As Printed in the Quarter 3/05 (July/Aug/Sept) issue of The Belly Dancer Magazine
Well my friends, the adventures of the last few months have been pretty spectacular. In March I celebrated my 50th Birthday. I know, ladies are not supposed to tell their age - - but I am really proud of where I am at this point in my life and equally proud that just a few short weeks after my 50th, I celebrated the birth of my first Grandchild, Sophia Christine. What more could you ask for in just a month's time? She has lit up my life like nothing else has in the years since the births of my own children. I feel blessed beyond words.
Well how about going for two months? In May my youngest daughter moved into her own "place", which has made me an Empty Nester (who immediately converted one bedroom into my new office and the other into my costume closet - - empty my eye!). I am lucky that all of my children stop by frequently, whether to watch a movie, help me in the yard, cook me dinner, bring me the baby to snuggle, or just to get a hug. So, I don't feel alone at all - - but truly blessed. Just a week ago I celebrated my youngest daughter's graduation from College (the first degree in line to her desired Doctorate). And Talon finished this quarter with a 3.87 GPA in his first year of college. So, on a personal level - - it certainly has been two months of overwhelmingly fantastic adventure.
Now, throw into that mix - the week and a half before my 50th, I was lucky to have attended the 25th Anniversary of Rakkasah - - and I attended in the most complete way: Weeklong of workshops, vendor, performer, audience, helper - an all around participant. And do I have tales to tell - - <Cheshire Grin>.
Rakkasah West is for me the ultimate event. From the welcome party at El Morocco the week before the festival to the tear down on Sunday after the festival. This year, I met many new people and made many new friends, as well as connected with friends made over the years, many of those friendships having developed from this very event. My mind travels back to years gone by and the moments I simply would not trade for anything. Moments that are still near and dear to my heart. This has always been an event in which all you need do is pick up the phone on call in day - - no matter who you are, what your skill level is, or where you are from, Shukriya provides everyone the same opportunity to acquire a dance spot (some years I get through and some years I don't - - the luck of the draw, not who you are). If you take the week long of workshops - - a dance spot is quaranteed. This year was the "IT" year for me. The year I got to go early and take the weeklong. Oh Yeah (she says with a sly smile on her face and a nodding head).
Following are highlights from this year:
Shukriya hooked me up with two wonderful roommates: Suffiya (our limo guru from R-East) and Johanna (from Virginia), who both new exactly what to do with a George Foreman mini grill and rice cooker. (Did you know that those little grills can really smoke when you cook chicken? And that the windows at the Marriott DO NOT OPEN and that each room comes equipped with a smoke alarm? WET TOWELS do the trick (not on the Foreman - - on the alarm).
El Morocco: Watching Suhaila and Andre as they watched their daughter Isabella dance - Suhaila's face became ethereal, incredulous - while Andre with camera was laughing and snapping shots. Meeting what I call the "German Contingent" and Sai'd stole my heart - - he is not only a dynamite dancer - - but a wonderful man as well - and I got to hold his coat while he danced! (where did that come from?). Alice - - wow - this lady is too much fun as was Momo, and Jamilla. My roomies Johanna and Suffiya both offered spectacular - stellar performances and Ma Shuqa, well, she is an incredible dancer and lady (and quite the jokester). Leila Haddad was the photo opp of the night. She lights up a room the moment she enters. And then there was "Jim Boz" <grin> who wowed us with a fantastic performance which included a special "hip articulated technique" that brought Suhaila to her feet - - laughing and saying something about "heh - - that's my move!" This was such a wonderful event - - everyone sharing not only dance but friendship as well. What a great way to start the week. 
The weeklong of workshops started the next uh - MORNING - eeek! My week consisted of 25-30 hours of workshops (I lost track between moans and groans from the workout). Between John Compton's arm workout, Leila's popo workout, attempts to keep up with Saqra , Ma Shuqa's Isis wings, Alexandria's level hip flip, Bert Balladine's veil taqsim workout, Fatima Al Wahid's jug dance - which included quick instruction on how to make them, Suzanna Del Vecchio's slow motion taqsim - Oie - so, sitting on the floor and lifting your knees up and down fast - - uh huh, try that for ONE MINUTE - got my best warm up vote of the week, Momo's cheeky choreography, Margo's hip drills, Aneena's double veil (okay - - all thumbs here - think I need a private) - - well, my body was aching all over - - but it was a HAPPY ACHE <grin>. Then came Jamila and Suhaila Salimpour.
Jamila literally took my breath away! Listening as she began her lecture - - with a packed room of dancers - I was thrilled to be part of these moments. I am not sure what I expected of this lecture, but what she gave us - was not what I thought we would receive from these two hours, oh no. There was so much more than I anticipated. I had never had the opportunity to talk to Jamila until this day and am so glad to have had this great 
opportunity. Her sense of humor is refreshing and her stamina - - amazing. She shared the how, when, why of her dance history and herself as well as much about Suhaila. Jamila has a marvelously "rich" and "textured" history not only in this dance, but of herself as well. Then - - she got the entire room of dancers (100 or so) up and moving. WOW. She seriously ran us through our paces - - I mean SERIOUSLY! Zils and movement and zils like I had never heard before. I am sad for the workshops I missed - - but will get them next time around for sure.
Festival Highlights: The vendor back deck wait crew were there - - ready to go full of the yearly jokes, hugs and silliness as always. Faye and Laird first in line, Lucy and her crew unpacking boxes from the trailer, Fatima, Joseph and Jamila - Gaylene and her crew, backed in and ready to unload, and Mez in the Digger Don rig. I was sooooo excited to be there with the new display for The "Belly Dancer" Magazine. Johanna, Erna Woo and Suffiya had us up, connected and running in a matter of no time - - which of course left us more time to SHOP before the doors opened on Friday evening. So, three days of shopping, laughing, vending, playing and dancing. What more could a girl ask for eh?! Well, the more came in the form of the official "After Party" at the Mariott and hosted by Pangia. Pat, Denise and Carmine were fabulous. Everyone was up dancing, sharing the floor, laughing, hugging, another one of those memory evenings that my book will never have enough of.
Other Special moments: Harry using a scimitar to scratch his back. Having lunch with Boz and then him cutting my performance music while mixing the best drink in town. Finally getting a few moments to sit and talk to Saqra (we had to lock ourselves in the car to do this). Johanna remaining calm "no matter what". Erna - - shopping. Pat Olson showing off his "bruise". Denise Mannion laughing at Pat showing off his bruise. Sai'd trying to get Zaina to do a ballroom style dance at the after party - still makes me giggle - - I hope his toes have gotten over that. Suffiya, Johanna and Zaina shopping at Chandani - - the best bindi - jewelry story in Berkley. Zaina finding a LEOPARD print Salwar on the same trek. Shukriya clearing up the myth about the Egyptian Basic - - (you know what I mean girlfriend). Telling jokes, sharing stories at workshop checkin. Giggling with Oberon and planning our next adventure. And Ray, at the end of Sunday evening, when he took his hair out of that pony tail. Uh, eyeah! By the way, did I mention how much I appreciate the Security Team? These guys never cease to amaze me - - they are serious about what they are doing - and so very approachable when you need them. Some of those faces I look for every year - - and I can't imagine a Rakkasah without them (or for that matter, the kilts, long hair and well, just the security team <grinning yet again>).
Okay - - now the interesting part of all this, I did this event with bronchial pneumonia and a pretty nasty sinus infection - - so, ladies and gentlemen - - if you can still have that much fun when you are that darned sick - - well, tells the tale of a pretty darned wonderful event I'm thinking.
So Shukriya - once again - "Thanks for the Memories"! And Happy 25th Rakkasah! See you at Summer Caravan!
Check out the official Rakkasah Photos at:
http://www.saqra.net/rakkasah/photos.html
