Kalash - Oasis Workshops

Some of us at Ashnah started to attend Kalash’s ATS® workshops held in Tiverton, Devon. Don’t let the prospect of a 2-hour plus drive put you off (says the non driver!) as they’re certainly worthwhile. One Saturday every 3 months is given over to all levels of ATS® dancers and coming together as we do is a perfect opportunity to improve, tweak and strengthen our dancing let alone catch up with all and sundry. The day is hosted by the lovely ladies of Kalash, and lead by their most wonderful Kelley Beeston whose praises I can’t sing highly enough – firm, nurturing, warm and welcoming and oh, almost forgot, an endless font of knowledge (straight from FCBD® San Francisco itself)! I can’t recommend these workshops enough. We’ll unfortunately be missing the July one but roll on September!

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

1st April

Spaghetti on Trees, Aliens Landed, Ashnah never to dance!! ........ happily I can say none of them are true - it's 1st April - Happy April Fools Day!

Swindon Shimmyers hafla

Most memorable sight of the night?” John Sleimans’ martial art jump; I’ve never seen the man so smiley or exuberant!! It was quite novel and I enjoyed the experience which happened at the end of a rather nice evening. Jen, Kay, and I attended the gathering and saw among others the lovely and original Xenia of the Malmsbury Tribal Bellydance Group, Carrie from Brutal Bellydance who unusually was wearing a skirt, and Emma Pyke from Reading along with Covert Bling. I saw Helen Sleiman who both lead her Zakoura girls and did a lovely solo and Luisa and Gary Taylor were also there – she unashamedly strutted her stuff, a nice baladi number, and he playing photographer (Ashnah have yet to go to one of her haflas hmm.. should drop her a line!). There was a welcome new arrival on the scene, Diana Soraya so a big welcome to her! The programme was varied and interesting and a many warm thanks to the Swindon Shimmyers’ Sue Bickell for organising this party cum fundraiser.

Majma Dance Festival, Glastonbury

Report by Rita

With Carolena Nericcio and Megha Gavin of FCBD® headlining this year’s event, tribalists from all over descended en masse and in glorious techni-colour onto Glastonbury – almost all the Ashnah ladies made the trip and we were minus our Jen.

L-R Rita, Pips, Hannah, Carolena, Megha, Agne, Kay

Do you know when you’re taught a combination so fitting and natural you immediately absorb it? well Tara provided me with a few of these so my thanks to her for her gifts!

Later on I met the sassiest dancer ever, the lovely Ava Fleming whose performance on Saturday night was an absolute privilege to witness and who left the entire audience exhausted and begging for more.

As a teacher, she was as lovely and as demanding and rigorous as you’d expect from a winner of the Bellydancer of the Universe to be and more! Mind you, whether my arms are as liquid as gold is not even up for debate!! I also for the second year in a row gladly found my way to the lovely Valerie Romanin who so easily brings out the latina in me “ay esse!!!” the rest of the time was spent in the company of my girls shopping, eating, dancing, talking about dancing, dreaming of dancing, working on dancing – we were straight out of an episode of Fame!!only missing our Jen. Covering the bellydance side of the weekend (and leaving our Kay to take you on her ATS® journey), I arrived ‘bellydance-workshop starved’ and couldn’t wait to get started; I’d signed up to Tara Ibrahim, Ava Fleming and Flamenco Descalzo’s Valerie Romanin’s classes and they all left me shattered and happy and I simply had an absolute blast.

Report by Kay
We congregated at our hotel, 3 cars having travelled down on such a beautiful sunny Friday afternoon. We chatted excitedly throughout our journey, only to stop whilst our breath was taken away at the sheer beauty of Stonehenge suddenly appearing as we rounded the hill on the A303. That sight never fails to make to gaze in awe........

Well I'd plumped for all of Carolena and Megha's classes - how could I not do them!!! Each workshop was fab - going over familiar moves, refining them, writing notes, learning new moves, combinations, dancing with our own troupe members, friends and new people, and writing more notes ..... always write notes (a godsend)!!!

Oh those floor moves!!! Ouch - the thighs the next day!

Sadly the weekend all too quickly came to an end, we said our goodbyes to friends and teachers and made that wonderful journey back home again past Stonehenge .........

Hey! We're doing it all again in October in Edinburgh! Counting the weeks!

Station House Care Trust, Abingdon

How often do you get told your performance had such a positive impact on your audience that’s it’s enabled and stimulated long overdue communication! Ashnah had the privilege of dancing at the Station House Care Trust in Abingdon, a lovely facility which provides high quality residential and nursing care to the elderly and specialises in dementia, very centrally located in our home town. The whole setting was very light and airy and the atmosphere warm and relaxed and while the performers did their thing and concentrated on entertaining, the organisers of the evening ensured everyone had a little glass of something to quench thirst. Later on, we were regaled with delightful memories of bygone days and later on still and in true Ashnah form, we rounded off our evening at a local restaurant... thus ensuring the proper upkeep of both body and soul ;o)

East Meets West Charity Show, Bicester

Man and his dreams .. they come in all shapes and sizes and I suppose if you believe and work hard enough at them, and are fortunate, they will happen. Take this woman, Arpita Desai, whose dream it was to bring cultures together and for a while, a couple of hours, get so many to put their best foot forward in a dance show which was also a fundraiser in aid of the See-Saw and Ronald McDonald charities. Just that happened on Saturday 11th February at the Community College in Bicester and in front of a packed house, Morris, Latin and Swing alongside ATS® Tribal, Bollywood, Flamenco, Belly and Fijian dancing, we even had a karate display, showcased this colourful and most eclectic programme. A wonderful evening was had by all with a promise to return at the next call. Congrats to Arpita and many thanks to the Rotary Club and especially Mike Daniels for all their invaluable help and priceless support.

Video

Winter Wonderland hafla - Jan 14th

We’ve come back from our first 2012 hafla, Nikki Livermore’s Winter Wonderland, at the almost beautifully refurbished Langdale Hall in Witney; besides the place looking rather nice, I actually missed the stage. I don’t know if it will be replaced so I should like to put it out there that I for one think it’s essential; when Nikki and Helen Sleiman kicked off the evening with a free-for-all warm-up Zumba session, I couldn’t see a thing and I’m not vertically challenged! both ladies were lost in the crowd - bring back that stage!!

The hafla itself brought together all the familiar faces and it was great to catch up with everyone. On the programme were among others the various incarnations of the Isisters and Hazzaz groups who invariably jollied the place up and the ladies from Hathor without whom an evening would be incomplete. The lovely Carrie Nicholson made it from Didcot and happily represented the ‘dark fusion’ element providing an excellent foil to the likes of Helen Sleiman who led her Zakoura group in a lovely dynamic modern Egyptian number and later mesmerised everyone with her own solo. There were a few new faces from Cheltenham; the soloist Anne Blagden who from the back bears an uncanny resemblance to Nikki (that’s definitely a compliment) as well as Jane Claridge who closed the show to a Ghawazi number. My apologies to all those I haven’t mentioned; the programme was certainly a full one. I do however have to round up this article by mentioning the ATS contributors, our ‘sisters in the art’ Sundara who performed 2 lovely dances of one of which incorporated a ‘ripple’ effect which I absolutely loved and our good selves Ashnah who took our Kodo dance to Witney for the first time but minus our lovely Jen..

Resident Dancers

It's official!! Ashnah are now 'resident dancers' at The Shoulder of Mutton, real ale pub and vegetarian restaurant in Wantage. Our lovely friend and proprietor, Peter Fowler, has invited us to perform every 3rd Friday in the month starting the 17th February.

Come along for a fun evening of dance entertainment and fabulous folk musicians (check their website for the musicians though).

In fact, don't wait for us to appear, get over there any time to sample the wonderful food, real ale and ciders and the great hospitality!

Ashnah - Swimathon

Kay, Rita and Phillipa along with our friend Fiona, are taking part in the 5k Swimathon 2012 for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

If you'd like to sponsor us, please visit our Team Page. Every little helps........ Many thanks for your support.

Volume 9 - Anatomy of a Step

Yay it's arrived!!! Our long awaited new FCBD® Volume 9 DVD - Anatomy of a Step. Loads of exciting new steps and combo's to keep us busy for a long while yet. Rehearsals, rehearsals ..... and yet more rehearsals girls!!!

Thanks FCBD® - fabulous DVD!












Here it is - in our hands, in our dance studio..... and us, posing with our valuable DVD







Everybody wants a look in!!!!








Get your hands off








Noooooo .... it's mine, all mine!!








Right ladies - I'll have to go solo - then I'll keep it all to myself hehehe!

Shoulder of Mutton, Wantage - January 2012

Oh my goodness gracious me!! We were on a high days after a most exhilarating evening at our dear Mr Fowler's 'place of drink and delicious food and soon to be bed & breakfast' - the Shoulder of Mutton in Wantage. The event was supposedly by way of a thank you to staff and friends and this most gracious host actually thought he'd get away with not mentioning his birthday!! Well, as you can imagine, everyone and his family were aware and all turned out in force, and the place was heaving - forget 'room to swing a cat', the evening was totally given over to sardines!!

We met up again with the wonderfully marvellous Monty's Maggots who were also our musicians for our 2nd dance slot, and the collaboration was flawless! The Quintessence Barbershop singers entertained us all with their lovely harmonies - their adaptation of 'When I'm 64' which they dedicated to Peter, deserves a special mention as it was so 'spot on' and had everyone in stitches.

Food and drink were free-flowing ('serve yourself behind the bar' was fun), but were it not a Thursday night (alas, work for the some the next day), we'd have stayed until the very end to further enjoy the celebrations. Absolutely, delightfully brilliant!!

Happy Birthday Peter x

We wish you a Merry Christmas

Wishing anybody who reads our blog, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Christmas Ceilidh, Grove - 3rd December

Ashnah had a fabulous night of dancing at the Christmas Ceilidh at Grove, and were delighted to be joined by some of our friends and the brilliant Oxford Drum Troupe (ODT) who played for us. Thank you guys, it was wonderful working with you and thought the combination of groups went down a treat!!

After our performance we joined in with the ceilidh dancing which left us all in hysterics as we got it completely wrong!!! Think I for one will stick to what I know best ..... ATS.

Check out our Video page for our 3 tracks and as a bonus .... our attempt at ceilidh dancing!! Enjoy!!

WWF Hafla, Abingdon

This years fundraiser took place at the lovely Guildhall in Abingdon, and let me start by commenting that we should all be so lucky to have such ample changing room facilities - with mirrors no less!!

The guest groups at this show included Rosehips who showed up with live musicians in toe, Helen Sleiman's group who were beautifully framed by colourful and vibrant silk veils, and firm favourites Hathor .... to name but a few. A special mention has to go to the Cairo Kittens who set pulses racing so much it affected and short circuited the sound system twice!! The Cairo Kitten ladies, minus their prima cat, Jo Saunders, scorched the floor in hats and hot pants and made their teacher proud. Another shout out must go to Kay O'Regan of Rosehips who performed her first ever solo, dancing to the very dramatic Roxanne - congrats - it was beautiful.

Welcome back to Claire who tread the board for the first time since the birth of her twins. She not only regained her figure but has improved her dance immeasurably - I hate her ha!!! We love you really Claire x

As for Ashnah, we performed twice and were very happy to be joined by our beloved Esme on the second number ... may it be the first of many.

See our 2 performances on our Video page.

Pauline Selleck

Goodness, there was an almighty gathering on 3 November 2011 which assembled all sorts of dancers and teachers. The venue was the beautiful St. Michael’s Church in Abingdon and we were all there to pay our respects and witness the final exit of the local grande dame of ballroom, the much beloved Mrs Pauline Selleck (known affectionaly as 'old trout'). Let me tell you this wonderful lady had the foresight to make provisions for that day and it paid off - what a day it turned out to be, and what a service!

On arrival, the church was filled to capacity, had lovely flower displays throughout, and was enveloped in comforting organ music. The officiant was Father Paul Smith who whizzed about in his electric chair at great speed drawing a smile from our little group – I’m sure he wouldn’t mind me saying but his wheels were so 21st century, he also had the facility of raising his chair when he was behind the altar which reminded me of some character from The Transformers! My resolve to keep it together quickly went out of the window with the first prayer on the programme, the Lord of the Dance (which by the way I’m nicking for my own funeral!) – dancers have their own prayer, who knew? I didn’t!! The sombreness of the occasion was lifted when Liz eulogized her mother and regaled us all with old stories and anecdotes.

My favourite part came at the end with Pauline’s exit from the church to the wonderfully festive sounds of the Radetzky March (something else I’m pinching for myself) which had everyone promptly starting to clap.. brilliant! The service was followed by the wake which took place at the Abingdon Dance Studio which was decorated with many of Pauline's photographs and the famous singing 'trout'. Going back there was wonderful and as it turned out, so life-affirming. Liz and John laid out a lovely spread and joined us later on in the afternoon and we all had time to sit down and catch up – it was a fitting occasion..... we should all be so lucky! What a wonderful lady ........ Pauline.

Sahara Sisters hafla, Chippenham

Having had the pleasure of working with the Sahara Sisters’, we were invited to perform at their annual hafla, an offer which we were delighted to accept. On arrival there, it took us a minute to take in the location and less than that to sigh in relief - the hall was a beautiful large room full of little period architectural gems, there was a yummy food corner and rather nice bar, a solid looking sound along an elaborate lighting system. The Chippenham ladies had set everyone up and this group for one was really appreciative! As it turned out, I personally think this event was the largest indoor event I danced at. The evening’s programme was eclectic and the Sahara Sisters’ showcase was bright, and colourful, and vibrant and went down a treat. Visiting performers included amongst others the lovely Helen Sleiman, the mesmerising Malmsbury girls and the ravishing Raheesha with her Desert Divas. We had a wonderful evening, had some outstanding professional photos taken (see our website), scorched the floor, and drove home wonderfully spent!!

See our video page or YouTube

Malmesbury Tribal hafla

September - Firstly, what I remember of my first venture into this town is how absolutely enchanting it struck me.. full of rather large churches.. until I found out that it’s England’s oldest borough and with 1000-year-old history, it really is hardly surprising!!

Our evening was quite novel as it was hosted by a raconteur come comedian come magician, Ashton Carter who made for smooth transitions and distinctive announcements, and his amazing magical 'saw the lady in half' act with willing (or was that unwilling) volunteer from the audience! The event looked completely sold out and we met up amongst others with fellow dancing groups such as Sundara, Brutal Belly Dance, Sahara Sisters, the Swindon Shimmyers and Zanoba. Ashnah premiered their masks which were bought specifically for this event and which went across a treat. I must give a mention to the absolutely gorgeous Xenia who enthralled us all with a creative choreography involving a veil and rocked it out to a dramatic piece of music.. Back to the light!

Hathor, June 2011

Catching up on our blog articles, I now come to Hathor, June 2011.

Ashnah attended Hathor’s annual shindig at Exeter Hall in Kidlington back in June and as usual, the hafla didn’t disappoint and neither did the laid on and much appreciated sustenance!! This event is one of the larger local ones to Oxford and a very popular rendezvous - this year, the gathering was in aid of Oxford’s Food Bank. Groups and soloists covered a whole range of styles and the programme included traditional Egyptian, folkloric, modern fusion, and ATS bellydancing. The wonderfully organised evening was rounded off by our Hathor hosts bumping and shimmying to Flo-Rida’s infectious and most aptly titled Club Can’t Handle me rhythm – roll on 2012!!

The Shoulder of Muton, Wantage

D day (- 1 hour). We set off to Wantage making our way to the Shoulder of Mutton pub; this was going to be our first pub gig and we were all very excited! The agreed upon strategy (and yes we were approaching it like an operation) was to ring our host, Peter Fowler, on arrival in order to access the venue through a side entrance thereby maximising our impact - and what an impact it was! We were even asked to perform a fourth slot but decided to “leave them begging for more”. We’d made provision to get everybody up and dancing and that proved a very popular idea.

D day (+1 hour) We had a truly memorable evening at what we discovered to be an enchanting pub we would recommend to everyone. Venimus, vedimus, vicimus!!!

Make sure you pay a visit to this wonderful establishment for fine beer, wines and most delicious food - The Shoulder of Mutton, Wantage

report by Rita