** B R A N D O N ' S  O A S I S **

 Celebrating Bellydancers & the Art Form in the DMVD & Earth

           (Washington, DC*Maryland*Virginia*Delaware)

       ** S H I M M Y S I S T A . C O M ** 

         THE BRANDON'S OASIS NEWS BOX

                                                (MOST UPDATED POSTS AT THE BOTTOM)

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*(2/21) OASIS of COLOR REPRESENTATION MORE THAN JUST A BELLY DANCER

Brandon's Oasis is proud to celebrate Up North for its (finally...) 2023 winner: NURJAHAN BOULDEN. She is a dedicated artists to this form, who has handed many of her moves from female relatives in her family tree generations before. She is as textbook-polished towards this art as you find, especially for women in her age range, and yearns to make today's younger generation embolden themselves to glorify the art aspect vs. glorifying what those who has constantly ''Westernized'' bellydance, instead. She made a name for herself on TikTok, and she's also a writer and performer when opps happen. She also is a survivor of gun violence, proudly telling her ordeal that has given her a newfound outlook on both bellydancing and life, in general.She not only completes the North American Trifecta in Oasis overall winners, but she is the 1ST ever bellydancer chosen that has never worn ''expected'' bellydance costuming, but more traditional bellydance and ethnic clothing, giving it a more folk-centric base foundation for all to appreciate, and if you fully believe in the art form, you would agree.

Congratulations to Nurjahan, another blessed gift from Canada, giving a newer generation of future bellydancers something to behold and be proud of...

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*(2/21) FEZ TONES HAD THE NEW DEAL JUMPING ON SUNDAY

Of course, I would miss this due to a hellacious day at work (and later developing a nasty hinge of bronchitis that would not have been sufficient in such an intimately enclosed space), but this month's offering of the Fez Tones Hafla in Greenbelt was a welcoming rep of young and old, including the legendary LA BELLE YASMIN (of Serpentine Studios-Bethesda). The Facebook group page doesn't do enough justice, as featured clips from local darling Sophianna (who has returned after almost a year of international exploration and bellydance researchings, and also has earned some new slots at Cazbar), Fifi Selene, a local fave, especially of Latifa and the return of Lara Adrienne, a bellydancer of color elite who is back in the DMVD from LA and Istanbul, who has also performed on the same stage (at Sultans) as the newfound singing sensation DIDEM (Turkey), who still manages to get in a shimmy a bit during her concerts.

She was also a feature from last year when I exposed some of the discussions of the lack of bellydancers of color professionally performing in the area back in 2023,  and she hopes her presence will flip the hourglass with her worldly resume and enchanting skillset. Lara also has gigs at Cazbar, which you can find on the Oasis calendar. Scheduling will bring an hiatus to the hafla for the next couple of months, returning on 3rd SUN May 19th featuring Philadelphia's sensational siren, Meesha....

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*(2/21) THE ''SOUTHSIDE SENSATION'' HAS A MAGICAL WEEKEND

Congrats is in full order to one of the sweetest human beings on the planet, an online pal who shares an undeniable love for Turkish style (yes, Didem, lol) as well as tribal fusion bellydance, as well is also an accomplished singer and has added acting credits as well. This past Saturday afternoon, Italia Gregory got married to her long-time love, Thomas Mason in suburban Richmond, to a beautiful array of fam from both lovers that will make any1 blush. TH post-wedding reception was a blast and a half and then some, especially when both the bride & groom's fam danced together, young and old, christening the moment that'll hopefully lead to endless bliss for both of them. Southside has gained a sensational bride, and is already hard at work on new music to be released and a hopeful music vid) soon. Zaghareets and confetti, for Queen Italia!! :).....

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*(2/21) ONLINE MILESTONE MARKED OUT IN CALI

Hopefully, every1 out on the West coast survives another deluge of an ''atmospheric river'' of flooding waters and potential mud and rockslides, including Suzy Evans, who announced on her FB page that the domain of IAMED's website is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. IAMED 1st started cresting bellydance VHS tapes back in 2001, shortly converting over to DVDs as well as creating theatrical presentations for sale. Their bread and butter was instructional videos/DVDs back in the day, now more of collectors items due to the fast paced presence of self-promoting and streaming. As many of ya know, I was a huge collector of many of IAMED's offerings (including BD-TV) and has tried to look forward to getting back into getting old fave and newer DVD offerings, especially when I get my tax refunds back. Feel free to check out the store page for any of the excellent teachers and performers to add to your own collections, an era of vid production (when West coast was queen) forever enshrined before the presence of ''Neonmania'' and WDNY (World Dance NY) DVD stamping on East coast bellydance producing...

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*(2/21) HAS BELLYDANCE FOUND A NEW HOME IN NORTHEAST DC?

They only open on Sundays for brunch hours, and from the images their ID page shows, every1 looks forward a fine time at VERA (NE DC). They started Brunch Hafla this month, with 2 seatings (1130am-130pm and 230pm-5pm), and features both Mexican and Lebanese entertainment, including....wait for it....wait for it....local area bellydancers performing. The irony is uncanny for me, personally. As of press time, there is no known cover or spending minimum, but looking at the menu it will ask you bring your wallet and credit card(s) when you are enticed by their Lebanese and Mexican cuisines being offered on Sundays, with possible other offerings upon request. I hope to check it out (health permitting) either this or next SUN. Its location (2000 Fenwick Street in the newly renovated Ivy City section of NE DC) would have been maybe a 10-15 minute walk from my old apartment on Owen Place, NE, but is till around a 30-minute walk from my new Oasis digs (off of Irving St/RI Ave, NE) as well as catching the E2 Metrobus that'll let me off right across the street from the venue. High praise has already been aloud by Rhia (DC) and newly returned Kristi Angel (MD). Reservations for both seatings are strongly advised, casual dress appropriate as well. Will this be the lighting rod that will strike a permanent presence for bellydancing's revival within the DC line? We will all see...

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*(2/21) FOR MISS CRYSTALICIOUS, THIS IS MORE THAN PERSONAL...

She knew within her heart that she needed to do something. She's seen the images. The toll. The destruction. The continued ignorance of these who runs all countries involved. And right near the MD/DC line near Takoma Park, bellydancer Crystal Silmi (DC) will have Busbys & Poets the venue (at 235 Carroll Street-Metro Red Line: Takoma) to have a bellydance benefit for the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund (PCRF) on Saturday evening, March 9th from 6pm-??, with a $20 suggested donation that will bring in local area bellydancers that shares the same passions to help those in need for the finds for an end to the violence organized in Gaza and along the West Bank, which is clear that there are more to this war beyond recovering hostages, a lasting ceasefire and a 2-state solution. This area has become a chess table, and many of those Palestinian (especially targeting women and CHILDREN) are sadly being used as throwaway pawn chess pieces beyond their will. And in many cases, our tax dollars has been funding it, and the world's demands for an end to it continues to go unnoticed and underground contractualized by both member parties in Congress. Be aware that its gonna be 1st come, 1st serve as far as seating arrangements, so ya might wanna get there as early as possible. A hopeful ray of light that will lead to getting many in Gaza and surrounding out of its entrapped darkness...

• PCRF's DC Chapter's IG Page

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*(4/2) BEFORE ANYONE ASKS....(SNAREDRUMS WITH DRY HEAVES)

Any unforseen stomach ailments conquered me in the beginning of last month, which I'm glad is put behind the calendar of yesterday forever. Other than a few nagging joints from off-and-on drenchings from Mother Nature this week, I'm primed and poised to makeup for last year's debacle in which a food poisoning journey from Hell KO'ed me from attending in AOTB'23 plus spent the majority of my then-planned vacation doing soft food rehab. Due to wicked weekend plans, I'll most likely be in the OC for FRI nite and SAT's famed all-day extravaganza, including Ro Raqs' famed ''Power Hour...Hour Hour...Hour'' segment, (which when the perform sched officially comes out) may feature the likes of this month's BDOTM (see above), Sadie (CO), Aziza (CAN) and legendary Egyptian dynamo Esra Warda.

If you go to my MetrOasis page, and scroll downwards, you should see the AOTB year-by-year collective of YouTube clips spanning more than a decade to relive or at-home experience the fun and on-stage magic that this festival brings. Fingers crossed that I can get some excellent pix along da way (as good as the footage I had from Crystal Silmi's PCRF benefit a couple weeks ago) and send them immediately to my Facebook and IG pages for all to capture the moments (especially with a now Google Pixel phone that has ridiculous zooming skillset). To all attending, remember that this is absolutely NO VIDEO OR LIVE TAPING of any1's dances, period. And, NO FLASH photography is allowed, especially since some performers will be on stage with sharp items and wouldn't need to jump off the stage and chase you out of the Naimahdome. :)~~

As you can imagine, the overall anticipation is slowly overwhelming me, feeling just a travel experience again is long overdue, a sad sense of victory awaits when the countdown officially kicks in as soon as I leave a vapor trail out of work on Thiursday, shortly after the noon hour to make at-home final preps. Looking forward to see many online faces in the flesh on the oceanside, hon!! ;)

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*(4/2) 

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