Excuse me while I struggle to contain my excitement, and for once I’m not saying that sarcastically. This week is shaping up to be awesome! Obviously the biggest thing is that I am flying off to Portland on Friday, and 8 Elements starts on Saturday! I really cannot wait. Not only do I get to study with Rachel Brice, learn a ton of things, and take the test to hopefully pass Initiation, but I also get to stay with my friend Swati, who moved to Portland from Tucson a few years back.
Before I take off for Oregon, however, Open Stage is happening here in Tucson! This is going to be a special one because not only is Fire & Gold Belly Dance debuting our latest choreography, but we will also have some very special guests — Tempest and Nathaniel Johnstone! They’re going to be in town this weekend for Wild Wild West Con, where Nathaniel will be playing music with The Cog is Dead and Tempest will be performing belly dance *and* teaching workshops. Anyway, they’re getting in Thursday afternoon and agreed to bring their amazing live music and dance collaboration to our humble open stage. I’m, uhm, kind of excited.
Of course, my excitement is tempered with a bit of sadness, because I am going to completely miss WWWC. I really love that event, it’s my own chance every year to really layer on all my steampunk stuff and indulge in that side of my geekiness. Plus it’s gonna be extra belly dancery this year, with Tempest and Diva Dreads and Geisha Moth all there in addition to local belly dance groups Lykiska and Osiris. Basically what I’m saying is, if you’re a belly dancer in AZ, you should really go buy a day or weekend pass to the convention and let me live vicariously through you. It’s only fair, since many of my friends are planning to live vicariously through me while I’m in Portland.
Speaking of which, if you want to stay on top of what I’m up to while in Portland, you should go ahead and give my Facebook fan page a like, and consider following me on Instagram, too! I’m really not sure if I’ll blog while I’m there, my schedule is going to be pretty jam-packed so I may just be limited to quick social media updates until I get home.