And here’s what you all want desperately to know. What the heck is a Steampunk hairdo? Well, I can give some resources and ideas, but I’ll be the first to tell you that you need to look at the word “Steampunk” to figure out the whole costuming thing. ‘Steam’ indicates the era where steam powered machines were the norm – hence, the Victorian era. But ‘Punk’ – well, that means ANYTHING goes. Dreads, pink hair, pixie cut, spiked hair, all are welcome in this generous and creative genre.

Don’t forget to sprinkle that with lots of clock parts, velvet, buttons, vintage rhinestones, feathers galore, little hats and gaudy flowers. The Victorians may have been a stuffy bunch, but they took their repressed frustrations out on their hair and their hats. The heights – literally – that some ladies achieved were incredible!

So here are some resources for you to enjoy, some with very detailed and helpful instructions. Don’t burn yourself on your marcel wave curling iron, and don’t swear too much the 4th time you’ve tried a new and complicated style and it hasn’t worked. This is art, remember? Have fun with it.

But before we get into that, I’ll give you a very obvious link to a place that sells not only kick arse Steampunk feather and flower hair ornaments made with vintage buttons and antique jewelry, but also wrist cuffs with vintage fringe and lace dated between 1910-1930, belts with medallions created from vintage metal presses, and more. Enter the Emporium:

The Gypsy Kiss Hair Ornaments

And here are some examples of past lovelies that The Gypsy Kiss (that’s my business!) has sold:

VICTORIAN HAIR RESOURCES:

• Demodecouture.com has amazing links to hairstyles and other costumes of the Victorian period. They look like a lot of work, but I think it’d be fun. Some are hilarious, like this page: http://www.shootingstarhistory.com/hairstyles.html
• This is an EXCELLENT source for beautiful Victorian style hair – and you’ll come away knowing a little more about hair history: hairarchives.com – I LOVE the information and photos of hair jewelry. Not ornaments for your hair, but actual jewelry made from hair. Crazy. I remember being twelve and reading about this, and then trying to make a ring of my braided hair. It was not easy, folks.
• This site, Victoriana.com, is just wonderful – but it’s not in color, so you need to read the captions. I particularly love the styles with the velvet plaits! Velvet anything is dreamy… *sigh*

FLAPPER HAIR RESOURCES:

For some of you, the Victorian updos are not an option -  because your hair is too short! And so, I give you *drum roll*  the flapper.

~Note: The Marcel wave usually can’t be done well on long hair that’s worn down – but if you have long hair that tapers up toward your face, and therefore the “bangs” area of your hair is around chin length, you can certainly give it a shot! Or some ladies do the marcels and then an updo, so the weight of their hair doesn’t pull the waves out. I believe that’s what Rachel Brice does…

~’Nother note: An easy way to fix the problem of wanting to use amazingly complex hair ornaments in short hair is to use a highly decorated headband (which I just so happen to sell quite often – check the link above or click any of the photos of my goodies to see the selection). Also great for any hair length, because you just put it on. No hairdo, no nothing. Just stick it on and go out and dance – and you know how important that is when you have more than one piece to perform, and the pieces require different costumes… and thirdly, it gets your sweaty hair out of your face when you’re dancing somewhere warm (or just are super vigorous!) The headbands with elastic beneath them that run all the way around your hair work perfectly for slightly  more vigorous dances – the regular headbands (U shaped) are good for more sedate, slower dances.

• Hairarchives also has an excellent page on the 1920s. Ah, the bob, women’s lib, the Marcel wave! This will be a really helpful page for you girls with short hair.
• Wikihow has a great page on flapperizing youself: How to be a Flapper Girl
• 1920-30.com has a very detailed page which explains just how to achieve the marcel wave with a bob.

STEAMPUNKESQUE TUTORIAL AND INSPIRATIONAL VIDEOS:

It just wouldn’t be complete without some visual help for how to do some of those styles. I’ll add new ones to this playlist as I find them, so check back once in a while. The lady at the end does very complicated styles – which is why I put it at the end – in several parts. But they are INCREDIBLE hair art. Enjoy, everyone!

Tags: '20s, antique, art, belly, bellydance, bellydancer, belt, belts, bob, clockwork, costume, cuff, cuffs, dance, dancer, Edwardian, emporium, fascinators, feathers, flapper, fusion, gears, Gibson girl, goth, gothic, hair, hair do, hairdo, hat, hats, headdress, Marcel, nineteen, noir, ornament, ornaments, peacock, roaring, roaring '20s, roaring twenties, Steam, Steampunk, steamy, style, styles, tribal, twenties, Victorian, vintage

One aim I have for the Kiss and Tell Blog is to help you learn about the newest trends in belly dance. One such trend is to use something called ‘veil fans’ during performance. Veil fans actually originate in China, and were first used for combat – they’re called Mulan fans.

Enjoy these videos, and you might either be inspired to pick up a pair of fans, or if you’ve already got (at least) a pair, you might pick up a few new tricks!

Tags: belly, bellyance, bellydancer, clips, dance, fans, flutter fans, Mulan fans, veil, veil fans, video, videos

Hipnotic is a dynamic duo that epitomize all the amazing aspects of Tribal Fusion, the friendships, the precision, and the unconventional creativity that bloom out of tribal fusion dance. The two talented women of Hipnotic, Jatare & Neta, have perfected their ever-evolving style – including some show stopping moves that are extremely rare, such as the double Turkish drop. Here’s a glimpse into their hip-hop, belly-fusion world:

______________________________________________________________________

1. What do you feel sets you apart from other troupes? What do you do that’s different – your trademark?

Our approach to tribal is unconventional to tribal belly dance improv format. Our style, attitude and vocabulary is primarily improv that incorporates sudden stops, drops, and stillness, which is more common in choreography. We do not limit our creative influences to just the belly dance genre, nor do we follow trends and fads. We tend to prefer to be different even if it’s not popular. Our trademark is our creativity and the double Turkish drop.

2. What inspires your dance style, and how would you define it?

Music inspires our dance style. Our dance style is fairly eclectic with bits and pieces from everywhere and everything.

3. Tell us a little about each of you – background, hobbies, values, interests?

Neta: I’m from Montana and moved to Chicago to pursue an Engineering job. I spent 8 years in the military rebuilding engines. My hobbies include sewing, Tomiki Aikido and many more.

Jatare: I’m born and raised in Chicago, and travel internationally for work. I like reading, writing, listening to music, singing in the shower and in the car, poetry, and sewing belly dance items.

4. Why do you dance?

Neta: It allows me to explore my alter-ego—explore my creativity. It’s fun and extremely enjoyable.

Jatare: It allows me to have a visual creative outlet. It gives me license to express any of life’s frustrations, anxieties, uncertainties, happiness and joy.

5. What do you try to accomplish through your dance?

A performance, dammit.

6. What are some of your goals for the future of Hipnotic?

Aside from world domination… continue to dance, not suck, and expansion (to more dancers that don’t suck).

We plan to perform in Tribal Fest 9. Ms. Zuza wants to have us in the Minnesota neighborhood to teach a few workshops this year. Midwest Tribal Mafia – Getting’ Away with Murder in October of 2009 and of course, World Domination (20 step plan).

7. What projects and events (MTM, etc.) have you been a part of? What’s one of your favorite memories from one of these?

We were featured on “What’s Your Story” a thirty minute program in Evanston, IL aired every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in For the month of March.

We taught workshops in Bloomington, IN (sponsored by Dark Side Tribal), Pava Maroon has invited us for two years straight to be in her annual. Pat Kellar has also invited us to perform in her show the last two years (2007 and 2008). We were a part of Tribal Fest 8 and were special guests last year at Tribal Revolution.

We have donated a free class to a local fundraising raffle, CureIT. And, last year was our debut of the Midwest Tribal Mafia.

Neta: it’s so hard to pick a favorite moment. Jatare and I tend to make little moments out of every event we do, including practice.

Jatare: I don’t have one favorite memory – I have tons. It’s too hard to pick just one.

_____________________________________________________________________

Amy: I can believe it!

Tags: belly, dance, double, fusion, Hipnotic, Mafia, Midwest Tribal Mafia, TC Fusion Fest, tribal, Tribal Fest, Tribal Fest 9, Tribal Revolution, Turkish drop

photo by envisionartstudio.com

If you want to wear your hair down instead of in a bun or updo, but you still want a flower clip to stay in there, you do these steps:

1. Decide where you want the flower to ’sit’
2. Grab a section of hair right there, leaving some remaining underneath hanging down
3. Make that little tiny section (the underneath-hanging-down one) into a little pony tail with a small, ouchless ponytail holder
4. Let the section of hair you were holding up fall over and hide the ponytail
5. Take your flower/feather alligator style clip and open it up – stick the bottom half of the clip part (as opposed to the top half which is glued to the feathers and flowers) THROUGH the ponytail holder
6. Give it gentle little tugs to arrange it how you like it.

It won’t hold up to zars (head swinging), but it will absolutely be fine with all the shimmies, spins, and backbends you can dish out. Here’s a video (by moi) explaining this for all you visual and audio learners out there:

And the place to get beautiful hand crafted hair ornaments? Where else?

The Gypsy Kiss

Our next post will be either an interview of two amazing ladies from the chicago area, or the final chapter of our “How to Keep an Audience Awake” series. I haven’t decided yet. You know – just to keep you on your toes.

Tags: belly, bellydance, bellydancer, burlesque, clip, dance, dancer, feathers, flower, fusion, hair, how to, malfunction, ornament, ornaments, pin up, raqs, stay in, The Gypsy Kiss, tribal, tutorial, video

Here’s the second, and final (for now), post in the voi series. I promised you voi resources, so here you go!

Learning poi/voi:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUloxA41Qt8 – This is a trailer for a really clear intro to spinning poi. It’s a good place to start, especially if you don’t have a creative community in your area with anyone interested in and experienced with poi already.
• http://www.homeofpoi.com/shop/select_a_poi.php/start This is also a great place to start. Loads and loads of information about spinning, and lots of spin toys to buy! Wheee…
• Fireless Spinning DVD - This actually looks super useful. Obviously, spinning voi encompasses different elements than spinning poi with no veils. The breath of the air through the silk – whether you go for half circle veils attached to your poi, or streamers. It’s a good idea to progress from a basic poi tutorial to one specifically for voi.

Making or purchasing voi:

veils by A'Kai Silks, photo by www.ellenwoodphotography.com

Of course, I’d recommend A’kai Silks – Jesennia is such an amazing artist. Generally, you buy half circle veils for voi. I’ve heard that the “little wings” size is easier to do tricks in – the bigger half circles can sometimes make more than barrel rolls and spins difficult.

• Belly Dance Fans has some beauties to purchase.
• Farmhouse Boutique has a really good selection of silks to attach to your poi.
• I found a post here about one way to put the veils on the poi – but I’m just saying that this is the only how-to I could find, and neither the lady who posted this tip nor I are responsible if it doesn’t work for you Agreed? So here goes: Hook the end of your half circle veils to your poi using a hair band, adding in a heavy zill to add weight and help pull the silk around.Then tie a tiny knot a ways up the flat end to the loop in your poi that attaches the string to the handles (without this extra knot, the veils stay pretty flat. With the knot they take their shape like wings).

Good luck everyone! If youhave additional tips concerning how to attach veils to poi, places that you like to purchase poi or voi, or how to spin poi, please feel welcome to post them!

Tags: belly, bellydance, bellydancer, clips, dance, dancer, fusion, Gypsy Kiss, Kiss and Tell, performance, performances, poi, raqs, silk, tribal, veil, veil poi, video, videos, vids, voi

photos by www.ellenwoodphotography.com

Well, the previous blog post was all about voi – and I thought, how better to continue that theme than get  an interview for you with one of the belly dance industry’s leading hand dyed silk artists, Jesennia of A’kai Silks.  She turned out to be more than I expected – earthy, warm, intelligent, and at times hilarious!

How long have you been making silk veils?

For pleasure, or for business? I have always enjoyed working with colors but
specifically started dyeing veils in 2000.  I made silk veils for my
own use, in dance class, but they received enough attention so I started dyeing
them for local dancers in Colorado (where I lived at the time).  After
establishing an account on ebay, I did mostly ebay sales, email inquiry sales,
and wholesale.  Now A’Kai Silks is on etsy at www.akaisilks.etsy.com and I also sell to
clothing wholesalers.

Tell us about the first time you became interested in
the process of dying the silk yourself…

Honestly, it was out of pure boredom   I needed something to do to keep me occupied
while my older son was in kindergarten during the day.  I had worked as a
registered nurse in Colorado but was involved with bellydance on the
side.  I guess a part of me wanted to make the items that I would
later dance with …but performing and dyeing veils sort of merged at the same
time.  I was heavily influenced by anything veil dance related.
For the first couple of years, I was only dyeing rectangle veils but later had
a pair of half circle veils sewn for me.  After dyeing them, I was hooked
for life and double silk veil dance remains my favorite.  The large half
circle silk veils are my best sellers.  Here’s a useful link:

Half Circle Silk Veils

What do you use for inspiration when you’re creating silks -
what helps you to get into the ‘zone’?

I don’t really seek inspiration – it falls in front of me and stirs something.  I have had ideas about projects while out in the water on my surfboard..there is something very still and perfect about being out in the water and it clears your mind.  Playing music while creating is helpful.  And warm fresh Hawaiian sunshine is a godsend.

What is your absolute favorite type of silk project?

It varies on which day  you ask me.  I’m still having a lot of fun
painting the silk crepe ruanas.  I get to run a bit crazy on
them.  Each one is totally different. I’ve created some that may never
leave my closet Here’s a photo of one that I kept, called Macabre.

I also enjoy making coordinating silk clothing sets, like sarongs and tops.

Tell us a little about A’Kai Silks – where can we get them,
do you do custom orders, and how much does a pair of voi cost?

I’m based in Hawaii,  but you can find veils through  a number of vendors
worldwide,  and through my website store at www.akaisilks.etsy.com .  Custom order
availability varies widely depending on how many other projects I’m
doing.

Your silks are some of the most sought after in the belly
dance sphere. What do you feel makes your silks different from other suppliers?

That’s a tough question because I really enjoy the work of so many other dye
artists… Shibori Borealis amazes me, L. Rose has colorful perfection, Audra
Evans has been creating some beautiful pieces.  We all use similar silk and
we each express ourselves differently with dyes … just like forms of
dance.

I’d say my involvement with the dance for about 10 years now, and my extreme love for veil
dance specifically helps a lot.  It’s true that if you love what you
do, money or business follows.  I have on and off days, and get into
funks, but overall, bellydance and veil dance feels a part of my core.  I
just love it.

What other hobbies do you have?

Surfing, although I have only been on a fiber board once since getting my boobs installed last June (wheeeee boobies!).  I suck at surfing but the physics and
thrill of it keep me coming back for more body abuse   My husband and I
love body surfing in Waikiki together.   I body surfed while
pregnant as well, up until the day before having the baby.

Tell us about the new baby!

Yes, King of the Island, Zachary Jia Chen Makahiwa Tan,  is almost 18
months.  I thought pregnancy was going to do me in.  I bitched
nonstop (and still do).  My first baby, my older boy Morgan, now 13, was
an easy baby.  That’s a nice way of saying that Zack is my
firecracker.  Sometimes I want another baby but after watching my
best friend who is struggling at five months and I keep my legs
closed.  Who knows … it would be nice to have a girl to shake things up in
the house.

Describe yourself in a nutshell – what are a few of your personality
traits?

Restless to a fault.  I can’t stand monotony yet I love
security.  I’m a true gypsy and love to move
around.    I have ‘the grass is always greener’ syndrome
which drives some people crazy. Luckily my husband likes to wander
too.

Other than being restless, I’m enthusiastic about creative projects and can be competitive
and push myself to achieve (usually self imposed standards).

I’m always trying to find balance … surf and dance, work and more work, time with baby,
etc.

What goes through your mind when you see dancers using your
silks?

“Holy shit that looks pretty, lol “   When I’m dead , my silks
will continue to dance with the inhale and exhale, and movement of each
dancer.  Is that sorta cryptic?

Tags: A'Kai, belly, bellydance, bellydancer, dance, dancer, gypsy, half circle, Hawaii, interview, silk, Silks, The Gypsy Kiss, veil, veils, voi

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Tags: belly, bellydance, bellydancer, clips, dance, dancer, fusion, Gypsy Kiss, Kiss and Tell, performance, performances, poi, raqs, silk, tribal, veil, veil poi, video, videos, vids, voi

  
Victorian Peacock Fascinator, by The Gypsy Kiss – Sweet Moon Trunk Show, February 2009

    Most Steampunkers know that Etsy is the bomb for Steampunk gear and supplies. Here is the cream of the crop for all you Steampunk belly dancers – (besides the occasional wonderiffic necklace, hair fascinator, or outfit featured on The Gypsy Kiss):

• Catherinette Rings – Her artistry is amazing. Gears, wire wrapping, and magic. She does gorgeous bracelets as well as rings.
• Urbanheirlooms – Incredible leather work. I love the cuffs, especially.
• ProfMaelstrom – Gorgeous work – pretty much a jack of all trades. corsets, goggles, and all kinds of trinkets! (Nothin’ like belly dancing in a leather corset!)
• TwistedSisterArts – Gorgeous wire wrapping (again) – worth a good, long look.
  

    These are some of the most innovative designers on etsy right now – I just wanted to write a quick blurb to alert you to the wonders of Steampunk on etsy. Search for yourself, and please list your favorite sellers in the comments! It’s always important to support the businesses that we love – and a little good press helps a lot!

Tags: ATS, belly, bellydance, bellydancer, bracelets, corsets, costume, costuming, cuffs, dance, dancer, etsy, fascinator, fusion, handmade, jewelry, outfits, raqs, resources, rings, Steampunk, The Gypsy Kiss, tribal, Victorian

Arya of Tribal Spirits of the Sun is a perfect example of a woman who knows who she is and faces life head on and with joy.

Deliciousness. Even the sound of the word is… well, delicious. Make your audience hungry for your performance. But what is it that people want to see? A sexy dancer? Yes, there’s sexuality, and that’s a valid feeling. It can be sexy, but it also can have nothing at all to do with sexuality. Deeper than that, people want to see a woman (or man) who knows – and I mean KNOWS – that they’re delicious. They’re amazing, they’re irresistible – in short – they know that the audience wants to watch them, and that they’re so amazing that they’re WORTH being watched.

Josephine Baker became the toast of France by virtue of her strong belief in her own inestimable value. And this, during a time when the pressure for individuals of African descent was incredible to be made to feel less than whites. Racism is still a terrible obstacle today, and many belly dancers have let me know that they face race-specific challenges in their dancing.

The most wonderful way I’ve ever heard this described is by the amazing Maya Angelou, in her poem, “Phenomenal Woman“. I’d suggest that you read the entire poem – and also be sure to look at a photo of the delicious Maya Angelou.

“The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.”
~excerpt from Phenomenal Woman, by Maya Angelou

Maya knew that she was phenomenal. And so should you. The dance doesn’t make you amazing. You make the dance amazing.

Kami Liddle takes the stage by force with this intense solo at Tribal Fest 8. This has to be one of the best solos I’ve ever seen.

Deliciousness isn’t something that you put on, like you put on your costume. You can’t change your environment, the stage or the props, to make yourself delicious. Red lipstick and jewelry and all the practice in the world can’t make you delicious. Even originality and panache can’t make you delicious. Deliciousness is a thing that bubbles up inside of you. If your costume got ripped just before you go on stage, and your hair looks like hell, and the kids have driven you crazy all day – you can still be delicious.

Of course, everyone has a spark of it inside. Yes, everyone, even if you feel ugly or unattractive. I’ve seen many, many women who would be considered unattractive by most modeling agencies – but when they got on that stage (and sometimes it didn’t even take that!) they were incredible! I couldn’t take my eyes off of them. That’s because they’re delicious, and they know it. They know they’re magnetic.

“That certain something” can be developed in all of us. I don’t know all the ways that women have used throughout history to develop it – but I know what I’ve done. I’ll share a few of these things with you:

1. Prove to yourself that you value yourself. Go ahead – get a new lipstick instead of saving that money. This might sound like the opposite of what I just said, but it’s not if you remember that you’re not buying yourself things to make yourself amazing. You’re buying yourself a few treats because you ARE amazing. Make sure that you have pretty things to wear, if it’s possible to. Invest in those karate lessons. Whatever it is that you value – please, invest in it. Invest in yourself! Don’t be silly and waste your money to excess – but if you’re one of the thousands of women out there who never put their needs first, even for one moment – try it. Even for a little bit. You’re worth it. I’d like to add a shameless plug – The Gypsy Kiss is the perfect place to spoil yourself. Might I recommend the hair ornaments page? All of Alphonse Mucha’s goddesses had hair full of flowers, or at least a crown.

2. Treat yourself like a goddess – who’s mortal. That’s right. Take care of your body – and also believe in its beauty, exactly as it is. As a dear friend of mine tells me, “I know I don’t need to be thin or flawless, but I want to be my personal best”. And I’d like to add – my personal best – plus cookies. Buy soft clothes, exercise, do your yoga or whichever exercise (besides dancing) that you like, smell any and all flowers, eat healthy (with cookies), and take care of yourself.

3. Take the time to relax. Remember that belly dancers need to relax, have fun (maybe even doing something that’s NOT dance related), and take vacations, breaks, and more. Yes, practice does make perfect – and hard work is the way to hone yourself. But most of us dancers also have day jobs. And we always need to remember that the dancer is more important than the dance. If we’re not feeling well, we also won’t dance up to par.

4. Steer clear of unhealthy relationships. Whether it’s a romantic partner, friend, family member or even dance sisters (it happens), please value yourself enough not to ‘play’ the games of hurtful people. You are a wonderful person, and you might need to even remove yourself from harmful relationships in order to keep yourself mentally healthy. Remember – you deserve to be treated with care and respect. Surround yourself with good, kind, creative people, and stand up for yourself!

5. EXPECT ATTENTION. That’s right. Expect people to pay attention to you. When you talk, don’t mumble. If people don’t listen to you, speak up for yourself. When you walk on the stage or down the street, even down the grocery aisle, carry yourself with that particular and delicious body language that says, “I Matter. Watch me. What I do is important. What I say means something. I am someone INCREDIBLE.

I know this seems more like a self help post than a dance post. But deliciousness is something that begins deep inside of you and comes rushing out in your dance. It will bubble out in every other area of your life, too. Dance is amazing to watch when you’re so lucky as to find someone who believes in their own deliciousness. I can’t wait to see you do just that. When you do, post a link to your YouTube video! And believe me – you’ll know it when you feel it. Your shimmy will come from within!

Mae West “I was sayin’ to the Moon”
Mae knows how to make an entrance, and was a women who, despite much opposition, knew how to believe in herself.

Tags: attention, attitude, audience, belly, bellydance, bellydancer, confidence, dance, dancer, dancing, delicious, fusion, goddess, gypsy, improve, intense, intensity, irresistible, Josephine Baker, joy, Kami Liddle, lock, performance, pop, projection, raqs, relax, tribal