22/02/2014
In case some of you aren’t already that familiar with Scarab’esque, it’s an event hosted in Johannesburg by two local Belly Dance artists, Bhana and Marion. Both dedicated to their solo careers as dancers, they also form the duo The Scarab'esques. They have become a passionate team, with colourful choreographies and a natural chemistry on stage. These two ladies are also your Tribal Nite hosts. An enquirer chatted to them recently to gain some insight in to these Tribal Nites and this is how it all went down…
Enquirer: How did Scarab’esque come about?
The Scarab’esques (TS) Bhana: If I may, I would like to answer this one?
Initially it was inspired by Marion Nowak’s dancing - I personally wanted to encourage the growth and talent of my dear friend. After knowing Marion for a short while, it was clear that as a Tribal Fusion dance artist, bookings can be far and few between. People needed to see how beautifully my friend dances and how exquisite these alternative styles can be! So together, after many brainstorming sessions, we developed the concept for Scarab’esque and decided to host our first Tribal Nite in March 2012.
We wanted the general public and even the audience members who were well versed in Oriental Belly Dance, to be educated in these younger styles of Belly Dance.
The popularity of Tribal Fusion is growing rapidly in Southern Africa, we felt it was high time that a regular platform be made available to performers, to showcase their individual talents and encourage them to push the boundaries. Scarab'esque is dedicated to this cause and we urge everyone who has the inclination to perform, to join us!
E: How often is Scarab’esque held?
TS: Scarab’esque is held every six to eight weeks. We feel that having an event like this on a more regular basis, as opposed to annually, we are encouraging performers (including ourselves) to have regular dance-goals to work towards. Keeping those choreography and creative juices flowing!
E: Could you mention some of the dancers who have performed at Scarab’esque?
TS: We have had the pleasure of sharing the stage with so many lovely performers! Gypsy Rhythms, Tribal Angels, Floreo Divine, Alibelly Troupe, Bianca Pieterse, Marion’s Fuse Dance co students, Thelma Rose, Amy Williams, Mystical Movements, Robin Andrews and many more. We have also featured a few lovely Cabaret and Oriental Dancers such as Donna Forsgate and The Stars of Araby, The Figures of Eight, Laura Jones, as well as guest performers from other styles of dance and entertainment, such as Bayuali (drummers) and Miss Oh & Ally Ooop (burlesque performers). We almost forgot, The Scarab’esques of course - that’s us (Marion & Bhana)!
E: Has Scarab’esque brought dancers closer together?
TS: Yes, we think so. We do try to encourage this, by setting a big table for all the performers to sit at together and enjoy some delicious Lebanese mezze throughout the night. There is an inexplicable sense of camaraderie at Tribal Nites, and we all leave feeling rather warm and fuzzy. We have had wonderful feedback from the dancers who have participated, so it would seem we are on the right track. The next step is to take Scarab’esque on the road… watch this space!
E: How does this event benefit the dancers?
TS: Scarab’esque is a platform which is open to performers of all levels and is the perfect opportunity to showcase ones artistic approach to belly dance. Our aim is to provide a safe environment for performers, whether it is to ‘test the water’ with an experimental piece or creative outburst, or simply a platform to display another dimension of one’s regular dance persona. We have had dancers perform for the first time in their lives on our stage, and they walked away with glowing smiles, moments like this inspire us to continue. Scarab’esque specializes in Tribal Fusion (incl. cross-sections), ATS, ITS and Gothic belly dance, with all of these styles being represented, we are hoping to educate dancers (as well as the audience), in these various styles.
E: Where do all of the lovely images on your page come from?
TS: We all know how tricky it can be to capture the perfect shot of a belly dancer - in motion! So we invite photographers to participate at every event, from aspiring amateur photographers to full-time professionals. Our guest photographers share a magical evening with us and get to capture some very creative shots - the makeup, jewellery, outfits, colour and movement!
E: Where is Scarab’esque held?
TS: At The Sheikh’s Palace in Rivonia, Sandton. What better venue to host such an event, than one which has long since promoted the art and culture of Belly Dance in this country. The Sheikh's Palace has a lovely ambiance and is the perfect setting for our Tribal Nite!
