Florida (go figure?) I was surprised, since the Colony is run by
Union staff, and they don’t mess around with opening and ending
times on their contracts, but I was just happy we made it; didn’t
get wet, and I got to sit in a row close to the stage, from which
I would not budge, come hell OR high water!
Curious as I was, most of the theater was filled with
familiar faces and everyone was in a great and joyous mood
in anticipation of the unfolding of this production, depicting
all of Virginia’s choreographies, (throughout her career, to the
present), and the immense effort to have artists from all over
the world participate. You have to engage very dedicated and
serious artists to learn your choreographies and perform them
in unison with other artists who may have been working
together on the stage for the first time! Kudos to Virginia, just
in managing this almost incredible task! And even more, to
convince solo, well-known Belly Dance artists to participate
as dance company members, when they have been soloists
and show producers in their own individual rights! I found
this to be incredibly amazing, and showed how much she
is respected in the Middle Eastern Dance genre, just to
accomplish the collaboration of all these performers, even
giving up their chance to “shine solo” on the stage! Applause,
applause and loud Zaghareets! v
Spring /Birth – (ACT 1) “Awakening” – Solo by Virginia,
music by Georges Lammam
The curtain opens and all is dark, but for the very center of
the stage, where the spotlight shines on a pile of colorful
veils which come into movement, slowly and rhythmically
guided by the music. It makes me think of a baby breaking
through its veiled encasement, as it progresses to break
free into birth. At first I couldn’t tell who was the being
writhing to be freed, as I never read the program until
after a performance, just to test if I “got the gist of its
message” conveyed by the dance artist. It was Virginia, and
as I gathered, in discussing it with her afterwards, it was a
visual portrayal of her passage as a dance student, artist and
performer; perhaps even a “breaking the walls” conjecture
or soliloquy; “dance as if no one is watching”. It was very
intimate, even if a thousand eyes were on her, sensual and
benign at the same time, from emergence to full disclosure.
I felt it was me, as I have felt the same, and I’m sure many
watching felt akin to her portrayal of the growing pains we
artists all experience. The most significant evolution of this
piece is that it touched each of us, and we could all relate.
“A Journey” – Cast, Amida, Destiny, Kelly, Lorena, Nawar,
Chudney, Jelila, Jamila, Ashmina, Catalina, Rachel, Tomomi,
Luna, Jennifer, music from “Mayadi”, produced by Yousry Sharif
This was, in my humble opinion, the piece that singled
out the title of the show, “REFLECTIONS”, as it depicts
Virginia’s journey, and how she has passed on her teachings
and legacy to all those who have studied with her, whether
for many years, or on her workshop tours. It begins with
three, stand on their own, large oblong mirror panes, first
with Virginia as soloist, then in a kind of magic act trick,
Virginia disappears behind one mirror and Kelly emerges
to take her place (I really loved this transition and its
A Journey
July 2017
The Belly Dance Chronicles
43