The stage is a but a world...

... where we strut, fret, rouge and ruffle. And that is but the top of the iceberg.

Which, perhaps, is a great likeness for any stage production. What the audience sees is but the top of a floating behemoth, dragging with it tons and tons of hidden mass in the shape of preparations and backstage action. The audience may never appreciate the blood, sweat and tears - and that's just the costume sewing - that goes into a production. Of course the actual execution carries a whole other dimension of work.

Even now, two days before the actual show, there's enough backstage nerves to power our country for a month. But now is the time! If you want to worry, do so now. If you want to fuss with your costume, there's no better moment than now. Because on the evening this giant is going to move along it's inevitable course, whether you're ready or not. And yes, everything will not run exactly as you'd planned; the art lies is in active and calm crisis management. Like a swan gliding along, furious feet activity hidden beneath the waterline, a show is not so much run as managed, held together by a good stage manager, the determination to survive, safety pins and glitter.

Glitter?! Yep, glitter, at least in this case as it involves a bellydance extravaganza. Which also means it has an added dimension of terror ... beads & sequins. Scoff if you want, but have you ever stepped on a bead with your bare feet? Not to mention the drama that could ensue with a costume malfunction - the polite way of saying you bared more than your soul to the audience and possibly pushed up the show's age restriction in one go. As our teacher sagely advised us: "If you're going to fall of the stage, remember - legs straight, tits out and smile as if that was exactly what you planned."

Why do we put ourselves through this?
Because of love
We love what we do, we love the people who share our passion, and we'd like to show those we love what we get up to in class.


So let the games begin.
Lights.... glitter.... and action!