: Your belief that others are secretly conspiring against you is truly absurd. In fact, they couldn't be more open about it if they tried. 1/31/07: Just when you think you can't keep going any longer, you'll be forced to continue due to a series of everyday responsibilities and obligations. BTW, the picture is random silliness from Amy. Yep, it's all her fault. :)

We got our own thing now

KJEspelien — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 14:19:51 GMT

Mizmar Madness finally has its own tribe (with a whole 7 members - woohoo!): http://tribes.tribe.net/mizmarmadness Thanks to Kim for getting it started!! :-)

The last of the summer Madness

KJEspelien — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 14:11:48 GMT

Mizmar Madness will be performing this Friday. This is the last of our summer performances. If you are in the area, stop by and check out the show: ***CANCELED due to rain*** Thursday August 17th - America the Beautiful Park (AKA Confluence Park) in Colorado Springs - first set at 6:30, second set at 8:00. There will also be fire spinning by Synge and music by Creating a Newsense. More information at www.funktionflux.org/events.aspx (near the bottom of the page). This event was originally scheduled for July 20th but was cancelled due to bad weather. Friday August 18th - Shoshone Spring in Manitou Springs (right next to Manitou Jacks) - http://www.manitousprings.org/2006%20Strret%20Performers%20Sched.htm - 5:00 to 8:00 This event is free and open to the public.

I got tagged!

KJEspelien — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 15:22:05 GMT

Well, thanks to Kat for tagging me. ;-) Guess I need to try out this blog stuff. Here are 8 things you may not know about me: 1. I’m pretty pale these days but, as a kid, I spent all day everyday at the swimming pool and had a super dark tan. Sunscreen? What sunscreen? 2. I had big 80s mall hair in high school before I shaved most of it off after graduation. 3. Duran Duran was my favorite band in 5th and 6th grade. I was convinced that I was going to marry John Taylor. 4. My college roommates and I had a magic wand (a sparkly plastic one that we bought at Wal Mart) that whoever was traveling had to take with them. When we all moved away from ND, I found an updated version and bought one for each of us. I still take mine with me whenever I go anywhere – it’s got green glitter and silver stars in it. 5. My power animal is the flamingo. Don't ask. It's a long story. 6. I become completely psychotic when people send me lame urban legend emails (i.e. don’t flash your lights at a car without its lights on, forward this email and Microsoft will send you money, etc). 7. My biggest goal in life about 10 years ago was to own a record store. 8. I used to judge hedgehog shows - kind of like dog shows but on a much smaller (duh), less competitive scale.