Tag Archives: Cosplay

Setsucon 2013: Video, Newspapers, and Podcasts- OH MY!

3 Feb

This past weekend the Ladies of Antipode & our guest dancers performed at Setsucon 2013! The main stage show theme this year was “The Great Race”; our take on Chinese New Years! Currently the video and photos are being processed (will be posted this week!), as well as media from our meet and greet (including a group sword piece to Red XIII’s Theme). It was a blast!

Our new PR rep & new member of Antipode, Darling Stewie, worked overtime this con! She helped organize video, newspaper, and podcast interviews for the Troupe! Before in the past, we never set one girl aside to do media relations. We always focused on make-up, music, or stage setup: of course making the show look good is the number one priority, but we rarely got to see any footage or photos after the show! We’d be so busy with tear down of the stage, we’d never even get business cards of photographers! With having one lady in charged, it really streamlined the process- as well as gave us a set a schedule for PR that weekend. While performing, you never get to see what the whole show really looks like; video and photos are not the same as a live show, but it’s the closest you can get to the audience’s view. You put so much hard work into the show, you should make sure you can enjoy it too! Nothing feels like watching the show you created, and listening to the audience laugh, cheer, and gasp.

Check out our interviews, after the Jump!

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The main ladies of Antipode were featured in an article by the Collegian!

The Collegian also mentioned Antipode in their main Setsucon Article

The Hilarious Comedian, Uncle Yo also did a podcast with Antipode about the importance of Strong Female Figures in geek culture. The podcast will be posted once I receive a link!

Nathan Raupach did a Flickr photo set for us, you can check out more of his work a naterpix.com

naterpix

Thanks for reading!

Cheers,

Ayla

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ANTIPODE to Perform at Setsucon!

17 Jan

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New year, New look, New website!

10 Jan
Howdy all! Ayla here, back from a busy dance season… Ready to start a new year & season!

Geekbellydance.com is getting a facelift this month as the new year is here! Well, Gregorian calendar new year. The lunar new year will be Febuary 10th, so expect a special report on that to follow soon.

What’s new? Well for the past months the girls of Antipode have been blessed with a busy and extended dance season: including shows for conventions, LARPs, and classy night clubs in Manhattan! It’s been a fun year.

I, Ayla, will be writing reviews on the events we have attended (for dancing and for spectating) and of course posting videos and pictures! Don’t worry, I’ll also be posting soon about current events in play. Hope to see you here!

What else is new? Darling Stewie is making a new website for my Cosplay & Bellydance troupe, Antipode! http://antipodebellydance.com/

Thanks for reading,
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Cheers!
-Ayla

PSSSST! I tried out a new Makeup technique, like it? If you like the shot, it was taken by https://www.facebook.com/canarycottage

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RECAP! Rakkasah Spring Caravan 2012 (Accio Belly Dance: Harry Potter and the Bothering of Snape)

17 May

WHERE DID APRIL GO?! Eh, I’ve been a bad kid with some internet issues for the past month… so let’s post “ALL THE ARTICLES”  I’ve wrote for the past month in one day! Huzzah!

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Two weekends ago was Rakkasah Spring Caravan near NYC.

 

As mentioned in previous posts, there are 4 Rakkasah events, each unique and different on their own.

“Rakkasah West” in California in March.

“Rakkasah East” in Somerset NJ in October.

“Rakkasah Winter Moon” in California in Jan/Feb.

“Rakkasah Spring Caravan” in Somerset NJ in April/May.

Rakkasah Spring Caravan is a belly dance fusion festival/convention in Somerset NJ (Rak East is more for the “traditional” style Bdance). Last year we performed a 7 min version of “Super Mario Belly Dance World”. This year we performed “Accio Belly Dance! Harry Potter and the Bothering of Snape”.

It was so much fun! We set up the dance to be in a “double potions class” with Slytherin & Gryffindor students with Snape as the professor. When class is over, Snape was supposed to touch his dark mark while Harry’s Scar is reacting, all for Moldy-Voldy to come out and battle Harry. Snape was supposed to come in at the end and do the spin sequence with two fanveils in the middle of the battle… but sadly 2 weekends before Termariel broke her foot! Eep! I had to step in and do Termariel part, and rewrite the story a bit. I think it still turned out great! In the video you can’t tell, but when we came out for the 1st song everyone was SUPER confused and muttering- “Are they witches? Are those wands? Is that Harry Potter?” wondering what was going on. During the 2nd song when the theme for HP came on, it was hilarious that quite a few people started to laugh or scream out as they realized we were doing Harry Potter (one of those light bulb/ “Ah-ha!” moments). For the 3rd song, “The Mysterious Ticking Noise” I was a bit nervous and trying hard to suppress a laugh- especially when a woman shouted “I LOVE SNAPE”, my beat was definitely thrown off. Totally worth it.

After our performance Anasma (left) went on  she did a cat themed belly dance, I can’t explain how amazing her style of dance is! She bring comedy to the dance world, and we love to help out!

We were also invited to dance in the Penn State Belly Dance Club time slot that night. Merika & I did a Poi & Double veil duet (respectfully). It was a bit of a stressful weekend jammed with workshops everyday, practice, amazing shows, shopping, and 2 performances… but it was fun.

I’ll have to post the Professional Photos when I get them! 😀

Thanks for reading!

Cheers,

Ayla

P.S. We got our photo in another blog! ..and now that I put up the 4th post that I’ve been slacking on- it’s time to read Nara’s posts! Huzzah!

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Firefly Bellydance: Kaylee Costume sans Belt

22 Mar

As I mentioned in the last post Katie Montella, a fellow dancer and friend, took some AMAZING PHOTOS this past weekend! Sadly, my Lappy was not happy this past weekend and I wasn’t able to get many of the photos. 😦 Through, Katie then promised I could get them at a latter date- and she’d color balance them for me! (what ever that means! Huzzah/ I should really learn more about photography since it’s such a cool hobby!) Hopefully I’ll be able to commission Darling Stewie to make a banner and some cute backgrounds for me ^_^ Yea! Her work & style is so SHINY! and cute, and she’s super nice in person 😀

My Kaylee Coverall Costume against a regular Grey wall (Note how I distinguish “coveralls” in this one, since I have her “cake” dress too! hahahahahahaha!)

(unfinished) Kaylee Belly Dance Costume, taken by Katie Montella in awesome lighting and background!


I bought THE teddy bear patch, some hearts and flower patches, some Chinese Characters patches (that match her “Kanji”/Chinese Characters), the Firefly/serenity logo patch, and some shiny sequin Strawberries. I’m debating on putting the patches directly on the pants, or if I should make a belt: like a tool/utility belt, with patches, and add some Yarn Tassels or Fringe. I don’t know, but it’s not SHINY! enough (yet)! Any suggestions?

Oh on another note, one of the dancers at the photo shoot said “Oooo… I could see you as a river”. This was at the time I had my long hair flipped every where… BWAHAHAHA! Reference of me in any likeness to Summer Glau? I’ll still take it! 😀

Thanks for reading!

Cheers,

Ayla

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Final Fantasy Distant Worlds in Boston!

13 Mar

So this past weekend was full of fun adventure! Kanzashi, Final Fantasy, Die Jewlery- Oh my!

It started last week when my friend Tyler posted on “the facebook” about missing out on concert in Boston. Low and behold, “Final Fantasy Distant Worlds” was coming for the first time to Boston! I logged on to the website and found out they were advertising “obstructed view” seats only. (wahhhhh waaaaaaah). That means we would miss seeing the orchestra/ choir, AND the big screen! (They show artwork, cut scenes, and recorded play to match the timing of the music- brilliant!) I knew that sometime the week before a show, Donation Members or handicap access seats will open up. Luckily some did; Orchestra Seats too!

It was SUPER nice in theBostonSymphony Hall- they had an actual Pipe Organ! This meant of course they HAD to play “Dancing Mad” from FF VI (4 on the SNES). I saw the show inBaltimoreduring Otakon/ Artie’s Week long Turkish intensive- but the song selection was way different.

They even had a “sing-a-long” to “One Winged Angel“.

I let Sam-Sam and Ty-Ty sit in front of me, together, since I got to see the show once inBaltimore. Interestingly enough I sat beside a gentleman who’s wife was in the “Forca”, the choir accompanying “The Video Game Orchestra”. He gave me some tidbits of info behind the group (such as they record music for video games often!), but I won’t spill any more beans.

Now I want to re-play some Final Fantasy games- even though I haven’t played XIII (and XIII-2) ! GASP! I was told they both are decent games, and super pretty.

A show idea for Antipode, that we’ve thought about it Final Fantasy characters. More of a Mog, Chocobo, Tonberry King, or Cactuar type show instead of a specific character or class (thinking about it still). Sam suggested one of us do Chocolina from FF XIII.

Photo of: Moogle, Tonberry, Moogle, Cactuar, and 3 chocobos.

Chocolina from Final Fantasy XIII

He’s serious in starting to do costume masquerades/contests, which would lead into commissions. I think I need to do more sit-ups- not to lose weight- but to make sure my core is strong enough to hold that costume up! haha!

Thanks for reading!

Cheers,

Ayla

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FireFly Bellydance

26 Feb

Recently Tempest listed a Turquoise-Floral-Turkish-Vest, in a “Serenity” pattern. As soon as I saw it & heard the coincidence name, I immediately thought about Kaylee from Firefly/Serenity. After purchasing hte vest (Shiny!), it cause again the spark to do a Firefly/Serenity inspired BellyDance. Originally I discussed with a friend to do Inara, but I just had to go with this “Shiny” insparation. (Maybe Inara will make a guest appearance with Zoe and River!)

Kaylee’s “uniform” usually consist of coveralls & bright colored floral/Asian inspired shirt. In the pilot (see picture) Kaylee wears her signature turquoise/ Chinese floral jacket, flip flops, and  parasol.

In the TV show, Kaylee sometimes times ties her coveralls around her waist- making a hip belt. I actually already own a cosplay costume of Kaylee- parasol, coveralls, and all- yet the ones I own don’t have sleeves. This means there is not really a way to tie the top half around my waist- and I’m missing something for my hip accents.

Next idea- I searched Bhuz.com’s swap meet (where dancers sell their new/used costumes) for any inspiration. No dice- but I did see some choli’s that were kind of close to Kaylee’s patterns from sharifwear. I went to sharifwear.com and had some luck; found a pink/purple oriental floral choli, and army green tribal fusion pants (both on sale!).

The next (or last) step for the costume is adding Kaylee’s signature patches & Kanji writing either to the pants OR make a hip bell. The exact bear patch is sold on ebay, as well as I can standard turquoise flowers, and large red hearts- but do I want to make a belt and order a few extra? If I put the patches in their normal areas- only the bear one could be correct- it’s also huge and might make the pants lie on my leg awkward. :/

I also need to find what songs would I dance to? Of course the opening theme, but that’s only 52 seconds. There are a few other songs that I have in mind, but they will be a surprise 😉 I’m taking suggestions!

Thanks for for your time.

Cheers,

Ayla

*note I don’t own Firefly, Serenity, or the picture… but I do suggested that you watch the Joss Whedon Series! It’s for sale on DVD and now Blu-ray!

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