About
Mirage first formed in 1975 and has been performing weekly or biweekly at the Texas Union ever since. Although the regular troupe members have changed over the years, Mirage itself has continued as one of the longest running belly dance performing venues in the country.‡
Wednesday night belly dancing at the Texas Tavern began in 1975 with featured dancers Karen Gillis Bailey, Charlotte Tedhams (Herzele), and Shirley Sklar, along with guest performers soloing each week at the “temporary” tavern on Speedway. the UT Student Union was closed for several years for remodeling. Remember the Chuckwagon fiasco, anyone? When the Tavern reopened in the Student Union, the Shirley Sklar Middle Eastern Dance Ensemble performed group choreographies each week. Shirley made popular the one-shouldered beledi dress and shimmy belt look. Shirley taught traditional Algerian style belly dancing through the Union Informal Class program. After Shirley left Austin in 1978, Dottie Dumas (Samia), Kathy Lewis, Pam Clement, and Laurie Fortieth Kennerly continued the troupe as the Austin Middle Eastern Dance Ensemble.
The scope and variety of dancing broadened as each new dancer added her own unique style. Upon moving to Dallas, Laurie Fortieth asked her student, Florence Hite (Nisaba) to take her place in the troupe and teach her class. Subsequently, as Dottie, Kathy, & Pam left, Melody McKye (Habiba), Laura Wilson (Leyla) and Rosemary Moore (Raxim) became members. Wanting a name that was less cumbersome, and easier to remember, the troupe changed “Middle Eastern Dance Ensemble” to “Mirage”, as displayed on a lovely black spangled banner fashioned by Rosemary. Solos were added to the program as well as group numbers, and the show was expanded to one hour long. A guest dancer was also featured each week. Costumes worn by the troupe became more flashy and presentations more elaborate as time went on and the members gained stage experience. A longstanding practice of having student recitals each semester has given new dancers from the Texas Union Informal Classes a great opportunity to be showcased. New troupe members were routinely picked from the bellydance Informal Classes.
Back in those days, it Mirage was a weekly show, all year long. Mirage managed to learn and perform a group choreography every week! Several of the regulars left Mirage in the fall of 1986, so Dusty Young and Patricia Herrera (Alexia) became troupe members. Lissa Anderson (Lizbet) joined the following January. In 1988 Mirage changed the format to include a guest dancer for the month as well as the weekly guest. Three new members joined them that spring: Millijon Crowell (Mila), Patricia Firey (Samandara) and Teresa Zapp (Azrah). As members came and went, Jeanette Cunningham (Jeanette) and Janet Braswell Daghri (Almazaah) joined. Other ladies who became part of the Mirage troupe experience include: Ana Maxwell, Pat Taylor, Roubina Abbassi-Stolpa, Patsy Scott (Patricia), Julieanne King, Nelly Guajardo (Noelia), Donna Martinez (Shaheen), Betsi Montgomery (Bahaia), Vonda Totten, Stacey Wuest (Anastasia/Lizette), Mandy Ballard (Najla Halim), and Tina Barrett.
Weekly Wednesday night performances continued through July 1993. At that time programming responsibility for the UT Tavern changed, and the future of Mirage was threatened. Thanks to an extensive letter writing campaign and petition, the shows were kept by popular demand. In September 1993 the performance night was changed to Thursday. The shows became bi-weekly in 1996. Though the years many guests have graced the Mirage stage. It is a venue that welcomes and supports “baby bellydancers” and many of the local dancers performed their first solos there!
As a troupe, Mirage has perhaps started more bellydancers through the UT Informal Classes than all the teachers in Austin combined. Because of the dedication and hard work of troupe members over the years, Austin has been very fortunate to retain a steady, unique bellydance performing venue. Mirage has continuously provided high quality belly dance entertainment. Mirage’s current troupe members include Florence, Jeanette, Chris Bailey (Najla), Leslie Holland (Leila), Rania Kandil (Rania), Sherry Mundell (Sherry), and Katherine White (Katarina).
You, your family, and your friends are invited to come and enjoy the art of belly dancing at our shows this semester - the culmination of 30 years of hard work, dedication, energy, talent, beauty and grace as exhibited by our members, both past and present.
‡ Written by Gerry Priest, OPA Newsletter, July 1987. Reprinted with permission.
