19. September 2011 by Khizmet.

My favourite dance performance each year…. the Waterloo Royal Medieval Faire!!!

This year again, I danced with Mandy’s troupe from Down Hips Dance Studio, these are the Belly Donnas whose show was medievally magical.

at tech rehearsal the night before, my swords did not want to stay on my head, so my sleep that night was filled with angst, and many random attempts at placing the swords on my head all the next day in preparation. Yay, for the show, they stayed on.

my veil poi (or voi) however, got tangled about halfway through my intended plan. I guess my plan got “voiled”.  Here I am with the plan still on track.

at the faire, you meet all sorts of folk. I mistook my fairy Godmother for a scoundrel, now I have to go on craigslist to find a new one.

Rapunzel asked me to take a bit off the top and an inch off the ends.  Ok, Ok, I was overzealous….

His chainmail made a nicer jingly sound than my coins, and frankly, I can’t have that.

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5. February 2011 by Khizmet.

Time for some Gingerbread ART! Ok so….apologies for being tardy, this gingerbread Yurt was made for an event Held January 15th-ish.  Some of my dear dance friends hosted a dance party/gathering, called ”Northern Oasis”.  They host this party a few times a year, a chance for dancers and musicians to get together, share some good times, good food, and Chai tea! don’t forget the Chai tea!!!

I formed the roof of the yurt by baking it on top of a sauce pan lid that was yelling at me ” I’m a yurt roof form…really I am”. it just needed a tin foil lining for easy removal.

A coffee can served as a wonderful form for the yurt walls.  I actually used one of my silpats to bake the walls on the can, but here they are resting and cooling without the silpat. (there is waxed paper under those cookie walls)

Decorated the roof.

This is Ginger and Meg (Nutmeg) standing in front of the yurt.

Tribal belly dancers standing in front of their Yurt. from Left to right:
Cinnamon, Ginger, “Clo” (Cloves/Chloe), Meg (Nutmeg)…and Marge…for ( margarine/butter…even though she’s not spicy….).  Notice they are guarding the cookies in the yurt…snowflakes, (their food source for the winter ahead).

Of course gingerbread bellydancers travel around on reindeer….(have to find a camel cookie cutter)

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18. October 2010 by Khizmet.

I’m excited to dance with Mandy’s troupe from downhips studio in their presentation for the  Belly Dance Bizarre this year….. the show is this Saturday October 23rd….

 I also must make this year’s installment of the continuing story of the doggie-devil beast adventures….mmmwah ha ha ha!

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20. November 2009 by Khizmet.

Mid October, Alf’s parent flew out our way for a visit.  We went to the Toronto Minitaure show (1/12th scale doll house miniatures) because, well it’s an awesome show….and Alf’s Mom has been miniaturing for many years.  Alf’s Dad helped us start our kitchen renovations by adding upper cupboards and a new range hood.

 We went to the Stratford festival again this year.   We went to see Tom as Puck.           (I attended the University of Saskatchewan’s Theatre program with him…..ah good times good times….) He was once again…STELLAR!!!

Mandy of DownHips Dance Studio Hosted the “Belly Dance Bizarre”  show…. This year My presentation with Karma was entitled “re-HEARSE-al”  mwah ha ha ha!!

http://www.youtube.com/user/khizmetbellydance#p/a/u/1/Ijz1N_AG-kI

and of course this year’s continuation of my Doggie howleen video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANyZU_Yql0Q

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5. October 2009 by Khizmet.

 On September 19th we performed at the Waterloo Royal Medieval Faire!! Very exciting!

 It is one of my favorite events to partake in…..I think I’ve danced at it for the past 7 or 8 years now.  This year Khizmet and Karma were joined by Rhaehana and Bella Luna, and Mandy and Katie from Down Hips studio.  The faire fell on the “International Talk like a Pirate day”!!!  ARRRR

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18. September 2009 by Khizmet.

I LOVE the Royal Medieval Faire!!  I have been so lucky to have danced at it for hte past few years….once again, I will be joined by gorgeous wenches on the Queen’s stage at 2 pm… see you there!!

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11. July 2009 by Khizmet.

Today was the Student Gala for Haft Vadi belly dance studio.  What a wonderful time seeing friends and what they have been working on in class for the past few months.  Mandy did an awesome job again organizing the show….whew …that certainly is a high stress job!  Here are just a few photos that I managed to get.

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29. June 2009 by Khizmet.

ARRRR…they be fine garage sales in these waters….preparing ahead for the Royal Medieval Faire, a lass can never have 2 many weapons at hand…. cast your eyes upon these fine instruments of battle….a handsome price I paid that scallywag.

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28. June 2009 by Khizmet.

  Saturday June 27th, what a beautiful hot and sunny day…a perfect day for a dance performance.

Sonia, Faith, Rebecca, me, Catherine and Donna dancing to Hakim

Andria, Rhaehana, Michelle, Jenn with their first number
(Corinna hiding behind Jenn and Faith just out of  the  shot…. DOH!)

Donna, Catherine, Sonia, Rebecca, Faith and me dancing with Shamadans

Corinna, Rhaehana and Jenn swishing skirts

Me with poi, Rebecca with hoop, Donna with poi

This event was organized by the Silverheights Neighbourhood Association, and was a day of family fun and activites ending with a very impressive fireworks display at the end of the evening.

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25. June 2009 by Khizmet.

busy week so far

Troupe rehearsal!  woo hoo! Dancing on grass is not easy…especially my lumpy lawn!
Khizmet and Karma & Rhaehana and Bella Luna will be dancing at the:
 Silverheights Neighbourhood Association 2nd Annual family fun day!
 We will start the show with  our little Hakim pop number and drum solo, then Rhaehana and Bella Luna will dance their classic piece and drum solo, followed by our “groovy” Shamadan (Candelabra on our heads),

then they will dance a “gypsy skirt” dance, next Donna, Rebecca and I will do some glow poi/ glow hoop.

Tennis… 30 C makes for a very sloth-like “slammy” <my tennis and juggling nickname)
ARRRR! my team is at the bottom of the standings (does that mean we are kneeling?)….I fear some of my Maties may jump ship…they be keel-hauled before they do….( just practicing my Pirate-speak for international “talk like a pirate day”….Sept 19th 2009)

…..doggie classes….I thought I had it figured out….I am so wrong…. my Turbie failed his last attempt at grade 3 because he is reactive… when he sees another dog he tends to take an aggressive stance…staring and then wants to get to the dog and it always ends in barking and growling…the task for me is to anticipate this behaviour and never let it get to the staring stage…. the second he looks away from me I’m supposed to get his attention back to me….we also have a big task working on his emotional control.
    The last few times in the park (a good place for distraction) he was stellar…I’m trying to wean him off treat rewards and the goal is to try to make myself way more interesting than other things.  He loves his toys…especially basketballs….he’s popped a few already…but a basketball is too big to take into class so I have a conventional “tuggie”.
   Arriving at class, I whipped out the tuggie, but alas he didn’t seem remotely interested…so I reverted to my habit, which is treat reward…about 40 minutes in….he was really losing focus…and so was I… we were both sweaty and irritated…and I forgot all about trying tuggie again….we had 2 barky blow outs….both totally my fault…and on the ride home, Alfie trying to console me because  98% of the class he was an awesome little guy, but those 2 barky moments were all I could think about and really upset at myself…. I feel like I’m failing my Turbie again….

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