About a week and a half ago, I got a message that the restaurant where we belly dance had to close immediately. It took me by surprise since I had just danced there a few nights previously and nothing was said. It felt sudden and shocking, and I worried for the family who owns the business as I know that they aren't overly wealthy or well enough off to lose their business without warning. Honestly, the last thing I was worried about was what would happen to us dancers. However, last Monday at class, our teacher asked us all about going forward and why we dance. It unnerved me on many levels.
Me, too, Thor. Me too.
We learned that night at class that indeed, the refinery had been making life difficult for our restaurant owners for the last few years, and finally they had found the loophole they'd been seeking. They've tried to break the lease with the restaurant owners ever since they took over running the refinery. Up until now, every time they tried to break the lease with the restaurant owners, they were disappointed when their lawyer told them the lease was unbreakable. Our restaurant owners had ultimately struck a deal with the refinery; they had been told that no changes were imminent and to relax. They were also invited to participate in the board meetings as community members who were invested in the company. Things seemed to be peaceful and in a holding pattern. Then one day, their deal was off and they had to leave the premises without being reimbursed for the month that they had already paid for. Just like that. Poof! The refinery got everything they wanted, which was the property without having to pay off the restaurant owners. The refinery folks apparently set a goal to have everything off that property by the end of 2016. They just have one more restaurant to go from what I can see. They're greedy, have no qualms about destroying a family business, and they're depriving the city of a local restaurant that is not a chain or franchise. It's awful, and I hope that the family is able to reorganize and find a new location. I'm sure they have enough community support to help them with start up costs should they desire to reopen.
A little teamwork should do it. I'm sure we could have a grand re-opening for them.
For us dancers though, it means the loss of a regular gig. Dancing at the restaurant was not a money-making scheme for any of us, but it was a way to legitimize what we do. It was regular exposure for us and for the community to understand what we do. I never wanted to dance there--it was not my goal when I started dancing. Not at all. However, over time it has become something that I look forward to. It's the last of the regular gigs that we have lost.
Yup. That's pretty much how it felt.
We used to dance at the Chokecherry Festival, but we all agreed that we could let go of that one since it involved putting make-up on early in the morning and driving an hour and half to a small community in order to dance outside on Main Street. The year when we lost the beauty salon as a location to change and had to dress in the bar bathroom was pretty much it for us. None of us got enough out of the performance there to make it worth while. Exposure and performance experience, but not enough benefit to continue the annual event.
How silly of us not to think about what would happen should we lose the other gigs, too.
We always did the Day of Dance in February. This was great fun and we always drew a crowd whether we were at the middle school or at the mall or wherever it happened to be held. However, the woman who usually organizes it fell ill last spring and the event didn't come together. It's really iffy whether it will continue at all this year. We just don't know.
Us trying to keep our chins up and hoping it was a one year break, not a permanent vacation.
Another event that we usually did was the What Women Want Expo. This one has been shrinking and is under new management. It was always good for us as we would draw the biggest crowd and we had the widest appeal among all demographics. It was a reliable way to boost class enrollment as well. However, someone new is in charge and instead of the usual time slot, they bumped us. Not only that, but instead of the usual hour, they gave us 20 minutes. Consequently, our instructor chose dancers from three distinct age groups and they have 3 minutes total each for songs and probably the shortest beginner class she's ever taught at this event, but we'll be there. This one also seems to be fading away, are changing in an unfortunate way.
What's a performing art without performance opportunities?
Along with the reduction in performance opportunity, our teacher seems burnt out. She's alluded to it before and she seemed to have bounced back, but listening Monday night convinced me that she's done. She doesn't appear to want to keep moving forward with so many unknowns. Her classes have dwindled, we've lost our chief gigs, we've lost our studio space due to a situation not unlike what happened to the restaurant owners--she's also a stay at home mom/home school teacher. I got the impression she was really looking to us to give her an out, but what she asked was for us all to really consider why we do this and to let her know.
Yeah, I got nothing either, Cass. Not a damn clue what to say.
I dance because I love it. It's an inspirational and expressive form of dance that I love. I adore the fact that my body will do some of these things because it's not always the best at cooperating. It feels good to perform the hip circles and the figure 8's when my muscles are tight. I love the music and the costumes and the way it makes me feel beautiful. I love the women I've met. They're my support even if they don't know it. I look forward to seeing them each week. When someone misses class, I notice. If they miss a few in a row, I check in with them to find out what's up. We've built a little club of sorts. We support one another, we help one another, and we uplift one another. When I doubted myself, my ability, and my body, belly dance brought me back to myself. To lose it seems unimaginable.
Share with me your wisdom, Mystic Goat!
Um, that's not quite what I had in mind.
I don't want my teacher to stop teaching, but I also don't want her to keep doing this just for us. That's not enough. I think she needs to want it, too. Maybe she needs us to lift her up. I know she's not going to want to hear this, but if we lose the restaurant and our other usual gigs, then we need to organize our own shindig. We need to have at least one big gala event to showcase our talents, the craft, and her classes. If we don't keep her achievements in the community vital and visible, then they will fade from memory. All that she's accomplished for herself and the craft will be lost. Fighting for respect and legitimacy in this town was not easy, but she managed it somehow. I'm just not sure how to convey exactly what it all means to me or whether it can sustain her to drive forward.
Fightin' sheep takes no shit and confronts trouble head on!
I've had a week to mull it over. I've had a week, yet I still have no clue what to say to her. I've had a week to boil down 9 years of artistry and culture and friendship. For someone with an English degree, I should be able to do this. Maybe I'm just too scared to think of life without it because I know what happened the last time I lost an artistic outlet. I don't want to go back there. I don't want to lose them- any of them. I don't want to know what my life would look like without them all.
That seems about right, though.
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