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vagabond23.wordpress.com/

newwwsss

Dearest darling fellow vagabonds of the dance, greetings from Taiwan, where I have just finished a BDSS tour and am now packing the old faithful battered suitcases to head homeward, typhoons depending...!!

I have put many new and extremely exciting updates on my website BLOG page.

www.vagabondprincess.com

If you don't believe me, then go and check it out and YOU'LL SEE!!!

If you DO believe me. . then go and check it out!!!! what are you waiting for?

so basically you have no excuse. . .

do it. . .

or I suppose you could just read on here...

Exciting times, lots is new.
Got some lovely new shots in the works courtesy of Polstar Photography and also new merchandise soon I promise. I feature as a soloist and in group pieces on the new Bellydance Superstar DVDs, Tribal LA Live and Tribal Fusions 2, also featuring Sharon Kihara, Zoe Jakes, Elizabeth Strong, Kami Liddle, Fat Chance Bellydance and many more, it’s now available on Amazon.

Here are my whereabouts for the next ickle while... ready? OK here goes:

10-3-2009 Workshops Bristol UK contact pinkv@hotmail.co.uk ~ 07899090229

10-16-2009 to 10-17-2009
Workshops and show Belfast. Details TBA

10-22-2009 The Anvil Basingstoke
10-23-2009 Bloomsbury Theatre London
10-24-2009 Bloomsbury Theatre MATINEE 3pm
10-24-2009 Bloomsbury Theatre EVENING London
10-25-2009 Samantha Workshop www.raqsbritannia.co.uk/workshops

10-26-2009 Espace Cardin Paris, France
10-27-2009 Espace Cardin Paris, France

10-29-2009 Theatre National Med V Rabat,Morocco
10-30-2009 Megarama Casablanca, Morocco
10-31-2009 Megarama Casablanca, Morocco
11-01-2009 Megarama Marrakech, Morocco

11-06-2009 Monte Carlo Opera House Monte Carlo, Monaco
11-07-2009 Monte Carlo Opera House Monte Carlo, Monaco
11-08-2009 Monte Carlo Opera House Monte Carlo, Monaco

12-15-2009 Shanghai Theatre Academy Shanghai, China
12-16-2009 Shanghai Theatre Academy Shanghai, China
12-17-2009 Shanghai Theatre Academy Shanghai, China
12-18-2009 Shanghai Theatre Academy Shanghai, China
12-19-2009 Shanghai Theatre Academy Shanghai, China

02-05-2010 to 02-07-2010 Tribal London London, UK

Fanks so much for stopping by fer a looky see,

Love and Fluff

Poland 09

My Return to Poland 2009
This year marked the second raqs tribal summer edition in utska Poland hosted by Yolanda. I first taught there last year to dancers for the most part total beginners so we focused mainly on ats to get a solid foundation down for the first part of the week then moved on to fusion choreo for the second half of the course. Everyone seemed happy with the material covered and excited to go home and work on it all. Yolanda asked back again this year sharing the bill with Ariellah this time to increase the length of the event to two weeks of yoga, ats and tribal fusion fun. In May the workshop places went on sale on line at midnight and sold out in twelve seconds! It was the first time Ariellah and I worked together which was very special for me as she was one of my first teachers. It was also the first time I had seen her dance live since 2007 I think. She blew me away with her stage presence and musicality.
It was very special for me as I was able to see alot of the same girls as last year and see how far they had come in only one year. They have obviously worked so hard, the shows were so inspiring, full of great technique, innovative ideas, honesty and joy.
I can't wait to see what they come up with next year!!!
It's incredible to see what lengths these girls go to just getting to the event, transport is very difficult in poland, slow trains, dodgy roads, huge distances and few airports mean a huge commitment in time and money. Their finances are limited, most cannot travel around Europe or head to the US to workshops so have to teach themselves for the rest of the year.
To see how far they have come in the past 12 months is so inspiring to me, I am very lucky to get to share that with them and look forward to taking THEIR workshops in the future.
Na zdrowie.

ebay ebay ebay...yer takin my whole life away...

I have joined the ranks of ebay sellers, I'm starting with this very special sale, to be followed by costuming bits and bobs, circus tat like fire wick and allsorts of things yous might like.
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll

raqs brit 09

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

spring is sprung

After 2 months on the road I am now home in the shire just in time to catch the blackthorn blossoming and the daffodils in full flower.
Feeling like returning from an epic adventure I am writing this here mini blogette.
Everyone worked their utmost on this tour, we drove and drove and drove some more coast to coast, up down and round and round.
The theaters were beautiful, some of the stages were huge, so we had to re stage the show to fit a different stage most nights. The new tribal pieces in the show are great to perform each night and the fact we are in more pieces in the show now meant we worked harder than on any previous tour.
I really appreciate how hard the cabaret girls work each night now that I too have some crazy quick costume changes and even a prop to worry about!

The highlight for me had to be our days off, of which there were 2.
The first was in Florida, so everyone crammed as much as possible into that day on the water with jet skis, sailing, and boogy boarding. It was heaven it was. Until the next day when I had to wear my costume over some pretty nasty sun burn, heh.

The second was in Park City, Salt Lake City, where we had time off at a ski resort. While we could not risk injury by boarding or skiing we did make the most of having chalets with full kitchens and a store nearby. We cooked food! After months of hotel living, the joy of being able to cook our own food was almost too much to bear. Zoe, Lauren and I invited everyone over and we had a feast of grilled fish, veg kebabs, sweet potatoes, salads and more. Afters we played funny games, it felt like Christmas.
The next day after cooking another huge breakfast, Zoe, Lauren, Moria and I headed up to the slopes. We had a little time before we had to head to the airport so we got tickets to do the Alpine Rollercoaster. We screamed the whole way down the mountain, it was wikid fun.

It is very strange to be at home with no lobby calls, no drives, no shows...for the moment anyway.
I am looking forward to having some time at home to work on new costumes and dance, be a wife and walk my dog Spindle.

on the road

After a long winter break including rest, play, preperations, sewing, married life and a litter of puppies, I am packing my cases once again ready to leave the Shire and head to the USA.

Still sewing like crazy, all new costumes for the new show, I cant wait to get back on the road with the girls, here is the tour info:

BDSS Winter/Spring 2009 Tour

"The Art of Bellydance" – the exhilaratingly vibrant new show will debut when the troupe deploys on a very special 2009 U.S. tour, launching in San Bernardino, CA on February 6 and hitting 34 cities before wrapping up in Detroit in late March. Two additional performances are scheduled for Vancouver in May.

The Bellydance Superstars have been at the forefront of the dramatic worldwide growth in prestige and popularity of the art of Bellydance itself, taking this once largely solo dance and ancient art of Middle Eastern culture into the 21st Century mainstream as a major theatrical dance extravaganza appealing to a wide spectrum of dance enthusiasts.

Featuring bold new choreography, exquisite costumes and new production elements, “The Art of Bellydance” builds on the troupe's renowned reputation in highlighting a variety of bellydance styles and unique fusions painting bellydance with a broad palette in a way the world's major stages have never played host to before.

Don't miss the Bellydance Superstars' The Art of Bellydance in a city near you!
February 6, 2009:
San Bernardino, CA- San Bernardino Valley College Auditorium

February 7, 2009:
Ventura, CA- Ventura Majestic Theater

February 8, 2009:
San Diego, CA- Balboa Theatre

February 9, 2009:
North Hollywood, CA- El Portal Theatre “Babelesque”

February 10, 2009:
North Hollywood, CA- El Portal Theatre “Babelesque”

February 11, 2009:
North Hollywood, CA- El Portal Theatre

February 12, 2009:
North Hollywood, CA- El Portal Theatre

February 13, 2009:
Napa, CA- Napa Valley Opera House

February 14, 2009:
Chico, CA- Laxson Auditorium

February 15, 2009:
San Rafael, CA- Marin Center

February 17, 2009:
Phoenix, AZ- Orpheum Theatre

February 19, 2009:
Albuquerque, NM- South Broadway Cultural Center

February 21, 2009:
El Paso, TX- Magoffin Auditorium

February 23, 2009:
Grapevine, TX- The Palace Arts Center

February 24, 2009:
Grapevine, TX- The Palace Arts Center

February 25, 2009:
Cypress, TX- Berry Center

February 27, 2009:
Birmingham, AL- Virginia Samford Theatre

February 28, 2009:
Macon, GA- Grand Opera House
March 1, 2009:
Asheville, NC- The Orange Peel

March 3, 2009:
Washington, DC- GW Lisner Auditorium

March 4, 2009:
Wilmington, DE- Grand Opera House

March 5, 2009:
Weldon, NC- The Centre at Halifax Community College

March 6, 2009:
Durham, NC- Carolina Theatre of Durham

March 7, 2009:
Hampton, VA- The American Theatre

March 8, 2009:
Hampton, VA- The American Theatre

March 9, 2009:
Charlotte, NC- The McGlohon Theatre

March 10, 2009:
High Point, NC- High Point Theatre and Exhibition Center

March 11, 2009:
Newberry, SC- Newberry Opera House

March 13, 2009:
Atlanta, GA- Robert Ferst Center for the Arts

March 14, 2009:
Jacksonville, FL- Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts

March 15, 2009:
Stuart, FL- Lyric Theatre

March 18, 2009:
Augusta, GA- Imperial Community Theatre

March 19, 2009:
Nashville, TN- Belcourt Theatre

March 21, 2009:
Park City, UT- Kearns Auditorium Eccles Center for the Performing Arts

March 25, 2009:
Minneapolis, MN- Pantages Theatre

March 26, 2009:
Madison, WI- Wisconsin Union Theater

March 27, 2009:
Milwaukee, WI- Marcus Center for the Performing Arts

March 28, 2009:
Chicago, IL- Vic Theatre

March 29, 2009:
Detroit, MI- Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center

home again

On my way home now from a 2 month BDSS tour, I have learned alot on my way around the states and europe.

We started in the UK, my first tour on home turf. The Bloomsbury shows were great, especially as that was the very theatre in which I first saw the BDSS show in 2005, and NEVER expected to end up performing on that very same stage with the troupe. Life is funny that way innit.
My husband rented a mini bus and drove 20 or so friends down to the show in Torquay, that was the first time they had seen the show, afters we went to the pub for some classic karaoke, troupe and all, Devon style. Pics to follow.
It was very inspiring to do a good length of touring with Bozenka, she is such an incredible performer, I was honored to spend time with her both on and off the stage. The continued hard work and dedication of the whole group continues to inspire me to train hard and improve, I am lucky to be where I am..

Belgium was a highlight, it was the first time my Belgian relatives had seen me perform in the show, they loved it.
Lauren and I also got to the munching of fresh chocolate waffles and truffles even if it was only fer an hour, it was sooo worth it man.

In France we stopped at Miles' castle for a mini intensive, the students gave good feedback at the end, and we all ate way too much incredible food banquet style courtesy of the lovely Lucy the chef. It was perfect, waking early to cross train round the grounds, then breakfast, then yoga class, then drumming with Issam, then we all either taught or took workshops till lunch, then more workshops, then more food, with discussions in the evening, exhausted to bed, then did it all again each day for 5 days I think. I was pretty much in heaven. I even tried spinning and veil and cane and classical egyptian classes with Bozenka and Petite Jamila. It inspired me to try now things for my own choreo and improv, I have alot of material to work on before tour time kicks off again.

Tour is so crazy, you never know what day it is, I scoffed at that on the first tour, thinking I was so together I would know, but now I lose track of the date and days early into the tours. Its a strange world, the touring world, with all the early starts, teaching, traveling, TV shows, slotting in mini sightseeing excursions, cross training to stay safe from injury, and having someone tell you where to be and when, you find it hard to keep a grip on the outside world; friends, family, partners, especially if there is no internet as is the case on the european tours especially. Its a balancing act thats fer sure...an act that I am still trying to master.

Now I am moving into a little place by the Teign river in Devon, chopping wood to stay warm, feeling a million miles away from the world I have been submersed in for the last 2 months, its a nice reality check. This will be the first time I have really unpacked my bags and got my books out of storage for the last 3 years at least. Its a nice feeling, but I cant get too comfy as I need to stay focused on new works as next year sees the production of a new BDSS show, so I am gearing up for learning new choreo, sewing costumes and coming up with new and exciting material for workshops. No rest fer the wikid.
It will be no easy task when I am away from the group and living isolated in the middle of nowhere, plus its high time I am wifey, I havent had a chance to do that yet as I left right after the wedding. Its so nice to be building a home with Oscar right now. This is the first time I have been in the UK for winter for a few years, I'm scared...its cold.
Off to split some logs fer the fire. Keep in touch peeps, see you on the next tour!!

uchhh

As usual on returning from a tour I am experiencing the lull, the rutt, the stuck feelin.
Wasting half a day already on line when I have so much to do before I head off again.

Maybe sharing the following will help me get off my backside, go for a run and do some practice..

" If we let go of play, our work becomes ponderous and stiff. If we let go of the sacred , our work loses its connection to the ground on which we live. Knowledge of the creative process cannot substitute for creativity , but it can save us from giving up on creativity when the challenges seem too intimidating and free play seems blocked.
If we know that our inevitable setbacks and frustrations are phases of the natural cycle of creative processes , if we know that our obstacles can become our ornaments , we can persevere and bring our desires to fruition. "
Stephen Nachmanovitch

offski

This picture is kind of like the inside of my head right now, dont ask me why as I dont really know.

Taught a wikid workshop back on home turf today, great to see everyone, now sewing and packing again ready to hit the road encore for a trip round Poland teaching and traveling for the next 2 weeks. Then fly back to teach at Larma Tree Fest, where Taraf de Haidouks will be...cannot wait for that one, will be campin with some of the guys from Transglobal Undergound and Natacha Atlas's crew..wahhayyy.
then its off to Taiwan to join the troupe again..and share the stage with Rachel once more as she will be coming back for that tour.
uh then I head home to get meself hitched, then head off to the states fo more dancin. Life is good, I am very very very very lucky.
Back to the needle and thread..
see you all somewhere on the road!

"You cannot walk straight when the road bends"
Romani proverb