Enjoyed the day. Setup was pretty simple. The sari shorties are flyin' out, as are the Bad Girls tees. All out of smalls and mediums. Taking backorders from anyone who really wants one shipped from the next batch.
Show was okay. Some good memorable, some bad memorable, but mostly eh. I am liking the variety in costumes I saw tonight--not all good executions, but I prefer a noble effort of someone trying something truly unique (or at least a strong variation) than someone just plain copying someone else head-to-toe. That goes for dance style as well. Some are unique, and I am enjoying it.

Still not enough improv, but I hold out hope that tomorrow might bring some more.

Was bummed Boom Boom only had two dancers. They did a great job, but I wanted that colorful parade of energetic dancers I saw last year! They did make me smile, tho. They looked like they were having fun. When they danced *to* each other I grinned widely. Love that connection.

I love seeing everyone. Seeing familiar faces of fans and friends, as well as making new acquaintances. I can't wait for tomorrow!

Sleeptytime.

Lexi of Gypsy Fire took a ton of pics at Breitenbush, and while I felt a lot of me were unflattering, I did find one that completely made me smile from ear to ear.
My Nay-Nay and Me


Photo by Lexi Hiou

Okay, and I also dig this pic of Miss Scarlet's appearance.

So I wondered when it might happen.
I have noticed that I personally look a bit like a hairdresser myself with my new hair. It is always just so, even with very little work (second and third day hair is a breeze--jooj it and it's ready to go), and I would think to myself that I bet some people might think I was "in the hair biz" with hair like this.

Sho'nuf, today I went to my local beauty supply store to get hair products for Chris and myself, and the woman at the counter assumed I was in the biz and gave me the discount without asking any questions. About 50% off. Am I evil for not correcting her? Maybe... But I bought a bagful of stuff, and they got their money out of me either way. ;)

Show last night at Kolbeh was...lonely. The nice weather stole our crowd away. I remember this when I worked in restaurants. When I worked someplace without decks or outdoor seating, it was a sloooow night when the first nice weather hit Seattle. When I worked at Chandler's, which was right on the lake with two decks and a bar with doors wide open to the outdoors, we would get utterly slammed. Pretty much if it was a nice night out and you were on call, expect to be called in. So it was no surprise we had a sparse turnout last night at Kolbeh, just sad since it was our first time ever dancing there, and it will be about a year before we will get to perform there again. We had some stalwart fans turn out who made as much noise as they could muster, and smiled at us broadly throughout both of our sets. And there were some guests who I couldn't figure out if they came for the entertainment or not, but they also had big grins and clapped enthusiastically, so everywhere we looked, we had encouragement shining back. That helped a LOT. Thanks for coming, dear friends!

Looks like Miss Scarlet Rose might be making an appearance at Tribal Quest Northwest. I know some of you had been asking Paulette if she could squeeze me in to one of the events, and after seeing me perform at Breitenbush, they are asking for details on a possible performance at one of the evening parties. Deets when I have them!

If you have been looking for a chance to see me perform, here's your chance. I will be performing next Friday night, May 12th, as part of The Academy of Burlesque Student Assembly & Bakesale - A Benefit for the Exotic World Museum. Jewel Box Theater, 7pm & 8:30. Tickets available at BrownPaperTickets.

"With tasty Burlesque performances and delicious home-baked treats! Cupcakes, donuts, and cookies available for purchase, all profits go to the only Museum in the world dedicated to preserving Burlesque History!

Starring graduates of the Academy of Burlesque!
Ultra Vixen
Simply Steve
La Mystery
Pepper Grind
Lady Sparrow
Amazing Grace
Jo Jo Stiletto
Kitty Valentine
Bella Rocksafella
Miz Ginger Snapz
Miss Scarlet Rose
Ms Honeysuckle Hype
and the brand new troupe, DiviniTease!
hosted by the Headmistress herself,
Miss Indigo Blue"

It will be my Seattle debut of my newest piece, "Nice n' Easy".

Rot-o-Rooter guy should be here any minute to assess the backing up drain in the basement. Ah my glamorous life...

Okay, so here they are: pics of my new do. I broke down, made the earliest appointment I could, and dove in.




These photos are after dancing for 3 hours at class, so it is a little less "joujed" and coiffed as I would have had it.

I did it yesterday afternoon, and it took 4 hours, all said and done. The color took about 2 hours, and the rest was consultation and cut. The color she was a particular peach with! She didn't want me to have to strip my hair, and go through painful scalp scalding that comes with it. Instead we did three colors, two in foils. The blonde streaks (which becamse mostly pink in no time, sadly) and the funky red were in foils, then an allover more natural bright red went kind of "every other line of hair". So it was a line of foil, line of natural red and so on. This made it so the foils didn't have to go right up to my scalp (no burning), when it fades it won't fade pink but instead toward the red I had underneath it, and the roots won't be as obvious when they start coming in again (and I could do some home color on top if I didn't have the moolah to fill in the roots regularly--not ideal, but an option in a pinch)

The good news is that the blonde and funky red damage my hair a bit. I have been told before by stylists that my hair is too healthy. I know that sounds silly, but it's true--my hair was always so soft and healthy, that pretty much all it would do is hang there. Styling was near impossible, and anything done to it would fall out within a couple hours. So Denise (the stylist) was happy that I was choosing to do this color process, as it would aid in getting the style I wanted out of the cut.

She fussed and fussed and fussed over the cut. Not that I am complaining, because I wanted it done right, and clearly she made a point to do it right right right. It was hard to know where the longer pieces would look the best, when the rest of my hair was still so long it was kind of getting in the way of "mocking" it up. She kept combing it this way and that, hacking on chunks here and there and then recombing and arranging...I gotta say, though I was about ready to pass out from hunger (And Nay, too, who had come along for moral support--neither of us had eaten, and we didn't get done until 5pm), I was glad she took the time she did to really mess with it and get the result I wanted. I especially loved that she took the shape of my *head* (not just my face) into account when styling it. To get some of the fullness that the gal in the photo had, she had to shape the cut appropriately. And baboom...there I was staring at a totally different me!

I was excited and scared and excited and...excited. Frankly, it doesn't feel that different on my head. What I mean is, like, when I got my hair cut from mid-back up to a chin length bob, I was hyper aware of it. My neck was exposed and I could feel the curled ends brushing against my cheek or neck ina different way. This cut doesn't feel different in that way. I can *see* it, though--the little end pieces hang in my vision (not in an annoying way, at least not yet ;) are a total trip. I not only have some long bangs, but I have MINI BANGS (those teensy little guys right there in the middle front).

After the appointment (and paying the equivalent of a high end new cell phone *gag* but worth it), Renee and I dashed into the Beach Cafe for a quick eat. We were running against the clock, as I had class at 7pm, and we still needed to get back across the bridge, drop Renee off, get home to print out my sign-in sheets, change, and rush back out again...all in rush hour traffic. I was worried when the bridge was slow, but thank gawd there was NOTHING on I-5, and I got home with 5 minutes to change, print, and dash. Oh, and put a little more gunk in my hair, because I wanted it more piece-y. :)

Off to class...and my ROCK STAR DEBUT! My face hurt from smiling and accepting effusive compliments all night. I was just stunned at the overwhelmingly positive response. I hoped for kind words and that sort of "Hey cool new hair, Sharon." But I go "OH MY GAWD YOU ARE SO HOT!" "I LOVE YOUR HAIR! I CAN'T STOP LOOKING AT IT!" "YOUR HAIR IS SO SASSY! IT'S SO *YOU*!"

*inner cartwheels* I was thrilled to find that what I had HOPED would be so "me" ended up being "me but better", and everyone's compliments sent me to Cloud 9. I really felt like some kind of celebrity, which was good. Because if you think it's hard to do something this drastic and walk around the next day getting used to it, imagine getting it done mere hours before teaching 3 hours of classes in front of about 60+ women, in front of a MIRROR no less. I kept catching sight of myself and stopping up short--my gut would wrench a little, not because it was bad, but because for a brief moment my brain really could not reconcile what it was seeing, and the disconnect was a tiny electric shock.

So y'all knew from my initial post that Chris wasn't going to know about this. And I mean it. He didn't know I was even going to a hair appointment. He thought I was having another troupe meeting with Renee to sew or plan a set or something. And I resisted the mighty urge to send him a photograph in a text message, or let on in any way. I talked to him on the phone on my drive to class and avoided alluding to it even a little. But on the way home, I let a teensy hint out. I had gotten a home-made apple pie from Erika in thanks for helping her on her class project, and when I called Chris I said, "So I am bringing you pie and a surprise!"
"Pie *AND* a surprise? I would've thought pie would be surprise enough. Well well..."
"Yep, pie AND a surprise. See you soon..."

I walked in the door and he was doing dishes with his back to me. I walked up, pie in my hands: "Here's your pie!"
He turned around and did a complete double take. Then started to walk away from the sink with his hands still covered in soapy water. "Wow! Oh wow! Wait! My hands haven't caught up with my brain yet! Let me rinse off!" Which he did and the proceeded to say wow about 15 more times, and then enumerate on exactly what wow meant--all the things he loved about it. Then he made out with me. Yes, later, like the the rock star I am, I did get some nookie from my roadie. LOL

He kept talking about it, and wanting to touch it. And even woke me up this morning to passionately kiss me goodbye. "Have a good day, my new rock star girlfriend." *beam*

Now maintenance is the key, and learning how to style it different ways...or at all. LOL I will shampoo tomorrow night for the first time, and then see what I can do with it "raw" (rather than building on the initial style Denise gave me at the salon)

I am off to buy product! I went from no product to many. Volumizer, pomade (which Chris already has and works great, I just need to get a second jar to travel with), and aerosol strong hold hairspray. Not to mention some new shampoo, because my most recent purchase was not color-safe, and I am nearly out of my "Red" shampoo.

I am now officially high maintenance.
But I have a hairdo that is me...FINALLY. Only took 31 years...

So I leave tomorrow to teach a weekend of workshops in Wichita, KS. I have never been to KS, and I love putting pins on my map, so to speak. The ladies seem really neat, and I can't wait to meet them. Renee is comin' with me, which is another big treat!
Gotta get to work, but figger'd I better post a link to the info, in case anyone was interested in registering. There is still room, my dahlinks!

http://amiradanceproductions.com/sharon_moore.htm

Amira Dance Productions is proud to bring you a series of fun and challenging workshops with Sharon Moore and Renee Drellishak of inFusion Tribal Bellydance. Sharon is a sought-after performer and workshop instructor, as an innovator of tribal fusion group improvisation. Sharon was a featured workshop instructor, and inFusion Tribal were featured performers, at Tribal Fest and Tribal Quest Northwest in 2005.

This event will be two days chock full of exciting tribal improv and funky fusion bellydance. Sharon and her troupe are known for their innovative style of tribal fusion, combining elements of creative choreography with a unique and energetic group improvisational format. If you thought all group improv was FatChance ATS, or all tribal fusion was Rachel Brice, then you are in for a mind-expanding workshop experience! Be prepared to work hard, laugh a lot, and dance dance dance!

To learn more about Sharon Moore, please visit her website at www.mandalatribal.com