Interview with Ebony

February 18, 2009 10:29 AM

Name: Ebony

What is your role within the Sahara Dance community? I’m an instructor, a member of Raqs Sahara, and I think I might be the resident Sahara Dance goofball

Childhood ambition: I can remember that when I was little I used to say that I wanted to be a dancer.

Eventually, I learned to think that that kind of career wasn’t realistic or practical, so I let the idea die. Then I wanted to be an artist, but somehow I learned to think that I’d have to be poor to be an artist.

Eventually, I decided that I wanted a career that I’d be happy with, as long as I wasn’t poor.

I became a web developer/producer. I’m happy with my career, and happily not poor :)

I continued dancing throughout my life as a sport, a hobby, and then a part time job. Now, I’m glad to be able to say (to my surprise) that I’ve fulfilled my childhood dream and am a professional dancer. A career that has proven to be practical, realistic and fulfilling.

First job: I think I was 15 when I got a job at the Chesapeake Bay Seafood House (you know “get all the seafooood you can eat!”).

I really liked their food.

I worked in the kitchen putting baby gulf shrimp, french fries, etc. on plates for about four hours a day. We got a shift meal where we could eat all the fried items we wanted. I think that’s why I worked there in the first place.

I always smelled really bad at the end of the shift. I think I quit after about 3 weeks.

What’s playing on your iPod or CD player? Lately, I’m listening to samba music on a Pandora station I created. It’s tons of Sergio Mendez stuff, which I LOVE. I plan on learning to samba :)

Indulgence: Lately, my friends and I can’t get enough Pho. I can also never have too many massages.

What’s your favorite belly dance moment or experience? I have two:

The first time I ever saw Rachel Brice dance was a huge and defining moment for me. She was the first example I’d ever seen of tribal or fusion belly dance at that caliber. Up until then, I’d only ever seen cabaret look as elegant and captivating as she did. This was important to me because until that point I felt like I’d always be pretending or “playing belly dancer” because, as beautiful as it is, I didn’t feel like belly dance could express the real ME. I didn’t even feel like I LOOKED like a belly dancer. Rachel was so different in her dance and her appearance; it opened doors for me and made me realize that I didn’t have to put myself in a preexisting belly dance category. I realized that there was more than I ever knew to explore, and that there was a place for me somewhere in this dance.

My second favorite moment is the first time I ever saw Lotus Niraja perform. I literally stood there with my mouth WIDE OPEN watching this beautiful, voluptuous, brown woman smack a cane on the stage, flirt, pout, and whirl. Words cannot explain the energy, confidence and sass that she exuded. The crowd was going nuts. This was defining for me also because, again, I just did not know that belly dance could be that high energy and that spunky. Lotus had attitude. This was belly dance nudging me again and telling me “go explore, there’s more”.

Current inspirations: My current inspirations are golden age belly dancers like Sohair Zaki and Taheya Carioca. In the last couple of years I’ve been doing a lot of fusion. I’d like to practice getting back in touch with my inner classic, flowy dancer. It could end up just making its way into my fusion dancing, though J

What is your dance background? In elementary school I took some after school jazz dance lessons. That’s all a blur.

In 7th grade I made the Pom Pom Squad (I was SO surprised and excited that I still get chills thinking about when I made the squad, I felt like I won a pageant) and again in 8th grade (I could have been captain, but I secretly voted for another girl, who won. I regret this).

In the 9th grade I did NOT make the pom squad for high school (I am STILL really shocked and hurt about this), but I DID make the cheerleading squad and cheered all 4 years of high school. I was junior varsity captain, and then varsity captain.

When I went to Syracuse University I made the cheerleading squad. I was pretty shocked. I also auditioned for a modern dance troupe. I made the troupe, but only stayed for a year or two

My second year in college I tried out for the Syracuse University Dance Team (because they were freaking awesome), made the squad, and stayed on for my remaining three years.

After college, I plain old did not know what to do with myself so I joined a gym and worked out like a crazy woman. I went to an audition for the Ballys Fitness Team, made the team and danced for them for a couple of years.

After I quit dancing for Ballys I started taking belly dance lessons. Finding Rachel Brookmire helped me get a better understanding of how far I might be able to go with belly dancing. Rachel saw my potential and pushed me (gently) out of my comfort zone.

Since then, I’ve been teaching at Sahara Dance, dancing with Raqs Sahara, soloing, creating my own fusion style, and have toured internationally with the world famous Bellydance Superstars.

How did you get interested in belly dance? The first belly dancer I saw was at Marrakesh restaurant in DC.

I thought the dancer was magical. I couldn’t imagine that I could ever learn to be so graceful and fluid.

I was looking for a new way to express myself through dance. I had done cheerleading, dance team, and fitness dance.

I wanted to learn to do this, because I felt like it was so different from everything that I’d done before.

Finally, what do you love most about Sahara Dance (other than Hip Talk, of course!)? What I love about Sahara Dance most is the level of professionalism that goes on amongst the teachers, performers and students. Not only is there an abundance of positive energy, creativity and fun at Sahara Dance, but I feel like the studio, the classes, and the events are run well. I’ve been through enough dance experience to know the difference between something being raggedy versus people who take things seriously. I am always finding myself marveling at how on top of things Rachel, Melinda and all the staff are. Nothing is an afterthought, everything is organized and efficient, which, for all of my silliness, is how I like to roll.

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