Bodhicitta Bellydance

I was working on a blog about Carmen Allison who was voted one of Nashville's best hair stylists when I came across this professional group of belly dancers at the MAC AIDS benefit at the Exit/In. (Carmen is the one responsible for all the hair on these dancers!) I was so impressed by their performance and style, I ran back stage and got the interview you see in the video. The sound from the interview leaves a lot to be desired, for I was only using my camera mic, but I hope it gives you an idea about how well these dancers work together both on and off the stage.

Bodhicitta Bellydance is a group of five dancers who have been performing professionally around Nashville since January 2007. It was started by Gwyn Lister, the director of the troupe, who wanted to approach the ancient art of belly dance with a modern perspective. Bodhicitta is currently Cheryl, Maggie, Stephanie and Kimberly who have been dancing with Gwyn from 8 months to 3 years. In addition, they invite guest dancers to join them on occation. Their vibe and energy on stage is very contagious, as you can hear in the background from the almost full house during my taping of their show.

As I hope my footage gives some justice, Bodhicitta puts a lot into their music, choreography and styling. Each show is made up of 3 acts with a total of 12 to 13 original pieces, each with its own music, style and fashioning. You will not want to miss their next performance January 10, 2009 at the Exit/In. You can find additional information at www.myspace.com/bodhicittagwyn.


Bodhicitta Bellydance from Jake Stein on Vimeo.