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].