Homesick for Shalakho

(Fun clips at the end and if you don't comment on the scissor kick dude at the end, I'll be very sad)

After two years of working in the Armenian community, I was almost a bit relieved my first month here.  It felt like this pressure had been lifted.  I am not sure how to really explain it but for once I didn't have to worry about who was running for what seat, who was saying something racist, what events were going on, what events were conflicting, what events I had to attend vs. what events I wanted to attend.

I finally had this clean calendar.  Nothing.

For awhile, it was great.  But now, I'm craving some of that stuf.  I'm not craving all of it - I mean, if I had to go to one more banquet/gala where Larry Zarian or Mark Geragos were hosting (using the same jokes as the billion other events they hosted), I really was going to strangle myself.  At one event, me and the person sitting next to me joked around about how it was almost like a deja vu.  Same people at the same tables, same speeches, same catering (Rubina? lol), same decor.... ugh, redundant. 

Def. don't miss that.

But I really miss the other stuff.  I miss Sidebar - particularly Wednesdays at Sidebar.  It was always someone - Gor, Element, (I missed Hooshere - damnit).  Starting in the Spring - Fall there is a Harout dinner dance practically every weekend.  And if not Harout, at least there's a DJ.  There are movie screenings, talks, gatherings.... *sigh*

And, what I miss even more than those things in Glendale is the community in Berkeley.  I was browsing some old pictures/videos and found one where Tiko and Nareg are singing something (can't remember) in Armenian... and Has and I are dancing.  It was just what we did.  Not always but often.  I remember one night at Armen's house - it might have been the weekend of the Bazaar - (the other Nareg was visiting) and he just put on some music and boy were we dancing our butts off.

That's not something we did much in LA.  Wait no, we never did that in LA.  See, in LA everyone is "too cool" to be Armenian.  So, they miss out on the crazy vodka inspired Armenian dancing.  Oh well.

So, as I was walking home one day I had a sudden urge to listen to some Armo music.  I mean, I listen to Armenian music regularly (again, Gor, Element, Alla, Arto, Hooshere and Zulal) but this time, I put on Sako's dance party mix.  HAHAHA.  He is def not one of the OG greats but its all I had on my iPod.  I really had to resist the urge to break out dancing on the train platform in Kenmore.

Then, I got home and was facebook stalking and saw that my friend Allen had posted a youtube video of people dancing the Shalakho.  So, I thought I'd introduce the non-Glendalians and non-Armenians to the Shalakho.

Its not a very difficult dance.  I can't exactly type out the steps but just take my word for it.  The catch is that the music speeds up... ya, Zorba style.  Now, typically, the musicians play and speed up a bit at a time - depending on the crowd of course - and then stop when the crowd gets too thin.  People are often quick to drop out - especially older people (not always true of course - young people are sometimes too drunk to keep up as well). 

But most often, you have the two diehards who dance it out till the end.  And, with me... well I don't just dance it out to the end, I make sure to tell the band to keep going.  So, between dancing around in circles like a monkey and hopping up and down, I'm usually giving the band hand signals to SPEED UP!!!

(It's usually a bad idea since as soon as the song is over I collapse in a very unladylike manner - and spend about 10 minutes just trying to breathe normally).

Below are some clips.  One is a dance group doing the dance... its not too fast but its fun.  Another is me and my friend at her bday - note the crowd slowly step out- (I look like a fool but I was also quite drunk so don't laugh! oh ya, it was taken on a cell phone so while its great quality for a phone its actually pretty bad quality/sound) and third is this old Armenian guy doing scissor kicks like a 16 year old cheerleader and russian kicks like no other.  If you've ever tried the russian style squat kick thing... you know how difficult it is.

*WARNING: If you haven't heard Armenian music before, we like loud instruments which, to the untrained ear, sound like the most obnoxious thing in the world.  Thats just how we are folks.  Loud and obnoxious.