I posted and note to the JRS announcing the event, I have it listed on the What, When, Where (we have yet to see if it will end being magicly printed correctly this year or not) but I have not let you all know of some of the changes this year inside the Cafe.

After a ton of requests, which now I am thinking were the work on one person with different names >:) we have decided to go back to our original roots a bit. Anyone who partcipated in 2002 should remember there were a couple of comfortable soloist dancers/troupes who were dancing independantly on different stages when the invasion started, then all hell broke lose and there were dancers weaving around through out the crowd and Center Camp was over run with belly dancers.

The first part of that will be the same.. there is currently only one person who will be doing a short spotlight dance before the event although there is space for one or two more dancers (let me know if you are interested with an emai)l. In years past there were several stages in Center Camp and room for several dancer troupes to do a solo before the invasion. That is not the case this year, this year there is one multipurpose stage (that is where the spotlight dance(s) are going to happen) and a much bigger center (where we all end up before leaving to head out to the man) of center camp so we will have to work around that. After the last person/troupe is done doing their "spotlight" dance they will give a verbal cue and we will all enter, with live musicians (I hope.. IF you know any one who would be interested in being our music you would bring them along). We will dance for a bit then leave and head out to the man.

IF you are interested in doing a "spotlight" dance and you plan on using recorded music you must have with you a written copyright permission slip to have the music played in Center Camp. If that not available the cafe crew will not play your music. THe only way around that is to find musician(s) who are live performers and are not signed with any management company to play for your piece at Center Camp.

Really, this is not my thing it is the Cafe's.

I personally like having live musicans because there is a spontenitey that you dont get with music you have danced to several times, also all of the musician who have worked with us in the past have been really great and have added so much to the whole event.

So the plan is Meet at Center Camp at 5:00 pm, playa time of course.. gather around center camp at the different entrances/exits wait for the last spotlight dancer to cue (I dont know what that will be just yet but will let you know when I do ), invade for a bit in the center of Center Camp, then head out to the man, making sure to bring our fabulous musicians with us.

As far as a cue goes I would like a visual cue answered by a very loud all encompasing every exit/entrance Zagareet from everyone waiting at the exits to signal the start of the invasion.

Also if you have friends who are bellydancers of any age, shape, size, exp level, dance style please encourage them to come with you.

In 2002 at my first invasion I had only been dancing a couple of months. I was so happy to have something I could participate in even with my limited knowledge of Bellydance. Last year I dressed up one of my friends who expressed interest but didnt have any Bellydance exp and taught her some moves during the invasion.

I get emails from people all the time who say I want to participate but I have only been dancing this long... It really doesnt matter. This event to me is about getting together and celebrating bellydance..not about your exp level, the style of dance you do, or the costume you may or may not have.


Kat