April 16, 2012

Wendy Allen workshops - July 2011

A Blog article I'd missed publishing - seriously, how could I!!!!!!

July - Philippa and I travelled down to Devon for 3 days of workshops with the wonderful Wendy Allen of FatChanceBellyDance®, and hosted by Kelley Beeston and Kalash Tribal. We stayed in a delightful B&B just outside Tiverton set in its own grounds (great fun manoeuvering up the steep road including bends in the typical Devon
countryside ha).

Wendy Allen (left)



Samantha Emanuel (below)


Pips and I took separate workshops on different days, though we covered basically the same ones. The workshops covered were The FatChance Flair, Hand and Arms - Connect the Dots, and Work That Shimmy and a 4th one which totally escapes my mind!!!

It was hard work, ouch the arms!, and especially so for me since I'd hurt my back the week before but was determined not to miss this event as I'd booked it months before, so I struggled painfully through the workshops with lots of laying on the floor to ease my discomfort.

Saturday evening there was a get together for all the workshop participants, which was hosted by Kelley in her amazing barn. Pips and I set out all dressed in our tribal finery, and drove the 10 miles to her house. Oooh-arrr those lovely Devon country roads foxed us with their high hedges/walls, narrow, twisting lanes and even our Sat Nav was puzzled too.

During the evening there were much dancing from various troupes, troupes mixing together, much eating from the fabulous spread, and the wonderful Souk provided by Angela from Tribe Zuza. Then the highlight came ........ Wendy Allen performed for us! We all sat in awe watching as she skilfully moved from step to step with such ease ......... not only a truly beautiful dancer, but a wonderfully warm-hearted lady too.

Then a surprise dancer (something I'd forgotten was going to happen). Amazing! I thought wow someone ought to snap her up ..... stunning! Philippa whispered to me after 'I think her name is something like Samanuel' ......... I suddenly grasped reality and squeaked 'Samantha Emanuel'! But of course!!! How thick can one be ............ seriously folk? She'd been in my class earlier that day, had just danced for us and I hadn't twigged ...... big ruddy DUH!!! My humblest apologies Samantha :-?,

So here's the weirdest situation. There was Pips and I ..... in the middle of the Devonshire countryside ..... in a barn ..... full of spectacularly dressed ATS® tribalists ..... with Wendy Allen and Samantha Emanuelle from Bellydance Superstars ......... how surreal can that be!!


Lalalalalalalalalalalala







Wendy and Philippa

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