Over a decade ago, I was inspired by Zafira Dance Company and was lucky to have a chance to learn from both Olivia and Maria when they visited Arizona. I wanted to share one of their videos which inspires me to this day. I love the music, the costuming, the emotion portrayed behind each movement… Some of their combos are what inspired me to create the new vaudeville choreography my Choreo Cram class learned in August. Here is a video of Zafira that I wanted to share with you, so that you can be inspired as much I am.
Of course, inspiration has a funny way of evolving once you mix it with your own tastes. With my longtime love of electronica and faster beats, electro swing became one of my favorite genres to belly dance to.
Here’s a performance by The Desert Flowers and guest dancers that shows another side of that inspiration—vintage flair and theatrical movement paired with a more modern, energetic sound.
It’s that combination of influences that I’ve found myself returning to lately, and it has inspired me to explore even more vaudeville flavor in my choreography this fall.