Deleted

[mish_mish]

I love Leyla Jouvana's 1001 shimmy video.

[casbahdance]

Originally Posted by indigostars

I think one of the reasons BDSS gets slammed for redundancy is that it's always advertised with a a new theme. Perhaps it's wrong of me to comment, since I haven't seen the show ever and have only "experienced" it via DVD, pics, and people's reviews, but I'm guessing people are expecting a a twist to the normal show that fits into the theme. Does that make sense? I think ballet benefits in that there's a story.

That could very well be, indigostars!

This reminds me of one of my daughter's "ballet" recitals when she was a little one!

The theme was something about Disney Princesses (you know, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Princess Jasmine, etc) and used a song or two from each of the soundtracks. Each class performed two numbers, one ballet and one jazz. All the songs in the ballet section were from the princess soundtracks and mostly other music was used for jazz. So in this case, at least half of the show followed the theme and it made sense to title it that way.

Perhaps when there is a theme-like title for BDSS, we expect something similar. And perhaps we need to think of it more like a variety production that is entertainment for the sake of entertainment, rather than looking for a true theme to guide the show or a story to follow. Note: the idea of "entertainment for the sake of entertainment" is not in any way derogatory; most of our entertainments are of that genre.

The only time I might expect a BD show to exhibit a very obvious theme is if it is billed that way.

For example, a show entitled something like "Silk Road Travels" which was further described as featuring dances from places along the Silk Road would lead me to believe that I would be seeing mostly folk/folkloric dances (group or solo); I would not expect ATS or any other style of obvious fusion, bellynesian, poi balls or "pharonic" dances.

If that same title was described something like "trace belly dancing's roots . . . from small towns in Armenia to the stages of Cairo," I'd expect to at least see some cabaret style costuming, props and styles along with the folk/folkloric.

Neither of these are examples are stories, just thematic(sp) devices. Now, if I saw something titled "Scheherazad's Stories," then I might expect the show to reasonably reflect some of Scheherezad's stories, or her life, unless further descriptions indicated more of a "standard" BD show that has a cool name.

Yeah, I'm getting a better idea of why folks see BDSS shows year-to-year as a bit repetitious . . . thanks again, indigostars!

Deborah

[Linnyg]

Originally Posted by HOOKEDNOVICE

Is this an instructional or entertainment dvd? (can beginners do it?)

I got it after dancing for only a year. There are some moves that you will be expected to know like hip drops but she does do some teaching of moves and goes through things slowly at first and then speeds them up. She and Issam also talk about the different rhythm's (seven I think) that they use and the teaching part is separated by rhythm and which moves and combo go with them. The only complaint that I have with the DVD is that the choreo is split into two different sections but you don't get the chance to do the whole thing together. You can try following along with the performance section but she changes things up a bit and it isn't in the same order. I guess that would be the real learning part tho, hearing the rhythm's and remembering what was taught for them.

I second Aziza's Practice companion and ANYTHING from Michelle Joyce! Excellent DVD's!

[blackcherry]

Originally Posted by casbahdance

I saw BDSS for the first time earlier this year in Los Angeles. The saidi cane number in fancy, fitted beledi dresses seemed to garner the most appreciative applause from the audience, as did Petite Jemilah's (sp) double veil.

As to BDSS shows being repetitive:

Think about the Rockettes; how different is each of their shows? People who see them regularly want to see that big chorus line high-kicking every time. How different is the "Nutcracker" every year?

In relation to BD: How many ways can a person do a hip lift? Just like all classical dance forms, BD does have a finite number of movements. Yes, these can be strung together many different ways and with a good amount of variation, but belly dancing is belly dancing just like ballet is ballet. This is why I think it makes good sense for staged shows like BDSS to include as much variety as possible: solos, duets, groups, full production numbers, Egyptian/Lebanese/Turkish/"American" cabaret, ATS, folkloric, North African, Persian . . . "ME Dance" is such a huge thing that we really can have a strictly ME show and not have it be boring! Aside from things like stilt-walking or "bellynesian," I think BDSS does a pretty good job at this. Could they do more? Of course! Personally, I would like to see a bit more of the folkloric in their shows.

I like well-produced "professional" shows of all kinds, which BDSS is. I am not a rabid fan, but I will definitely go again and encourage others to do the same.

Deborah

I dont tire of Petite Jamilla. I find her fascinating and the best thing in the whole show. But I think that sthere should be some more improvisation in the show rather just choreography all the time. I don't feel there's enough of that. It's all rather formulaic. Well, that's my slant on it.

[kharis_UK]

Originally Posted by ozma

Seriously, stick with Kharis, she's got brass balls to spare.

I take that as the ultimate bhuz compliment. x

[indigostars]

The only time I might expect a BD show to exhibit a very obvious theme is if it is billed that way.

I think, though, by changing the name from time to time (is it annual?), it does hint at a different show. Perhaps Miles and co. would do well to select a theme and then choreograph towards it. From what I've seen of the shows that The Indigo have been producing, they seem very cohesive around their theme.

For instance, the theme of Babelesque made me think of the tower of Babel from the Bible. It would've been really cool, IMO, to do more folkloric stuff or play into a time far away theme.

[casbahdance]

Originally Posted by indigostars

I think, though, by changing the name from time to time (is it annual?), it does hint at a different show. Perhaps Miles and co. would do well to select a theme and then choreograph towards it. From what I've seen of the shows that The Indigo have been producing, they seem very cohesive around their theme.

For instance, the theme of Babelesque made me think of the tower of Babel from the Bible. It would've been really cool, IMO, to do more folkloric stuff or play into a time far away theme.

I agree!

Deborah

[ozma]

Originally Posted by kharis_UK

I take that as the ultimate bhuz compliment. x

XXXOOO!

[zumarrad]

My feeling as regards BDSS - and this is coming from someone who has never seen them live - is that because you can also get the DVDs of their performances, there's not as much that's unique about the shows themselves. Back in the day, you could tour an identical or near-identical show around the world and people would go and see it happily, and be thrilled to see their favourite again after a year or two. They might even follow the tour and watch the show nightly, if they were big fans. But with BDSS, you can see Petite Jamila's double veil and you can see Jillina's drum solo any time you want. Because, by the sound of it, they're not producing all-new shows, there's less and less reason to go and watch. Even if the shows *were* all-new, the DVD would generally come out before they stop touring the show, and these days you can get the DVD regardless of what country you're in, right away. So again, you can watch it on DVD first, and while it might be exciting to go and see that show live once, most people wouldn't necessarily be crazy-mad to see it three or four times, or even twice. The actual touring show, in my view, is promotion for the DVDs and CDs. I bet they sell many more of those than they do tickets to the shows.

[Babylonia]

Hi,
While I did enjoy the BDSS show that I saw I felt that some of it could have been cut :bellynesian, belly ballet and did I just imagine a dancer on stilts? I think having a couple of male dancers could have been interesting. My husband really enjoyed the tribal dancers and Petite Jamilla blew him away.

The venue we saw them in was quite small so that was nice. However, Miles Copeland seemed to be skulking around watching the audience to make sure no one was recording anything. That was his right of course but still, loosen up. Also, if I hadn't been deliberately looking to find when they were coming to town I never would have known as there was no advertising or promotion on local tv (and I live in a major market).

I was fortunate enough to attend a meeting with one of our local bellydancers who is also a BDSS and she told us all about touring etc and being on the road is a very hard life. The thing that struck me was when the BDSS said that even though there was a toilet on the bus they were only allowed to use it to pee, anything more they have to wait until they got to a rest stop.

What she said reminded me of the Simpsons episode where a traveling troupe of yo-yoers came to perform at the school. The show was dazzling but afterwards they were all quickly and unceremoniously shuttled into a van to hurry to the next show.

They were all beautiful, wonderful dancers. It is a Las Vegas type show with young, beautiful dancers which I know irritates some bellydance purists. I'm sure none of them are getting rich from touring (maybe Miles is) and traveling can be very hard on a person's body but they seemed to give it their all. I would see them again but I would be disappointed if there weren't some changes to the show (new routines, less weird fusion).