Layali (the event formerly known as Shahrzad)
Of the nice...

I enjoyed most of it. There were some nice performances including two of my Foundation Course Students. I really like Sarah Malik, she dances like she really means it. And

One of the dancers, having danced in the first act came up to me in the break, and said that since I was a Master Teacher (what?!), could I give her some feedback on things to improve. I told her I'd been watching for enjoyment, not for critique, but I'd watch more carefully when she was on in the second act. I admire her for asking. I think I pointed one thing out that she already realised, and one thing she hadn't really thought of, but as soon as I did point it out, she understood exactly what I meant.

Leila was pleased to see me, which was good, I don't want her to think I'm being snotty or diva-esque. It's a good showcase, and I'm very happy to support it.

Shouf is a really nice restaurant, as far as I can tell (we were in the basement bar). I had some of their mezze, which were very tasty. I fear the room is a bit small- I was late, I'll admit, but I had to spend most of the night sitting on the floor. It's a good job I'm supple, isn't it? I will definitely have to make sure I get there more promptly next time, or take a cushion. It was dead easy to get to, so I have no further mutterings on that score.

There were three people taking photos, which seems a tad excessive, but hey... I'm looking forward to seeing them online in the next few days.

Of the bad...

I guess this isn't objectively bad, but it tweaked my WTF sensors. A tribal fusion dancer, wearing regulation tribal bra & belt with melos (stripey ones, I am jellus) doing typical TF, to Tango-based farty robot music. With no discernible tango references at all. She was wearing a black fedora (and this is really only for raziaraks), but it would have been better with a black fedora! She wasn't doing TF terribly well (oh yeah, like I'm any kind of judge), it was all too soft and isolation-less, half-arsed popping & locking. And no Tango! Grrr!

Sunny. I know he's a sweetie, and boy can dance. I wish he'd use his abs more than his lower back, because he'll regret it when he's older. But, hey, that's up to him. This was the first time I'd seen him perform. His costuming is terrible. It's worse than terrible. It's cheap and tacky. It looks like it was cobbled together from something else, though I can't imagine what. And it shifted. When it's in exactly the right place, it just about covers the essentials. But when it twisted round, I got a full view of the Sunny arsecrack, and I had to studiously avoid looking anywhere near his hips when he was facing in my direction. Don't forget I was sat on the floor, so I was right at arse (and crotch) level. Not good. At all. In fact, very very bad.

It's not like there are no options for male dancers. There are some very good costuming options. And a set of dance briefs that holds everything securely and covers properly can't cost that much, surely?

There was a dancer there who seemed to be top of the bill and had come up from Oxford. Her intro said she was training with JWAAD, which I took to mean, teacher training. If so, I'm astonished. She might have done the foundation course (which is about safety, rather than about improving your technique dramatically- that's covered in the Diploma Course), but her technique was sloppy and I wouldn't have graded her as more than an Improver2, and that would have been generous. You have to be Intermediate to get onto the Diploma course. I can't believe she'd be on it. Of course, she could just mean she goes to classes with a JWAAD teacher, but that doesn't constitute training with JWAAD, and frankly it makes JWAAD look bad, if she's claiming she's part of it. I may have a word with Yvette about it, and see what she thinks.

But yes, mostly it's of the good.