Here I am as  Daniella Noir the Gypsy Queen at the 5th Annual Texarkana Renaissance Faire this weekend.

In case you didn't already know I created and directed Texarkana's renaissance faire for four years and "retired" so I could focus on my health and family. I didn't quit completely though. Since I handed the faire over to a friend, I stayed around to help him get started as the new owner.

Now that I'm just assistant director I was free to do pretty much whatever I wanted.

I didn't have to walk miles and miles back and forth to collect money from the ticket booth.

I didn't have to calm angry patrons.

I didn't have to pay entertainment fees and utility bills.

I got to do what I've always wanted to do:

PERFORM AT A RENAISSANCE FAIRE!

Last year I tried to dance a little bit but I was so out of shape, I could barely make it through a whole song. On top of that I was already having to run back and forth to do important "owner things" so I was pretty darn worn down.

I started working on getting into better shape and building my dance endurance several months ago and it paid off big time. It was hot as Hades (in the mid-90s) and a few of my gypsies had to leave early from heat exhaustion (and other cast members as well) but I made it!

I danced in the heat with ease but the face sweating made me pretty miserable. Under my fuchsia headscarf is a bandanna that's been folded several times to catch sweat but that did nothing for my temples, nose and upper lip though. I was dripping sweat all dang day. I kept having to reapply my eyebrows and I had an allergic reaction to all my jewelry.

But I still had fun!

I wasn't really able to do any fancy Russian style skirt dancing like I practiced because of the over-skirt and belt pouches so I belly danced and threw in a few Romanian dance moves I've picked up from the internet. 

And here are my babies! Finally old enough to join mommy in the gypsy camp. YAY!

Here's a four second video of me dancing I found on Facebook.

More photos to come soon!