Bollywood Take 2

Today was the second rehearsal for the Bollywood fashion show.  The first part was just a review of last week, and the second half was a quick put-together of a finale.

It's really funny to me how difficult some people make the process.  I am so used to working with professionals... where silence is golden and you hang on the choreographer's every word.  Most of the participants are new to the performance game- this is just something fun for them to participate in.  I am all for fun participation, but it astounds me how some people speak during direction and scoff at what they're told- it makes the process so much longer and more redundant.  ::shrug:: I will just remain the silent listener and see how the show develops.

On a side note, I was asked to perform a Bollywood dance for a wedding in New Orleans on April 8-9... I had to regretfully decline, because I will be shooting a wedding here in Houston on the 9th.  I gave them my card, so they could keep me on file, but shucks... that would have been great!  The bride is white, so they were really hoping I could participate to sort of represent her in the dancing... hopefully they'll ask me to join in other dance events around town.

Also, I was asked to possibly photograph the event after I walk in the fashion show on March 20th... :)  It is the festival of colors, so I should be able to take some really vibrant photos!

*Funny note* I was asked if I understood Hindi... half the direction is in English, half in Hindi... I guess I fake it well enough- lol

Bollywood Audition

Today was quite the eventful day!  Well, sort of... I sat around quite a lot, but a LOT happened!

I arrived at 1pm to the Princess Restaurant on the Southwest side of Houston and sat quietly with three other girls in a lounge as we waited for our Bollywood Fashion Show audition.  Although I arrived 10min early, I was the last of the four to arrive.  A woman named Arushi introduced herself and explained that we were still waiting on about 10 girls; then she laughed and told us she usually takes into consideration "Indian Standard Time, but that shouldn't affect us..."  Oye.  (3 white girls and a girl from El Salvador)  We waited a few minutes, but no one else arrived.

The entire audition consisted of walking... of course, it was for a fashion show.  I remembered the classes I took at Mayo Hill in high school and recalled seeing this done on America's Next Top model for casting calls.  They turned on the music, and we took turns walking across the small wooden dance floor... inserting turns and posing at the end of the "runway" as we saw fit.  Initially, I thought the whole audition process was a bit silly... I mean, really... walking, but after watching everyone, I could see that a few of us were more comfortable- whether it because we were in heels or because people were watching us.  We were critiqued and given suggestions for our walk (one man told me to put more bounce in my walk), and then we were all told we were in.  Cool!  I was an inch shorter than the prerequisite height, but sometimes showing up counts for a lot.  :)

By this time, more people had arrived- maybe 2 dozen Indian models who would be in the show, as well.  (They had begun rehearsals a couple weeks ago.)  I sat down and waited for my part of the rehearsal -I was cast in the "tunic section" AKA the tiny, high-schooler section.  Oh well, no complaints from me- I have a solo and am promised something really great to wear.  I am told my walk is very strong and I should really "make it spectacular" because I will be representing the East-meets-West.

I practice, I chat, I eat samosas, and then I head to Nikki's house (coordinator of another fashion show) where I watch rehearsals and wait to go to the fitting at the Kemaya boutique in Sugarland.  One of the guys made the mistake of joking with me to lead the dance I had just watched... I guess he forgot I was a dancer- maybe not officially trained in these styles- but I sure did get up and do it.  Nikki immediately asked me to be in her fashion show this April.  Hah!

The fitting went well.  I was first given a silver set: a long, tulip-style skirt and a dulled, sequined top to match; the designer was very proud of this piece, but our coordinators convinced her I needed something flashier.  I tried on a beautiful black beaded sari/gown... well, I shimmied into it.  ;)  It looked amazing and the coordinators were much more pleased with this selection... I did see a note, however, that our designer may be making something different- time will tell, the show is March 20th!