June 14, 2007
Far Out at the Way Out
I'm a big fan of bellydancing, and even took lessons for a while; it was sad, sad, sad. I resigned myself as a bystander, which was easy, since one of the country's biggest bellydancing festivals is held up in Park City, Utah (it's sponsored by Kismet School of Dance, where I took lessons). I could never quite get into what they call the Egyptian Cabaret style - that is, the spangles 'n' bullet-bra school, the style you see in a lot of restaurants as early dinner-show. My sister worked at a Middle Eastern restaurant for a spell, and maybe I just saw too much of it when I'd go down there for falafel. My speed's more Fat Chance Bellydance, aka the San Francisco tribal school. Or accidentally weird bellydance, like the chick I saw dance at the Park City Festival one year: "Dondi, Bellydancer of the Universe." She was a little fat in the can, and had a whole skirt made out of fake sunflowers, which she wore with three-inch heels (those shoes may be the reason she didn't move her feet at all when she danced). When I moved to St. Louis, I was a little bummed out that Middle Eastern dance didn't seem to have quite the same foothold here, though it's grown a lot in the past six years; only recently did I learn about Final Veil, a collaboration between DJ Leon Lamont and bellydancer Cora Camille. Though they may have a lot of bellydancers in Utah, I can guarantee there's no one bellydancing to turntables in rock clubs, so on the record I will now say that St. Louis has trumped SLC as bellydance capital, at least in my mind. I'll be filling in for Ann Haubrich and Jane Ibur tonight on Literature for the Halibut, but I may muster the energy to go down to the Way Out tonight to see Final Veil collaborate with Tory Z. Starbuck, who I imagine will come equipped with Middle Eastern flutes and bizouki.
June 14 (Tonight!)
Final Veil & Tory Z. Starbuck
Way Out Club
2525 S. Jefferson
Doors @ 9PM