Tribal Dance Jam Interview on Tribal Dance Nation

Keli of Tribal Dance Nation asked me if I’d be available for an interview for her blog. She is planning to attend Tribal Dance Jam on Saturday, January 29, 2010, at REMO Recreational Music Center and wanted to share with her readers what to expect.

I met Keli, an Arizona resident, last summer when the TDJ Collective performed at Venice Beach Music Festival. She had just completed the weeklong American Tribal Style (ATS) General Skills (GS) and Teacher Training (TT) with Carolena Nericcio of FatChance BellyDance in Highland. I was facilitating a performance by the TDJ Collective (named after Tribal Dance Jam) where dancers from all over the area come together to perform without a rehearsal—100% improvisation. Keli, along with two other dancers joined our performance.

To my surprise, the interview was not on paper but on video. We coordinated our schedules and via Skype we chatted with each other.

The interview is in two parts. Keli refers to the event on her blog as “L.A. Tribal Dance Jam.” That happens to be a combination of the event and the name of one of my bellydance troupes. My troupe name is L.A. Tribal. The name of the event is called Tribal Dance Jam.”

Interview Part 1 of 2


Interview Part 2 of 2

Mock (yeah) • ing (yeah) • bird (yeah) • yeah (yeah)!

In 1974, Carly Simon and James Taylor’s, “Mockingbird,” hit the pop charts. I can see my friend Phyllis and me standing out on the front lawn of her parent’s house on Shoup Ave. We’d crank up the stereo and belt out the song at the top of our lungs, alternating between who’d sing Carly's or James’ part.

Phyllis’ parents were not home during the afternoon. I learned later that she was what became a term called “latch-key kid.” We met in youth band during the summer of 1974. Then we discovered we went to the same junior high school. We were inseparable.

Another favorite pastime of ours was baton twirling. Yep, we would spend hours on the front lawn trying different routines together.

I wanted to be a majorette since as long as I can remember. I would spend my allowance on a baton from Karl’s hobby store in the Fallbrook Mall. The problem--it would get a dent in the metal and in no time at all be endered useless. I must not have shown promise because a professional baton was never an option.

Anyone who remembers West Valley Youth Band will remember w e had a junior and senior band. The senior band had Nancy Rupender(sp). She was a phenomenal baton twirler, letting the baton twirl as she let the thing fly (sometimes two) in front, behind, and up above, as she herself performed multiple turns, flips, and cartwheels.

Phyllis and I were just happy we didn’t get a dent in our batons. Those mockingbird days are long gone. High school pulled us apart. I went to El Camino and she to Canoga Park High School.

I hope when Phyllis hears “Mockingbird” by Carly Simon and James Taylor, she pauses and reflects.