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Elizabeth and I have both performed individually at Renaissance Faires, but this was the first time our entire dance company had been hired by a Faire. Our plan was to provide street entertainment the first weekend of Faire and full stage shows the second weekend. We invited our friends Jinni Al Hawa to play for us and we rehearsed in earnest.
We expected the first weekend of Faire to be our easy weekend. With no prescribed schedule, I thought we'd dance maybe an hour or two in total the entire weekend. I was so wrong about that. Something about the Faire environment transforms Elizabeth into a bouncing ball of limitless energy, and her enthusiasm is infectious. I could not get her to stop dancing if I tried. The first day we danced and played for most of the day: at the front gate, in the gazebo, in front of the “Dawnship,” a Bedouin tent owned by our friends in Jinni Al Hawa.
On Sunday the members of Tribe Roman Morga dropped by our impromptu performance in a gazebo near the entrance to the Faire. Tribe Roman Morga is a Faire institution, portraying 15th to 16th century Gypsies through live music and dance. We introduced ourselves and chatted for awhile, and they invited us to share the stage with them for their last performance of the day. I was pleased to learn later that they had spoken highly of us to the Faire organizers.
Elizabeth helped get us on the Queen's schedule for the day with a pretty speech about how we, dancers from a faraway land, had a small token to present to Her Majesty. The herald teased me about not having a character name. While I have always tried to dance and dress appropriately for a Renaissance Faire, I've never taken a character name, nor has our company developed a story or attempted to recreate a particular time and culture. I hadn't anticipated the little bit of playacting that would come next.
At 1:15 we arrived at the Queen's court and waited to be presented. Unfamiliar with the protocol and hesitant to “speak forsoothly,” I asked Matt to speak on our behalf. However, as I'd already been introduced as the director, I was called on to speak. I don't believe I knelt three times as I'd been told to do and I'm sure my words were barely heard, but the Queen was courteous and funny. Elizabeth presented her gift of chocolate-covered cherries. Then we were permitted to dance for the Queen. I began with “Bir Demet Yasemen” (A Bouquet of Jasmine). I let go of my nervousness and lost myself to the meaning of the song: the memory of love lost. I overheard the Queen and her court chatting while I danced and at first I thought they were ignoring me. Then I realized that the Queen was commenting to her ladies on the expressiveness of my eyes and hands. Then she said, “Even her toes are expressive.” Now THERE is a testimonial.
Once I finished my dance and resumed kneeling, the Queen asked if we would help teach Sir Francis Drake to dance as well. Elizabeth's solo to “Aziza” became a comedy routine of Drake attempting to shimmy, and then chasing Elizabeth around until I blocked him. Trapped between the two of us, he cowered as first I, then Elizabeth menaced him with well-timed hip bumps.
We saw the Queen make her rounds several times during the rest of the Faire, and each time she saw us she would stop and call out to us that we were “all the talk of Court” and that “she looked forward to hearing the gossip about us.”
The following weekend we danced two thirty-minute shows a day on the Pavilion stage, each show a different set. These were the big events for which we'd spent so many hours preparing: selecting music, rehearsing, and sewing costumes. I tried my best to convince everyone to rest between shows, but it was to no avail. Nothing will stop the musicians from playing or Elizabeth from dancing. I was so pleased with how everyone performed. Laura's solo to "Zaina" displayed a whole new depth to her, especially nice since her mother was in the audience. Elizabeth was saucier than I've ever seen her. Matt bantered with the audience, taught them to say, “Aiwa!” and hustled for tips. Matt, Sarah, and Spike's musical skill and demeanor made dancing a delight. I found myself laughing out loud during every performance.
For more photos from the Escondido Renaissance Faire, check out our performance gallery.