Oasis West 2006

Camp was a blast.I am so awful at writing about fun and wonderful things. They feel so big and important to remember that I feel daunted at the prospect of trying to capture it in words. Oftentimes, I feel like I write very dry, play-by-play accounts, lacking any "storytelling" qualities. I am guessing that is how this post is gonna go...


The short start to this story is that Oasis West was in danger of being cancelled this year, possibly for good. Jean, the camp director/organizer, puts her own time and money into putting on these camps, and they can be a big risk for her if enough people don't sign up. This year, registrations were very slow. Add to that the fact that the guest instructor, Meera, would not be able to arrive at camp until two days into the event made it so Jean had to do some fast-changes to her usual plans. That included asking me to teach tribal--be on the official teaching staff at Camp West!

I had offered in past years to teach a little side-class for kicks, during free-time between the other workshops. Every year I got more and more people asking me about tribal belly dance, what it was, how it works, and could I tell them a bit about it? But trying to talk about dance, as they say, is like trying to smell the color 9. I wanted a chance to really let them experience it. And this year was my chance--and not just a little side-class, but a real workshop for the first two days of camp. :) I was thrilled and honored.

Arriving the first day, I set up my vending as usual. This was my 5th year as a vendor at camp, and I kept my inventory lower than usual, figuring my focus would be on the teaching more than selling. I let Hasani have more space in the cabin this time, since she always has sooooo much stuff!! I settled into my bunk in the cabin next door and head to dinner. Lots of familiar faces, but also lots of new campers this year. Most people seemed aware of the risk of Oasis being cancelled, and had convinced new friends and students to attend, making up a whole new batch of excited newbie campers. It was wonderful to have their energy! It really did remind me of what it was like my first year--so magical.

The next two days were the days I was teaching. It felt so strange, the way things set up at camp versus my usual workshops. When I teach, say, a three hour workshop, I start with introductions and a little chat about the dance, we warm-up and get grounded, go over posture, and then get to the meat of the instruction. Here, I had a little over a hour, the dancers were already warmed up, and the class was mixed between people who had never taken bellydance classes before to people who had taken 14 years of Egyptian cabaret. I had to walk in "cold", jump right into the teaching, and try to give them as much as I could in a very short time. Add to that the space we teach in is HUGE, so it feels so echo-y and...well, it lacks intimacy. But here I was...at my beloved camp, with my beloved camp sisters...and FINALLY getting to share my passion for tribal group improv with them.

And they ATE IT UP!

I mean, we're talking they would cheer, clap, and zaghareet after every new move was taught and drilled! I told them I wish they were in my weekly classes, with enthusiasm driving them to applaud every time I taught a new concept. LOL Afterward, they came to me in droves thanking me, telling me what a blast they had, asking where they could find the music, asking if I would be teaching again next year... They "got it"! Jean kissed me and hugged me and complimented me saying I was a great teacher, which made me want to cry.

I actually had more students in the second workshop than they first day. Apparently word spread that the class was fun, and some people who had dismissed tribal as "not their thing" came to try it...and loved it! That was my biggest victory of all! I am not out to "convert" anyone. I just want them to learn how joyful and uniquely exciting and connecting dancing tribal can be. I want them to know that it is not all grim faces and dark moody imagery and music that so many of them are exposed to. It is joyful and expressive and full of energy and... well, it's not what so many people think it is.

At the end of the workshop, they had a collection of a little over a half dozen fast moves and a short list of slow moves. To close the workshop, we did the Tribal Soul Train--for those who don't know, it's two lines jammin' and clapping while two-by-two everyone takes turns dancing down the center. I put on Superstylin' (always a pleaser), and we jammed together. Then we danced in a circle and ended with a bow to one another. The song was still going...and they kept dancing! Jamming all over the room, grabbing people who were walking in for the next workshop and getting them to dance along! It was amazing!!

I got inquiries about workshops in other towns, and people buying costumes and videos to take home with them. Some even decided they wanted to join the ranks of Tribal Bad Girls. *grin*

Meera arrived Friday night, in time for the hafla. She is so sweet and fun to talk to!! The hafla was amazing, as always. I was completely filled with awe at the way each dancer develops every year--seeing them tell their stories...more importantly, learning how to better express their stories through the dance. Looking us all in the eye and giving us all they have. I am so moved every year, and this year was no exception. In fact, I felt even more effected than usual this year--a mix of beautiful skill and the fact that I wasn't performing that night and could sit back and watch and enjoy fully!

After the hafla we snacked and danced. Meera came up to me and, with uncharacteristic shyness, said "Can I ask you kind of a silly question? Is all tribal so dark and...serious and...distant all the time? I admit I haven't seen much tribal, but everything I have seen seems to be like that." I laughed and told her it wasn't a silly question at all, but instead a very common one, and gave her my usual "no, that is not all tribal is" speech. She said in LA the community doesn't really talk much (she made imitations of of snobbery and snubbing) and she never felt free to ask before. That made me sad for her, but glad she had a chance to ask SOMEONE. I told her she would see what it was like the next night at the benefit.

Ah the benefit... we'll get to that.

First, the next two mornings, I ended up going back to bed after breakfast. I wasn't sleeping well enough, and wanted to be fresh for teaching, vending, and taking Meera's Bollywood choreography classes. So each day went eat breakfast , read a little then sleep, eat lunch, vend, teach/attend workshops, dinner, evening activities. Meera's choreography was TONS OF FUN! It was a cheeky Bollywood choreography to a song called "Joke Joke" (jo-kay), which means "warning" or "back off". (Here is a YouTube video of her performing the choreography at Ahlan Wa Sahlan--it doesn't do it justice, but you get some idea). I was surprised how much I took to it, for being such a foreign way to move, and so cutesy, which I don't always resonate with. It was a lot of fun, but moved very fast for this group of women. As I said, it is a real mixed bag, but most of them are hobbyists at best, so trying to learn 5 minutes of swift choreography in three short sessions was a challenge. She did get through it, but most of them weren't really retaining it unless they had her up front to follow behind. BUT despite the "griping" (not really) at how hard it was and how they didn't feel they were really learning it well, they all said they were having LOTS of fun doing it! I call that a success in any case!

This year, as part of all the rearranging, we had the hafla on Friday night, and Jean and Sherry (the camp cook) arranged for the staff to perform at a benefit at the Vashon Eagles Hall. We had originally planned one set, but the folks working out the benefit wanted the dancers to fill more time, so we offered to do a second set, and include our Bhangra Fusion in honor of Meera's visit. This was a little nerve-wracking, too, knowing that Meera, a "native" trained in Classical Indian Dance and who dances Bhangra, would be watching. Whew!

We were additionally concerned about the venue. We have definitely had experience with dancing in Eagle's Halls, and all the drunken redneckery it can entail. We were pleased to mark that the smoking ban does extend to private clubs such as this, so at least that wouldn't be an issue. But we were ready to jump in with both feet to help raise money for the Vashon Food Bank.

My gals arrived just before dinner, and came and ate with all of us, then we head back to the cabin to get ready together. We only had a short time to get ready before heading out to the venue, all the campers caravaning along Vashon highway. We arrived to our lavish dressing quarters--the auxiliary office--and prepped for the show. The office was stuffy so we hung out in the lobby area, which was an iffy proposition. We joked that we should have had a contest for the most times being hit on by dirty old men. I was hit up twice to join the Eagles in the first half hour, to boot.

The performance was so much fun. Me and my gals were joking and laughing together all night long. The crowd was WILD WILD WILD for our brand o' tribal. Both sets we did completley improv (with only opening/closing staging combos type thing) The performers all night were top notch--I was honored we were among them! There was a live band playing for nearly everyone but us and a few other performers, so that was an extra treat. To see my drum-chick heroes, Nicole and Jane, jamming together again was a treat in itself. Jean opened, then us. Then Vashti, Leyla, and Meera, who did two Bollywood songs, including Joke Joke which we all sang along with, and rocked our socks. We were treated to Lila Perry and Hasani before ending with the incomparable Cassandra. Her skill, her humor, her charisma on stage...And her finale was this INCREDIBLE ZAR! Yes, in full bedlah, she did a completely riveting zar that had us all completely caught up in the moment. Then she recovered and finished with her denoument and exit! Usually, that is the part where someone has to carry the person offstage, ya know? And here she was smiling and dancing off. It was jarring and strange and amazing!

Afterward I was open dancing! I got the chance to chat with Meera more, hear about her background and all. We ended up talking when I walked past her and she grabbed my arm and gushed that our Bhangra performance was the *best* Bhangra fusion she had ever seen, and she wasn't "just saying that". High praise indeed! It felt so incredible and validating to have someone who really knows Bhangra be impressed with what we do. :)

But by far, the coolest most magical part of the whole thing was on the dance floor. We were jammin' together, me and my gals, as we do. We talked about how we felt bad that it seems so cliquish when we dance together at events like this. You know, everyone is dancing their style that they love during open dance. Everyone else's just happens to be solo while ours happens to be a group style. But we still are very sensitive to appearing to be closed off to others, so we kept trying to catch the eye of other dancers outside the circle when we could to let them know we weren't shutting them out. As luck would have it, Lauren and my Port Angeles girls were the first to look interested, and I beckoned them in. Sarah threw the lead to me, since I knew what they had learned at the workshops...and before you knew it, the entire dance floor was in one giant tribal circle!! AH MAGIC! THIS IS WHAT TRIBAL IS ABOUT! Being connected like that, being able to dance together in the moment no matter where or when... I was thrilled. Unfortunately, the band changed to a difficult rhythm, and we couldn't keep it up any longer.

The dance floor was getting strange. Drunk Eagles men were coming out and hitting on everyone, grinding up behind us, trying to get in on our dance circles. Kym returned from a simple walk to the bathroom and breathlessly sidled up to us saying, "Don't leave me alone!" as she glanced warily toward a man following her through the door. We seemed to be rescuing each other all night long, trying to close ranks from harrasing men. So we went outside to get some air...where we got hit on, of course.

And before you knew it...the night was over! My gals were catching a ferry, and I was back at my cabin sipping wine and exchanging stories of the icky Eagle's men (like one walking up to a voluptuous camper saying "Do you want to go home with me and have sex?"). The absolute worst (yes, worse if you can believe it) was the fact that one man showed up late and there were no more seats for the show...so he offered to pay $100 so he could STAND IN THE BUSHES AND WATCH THROUGH THE WINDOW. If that isn't weird enough...the Eagles putting on the benfeit said YES! WHAT THE HELL?! So all night there was this balding 60 year old man farting away in the bushes watching us. EW!!! Par for the course at performances at the Eagles Hall...

The next morning, we recorded the video. Every year, the teachers lead the campers through their lesson or choreography for a video camera. It is put on the camp video, which you can purchase. The video includes footage of the hafla (and this year the benfit as well), and the choreography film so you are able to have a visual reminder of what you learned. So we put on the funky tunes, warmed up and reviewed what we learned, and danced a full song for the video. it was very simple, and I did my best to try and pair each of the moves together in some combination, so they can see how they transition smoothly. I know I didn't smile enough, but I just kept thinking, "I am a teacher on the camp video! I am a TEACHER ON THE CAMP VIDEO!" I know that sounds silly, but it was such a big milestone for me to be there, in that role, at the camp I love so much.

I packed up my vending stuff and had an hour before lunch. I wandered over to the lodge, and found Jean packaging gifts for the camper awards. We chatted a while about the fact that Camp West may not happen next year, that Camp South is not even happening this year due to low registrations. They may be switching to a weekend workshop format in 2007 for West and South, which would be a terrible shame. Jean had some valid concerns, including feeling like she is limiting Cassandra's exposure as a teacher, and wanting her to be more accessible when she travels. Having workshops or shows near Seattle, and/or moving any future camp to a location which doesn't require a ferry trip, is her hope. But of course it has to be affordable, to boot. tough bill to fill. She seemed to be hinting at wanted me to help her produce a show locally next year, but I told her I didn't feel I was qualified to promote such a show. I do haflas, and host workshops, but a full fledged stage show is not something I am interested in taking on right now.

Sadly, what I love most about Oasis is...it's CAMP! I can't say I would go out of my way to take workshops with Cassandra if she came to town. But it is worth it to me to take from her as a part of camp, because the experience of being at camp with all those amazing women, and sharing in all the fun and community, sharing our dance together...THAT is what makes it an annual pilgrimage for me. And I think the guest teacher is important too. Her list of requirements for the guest instructor is an interesting one, including some vague idea of scholarly background in their field. Which of course, anyone teaching you would want to be assured they knew their business. But it sounded more like...I don't know. It just seemed limited. THe dance world right now is riding a wave of fusion fanaticism that I think they could benefit from taking advantage of. And I feel like what she loves in a dance teacher (she specifically mentioned Denise Enan being one of her favorites guest teachers...who was specifically my LEAST favorite ever in 7 years of camp) may not necessarily reflect that of the audience she is trying to tap. Camp has to diversify more, and definitely advertise more. She asked me to help her with marketing and promotions online, and that is somethign I feel I can be really helpful at, so I said of course.

Now I am home, loving my pups and hubby. It looks like fall fell in the last 5 days since I was away. Literally, the trees exploded with color, and leaves are fluttering to the ground all over the place.

Back to reality, it's time to start planning Amy's wedding dance. Me and the gals worked on it this last week and have it pretty much staged. Capitol Club is this Thursday, and Nomaditude is getting ready for their Winter Fest performance. Good times!