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Ah dance fans, you are so rich this week!! Many opportunities to witness great and inspiring dance in our fair city this week.
Tonight @ Natasha's!! -Mecca's 1st Monday and Open Floor Night , starting @ 8pm!!
Yes, it's the 1st Monday of the month and BOY! don't you just need to get out of the house! Shake some of those ice storm memories off your weary bones and join the dancers and students of Mecca as we warm up the dance floor at Natasha's. Here's a review of last month's show written by dancer, Alyssum. enjoy!! and join us tonight.
"I went to Natasha's tonight" by Alyssum Pohl
I arrived at Natasha’s tonight and sat with Matt Elliott’s crew—mother, boyfriend, and his mother, and learned that Matt and Catherine Jaubert were the only scheduled performers for the evening. However, Teresa was hopeful that a ‘get up and dance if you feel it’ vibe would arise.
We settled in as Catherine’s piece was set with a small fire burning in a cauldron onstage. She entered, veiled, all in black, hair long and loose, crisp coral nails dotting the scene with color. Raquy & the Cavemen’s “Caravan” had Catherine reminding me of the Wyrd Sisters in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. As the music revved up, the motion went from somber and spellbinding to explosive. I loved the ‘campfire’ move that she evocatively executed over the fire in the cauldron. The fire was blown out at the end of the piece as suddenly as the music stopped. She re-veiled herself, darkly, and cleared the stage.
Matt chose Upper Egyptian Ensemble’s “Luxor Baladi” for his first piece. Lips pursing, eyes singing enjoyment, his expression and bodily control shared with everyone had the audience clapping in time as he hit each beat with his hips, belly drops and shoulder rolls. A song that gives me chills every time I hear it, a piece by Transglobal Underground and Natacha Atlas, was Matt’s second choice—full of trance-like intensity. His arms were well placed and strong, and he gave looks that caught you off guard & kept you intrigued. A modified sevillana incorporated subtle humor, evoking grand strumming, temporally placed over the electric guitar solo (hee hee). Matt finished with a strong, upright pose, and graciously thanked the audience in anjali (prayer hands).
The scheduled set was over, and a musical interlude of “Kiss Kiss” allowed us to enjoy our company and tasty treats from Natasha’s kitchen. (mmmm, hazelnut French press coffee….)
As “Walla Walla” revved up, Teresa and Matt flirted each other to the stage, all smiles and hips glowing. The comfort and relaxedness between them put me at ease and lost me in their movement. The duo feigned coy looks to the audience while sharing their hearts. They enjoyed themselves—a treat for the audience. Teresa’s headslides and Matt’s mouthing of the words gets me following along in my chair. Carousel looked large, full and exciting on this strong pairing. I liked the unintentional all black (Teresa) vs mostly white (Matt’s costuming)—tied together with tints of red (Teresa’s hair, Matt’s pants and necklace). “She’ll keep you on your toes, now” Matt’s mother exclaimed as he sat down, sweat streaming down his temples.
The song we usually do a basket dance to came on as we chatted around our tables. And then an impromptu between-the-restaurant-tables group of people--Matt, Catherine and her daughter Renee Saunier--emerged. “Yay, spontaneity!” exclaimed Matt’s mother.
“Astradeni”—the soulful, slow song that evokes so much from me—evoked just as much from Catherine. She moved purposefully, thoughtfully, internally; played with her long hair from time to time, and finished with a soft smile.
Then I was feeling it. Despite wearing jeans and hiking shoes, and having a sprained ankle (the reason I hadn’t planned anything for the evening), I decided to hop on stage and move a bit, too, albeit with just my upper body. Cheb I Sabbah’s remix of Solace’s “Saptak, samaya mix” played and I remember looking down my arms and feeling graceful despite a bum foot. Teresa joined me for a soft duet, echoing one another. “We’ll make a show of this yet,” Matt’s mother declared, as I thought, “that was fun.”
This morphed into a solo as Teresa jumped into “Hadouni” by her muse, George Abdo. Clearly, Teresa knew the music, and she had fun addressing a corner of the room that had been neglected a bit. She flashed the “get up here and have fun with us” smile to the audience. Her drum-solo technique would make any cabaret dancer proud, but she belied her tribal background by finishing with a distinctive Indian flourish and pose.
Matt, Catherine and I played together to “Shiraz” by Sharif, and the evening was finished with Teresa, Catherine and Matt dancing to the up-tempo, audience favorite, Balkan Beat Box’s “Adir Adirim”. Tunisian moves and hip twists abounded. Catherine enjoyed a solo as the chorus encouraged her, and a seamless fade led to more Tunisian moves. The three of them had me believing that they were silently calling out “We are complete. This is the caravan. You onboard?”
Yeah, I’m onboard.
Saturday, Feb. 7th- Rakadu Gypsy Dance @ Natasha's Bistro
show starts: 9pm
Natasha's Bistro
112 Esplanade
for reservations ring: 859 259 2754
Dancing and more dancing, yes that's right....oh the JOY and the MUSIC!! Mecca presents it's professional performance company, Rakadu Gypsy Dance this evening at Natasha's. Boasting an incredible crew of creative and masterful musicians and dancers, this is a show not to be missed!! The musicians and dancers have been working together to present some new collaborations and compositions. Please come and taste the fruits of their labor! An incredible show awaits!
*Other Dance opportunities this weekend: DanceSCAPA 2009 @ Lexington Opera House- Friday and Saturday Feb 6-7th 8pm
Tonight @ Natasha's!! -Mecca's 1st Monday and Open Floor Night , starting @ 8pm!!
Yes, it's the 1st Monday of the month and BOY! don't you just need to get out of the house! Shake some of those ice storm memories off your weary bones and join the dancers and students of Mecca as we warm up the dance floor at Natasha's. Here's a review of last month's show written by dancer, Alyssum. enjoy!! and join us tonight.
"I went to Natasha's tonight" by Alyssum Pohl
I arrived at Natasha’s tonight and sat with Matt Elliott’s crew—mother, boyfriend, and his mother, and learned that Matt and Catherine Jaubert were the only scheduled performers for the evening. However, Teresa was hopeful that a ‘get up and dance if you feel it’ vibe would arise.
We settled in as Catherine’s piece was set with a small fire burning in a cauldron onstage. She entered, veiled, all in black, hair long and loose, crisp coral nails dotting the scene with color. Raquy & the Cavemen’s “Caravan” had Catherine reminding me of the Wyrd Sisters in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. As the music revved up, the motion went from somber and spellbinding to explosive. I loved the ‘campfire’ move that she evocatively executed over the fire in the cauldron. The fire was blown out at the end of the piece as suddenly as the music stopped. She re-veiled herself, darkly, and cleared the stage.
Matt chose Upper Egyptian Ensemble’s “Luxor Baladi” for his first piece. Lips pursing, eyes singing enjoyment, his expression and bodily control shared with everyone had the audience clapping in time as he hit each beat with his hips, belly drops and shoulder rolls. A song that gives me chills every time I hear it, a piece by Transglobal Underground and Natacha Atlas, was Matt’s second choice—full of trance-like intensity. His arms were well placed and strong, and he gave looks that caught you off guard & kept you intrigued. A modified sevillana incorporated subtle humor, evoking grand strumming, temporally placed over the electric guitar solo (hee hee). Matt finished with a strong, upright pose, and graciously thanked the audience in anjali (prayer hands).
The scheduled set was over, and a musical interlude of “Kiss Kiss” allowed us to enjoy our company and tasty treats from Natasha’s kitchen. (mmmm, hazelnut French press coffee….)
As “Walla Walla” revved up, Teresa and Matt flirted each other to the stage, all smiles and hips glowing. The comfort and relaxedness between them put me at ease and lost me in their movement. The duo feigned coy looks to the audience while sharing their hearts. They enjoyed themselves—a treat for the audience. Teresa’s headslides and Matt’s mouthing of the words gets me following along in my chair. Carousel looked large, full and exciting on this strong pairing. I liked the unintentional all black (Teresa) vs mostly white (Matt’s costuming)—tied together with tints of red (Teresa’s hair, Matt’s pants and necklace). “She’ll keep you on your toes, now” Matt’s mother exclaimed as he sat down, sweat streaming down his temples.
The song we usually do a basket dance to came on as we chatted around our tables. And then an impromptu between-the-restaurant-tables group of people--Matt, Catherine and her daughter Renee Saunier--emerged. “Yay, spontaneity!” exclaimed Matt’s mother.
“Astradeni”—the soulful, slow song that evokes so much from me—evoked just as much from Catherine. She moved purposefully, thoughtfully, internally; played with her long hair from time to time, and finished with a soft smile.
Then I was feeling it. Despite wearing jeans and hiking shoes, and having a sprained ankle (the reason I hadn’t planned anything for the evening), I decided to hop on stage and move a bit, too, albeit with just my upper body. Cheb I Sabbah’s remix of Solace’s “Saptak, samaya mix” played and I remember looking down my arms and feeling graceful despite a bum foot. Teresa joined me for a soft duet, echoing one another. “We’ll make a show of this yet,” Matt’s mother declared, as I thought, “that was fun.”
This morphed into a solo as Teresa jumped into “Hadouni” by her muse, George Abdo. Clearly, Teresa knew the music, and she had fun addressing a corner of the room that had been neglected a bit. She flashed the “get up here and have fun with us” smile to the audience. Her drum-solo technique would make any cabaret dancer proud, but she belied her tribal background by finishing with a distinctive Indian flourish and pose.
Matt, Catherine and I played together to “Shiraz” by Sharif, and the evening was finished with Teresa, Catherine and Matt dancing to the up-tempo, audience favorite, Balkan Beat Box’s “Adir Adirim”. Tunisian moves and hip twists abounded. Catherine enjoyed a solo as the chorus encouraged her, and a seamless fade led to more Tunisian moves. The three of them had me believing that they were silently calling out “We are complete. This is the caravan. You onboard?”
Yeah, I’m onboard.
Saturday, Feb. 7th- Rakadu Gypsy Dance @ Natasha's Bistro
show starts: 9pm
Natasha's Bistro
112 Esplanade
for reservations ring: 859 259 2754
Dancing and more dancing, yes that's right....oh the JOY and the MUSIC!! Mecca presents it's professional performance company, Rakadu Gypsy Dance this evening at Natasha's. Boasting an incredible crew of creative and masterful musicians and dancers, this is a show not to be missed!! The musicians and dancers have been working together to present some new collaborations and compositions. Please come and taste the fruits of their labor! An incredible show awaits!
*Other Dance opportunities this weekend: DanceSCAPA 2009 @ Lexington Opera House- Friday and Saturday Feb 6-7th 8pm
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