I am preparing for my SITA in a variety of ways: by taking classes that emphasis personal expression, reading about performance, watching informational and performance videos, keeping a journal, performing for students and seniors, and practicing what I call my “kitchen ballets.”
I started by consulting Helené. I’ve been studying with H since 2002. I performed with her company, Sisters of the Desert Sky, at local haflas (private and public dance parties), senior centers, and at the Desert Dance Festival. Initially, I had intended to ask H to help me choreography a solo. We met in her modest home in November 2008 to discuss what direction my solo would take. Helené had found some new music that she thought would be perfect for my temperament. It's called “Immortal Egypt” and is predictably dark and moody, mysterious and dramatic.
I worked with this music for several months improvising with a black veil, it being suitably mysterious. Unfortunately, because of hand and shoulder pain, I’ve never been able to sustain my study of veil work and soon had to stop. Besides, after President Obama’s inauguration I really didn’t want to do dark and moody anymore. I wanted to do happy and have fun. I needed something new to go with my new optimism.
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