| When the world was still flat and no gods had yet been born, a woman was formed of a single lotus blossom. Pale, petal soft, yet tensile in her strength and willow slim, in her was commingled evocative sensuality, twined with a simple elegance and sharp edged wit. Named for the sword Shirasaya, at her forming the woman's spirit flamed incandescent in its need to give life to mystery. Formed, she was, into dance, mystery given life within the delicate swirl of slim fingers, the sinuous flex of lithe legs, the occasional glimpse of tip tilted eyes. No one knew her beginning. A silent drift of spun copper curls and crimson silk seething over lotus petal skin, lambent eyes cast downward in respect, she haunted the palaces of kings, the harems of pashas, the tents of desert lords, elusive as the scent of the first lotus itself. The savage radiance of the rising sun, the burning beauty of the waning moon, these things bound the world upon which her life unfolded, many petaled as the lotus, ephemeral as the asphodel. Whether gilded in the caress of a single candle's light feasting in the firestorm of silken curls or limned in the pale glory of moonlight spilt on snow pale skin, the dark flame of her passion for the dance imbued her life with meaning. Her grace and her silence gave rise to myriad rumors. She is the remnant of a doomed love between a lovely djinn and a demon prince. She is a witch who so enchanted two emperors with her dance that they warred with each other, ruined their empires, leaving no more than sand to mark their greatness. She is a dancer, suffused with exquisite grace, exiled from her village for refusing to call any man Master, her pride setting her feet on the path of the wanderer. Whichsoever of these tales is true, or if the truth be found elsewhere, Shirasaya at last found her home when she met the group of women who nurture the fire of dance within their spirits, spilling forth unending in radiant blaze. shirasaya{W} |
| I met shirasaya online a few years ago when I was asking questions on a bellydance list. She was so helpful and so kind that I figured she had to be too good to be true! Fastforward a year or so, ran into her again on yet another list. Again I was impressed by her giving nature, her writing skills and her knowledge of the dance. Always loving to showcase talent, I asked if she'd mind my sharing some of the information she so freely shares with others, more or less put together in one spot....here. On shirasaya's pages you'll find articles about belly dance warm ups, her passion for the dance, an article on shimmy warm ups graciously edited by Suzanna Del Vecchio, pics of shir and a link to her troupe site, Hareem Shareem! Please enjoy, and should you have any questions or comments for shirasaya, there are email links at the bottom of the page. Happy dancing! |
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