My name is Caitlyn and I am one of the more
recent inductees into The Neighbourhood Strays Bellydance Troupe.
I was born and raised in Nova Scotia- A
quiet, shy girl living in the Annapolis Valley. I moved to St. John’s in 2003
to attend Memorial University under the Archaeology/Physical Anthropology
program. Living in a new place, with no
family and no friends to speak of was very challenging at first. I decided to
step out of my comfort zone and try new things.
This attitude is what brought me to Mary
Griffiths Night in 2005- The Neighbourhood Strays were performing and I. Was. Hooked! It would be another
year before I mustered up the courage to enrol in a beginner’s class taught by
Andrea Kitta. Over the last 5 years I have taken every bellydance class that
the Neighbourhood Strays had to offer. As Wild Lily Dance Centre continues to
grow I have taken many of their bellydance classes as well as workshops from
visiting performers.
I
had taken several dance classes as a child, including ballet, jazz and tap as
well as some informal lessons in swing and hip hop. Bellydance is the first
place where I felt like I was accepted just as I was; that I was beautiful and
graceful, no matter what my body type- and I love that about it!
I feel like a new person- strong,
confident, elegant. I love that dance can take what is on your mind and in your
heart and turn it into a work of art. I love to express myself through
unstructured dance such as flocking and improvisation. I will continue to
expand my dance horizons by training under fantastic Canadian performers and
seeking new dance forms- like my newest obsession, a form of bellydance-hip-hop-fusion.
I look forward to creating a phenomenal
experience for our audience in the future and I could not ask to spend my time
and energy with a better group of women. The Neighbourhood Strays have become a
family of women performers over the last few years. Come out and see us
sometime. We’re not just dancing for us, St. John’s. We’re dancing for you too.
