For this issue's Raks Star I have chosen a young woman whose
gracious and grateful attitude as well as tremendous talent, once again, and in
rarity, provides me a renewed sense of hope for the future of our dance
art. A strong statement for sure, but if you were witness to her
performances, and had an opportunity to sit with her and talk openly about what
she sees for her own dance future as well as that of our art and from whence it
came, you would perhaps understand my feelings. Ekaja walked onto the
stage in Las Vegas last year at Wiggles of the West, fresh to our world, but
not necessarily innocent to performance. This last statement is made
simply because I had no idea she had been performing Raks Sharki for just a
year - - she had a comfort on stage that spoke of more experience, and
certainly a dancer’s soul that seemingly had been there before. I knew in
that moment she was a dancer to watch in earnest and this year on the stage in
the Entertainer of the Year category with just a few years experience she
proved the dancer to follow.
Ekaja offers a kaleidoscope of emotion as
she performs letting the audience run that full gambit with her. From
angelic to coy, saucy to playful, to soulfully serious, Ekaja lights up the
stage like a seasoned professional, contradicting her "less than 3 years
of experience". I look forward to seeing her in many more performances,
knowing if she can only get better, then better is going to seriously blow my
mind. I give you a forward by her wonderful instructor Rajani, and
following is Ekaja’s story in her own words.
An Instructor’s Forward
By Rajani of Safford, Arizona
Ekaja is that "one" student that comes around once
in a lifetime. Graceful as she is gracious, it has been an honor to teach
such a talented young woman. I have been
working with Ekaja for two-and-a-half years, and am amazed at how
quickly she learns and how diligently she practices as shown by her awards. She is a natural dancer; understanding the
music, emotion and passion of the dance. Ekaja has the uncanny ability to ‘see’
the music and find the right combination to fit it. She is truly a unique,
breathtaking dancer and destined to go far. But the most important things
of all are; she is a wonderful mother to two beautiful girls, a friend
that is quick to laugh with, and a buddy when one is needed. I am
blessed.
Ekaja
Safford, Arizona
My mom remembers me “belly dancing” when I was a very little
girl and she has the humiliating home video to prove it! Belly rolls and head
slides, I did the best I could with what I was exposed to from watching TV. It
is clear I always held a fascination for this art form, but I didn’t know that
it would someday change my life.
I grew up in the teeny mining camp of Bagdad, Arizona where
attending dance class was not a option, but would be a luxury if available. My
parents did, however, teach me every dance in their repertoire: two-step,
swing, waltz, and a few random smatterings of embarrassing line dances (The
Hustle haunts me to this day). As informal as this education was, it was a
strong foundation that would help me in the following years. They exposed me to
just about every musical genre: be it classical, jazz, blues, rock, or world
music. I believe it was their love of music and appreciation of other cultures
that eventually led me to belly dance.
My youth revolved around music. I was involved in the school
choir from kindergarten through my senior year of high school, and was forever
immersed in piano lessons. I was devoted to the performing arts; not just from
singing in choir, but becoming their accompanist, and being active in the drama
club. Eventually, Arizona State University awarded me a full-ride scholarship to
their music program.
My decision to not pursue a musical career was one of the
most difficult of my life. With my college advisor breathing down my neck, I
decided to take a year off to explore my options. I graduated from the Art
Institute of Phoenix in 2003 as a pastry chef, and I married my sweetheart,
Austin, the same year.
A couple years later (and a couple babies later), I found
myself in Safford, Arizona, yet another small mining town. I had a very busy
life, but no creative outlets and I was literally going crazy! I recalled the
words of a guru who once said that if you really desire something, put it out
into the universe: if it is meant to be, it will happen. So one day, driving
down the road with my kids screaming and in tow, I shouted out, “Ok, universe!
I‘m putting this out there! What am I supposed to do with myself?” The very
next day while driving on the very same stretch of road, a commercial aired on
the radio that caught my attention: free belly dance classes with Rajani at the
library…in Safford! I took this as the
sign I needed and went to the class. After just one lesson, I was hooked!
A few weeks later, I was invited to dance with Rajani’s
troupe, Desert Menagerie. We danced at Salsa Fest, The Harvest Festival,
Eastern Arizona College, and weekly in a local restaurant. I was introduced to
dancing with swords, veils, zills, and fans…I wanted to absorb it all at once!
Realizing that I was eager to grow, Rajani took me under her wing. She became
my “dance mom” and mentor, and taught me to respect the dance as an art form.
On several occasions, she even asked me to share the stage with her, and we
choreographed and performed original pieces together.
In 2010, after an intense year of hard work and with lots of
encouragement, she convinced me to compete at Wiggles of the West in Las Vegas
in the Rising Star category. I was excited but not hopeful, since it would be
my first on-stage solo performance. I was so shocked when I won first
place…especially since I’d only been dancing a little over a year!
When I heard that 2011 would be the last year for Wiggles, I
knew I had to compete in the Entertainer of the Year category. I was up for the
challenge, knowing that I had less than three years experience, and would be
competing against seasoned professionals. Despite her being in the midst of
some serious health issues, Rajani met with me every week for coaching
sessions. I tried my hand at choreography and experimented with infusing my
personality into the dance, all the while keeping up with my busy home life.
The hard work paid off when I placed second in the category! Although I didn’t win,
I considered it a huge personal victory.
I feel blessed to be surrounded with people who love and
support me unconditionally and want to see me succeed. This dance has made my
life so rich and joyful. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store!
Photo Credits:
Wiggles of the West 2010 and 2011 Photos by Robert Steffen /
Filtered Visions Photography
Close-up on cover page is by Angie Marie Photography
Photos of Rajani and Ekaja are from Yasmina's blog at joyofbellydancing.com
