Ma * Shuqa closed noting a debatable strategy : “ The local festivals seem to be fully booked with dancers willingly paying a fee to get on the festival performance schedule . The festival workshops fill if there is a requirement that all dancers who wish to book a festival performance must take at least one workshop . Thus , they pay about $ 100 to take the festival workshop plus the fee to perform . Some dancers object to the “ high cost of paying to volunteer to dance ”. Yet , the reality of the high cost of renting a facility , paying for a headliner , paying for a band ... means the event producers need to monetize the event .”
Amaya
Speaking of Great American Dance Icons , Amaya has been an eyewitness of and a performer in the belly dance world for a long time . She has a keen eye for the historical patterns of interest in our dance .
“ For sure the Covid pandemic took the wind out of our sails ! In-person classes and shows all closed down . BUT online classes took off . Today we see a hybrid of both options but the dance class / show market is still sluggish .”
“ The reasons are several : The economy is tight . When the cost of living and inflation rises , the first things people give up are their dance classes and entertainment . Secondly , in my world of Wise Women dancers , I am seeing many of my peers retiring their hip belts due to age and / or health issues . Younger dancers are many , but are so distracted by media , etc ., that they don ’ t seem to have the staying power as in the past . Thirdly , our dance has always ebbed and flowed . It is ebbing right now , but I see it already starting to flow and gain more interest once again .”
Do you remember Joy Hope from the how-to-put-on-an- Online-Hafla article “ Let ’ s Dance Online with Gypsy Flair , the Fiery Combo that Could ” ? ( Belly Dance Chronicles Jan 2021 , Vol 19 , issue 1 ). As the band now focuses on bringing those haflas from the virtual to the in-person , they have changed their name to High Sierra Band , to reflect a clear dedication to their future live High Sierra Hafla events .
Although she notes the local renaissance faire has discontinued the traditionally featured folkloric troupe of performers and musicians , closing off this community outreach , she adds “ what I ’ ve been fascinated with is they are having more business than they ’ ve ever seen . There is a tremendous response to things to take advantage of . We are not setting up events ; these guys are restoring things : Gayle Wayne , Sharifa , and Sausan of al Masri . We ’ re doing mostly outside events , like Stockton Peace Festival , in addition to Sound Bath programs featuring holistic healing gongs . We ’ ll be performing at a lovely gallery in December . I ’ ve seen more about the dance in the local community , galleries and events . I ’ ve seen music featured at Egyptian festivals and Orthodox churches .”
“ We are really busy , mostly refreshing and rebuilding with live performances at events and restaurants like al Masri and El Morocco , as well as other festivals . We ’ re continuing , picking back up where we left off . New things have come from these events ; people see us because we ’ re out there , and we don ’ t charge a ton of money . Perhaps not at a high professional level , we ’ re finding other venues to perform . The part I ’ m most aware of is how much response there is from the general public to go to these events ; that ’ s good for us because we get to keep going . Just get out and do it .
High Sierra Band - Magenta , Bonnie Lewis , Joe Lewis , Joy Hope and Torrey Stadtner
38 The Belly Dance Chronicles � January 2023