Jewel of Yorkshire Review, April ‘09
By Trish
A Weekend Away
Didn’t we have a luverly time the day we went to Bradford? We got lost on the way (as usual) but came out the way we went in which only proves that as long as you get where you were going, its all good.
The Victoria Halls are as lovely as ever; the event organisation improves every year, (wristbands for the hafla this time, it was like being at Thorpe Park!) the dancing is always fabulous and the people can’t be beaten. I planned a nice relaxing day. Didn’t work, I was still sore by teatime! First off Shimmis and Abs with Tracy Gibbs. A superstar indeed, who taught and performed with a veil with a suspected broken wrist. I like Tracy’s teaching style, and she’s just so funny! (Yes Tracy.) Then Saidi stick with Maria. 2 hours hopping and twirling in the gym with Karen and Barb left me quite ready for some shopping. And food, but that goes without saying. I’m actually trying (unsuccessfully it has to be said) to save myself for Cairo (only a month to go!!) but I still ended up buying some new practice pants, and a scarf and a practice top. Now about these pants. My students always say I have to be at the front so they can follow my bottom. Well now its got “Bellydancer” on. Hah. The new Dans Satam T shirts have arrived, and Wynne brought them with her, so I wore mine most of the weekend, much to Christine’s amusement as she initially thought it said Dans Satan. That oldie again, ho hum.
One of my main reasons for going to Joy, apart from the dancing, is to see people. I’m always surprised how many people I recognise from last time, and the time before, but this time there were lots of JWAAD goddesses from last years Newcastle course, which was fun. And it’s nice when people remember me too. So many lovely people, all enjoying themselves; I can’t think of a better way to spend a weekend. Our little group reconvened at tea timeish when I discovered that while I’d been trying and failing to find a top and belt to go with my skirt, Shiv had been carrying one round in her bag all day. Her hubby had been to Cairo on business and despite having pictures and measurements still managed to bring the wrong thing home… But it fits me perfectly, and as it’s all the colours of the rainbow it goes with every skirt I own! I know this because I tried them all last night. Then it was time for Choreography with Sara Farouk. “This song” she said “is not about sandwiches” and she’s quite right. No counting, cos Sara doesn’t “do” choreo’s anymore, but it made us listen to the music more, which means that I remember it better than I would have normally. And Bev taped it on her phone and is going to send it to me. Now she was brave, dancing in heels all day!
Then it was time to find food before the hafla, so we galloped round to the Chinese on the corner and back again, ate our noodles (but not the prawns cos prawns are yucky) finishing just in time to be let into the hall. Someone sitting behind us queried the late start, so we explained that it’s always late, bellydancers run on Egyptian time even if they’ve never been. Worth the wait though as always. Lovely dancers, some we know well, some we haven’t seen before. Lulu was amazing, Sara so emotional, Khaled was Khaled, yeah! Wendy Marlett I liked, Michelle’s control in the trance was jawdropping, 400 Roses looked superb, I could go on and on. Then it was time to find the hotel and sleep. When my legs stopped shimmying by themselves that is…..
A nice lazy Sunday morning for me, no classes till lunchtime. I hadn’t pre-booked anything for Sunday, but was happy to find that Tracy’s Sunday classes had some spaces in. (You can do that you know, any spare spaces are on the board so if you have the time and fancy an extra class you just take your pick!) So I strolled along from the hotel to the halls, a little wander round, a cuppa with Steven and Chris, and nice chat, then off to shimmy on up and camel with Tracy. I was all ready for my cuppa afterwards when Fay appeared. “Fancy a Lorna for free?” she said out of the corner of her mouth. (No, really, it was like Dads Army or something!) Couldn’t say no, could I? Fay had been invited elsewhere, so I got to do a nice workshop with Lorna, who looks like she’s only 12 and has got no business being old enough to have been dancing in Cairo for 3 years. We compared the classical stars like Samia Gamal and Tahia Cariocca to the modern stars like Randa and Dina. Very interesting, and as always gave me something else to think about. And Lorna is lovely.
Another lovely weekend. More thanks to Siobhan for the driving, and everyone who makes Joy such a fab event to go to. Next one is the 10th Joy and their fifth anniversary. Chris says there may well be cake. I can feel another Homer Simpson moment coming on already…..
Trish, 6th April 09
By Trish
A Weekend Away
Didn’t we have a luverly time the day we went to Bradford? We got lost on the way (as usual) but came out the way we went in which only proves that as long as you get where you were going, its all good.
The Victoria Halls are as lovely as ever; the event organisation improves every year, (wristbands for the hafla this time, it was like being at Thorpe Park!) the dancing is always fabulous and the people can’t be beaten. I planned a nice relaxing day. Didn’t work, I was still sore by teatime! First off Shimmis and Abs with Tracy Gibbs. A superstar indeed, who taught and performed with a veil with a suspected broken wrist. I like Tracy’s teaching style, and she’s just so funny! (Yes Tracy.) Then Saidi stick with Maria. 2 hours hopping and twirling in the gym with Karen and Barb left me quite ready for some shopping. And food, but that goes without saying. I’m actually trying (unsuccessfully it has to be said) to save myself for Cairo (only a month to go!!) but I still ended up buying some new practice pants, and a scarf and a practice top. Now about these pants. My students always say I have to be at the front so they can follow my bottom. Well now its got “Bellydancer” on. Hah. The new Dans Satam T shirts have arrived, and Wynne brought them with her, so I wore mine most of the weekend, much to Christine’s amusement as she initially thought it said Dans Satan. That oldie again, ho hum.
One of my main reasons for going to Joy, apart from the dancing, is to see people. I’m always surprised how many people I recognise from last time, and the time before, but this time there were lots of JWAAD goddesses from last years Newcastle course, which was fun. And it’s nice when people remember me too. So many lovely people, all enjoying themselves; I can’t think of a better way to spend a weekend. Our little group reconvened at tea timeish when I discovered that while I’d been trying and failing to find a top and belt to go with my skirt, Shiv had been carrying one round in her bag all day. Her hubby had been to Cairo on business and despite having pictures and measurements still managed to bring the wrong thing home… But it fits me perfectly, and as it’s all the colours of the rainbow it goes with every skirt I own! I know this because I tried them all last night. Then it was time for Choreography with Sara Farouk. “This song” she said “is not about sandwiches” and she’s quite right. No counting, cos Sara doesn’t “do” choreo’s anymore, but it made us listen to the music more, which means that I remember it better than I would have normally. And Bev taped it on her phone and is going to send it to me. Now she was brave, dancing in heels all day!
Then it was time to find food before the hafla, so we galloped round to the Chinese on the corner and back again, ate our noodles (but not the prawns cos prawns are yucky) finishing just in time to be let into the hall. Someone sitting behind us queried the late start, so we explained that it’s always late, bellydancers run on Egyptian time even if they’ve never been. Worth the wait though as always. Lovely dancers, some we know well, some we haven’t seen before. Lulu was amazing, Sara so emotional, Khaled was Khaled, yeah! Wendy Marlett I liked, Michelle’s control in the trance was jawdropping, 400 Roses looked superb, I could go on and on. Then it was time to find the hotel and sleep. When my legs stopped shimmying by themselves that is…..
A nice lazy Sunday morning for me, no classes till lunchtime. I hadn’t pre-booked anything for Sunday, but was happy to find that Tracy’s Sunday classes had some spaces in. (You can do that you know, any spare spaces are on the board so if you have the time and fancy an extra class you just take your pick!) So I strolled along from the hotel to the halls, a little wander round, a cuppa with Steven and Chris, and nice chat, then off to shimmy on up and camel with Tracy. I was all ready for my cuppa afterwards when Fay appeared. “Fancy a Lorna for free?” she said out of the corner of her mouth. (No, really, it was like Dads Army or something!) Couldn’t say no, could I? Fay had been invited elsewhere, so I got to do a nice workshop with Lorna, who looks like she’s only 12 and has got no business being old enough to have been dancing in Cairo for 3 years. We compared the classical stars like Samia Gamal and Tahia Cariocca to the modern stars like Randa and Dina. Very interesting, and as always gave me something else to think about. And Lorna is lovely.
Another lovely weekend. More thanks to Siobhan for the driving, and everyone who makes Joy such a fab event to go to. Next one is the 10th Joy and their fifth anniversary. Chris says there may well be cake. I can feel another Homer Simpson moment coming on already…..
Trish, 6th April 09
