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Raks Spooki II: A Gothic Belly Dance Event

featuring Sashi of Ascend Tribal

November 18, 2007

Presented by Badriya al-Badi'a

Location: The Regent Underground Theatre, 7 Medford Street, Arlington, MA
Workshop: 11am-2pm (registration begins at 10:30am)
Hafli: 3:30pm-6:30pm

About Sashi:

Sashi is an internationally recognized performer, instructor and choreographer based in Orange County, California. Sashi has been a student of dance for seventeen years and began studying African Haitian and West African dance while a student at San Francisco State University. In the years following, Sashi found Middle Eastern dance to be the style she was most drawn to as it spoke to her Semitic roots and aesthetic interests. She has studied many forms of Middle Eastern dance including American Tribal Style Bellydance, Tribal Fusion Bellydance, Gothic Bellydance, Egyptian and Lebanese Cabaret Bellydance, Israeli and Turkish Debke, Saidi, and Nubian Folkloric dances. She is most recognized for her alluring and dynamic performances of Gothic Tribal Fusion Bellydance and Improvisational Tribal Fusion Bellydance. Inspired by the “Spirit of the Dance”, Sashi views bellydance as the honoring of the divine feminine by creating spiritual and physical unions through movement. This is evident as her ability to cultivate the energy that the dance evokes is translated to each audience member with a look, a gesture, a presence that is unmistakably unique to Sashi. You can see her perform solo or in collaboration with internationally acclaimed performance troupes in many venues, settings and shows. Information on her upcoming performances, workshops, tour dates and collaborations can be found at www.ascendtribaldance.com. Badriya is very proud to be presenting Sashi in her Boston-area debut.

Workshop, 11am-2pm:
Spirit of the Dance: Techniques for "Capturing" Your Audience Have you ever seen a dancer who is so captivating when she dances that you end up feeling breathless as you watch? Do you wonder how she is able to lure you with her dance? Do you wonder how she is able to tell you her wicked story without words but with the Spirit of her dance? Do you want to be this dancer? Do you want to be the one who mesmerizes her audience, leaving them with the indelible imprint that is the essence of your dance?

In this workshop, you will learn the art of cultivating and conveying the Spirit of the Dance. You will learn mental and physical techniques which will prepare you to present yourself as the memorable dancer that you aspire to be. You will learn a short choreography which will allow you to practice and showcase your newfound dance tools. This workshop format includes some interactive and experiential lecturing but focuses mainly on dancing. Dress prepared to dance. Bring a notebook, yoga mat and water. Knowledge of basic Gothic Belly Dance is helpful but not essential. All levels welcome.

Location: The Regent Underground Theatre, 7 Medford Street, Arlington, MA.
(Entrance is glass door to the left of the theatre's marquee, go down the stairs. Please note that there are no elevators available.)
Directions may be found at the Regent Theatre website. Parking is available in a lot with an entrance on Medford Street just opposite from the theatre, and the venue is easily accessible by the 77 bus from Harvard Square (Arlington Center/Medford Street stop).

Cost: $60, payable at the door

Raks Spooki II: The Hafli! 3:30pm-6:30pm

Badriya is very proud to present the second annual manifestation of Raks Spooki, a hafli dedicated to exploring the darker side of belly dance. Gothic belly dance has become an increasingly popular form of belly dance in New England in the last several years, as was made very evident by the strong response to the first Raks Spooki, held in October 2006. The strong sense of community that grew out of that event has kept its momentum with subsequent events, Tribe groups, classes and workshops in gothic belly dance, vendors catering to gothic styles, etc. This year's event promises to be even more exciting than last year's, with dancers from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut and beyond participating. Together we represent the darker side of New England, home to H.P. Lovecraft, Edward Gorey and Stephen King. Performers will include local favorites, new performers, and special guests Sashi and Tempest, who are on the forefront of gothic belly dance internationally. There will be several vendors present with every item a gothic belly dancer could desire, from corset belts to chainmail to scented oils to tribal hair ornaments and of course Eye Kandy glitter!

All proceeds from the hafli will be donated to Women for Women, a non-profit which helps women in war-torn regions of the world get back on their feet and start rebuilding their lives. Currently, they are focused on Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, Kosovo, Rwanda, Colombia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nigeria and Democratic Republic of the Congo. Some of these are places where our dance movements, costuming and jewelry come from. Using what women of the world have given us from our relative place of peace and safety, we can make real differences in the lives of other women. We can use our freedoms to help them gain their own freedom from war, poverty and injustice.

Time: 3:30pm-6:30pm, Sunday, November 18, 2007
Location: The Regent Theatre, 7 Medford Street, Arlington, MA
Directions may be found at the Regent Theatre website. Parking is available in a lot with an entrance on Medford Street just opposite from the theatre (some street parking may also be available), and the venue is easily accessible by the 77 bus from Harvard Square or Porter Square. There will not be refreshments for sale at the theatre, but there are many restaurants, cafes and shops in the area and you are welcome to bring your own refreshments into the theatre with you.

Cost: $12, payable at the door

About Badriya: Badriya has been performing both gothic and Egyptian/Arabic style belly dance in the Boston area since 2001. She is dedicated both to representing classical raqs sharqi and beledi styles in as authentic a way as possible as well as to exploring the artistic intersection of belly dance movement and gothic music. Each style of dance has its proper place and venue, and she is very proud to be be able to provide the Boston area with the opportunity for regular gatherings of gothic belly dancers. She may be reached at badriya at rcn dot com or 781-325-3039 for more information.