Saturday, April 28, 2012
Fred G. Bond Metro Park
801 High House Road, Cary
I am happy to announce I will be performing along with other ACCMED members at the 19th Annual Cary Spring Daze Festival in Cary. I danced there several years ago and it is a fun festival. Entertainment, Music, and Arts and Crafts. The festival runs from 9am-5pm. We will be performing at the Sertoma Ampitheatre -(Time has not yet been determined)
So, I decided to do a Video Diary of my experiences from start to finish, starting with getting my hair done at the salon, then the photoshoot and photos afterwards. I had the works done: highlights, lowlights, cut, style and was there for 2 1/2 hours. Shelley is the best ever and made me look gorgeous! Go see her at Slingblades! So afterwards, I came home had some lunch, and starting getting my stuff together. (That is a chore in itself!) I wasted 20 min searching for my the trigger remote and finally found it at the bottom of my camera bag. (Who would have new. LOL) I used 4 costumes this time, which is the most I have ever done. However 2 of them were just of costumes I am selling and need to photograph, so those were quick and painless. I wore my Red Bella, which I have never photographed, only for veil photos. The other costume was a Red Tapestry and coin costume I made a couple years ago. About half way through the photos for the Bella, the battery for my video camera stopped, so I was only able to video tape the beginning, but I did add some final images. (They were edited in Photoshop CS5 using various actions for artistic enhancement. The photoshoot lasted about 1 1/2 hours.
Enjoy!
Yesterday I went to see my absolute favorite hair design ‘artist’ (because that is what she is), Shelley, at Slingblades Hair Design in Durham. I had my usual done with some more reddish lowlights added in, then a cut and style. I videotaped the whole process to do a video diary and am working on now. I came home and set up the studio and did some self portraits. It is always a challenge, technical difficulties, near falls, but in the end I got some nice photos. I did editing afterwards in Photoshop CS5.
This weekend is “Mirage of the Oasis” with Bozenka! She is one of my favorite dancers and we all had great fun with her today! She taught us a fabulous Oriental Choreography to a song called ‘Makally We Koltelo’, which sounds just like ‘Leyla’, with some added variations. It is off a CD called Issam Houshan and the Damascus Bellydance Orchestra. The choreography she taught was just under 5 minutes and we did it in 4 hours. With alot of sweat, water, and dedication, we made it through. She is an amazing dance artist and her personality is equally amazing. I highly recommend anyone who hasn’t already done so, to study with here. It is a great choreography that was actually choreographed for the Bellydance Superstars.
Bra Bases, Mermaid Costume, Tapestry Pearl, Coin Goddess Costumes
I haven’t posted any costume projects in a long time honestly because I haven’t had time to work on anything, but really want to get started again on my pearl costume. I tested out a small patch on some extra fabric using some different glue and it was super strong, so I definitely won’t be using the glue gun for this project. I think I am feeling brave enough now to start gluing my seashells after all this time. I have been so nervous and I think that is why I put this project on hold for so long. I put so much work into it, and I didn’t want to mess it up with the glue. The other night I also started working on some more bra bases, so I have 3 now. I feel really inspired to make some new stuff. I took some photos and videos of my projects, here are some of what I have so far. I won’t be posting all of them step by step like my other costumes because I want my creative ideas to stay mine until the costume is completed or until it is mostly completed or at least I can do a photo shoot.
Here are some for now:
I am so excited about this new project I started recently. I went to the auditions back in January and taught a mini bellydance lesson to all the cast members that came out. (FUN!) So now the fun begins! The cast has been selected and their grueling rehearsals have begun. I have alot of respect for people dedicated to the arts. (I was in several plays in HS) and it is hard work. Andrew and Naji Hilal are working collaboratively on this project as well. They are producing the music and teaching some of the cast how to play various instruments to perform while on stage. I went last week to start lessons and the whole cast was their learning, even the guys! They were great too! I am teaching choreography for a couple dance pieces and am so excited about this new project.
I gave my blog a Facelift! I added some new pages, new tabs, introduced my other life; photography. I like to keep them separate, but have decided this year to do something new. I feel as an artist I incorporate art alot throughout my dancing. Being a photographer, helps inspire my creativity in dance as well. I like to make costumes, headpieces, jewelry, write, draw, I love music, I even drum a little and sing when no one is listening 
. I love creating art in photoshop with the photos I have taken. Sometimes they are perfect SOOC (straight out of camera) but even so, I like to make them fancy, because after all, I am an American Nighclub Bellydancer and we crave glitz and glam almost as much as my love for sweets. So I love to ‘glitz’ up my pics too.
I am also excited to start my new adventure of a video blog series. I have been wanting to do this for a couple years now, and have finally decided to start. I will be posting them on their own tab. They will be behind the scenes for performances, local events, or anything else bellydance I want to talk about.
This weeks one is a photo tutorial for Photoshop. Enjoy!
This is a quick post to inform dancers and the general public as to who owns copyright to photos once they are taken. As a dancer, and a professional photographer and I can say with 100% certainty photos belong to the photographer!! PERIOD!! This goes for all types of photography: fashion, portraits, weddings, ect. I take the photos, I own it. You are in it, Yes, but it does not make it yours to use freely. As a photographer, I can give you ‘rights’ to that image. I can allow you to use it how you like. As a dancer, if I purchase an image from another photographer, I might be allowed to use it on my website, blogs, facebook, business cards, fliers, and other promotional things. However I do not own it. It is the photographers. If I want to use it for publications, I need to get permission.
Please do not use photos without permission! When using photos online do not crop out a copyright and as a courtesy provide a link to the photographers website if possible. Alot of photographers’ business is word of mouth. Help them be successful!
Thanks!
**Photo by Paul Cory
The first ‘Undulation Nouveau’ of 2012 at Fullsteam Brewery will be coming up on Tuesday, January 31st. The Lost Nomads will be playing live tunes before, during intermission, and after the show! The show starts at 8 pm so make sure you arrive early to get a good seat, it fills up fast! And be sure to bring your dancing shoes and shimmy belt!! 
….and try their fine ale!
Amara is a professional bellydance artist specializing in American Oriental Style Bellydance.
