What Was New: 2006

December 2, 2006:

The Daughters of Sophia joined Alborada Spanish Dance Theater in another performance of "The Sephardic Connection".   Guest Artists included Sephardic Musicians from the NOGA Group, Cantorial Singer Laurie Fechter, and Middle Eastern performer Ramzi El Edlibi (see picture to right).

This concert was sponsored by the Piscataway Cultural Arts Commission and funded in part by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.

November 25th, 2006:

The Tribal Dance Arts Autumn Hafla is over, and we just can't stop talking about it!   Fabulous dancing, excellent food, and the best crowd of participants and observers ever.   The next hafla is already in the works for May, 2007.   A workshop on "Flow of Movement in Bellydance" will be given by Udita.   Watch for Autumn Hafla 2006 photos and film clips of the Daughters of Sophia and more, here at the TDA website and also on YouTube.com.

Tribal Dance Arts would like to thank all the dancers who make our haflas unique and enjoyable.   Memorable performances were given by: Wild Gypsy Fire, Trance Formation, Insinuous Tribal Troupe, Udita and her students Olga, Courtney and Virginia, the Daughters of Sophia, and a particularly mesmerizing Tribal Fusion solo by Vorona.   A very special performance by our workshop presenter, Sushma Mohan of Soorya Dance Company was appreciated by all.

We would also like to thank Ashtar's students for the inestimable help they gave TDA in preparing for and cleaning up after the hafla.   Davinder and Chris did a great job of keeping the buffet tables full of yummy East Indian food; Alicia's hubby videotaped the performances; Madeline held the fort at the front desk uncomplainingly the whole evening, as patrons arrived in a steady stream all night.

A special thank you goes out to Steve Rogers and his film crew from "Driving Jersey", a documentary about New Jersey people and events.   They spent the day filming and interviewing us, learning about the world of bellydance.   We look forward to hearing about the progress of the film and, of course, to seeing it!   If you would like to learn more about this documentary, check out this News article: On the road in pursuit of the spirit of New Jersey.

Of course, we can't forget to thank Om Baby Yoga Studio for cooperating with Tribal Dance Arts to make the hafla really work.   The extra special treat of a demonstration of "Capoeira" by Asustado from Nacao Caporeira, a student of Master Contramestre Bayano, which added a unique touch to the evening.

October, 2006:     And now for something completely different...

We've been doing 18th century reenactments (mostly the period coinciding with the American Revolution) for about four and a half years.   This year, we had the opportunity to spend a week living in a Colonial house in Williamsburg, VA.   In the picture to the left you see us in our finest 18th century attire, on our way to attend an 18th century dance program.

We planned our trip to coincide with the 225th anniversary of the Battle of Yorktown, which promised to be a huge event this year.   This was the battle that effectively ended the American Revolution.   With only weeks to go before the event, however, we were both recruited to be "men at arms".   Or in my case, a woman disguised as a man.   (Yes, this sort of thing did happen).   The prospect of learning to use a flintlock musket was daunting considering that I've never actually fired a weapon of any kind!

"So... There I was, knee deep in cartridge paper."   In the picture to the right is my alter-ego, Jules.   That's me in the center (turned towards the camera) in a sea of muskets.   At first the guys in the Brigade weren't sure I would cut the mustard, but my dance training stood me in good stead; I was able to stand at attention (in the rain) without fidgeting, thereby gaining the respect of all.

September 16th and 17th, 2006:

The weekend of September 16th and 17th was one of the most successful (and busiest) we've had yet at Tribal Dance Arts.

We started out by preparing for the 25th Annual Lakewood Lions' Club Renaissance Faire.   Despite having to set everything up on Friday in pouring rain, we prevailed and Saturday turned out to be a spectacularly beautiful day.   The afternoon was packed with terrific bellydance performances.   One after another, dancers graced the Caravan Stage with numbers typifying all styles of bellydance.   The Lions' Club was thrilled with a great job done by all, and presented Tribal Dance Arts with a Certificate of Appreciation for organizing the dance entertainment.

We would like to thank the following entertainers in order of appearance on both Saturday and Sunday:

NOTE: We apologize deeply to anyone whose name may have inadvertently been dropped from this list.   If this means you, please email Ashtar and she will correct the omission on the "What's New" page of the website.

We extend a special thank you to Soorya for presenting authentic East Indian dancing on the Caravan Stage and for educating us all in their beautiful thousand year old art.   A mesmerized group of Fairegoers enjoyed excellent dancing, colorful costumes and a true learning experience.   Ashtar found the blessing of the Caravan Stage to be a particularly moving moment.   Soorya and the Daughters of Sophia danced to a crowd of approximately 300 people, who forewent attending the final joust of the day in order to allow us to entertain them.   We extend our gratitude to them as well, for as we all know, the audience is half the show!

We also request that dancers send photos of the Renfaire performances to us at Tribal Dance Arts so that they can be posted.   Please be sure to label each photo as you would like it to be described on the page.   To see the photos we do have from the Renfaire, go to the Lakewood Renfaire, 2006 Page at our sister website, DaughtersOfSophia.com.

September 16th, 2006:

Late Saturday afternoon, September 16th, 2006, Ashtar and two of her dancers, Avani and Aysha, reluctantly left the Faire after the DofS show to prepare for a performance of "The Sephardic Connection" at the Ocean County College Theater.   They danced as Guest Artists of Alborada Spanish Dance Theater and were joined on the stage by the likes of Ramzi El Edlibi and a cadre of superb Spanish dancers and musicians.   They performed "The Bracelet Dance" to the music of The Noga Group, who were also guest artists for the show, as well as presenting "The Water Jug Dance" and joining in "Miserlou" and the "Bulerias Finale".

On Sunday, "The Sephardic Connection" was repeated to a sold-out house at the Richard P. Marasco PAC in Monroe, NJ.   The largest crowd to date that the Daughters of Sophia have been privileged to entertain, over 950 people filled the seats and aisles.   Ashtar and Avani were also interviewed by "Flamenco Buzz" ezine before the show and during intermission.   We also received a much appreciated review from The Star Ledger.

August, 2006:

On August 26, 2006, The Daughters of Sophia previewed a dance from the new show "The Sephardic Connection" at an art show at Om Baby Yoga Studio in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ.   Om Baby Yoga is located at 726A Arnold Ave., Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742.   A photo of the performance appeared on the front page of The Ocean Star, the local newspaper for Point Pleasant Beach, NJ.

July, 2006:

On Sunday, July 25, 2006 Ashtar performed at "Show Up and Dance", an event sponsored by Dance New Jersey.   The show was free and open to the public, and it was well attended.   Other performers included Claudia Cambell of Alborada Spanish Dance Theater and Alexia from the Drum and Dance Center in Bordentown, NJ.   Ashtar was glad to have the opportunity to converse with both these fine dancers.   Claudia's dance, "La Cana" featured a bata de cola which is a long train attached to her dress which she manipulated with skill.   Alexia's dance featured both veil, and zils, which she played with dazzling expertise.   Ashtar chose to offer her solo tribute to Ruth St Denis, "Lotus Blossom", which was the first dance she choreographed as a belly dancer back in 2001.   It combines her decades of training in Imperial Russian Style Ballet, Jazz, and many other disciplines.   We have been told that other professional dancers who observed the show described "Lotus Blossom" as "mesmerizing".

Ashtar has been invited to present a workshop at next year's Annual Dance New Jersey Meeting. This year's workshop presenters included Kyra Nichols from N.Y.C. Ballet, and others.

May 27th, 2006:

On Saturday, May 27th, 2006 the Daughters of Sophia kicked off the summer season in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ with their first-ever Hafla.   In the photo to the right we see Aislynn and Re'em dancing with swords.

Prior to the Hafla, Tribal Dance Arts presented a workshop featuring Ashtar, which addressed the topic of "Flamenco Armwork for Bellydancers" (see photo to left).

Hafla means "party" and what a party it was.   We would like to thank everyone who came and made this so much fun. A special thanks goes to all the performers and drummers who graced our tent, and to Om Baby Yoga Studio (without whom there would have been no tent).   And finally, a special, special thanks to Eva Lucena, Artistic Director of Alborada Spanish Dance Theater.

May 7th, 2006:

Once again The Daughters of Sophia performed with the Alborada Spanish Dance Theater in "The Feast of Sarah, A Gypsy Festival". The show was presented on Sunday, May 7, 2006 at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway, NJ.   DofS presented a new dance specifically created for this show.   Also, the dance "Ketri, Ketri", co-choreographed last year by Ashtar and Eva Lucena is still being considered for an award by the New Jersey State Council for the Arts.

This was the troupe's second appearance with Alborada which is one of the finest Flamenco dance companies in the U.S.   Alborada regularly imports artists from Spain and elsewhere to enhance their already superb performances.   This program featured dances and music from Spain, Hungary and Medieval Europe, a live Spanish Gypsy orchestra, and (of course) the Daughters of Sophia Tribal Dance Troupe.

The photos are finally up (and be warned, there are 42 of them).   To see pictures from the show, go to the Feast of Sarah, May 2006 Gallery Page at our Troupe's website - DaughtersOfSophia.com.   We'd like to thank MagicCat Photography for their excellent photos.   If you're curious to see what it looked like last year, go to the Feast of Sarah, Sept 2005 Gallery Page.

April, 2006:

The Daughters of Sophia performed at the famous "Stone Pony" in Asbury Park, NJ on April 14, 2006.   We would like to thank Brianne Diomede for inviting us to dance at the "Pony", the Stone Pony for welcoming us, and Juggling Suns for arranging the entire evening's entertainment.

We would like to welcome Re'em (pronounced "Ray-em") seen dancing with sword at the Stone Pony.   She is one of two new apprentices working toward troupe membership.   By the way, this was her first performance with DofS and the first time dancing with a sword.   Pretty good, eh?

To see more pictures from this performance, go to the Stone Pony, 2006 Gallery Page at our Troupe's website - DaughtersOfSophia.com.

March, 2006:

The Daughters of Sophia once again performed at the , Lakehurst, NJ on Saturday, March 11, 2006.   To the left, the final pose of the Skirt Dance.   To the right, audience members learning Ketri, Ketri.

January, 2006:

The Daughters of Sophia (right) performed at the Grand Opening of The Cauldron on Friday, January 13th, 2006. That's Ashtar on the left doing bellyrolls.

Don't forget to check out
What Was New in 2007

Don't forget to check out
What Was New in 2005 and Earlier