Interview with Kelly

March 10, 2009 10:18 AM

Name: Kelly

What is your role within the Sahara Dance community? SA, student and all around groupie/stalker/resident small child

Childhood ambition: Like any good Catholic child, I wanted to be Pope. This was ruined when my priest very kindly informed me at the age of eight that only boys could be Pope. It took me a while to get over that. I now screen my ambitions for stupid things like gender requirements.

First job: Ice cream shop. I have an addiction. And I’m really good at persuading people to share in my addiction.

What’s playing on your iPod or CD player? “Swagga Like Us”, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Lil’ Wayne and TI, “Bartender Song”, Rehab, “Lal lal Hothon Pe”, Brass Menezari, and assorted Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys, Great Big Sea and Bill Crosby for St. Patrick’s Day. Oh, and Bellydance Superstars Vol I. I have Music Genre ADD.

Indulgence: Sleeping “in” until 9:30 am. Chocolate peanut butter ice cream from Hagaan Daz. Smut books- Georgette Heyer, Laura Kinsdale, Dean Koontz, good Harlan Coben. Preferably all of these things at once.

What’s your favorite belly dance moment or experience? At one of the haflas, Raqs West was doing their improv thang, and we got most everyone who had ever taken a tribal class involved. Then Raqs East had to get smart and started to get in FRONT of us, mirroring the improv movements- and a lot of the cabaret dancers got behind THEM. It was a giant game of “follow the bouncing butt” and it was AWESOME.

Current inspirations: Mira Betz, UNMATA, Yousry Sharif (there’s something mind-blowing about this big older Arab gentleman who dances more delicately than I ever could!) Oud music, this trend of brass/rom/balkan fusion music (from Balkan Beat Box to Gogol Bordello), the pursuit of skilled, clean movement with really good musicality.

What is your dance background? My mother stuck me in a tutu at four. It took me longer to get out of it than anticipated. We compromised at the age of twelve- I’d continue with this crazy ballet nonsense if I could take hip hop. Luckily, pointe, tennis and competitive diving meant busted knees, so I got to take modern instead of ballet the last two years of high school.

How did you get interested in belly dance? My modern teacher was interested in “gentle movements” and did a few workshops on belly dance. It was very informal but intriguing. So when I went to DC for college, Sahara just so happened to be starting their fall semester at the same time! Fate!

Finally, what do you love most about Sahara Dance (other than Hip Talk, of course!)? I would say the community, and be completely serious, because this feels like a second home to me, but everyone says that. (And I’d hate to end all serious and stuff). So I say the FOOD. RKB and Co. feed the SAs/students so well it’s ridiculous. And yummy. Ridiculously yummy. And healthy (mostly). Ridiculously yummy health food. It’s a concept that’s growing on me.

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