March 18, 2007
somewhat overdue
so, at long last, pics (and video!) from the second annual MOKA show. MOKA is a diversity performing arts show that we started doing on campus last year, and it has really taken off. we give law students a chance to express themselves artistically (a much needed outlet for people whose brains are being fried in legal academia), and we celebrate communities of color and cultures from around the world. this year, we had so many different kinds of performances--vocals, instrumentals, dances, hip-hop performances--and they were all so amazing. it was a night full of so much unity and diveristy and good energy and happiness.
of course, helping to plan and organize it, choreographing a dance, and performing in two dances was a more stressful experience than i ever plan to replicate. but the show was hot--bigger and better than last year in every way--so it was gratifying when it all came together, and we had so much fun doing it. but next year, i won't be helping to plan it--i'm just going to perform. so no logistics, no budgeting, no errand-running. basically, next year, there will be no madness and no pressure for me. just dancing. lots of dancing. it's gonna be fabulous. :)
until then, here's a little bit of this year's fabulous show.
Middle Eastern Dancers
The Middle Eastern Dance (this is the one I choreographed)
Mana and Nas
Mana and Nas - take 2
Step Dancers
Rooms and Rooms (aka Sarah and Nas)
Curtain Call!
the organizers -- Naseem, Shaneeda, and Laurice
4 short videos showing segments of our step dance (choreographed by the fabulous emily). unfortunately, the audio is a little out of sync (youtube is missing the codec, apparently), so you don't get the full effect. but here it is...
Rockin performances. Wish I could've seen it live. Keep dancin the law school blues away!
Posted by: atoosa at March 19, 2007 12:16 AMWOO HOO! You look fabulous, Nazzy. Good job embedding the vids, but it looks like I need an invite to your YouTube account to see them. I appreciate your diligence in organizing this event, but I fully support you "just dancing" next time. As if you needed more stress or responsibility!
Posted by: george at March 19, 2007 09:37 AMthanks guys. wish y'all could've been there. maybe next year! :)
and i think i fixed the video--can you see it now, georgie?
Posted by: nas at March 19, 2007 12:26 PMum, YEAH!?!!!! you look fabulous. i mean, FABULOUS!! hello?? hotness anyone? um, yes please. and YES - i will be there next year if you tell me when it is ahead of time! so happy it went well, so happy you got to DANCE! i know how much you love that. awesome.
Posted by: delara at March 20, 2007 01:20 AMbtw, is that greg filming and calling your name? hilarious!! i loved the videos. thanks for letting us share in this experience!!
Posted by: delara at March 20, 2007 01:23 AMI'm such an idiot -- while I was watching the first clip, I noticed someone in the left corner videotaping your dance, and I was like, "Ooh, maybe that's the videotape I'm actually watching!" And then... I realized that... uh... it really isn't. Haha.
Posted by: +mojan. at March 20, 2007 07:31 AMmoj, that's funny. i do stuff like that all the time. :)
d, that's some of my friends in the audience calling my name--that's why it sounds farther away than if greg yelled why he was taping. you can hear the difference when my friend shinah's boyfriend, morgan--who is sitting right next to greg--yells her name. "shinah!" is really loud in one of the clips. that's how you knwo that if greg had yelled while taping, it would've been a lot louder. :)
and yeah, you should all come next year! :)
Posted by: nas at March 20, 2007 10:00 AMfun! do you have video of the middle eastern dance too?
Posted by: meisa at March 21, 2007 12:19 AMAwesome!! So great that you posted these, Nas! Looks like a blast! And um...I can't help but tell you that I'm in awe that you managed to balance all of those responsibilities in addition to law school. Yeah. Heroic. :)
Posted by: Andrew at March 21, 2007 09:57 AMYup. Totally heroic.
Posted by: +mojan. at March 22, 2007 02:30 AMSo cool! Hopefully I'll get to see you perform live someday.
Posted by: Aaron at March 26, 2007 11:59 AM