From Evolution to Revolution
A Review of “Dark Side of the Crown”
by Valerick
Photos by Lynette Harris
posted January 9, 2014
Finally the day came; Bellydance Evolution opened the Miami Bellydance Convention 2013 at the Colony Theater, in Miami Beach. I sat down with Alicia from BellyCraft and our whole conversation was about how excited we were for the show. I didn’t have a clue of what I was going to see and what to expect from a show that recently added 12 cast members from an online competition. Suddenly the lights were turned down and I soon realize that the audience was infected with the same enthusiasm that Alicia and I had. Almost everyone in the audience was a dancer; something very rare these days, since the dancers are usually backstage, and the audience is full of family members that most of the time tend to be annoyingly quiet.
“Dark Side of the Crown” is an ahistorical story that could be defined even as a fairy tale. In a faraway Kingdom with a matriarchal political system, Queen Rahyan (Heather Aued), was celebrating the ceremony where she will pass her crown to one of her three daughters, played by Louchia, Sharon Kihara and Kaeshi. Suddenly in the middle of this celebration, the Queen is mysteriously assassinated. The intrigue of the show is driven by the question of who murdered the Queen. Until the assassin gets solved, Jillina (advisor to the queen), is chosen by the character, Priestess Elaleh (Zoe Jakes), to rule.
Jillina’s character is mean and abusive which makes us think that she may be the killer!
The first act started with a very busy and colorful entrance. I was impressed with how many dancers were on stage, when one of the most memorable scenes took place: the assassination of Queen Rahyan. The lighting and sound work very well for creating a thriller scene. Zoe Jakes was the guest artist and she interpreted Priestess Elaleh. Zoe Jakes oneiric image and her eternal pauses created a mystical atmosphere every time she was on stage. Her use of different props, such as feather fans and the Tunisian jar were very effective with her Priestess character. But that spiritual aura is a distinctive of Zoe. In the case of Jillina that we probably think of as a “happy dancer” it was very interesting to see her as the villain. Her body language was very clear and readable. In this show Jillina executes and master different styles of dancing, such as Hip Hop and Tribal. Sharon Kihara (Princess) and Kaeshi (Princess) are also known for doing fusion. These two artists even though they have a notorious height difference, their facial similarities and dance styles work to manifest their sisterhood in the story. Louchia provided a contrast and her elegant Oriental technique projected freshness. Some of the princesses’ choreographies had compilations of moves that were the perfect boundary between Tribal and Oriental Dance. It is visually interesting to see how the show plays with these two styles. For certain choreographies establishing the exact definition of the styles is difficult, sometimes Oriental is used to fill the stage and Tribal become more narrative in terms of the story.
Assassination of the Queen.
Photo at top of page- Louchia and Danielo Mendes
The incorporation of two male Hip Hop dancers to play the imperial guards not only add diversity, but make “Dark Side of the Crown” a great fusion show. DanieIo Mendes (Imperial Guard) ability for physical comedy is a great asset for the story. Heather, as the Queen was the most outstanding character of the show. Her performance was a great combination of good acting and soulful dancing. She has a telepathy with the audience that makes us experience her character’s intimacy. Her Egyptian technique was very well combined with her lyrical and modern dance training. Her hips were clear and heavy and her footwork was as light as her spiritual character. Her solo with classical Chinese sleeves is one of the most powerful pieces of the show.
The ending of the first act was hilarious, a fantastic fusion piece. Ozzy Ashkenazi, Pete List and Brad Macdonald played an interested composition that combined military marching beat, Hip Hop and Middle Eastern rhythms. The sound was perfect and the synchronization of the three musicians was outstanding.
Musicians play for Sharon doing a bellyroll!
Sharon, Ozzy, Pete List, Brad Macdonald, and Don Leighton
The costumes were a mix of glamour and military fashion. The female dancers were wearing a beret with fancy gloves and a “typical” belly dance costume. Because Hip Hop is a genre usually dominated by male figures, and Belly Dance so attached to the concept of femininity, the dialogue between these two art forms was very effective. The glamorous army costume makes me consider how avant guard these two dance styles are in reality.

Man Shred
Sebastien, Danielo, Camilia, Yesenia, Megumi, Alisa and Jenna
Most of the music of “Dark Side of the Crown” is composed by Paul Dilenter. The show includes “Enta Omri” a piece by Oum Koulthoum and a Shaabi Egyptian song.
The use of these two songs took away the suspense created by Dilenter’s music. The social associations eliminated the sense of fantasy especially when it comes to tarab. For a more educated audience in Middle Eastern music will be difficult to connect the profoundness of “Enta Omri” with a fiction story.
In the second act we follow the imperial guards in their investigation of the murder. However during the process of interrogating the Queen’s daughters, it is difficult to follow the story and to understand the characters. Even at the end, when we realize who the killer is, it still is a little confusing to understand the motives of the characters. The show starts to lose some coherence in the second act. However the dancing and rhythm of the show keep us entertained at all times.
In a literary aspect the story or the concepts of “Queen” and “Princess” are not something new. The structure and ending is typical of the fairy tale genre. But a fairy tale “can be describe as fable that teaches an important moral” and I think “Dark Side of the Crown” may seem like is missing that key message. For being such a great production in terms of technique, lighting and music they lost the opportunity to tell a story never heard. Like the great playwriter Bertolt Brecht said, “Art is not a mirror held up to reality but a hammer with which to shape it.”
The show finished and an entire theater full of dancers stood up to give a well -deserved standing ovation to this amazing cast of artists. The winners from the BDE Online Competition did an incredible job and they look like an entire ballet that has been training for years. The challenging part about Theater Dance is that you need to have a full artistic formation.The competitors need it to prepare and understand their characters in function with the story. They have an important role in the show because they established the context and the energy of the scene.The repertoire of choreographies require dancers well trained in Oriental dance and in acting. No wonder why so many outstanding dancers like Yvonne Pereira (Florida), Camilia (Poland) and Paula Saneoux (Dominican Republic) have decided to do it and a couple of them have done it more than once. It’s the perfect symbiotic relationship between the show and the dancers. As a spectator you can feel the excitement of the competitors and the show nurtures itself with it.
Alice Giampieri, Paula, Rin Ajna and Michelle Chehardy(BDE Tribal winners)
“Dark Side of the Crown” is making a revolution and I was happy to witness this new chapter of our art form. The discipline, the dedication and the audacity that require doing a production like this one makes me think that Bellydance Evolution is probably making the pathway to get to Broadway.
3 sister princesses – Louchia, Sharon Kihara and Kaeshi
Black lace with Jillina leading, Alice, Michelle, Paula

Core Dancers – Louchia, Kaeshi, Heather, Camilia, and Sharon Kihara
Face Veils – Sharon Kihara, Heather, Jillina, Kaeshi, Louchia

BDE Miami cast in a Pin Wheel formation led by Rin Ajna, Alice Giampieri

Sharon leads, Yvonne to left behind, Alysa over Sharon’s right. Zoe in upper right.
Full Stage View

Early number in show featuring?
Zoe as priestess with Paula behind.
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Ready for more?
- 12-18-09 Welcome to the 2nd Miami Bellydance Convention, A Selection of Photos
Intercontinental Hotel in Miami, Florida, on September 4- 6, 2009, Winners,Teachers, Performers - 1-8-2010 Jillina Advances Dance Theatre, A Review of Jillina’s Bellydance Evolution
Bellydance Evolution is a full-length theatrical event directed by dancer and choreographer Jillina, ushering belly dance into the world of dance theater. The production is a melding of narrative with a wide variety of traditional and cutting-edge Middle Eastern dance and music. I saw the dress rehearsal of Bellydance Evolution when it debuted in Glendale, California in August, 2009. - 1-31-13 The Evolution of Jillina, An Interview Regarding Change, Flexibility and Lessons Learned Now in Español!
Working with Jillina for the last six years or so, I’ve been a fly on the wall for a lot of this transition. I’ve been there for marathon rehearsal weeks, brainstorming sessions, the stress of taking a show on the road, the flops, and the standing ovations. - 3-22-11 Taiwan Bellydance: 2 Events Are Perfect Ending for 2010, Nefertiti Bellydance Carnival & Bellydance Evolution
I admire those dancers participating in the production for their talents, skills, and artistic qualities, however, I feel the framework of story-telling compromises dancers from better expressing their love for this dance (or through it). They are acting through dance rather than dancing to the music. - 5-2-11 Paula, 2011 Champion of Champions, Belly Dancer of the Universe Competition
I do not know exactly what will happen, but I know it’s a beautiful start to present a Dominican dancer to the dance world. One very important thing also is that this award means to me that dreams do come true. I always wanted to be a dancer, and I could never really make it work because my country does not considered it a true profession. - —GigBag Checks Videos– Jillina, Zoe, Sharon, and more!
- 1-8-14 O Aitos Berkeley in the ’70s
Truthfully, I had never laid eyes on an authentic belly dancer, live or on film at that point, so I hardly knew what to expect. - 1-3-14 Red Flags Before the Green Light, My Experience as a Club Bellydance Sponsor
For some reason I assumed my problem was an oddity. It was not. - 12-19-13 From Obscurity to Mainstream The American Journey of the Afghani Dress
Interest in Afghani folk clothing and designs began in the late 1960s due to the influence of the hippie generation. As this fascination with folk arts developed, mainstream America took notice. Along with the granny dress, maxi dress, and peasant dress, the Afghani dress was a perfect addition to our wardrobes. - 12-18-13 Bellydance & Baklava in Ohio, A Family Business Devoted to Great Food and Belly Dance for Over 40 Years!
“We have the longest-running weekly belly dance show in Canton” - 12-15-13 Video Interview with Virginia of Miami, Part 5: What Happened to all the Arabic Clubs?
Why are there no Arab clubs to dance in anymore? Virginia talks about what happened to the clubs in Miami and what is happening currently in Cairo - 12-5-13 In Search Of The Iraqi Kawleeya, Part 2: From Abu Dhabi to Sulimaniya to Stockholm
Throughout their travels in Iraq, El Kawliya incorporated and fused elements from various music and dance forms they encountered in the different areas of Iraq. - 11-20-13 Cairo Now, The Post Revolution Entertainment Scene in Egypt
As I watched the gorgeous rendition of the old folk tale “Ayoub wa Nassa” by the Opera’s Forsen el Shar’a Ensemble, I couldn’t help but think of how close Egypt came to going down a road where dance, secular literature and film may have become dinosaurs of the past. - 11-19-13 Tarazade Brings the Bellydance World to Istanbul, Tarazade 2013, Intercontinental Dance Festival
The five workshops I attended over four days were challenging and fun, which is what I had hoped. I love workshopping. It’s so much fun to dance to someone else’s rhythm and it’s hard to walk away not feeling inspired. - 11-17-13 Video Interview with Nathalie of Miami, Part 3: Auditioning with BDSS and Jillina
Part 3: In this segment she tells about her experience of working with the Bellydance Superstars and Jillina.
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