Retrospective
I've been doing this long enough now that I can't quite remember what happened when anymore - so I'm collecting my bellydance memories here for safekeeping...
2006
Andromeda starts teaching in Llangefni.
2007
Classes move to Beaumaris (briefly) and Holyhead.
Andromeda hosts her first summer hafla in Bangor Rugby Club.
2008
The first Sapphire Summer Hafla is held in Llanfairfechan Town Hall in August, to host international guest performer Jim Boz on his Shut Up And Shimmy UK tour, including the first billed performance by Sapphire Dance Troupe.
Andromeda's first attendance at Gothla UK, marking the introduction of an immensely influencial force on Sapphire Dance Company over the years. Andromeda dances to Navras by Juno Reactor.
2009
Andromeda performs Miserlou (the Pulp Fiction version) at Gothla UK.
Sapphire gets ambitious with the 7 1/2 minute epic psychedelic trance tribal fusion performance "Becoming Insane" by Infected Mushroom.
2010
So many fun firsts this year!
Sapphire Dance Company attend Gothla UK for the first time, dancing "Becoming Insane", and Andromeda dancing to "Stay with Me" by Shakespeare's Sister - first foray into method dancing!
Over the course of the year, first performances of Toccata (Sapphire's Gothic Oriental piece) and Andromeda's dance partner Kaa the snake.
2011
The year of the purple Ghawazee coats! First performances of "Pay the Man" by the Offspring and "All Along the Watchtower" covered by Bear McCreary.
Arabian Dreams Sapphire Summer Hafla is honoured by a guest performance and workshop from international star Sabrina.
Sapphire takes on the Weird Tales challenge and produces a 5 minute bellydance retelling of the fairytale Sleeping Beauty.
2012
Silk Road Sunset Sapphire Summer Hafla with guest Bollywood dancer Gaz Jabeen.
First appearance of the tartan bellydance costumes, with Sapphire's debut of "Dance of Death" by Iron Maiden, and later "Scarborough Fair" Rammstein-style by Bill Bailey at the first Odditorium.
Other performances include "Neighbourhood" by Space in hoodies, and Andromeda dancing to "Feeling Good" by Muse.
2013
Andromeda starts teaching in Bangor.
The Great Exhibition Sapphire Summer Hafla, featuring the first performance by Emerald Bellydance Troupe and the Terpsichoral format, to "Pistolero" by Juno Reactor. Andromeda debutes "Penguin Books", still one of my absolute favourites, and Sapphire dance to Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera" .
Elsewhere, Sapphire dance to "Doctor ?", the theme song remix by Orbital, and Ma'asalaama by JMBZ, and perform "Scarborough Fair" at Gothla UK.
This is also the year Kath starts teaching Black Sheep Tribal and her troupe Lapis make their first appearance at Christmas, and Andromeda joins local electronic music and bellydance performance group Bargheust.
2014
The Vintage Glamour Sapphire Summer Hafla, with special guest star dancer and teacher Fulya.
Sapphire perform to a specially commissioned piece of khaleegi music, "Roam Around" by JMBZ, and showcase the story of My Last Duchess at Gothla UK, to "The Elephant Man Theme" by The Gaslight Troubadours.
Emerald's first foray (of many) into the art of improvising to live electronic music, dancing to "Pandora" by Sword Swinging Robot at the Violet Hafla.
Other performances include Andromeda dancing to "In the Mood" by Glenn Miller, and getting onto the Gothla UK main stage for the time with Black Veil Tribal's Pantheon performance. This is also the year of Lapis Tribal's first pirate outing.
2015
The Garden of Unearthly Delights Sapphire Summer Hafla with amazing guest star, Ozgen, which includes Hieroglitch's first appearance, dancing to "Butterflies and Hurricanes" by Muse.
Andromeda is invited to teach her "Purpose in Dance" theory workshop at Gothla UK, and performs "Yearning" by Raul Ferrando on the main stage. Sapphire memorably set off a number of phobias on the open stage with their rendition of "This Is Halloween" by Marilyn Manson.
Sapphire Dance Company host an evening of dance at the Ucheldre Centre in Holyhead in October, with performances to live music by Sword Swinging Robot and SBJ, including the rocked-up version of "Pandora".
Emerald steps into the world of baladi, dancing to "Somewhere Far Beyond" by Sword Swinging Robot and "El Hob Halal" by Hossam Ramzy, and Andromeda goes gypsy on the "Bus to Balkans" by Beats Antique.
2016
The Ninth Sapphire Summer Hafla - Dressed up to the Nines, with Black Sheep Tribal expert Bridie Przibram as our guest teacher and performer.
We realise a long-held ambition with Emerald v Lapis dancing to "Peacemaker" by Green Day, and Emerald bring Disturbed's "Sound of Silence" to Gothla UK's open stage.
Andromeda ups the ante by balancing a tray while dancing to "Sleight of Hand" by Bargheust, remixed by Sword Swinging Robot, and dances to long-term favourite "Songs From The Wood" by Jethro Tull.
Christmas sees Emerald dancing an inventive veil choreography and Lapis going steampunk, while Andromeda channels Princess Anna to "Let it Go".
2017
In the spring, Andromeda completed Alexis Southall's Tribal Fusion Education Programme and danced to Machine Gun by Noisia at the end-of-course show, complete with sunglasses and army boots! Just for a change, for the spring haflas she went back to the roots and did a drum solo.
Gwen Booth was our guest teacher at the stage-and-screen themed Sapphire Summer Hafla (number 10!), the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance. Emerald took their inspiration from War of the Worlds, Lapis from Labyrinth, Hieroglitch evoked the spirit of Danny Boyle's Frankenstein, and Andromeda couldn't choose between Trek and Wars, so did both!
On to Gothla, and this was the first year Andromeda was part of the organising team. Emerald danced to Bad Things by Jace Everett, the theme music from True Blood, on the Open Stage.
And we're not done yet...
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