If you were wondering where my wanderings will take me this weekend, then wonder no more.  I’ll be at the most excellent Art of the Belly conference in Ocean City, Maryland!   I’ll be taking workshops; hanging out on the (probably entirely too nippy) beach; hopefully I’ll even get a chance to do a little reading and kite flying (I heard a rumor about a pirate bringing his kite too.  We’ll see!)  And let’s not forget the special mixed drink for the event: The Head Slide!  (Previous years’ libation creations included the Shimmylicious and the Zagaretta.)

Oh yeah.  And, of course, there’s the shopping.  Shopping, shopping, shopping, shopping.  I mean when you get right to it, the best part of being a belly dancer is buying new baubles.  It’s like you get to shop for a whole new person.  There’s your regular self– day time and night time looks.  But then you have this completely different persona of a belly dancer to dress for.  At least that’s one of the best parts for me.

And maybe the crowing jewel of AOTB is the nightly shows.  On Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, there are belly dance shows featuring many, many, MANY of the regions’ belly dancers.  Cabaret, American Tribal Style, ITS, tribal fusion and so many other styles will be on display.  And all of it is only a few hours away.  *giddy squealing*

This Friday night, I’ll be performing one final time with my current troupe.  It’s bitter sweet for me, but something that had to happen.  I’m growing as a dancer and moving in a different direction.  I’m grateful for what I’ve learned from this troupe and all of my past troupes.  I’ll never forget them.  However, I’m very excited to be moving forward on my own path.  And that path looks so beautiful to me right now.

Back on topic, who am I learning from at AOTB?  Well Autumn Ward is teaching the first workshop I’ll be attending: “Clean Lines: Elegant Artistry for Center Stage.”  Cause it’s Autumn Ward, ya’ll!  And cause who doesn’t need to clean up her act now and then?

I haven’t registered for it yet because I was lazy so busy, but I’m also hoping to be able to drop into Naimah’s workshop: “Fluid Mechanism- Bold & Dynamic Tribal Fusion Combinations.”  Because who doesn’t want to look like Naimah?  😀

And because I have a performance at 7 PM tomorrow night, I’ll call it a day with the workshops at lunch time.  *dramatically attaches wrist to forehead* I simply must be replenished for my performance!  And by replenished, I mean having a Head Slide on the beach with a good book.

So just in case you were wondering, that’s where I’ll be.  And I’m sure I’ll have a picture filled post to share next week.  And probably a few new purchases.  If I’m not shanghaied by East Coast pirates.  The baubles!  The baubles!!!!

I don’t know what the Head Slide drink will look like, but if the Zagaretta was anything to go by, I’m ready for it.