Tribal Belly Dancer

One of my goals for this year is to – okay, don’t laugh – learn how to belly dance. Tribal fusion belly dancing to be exact, though there’s no instructor for that in Manila. I want to do it simultaneously with JKD, boxing, and maybe even Muay Thai. Rachel Brice has been a really huge inspiration and I really wanted to come up with either a painting or illustration inspired by her. I just love that woman – her dancing, her costuming aesthetic! So when Mariel I. C. requested that I draw a Romani woman for my 365 Project, I gladly obliged.

Gypsy Belly Dancer. There’s no denying this one’s inspired by Rachel Brice.

Dark eye make-up, layers upon layers of fabric, and elaborate jewellery and hair ornaments. There you have it – a gypsy belly dancer.  I think it’s really the sleeves that completed the traditional Romani look. Otherwise, she’d look like a modern-day tribal belly dancer.

On exhibitions, starting next week, I’ll be posting teasers, painting details for my upcoming two-man show with Raul “Ponj” Roco Jr. entitled Tattoo My Colors. It’s going to be on March 10, Saturday evening, at F*Art Gallery in Kamuning, QC. Save the date! I’m looking forward to March, but at the same time, I can already feel the stress building up. It’s just 2 days away from Women on Women, an exhibit in celebration of Women’s Month at Altro Mondo Arte Contemporanea (Greenbelt 5). I’ll post details regarding those two shows soon.