Omahype: The Omaha Events Calendar

PHOTOS/WORDS: Shannon Claire

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The Clawfoot House held an exceptional show this past Saturday, July 9th: The Accordion Babes with Basharaat Dance Company and The Basement Burlesque group.

Hallie Marie and Morgan Fay of Basharaat Dance Company started the night twisting, bending and composing their bodies into tribal fusion moves that a typical two stepper would fall over to by just observing. The ladies of Basharaat focus their moves using yoga’s “Alexander Technique” — i.e. proper body awareness — and most importantly fun.

Basharaat offers belly dance classes on Sundays at 1323 N. 25th St. in Lincoln (near UNL downtown campus) and Wednesdays at 1637 Euclid Ave. #4 (just two blocks from Open Harvest Co-op). All classes are $7 each. You can find out class info and scheduled times on their Facebook page.

Burlesque’s Jessica Mullins, Jessica Lange, Meghan Lenihan and Corey Mckenna put a spell on the crowd and upped the level of steam that was already being generated by the full house on the top floor of Clawfoot. The Basement Burlesque is an ever-changing group of Lincoln locals who use movement and beautiful imperfections to draw your attention positively to today’s issues of sexuality, body image and overall state of well being. It could interpreted that some performers just have a message to express, but all-in-all they put on a show that left the crowd mesmerized and hypnotized waiting only to get rocked by The Accordion Babes.

Amber Lee Baker and Renee De La Prade are just two of the amazing San Francisco Bay Area accordionists that make up the Accordion Babes. The ladies embarked on their national month-long summer tour to promote the “Accordion Babes” calendar, an annual calendar of pinup photos of their friends and fellow female accordion players that just so happens to come with a compilation CD. Renee De la Prade started this calendar plus compilation CD in 2008, and the 2011 calendar features musicians exclusively from the Bay Area. Baker, Miss February, and De La Prade, Miss May, are showcased beautifully along with the other ten babes. You can get yours at http://accordionpinupcalendar.com and trust me, it looks great in the kitchen.

Baker and De La Prade played two small sets of foot-stomping, arm-stretching, hand-clappin’ jams that amazed the house. From Baker’s heartfelt accordion, loop-pedal, glockenspiel and odd percussion instruments to De La Prade’s foot stomping, harmonica playin’, and breathtaking wales of harmony and storytelling, these ladies don’t leave enough air for themselves let alone the crowd gasping from enjoyment. By far one of the most fun and impressive house performances I’ve been too, and I sure hope they swing back this way and more folks get a chance to be captivated.