Susan Senator

More about bellydance; sorry. I always feel a little guilty blogging about bellydance because I wonder if so many of my readers are just looking for autism stories, news about Nat? (And yes, nasty Anonymous has told me as much, but all I can say is, don’t read me then!) But Nat’s always in my head; I keep a lot in my head and sometimes need to clear it and dance is the way. (Except that I’ll say that we had a sad little thing happen last night. I was giving out grapes to the boys at dinner time. A little background: I had just announced that Ned and I were going out to dinner, just the two of us. As I was pulling apart the stems my hand jerked away and connected with Nat’s jaw. He was instantly furious. I didn’t blame him. “Ah, I’m so sorry Nat! Oh Darling!”

But he was so mad he started deeply biting his arm (presumably more painful than the bump I gave him but of course anger is not rational) and then lunging for me. Then Ned. Nat was easy to contain; we just stroked his arms and had him sit down on the floor, and I kept repeating that it was an accident and that I was sorry. I tried to explain how it had happened so that he would understand I had not intended to hurt him! Oh, another circle of Hell exists for Mommies who hurt their children!!!!!

I think he was also upset that we were going out. We stayed home a good long while to get the boys through dinner and to make sure Nat was feeling okay again. He and I hugged, and although he was shaking with emotion, he did not try to hurt me again.)

So things were okay. Later on, I was feeling somehow too full — from dinner and the day’s drek, that I was either going to go to bed at 9, or dance. And because all afternoon I had been sewing that green costume, I knew I was going to have to try it all on.

Ooh, la la! C’etait magnifique! The rocaille fringe was gorgeous and the new silver sequin layer looked wonderful. I was so incredibly psyched to see this creation of my own and to be able to wear it! (Although it is pinned only still on one side and I have to finish off all of the edges.) Plus the color was a dream. Ben and Ned both said at different times that I looked like a mermaid in it! That is true; the sequins sometimes seem scale-like and the straight skirt is sea-green and like a tail. This will color how I dance with it: my choreography will be water-like and flowy.

I danced to about an hour’s worth of Bellydance Superstars Live at the Folies Bergere DVD, and because I do that so often, the choreography was very familiar. I found I could do a lot of what they were doing, in the Egyptian Nights number. I finally mastered the large hip circle traveling step!

The whole thing felt wonderful and looked wonderful. Then, at the very end, when I did my spin and finish, one arm up in the air, my hip scarf slid down to the floor! At least my skirt stayed on! I picked it up, smiling, pretending it had happened in a real performance, and acting, of course, like it was all part of the act!

Here, for your viewing enjoyment, is my absolute favorite bellydancer, Sonia, doing a drum solo that I can now do, too (thanks to Michelle Dove for the You Tube clip). Second photo by Ben Batchelder.