Beautiful Unusual: an evening of eclectic belly dance
In conjunction with 10 hours of workshops, we are excited to present a live performance featuring Heather Labonté as well as many of Alberta’s finest fusion belly dance artists. Fusion belly dance is an emerging dance form which combines traditional Middle Eastern belly dance with Western dance forms such as hip hop, jazz, and ballet and is performed to an eclectic mix of music. Anything from world beats to classical to electronica goes! Beautiful Unusual is a rare opportunity in Calgary to see a full length fusion belly dance production.
Our carefully selected lineup includes only the best performers, and our artist-positive structure ensures that these hard working dancers are being compensated for their time. In fact, no profit is being made on the show at all! 100% of proceeds will be split equally among the dancers – so not only are you attending a great event, your ticket purchase is supporting a unique and little known art form.
Beautiful Unusual:
An evening of eclectic belly dance
Featuring Heather Labonté
Friday, September 19, 2014
8:00pm @ The VooDoo Lounge
720 – 16th Avenue NW, Calgary, AB
$18 in advance/$25 at the door
Support local dancers and buy your ticket now! This link will redirect you to our secure ticket vendor, Brown Paper Tickets. You can choose to have an electronic ticket sent to your email or phone, or to have a physical ticket mailed right to your door.
The Lineup
Featured Performer: Heather Labonté (Toronto, ON)
Heather Labonté is an absolute whirlwind of a dancer, one who brings both deep passion and incredible technical skill to the stage. She performs regularly in Toronto, with special appearances across North America and most recently the United Kingdom.
She is based out of The Dark Side Studio in Toronto, Ontario where she is an instructor, director of the Student Troupe, and performs as Lavish Dance with her mentor, Audra Simmons. She has also performed with some of her inspirations, including Mira Betz, Samantha Emanuel, and Heather Stants.
More information on Heather and her schedule can be found at www.heatherdances.com. For a preview of her performance skills check out her YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/heatherlabontedance
Kristine Jennes (Vancouver, BC)
Kristine fuses belly dance with spirited world music and an emotive stage presence to present fun, engaging performances. Her expressive range may leave audiences laughing, enthralled, tearful, or clapping along – but never bored! Kristine is known for her eclectic costuming as well as her for fluid technique. She has taught and performed since 2006 in St. John’s NL, Calgary AB, and is now based in Vancouver, BC. A dedicated lifelong student, Kristine continues to study with top dancers, and is currently most influenced by Audra Simmons of Toronto and Rachel Brice of Portland.
For more about Kristine, simply navigate this web site! Having recently left Calgary, she is very excited to be returning to the city to produce and perform in this show.
Stacie and Dahlia of Les Trois Femmes (Edmonton, AB)
Les Trois Femmes is a glitterific fusion trio out of Edmonton, Alberta. Their signature style is constantly evolving, ranging from soft and emotional to fast and fun, but always with just the right amount of sparkle. You can find them performing around Edmonton as well as teaching out of Bedouin Beats.
Originally from Venezuela, Dahlia is a passionate belly dancer proud to hold both Suhaila and Jamila Level 1 certifications. Her signature style fuses expressive contemporary with classic belly dance and sensual exotic flair!
Stacie Clarke is certified Jamila Level One in Jamila and Suhaila Level Two in the Salimpour program of dance. Her personal style combines precise technique with juicy flowing movements and a hair toss or five!
Les Trois Femmes will be teaching in September, and Dahlia and Stacie are currently running Summer classes in Edmonton. All the classes are run at Bedouin Beats, for more info visit www.bedouinbeats.com
Find out more on facebook www.facebook.com/LesTroisFemmes and watch videos on YouTube www.youtube.com/user/LesTroisFemmes
Tanya Lee (Calgary, AB)
Tanya Lee is the founder of BodyArtMotion.com and has been a full-time personal trainer, yoga therapist and transformation coach since 1998. She performs only a few times each year, and spends a lot of her time teaching courses, writing, and conducting private sessions where she blends dance drills with yoga and athletic core training. Tanya started dancing in her mid-20’s as a way to transition from competitive fitness. Her first dance was the Polynesian fire staff where she briefly toured with a company out of Los Angeles. While there, she was inspired by Jill Parker to study tribal fusion bellydance. In 2005 Tanya began studying with SamiTe’ in North Carolina. Since then, Tanya has been inspired by many dancers across North America such as Rachel Brice, Cera Byer, Mira Betz, and Carolena Nericcio. She most recently began studying with Calgary’s Heidi Marie.
Visit Tanya’s website, or say hi on facebook here: www.facebook.com/bodyartmotion
Erin and Minya of Leidamkidun (Calgary, AB)
Leidamkidun is a side project featuring Erin and Minya of Jumping Camel Bellydance. Born out of a desire to explore Tribal Fusion, the two have been meeting over the “dunch hour” (that lovely meal time between lunch and dinner) to work on exploring movement and choreography related to the style. They are pleased to share with you their newly found love of fusion belly dance, and prove that there is always room for a good oompah in any choreography.
Erin was reluctantly dragged into belly dance by Minya only to discover that it may be the greatest thing since champagne truffles. Over the past five years, she has been studying the art form with through classes with Minya, and workshops with Accalia of Winnipeg, Kami Liddle, and Rachel Brice. While her studies have included many forms of bellydance, she is most in love with tribal fusion, though that may be because the costumes are so delicious.
Minya first discovered belly dance when she purchased a costume from a neighbour, and decided she needed to learn how to shake those coins properly. While the costume has since passed on, her love of the dance has remained. Through countless years of study with Andrea Hanslip, Holly McWilliams, and Zenia of Goddessdance, and later workshops with Mira Betz, Suhaila Salimpour, Nourhan Sharif, and Aziza, to name a few, she has been perfecting that shimmy. She offers to you today her exploration of the darker side of bellydance with a cabaret/heavy metal fusion.
Tayri & Maida of At the Hip
At the Hip is a modern, cabaret style bellydance troupe led by Creative Director, Tayri. Tayri has been bellydancing throughout the years in Calgary restaurants and at various community and artistic events and stage shows. Tayri’s latest endeavour is the art of balancing sword which she is thrilled to share with our audience.
Sharing the stage with Tayri is Maida. Maida has been dancing from a tender age, attracted to the freedom of expression and the sense of beauty bellydance provides. An accomplished dancer and performer, Maida mastery of the bellydance art form makes her one of At the Hip’s most accomplished dancers.
At the Hip loves to perform at those events which are somewhat avant-garde, and can be found performing throughout the year at various festivals & stage shows including Freezer Burn, Burning Man, CEMF, Demonika’s Symphony of Horrors, The Kit& Kaboodle Circus and Femme Fatale. At the Hip is truly excited to have been welcomed to Beautiful Unusual’s stage tonight!
Plus
- Mythri Tribal Dance Collective
- Tayri & Maida from At the Hip
Photos and info will be released soon!
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