Pangia - Denise Mannion and Pat Olson , have a straightforward motto : “ We are inspired to make people smile and enjoy music and dance once again and forever .”
“ We never really left but had no opportunity to play music for a while . Last summer , 2021 , we had about a half dozen gigs during the summer months . Smaller engagements such as parties , weddings etc . just evaporated ; nobody working , businesses shut down or open with sketchy and inconsistent hours of operation , people afraid to attend public as well as private events . When we did go out and about , we noticed people were extremely agitated and angry . Very often , while driving , we were shown that we were # 1 ! This past year 2022 , we began by playing in February at al Masri in San Francisco . It was very well attended yet at the beginning of the evening , there was a slight feeling of restraint : reluctance to hug or get too close . However , everyone , dancers and audience seemed to really need the interaction with music , dancers , friends and acquaintances . At the end of the evening , all seemed happy to have experienced some semblance of their previous existence . We were busy almost every weekend in June , July and August . In addition to playing several times at al Masri , we played for dancers at Carnival of Stars in Alameda . Aruba hosted us in Nevada City , California and we had a wonderful experience there . Normally , we play at the county fair along with dancers , but this year , due to forest fires , the event was postponed until next year . Although some events were still canceled , we hope to be involved with them this coming year : Belly Dancer of the Year 2023 - Live Music Finals and more !”
“ We are always reaching out to our audiences since they are mainly NOT Middle Eastern , and neither are we . Our audiences can be from all over , including Mount Shasta July 4th events which have a very large attendance . The audiences in our county can be composed of farmers , ranchers , indigenous tribal members , professional people , educators , students , firefighters , tourists and more .”
“ These are very stressful , uncertain and strange times we are living through and much has changed as everyone cannot help but notice . The world is a different place and we all will need to make the
best of it and move forward . There is so much going on out there : Classes , workshops , performances , concerts . Please communicate about planning and scheduling whenever you can . Multiple events on the same date can be devastating . Collaborate and support your colleagues whenever possible . Our hopes are that everyone , dancers , musicians and EVERYONE will make serious efforts to overcome their frustrations , anxieties and anger and strive to rise up above any unproductive negativity to become more positive and proactive in all of their interactions . We are happy to be a part of this New World Symphony !”
Dear Reader : I hope you ’ ve seen a reflection of yourself in these interviews , and have found new inspiration in all the information ; it is good for today and good for the future . Embrace who you get to be now . Your best days are not behind you ; they ’ re in front of you .
STASHA VLASUK
Pangia
Stasha is an author , performer and teacher of Shamanic Middle Eastern Dance , Vintage Style , Weapons , Balancing and Costuming that spans many decades . From Folkloric to Contemporary techniques , on stage and in film , her captivating performances since 1975 exceed 14,000 : across America , Europe , North Africa and the Middle East . stashamania @ gmail . com
44 The Belly Dance Chronicles � January 2023