Thread: No more lurking for me- hello!

I've been lurking around for weeks now- reading posts, learning about costuming, drooling in the swap meet- and figured I should probably start saying something now and again!

I've been taking lessons locally for somewhere around 3 years now with a local instructor who is also a Bhuzzer. I'm into an intermediate level, though some days I still feel like I complete newbie! I love dancing and curving my body and enjoying music that is so different from what is mainstream. I danced through my pregnancy, even doing my first solo at 5-6 months pregnant, and have been a little obsessed for a few months now.

I keep thinking about making my own bedlah from scratch (and yet I haven't sized the basic costume I got for Christmas last year.....c::) though I don't think I really have the kind of time, dedication, skill, or reason to have one. Ooooh, but those sparklies haunt me!

When I'm not dancing, I'm a desk jockey for work, a mommy of an almost 1 year old, a proficient cook, and a handbell ringer. I'm glad to be here and I promise I'll try to add to the conversation more! ,r:;

Welcome!!!

Sparklies haunt me to! LOL!

Handbell ringer?
As in playing music?

:-)

Glad you joined us!

Edna

Welcome, Welcome! Greetings from another Sparkly-Addict! :)

Please elaborate on the "Handbell Ringer" aspect of your life; inquiring minds wanna know... ..g.:

It took me a long time to participate too after I first joined! Hi from NE NY state!

Yup, I ring handbells- as in those different sized bronze bells on handles that people associate with Christmas. I started ringing over 20 years ago when I was too short to see over the tables!

Handbells are really unique. Although you can ring them solo or in small ensembles, you generally have to be in a choir with 7+ people to play "real" music. I always like to say it's the closest you'll get to a team sport in the music world!

Unlike a trumpet or a piano that plays as part of a larger orchestra but is capable of playing an entire tune on its own, handbells are tuned to only one note each. As interesting as middle C is, no one wants to listen to an entire song with just one note!

In a handbell choir, we each are assigned to bells. I currently ring F & G5, F & G7 plus their accidentals. Which, in English, means the F, F#/ Gb, G, and G# directly above middle C as well as the ones two octaves above that. Those are medium and little sized bells, respectively. Others have just 2 bells plus accidentals, 4-6 tiny bells in succession, or 2 full octaves of giant bass bells shared over a couple of people. To play all those bells at the same time, I have to be able to hold a medium and a small bell in each hand (4-in-hand) as well as be able to swap them out for any sharps or flats that show up.

We all follow the same music and ring when our notes show up in the tune. I say it is like a group sport because if I am absent, nobody has extra hands to ring my bells without practicing first. It's like the goalie or the forward just isn't there on a soccer team- the game can't be played properly.

Most choirs, including mine, are part of a church. The bells themselves, as well as the necessary equipment, are expensive, so it's rare to find privately owned sets. That means we play a lot religious music or music appropriate for church. We play fall through spring, playing in church once a month- not just Christmas! We do get a chance to play some fun non-religious pieces for holiday shows and handbell festivals. And there are lots of fun techniques besides just picking the bell up and ringing it; we mallet, plop the bell on the table, swing ringing bells around, gyrate them to make a wavy sound, pluck, and all sorts of other things- it's a blast.

Phew! Aren't you sorry you asked! I'm usually a quitter when it comes to activities but bells are one thing that I have kept since my childhood, so I'm pretty passionate about it.

AND- just to tie this back to bellydancing- my teacher is convinced that it is because of the percussive, rhythmic nature of bell ringing and the hand coordination that I am a natural ziller! I rock my finger cymbals! (Just don't ask me to dance and play at the same time!!)

So, yeah, that’s my deal with handbells. Now back to your regularly scheduled dance talk!!

Hi!!!! Welcome I'm a Mainer as well : )

Welcome!

Hi !

Hi ) You are a unique dancer and musician in the same face ))

Welcome MaineMaya and fascinating to read of your other hobby.
"you can ring my beeeell, ring my bell, my bell"
sorry couldn't resist :)

Welcome MaineMaya! I was fortunate enough to hear a handbell choir play at the beginning of a candlelight Christmas wedding. It was magical!

Hi MaineMaya! I'm pretty new here too :) Judging from your screen name, are you in New England? I am a Mainer myself :)

Welcome aboard!

Originally Posted by RavenStar

Hi MaineMaya! I'm pretty new here too :) Judging from your screen name, are you in New England? I am a Mainer myself :)

Yup, I'm here in Maine but I'm "from away." I grew up in Massachusetts. I'm in the Portland area now- how about you?

Welcome to bhuz!!!

Hi and welcome to bhuz! Glad you introduced yourself and stopped just lurking! I love the sparklies, too! There used to be a handbell ringing group with one of the local churches here - it always fascinated me and I loved to hear them play!

Originally Posted by MaineMaya

Yup, I'm here in Maine but I'm "from away." I grew up in Massachusetts. I'm in the Portland area now- how about you?

I'm in the L/A area :) And Mass isn't that far away! lol

HI and welcome out of lurkage