Shamsi

Shamsi - 3rdCoast2009 Fusion peice

Sometimes there just aren’t enough words in any language to convey how I feel. Today, yesterday, all last weekend – there have never been enough words. I was inspired, thrilled, loved, and so much more.

This was my first time at the 3rd Coast Tribal event hosted by Urban Gypsy and what an event it was. “Tribal?” you ask? Well, no, I’m not a tribal dancer by any means, but I happen to know the event’s organizers and I am after all from the 3rd Coast. At any rate, I was there first and foremost to teach a two hour class called “Hand Gestures and Eye Focus,” which I vow never again to try and teach in two hours. So, I’ve been sitting on 9 months worth of pins and needles with the realization that I was to be billed for the same event at which two of my own dance heroes (Artemis and John Compton) were both teaching and performing. I was also given 15 minutes worth of performance time, which after much debate I split into two performances and asked Shelly to play for both.

We arrived in Ft. Worth, TX Thursday afternoon with enough time to check in at the Rose Marine theater, throw hangers and clothing racks at the Geisha Moth (if you’ve never heard me gush about this woman…just don’t get me started – she makes clothes I was born to wear) and get to the hotel for about 30 minutes of down time before Shelly had to rush off to the DFW Airport (where he had never been before) to pick up Artemis. Not too long after Shelly left, I took a “quick and easy henna design” class with Mychele - the Henna Goddess and learned that I actually have talent in drawing if I take my time and focus…go figure.

Friday morning started with Lauren Checcio’s Didgeridoo class at 10 AM (and no, I am not proficient by any means! , followed by Artemis’ Theatricalized Romany Fusion (Gypsy) Skirt Dancing, followed by John Compton’s OMG I can’t believe I actually signed up for a 3 hour Debke class (but don’t worry, I somehow got Shelly to take that one too – so we’re both crippled now.) Later, after the hot tub…we arrived late to the Friday night show which lasted 4 (yes, four) hours…1 AM arrived far too quickly.

Saturday wasn’t so bad, I took John’s “Roots of Folkloric” class, which was spectacular and we all had fun, both dancing and watching John’s antics. Afterwards I scrambled to find Kate Jensen, a friend and fellow teacher, who is one of the most amazing makeup artists I know. For those who do not know, makeup and I do not have a fond relationship with one another and I was a bit overwhelmed about the idea of having to do “stage” makeup – which scares me because I have to look like Bozo the Clown in order to be seen by the back row. I found Kate who looked at me like “I would have done this years ago if you had let me” and instantly said yes. Can I tell you how loved I felt? Later, back at the hotel, I had a private psychic henna session with Mychele, which was just a fabulous experience and I had never had professional henna done, so again, even more fabulous.

Kate showed up around 5 PM, not too long after Ashley made her way into town, so we had a kind of ‘get Shamsi ready’ party (or at least that’s how it felt.) With makeup done and costumes decided on, we loaded up the van and moved to Beverly….The Rose that is…belly-stars and swimming pools…well, not really. As soon as I walked into the building I knew it was energetically on fire. I had to work hard to get my energy back down to something manageable before I threw up, or didn’t have enough energy to perform – Shelly and I were slotted for #9 in the first half and #10 in the second half…ouf’da.

There was much excitement, the thrill of all of the dance stars back stage, literally (Sharon Kihara, Camie Darshan Vance, John Compton, Artemis), so much love being batted around and general pre-show jitters and merriment. Shelly warmed up his fingers and I tried to stretch as best as possible, but when the show started, I really just wanted to go hang out in the foyer and watch the show from the back of the theater. Even at 3 hours +, the show was an amazing collection of variety and talent that seemed to last only a couple of hours at the most.

By the time Shelly and I were slated to perform, I’d ceased to care, my stomach had butterflies, but the practiced experience of ‘just get out there and do it’ took over. Shelly began with a taqsim on the midi-guitar using a sitar/guitar mixed sound and then cleanly transitioned into my all time favorite, “Hellhound on My Trail”; originally a Robert Johnson song, we perform the Cassandra Wilson version. Me and my little silk veil just went to town. I can only pay homage to Eva Cernik and Dunya for my veil work…I may have made the theme my own, but they were the inspiration. Amazing how much a stir it can cause when you purposefully let go of a silk veil in mid-air and then catch it again, only to keep dancing. Applause is wonderful, as are bright and shiny smiling people on the front row!

The second piece was a bit more fusion in nature, and I was upset later to realize that my Zils (finger cymbals) couldn’t be heard over the amplified guitar…ah well, c’est la. Live and learn. We had fun with it though, Shelly started with a Steve Vai piece off of “Alien Love Secrets” – which I’m sure threw more than several audience members. Then I got to run out and, just like on the album, and scream, “Shut up! We know you can play!” At which point we began. Our finale, which I’m not sure anyone got, was that when I hit the floor, Shelly bent the strings so far off the fretboard that the high E broke. Enh, we were amused.

That was a euphoric night and one that I will not soon forget.

Thanks U.G.