Friday 6 November 2009

Tribal Fusion Events and Workshops!

Hello lovelies,

A week from today, something very special is happening: a group of dedicated students will be showcasing their hard work at my first students' show!! In addition to their performances, there will be new solos by myself and Kathy, and we're tremendously excited to have Samantha of the Bellydance Superstars contributing performances to the celebration.

Additionally, Samantha is teaching two fantastic workshops the next day. While the earlier one is sold-out, a couple of places remain on the Choreography workshop. If you attended Samantha's choreography workshop in September, this is a fantastic opportunity to see how the whole thing finishes, with additional time to work on finessing the dance.

I'll also be heading to Rome for a weekend of tribal fusion workshops with Geneva Bybee at San Lo', and in December I'm very pleased to be teaching and performing at London's fabulous Fantasia festival.

Here are the full details:


11th Nov - 16th Dec* : Tribal Fusion Elemental Movement @ Urdang Academy
Wednesday nights, 6:30pm-8:00pm; Course £50, £12 Drop in -
(*no class Nov 18th)
Register online at: http://www.kimberlymackoy.com/site/Classes.html

Studio 6, Urdang Academy,
Old Finsbury Town Hall, Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4RP
Nearest tubes: Angel and Farringdon
Map (or ring 0207 713 7710 for directions)

Aimed at the beginner or the more advanced dancer wishing to revisit and strengthen elementals, this course goes back to basics: over five weeks, we will become acquainted with the conditioning required to build the body for tribal fusion movement, and also be introduced to drills for building muscle memory of the fundamental movements.

By the end of the course, dancers will be acquainted with the basic components of the tribal fusion movement vocabulary, and will also have some practice integrating them into combinations. This class will involve yoga- and pilates-based conditioning, so come dressed to move and bring a bottle of water.

Email for details: kim@kimberlymackoy.com


Friday November 13th - Student Showcase
The Export Quality Debutantes' Ball8:00pm - 9:00pm @ The Urdang Academy (Doors open at 7pm)
The Old Finsbury Town Hall, Rosebury Avenue, London
Tickets £5 - Book in advance at http://www.kimberlymackoy.com/site/Shows.html

A quiet revolution has been bubbling away in the classrooms of the Urdang Academy... For the past several months, and in some cases the last couple of years, a group of dedicated students has been hard at work learning the intricacies of tribal fusion bellydance. On November 13th, please join us to celebrate their accomplishment!

I'm very proud of these girls, and am happy to showcase their talents at this event. Help us create a fabulous and festive atmosphere by bringing your enthusiasm and encouragement! Enjoy performances by some very special guests, and soak up the lavish atmosphere of the lovely Great Hall.

*Please note that if you're booking multiple tickets, send along the name of each person so their names will be added to the guest list. If multiple tickets are booked but only one name is given, then all of the people in that group need to arrive with the person who booked the group's tickets.If you need more information, contact kim@kimberlymackoy.com


Workshops with Samantha Emanuel of the Bellydance Superstars!
November 14th @ the Urdang Academy, Old Finsbury Town Hall

11:00am-2:00pm - Nourish your Roots fused with Elementals - NOW SOLD OUT
To have a healthy plant you need to encourage its growth at its roots. Join Samantha in this drills class with focus on the upper body carriage so stylistic of Tribal Style Belly Dance. Hone clean articulation throughout the body whilst striving to project the strength and open frame characteristic of well executed Tribal Belly Dance. Also Including the art of layering simple movements over one another: a skill elemental to the Tribal Fusion art form. Definitely a drills focused class, we will slowly work our way up to layering basic controlled movements over one another whilst stationary and traveling. Strengthening techniques for key isolations and drills for honing muscle memory are included. Please bring a Yoga Mat and Water.

2:30pm-5:30pm - Choreography - £30 - few places available. Intermediate/advanced. Previous experience advised. Register online: http://www.kimberlymackoy.com/site/facebook-workshop-land2.html

Samantha fuses her short distinctive combos in an original choreography. Strengthening techniques and drills for these combos will be included, utilizing concepts and inspirations from her Tribal Style training in the USA and past Martial Arts experience in the UK to better support the core and enable isolations of key muscle groups for Tribal Fusion choreography. Including breakdown of her signature articulated locking technique plus spins turns and twists aplenty. Bring a Yoga Mat and water


26th November - 17th December : Combinations & Drills @ Urdang Academy
Thursday nights, 6:30pm-8:00pm; 4-Week Course £40, Drop-in £12 Register online: http://www.kimberlymackoy.com/site/Classes.html

Studio 5, Urdang Academy, Old Finsbury Town Hall, Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4RP
Nearest tubes: Angel and Farringdon
Map (or ring 0207 713 7710 for directions)

Over four weeks, we will put technique into practice--honing moves through drills designed to get you improvising and building combinations for dance. Each class will deal with a handful of moves in detail, and through these we will explore concepts essential to constructing one's own choreography, such as musicality, transferring movement, and fluidity in improvisation.

Aimed at the dancer familiar with tribal fusion, this class is open to anyone seeking to expand their range of movement in the tribal fusion vocabulary and gain a sense of how movements work together. Classes may be taken as a course, or on a drop-in basis. This class will involve yoga- and pilates-based conditioning, so come dressed to move and bring a bottle of water.

Email for details: kim@kimberlymackoy.com


November 28-29 - Roma Tribal Fusion Intensive
San Lo' @ Via Tiburtina Antica 5/B, 00185 Roma

A fantastic weekend also featuring Geneva Bybee and an array of Italian tribalistas!
Workshops on Saturday and Sunday, including Anatomy and Elemental Movement (an excellent introduction for beginners or more advanced dancers) and Making It Complex: Expanding Articulation and Intricacy in Tribal Fusion Belly Dance (for intermediate and advanced dancers).

For booking and information, visit www.sanlo.it


December 12-13 - Fantasia 2009
Performance and Workshop on Saturday @ Arts Educational School
14 Bath Road, Chiswick, W4 1LY; Nearest tube Turnham Green

Workshop Saturday @ 4:00pm - Making It Complex: Expanding Articulation and Intricacy in Tribal Fusion Belly Dance
Performance in Saturday night's show from 6pm.

For tickets and workshop booking, click here: www.jwaad.com/store/


That's everything for now! I hope all is well with you, and hope to see you in the near future, and if you need more information, let me know.

Kim

www.kimberlymackoy.com

Wednesday 5 August 2009

New Wednesday class, workshop and the Edinburgh Fringe!

Hello lovelies!

As some of you may know, I've just gotten back from a fantastic weeklong intensive with Rachel Brice in Slovenia. She was my first belly dance teacher, and has been a huge source of inspiration to me over the years. (Seven years, actually! We hadn't realized how long it's been until we chatted it over this past week.)

I'm still decompressing and processing all that I've learned and revisited in the intensive, making some adjustments to my personal practice and sorting out my thoughts on a lot of things. It's all been very invigorating, and I'm looking forward to sharing some of the new things I've been working with! The best place to come and play with all this will be at the upcoming workshop at Islington Arts Factory on August 15. Advance registration is advised!

In other big news, I am once again doing a Tribal Fusion Elemental Movement course! This is the best thing to do if you're a beginner, though it's also useful for dancers who want to examine raw technique in a more focused fashion. The new class will be Wednesday nights starting in September, and there'll also be a new Combinations and Drills course on Thursday nights. (The current Thursday night course at Urdang also continues through August 13.) Full details are below!

I'll also be traveling a bit within the UK this month, with performances at the Edinburgh Fringe festival and at a sensational burlesque night in Leeds. If you're going to be in either place, I'd love to see you there! Here's a summary of what's going on:

August 15 - Workshop @ Islington Arts Factory: Expanding Articulation and Layering Experimentation
3:00pm-5:30pm; £25 -- Recent workshops have been sold-out, advance booking highly recommended!
This workshop is intended for improver/intermediate dancers and higher. We'll start with stretching and conditioning to get the body ready for isolations, move on to new drills to cement the fundamental movements and then get these moving by adding traveling and layering dimensions. This workshop will involve level changes and moderate laybacks, but these are not compulsory. If time allows, there will also be short combinations to glue all of our experiments together.
As the workshop will involve yoga- and pilates-based exercise, please dress accordingly. (Skirts are not a good idea; stretchy layers are.) Bring a bottle of water and a yoga mat for your own comfort.
Register online at http://www.kimberlymackoy.com/site/Classes.html; For information, email kim@kimberlymackoy.com

August 27-October 1 - 6-Week Course: Combinations and Drills @ the Urdang Academy
Thursday nights, 6:30pm-8:00pm; Course £60
A new course in Combinations and Drills; instead of pursuing a full choreography, we will instead work on implementing knowledge in technique within combinations you can use in your own dance. This class may be taken on a drop-in basis or purchased as a 6-week course. Recommended for dancers who have completed the Elemental Movement class.
Register online at http://www.kimberlymackoy.com/site/Classes.html; For information, email kim@kimberlymackoy.com

September 2-September 30 - 6-Week Course in Tribal Fusion Elemental Movement @ the Urdang Academy
Tuesday nights, 6:30pm-8:00pm; £50 for 5-week course; £12 drop-in*
*Please note: This course aims to give a comprehensive introduction to tribal fusion movement, and should be taken as a full course. The previous course at City Rescue was sold-out, and drop-in attendance may not be possible.
Aimed at the beginner or the more advanced dancer wishing to revisit and strengthen elementals, this course goes back to basics: over five weeks, we will become acquainted with the conditioning required to build the body for tribal fusion movement, and also be introduced to drills for building muscle memory of the fundamental movements. By the end of the course, dancers will be acquainted with the basic components of the tribal fusion movement vocabulary, and will also have some practice integrating them into combinations. This class will involve yoga- and pilates-based conditioning, so come dressed to move and bring a bottle of water.
Register online at http://www.kimberlymackoy.com/site/Classes.html; For information, email kim@kimberlymackoy.com

August 22 - Finger in the Pie Fringe Lates @ the Edinburgh Fringe
From 1:40am 'til late @ C-Central Cabaret Bar, North Bridge, Edinburgh - Free entry!!
Fresh from London’s Madame JoJo’s, Finger in the Pie present a line-up of the hottest cabaret at the Fringe. With acts ranging from the bizarre to the brazen, the kinky to the kitsch we’ll be in residency at C-Central Cabaret Bar every Saturday of the Festival.
"Outstanding Cabaret" - Time Out
For further information go to http://www.fingerinthepie.com/Lates/Home.html

August 29 - DD Tease Presents Sensational Burlesque Extravaganza - UK vs US
Doors open at 8:00pm @ the Alea Casino Ballroom, Leeds; Tickets £15, £20 VIP
A fabulous line-up with some of the hottest ladies of burlesque, representing the UK and the US! Performers include myself, Fancy Chance, Vicky Butterfly, Diva Hollywood, Bella Besame, Leyla Rose, Missy Malone, Pinkie Special, Marianne Cheesecake, Ekaterina Sknarina and Siren Stiletto.
Tickets available online at www.leedsburlesque.co.uk or at Hellraiser, 97 Kirkgate, Leeds

I hope all is well with you, and hope to see you in the near future! If you need more information, let me know.

Kim

www.kimberlymackoy.com

Friday 22 May 2009

Tribal Fusion Goodies for Summer!

Hello lovelies,

I'd like to thank everyone who responded to my email ages ago about what you'd like to see happen with the classes. The Combinations and Drills class is the slight tweak on the previous Thursday night format, and I hope you're finding it fun and useful if you've come. A new 6-week block is starting on Thursday, and you can register on the website now if you want to come and play next week!

This weekend I'll be joining the stage with some fabulous dancers in Brighton, as Hilde hosts Mira Betz for some wonderful workshops and a fantastic evening show. It's gonna be great--part of the Brighton Fringe, there'll also be magic from Fanfara, Mira Betz, Morai, Hilde and Masmoudi Dance Theatre--so if you're going to be in Brighton, book a ticket! There may even be some workshop spots left; you can check it all out on http://www.hildebellydance.co.uk/

Here are the highlights for the next few weeks:

May 23 - Mira Betz Show in Brighton @ Spiegeltent Parlure - Part of the Brighton Fringe!
Spiegeltent, OLD STEINE; Show @ 6pm - tickets £10 (£8 concessions) performances by myself as well as Mira Betz, Morai, Hilde and Masmoudi Dance Theatre, as well as Fanfara, a live Balkan band!
To book tickets, contact the Spiegeltent Parlure on 08448007114 or visit their website on www.theparlure.com OR BOOK VIA BRIGHTON DOME BOX OFFICE on 01273 709709 or book online at http://www.brightonfestivalfringe.org.uk/ticketing/listing.aspx?ev=1027&et=11&ed=5440

May 30 - Phil Thornton album launch @ Saqarah!
May’s Saqarah will draw together many performers, both tribal and otherwise, to showcase the songs on the new "Nexus Tribal" album, many of which have not been played or performed before tonight! Dancers confirmed so far include myself as well as Hilde, Moirai Tribal, Faith & Group, and Saqarah's very own Eshta!
To book tickets or get more information, go here: http://www.saqarah.co.uk/Buy-Saqarah-Tickets.html

May 30 - Workshops @ City Rescue Studio - SOLD OUT!
11:00am-1:30pm - Tribal Fusion Elemental Movement (Beginner level and higher)
2:00pm-4:30pm - Isolation, Layering and Transferring Movement in Choreography (Improver/Intermediate level)
These two workshops can be taken together by the adventurous dancer to get a thorough day's workout in tribal fusion movement and composition.
The first must be taken by beginner dancers but will also serve more advanced dancers well; we will go through the fundamental movements of tribal fusion, including arms, figure-8s (maya, taxim, etc) and circles (umi, etc) in both chest and hips, and hipwork (shimmies, etc), as well as introduce concepts such as muscular vs. skeletal movement, proper posture and the muscular origins of movements.
The second workshop is only available to dancers who register for the earlier workshop or have sufficient experience with tribal fusion technique from Kim's previous classes. In this workshop, we will build upon the elemental movements to explore musicality and composition in choreography, paying special attention to use of isolation, contrast, and shifting movement. This workshop will involve level changes and moderate laybacks, but these are not compulsory.
In the break between the workshops there will be a chance to peruse some jewelry and costume items! Bring a yoga mat, water and a snack, and please email if you have any questions.
For information, email kim@kimberlymackoy.com

May 28 - July 2 - 6-Week Course: Combinations and Drills @ the Urdang Academy
Thursday nights, 6:30pm-8:00pm; Course £60, Drop-in £12
A new course in Combinations and Drills; instead of pursuing a full choreography, we will instead work on implementing knowledge in technique within combinations you can use in your own dance. This class may be taken on a drop-in basis or purchased as a 6-week course.
Register online at http://www.kimberlymackoy.com/site/Classes.html; For information, email kim@kimberlymackoy.com

June 2-July 7 - 6-Week Course in Tribal Fusion Elemental Movement @ City Rescue Studio
Tuesday nights, 6:30pm-8:00pm; £60 for 6-week course; £12 drop-in*
*Please note: Due to limited space, early registration for the full course is strongly recommended, as these classes are strictly limited to a maximum of 12 people. The previous course at City Rescue was sold-out, and drop-in attendance may not be possible.
Aimed at the beginner or the more advanced dancer wishing to revisit and strengthen elementals, this course goes back to basics: over five weeks, we will become acquainted with the conditioning required to build the body for tribal fusion movement, and also be introduced to drills for building muscle memory of the fundamental movements. By the end of the course, dancers will be acquainted with the basic components of the tribal fusion movement vocabulary, and will also have some practice integrating them into combinations. This class will involve yoga- and pilates-based conditioning, so come dressed to move and bring a bottle of water.
Register online at http://www.kimberlymackoy.com/site/Classes.html; For information, email kim@kimberlymackoy.com

You can also purchase both the Combinations and Drills course at the Urdang Academy and the Tribal Elemental Movement course together for £100 (normally £120 for both courses).

June 6 - Raqs Britannia Open Stage Solo
Be at the open stage around 4:30pm-5:00pm on Saturday afternoon to see something new and shiny! Also, be on the lookout for a duet with Kathy; details on the website soon.

June 20 - South London Workshop with Anna
This workshop is an excellent introduction to tribal fusion, aimed at students with some previous bellydance experience. We'll work on technique through elemental movements and work through some combinations to get practice in applying technique.
Email for registration or details: bellydanceuk@hotmail.com

June 27 - Summer Spectacular in Reading!
From 7:00pm-11:00pm @ the Rivermead Leisure Centre, Reading, RG1 8EQ
The fourth annual showcase of bellydance, flamenco--and Bollywood with Sangeet Dance. I'll be there as a special guest!
For tickets, contact bellydance@hotmail.co.uk or 07913 415334.

July 16-19 - Glade Festival
I'll be performing at various stages throughout the weekend, including the Interstella Circus Tent. For tickets and scenes of glorious mayhem, go here: http://www.gladefestival.com/

I've got a couple of other major surprises coming up in the next couple of months, which I'll tell you about very soon. Keep an eye on the website for new excitement on the horizon!

That's all for now... Hope to see you very soon!

Peace and beauty,
Kim

www.kimberlymackoy.com

Friday 3 April 2009

April's Tribal Fusion Events and Classes!

Hello lovelies,

Okay, so March was super exciting--South Africa, Italy, a new class and a lot of fabulous events. April's going to keep the pace up, with a new class starting next week at Urdang, a whole new course later on at City Rescue, a day of workshops (with shopping!), a new video and a magazine article! On the downside, I've been very bad about keeping up with my emails, and I'm very sorry about that. I really am trying to keep up with it all more efficiently.

This Sunday is the fabulous Finger in the Pie Cabaret Showcase at Madame Jojo's, which is also the closing party for the Alternative Fringe Festival--do come on down to check it out, it's going to be a lot of fun!! Full information is below, and if you want to see more info on the Alternative Fringe, go to: http://www.alternativefringe.co.uk

The new course at Urdang starts next Thursday!! This month, there's new courses starting at both the Urdang Academy and City Rescue. Regulars to the classes will start to feel them differentiate more and more, with courses at Urdang focusing on technique in choreography and the City Rescue courses focusing on the fundamentals of tribal fusion. Those wanting to dip their toe in both methods are invited to attend the day of workshops on April 18, which will be a good primer for the courses but also self-sufficient as workshops--and there will be goodies around to buy in the break! *Please note, there are no classes on April 21 and April 30 (City Rescue and Urdang, respectively).

Finally, my little article on a brief history of "tribal" is in this month's Nafoura magazine, which you can check out here: http://www.nafoura.com/#/emagazine/4532553470

And here's the latest video from my performance in Italy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKt1d8XxE8w

So here's what's on in April:

March 17 - April 14 - 5-Week Course @ City Rescue--SOLD OUT!
Tuesday nights, 6:30pm-8:30pm; £50 for 5-week course; £12 drop-in
To kick off this new class, we'll start with an introductory tour of tribal fusion technique throughout the body.
Each night has a special focus and tailored conditioning exercises and drills to build it up. Then, we go on to doing the more complex things and explore combinations to use in dance. We won't forget the rest of the body to focus on one thing--while isolation is important, total isolation is lonely!--but rather we'll draw out the expressive potential of each kind of move in its own special class.
Here's the schedule for the course:
March 17th: Undulations
March 24th: Shoulders, Arms & Hands
March 31st: Hips
April 7th: Circles, Spirals and Figure 8s Throughout the Body
April 14th: Layering and Transferring Movement
For information, email kim@kimberlymackoy.com

April 5 - Finger in the Pie Cabaret Showcase - Finale Party for the Alternative Fringe Festival
7:00pm-9:30pm (doors at 6pm); £12, £10 in advance, 2-for-1 Tickets on the door for Student card holders only
Get tickets online at: https://express.ts.com/k?fingerinthecabaret
Finger in the Pie welcomes you to the finale party for the ALTERNATIVE FRINGE FESTIVAL 2009! Hostess Myra DuBois will host a star studded line-up with a special focus on comedy cabaret acts. Featuring comedy songs from Geoff Cotton, Lady Elvis, Moonfish Rhumba, Frank Sanazi, Vikki Stone, Rosie Lugosi the Vampire Queen, burlesque from Banbury Cross and Polestars and tribal fusion bellydancing from Kimberly Mackoy.
For information on the Alternative Fringe, click here: http://www.alternativefringe.co.uk

April 9 - May 21* - 6-Week Course @ the Urdang Academy - *No class April 30!!*
Thursday nights, 6:30pm-8:00pm; Course £60, Drop-in £12
Over six weeks we'll build up to a full choreography; the first few classes give a solid introduction, while the last half moves quite quickly. As such, drop-ins should approach the final two weeks in particular with caution, as at that point a great deal of material has already been taught.
Register online at http://www.kimberlymackoy.com/site/Classes.html; For information, email kim@kimberlymackoy.com

April 18 - Workshops @ Islington Arts Factory
£25 each; £40 if taken together. (Recent classes have been very full, advance registration recommended)
11:00am-1:30pm - Tribal Fusion Elemental Movement (Beginner level and higher)
2:00pm-4:30pm - Isolation, Layering and Transferring Movement in Choreography (Improver/Intermediate level)
These two workshops can be taken together by the adventurous dancer to get a thorough day's workout in tribal fusion movement and composition.
The first must be taken by beginner dancers but will also serve more advanced dancers well; we will go through the fundamental movements of tribal fusion, including arms, figure-8s (maya, taxim, etc) and circles (umi, etc) in both chest and hips, and hipwork (shimmies, etc), as well as introduce concepts such as muscular vs. skeletal movement, proper posture and the muscular origins of movements.
The second workshop is only available to dancers who register for the earlier workshop or have sufficient experience with tribal fusion technique from Kim's previous classes. In this workshop, we will build upon the elemental movements to explore musicality and composition in choreography, paying special attention to use of isolation, contrast, and shifting movement. This workshop will involve level changes and moderate laybacks, but these are not compulsory.
In the break between the workshops there will be a chance to peruse some jewelry and costume items! Bring a yoga mat, water and a snack, and please email if you have any questions.
Register online at http://www.kimberlymackoy.com/site/Classes.html; For information, email kim@kimberlymackoy.com

April 26 - BellyBliss @ Shish - Tribal Showcase
Doors at 7pm; £12, £10 in advance
Monthly clubnight in Shoreditch, guest starring myself and Kerry Darkstar; for full information, or to book tickets:
http://www.miaserra.com/products/bellybliss_shish_26_apr_09.php

April 28-May 26 - 5-Week Course in Tribal Fusion Elemental Movement @ City Rescue Studio
Tuesday nights, 6:30pm-8:00pm; £50 for 5-week course; £12 drop-in*
*Please note: Due to limited space, early registration for the full course is strongly recommended, as these classes are strictly limited to a maximum of 12 people. The previous course at City Rescue was sold-out, and drop-in attendance may not be possible.
Aimed at the beginner or the more advanced dancer wishing to revisit and strengthen elementals, this course goes back to basics: over five weeks, we will become acquainted with the conditioning required to build the body for tribal fusion movement, and also be introduced to drills for building muscle memory of the fundamental movements. By the end of the course, dancers will be acquainted with the basic components of the tribal fusion movement vocabulary, and will also have some practice integrating them into combinations. This class will involve yoga- and pilates-based conditioning, so come dressed to move and bring a bottle of water.
Register online at http://www.kimberlymackoy.com/site/Classes.html; For information, email kim@kimberlymackoy.com

April 30 - Planet Egypt @ Darbucka
Doors at 7pm, tickets £12 at the door. To reserve a table (strongly advised!!) call 020 7490 8772 and be sure to arrive early.
Featuring performances by myself, Caroline, Emma Chapman, Janai, Ishtar, Dawn Harvey, Phoenïx Alrakkasoon, Julie Clarke and Elif. For full details, visit: http://www.planetegypt.co.uk/party_darbucka.shtml

And a little sneak peak at May....

May 9 - Hootenanny, Brixton
£3, Doors 8pm
Superhoot presents magnetic charismatic frontman Cleave, and Rev Chunky returns to Hootananny. Rev Chunky has been performing since he was four, rooted in gospel his band's unique soul blues blend original songs and classics will have you dancing + Big Mamas Door with their brand of Sexy 50's RnB with a whole lot of professionalism and love for the blues.This is an engaging and highly energetic band...the audience was wowed by the sheer personality of Fiona as a performer, and the musical excellence of the rest of the band." Bill Smith, Blues in Britain + The Jetsuns alternative folk blues + Tribal Fusion Bellydancer Kimberly Mackoy + DJ Nico Perez
Get the full scoop at: http://www.hootanannybrixton.co.uk/brixton-live-music.html

That's all for now... Hope to see you very soon!

Peace and beauty,
Kim

www.kimberlymackoy.com

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Wednesday 25 March 2009

Travelling, South Africa, Italy and a New Video


Wow. It's been a pretty wild month. Now that it's almost over, I can't quite believe it all happened.

In January I was extremely pleased to go teach at the BellyFusions Festival in Paris. Julie did an extraordinary job of running a busy ship in a tight fashion; her expertise in keeping everything on schedule, after demonstrating an excellent eye for a variety of talent, was really remarkable. Everyone was so enthusiastic, and the show was packed full of a diverse range of talented dancers. I was incredibly fortunate to stay with the lovely Gwenael while I was there, and my only complaint was that I never got as much sleep as I should have because we were keeping each other up all night talking. I got to wander around the city a bit, and take part in a surprise birthday celebration. I got to meet Anasma, and the girls from Shakra and Damage Control Dance Theatre, who were all really cool, and I got to hang out with Geneva, Tjarda and Renate again. It was pretty amazing.

Now, in March, I've gotten to teach and perform in South Africa and Italy. This was such a whirlwind! Cape Town was awesome--I tried to leave enough time to go look around, but South Africa is so full of ecological wonders that there really isn't any way to have enough time, I reckon. I got down there in a heat wave, which was a nice change of scenery from the fitful rain of London's winter/spring transition. The layout of the city and the flora kept making me think of the Bay Area in California, which made me really nostalgic. The workshops were full of enthusastic, dedicated dancers, who withstood the heat better than I did and were dancing the duet choreography with grace and poise as we finished the workshops. The SOMA ladies were absolutely lovely, and I really can't thank Marissa enough for all of her excellent organization--she put together a gorgeous show, and was a joy to get to know. Kathy and I had a couple of days to run around, and I got to see the penguins at Boulders Beach, swim in the Indian Ocean and then drive over to the Atlantic Ocean for an attempted baboon spotting. We had an impromptu dinner at the Ritz overlooking the city, a surprise party with Anna, Jon, Simone, and all of my new friends. Jon also outdid himself by doing a fantastic job of fixing--and improving!--my leather pocket belt after its unfortunate encounter with a London Underground gate.

Now, I'm just a couple of days back from a busy weekend in Southern Italy. Momo organized a day of sold-out workshops, and two performances in some really exciting events. On Friday, I got to perform to a packed club, where the audience was really joyful and stayed with me even through some music mishaps. Then, on Saturday, I got to perform at one of the warm-up gigs for the Italia Wave festival. This was fantastic (the video is below), with lots of awesome bands playing and full of really friendly, gorgeous people. However, it could have gone horribly wrong--Southern Italy is known for its lovely climate, but this weekend was a cold snap, and the gig in Pulsano was an outdoor affair. It was wet and rainy, and colder than London, and even snowed at one point! As you might imagine, the place is not really built for this kind of thing, so there was a lot of cold to go around. I demonstrated my assimilation into the British way of life by attempting to get a cup of tea to warm myself up before the performances, which resulted in a lot of funny faces and, at one point, a martini shaker full of warm tap water. My tip to the people of Puglia is this: when it is damp and miserable, do as the British do, and put the kettle on.

So now I'm back in London. April is also going to be really busy, though it's all happening on home turf; I'll post the events and upcoming classes in the next couple of days. I just want to say thank you to all of the people who have supported me in doing all of this; big thanks to James, for catching all of the odd tasks that fly his way, thanks to all of my students in London and elsewhere who are forever teaching me in all kinds of ways, and many, many thanks to the wonderful event organizers who help bring this fantastic world of performing arts to life.

Peace and Beauty,
Kim
www.kimberlymackoy.com

PS: Here's the video from Pulsano--thank you, Ciro! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKt1d8XxE8w