Hello!

It’s just six weeks to go now before the biggest ever GothlaUK, on July 15th-17th.

Very many thanks to all of you who have been supporting the event by signing up to workshops and the Friday showcase.

Seven workshops have sold out and several of the remaining ones are down to the last five or even three spaces, including Sashi’s masterclass and the Neo Training Programme by Excalibur Dance Company on Friday afternoon.

Be sure not to overlook Sabrina’s ‘How to Command the Room,’ on Saturday afternoon.

The showcase is filling up. We have long passed the limit that we had to impose in previous years, so if you haven’t booked and want to be sure of a seat, or just haven’t got round to booking your workshops, head over to the bookings page now.

Open Stage is filling up nicely and we would urge you to get your ticket(s) in advance. It’s being held at Redeemer on Saturday evening, like last year, when everyone seemed to have  a tremendous time watching everyone else perform. Several of our showcase performers have joined us through Open Stage on earlier occasions.

Download the Open Stage application form and return it to Rosie by email.

Ibis Hotel, Car Parking and venues

As we’re on the other side of Leicester for this year’s event, our preferred hotel has changed. We’re currently booking into the Ibis Hotel on Constitution Hill (LE1 1PL), just behind the railway station. Google Street view of Ibis Hotel

Map view of Ibis Hotel.

PLEASE NOTE: There is no car parking to speak of at the hotel, but there is a 24 hour car park in sight which you enter via Fox Street. Study the map, and you’ll note that St George’s Way goes past the hotel, round the corner and then there’s a turning on the left into Campbell Street which feeds into Fox Street. It’s all one-way.  Fox Street on Google Street View.

The Friday night showcase, the souk and several of the workshops will be held at The Y!  (LE1 6EY).  Street view of The Y! Don’t be put off by the painter in the window. This photo was taken two years ago and the Y! has now been totally refurbished.

The ‘stalls’ area of the theatre will be laid out in cabaret style for Friday night with row seating up in the gallery overhead.

Here is a map showing the two workshop venues at The Y! and Studio 79. Mike Burton has offered to act as a guide on Saturday.

Studio 79, LE1 1TG, is right across the road from the new Phoenix Square housing Leicester’s film centre. It has a rather nice cafe on the ground floor.

If any of you have time to go and have your feet nibbled at Dr Fish up on Belgrave Gate, ask Heike for the discount code when you see her!

I hope that’s given you some idea of what to expect.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions. Bridie deals with bookings, HRH Lucretia with the souk, Rosie with the showcase programme and Open Stage, and me, as ever, with the website and newsletter.

Are you getting excited? C’mon, I can’t hear you yet…

Sue

PS Location map on our website

Hello Gothla-goers

Hope you’re enjoying the first taste of Spring.

You’ve all certainly sprung off the mark with booking up workshops for GothlaUK in Leicester, 15-17th July. If you have been leaving booking until later, we really do recommend that you don’t leave it too long. Four workshops have sold out already, and others are filling fast.

Sold Out!

• Sera Solstice – Solar and Lunar
• Bex Priest – Corpus Sanguis
• Sashi – Body II

Close to selling out

• Morgana – Trinity Infinity
• Sashi – Mind II
• Beverley Spracklen – Goth Rock Combos

There’s strong interest in all the other classes too.

We’ve sold well over half of the tickets for Friday showcase, even though it’s a bigger venue, and Open Stage, where you can strut your stuff on Saturday, is half sold.

The GothlaUK team is really grateful to you all for supporting us by booking, and if you have not yet, urge you to visit the bookings page as soon as you can to ensure that you are not disappointed.

Venues

All new venues this year with a lot more space. Bridie, HRH Lucretia and Sue went to Leicester last week to check them out. Friday Showcase and one workshop per session for Saturday 16th will take place in The Y Theatre.  Two workshops per session will be hosted at Studio 79 on Midland Street, just five minutes away. We walked it so can confirm the timings. The Ibis Hotel stands halfway between the two.

On Sunday 17th, we shall be using the Sports Hall at The Y for one workshop per session.

A small, but perfectly formed souk (HRH Lucretia) will be at the bar at the Y, in the entrance area before the theatre. The bar will be open all weekend.

Open Stage will take place at Redeemer again, followed by Club Night. Usual location at the end of Belgrave Gate, so that involves a walk across the centre of Leicester.

If you fancy a walk in that direction during the day, Hems is still running Brazillia with all day breakfasts, and Dr Fish will nibble your toes at a discount. Just ask the GothlaUK team for the discount code during the weekend.

All these venues are marked on the map on the website. We’ll also be drawing a plan to show how to reach Studio 79 from The Y. Mike Burton has offered to be our guide.

Car Parking

There is hardly any car parking at the Ibis Hotel. Reception have advised us to use a 24 hour car park just 100m away on Fox Street. The price is £5.80 a day. There is an NCP car park next to The Y on East Street, but it is HORRENDOUSLY expensive, as is the Rutland Street car park next to The Curve.

To get to Fox Street, you need to pass the Ibis Hotel on St George’s Way, coming from the north, take the second left into Campbell Street which turns left into Fox Street. It is a one-way system. If you use the map on our website, you can zoom in and check all this out.

Don’t forget, the Ibis Hotel, just behind Leicester Railway Station, is offering GothlaUK attendees £45 for bed and breakfast per room per night, max occupancy 2 persons (unless the 3rd occupant is a child), for people who phone up and say they are attending Gothla UK. Phone 0116 248 7200.
Do get in touch with us if you have questions. We’re also on Facebook and Twitter.

Sue

See the timetable for GothlaUK, running from July 15th-17th 2011 and book your tickets.  We are now able to offer 200 tickets for the Friday showcase performance at the Y! Theatre in Leicester.  Workshops will take place both at the Y! and at Studio 79 which has moved to much bigger premises, 5-10 minutes walk away.

The venues page has been revised to show the locations of our new venues this year.  A video giving you some idea of the neighbourhood will be shot and uploaded once the weather gets better, aiming to show you the route between the Y! and Studio 79.

A reminder of who does what in the GothlaUK team:

Bridie – responsible for bookings and customer relations

Rosie – marketing and Open Stage coordinator

Christine – souk and vendors

Sue – website and newsletters

Heike – liaises with performers.

Find our contact details on the website.

We think that this year’s line-up is a must-see, must-do. And remember, last year, tickets went fast. Don’t delay, look at the timetable today.

Sue

From Bridie

On Friday afternoon, we have three  masterclass offerings for you: Sera Solstice will be teaching the first of her 3-hour workshops of the weekend, on her Solar dance style, Sashi will be teaching a 3-hour masterclass in her signature Ascend Tribal format, and Morgana and the Excalibur Dance Company are bringing ‘the Matrix’ to the stage with the first of a series of martial arts/dance workshops.

Friday evening sees our gala showcase, featuring performances by our star performers and guest artists at the Y Theatre.

Bridie has one ticket returned for Morgana’s masterclass on Friday 16th July between 2-5pm at BTDA/IAC.

Morgana will be demonstrating moves in her Pirate Choreography which she will perform at the evening hafla. Masterclass participants will be welcome to join her on stage in the performance.

First come, first served!  Please write to Bridie asap.

Here’s Morgana’s introduction to the class:

If you would like to make a last minute booking for this year’s Gothla UK, please contact Bridie directly.

Online bookings have now closed, although you can still see the programme of classes.

Those of you waiting for your tickets, do not worry, Bridie has been stuffing envelopes this week while Sue has been guillotining the card.

Only two weeks now until THE gothic bellydance festival of the year in UK.  We’re looking forward to meeting everybody.

We haven’t laid on a dinner in 2010, because with so many people lined up for Open Stage, we’re opening the show earlier. This also gives time for you to prep for the night.

Remember that everyone will need a ticket to enter Open Stage, including performers, because Redeemer takes the major cut as Open Stage segues into Club Night.

The management of The Village has been equivocal about whether it will actually be open. So we can’t rely on The Village being our social centre this time. There should be a downstairs bar open at Redeemer.

A decision remains to be taken about where the souk will be based.  We’ll let you know, if not beforehand, then by announcement at the hafla on Friday 16th July.

The shop is open for sales of t-shirts etc

See you soon.

Sue

Yes, it’s true, Sera Solstice, star of East Coast Tribal, will be performing at the hafla on Friday 16th July, an extra bonus for all those who have booked.

Sera Solstice is the inspirational teacher behind East Coast Tribal and Solstice Studios. She has appeared on 4 DVDs from World Dance New York, including ‘Gothic Bellydance Revelations’ and ‘Fantasy Bellydance: Mystery’, as well as two East Coast Tribal Instructional DVDs. Her choreography has been described as “complex, content-rich, sublime, technically superb, at the forefront of evolution of bellydance as an artform.” We are delighted to be able to welcome her as a guest performer at Gothla UK 2010 en route from Tribal UMRAH in France, ahead of her appearance as a headline teacher at Gothla UK 2011.

Watch this video on YouTube of Sera Solstice performing at Tribal Fest in 2009.

As the hafla sold out two months ago, the team has put its collective heads together to find a bigger venue for future haflas.  Sadly not for this year, for those who have been disappointed, but we hope to find somewhere that can accommodate everyone who wants to watch our stars in 2011.

Everyone must buy a ticket for Open Stage on Saturday evening, even performers. This is because we are holding Open Stage at Redeemer which will evolve into Club Night. We have to pay Redeemer for everyone there.  If you don’t have a ticket, you won’t be able to get into Open Stage – and that includes performers.

If you need to buy your ticket, just £3, pop along to our bookings page and pay via PayPal.

While you’re there, check out workshops that still have spaces, including Tree Russell’s ‘Dance of Khali Ma,’ Beverley Spracklen’s ‘Serpent and the Spiritwalker,’ Emma Chapman’s ‘Don’t Just Do Something! Stand There!’ Princess Farhana’s ‘Drama Queen: Exploring Theatrical Oriental Dance,’ Elin Kaaven’s ‘Tribal Fusionize Yourself,’ Christine Emery’s ‘Drilling with Rammstein,’ and Sylviah Colombara’s ‘Dark Fan Veils.’

Just one or two places remain on Princess Farhana’s ‘Orient Noir,’ Nadia Corazon’s ‘Sea Gypsies,’ and Molly Mitchell’s ‘Deshret Improvisational Combos.’ Be sure to book asap to make sure of your places.

As ever, booking enquiries to Bridie, souk enquiries to Christine, marketing enquiries to Rosie and website and newsletter issues to Sue.

Here’s looking forward to the bestest Gothla yet!

Sue

Thanks to all of you, our faithful fans, the hafla on Friday night is sold out!  Please contact Bridie if you would like your name added to a reserve list in case of cancellations.  This has been so overwhelming that we realise that we must try to find another performance venue for the future.

We’ve also sold out all of Ariellah’s workshops, plus five others, with limited spaces on a few more.

We’re delighted to have Princess Farhana of Hollywood back with us again this year. Those of you who were at the first ever Gothla UK will recall her sheer mastery of the art.  She has real presence. Don’t miss the opportunity to share a class with her.

Just a few places left on her Orient Noir workshop on Saturday, but still time to book for ‘Drama Queen: Exploring Theatrical Oriental Dance,’ on Sunday morning.  Will you be up for it after Club Night at Redeemer?

Rea Silviah from Italy will be teaching use of fan veils for Gothic dance while Elin Kaaven draws on her Saami background and the myths of the Saami people (her grandfather was a Saami shaman) to teach her class on tribal fusion.

Beverley Spracklen (aka Amethystine) has only a step or so to come from Yorkshire to demonstrate gothic-style tribal combos and improvisation.

Christine Emery, always putting the humour into her presentations, will be ‘Drilling with Rammstein’ on Sunday. Tree Russell teaches the dance of ‘Khali Ma’ using Thai Fingers on Saturday.  Emma Chapman provides an intriguing counterpoint to Ariellah’s ‘Don’t Just Stand There’ workshop by focusing on the intensity and emotional connection that you need to bring to your dance in the moments when you are still.

So still some very good workshops left if you still need to book.

Open Stage on Saturday night is shaping up very well with many bids for performance and lots of tickets sold already.

Contact details for the Gothla UK team.

Looking forward to seeing you in July, and yes, this year I should make it!

Sue

The bookings page for GothlaUK 2010, Leicester, 16th-18th July, is now live.

The news seems to have spread like wildfire, so make sure you’re on our Facebook group or subscribed to our Twitter feed.

We’re not organising a dinner on the Saturday evening this year, which we hope will give you more flexibility to find somewhere to eat and/or get ready for a night on the town.

Open Stage will launch at 8.30pm on the Saturday evening on the top floor of Redeemer seguing into Club Night from 10.30pm.

Admission is £3 and you can book tickets on our bookings page.

If you would like to perform at Open Stage, download the booking form, fill it in, save it with your name, and return it by email to Rosie.

We advise that you wear light shoes or slipperettes rather than go barefoot at Redeemer.

Please also let us know if you would be willing to perform in public rather than just in front of other GothlaUK attendees.  Redeemer will be admitting the public from 10.30pm.

Check out venues and hotels.  The Campanile, our preferred hotel, is offering rooms at £42, £4 less than rack rate, if you quote ‘GothlaUK, July’ when phoning them.

Questions?

Bookings – Bridie, Marketing – Rosie, Vendors and souk – Christine, Website and newsletters – Sue

Looking forward to seeing you in July!

Sue

As many of you may know already, we have had to cancel Shakra’s workshops at GothlaUK.  They were turned away at Heathrow Airport yesterday morning.

Bridie has been in touch with as many participants as possible to offer workshop swaps or full refunds on Shakra’s classes.

If you are concerned about your workshop status or want to find out what’s available, please phone Bridie on +44 (0)7796095232 or email her.

The hafla is sold out and plenty of people are wanting to perform both there and at Open Stage on Saturday.  We’re very grateful for all your support.

We look forward to seeing you next weekend.

Sue and the GothlaUK team