Who needs a break...?!

Who needs a break? I do actually!! But, there's no sign of slowing down for this girl - not for a while at least!

After returning from teaching at Bratislava Tribal Festival in October, I barely had chance to breathe before the first lot of arrivals for Infusion Emporium. Vesna and her partner Uros arrived first on the Wednesday, followed by Deb Rubin at Birmingham Airport. Up until Saturday, dancers were arriving in flurries of suitcases and sequins in preparation for the weekend. 

And what a weekend it was! We had a total of 10 people sleeping in our house. Our living room became a giant bed, while the lovely Martina Crowe-Hewett had the pleasure of sleeping on the floor in my bedroom - really, it was a fun few days!!

Friday kicked off the weekend, with workshops by Deb and Vesna. Deb taught a 3 hour masterclass and a backbending workshop, with Vesna covering sparkly eyes make up application, which was later sported by at least 50% of our performers on Saturday night!

The rest of the weekend saw more dance workshops from Deb and Illan Riviere, covering technique, choreography, therapeutics and modern techniques for enhancing your dance. Workshops were sold out, and enjoyed by all, with all three teachers getting great feedback for their teaching and material presented.

I can't say I had much chance to fully participate in the workshops. This is the first time, as organiser, that I have been too busy to truly take part in the learning experience. I spent more time on the phone that weekend than I have my entire life! For the show I frantically applied my make up and got my costume on just in time to walk on stage... *just*!!

The show was the highlight for most people that weekend. Dancers from all over Europe performed for the very first time in the UK, and the audience raved about them and the British and American talent that we had in the show too. While I didn't get to see it, we had quirky fusions of boxing and bellydance (Catherine Taylor), martial arts (Giuliana Angelini), Contemporary (Hilde Cannoodt), as well as ATS (Khalgani) and Tribal Fusion. Special collaborations were also the name of the game! I performed my duet with Martina Crowe-Hewett again, HYBRID Dance Project UK performed Olivia Kissel's choreography (resulting in tears from an emotional Olivia!) and the European debut of Deb Rubin's Project Merkaba.

HYBRID Dance Project UK

Project Merkaba - Deb, Vesna & Alexis

Truly a great show that was not to be missed, with dancers from UK, Slovenia, USA, Austria, Germany, Finland and Canada.Make sure not to miss the next one - April Rose on 16th March 2013. I was so pleased with everything about the show - not just the talented line up that we had coaxed to the UK, but also the impeccable lighting situation that we had this time. A couple of the previous shows have had lighting a little too dark for dance - ambiance is great, but you don't want to miss the moves of a dancer. I'm happy to say that it was a rip roaring success.

For me, the highlight of the weekend was on Sunday night - our new addition of the after party, the Glitterball Shakedown. Many of our guest performers from abroad once again delivered solos, along with dancers that were too late to be accepted into the main show. Everyone did amazing performances, and there really is nowhere else you'll find a dancing sparkly unicorn, a girl who loves cheesecake, or a Rachel Brice-Kami Liddle tribute act.... 

DJ Dan!

The after party really kicked off with a DJ set from my husband Dan. The dancefloor was full all night, with impromptu performances from Illan, ITS UNMATA style delivered by Djeynee and Joanna Abel, and a whole heap of partying. It was a really great night, giving everyone - including me - the opportunity to let their hair down, relax, drink and party. We're definitely thinking, after requests and praise, that the Glitterball Shakedown will become a permanent Infusion Emporium fixture :)

And we're already planning for next year's! Depending on availability of our chosen artists, we are looking at the end of October or mid-November... so keep your diaries free! Huge thanks to everyone involved with planning, delivery, performing, taking the workshops, driving, providing shelter, and keeping me sane! We couldn't do it without you!! I was very sad and tearful to be saying goodbye to my friend Martina too - she's off to begin a new life in San Diego this December, so this is probably the last time I'm going to see her for quite some time. It really makes you value the time you have with your friends when they leave...

The Martina goodbye crew!

The happy couple

There was no rest for the wicked though - dancers didn't start going home until Wednesday, so day trips were abound, including a rather ridiculous mini-bus journey to London!!

Love Olivia!

Kicking off November, I took workshops in Bristol with Olivia Kissel, and performed in the Saturday hafla. Olivia's teachings are always a delight - new ideas and inspirations, but also new understandings and realisations about the body. She always inspires me to become a better dancer, and I was very happy to have been a part of the smaller group intensive day on Sunday. It gave me an opportunity to take some dance time that was just for me, and not focused around everyone else. I love putting on events, but this Infusion Emporium had been a particularly stressful and tiring one, so I felt really like I was pampering myself on Sunday with Olivia! I really look forward to her returning to our shores next time.You really missed out if you weren't there - don't make the same mistake next time!!

And as the title of the blog says... who needs a break?! This weekend I'm off to Slovenia to perform at the Nawar Festival in Ljubljana. I'll be performing solo, and also being reunited with my Ambrosia friends where we'll be performing Demonesque and Awakening! I can't wait! Then there's a number of teaching gigs coming up for me on home shores - check out the schedule below:

17-18 November - Tribal Fusion workshops in Brighton (www.hildebellydance.co.uk/about/alexissouthall.shtml)
24 November - Tribal Fusion workshops in Birmingham (www.facebook.com/events/417667304958592/?fref=ts)
15 December - Tribal Fusion workshop at Fantasia Festival, London (www.jwaad.com/fantasia.htm) 

Hope to see you somewhere on the road!

A x

Stratford

The girls explore Wolverhampton

I Love London!

Stratford