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2010: All about balance

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 23:43:00 GMT

Like most people I know, I was in the habit of making new year's resolutions. I'd come up with a long list, full of "shoulds and should nots" and loaded with guilt. At the end of the year I'd review my list and make note of all my failures and go through the cycle again, creating another list that would lead to more failures.

On the last day of 2006, I decided I had had enough. I was going to turn 30 in 2007. I was feeling the weight society puts on that number for females, and I decided that I'd had enough with that bullshit. I was going to be happy, and that was it. And my first step towards being happy was: To hell with resolutions.

Since then I've not made a single resolution on new year's eve, and it has made me much lighter. But since reading this, I've been considering the idea for a theme.

I was thinking about several concepts, processes and other wonderful stuff I've learnt in the past year, and they mostly seemed so big and overwhelming to me. But the other night, it came to me.

A little recap

I've gone on and on and on about this already, so I won't now, but I need a lil recap here.

Last year I did too much of everything:

- danced too much
- stressed to much
- ate too much
- dieted too much
- worked way too much
- said too much yes
- said too much no
ad nausea...

And I ended up burnt, to the point where I am still feeling the exhaustion now, no matter how much I rest and nourish. Too much was not good enough.

So this year has a theme

And this simple, little word that spells my theme for the year is huge to me. And it means a lot. And it means learning what to take in and what/when to let go. I have to learn to measure what I can take on, and what I have to pass. What is a Yes and what is a No. Gosh, I have to learn to rest!!!!

My theme is Balance.

And I welcome Balance, open-heartedly, into my life.

Decompression - Quitting my job

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:06:00 GMT

This is the second post in the Decompression series - it's just me taking the time to digest and process all the changes of the last trimester in 2009. Yep, life just went all crazy and I did not have time to really think about it. But I am doing it now.

So on November 11th I resigned my job. After about 10 months of over thinking, over analysing, weighing the pros and cons, and basically frying my brain (and the boy's!) with the weight of it all.

I had been thinking about it for months and months - I wanted to go back to working for myself. The most logical step was freelancer translation, which I did in the past. I have a degree in translation and 12 years of experience in it, and I LOVE translating. I really do.

So around May I contacted some clients and started translating part-time. Between May and November I pretty much worked every single evening and weekend, non-stop - on top of the day job. And on top of teaching dance classes 3 nights a week. So most days I would wake up at around 6h30 AM and I would not finish work until at least 11 PM.

This added to the fact that work was just terrible make it all twice as hard as it already was.

I was constantly tired; I was not eating well; I was irritable and distant and stressed. I could NOT keep going for much longer.

I needed to make a decision.

So I spoke to an amazing group of people, part of a membership forum that is just mind-blowingly helpful, and they helped with coming up with some pointers that would give me the confidence to do it. I spoke to close friends, and I spoke to my husband about it, and I called my parents and spoke about it a bit more.

Until I got sick and tired of speaking about it. I could not even hear myself talk about it anymore, I just couldn't. I had to take the plunge or I would lose my mind. Also, I had changed jobs internally and I am a big believer in quitting while you're winning. Things were much better in work, so it felt like the perfect time to leave.

The day I resigned I felt so light I thought I would float home. It was like the weight of the world had just been taken off my shoulders. I could not stop smiling.

I am still smiling now. The translation work is going quite well, and I am currently working on figuring out exactly what it is that I am going to do, putting the website together and all that. It's exciting, I am motivated and I am happy.

There is one big lesson learnt here, and it's that I write the story of my life. I can hold on to crutches and excuses OR I can do what I want to and what I am good at, and own my life again.

Gloal Edition - 2009 round up

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:30:00 GMT

wow. 2009 is over, really? already?

it's been pretty much a blur, this past year. the months are all jamming into one big rush and it's hard to tell what happened when.

i do like to look at the balance of the year that ends, so this is my attempt at doing it here. the good, the bad, what i learnt and what i want for the year that is starting in just over 2 hours.

The Not So Good Stuff

Work
This was just oh so hard. The day job was soul-destroying, and I was working 2 other jobs. I got very close to burning myself. I got tired, run down, irritable and not-such-a-joy-to-be-around at times. It was just hard after hard after hard.

Sickness
I spent more than half the year with a cold (probably due to the above). And I also was diagnosed with candida, which put me into a crazy strict diet that is just an eternal challenge to follow. And my shoulders and neck jammed - I could not dance for 2 months!

Dance
My teacher moved back to sunny California and I saw myself having to make the jump from student to teacher, mentor and troupe director. Argh. We also had our first show, which was so far from sold out that we almost lost money (but didn't...)

Friendships dying
It's always hard, but particularly when you did not see it coming. And having to kill others because they suck all the goodness out of you. Not good at all.

The Good Stuff

Courage
It took months of agonising and debating and weighing pros and cons and driving my husband up the walls, but I finally found the courage in me and resigned my job. In the middle of a recession, yes. Crazy? Maybe, but I have not felt this happy in a long time. This deserves its own post, which will come soon in the new year.

Dance
Despite all he hardness, I LOVE teaching and I am blessed to work with amazing, understanding, talented dancers who make it all that bit easier and totally worth it. I will be teaching 4 nights a week in 2010, we will have 2 shows and 4 haflas and much more to come.

Family
I have the best husband in the world, the best parents in the world, and amazing in-laws.

BABY
Yep, I am pregnant - and over the moon with joy. Right now I am just around 12 weeks, and there will be belly pictures and more about this soon.

Lessons Learnt

Know when to open the heart wide and when to protect it. It's too precious to be broken so many times.

If you have nothing good to say, shut up. However, sometimes a little bit of tough love is needed. Knowing to choose is the tricky bit.

Dance everyday, dance all day if you can. It warms the body and the heart.

2010

I've been thinking a lot about a theme for the new year. I am making no resolutions, for once. None at all. But I do want a theme, something to keep me focused throughout the year. I still don't know what it will be, and some more checking in is needed. But I will report back here once the theme manifests.

***
This is it. 2009 will be over in less than 2 hours now. I hope 2010 it's a cracker!

so this is it from me. do join in the tradition if you feel like it!!!

Decompression - The Show

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:47:00 GMT

An ickle disclaimer before I start this post - life has been crrrazy. It totally took over and I have just been focusing on getting through. Now that I am on the other side of the hurricane, it's time to catch up. There will be a short series of posts where I catch up and digest the past month. Thanks for, erm, digesting with me!

My first show - November 28th. WOW.

I can't remember when we* decided we were going to have a show. I think it was back in May. Then we decided we need a guest. Then we decided we needed workshops with the guest, who is an amazing teacher/dancer/person.

So around June we booked the wonderful Hilde for workshops and to be the special guest on our show. We booked the venue for the workshops and the venue for the show.

We invited other guests - beautiful local dancers - and started picking music for our numbers. EIGHT dances in one night, but we knew we could do it.

Songs picked, guests booked and confirmed, we started rehearsal - this around late July.

August was pretty much taken over with summer holidays, with most of the troupe being away at different times - no rehearsals happened.

September was busy drilling technique and putting together the basis for the coreographies. October and November was rehearse, rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. Stress. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. Stress a bit more. Get sick because of not enough rest.

Three days before the show a dancer pulled out. Grr. TWO days before the show another dancer pulled out. GRRR. Both for health reasons, so totally understandable, but STRESS!

The show itself was a blur. Dance after dance after dance. The dancers we worked with were beyond amazing - professional, full of energy, friendly. I will certainly work with them again! The crew at Crawdaddy were so so helpful and accommodating, we just can't wait to work with them again. The unofficial video looks amazing and I can't wait for the official video and pics to be ready.

But, of course, it was not all roses...

The stage - we had been to the venue before, and remembered the stage being small, BUT the specs we got from them indicated a much bigger stage. Groovy, we thought, more space = better. Turns out the stage was still small... we had to make some total last minute changes to a dance with 8 dancers, which meant that confusion ensued and not everyone was on the same page for it.
Lesson learnt - do not trust specs, go and visit the place beforehand, even if you have to fight for that right.

Tickets - we probably priced the tickets too high for Dublin. Tickets sales covered all our costs (just about), but it was a far cry from the full house we hoped for. At the same time, as Nell said, some bands play for their friends and family for years before they sell out a show, so for our first show we did ok.
Lesson learnt - revise ticket prices so they are more in line with similar shows in Dublin.

Marketing - well, we really failed on this. We advertised only to our newsletter and on Facebook. It totally wasn't enough.
Lesson learnt - I am not sure what we will do different for the next one, but we are planning and brainstorming on this.

Overall, it was wonderful and well worth the stress. The night was magical for us. Our next show will hopefully be magical for a full house

* Not the royal type, but me and my troupe.

Global Edition # 26 - the productive edition

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:05:49 GMT

here is where i try to work out the good and the not so good stuff that
happened in the past week. facing the bad (and sometimes even the good) is
not easy, but it's something i want to do. here goes it.

Last week was productive. *Super *productive. And even though it was truly
exhausting, it resulted in me being and feeling like myself again.

*The Not So Good Stuff*
*
**My back is ouchie
*Left shoulder is much better, thanks very much, but the upper back is now
nagging me. Physio says this is normal and she is keeping me in check until
the show in November so I can dance mostly pain-free. Ouchies.

*Time
*I just don't have it. On Saturday I was showring and washing my hair and
realised I had not washed my hair all week (eeeeeew, right?), because I was
just rushing around. Now that was a big wake up call and it helped to lead
me to The Decision.

*Work
*I bore myself talking about this

*Family
*The ones who are far away we worry about, the ones who are close by we wish
they were far away. *Isn't it ironic?**

*The Good Stuff*

*Anniversary
*One whole year married to the best boy in the world. My boy. My rock. My
best friend. Only he spent the whole day (and then some) slagging me off for
not having bought him an anniversary presie. Which I did, but it has not
arrived yet. So we will probably have a mini-anniversary again soon when the
presie arrives.

*Dance*
Back into the swing of things, after being off it due to pain and drama.
Rehearsing like mad for the show in November. Yay!

*Decision
*I seem to have found my *cojones* again and I made a decision. A huge,
life-changing, oh-my-gods kind of decision. I am SO happy about this, and as
soon as I can I will tell the big news here.

so this is it from me. do join in the
traditionif
you feel like it!!!

* Alanis Morissette is not family. In case you or her or her manager were
wondering.

--------------------------------
THe big show is less than THREE weeks away! If you're in Ireland you ought
to come along - it will be magical! More details
hereand
here .

The Tattooed One

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:11:00 GMT

If you are familiar with any faction of Tribal Bellydance, you will have noticed that the vast majority of dancers of this style showcase one or more types of body modifications - tattoos and/or pierciengs, with the odd implanted fangs!

So what came first - the dance or the body mods?

A quick trip back in time

San Francisco, Carliforna, the 1980s - Punk bands started to form, creating a really ecletic vibe in the city. The "modern primitives" movement was also going strong there, and there was a LOT of young tattoed people around. One of them would be the founder of what is now known as American Tribal Style Bellydance (or ATS, or Tribal, or what I call it: Tribal Bellydance).

Carolena Nericcio had been bellydancing since 1974, when in 1987 she started her own classes. Carolena was also young and tattooed, and attracted a lot of the attention to this dance form. She and her troupe performed at music gigs, tattoo conventions and started to get really well-known in San Francisco and California.

The name for this post was taken from Carolena's first DVD - named so because that's how she got known - amongst Carlifornia bellydancers in the 1980s, she was "the tattooed one".

Back to the present

Tribal bellydance continues to attract the young (and not so young) tattooed crowd that is out there.

My theory is that this is because Tribal Bellydance broke a lot of rules:

- the dances are improvised, not choreographed
- a system of visual and verbal cues was devised to allow for dancers to perform as a group
- focus is not on the soloist, but on the whole troupe
- the costumes are a big mixture of North African, Indian, Roma and Flamenco pieces put together
- we wear more bling than famous rappers (and often get stuck when a ring or bracelet meets a hip-shawl!)

If you are into body modifications, you either already belong to a tribe of similar people, or you at least decided you do not fit where you were before.

Tribal Bellydance seems to have been the natural progression for the outcasts who liked bellydance but could not identify themselves with the sequined costumes and the overt sexuality often present in the form of the traditional bellydance style performed in the US and Europe.

Conclusion

I don't have one, really.

Tribal Bellydance is an evolving dance form, that has changed a lot in the 22 years of its existence. Western society is also changing, and tattoos and other body mods do not carry the stigma they once did.

Maybe in 20 years time I will report back here...

*********
My big show is only 3.5 weeks away! If you're in Ireland you ought to come along - it will be magical! More details here.

Global Edition # 25 - the I-don't-even-want-to-review-it edition

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:40:52 GMT

here is where i try to work out the good and the not so good stuff that
happened in the past week. facing the bad (and sometimes even the good) is
not easy, but it's something i want to do. here goes it.

Yep, this is late again. This, in itself is becoming a tradition. Mmmm,
don't likey. I also don't likey last week, so it's a good thing that it's
now over.

*The Not So Good Stuff*

*Puter*
Pain. The physio exercises hurt. Carrying anything hurts. Dancing for long
periods of time hurts.

*People*
I don't mean people as in *everyone*, but man... sometimes I wish things
were easy. Free of drama. Free of egos. Free of words being put in my mouth.

*Work*
It's boring. It's annoying. Some things that were supposed to happen or come
by didn't, and I am still stuck to this (cheap and horrible) office chair.
*
*
*The Good Stuff*

*Anniversary!*
Well, the real anniversary is only next Saturday, but the boy and I
celebrated early with a weekend of much deserved relaxation and good food.
It was gooooood!

*Plans*
The fact that the things that were supposed to happen didn't gave me a
proverbial kick up the arse and got me moving again. Which is wonderful, and
hopeful and happy.

so this is it from me. do join in the tradition if you feel like it!!!

Tatiana Franey
Translation - Review - Project Management Services
IM: tguedes@hotmail.com

Global Edition # 24 - the low-tech edition

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:39:19 GMT

So you might (or not) have noticed that this is a few days late. This is because myÂ computer decided it had enough on Sunday and blatantly refused to work again. It's in hospital this week and I hope it gets better soon, as I have a lot to catch up on! Also, it was a very slow week of nothing-much-happening...

The Not So Good Stuff

Puter
Well, I pretty much already told you about this one above...

Sickness
My father-in-law's health deteriorated again and he is back in hospital. He is in pain, he is confused, the family are suffering. It's truly disheartening.

The Good Stuff

Physio
My shoulders are almost all better already! I am doing my stretches regularly and taking it easy otherwise, but it's so good not to be in constant agony!

so this is it from me. do join in the tradition if you feel like it!!!

Global Edition # 23 - the "ouch" edition

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:03:42 GMT

A LOT of hard this week. What with my shoulders (both!) locking and having one of those birthday things, it was tough going...

The Not So Good Stuff

Being zero-armed
So on Thursday both my shoulders decided to stop working, and my upper back went into spasms. I knew this could not be good, at all, but I did not call for help until Friday. A LOT of ouch.

Physio
On Saturday I went to the physio clinic and a really nice and competent girl checked my shoulders. No long-term damage to tendons or muscles YET, but a lot of work needed. I have homework (to stretch every hour, among others) and I have to go back probably once a week for a while.

Monies
Lacking a lot of it at the moment and having to spend on physio. Oy...

Birthday
Yep, another year clocked. I don't feel good on my birthday, or the week before or the week after, but I try to play along. This year I even went out to celebrate. Of all the people invited, 4 came out to play with me, and that brought up all sorts of stuck for me. Still processing that, so won't say any more.

The Good Stuff

Change
I was offered a new position in work, a lateral move that meant I would change team. The offer was taken immediately!

The Boy
He is a wonderful man, the perfect husband for me, and made my birthday more than bearable :)

so this is it from me. do join in the tradition if you feel like it!!!

Moving meditation - sword dance

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:09:00 GMT

My mind is always at thousands of miles per hour. Thoughts dash by and spin around, leaving long lines in technicolour - they are beautiful, but dazzling.

I tried meditation before, different types, several times. The result was always that I either fell asleep or ended up tangled in a complex web of thoughts. I just assumed meditation was not for me. Maybe I was the kind of person who just would never be able to meditate.

Every attempt at it made me frustrated. I felt inadequate. People around me would have tales of peace and rest and all other sorts of wonderful experiences while meditating. I would just smile feebly and rush out of class, feeling tenser than before. How could I just not get it? Why was it not working for me? Obviously there was something wrong with me.

So I gave up trying to learn to meditate. If I was going to end up caught up in my own thoughts anyway, I'd rather just do it by myself, thankyouverymuch.

Six years ago I discovered Tribal Bellydance. I found ways to move my body that, till then, had been totally unknown to me. I found new ways to connect with people, and with myself. And I discovered sword dance.

While technically it's not incredibly hard to balance a sword, it requires all your concentration. Any involuntary body movement will cause the sword to rock, sway or even fall - not the desired effect!

When I started practicing with a sword, I learnt the hard way that each single thought I had caused a slight arm movement, or leg movement, or hip movement. I noticed that when I concentrate on a thought (ie, when I notice it and decide to follow it), that I normally look upwards and to the right (a little bit like him). As soon as the head tilts, bang - off goes the sword. Oupsie.

Dancing with swords (that's right, plural) is my meditation. When I practice or perform with the swords, my only thought is the sword. I don't see the colourful rush of lights dazzling my brain. I don't hear the constant natter of the inner critic. I can't afford to follow any thought, pretty and shiny as it might be - my one single point of focus is the sword on my head (or my hip, or my arm, or my hand, or my shoulder).

For years I went for the swords when I needed grounding. It became a ritual to me: tough day at work? sword practice. emotional meltdown? swords. feeling low? swords. Now, I can "sword dance" on my mind when I need to ground. I can picture myself rehearsing the most impossible moves with them, and immediately the natter gets quieter, the lights more subdued, my breathing gets even. Immediate grounding.

One day I might feel ready for a different type of meditation. I am happy with my sword dancing one for now.

Global Edition #22 - the all-over-the-place edition

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 20:40:00 GMT

Whew, what a week. I am all sorts of glad that it's over.

The Not So Good Stuff

Being one-armed
My left shoulder hurt SO much all week. So so much. It forced me into rest for 2 full days. And on the 6th day it all of a sudden got better. It obviously had a message for me, from my body, and the message was: get some rest already. So I did. I am glad I did, and I am much gladder that the should is good as new now.

Depression
On Tuesday I cried for 4 hours straight. I just sat on my chair and cried. I actually sobbed. Yep. I believe this was due to being super tired and in pain, aggravated by the pain killers I was taking. I do not react well to chemicals, at all. That afternoon I decided that the pain was better than sobbing for 4 hours, and stopped taking them. By Wednesday, I was still tired and sore, but I felt like myself again. Shocking reminder to myself as to why I haven't taken any chemicals in over 8 years, right there.

Work
It's just utter crap. I am doing my uttermost to keep smiling and to keep going, but it's hard. Too hard sometimes.

The Good Stuff

Buh-bye pain
My arm is all well again and I can dance and practice yoga and knit and do all sorts of wonderful exciting things and I am SO happy!

Dance
Ridiculously excited about the hafla coming up and the show in November. The classes are just wonderful and there is more goodness in the horizon. Grin!!!!

so this is it from me. do join in the tradition if you feel like it!!!

Global Edition # 21 - the single-shouldered edition

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:28:00 GMT

Intense is the word for the past week - very intense! And that's probably part of the reason why my left shoulder decided to freeze and forced me into a day off today (and probably 7 more to come...). And not a lot of good here at all at all...

Anyway, this is what happened last week...

The Not So Good Stuff

Rest (or lack thereof)
Again not much rest. With the boy being away several nights, me working late a few more, teaching 3 nights a week - argh! it's hard, it's exhausting, it's... well, intense.

Being one-armed
My left shoulder just froze - that's what my friend told me, and she is a massage therapist, so I am trusting her! I am on antiinflamatories now and if by Wednesday it's not better, I am hitting the hospital. Doing things one-armed? Very hard! And I can't dance or cycle or practice yoga or be at the computer much. jeeeez!

Facing mortality
My father-in-law is very ill. He has been ill for close to 2 years, but is now quickly getting worse. The family have to make impossibly hard decisions and balance emotions and rationality while keep going with their lives. I don't have the vocabulary to say anything else about this. Just a lot of pain.

The Good Stuff

Classes
Three nights a week, full, and getting dozens of emails about more

so this is it from me. do join in the tradition if you feel like it!!!

Global Edition # 20

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:10:53 GMT

Week is over, another one starts, and I am just so so so tired. Working three shifts and not having enough restful time is starting to take it's toll on me. I might need to take an emergency break soon. But there is soooo much to do!!!!

Sigh...

Anyway, this is what happened last week...

The Not So Good Stuff

Money
BROKE.

Rest (or lack thereof)
Sunday was the first day of true rest I've had since early August. I was tired I basically just collapsed. And no amount of sleep is enough for me at the moment...

The Good Stuff

Work

It's busy, but you know what? I can deal with it!

Plans

Going strong, with a big chunk of good news arriving on my inbox las week. yeah babe :)

Dance

the show is shaping up really well and i am super excited about it to the point of being giddy! and i've been practicing a lot, and the girls are improving, and the classes in Bray start tomorrow - so much goodness all around!

The Boy

he is back from Seattle :)

so this is it from me. do join in the tradition if you feel like it!!!

Global Edition # 19

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:17:28 GMT

here is where i try to work out the good and the not so
good stuff that happened in the past week. facing the bad (and
sometimes even the good) is not easy, but it's something i want to do.
here goes it.

So... yeah, 2 weeks with no Global Edition post. I've been away, and I've been super busy - which is all good! This Edition will include 2 weeks of goodness then, making it extra special!

The Not So Good Stuff

Work
it took it's toll on me last week. i left work crying for 3 days in a row. it felt like i was broken, destroyed. it hurt. and it made me think a lot and figure out certain things about myself - several of my stucks came up. ouch. but, it did lead to goodness....

Money
i am lacking a LOT of it. sigh. time to get my ass in gear and figure out ways to make monies!
Â
The Good Stuff

Granada
if you have never been to Granada (Spain), you have to go! it's one of the most beautiful places in the world. the boy and i consumed tons of seafood and spent hours walking around the little streets of the old town. the energy in that place is just amazing. and The Alhambra? no words could define it. GO SEE IT!

Friends
two of the best people in my world got married in Granada and i was there to share the laughter and the happy tears. life is good, you know?

Work

so all the bad-ness from last week led to a lot of goodness. to an armour and a mask, that i am wearing with pride. this job, this soul-sucking day job? does NOT define me. does NOT impress me. i am not taking it for what it is. everyday, one day at a time.

Plans

ooooh they are going SO well!!!!! :)

Dance

we have NINE events coming up between now and Xmas! we have wonderful workshops with Hilde and a show! i am teaching a new class starting soon in Bray. and the troupe are a DREAM to work with. and i am not sure how or why, but weird energy that used to hit at us is dispersing now and shifting into a really good vibe... it's all good, babes!

The Boy

my husband is the best boy in the world. i am so so lucky for sharing my life with him!

so this is it from me. do join in the tradition if you feel like it!!!

Putting a show together - Part1

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:21:00 GMT

I am just back from a short break in sunny Spain, and work on the show has resumed. I knew there would be a lot of work in putting a full show together, but WOW.

It took over a month to book the venue for the workshop - they booked us, then found out they were double-booked, then they realised the other people could pay more, then they decided that we could have the booking back for a fixed rate and finally today we signed the booking. argh.

It took about 2 months to find and book a venue for the show - we did get an amazing venue in the end, for a very good rate, with a sound enginer and all, so all good there!

We decided who were the dancers we wanted to have as guests on the show, and sent the invitations. So far we only gave them guidelines towards how long their number can/must be, and what kind of style we would like them to show. Still waiting on confirmation from all of the dancers as to what style and length they can and want to perform. They have till the end of the month to confirm.

Now it's time to decide what the troupe will perform - what group numbers, solos, duets etc. Which students we can invite to perform in the group numbers and which will not qualify for it.

Then the rehearsals start - who can and can't come when, the 75% required attendance issue, the difference in opinions and me having to learn to be a director and what that means.

Matching the costume!!!! This is hard as not everyone has all the matching pieces, and we would prefer not to have anyone spend a lot of money on costume at the moment, what with the big R out there and all that.

Soon, we will have to decide how to decorate the stage, and writing the pieces that The Boy will say during the show, as he is MC'ing it.

There is just a lot involved, especially a lot of energy. I want this show, our first show, to be amazing, unforgettable, inspiring, moving - and I have an idea of how to achieve that. But I also have a LOT of egos involved, and I am trying to be a troupe director but I am also dealing with friends, and I am finding it hard to strike the right balance. To be strong without being bossy. To be friendly without compromising the show quality.

I am thinking a lot about it. I called a meeting for Sunday, where we will brainstorm and discuss a few things. Some people will not be happy. Some people will understand it and be able to work with and through it.

Wish me luck!

Global Edition #18

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 20:45:00 GMT

here is where i try to work out the good and the not so good stuff that happened in the past week. facing the bad (and sometimes even the good) is not easy, but it's something i want to do. here goes it.

it looks like the head cold/flu thingie that had me knocked out for 2 weeks is mostly gone. yay. AND there is a lot of dancey stuff going on at the moment - loving it!

The Not So Good Stuff

Sick
i was still rather sick until thursday...

Work
by friday morning it already felt like i had never ever been on holidays. stress. pain. anger. grrrr.

Diet
so. fed. up.

The Good Stuff

Not sick
friday morning i started to get all better and then i kept on getting better super fast and i feel great now - yay for echinacea and homeopathy and rest

Friends
they also happen to be members of my dance troupe - these girls just rock my world!

Dance - i'm just loving it!
our performances on saturday went really really really well and seemed to get the crowd going
the workshop on saturday morning was full of lovely ladies who really got the tribal movements!
we have good footage of the performances on saturday and a DVD coming up!
AND i get to let the cat out of the bag - we have the super wonderful Hilde Cannoodt coming over for workshops in November and a show!!!! i can hardly contain my excitement!

so this is it from me. do join in the tradition if you feel like it!!!

the colour, the movement, the spin

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 20:33:00 GMT

In May 2009 our teacher moved back to the US. Me and Nell, my dance partner, had to learn to cope without her: suddenly we were teachers (not students), troupe managers (not troupe members). It was tough and it was also amazing.

Just a few weeks into the process we got the invite to perform at Festival of World Cultures. It's a big festival in Ireland and it's also wonderful. And we had been lucky enough to perform on it 4 times before, under our teacher's direction and command.

We were wowed and accepted the invite immediately. And then we realised we had to put together a 20-min set and a 40-min set on our own.

Nell and I spoke about it for hours on end. And we put the outline for the show together. We spoke to the 3 troupe members, and agreed on guest dancers. We picked choreographies from our repertoire and decided on songs for improvised dances. We started rehearsals straight away.

We had lots of doubts: is the running order exciting? is this choreography going to catch the audience? can we actually pull this off?

But we also had passion - a lot of passion. And we wanted to do this so so much. And we wanted it to be wonderful. And we wanted our teacher to be proud of us when she saw footage of the shows.

We had bad rehearsals. We had stress. We had lenghty discussions over costuming. We had panic attacks because of one spin. We even had tears.

But we had lots and lots of laughter. And support. And we swapped and borrowed and lent pieces of costuming. And we had a fantastic rehearsal last Thursday.

And today we took to the stage. Twice. And my goddess we were great!

And our students were in the audience, and our families too. And our partners - except mine, as he was on stage with us, drumming.

Every single one of us was truly delighted to be there, to be realising what we had spent 2 months planning. And our energy spread through the audience, and they were smiling back at us, and singing along, and clapping, and cheering.

We did it. We really did it, all on our own.

And we just can't wait to do it all again!

Global Edition #17

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:48:00 GMT

here is where i try to work out the good and the not so good stuff that happened in the past week. facing the bad (and sometimes even the good) is not easy, but it's something i want to do. here goes it.

Back from holidays - 2 weeks that went way, way too fast! And I spent the past week in bed, with flu and fever and pains and aches. And no, I am not better today...

The Not So Good Stuff

Sick
runny nose. fever. headache. lack of sleep. tired. i hate being sick. andone week later i actually feel worse...

People
the ones that like to kick you when you are down? those.

The Good Stuff

Holiday
wonderful, restful, amazing time with family. best 2 weeks i can think of! shame it goes so fast, but i had an amazing time!

Knitting
LOVING it!

Dance
performance on August 29th as you can see here, and more wonderful stuff coming up soon - super, super excited!

so this is it from me. do join in the tradition if you feel like it!!!

All grown up

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:48:00 GMT

I am just back from 2 weeks in Brasil, at my parents.

I had not been home since October 2007, and I was really homesick and dying to get home and see the parents and the brother.

Last time I went over with I think 14 people from over here, to celebrate a big birthday. This time it was only me, the boy and my stepdaughter. I told no one but the parents that I'd be coming over, as I wanted to spend time with them.

My father-in-law's ilness has scared me, not only because soon my boy won't have his dad around anymore, but also because the fact that my parents are also aging has finally hit me.

It's a scary thing, really. To face my parents' mortality and age when I live so far away from them. I'd never be there for an emergency. Thoughts that haunt me.

So off we went, and 2 weeks we spent with the family. It was wonderful, it was restful, it was full of cheese and dairy which left me all congested. It was full of sun, and beach, and swims in the sea, and fresh prawns, and dad playing guitar and singing, and the boy playing guitar and singing, and the stepdaughter loving all the attention that everyone lavished on her.

And for the first time ever I did now fall back into old habits. I did not suddenly turn 17 again. I did not bring up old arguments and resentments. I did not pick up fights. I did not give into provocations.

I felt all grown up. I felt so happy. Still do.

I feel like I am a real person now. With a real life, a real family, and for that my parents respect me now (not that they didn't respect me before, but it was more a teenagery kind of respect, or at least it felt that way).

Holiday pictures will be posted, eventually, when I get them off the boy's Mac. For now, I will just revell in the blissful memories I am carrying with me.

Performance coming up - yeah babe!

tatty@tattyfraney.com (Tatty Franey) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:01:00 GMT

It's all a bit dusty here, and I will catch up and tell all about the holidays (or a bit anyway), but for now all I want to talk about is the performance we have coming up.

It's the 4th time I will be performing at Festival of World Cultures and I could not be happier about this. My dance partner Ronelle will be performing for the 5th time!

It's a wonderful festival that every year gathers thousands of people in Dun Laoghaire, a seaside town south of Dublin. It brings performers from all over the world and also provides workshops in many of the amazing dances, songs and traditions that appear on stage.

My troupe, The Zoryanna, will be performing twice at the festival on August 29th, Saturday. Performances are free and will showcase Oriental, Tribal and Fusion Bellydance. Our dancers have all over 4 years of experience in bellydance, and we have prepared 2 amazing shows for you:

- People's Park @ 14h15 - details here

- Harbor Plaza @ 16h15 - details here

I will also be teaching a Tribal Bellydance Basics workshop with Ronelle. The workshop is on August 29th, from 10-11 AM, at the Dance Theatre of Ireland. All details about the workshop and how to book can be found here.

Do come along to cheer us. And let's all keep our fingers crossed for a beautiful summer day on August 28th!