CRESTVIEW — Each Wednesday, women can gather in Spanish Trail Park to socialize and exercise while performing American Tribal Style Bellydance.

Group leader Valorie Rossi said American Tribal bellydance — a fusion of traditional gypsy, Indian and Middle Eastern folkloric female dance that originated in California in the 1970s — is not the sensuous cabaret style of dancing often performed by a lone female dancer in an “I Dream of Jeannie” style outfit. Still, it is “beautiful, mysterious, evocative and powerful.”

Rossi— co-director of Sweet Magnolia Tribal, a professional dance troupe, and Fat Chance Belly Dance Sister Studio — is a licensed massage therapist with expertise in anatomy and safe movement. She said participants find benefits including increased strength, improved fitness and grace and companionship with other women through the activity.

“We really need to have our girlfriends to survive in the world,” she said. “We’re all body types, all ages. We celebrate that here, because we all have different abilities and different appearances.”

Nobody knows what to expect from each two- to four-woman group, Rossi said. “One girl is the leader, and then the rest follow and, by certain non-verbal cues, everybody knows what moves we’re going to do next,” she said. “The dance is never the same twice.”

Nearly 100 moves can be combined in any number or order, she said, and each move has a cue. “If I drop my hand down, everybody knows we’re going to bring the other hand down and we’re going to be spinning," she said.

Tribal bellydancers create flowing costumes accented by jewelry, scarves and ruffled dresses. Bare midriffs are common but not required, Rossi said, depending on the woman’s comfort level. For weekly practice, some women prefer leggings or capris.

As women embrace the program — “Once you start it, it can be addictive,” Rossi said — they can create their own costume. The ruffled dress may cost between $40 and $90, she said. And a woman may make a “choli,” a tight halter top, by altering a thrift shop T-shirt, Rossi said.

Above all, she said, tribal bellydancing is an opportunity to exercise while dressing up and having a fun evening out with the girls.

“It’s the fun of dancing with other women,” she said.

WANT TO GO?

WHAT:American Tribal Style Bellydancing

WHEN:6 p.m. Wednesdays

WHERE:Spanish Trail Park Senior Activities Center, Industrial Drive, Crestview

COST:$50 per month; $15 drop-in lessons

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bellydancing for fun, exercise and bonding comes to Crestview

NICEVILLE — When William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy “Hamlet” opens at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center Wednesday night, two Crestview actresses will discover something’s rotten in Denmark.

Bettye Keefer performs the role of Gertrude, widow of the slain king of Denmark and mother of Prince Hamlet. When she marries Claudius, her husband’s assassin and brother, Hamlet becomes fraught with anguish.

Sheila Johnson takes on several roles, including the courtier Voltimand, the Player Queen actress, a servant and an English ambassador.

Dylan Garofalo of Santa Rosa Beach — who appears in the starring role of Hamlet — will get to recite one of the theatre’s most famous soliloquies: “To be or not to be. That is the question.”

Ron Altman of Niceville plays Hamlet’s father’s ghost, while Bruce Collier of DeFuniak Springs portrays Claudius.

Director and Northwest Florida State College theatre professor Clint Mahle said his production will appeal to modern tastes, but will adhere to Shakespearean conventions including minimal scenery, addressing the audience directly, and quick exits and entrances.

Mahle offered this tongue-in-cheek synopsis of the familiar story: “Son is extremely bummed over his father’s death and mom’s hasty marriage to his uncle. Father’s ghost shows up and tells son he has been murdered by son’s uncle, father’s brother.

“Son becomes more confused and depressed as everyone he trusts seems to betray him. After some death and insanity, son figures out a plan. Almost everyone dies except son’s best friend and a bunch of baffled subjects of the kingdom.”

Many Shakespearean scholars consider “Hamlet” as the first purely psychological thriller, Mahle said.

“Hamlet,” presented by the NWFSC Fine and Performing Arts Division, will feature custom-designed period costumes, much of the design work by Keefer, and a set built specifically for the Sprint Theater, the smaller of arts complex’s two theaters. The play runs through March 21.

WANT TO GO?

WHAT:William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”

WHEN:7:30 p.m. March 18-21

WHERE:Sprint Theater, Mattie Kelly Arts Center, Northwest Florida State College Niceville campus

COST:$15 adult, $10 youths 18 or younger

NOTES:Tickets available at the box office, 729-6000, www.MattieKellyArtsCenter.org

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: NWFSC's ‘Hamlet’ to feature Crestview actresses

DESTIN — In partnership with Ocean Reef Vacation Rentals & Real Estate, the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation continues a year-long celebration of its 20th anniversary with a performance by December '63, a Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons tribute band.

 The concert is 7 p.m. Saturday, April 11 in the Dugas Pavilion in the Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village, 4323 Commons Drive W. in Destin.

 The five-member band is named for Frankie Valli’s 1975 hit "December 1963 (Oh What a Night)," which topped the U.S. music charts at No. 3 in 1975.

December ’63 celebrates the charismatic '60s crooner with the unmistakable falsetto voice with such memorable hits as “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Rag Doll,” “Walk Like a Man,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” “My Eyes Adored You” and more.

Bring a chair, blanket and picnic or purchase dinner prepared onsite from food trucks and local restaurants serving dinner menu options. Bring your own beverages or purchase water, soft drinks, beer and wine at the event.

 Tickets for this benefit concert are $25 for adults or $20 for MKAF members. Children under 12 get in free.  Proceeds will benefit MKAF’s mission to support cultural events and education programs. VIP tables, seating six or eight, are available on a first-come, first-served basis by calling 650-2226.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: December ’63 to perform tribute to Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons

CRESTVIEW — Serious scrapbookers are applying new techniques and ideas to their projects after receiving inspiration from a noted scrapbooking expert.

Beatriz Farqunar-Guzman recently visited A Scrap in Time in Crestview to share tips and design suggestions with local scrapbook artists — and some who came from out of town and out of state for the event.

Find fun scrapbooking ideas at Amazing Grace, Designs by Beatriz>>

“She has followers from everywhere,” local scrapbooker Terry Maloney said. “People just love her stuff. She can just look at paper and she knows just what to put on it. It’s amazing.”

Farqunar-Guzman started her scrapbooking career upon the collapse of her international commercial business in the wake of the 9-11 terrorist attacks, Maloney said.

While in Crestview, Farqunar-Guzman conducted scrapbooking workshops and produced her own designs.

“She designed 210 two-page layouts, which are for sale at A Scrap in Time,” Maloney said, adding that local scrapbookers at the workshops helped produce them as kits.

A Scrap in Time owner Lisa Byers said scrapbooking is a lot more than fancy paper prints, creative cutouts and photos.

“It’s a place to create lasting memories,” she said. “Scrapbooking warms the heart and gives us something to share for the memorable times and events in our lives.”

“Scrapbooking is a method for preserving personal and family history,” Maloney said.

Maloney said Farqunar-Guzman’s custom kits range between $20 and $25 each. The shop is at 151 Brock Ave. behind Dominoes Pizza.

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Scrapbooking pro brings inspiration, designs to Crestview

CRESTVIEW — The tiniest things can inspire writers. For Baker School alumna Meredith Majors, inspiration arrived via locket.

Meredith and her husband, Chris, were looking for a project for their production company, Savage Beast Films, when inspiration arose.

“One day, while heading to work in Los Angeles, I was sitting in traffic, twirling my locket/necklace around my finger," she said. "I stopped and looked at my locket, thinking about the idea that became ‘Lake Eerie.'

“When I got to work, I rushed to write down all of my thoughts and ideas on paper," Meredith said. "I spoke to my husband about it, and we decided to drop everything and make this happen.”

Meredith plays Kate Ryan, a widow who experiences unnatural phenomena when she moves to a lakeside home. Chris directed and acted in the film, which also features Lance Henriksen, of “Aliens” and “Terminator” fame; wrestler and actor Al Snow; Betsy Baker, from “The Evil Dead”; and Marilyn Ghigliotti, of “Clerks.”

Behind the scenes is Robert Kurtzman, Master Special FX supervisor, who worked on “Predator,” “Tremors" and “Scream," and Harry Manfredini, who has more than 150 composer credits, including “Friday the 13th” films, “House” and “The Hills Have Eyes II.”

The Majorses are negotiating the film's release date with distributors; the couple will know more in a few weeks.

They are grateful for backers who made that final step possible. Contributors donated more than $17,000 for post-production on the fundraising website Kickstarter.

"The best part about post-production is seeing the film in different stages, and how each stage makes the film better and better," Meredith said. "The worst part is trying to be patient, because it takes time. The challenge of film-making is working with multiple artists, and schedules.

"It feels like a miracle when it is completed, because so many ideas and egos are involved with the process."  

HAUNTED HOUSE

In the case of Savage Beast Films' "Lake Eerie," art imitates life in some ways, according to Meredith Majors, the film's star, writer and producer. 

Her husband's family owns Lake House, the 1918 LaSalle, Mich., home where much of the movie's action takes place. Something seemed strange about the place, so the couple asked experts to investigate.   

 “Prior to shooting 'Lake Eerie,' we had three groups of paranormal researchers investigate the house; and they caught EVPs (electronic voice phenomena), some photos and video of a 'shadow figure,' sudden temperature changes, and other unexplained occurrences," Meredith said.

“While shooting 'Lake Eerie,' some of the crew were skeptical of the house being haunted," she said. "However, one night some crew were in a room with no windows open, and the closet door slowly creaked opened and then slammed shut on its own. Our script supervisor ran down the stairs screaming.”

WHAT'S NEXT

Savage Beast Films is in preproduction on its next film, “Echo of Evil.” Meredith and Chris Majors have been talking about a supporting role with Robert Englund, who played villain Freddy Krueger in the "Nightmare on Elm Street" franchise. "There’s exciting stuff coming," Meredith Majors said, “but we do more than just the horror genre."

ONLINE

•http://lakeeeriemovie.wix.com/lakeeerie

•www.facebook.com/LakeEerieMovie

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Baker alumna's film comes closer to worldwide release