Ibcc 2008!!!

[Mark Balahadia]

HELLO!

I was there for two days but I missed the main stage performances including Aida Nour and Tito! I had to leave Saturday morning :( The Gilded Serpent is covering the whole conference if you weren't able to make it: Welcome to The Gilded Serpent

I had so much fun that I am definitely going next year!!!

- Mark B.

[MariaAya]

I'm hoping I can make it also, seems like an event not to be missed !!!
Maria Aya:)

[Rafiqa_Sadah]

Mark - enjoyed your performance and contributions to the panel discussion too. :-)

It was an awesome conference. And Mark - too bad you missed the big Gala show -- it was fantastic, and got even better when Tito and Aida danced in the aisles of the theater, throwing the stage folks into a sweat because of lighting, sound etc.

And the party at Myth was fun too -- including Tito leading a debke of sorts around the restuarant complete with swinging his white napkin.

I think I'm still high from the event.....

[*Shira*]

This year was the second time I've gone, and I had a wonderful time both times.

I spent most of my days in the seminar room, listening to presentations and panel discussions. My logic was that the dance instructors are all out there on the circuit, teaching in other places, but much of the information shared in the seminar room was a one-time experience. Ie, if you don't get it there, it'll be lost. This year, my favorites were Andrea Deagon's presentation on ancient Egyptian dance, George Sawa's sessions on music, and Kathleen Fraser's presentation on the role a male belly dancer played in the trial of Queen Caroline of England. It was interesting hearing people's reactions to my presentation.

I made it to 3 of the 4 shows, and enjoyed them all. I also had a lot of fun at the closing party at Myth. The Vancouver dancers were nice enough to let me invade their table.

And then there were the hallway conversations. It's amazing how much you can learn from sharing a lunch table, chatting between sessions, etc.

I hope Yasmina decides to do another one, and I hope I'll be able to go! I need to start thinking NOW about what topic I might want to propose for next time!

[Adishakti]

Originally Posted by *Shira*

This year was the second time I've gone, and I had a wonderful time both times.

I spent most of my days in the seminar room, listening to presentations and panel discussions. My logic was that the dance instructors are all out there on the circuit, teaching in other places, but much of the information shared in the seminar room was a one-time experience. Ie, if you don't get it there, it'll be lost. This year, my favorites were Andrea Deagon's presentation on ancient Egyptian dance, George Sawa's sessions on music, and Kathleen Fraser's presentation on the role a male belly dancer played in the trial of Queen Caroline of England. It was interesting hearing people's reactions to my presentation.

I made it to 3 of the 4 shows, and enjoyed them all. I also had a lot of fun at the closing party at Myth. The Vancouver dancers were nice enough to let me invade their table.

And then there were the hallway conversations. It's amazing how much you can learn from sharing a lunch table, chatting between sessions, etc.

I hope Yasmina decides to do another one, and I hope I'll be able to go! I need to start thinking NOW about what topic I might want to propose for next time!

I saw you, Shira! You poked your nose in during the Thursday Tito workshop. Unfortunately, I was too wrapped up in the class to sneak out and say hello and when it was finished, you had gone. Anyhow, I recognized you and said hello in spirit!

[Bellybabe]

IBCC was fantastic. It was overwhelming to see so many talented performers and and varied performances.

The workshops were amazing. Didn't go to Nath's workshop because he is my teacher (heh heh) but our troupe think he knocked it out of the ball park at the Gala show when he did his drum solo.

I love, love, love Ferda Bayazit and her emotional, earthy, juicy Turkish Roman style.

Bozenka was fantastic (I am a HUGE fan of Tamalyn Dallal - hence I knew Bozenka could be nothing but amazing in the flesh).

And what can I say about Aida Nour and Tito? - absolute showmen (women!!). Simple, elegant and extremely emotional and juicy. YUMMY!!!

As for the tribal contingent, there was a fantastic gal called Dominique Senecal from Montreal that danced on Main Stage II who did the best tribal fusion I've seen since Rachel Brice - precisely because she isn't an RB clone. And headliner Amy Sigil with her troupemate Kari Vanderzwaag were also amazing - again because they seem to have their own unique spin on tribal fusion that isn't a knock off of the RB style (who I think is amazing, BTW).

What a fantastic experience to be among so many people - all with their own unique talents, styles, personalities. What a chance in a lifetime to be dancing in a troupe on the same stage as Aida Nour, Tito and all the other headline acts!!!! It was a huge thrill for this house wife from Victoria to be a dancing diva for an entire week. My only regret is that I had to miss the last day in order to come home.

Have to start saving my pennies for next year . . .

[Bellybabe]

BTW Adishakti I thought your Saiidi performance on Main Stage I was lovely.

I didn't recognize you in any of the workshops or I would have said hello. I was in the Thursday Tito workshop but concentrating like mad on following his choreography.

One thing I will say about workshops packed with more people than the room can hold - there's nothing like them to make me feel like I have two left feet, am shaped like a hippo and can't dance worth a damn.

[Adishakti]

Originally Posted by Bellybabe

BTW Adishakti I thought your Saiidi performance on Main Stage I was lovely.

I didn't recognize you in any of the workshops or I would have said hello. I was in the Thursday Tito workshop but concentrating like mad on following his choreography.

One thing I will say about workshops packed with more people than the room can hold - there's nothing like them to make me feel like I have two left feet, am shaped like a hippo and can't dance worth a damn.

Thanks! I wasn't there for long, unfortunately. I missed a lot more than I would have liked to! (Including your performance - heck the whole Gala)!

[Rafiqa_Sadah]

If there is anything negative to say about the conference, it was the hard choices we had to make. There were some panel discussions and lectures I would have loved to sat in on, but I wanted to get every iota of Aida and Tito as possible. Luckily it was easy to move between lectures and workshops with ease -- despite those blasted steps!

I wish I'd been to more of Dr. George Sawa's sessions -- the one I did attend was fascinating. And the workshop on dancing to the music of Um Kalthoum was somewhere between workshop and lecture, and was beautiful. Four musicians backed up Yasmina's discussion -- and when the singer demonstrated a point tears were in many of our eyes.

I have loved this art form from my first class 7 years ago -- and this conference really brought it home to me HOW much I love it, feel it and *need* it in my life.

[Rafiqa_Sadah]

Oh yes -- Adishakti -- loved your performance, and what a great costume. I went up to some woman a day or so later, thinking it was you to complement your performance, but it was mistaken identity!

[Adishakti]

Originally Posted by Rafiqa_Sadah

Oh yes -- Adishakti -- loved your performance, and what a great costume. I went up to some woman a day or so later, thinking it was you to complement your performance, but it was mistaken identity!

Thank you very much. It was a lot of fun! Sorry to have missed meeting you too. It's always a pain to know you were in the same room as someone and didn't get a chance to say hello.

[Mark Balahadia]

Thanks Rafiqa :) It was so much fun to perform and hopefully I wasn't too bawdy at the men's panel discussion hahaha. And I know, I'm so bumped to have missed the rest of the conference. AHHH!

I went to Myth on Friday night before I left. The band is spot on and I hope they do the conference again next year so I can come up. And Shira it was great seeing you there too :)

Originally Posted by Rafiqa_Sadah

Mark - enjoyed your performance and contributions to the panel discussion too. :-)

It was an awesome conference. And Mark - too bad you missed the big Gala show -- it was fantastic, and got even better when Tito and Aida danced in the aisles of the theater, throwing the stage folks into a sweat because of lighting, sound etc.

And the party at Myth was fun too -- including Tito leading a debke of sorts around the restuarant complete with swinging his white napkin.

I think I'm still high from the event.....

[Monica]

I definitely need to find out if my Canadian cousins really meant it when they invited me to visit anytime. ;) This event sounds great, and right up my alley! I wish I could have been there.

More stories and memories from those who attended please!

[Taj]

Originally Posted by Monica

More stories and memories from those who attended please!

Yes, please--and pics!

[leenanyc]

I was so happy to be at the IBCC for the first time. Adishakti loved your performance and your black "bhuz" dress. Mark you were so bubbly and charismatic and very enjoyable. I hope to go again next year.

[Shaunte]

Originally Posted by Mark Balahadia

HELLO!

I was there for two days but I missed the main stage performances including Aida Nour and Tito! I had to leave Saturday morning :( The Gilded Serpent is covering the whole conference if you weren't able to make it: Welcome to The Gilded Serpent

I had so much fun that I am definitely going next year!!!

- Mark B.

That GS clip was fabulous Mark. Wish I could have gone but it was waay too close to the Fifi weekend.....

[Shaunte]

Are there pics posted anywhere of the event??

[Adishakti]

Originally Posted by leenanyc

I was so happy to be at the IBCC for the first time. Adishakti loved your performance and your black "bhuz" dress. Mark you were so bubbly and charismatic and very enjoyable. I hope to go again next year.

Thanks, Leena!

[samiraphoto]

Hi Everyone,

I was the photographer at IBCC and I have pictures from all of the performances in the following shows:

- All 3 Main Stage shows
- Gala Show
- Open Stage on Friday

I also have some candid workshop pictures. I'm almost done going through all of them (day job gets in the way). If you performed in any of those shows and would like to see samples of your pics, please send me a note at samira@sh-photography.com and we can take it from there.

Also please pass this on to anyone who performed at the shows but does not check Bhuz.

Cheers,

Samira

..:: Samira Hafezi Photography ::..