Hello all, and happy new week to you! I'm perky coming off of a dance and birthday weekend extravaganza (Anne's birthday, that is), and excited to be chatting with you today! Do you have your tea? Let me go fetch mine...
OK good! Here we are. I had a FUN weekend. Sometimes I feel guilty that I get to share my life with such wonderful people. Family, friends, people that I know via my hobbies of dance, writing and my faith (that's not a hobby, but you know what I mean). I feel very, VERY blessed. One of those blessings is my dance community. Everyone is accepted for who they are in this group, and I have always felt so comfortable there. Every person has a story, and indeed, everyone has a *dance* story as to how and why they were drawn to this specific form of cultural dance. I brought my own story in with theirs, and it always seems like a happy melody to me when we are together.
Friday we packed up 2 belly mobiles ;-) and transported 10 dancers west to a small town in Ohio, home to the lovely and talented Sherena. We were scheduled for a group master class with her on Saturday afternoon, and allocated Friday to fun and frivolity. We checked into our hotel and got dressed up to have dinner at a local Middle Eastern restaurant and watch the dancer who was performing there that night. The dancer is one of Sherena's proteges, who was *excellent*. This is a town with a strong Middle Eastern dance heritage: Sherena is a second generation belly dancer, following in the footsteps of her mom. This restaurant has had a belly dancer perform every Friday night for 20 years! It is all so lovely.
Afterward, we talked and sipped champagne for hours, before finally settling in to rest up for our big class. And our class was AMAZING. Sherena has energy and enthusiasm abounding, and at 6 months pregnant no less! She also has an incredible knowledge of the dance and how culture informs the dance. It was a joy to learn from her, and we're hoping to take another class from her again in the fall. In just 2 hours, we learned an entire drum solo choreography from her, which all passed in a great big blur :0, but we have a happy video of the experience. Plus, I took away a ton of little nuances on traditional movements and arms that I had never seen before. I absolutely love when that happens.
We drove back Saturday evening, our ride filled with three and a half hours of nonstop dance talk. Then I got home to my babies in time to tuck them both into bed. After that, Mike humored me by listening to at least 30 full minutes of my detailed descriptions of what I learned, and how I can't wait to download some of the Golden Era of Belly Dance music that we discussed. He wasn't *quite* as into it as my belly girls, but he did pretty well. ;-)
Sunday, we hosted a family birthday party for our Anne, who milked her birthday for all it was worth. She got decked out in a fancy dress and asked for her hair to be braided. At Children's Liturgy of the Word, she told her catechist that it was her birthday, and the group apparently sang happy birthday to her. She was especially gleeful about being gifted the opportunity to blow out the little altar candle. :0 Upon arriving home, she wore her school birthday crown for the entire day, and was glowing for the duration of her party. A great time was had by all.
How was YOUR weekend, dear reader? Do write in! I think I'm finally getting over my cold, so I should be able to record Tea Time this week.
*streamers!*
My weekend was not as ambitious as yours! Worked some more on sorting, decluttering and organizing one of the storage bedrooms. Got down to three boxes of assorted remotes, cords, plugs and various oddball stuff and could DO NO MORE. Then had to take loads and loads and loads of wash to the laundromat. My washer and dryer still installed and working. My legs were quivering when I got home. Sunday after an early Mass - our church is an hour and a half away - the price to be paid for living in a remote area - so we had to get up two hours EARLIER. Managed to make it though on time and it was a very lovely, relaxing Mass - although I did nod off during the sermon. Rushed out afterward - I usually work in the bookstore - but we had to be way back to attend a graduation ceremony in a more remote part of the state!! Went through Frisch's on the way and managed to arrive about fifteen minutes early, which was really forty-five as the invitation was wrong. Got a front row seat - it's a small school but they only have so many folding chairs. Chatted with nieces and nephews - there were only four graduates so it passed relatively quick.
ReplyDeleteDislike shopping on Sunday, but the cats had to have food so we went to a different Wal-Mart and browsed around - some of the family were also there and we came upon them in different aisles - mini-family reunions. If you live in small towns, going to Wal-Mart is an EVENT. Trust me on this. Home and got a few hours to just read before crawling into my bed. Thankfully, I could take Monday off to start writing a new book . . .
Donna,
Deleteoh MY, you DID have a busy weekend! It is indeed the time of year for busy weekends filled with sacraments and graduation parties, proms, that sort of thing. And your remote location does seem to add to the experience. :0 But you made it! *virtual high five*