Sofia and Jesse got on stage at Reunion 2020 for their first (and maybe only) live episode to discuss "Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent." A few brave souls joined us for the largest intro clap ever, listened to us ramble about what we think makes a good performer, and asked us about memorable stage mishaps.

Many thanks to everyone who joined us live to laugh with (and at) us, to the Reunion production team for letting us carry out this crazy little experiment, and to our sound guy Peter for helping us set up and making us sound great.

This episode was filmed live on January 25, 2020 in Scottsdale, Arizona, as part of Reunion 2020.

For more info about Reunion, visit http://dancereunion.com/.

Music: "Arrival" by Afrit Temple from the album Dayanisma II: Unity in Motion.

Get the album now: https://amzn.to/39LWEsX (Disclosure: We may earn a small commission if you purchase through this link. Your purchase helps support our work!)

It's 2020, and we're still our same ridiculous selves. Don't worry if you haven't set any New Year's resolutions -- neither have we! Because it's never too late for goal-setting and any day is a good day to start, Sofia and Jesse discuss their favorite tips from Daniel Coyle's "Little Book of Talent" to help you focus your personal dance practice for 2020 (or whenever, really). Plus, excessive nerding out over video games and Baby Yoda.

**JOIN US FOR A LIVE RECORDING OF THE CUE**

We'll be recording an episode of the The Cue LIVE at Reunion 2020! Grab a snack and join us for lunch on Saturday, January 25, 11:45AM to 12:45pm.

http://atsreunion.com/the-cue-podcast-live/.

LISTEN TO EP. 6: A SURVIVAL GUIDE TO ATS® REUNION

https://soundcloud.com/thecuepodcast/episode-6-a-survival-guide-to-ats-reunion

LISTEN TO EP. 12: HOT RAQS & THE VALUE OF CONSTRUCTIVE CRITIQUE

https://soundcloud.com/thecuepodcast/episode-12-hot-raqs-2019

STUDY WITH US

Tessera Tribal @ Roma Tribal Meeting, May 29-31, 2020

https://www.romatribal.com/

Tessera Tribal @ Austin Belly Dance Convention

https://www.theabdc.com/

SHOW NOTES

Book: Daniel Coyle, "The Little Book of Talent: 52 Tips for Improving Your Skills"

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Talent-Improving-Skills/dp/034553025X

Video: TED-ed, "How to practice effectively ... for just about everything."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2O6mQkFiiw

January 2020 Move of the Month Club on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/events/302500520697214/?active_tab=discussion

Instagram: August 2019 Move of the Month Club - Turkish Shimmy

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1hSnzcF31L/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1WialZlxUm/

Instagram: Rachel Brice video about Datura Online - "All things are difficult until they become easy."

https://www.instagram.com/p/B62bMd0lmsL/

Article: Carol Dweck, "The Growth Mindset"

https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/01/29/carol-dweck-mindset/

Video: Carol Dweck, "Developing a Growth Mindset"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiiEeMN7vbQ

Instagram: @joana_the_ats_geekazoid

https://www.instagram.com/joana_the_ats_geekazoid/

Awesome Human: Angie Never, dance and yoga instructor

https://www.angienever.com/

App: Overdrive - access audiobooks and eBooks from your local library

https://app.overdrive.com/

Music: "Long Live Gameboy Krautrock" by Cornbeast

Available from the Free Music Archive

BY NC ND

Have a question, comment, or just wanna say hi? We love hearing from you! Email us at [email protected].

Sofia and Jesse review the last few months including the WildCard Hafla, Shadow Dance, and hosting and teaching General Skills & Teacher Training.

Study with Sofia & Jesse at the Austin Belly Dance Convention, June 26-28, 2020. Registration is open!

https://www.theabdc.com/

Register for GS & TT 2020 in the SF Bay Area -- the only certification training for ATS® with Carolena and FatChanceBellyDance!

https://www.eventbrite.com/o/fatchancebellydance-18325233943

SHOW NOTES

Photos from ATS Forever No. 4

https://www.facebook.com/events/453258468753741/

Fi-Fi Wei Dupont's Association Le Petit Paon (host of ATS Forever)

https://www.facebook.com/associationlepetitpaon/?eid=ARD6khShxMbAxumMKUcR10CH9yats05sMM0_hzWIhb_SF8sS4p0io1yGnoaUQ0O_CIi7utjCN_khC7aY

Bat Stork: "10ish things you do in bellydance workshops that make you a dick."

https://batstork.wordpress.com/2015/11/19/10ish-things-you-do-in-bellydance-workshops-that-make-you-a-dick-8-minute-read/

Non-sweary version: https://batstork.wordpress.com/2015/12/09/10ish-things-you-do-in-bellydance-workshops-that-make-you-a-bleep/

Ariellah's Shadow Dance

http://www.ariellah.com/shadowdance/

WildCard BellyDance at their 12th Annual Hafla

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ-AfHZuJdY

"Ass N Titties" by DJ Assault

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu2OYcgr4rM

Highlights from GS&TT 2019

https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17858965132598455/?hl=en

ATS Reunion 2020

https://atsreunion.com/

Lucky episode No. 13 is our one year anniversary! We're not sentimental types, so after a brief reflection, we recap our very productive summer of being in Portland at different times, visiting Santa Cruz multiple times (tough life, right?), and epic collaborations.

UPCOMING EVENTS

There are only TWO spots left for our Tessera Tribal workshop at ATS Reunion 2020. Grab them while you can!

https://atsreunion.com/registration/

Sofia is headed to Paris! The workshops are sold out, but you can catch her and a slew of amazing dancers in the "From Many Tribes" show on Saturday, October 19.

https://www.facebook.com/events/561821961292914/

SHOW MENTIONS & LINKS

JamBallah NW 2019 Collaboration Extravaganza

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moQe60HCPPg

Sahira’s Performance at JamBallah NW 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKygTSS02RM

Damiana Dance Company & ATS® Sword Online Classes

http://damianadancecompany.com/

https://www.patreon.com/ATS_Sword

WildCard BellyDance

http://www.wildcardbellydance.com/

13th Annual ShadowDance – tickets are on sale now!

http://www.ariellah.com/shadowdance/

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shadow-dance-tickets-74018046971

Belly Dancing at the Crêpe Place

https://www.facebook.com/Belly-Dancing-at-the-Cr%C3%AApe-Place-129673140399132/

Coastal Belly Fest (CBF)

https://www.coastalbellyfest.com/

Belly Dance Classes with Abigail Keyes

http://www.akeyesdance.com/instruction/berkeley-classes/

Berkeley Salimpour Collective’s performance to “Ismaouni” at CBF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mO48InF7Ho

Persephone Dance Company

http://www.persephonedance.com/

Photos from our performance with Persephone Dance Company at CBF

https://www.facebook.com/PersephoneDanceCo/posts/10158872501949838

D. Webb Designs

https://dwebbdesigns.com/

Rachel Brice’s 8 Elements

http://www.rachelbrice.com/about8elements

Sha Sha Higby

http://www.shashahigby.com/New_Site_SourceFiles/index.html

Article: “Fixed vs. Growth: The Two Basic Mindsets That Shape Our Lives”

https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/01/29/carol-dweck-mindset/

Video: “Developing a Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiiEeMN7vbQ

Little Book of Talent by Daniel Coyle

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Talent-Improving-Skills-ebook/dp/B007JC1RM2/

Cafe Taqsim (formerly Cafe Bellie)

https://www.facebook.com/cafetaqsim/

Jesse singing into a piece of pizza

https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE4MDcwNDMyNzM1MTc3NTQz?igshid=1xze5hgqc6hih&story_media_id=2047602271869964205

On the drive home, Sofia and Jesse recap their time at Hot Raqs 2019 (spoiler alert: it was a blast!), relate the challenges of the judging the festival competition, and and discuss the thorny issue of giving and receiving feedback.

Congrats to all of the Hot Raqs 2019 winners and competitors! It was a fierce competition with so many great performances.

Enjoy our performance from the Gala Show!

https://youtu.be/Mu-xz-V02WI

Check out our Instagram highlights from Hot Raqs: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17984855935247060/

SHOW NOTES

Hot Raqs Festival & Competition

www.hotraqs.com

Jesse's Makeup Timelapse

www.instagram.com/p/BzUYJw8Fk_q/

Qabila Foundation

https://www.qabilafoundation.org/

Sara Shrapnell, "Assessing Your Performance Videos"

http://letsbellydanceusa.weebly.com/blog/assessing-your-performance-videos

ATS® Video Reviews by Sofia

https://www.facebook.com/sofiadancesats

Click the "Book Now" button

Music: "Nihavent Oyun Havasi" performed by Ehl-i Keyif

Available from the Free Music Archive

BY NC SA

Things get goofy during Sofia and Jesse's drive to Clovis for Hot Raqs. Amid the giggles, they discuss their shared love of makeup, how they learned to beat their faces, and their different approaches to getting their faces performance ready.

Registration for Sirens Fest is now open! Sign-up for the Tessera Tribal workshop: https://www.sirensbellydancefest.com

SHOW NOTES

Jesse's Makeup Timelapse

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzUYJw8Fk_q/

Sofia's FB Live Get Ready With Me

https://www.facebook.com/sofiadancesats/videos/538575583253084/

Hot Raqs Festival

https://hotraqs.com/

Get Ready in 10 Minutes Belly Dancer Challenge

https://youtu.be/_76vOx4Z-6E

FCBD® Tribal Basics Vol. 2 - Makeup and Costume

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Btz7XhGb9Y8&t=2s

Sugarpill Cosmetics - our favorite source for lashes!

https://sugarpill.com/

e.l.f. cosmetics

https://www.elfcosmetics.com/

Sofia's favorite eye brush: https://www.elfcosmetics.com/defining-eye-brush/1809.html?cgid=brushes-eye-brushes#start=35&sz=48

Sonia Kashuk

https://www.target.com/b/sonia-kashuk/-/N-5xxj2

TheBalm Cosmetics

https://thebalm.com/

Jesse's favorite eye brush: https://thebalm.com/collections/brushes/products/give-crease-a-chance

Shadow Switching Pan

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=shadow+switching+pan&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

What We Do in the Shadows

https://www.amazon.com/What-We-Shadows-Jemaine-Clement/dp/B00VVXH7TC

In their 10th episode, Sofia and Jesse recap Kami Liddle's annual show "Stardust Follies" and discuss the challenges of presenting ATS® in themed shows and theatrical performances.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Tessera Tribal at Hot Raqs (Clovis, California)

Workshop & performance in the Gala Show

www.hotraqs.com

Tessera Tribal at ATS® Reunion 2020 (Scottsdale, AZ)

A la carte registration is now open **just a few spots left in our workshop!**

www.atsreunion.com

FCBD® Workshop at Reunion 2020 *SOLD OUT*

To get on the waitlist, send an email to [email protected]

SHOW NOTES

Kami Liddle

http://kamiliddle.com/

Jesse's solo at TribaLX Festival 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs64IIPsA_k

Bramfatura as dementors

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_QBbux5qo4

Raqs Geek

http://raksgeek.com/

Nancy Trunzo's "Empire Swings Back" at Hot Raqs 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkTa2fry9lc

Sooz at Tribal Fest 2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEvaW8yzT3w

Dayanisma's Elvis performance at ATS® Homecoming 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXoLYyzH2ws

"Werewolf Bar Mitzvah" from 30 Rock

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gCj62KHG0g

Music: "Little Scary Movie" by Nick Otheen

Available from the Free Music Archive

CC BY NC SA

With festival season well under way, Sofia and Jesse reflect on how the festival landscape has changed over the years, the present state of things, and the role that festivals play in the belly dance scene. Special appearances by Jesse's cats Ziggy and Yuri.

Check out our performances from Rakkasah West 2019:

Tessera Tribal® - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k2rc8RAwCE

FatChanceBellyDance® - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYFC8gGtcKw

2019 FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

June 7-9 - FCBD® at Cairo ShimmyQuake (Glendale, CA)

https://www.cairoshimmyquake.com/home/

June 29-30 - Tessera Tribal at Hot Raqs (Clovis, CA)

http://www.hotraqs.com/

August 2-4 - JamBallah NW (Portland, OR)

https://www.jamballahnw.com/

September 21 - Coastal Belly Fest (Santa Cruz, CA)

https://www.coastalbellyfest.com/

October 3-6 - SirensFest (Sebastopol, CA)

https://www.sirensbellydancefest.com/

SHOW NOTES

JamBallah NW Scholarship Info

https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?donation=narpr

Blog: "Why I'm Glad Belly Dance in the US is Declining" by Abigail Keyes

http://www.akeyesdance.com/belly-dance-in-the-us-is-declining/

Blog: "Belly Dance is Not a Community, It's a Scene" by Sophia Ravenna

http://www.sophiadances.com/2019/04/11/belly-dance-is-not-a-community-its-a-scene/

Music: "Quincas" by Beto Villares

Available from the Free Music Archive

CC BY NC SA

Sofia and Jesse head up to Hot Pot Studios in Sacramento, CA, for the ITS Level 1 Intensive and sit down with the one-and-only Amy Sigil to talk about cross-training, finding balance, group improvisation, and research and discovery in dance.

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

Take workshops with Amy Sigil and an intensive with FatChanceBellyDance® at Cairo ShimmyQuake, June 7-9, 2019.

www.cairoshimmyquake.com

SHOW NOTES

Video: Amy Sigil's performance at the Massive Spectacular 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKY2Nx7xRZY&t=1s

Video: ITS group at Cues & Tattoos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKY2Nx7xRZY&t=1s

Calamity Sam's Dot.Line.Shade

http://www.dotlineshade.com/

Music: "State of Guanabara (Ultramagnetic Mix)" by Boss Bass

Available from the Free Music Archive

BY NC SA

Sofia and Jesse take one last look at ATS® Reunion, discuss successful (and not-so-successful) performances, and provide a behind-the-scenes look at the FatChance® performance.

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS & PERFORMANCES

March 23 - Picky Technique with Carolena

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/picky-technique-with-carolena-nericcio-tickets-55181837361

April 13 - FCBD® at Rakkasah West

http://www.rakkasah.com/west/

June 7-9 - FCBD® Intensive at Cairo ShimmyQuake

https://www.cairoshimmyquake.com/home/csq-2019-fatchancebellydance-intensive/

June 29-30 - Tessera Tribal at Hot Raqs

http://www.hotraqs.com/

SHOW NOTES

Carrie Meyer and The Dancers Eye - Fine Belly Dance Photography

http://www.thedancerseye.com/

Tribal Unicorn Collective at ATS® Reunion 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIXjMxcsZTw

The Dynamo Duo Despina & Kate at ATS® Reunion 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fI94cr-dY0

Tamarind Tribal at ATS® Reunion 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0mAH5MSXOg

"Bambi Saiidi" from Latcho Drom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88m4U1lTPU0

"Roah Albi" by Hossam Ramzy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pit0XpPnTMg

"Becoming a Belly Dancer" by Sara Shrapnell

https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Belly-Dancer-Student-Stage/dp/0692592059

Music: "degrowth pt. 1" by tzara

Available from the Free Music Archive

CC BY NC SA

Questions, comments, or suggestions? Drop us a line at [email protected].