I have been computerless for over a week now, and I feel desperate. Well, not completely – we have this old laptop that we keep around the house for Mac emergencies, but it has no “h†key. You don’t know ow muc you need one until you don’t ave one. I finally just broke down and took my husband’s computer, just so I could feel like I had 26 letters again.
There is a fantastic event happening on Sunday, October 16th. It’s Leela’s Arabia Exotica 2005, which is happening at the Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre at 7pm. This is a yearly extravaganza put on by dancer/teacher/choreographer/impresario extraordinaire Leela. I went to the show last year, and it was amazing. There is a fantastic lineup, featuring Leela’s troupe Salome-Jihad and the ever-gorgeous Princess Farhana – who will be wearing a white costume I got for her in Cairo.
I am in the show too! I am doing a drum solo with about twenty five other students. It is so exciting! We have been rehearsing really hard for several Sundays now to get ready for the event. The last dance recital I had was about 25 years ago, so I figured I was due. Normally, I can’t ever handle any kind of choreography. When I first came to Hollywood, I was coerced into joining an all girl sketch comedy troupe with a number of other aspiring female comics. One of our skits had us doing country line dancing, which all the others did with deft precision. I couldn’t master the footwork no matter how hard I tried. I would follow the steps and go over and over them in my mind but I couldn’t make them stay. Every time, my legs would twist up onto themselves and of course ruin the comic effect by creating unintentional comedy which isn’t always funny but is always sad. The troupe leader Pam screamed at me and actually made me CRY – the first and last time I have ever cried over some career oriented incident. I mean I cry all the time, but not over Hollywood, darling. It isn’t worth it. The troupe disbanded after one dismal show, and I never attempted choreography again.
Until now. And I think I can actually do it. Leela is a wonderful instructor, and teaches the steps in an easy, but practical manner. We just do it and do it and do it and we don’t worry about not being able to do it because we are doing it. I always worry about not being able to do it and that keeps me from doing it. When your mind is filled up with something other than the choreography, then you can’t really do the steps. Worry takes up a lot of needed space. It is still scary, but it is going to be scary whether you worry about it being scary or not. Anyway, I am really proud of all us in the drum solo, many first time performers. I am not really a first time performer, but I have virtually no experience in performing without words, so I still consider myself an utter novice.
What I love about what Leela does is that she is giving women like myself, career ladies WELL into their 30s and beyond, a chance to be fabulous, glittery dancing fantasy girls. When else does this opportunity arise?! For modern women, there is a constant need to prove that we are as good as men, as smart as men, as strong as men. However when it comes to honoring our Divine Feminine, we can be as dismissive of it as men. This is a big mistake. When we miss out on moments where we can dance, sparkle and shine, we miss out on ourselves.
Tickets and Info. for Leela’s Arabia Exotica 2005