Rachel Lazarus Soto is the Blue Damsel, which has come to mean more than just dance. Blue D's inspiration encompasses many dance styles for a truly entertaining and though provoking experience. Blue Damsel performs primarilyTribal Style bellydance, but has also been known to foray into the world of old time dance numbers remeniscent of Busby Berkeley, as well as Asian Dance forms for which she has collaborated/created infamous performances. Rachel was also the founder/director of multi award-winning Devadasi World Fusion Dance, now disbanded. Rachel is co-founder of the Southern California based Tribal Café event.
Rachel Lazarus Soto has studied belly dance for more than seventeen years, and has performed and taught seminars nationally over the last fifteen years. Her concise teaching style shows clarity of thought and knowledge of movement and the body, allowing students to learn class and workshop material easily. Rachel originally studied American Cabaret Belly Dance for 9 years with Cory Zamora beginning in 1990. Toward the end of that time she was introduced to Tribal Belly Dance by Lydia Fortner of The Shroud and Tanjora Tribal Belly Dance. Rachel was one of the founding members of Tanjora Tribal Belly Dance and taught the first tribal style belly dance classes in the Central Valley alongside Lydia. In 2001, Rachel moved to Southern California and after a year of self discovery, Rachel began focusing on her development of improvisational Tribal Belly Dance.
Rachel holds a General Skills Certification of Fat Chance Belly Dance Technique with Carolena Nericcio (January 2007). Over the last two years Rachel has begun studying Asian dance forms including classical and folk Indian styles with Meera, Shawna Rai, and most recently DaVid of Scandinavia, as well as Far East Asian movement concepts with Shifu Newton of Tai Mantis Kung Fu, and Classical Japanese dance with Mihoko Powers. These recent influences can be readily seen in Rachel’s performances and choreographies.
This year Blue Damsel embarks on a new leg of her journey into dance. The start up of Moon Moth Managment begins the journey into helping those she admires reach their fullest potential, but doing one of the things she does best: managment. Moon Moth Management, representing the finest in Tribal Style Bellydance (and in the future, other 'alternative arts') will rely on the years of festival and event organization of Rachel Lazarus Soto, as well as touring/travel and workshop/performance experience, to take the burden of administration from her clients, and let them do what they do best: create and dance. While Moon Moth Management is in the early phases of its development, you can be sure that the clients and talent represented will continue to live up to the highest standards of excellence that you have come to know from Blue Damsel and events such as Tribal Cafe. Stay tuned for client list announcement.
“My favorite thing about your dancing is your arms and hands. They are so elegant and beautiful.” -- Rachel Brice, The Indigo
”I loved you on-stage at Tribal Con (2006). Unadulterated Mojo in motion!” -- Onca, Baraka Mundi
"No, Thank *you* Rachel, for your epic hotness." Bonnie Marguay-Burke
After two years of constant pollution from close friend Princess Farhana, Rachel is now entering a new phase in her dance career. Rachel has performed several times for Margaret Cho's Sensuous Woman, both as an Orientale dancer (in both senses of the word) and as a burlesque dancer. Rachel enjoys the creativity and the freedom of movement of Burlesque dance, and admittedly has become quite addicted to the sequens, swarovski's, and glitter, items commonly associated with such performances. Where else is a full-face respirator sexy?
About "Radioactive", Rachel's first Burlesque performance:
"This act is the perfect blend of spare post-modern apocalyptic vision, contrasted with the fleshly indulgence of the immediate present, framed against the perfect backdrop of 80's pop!" -- Renee du Jour, Everyone's Favorite Dish
"Oh my God! That was so sick!" Princess Farhana
As Rachel generally has too much free time, she also helps manage her husband's independent record label, Eventide Music Productions. She manages and tours with Solace Live, and serves in the fields of public relations, web mistress, sales, and many other tasks she'd rather not think of. Was it mentioned that she is also a Gemini? Explains alot, doesn't it?
Rachel would like to acknowledge the following people for their contributions to who she is:
Jeremiah M Soto, loving husband, for teaching me faith, strength, and unconditional love.
Falyn Lazarus, beautiful daughter, for just being.
Mom and Dad for always being there (even when I didn't want you to be!).
Politti Ashcraft, dance partner and friend, for your inspiration, beauty, and muppet voice.
Rheo Schuller, Honest friend, knowledgable calmer, always there when I need him.
Brigiett Bartell friend and truth sayer.
Mihoko Powers, beloved Japanese Dance Teacher.
Cory Zamora, my first teacher, thanks for showing me my path.
Tamara Johnson, The Center for Healthy Relationships, counselor
Michael Solakian, Dance Coach and mentor
Rachel
has also taken classes and/or workshops from the following teachers:
Cory Zamora, American Cabaret Bellydance
Brigiett
Musson (Bartell), Ballet and Jazz
Dalia Carella, Dunyavi Gypsy
Elena Lenti, Orientale
Momo Kadus, Folkloric/Orientale
Bert Balladine, Orientale
Aziza Said, Orientale
Paulette Rees-Denis, Gypsy Caravan, Tribal Improv
Rachel Brice, Isolations
Amy Sigil, Unmata, Hula Fusion/Layering
Zafira Dance Company, Rajastani Gypsy
Jazille, Domba!, African
Suhaila Salimpour, Jamila Salimpour Format, Zills
Kami Liddle, Isolations, Layering
Sabrina Fox, Atash Maya, Tribal Fusion Combos
Ayse Cerami, Sisterhood Dance Collective East, Tribal Fusion Combos
Dulcinea Myers-Newcomb, Gypsy Caravan, Tribal Veil
Ansuya, Indian Fusion Choreography
DaVid of Scandinavia, Classic Egyptian technique, Bhangra, and Bollywood
dances, mentor, coach, friend
Carolena Nericcio, Fat Chance Belly Dance, General Skills Certification
