TWYLA & the TWILIGHT STAR ENSEMBLE/DANCERS ™!

www.twylabellydance.com

www.twilightstarensemble.com

Twyla on the Cruise Ship Celebration Astoria Lounge Stage

 

Performance Web Site (Copyright protected 2005)

Contents

 Information

 Hot List

 Contact Information

 Current Projects

 Biographical Information

 Personal Interests

                   

  Bill, Twyla & Sam @ La Tazza Fresca                          Bill, Twyla, Sam & Lisa At La Tazza Fresca

THE DANCER & THE DRUMMER & OTHER MUSICIANS & DANCERS (Twyla & the Twilight Star Ensemble/Dancers (sm))

Twyla and the Awesome Billy G – perform for private parties, weddings, etc.; we make special appearances where wanted; Twyla can also perform to recorded music with musical enhancement or solo.  Other dancers and musicians join upon request.

Twyla and the Twilight Star Ensemble/Dancers (sm); Twyla, Sole Proprietor, Director, and Performer in Twilight Star Ensemble (sm)/Dancers; Twyla performs and directs the ensemble.  She pulls together a collective of musicians and dancers as needed for various venues and projects. We perform in restaurants and cafés, clubs, festivals, weddings, birthday parties, large production shows, and we are open to expand our horizons into new areas of collaboration with like minded individuals or groups.  We are also open to travel.

Performance Art – We are a performance art troupe who primarily perform cabaret fusion bellydancing set to live music of a Middle Eastern beat, using local musicians.

Twyla and the Twilight Star Ensemble perform regularly with other local musicians and dancers.

A poem was born of the March 12th2004 show

 From Kathleen Romana: Nuevo Onda:

Sitar and drums…seated on the floor, making …sultry music,dance…in the nights, soft, soft light…and with the sound of tinkling bells; one by one…the bellydancers graceful forms, fill the visual with color and fluid movement, rhythm, sparkling sequined…swirling smiles…floating veils, and joyful gyration, and they birth femininity, in a very masculine world…without any effort at all.

3/12/2004 6:29 p.m.

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Bill & Sam by Tim Willis @ La Tazza Fresca                

Bill @ La Tazza Fresca by Tim 2005                                                    Sam @ La Tazza Fresca by Tim 2005

 

Hot List (Friends & Associates of Twyla & the Twilight Star Ensemble) (there’s more…

http://www.abda.org/

 http://twilightstarensemble.com

http://www.losklezmeros.com

http://www.seanorr.com

 

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Contact Information

Twillyg@io.com

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Current Projects - CALENDAR OF EVENTS

2006 - Teaching private bellydance lessons by appointment only; convenient location. Contact Twyla at 512-971-0188 by phone or email twillyg@io.com; Ongoing Classes Mondays 7:30-8:30; 8:30-9:30 p.m.; Wednesdays 7:30-8:30 p.m. & Fridays 12:00-2:00 p.m. Call or write for location & directions; twillyg@io.com or call (512) 971-0188.  Rehearsals on scheduled Mondays from 8:30-9:30 and on scheduled Friday evenings!

ONGOING PROJECTS  Special Events Venue for Twyla & the Twilight Star Ensemble La Tazza Fresca, AUSTIN, TEXAS; art house coffee shop on Guadalupe Street; regular gig for Twyla & the Twilight Star Ensemble.  Call for information and send me your email address to be added to TwylasList, my mailing list. Watch for notices from Twylaslist.; First Show September 11, 2004; Third Thursdays (May-June-July 2005)@ La Tazza Fresca on Guadalupe Street.

DANCERS (STARS & GUESTS):  Twyla, Kiera, Lisa Bama, Leila, Roubina, Tamara, Stacy, and Aset

MUSICIANS (STAR & GUESTS): THE AWESOME BILLY G, SAM MOSES, TWYLA, LEILA, MARK KAPNER, GUY BEN MOSHE, CINDY HAWS, MANDY, CHRIS CORSBIE, GABRIEL, GINGER,  MELANY ROSE, SEAN ORR…

VIDEOGRAPHERS/PHOTOGRAPHERS:  Phillip Shurtleff, Mandy, Kathleen Romana, Tim Willis & the UT Photography Club, lots of friends and family members…

CAFÉ GIGS:  ALICE’S RESTAURANT, ARARAT MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT, CAFÉ MUNDI, CASTLEBERRY’S CAFÉ, GREEN MUSE, LA TAZZA FRESCA, MARAKESH (GUEST APPEARANCES), RUTA MAYA, TRIUMPH CAFÉ

FESTIVAL GIGS:

·        Artoutside.org (Enchanted Forest)

·        Austin Fine Arts (Art After Dark) Benefit for Austin Museum of Art & Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art

·        Chuy’s Giving Parade

·        City of Austin Trail of Lights

·        Excalibur Faire

·        First Night Austin (Inaugural Event 2005-2006)

·        Spring Pecan Street, Freescale International Stage

·        SRI Atmananda Lantern

·        SXSW Music Conference (Avante Garde Showcase)

CLUB GIGS:  ASTORIA LOUNGE (CARNAVAL CRUISE LINES), CAFÉ MUNDI (AUSTIN), CAUCAS CLUB (AUSTIN, TEXAS), RUTA MAYA (AUSTIN), THE WHISKEY BAR (AUSTIN), TAMBALEO (AUSTIN), TROPI GALA (SAN FRANCISCO)

                                                            ***SCHEDULE with Blog***                     ________________________________

SEPTEMBER 9, 2006 – TBA

AUGUST 2006 - TBA

JULY 2006 – TBA…

JUNE 2006 – Saturday and Sunday Evening Bellydance Show at a Local Restaurant, Live music Venue TBA

May 14, 2006 4:00-6:00 p.m. ALICE’S RESTAURANT, NIEDERLAND, TEXAS 512-376-2782 AliceHQ.com Special Guests with Spencer Perskin, Violinist…a legend in his own!

May 13, 2006 6:45 p.m. The McNeil Performing Arts Showcase; Twyla’s School of Bellydance, First Recital!

May 6, 2006 3:00-3:40 p.m. SPRING PECAN STREET FESTIVAL, Freescale International Stage @ 7th & Red River; Twyla & the Awesome Billy G, Sam, Mark Kapner, and Sean Orr…it’s the melody connection…

APRIL 9, 2006 – VIVI’S BELLYDANCE SHOW in Bryan, Texas at the Palace Theatre … Twyla & Bill – the drummer & the dancer…this is going to be great! We are closing the first half of the show!

APRIL 8, 2006Southeast Texas Swamp Romp…Private Party…Annual Birthday Party …We can do yours too…Shrimp & Crawfish Boil…


APRIL 7, 2006 – Photo shoot with Kyle K. King…yep! You heard it!

APRIL 3, 2006 NEW BELLYDANCE CLASSES BEGIN AT 7:30-8:30 p.m. in Leander, Texas. Call Twyla for more information.

APRIL 2, 2006-6:00-8:00 p.m. Dinner Party with the Los Klezmeros Twyla Dancing!

APRIL 1, 2006 9:15 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Austin Fine Arts Festival, Art After Dark Inaugural Event, Benefit for the Austin Museum of Art and the Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art, Twyla & Bill with Sam!  Our improvisational art show for the artists! Twyla is flying in for this one! Don’t miss her debut of her lavender wings!

MARCH 25, 2006 5:30-6:15 p.m. ART OUTSIDE (www.artoutside.org)  ENCHANTED FOREST, Main Stage, Entertainers as art Twyla & the Twilight Star Ensemble; Twyla & Bill will announce hot new ensemble guests! Twyla & Bill, Sam, and Sean Orr…

MARCH 18, 2006 WEDDING PARTY TONIGHT! Unavailable; double booked Los Klezmeros @ Triumph

March 17, 2006 Artoutside, Enchanted Forest, Support the benefit for Artoutside; MUTAYTOR & SANGRE DEL SOL & BARUZALAND…

MARCH 4, 2006 8:00P.M. Zahirah Noor’s MOROCCO GALA SHOW in Houston, Texas; Twyla & Bill the Dancer & the Drummer Duet; “the lovely and talented Almaazah performed as well as Vivi!”  It was good to be home!

FEBRUARY 21, 2006 ARTEMIS Turkish Romany Workshop, Austin, Texas

FEBRUARY 14, 2006 BELLYDANCE SUPERSTARS SHOW AT THE CARVER FINE ARTS CENTER IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS; Twyla Street Team Member; Janie went with us (She was a bellydancer in the 60s; she’s 79 now! Not too many of them around any more says she! Love her!)

FEBRUARY 11, 2006 Louis Meyers’ International Folk Alliance Conference is in town!

JANUARY 21, 2006 TRIUMPH CAFÉ, 7:00-9:00 PM; Bill’s playing with the Los Klezmeros; Twyla & Lisa Bama dancing with the Los Klezmeros

JANUARY 14, 2006 LA TAZZA FRESCA  SECOND SATURDAY SHOW; 8:00-10:00 PM; Call for auditions! Thank you for all of your interests!  We’re excited about the future possibilities of upcoming shows!

DECEMBER 31, 2005 8:45-9:15, 9:30-10:00 Inaugural Event of FIRST NIGHT AUSTIN, NEW YEAR’S EVE GIG! @ 301 Congress. Twyla & the Twilight Star Ensemble engaged in a lovely downtown art event of the first kind!  Twyla, Bill & Sam!

Twyla @ 301 Congress 12/31/05

 

DECEMBER 31, 2005 Guest appearance (after our FIRST NIGHT AUSTIN showcase at 301 Congress) on a shimmy medley by Twyla (& her Gold Go Go Boots) with Dangerous Dana (Austin’s Go Go Girl) & the Freddie Steady5 on the Paramount Stage

”for grins!”  Twyla with Dangerous Dana & Freddy Steady5 Paramount Theatre 12/31/2005…What fun!

DECEMBER 10, 2005 9:30 P.M. PRIVATE BIRTHDAY PARTY PERFORMANCE AT CASAROYAL; Twyla & Bill & Sam

DECEMBER 10, 2005 7:00 P.M.  REHEARSAL FOR FIRST NIGHT AUSTIN @ 301Congress; Christmas decos up, beautiful!

DECEMBER 1, 2005 THE PINK EXPERIENCE @ First Thursday in So Co (attended); King Crimson (the 80s version) drummer was there; cool pictures of all his percussion instruments…

DECEMBER 1, 2005 NIGHT OF THE FIRST PARTY @ STEPHEN F. AUSTIN HOTEL. Twyla led the processional into the ballroom performing to the Djembabes (wonderful all women drummers); awaiting pictures by David Grimes, photographer…

NOVEMBER 26, 2005 WEDDING DANCE FOR THE BRIDE & THE GROOM,  the Rose Room @ the Westchase Marriott, Houston, Texas, Twyla & Bill performed

NOVEMBER 18, 2005 TAMBALEO. Twyla danced with Bill on drum and Sam Moses on violin

NOVEMBER 12, 2005 10:00-11:30 P.M. - LA TAZZA FRESCA  SECOND SATURDAY SHOW

OCTOBER 27, 2005 MIRAGE UT CAMPUS Bringing Twyla & the Twilight Star Ensemble to the Mirage Stage; “Kindhearted”a modern Arabic & Nubian dialect pop tune…for Halloween…it was a success!  My girlfriends came to see me dance!  And my kind hearted man!

OCTOBER 8, 2005 LA TAZZA FRESCA  8:00-10:00 P.M. SECOND SATURDAY SHOW; great show; After our regular set of bellydance, we did a tribute to the sounds and passion behind New Orleans music…with Mark K- on clarinet and Billy G on the brushes…and Twyla dancing to the rhythm of the beat… a special to see! 

SEPTEMBER 10-11, 2005 LA TAZZA FRESCA 10:00 P.M.-1:00 A.M. FIRST ANNIVERSARY SHOW! Thank you La Tazza Fresca for supporting live music bellydancing in Austin Texas!  Featuring Twyla’s Production & Dancing with the Awesome Billy G on percussion, Horn-Man Mark K on clarinet and saxophone, Sweet Sam on violin, and the lovely dynamic Lisa Bama dancing for us!

August 29, 2005 Certificate of Trademark or Service Mark Registration for TWYLA & THE TWILIGHT STAR ENSEMBLE (Twyla is performer and director of the Twilight Star Ensemble (sm); received from the State Of Texas for services providing dance and music entertainment for the public.

August 10, 2005 8:00 P.M. ARARAT MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT 111 E. North Loop; Performed with drummer and Sean Orr on Oud & Violin!

August 13, 2005 10-12 P.m. LA TAZZA FRESCA; Dancing – Twyla, Stacy & Lisa; Music by Bill, Sam & Ginger (guest drummer)

July 31, 2005 SAN DIEGO CALIFORNIA: LUXOR Attended “A Summer Night of Raqs Sharqi” honoring Mahmoud Reda of Egypt (THEY HAD A GREAT DANCE PARTYAFTERWARDS); Also went to NATASHA PAPOUSEK’S CELTIC ENSEMBLE SHOW in the Hillcrest Area in the Old Trolley Barn Park – what an interesting experience!  They have a bones player and a tin whistle…now how often do you get to see and hear this?

July 21, 2005 LA TAZZA FRESCA (THIRD THURSDAY) Twyla & Leila dancing and playing zills to Bill & Sam’s Music

July 11, 2005 SARAH DINAN’S BIRTHDAY PARTY Rania & I danced at this party

June 12, 2005 THOM THE WORLD POET’S BIRTHDAY PARTY.  I took the band

June 11, 2005 LA TAZZA FRESCA 8-10 P.M. Dancers for this evening: Twyla, Stacy, and June Parr

MAY-JUNE-JULY 2005 THIRD THURSDAYS: MAY (TWYLA, BILL & SAM); JUNE [Aset] (TWYLA & BILL); JULY (TWYLA, BILL , SAM & LEILA)

APRIL 9, 2005, ARTOUTSIDE.ORG collaborative project with Thom the World Poet & the Ruta Maya Poetry Karaoke group

Twyla @ ArtOutside.Org …“So you ARE a dancer!

March 19, 2005 SXSW 2005: THE WHISKEY BAR 303 W. 5TH STREET 11:00 P.M. Feature dancer with Black Sun Ensemble in the Avante Garde Showcase of SXSW 2005; many thanks to BSE for their support; pictures below John Paul Marchand, percussionist & Brian with Twyla @ the Whiskey dancing her act!

    John Paul Marchand & Eric Johson & Twyla (On the porch)

Twyla in Action @ The Whiskey SXSW 2005 Saturday Night Avante Garde Showcase 11:00 p.m.

March 18, 2005 ARTOUTSIDE.ORG PROJECT @ THE ENCHANTED FOREST 8:00 P.M. Collaborative Project with Thom the World Poet & the Poetry Karaoke Group

March 15, 2005 RUTA MAYA POETRY KARAOKE with Thom the World Poet & Lots of Others

March 8, 2005 RUTA MAYA POETRY KARAOKE with Thom the World Poet & Lots of Others

February 12, 2005, LA TAZZA FRESCA ; Second Saturday Showcase; Twyla & Lisa danced this evening on the verge of Valentine’s Day!

December 21, 2004, TRAIL OF LIGHTS, ABA gig; Twyla performed this night to Natasha Atlas’ “kidda”.

December 4, 2004, LA TAZZA FRESCA, regular gig only earlier in the month due to holidays and other gigs!

November 27, 2004, CHUY’S CHILDRENS GIVING PARADE, downtown Austin, Texas; Twyla & Bill danced and drummed with the Austin Bellydance Association in support of this annual fundraiser for needy children. Twyla was Scrapbook Editor for the ABA 2004-2005. 

November 20, 2004, LA POSADA, Lucila’s grand opening of her hill country retreat! Twyla & the Twilight Star Ensemble with Twyla, Bill and Sam played for the audience this night!

November 12, 2004, 8:00 p.m. THE GREEN MUSE, Eshta’s gig; Twyla, Bill and Mark K- opened Eshta’s act this evening in a spirit of giving to the bellydance and music community; great collaborative effort on everybody’s part! Wonderful show! Lots of fun! 

November 12, 2004, 5:30-6:30 p.m. CASTLEBERRY’S CAFÉ on Barton Springs, BELLYDANCE HAPPY HOUR with Twyla and the Twilight Star Ensemble with Twyla, Bill and Mark. 

November 5, 2004 - 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. - DESSERT PASSION MIDDLE EASTERN DANCE THEATRE @ Casa De Luz, 1701 Toomey, Austin, Texas. Twyla & Bill are the feature act for this evening of bellydancing in a macrobiotic community. No smoking. No drinking environment. Children are welcome! Twyla & Bill performed with the newly formed BMG Exotic Music Trio (Bill Mark Guy Exotic Music Trio) this night!  Bill on djembe, Mark on clarinet, and Guy on mandolin. It was interesting! We were sparkly! Big birthday bash also for Guy and Mark!

November 1, 2004, Twyla attended the BELLYDANCE SUPERSTARS Show at MOMO’s in Austin, Texas. Wow! What a show!  I want to be a superstar!  Talk about inspiring! 

October 31, 2004, 1:00-4:00 p.m. Twyla attended RACHAEL BRICE workshop; this was my first official exposure to Rachel Brice and her style of “tribal bellydance”; Rachael runs a wonderful workshop based on yoga postures with Indian hands and bellydance locks, drops, and moves.  Very good workshop!

October 29, 2004, 7:00-9:00 p.m. TRIUMPH CAFÉ. Twyla dancing with Lisa and the Los Klezmeros; No where but Austin folks – bellydancing to klezmer music in a Vietnamese Restaurant in Northwest Hills! Great food! Great band! Great people! Great place! Check it out!

October 23, 2004 8:00-10:00 p.m. LA TAZZA FRESCA. Twyla & The Twilight Star Ensemble/Dancers with Twyla and Leila dancing cabaret fusion bellydance to live music by Bill on percussion and Sam on violin.

October 15, 2004 5:30-6:30 p.m. CASTLEBERRY’S CAFÉ, Bellydance Happy Hour with Bill & Mark with Lisa & Twyla dancing; great venue, really wonderful people who own and work in the café.  Highly recommended!

October 1-10, 2004. SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA.  TROPIGALA performance by Twyla; also took tribal classes from the GODMOTHER OF TRIBAL BELLYDANCE – JILL PARKER and Company; fantastic instructor and instruction in a wonderful dance studio in the Mission District (learned Arabic partner passes and returned to Austin to instruct local tribal dancers & teachers on how do them); Met Reda Darwish at his shop in the Mission District; Ate great food at Café Amira and met Sammy Samir (lead dancer in Ultra Gypsies); attended one of the Ultra Gypsies initimate shows in the Mission District on the Deshret stage (what a HOT HOT HOT show and a wonderful exciting fun filled night in San Francisco!)

September 11, 2004 - 8:00-10:00 p.m. - LA TAZZA FRESCA, 519 W. 37th Street, Austin, Texas. Come join us for an evening of cabaret bellydancing with the Twilight Star Dancers - Twyla, Lisa & Kiera.; Show will be live and recorded music! Bill and Mark will be our musicians for the evening. Recorded and interviewed by Austin Nights TV

September 10, 2004 - 5:30-6:30 p.m. CASTLEBERRY'S CAFÉ, 1025 Barton Springs Road, Austin, Texas. Come join Twyla and Lisa at the Cabaret Bellydance Happy Hour in a kasbah setting with live music by the awesome and fabulous Billy G on dumbek and djembe with the dynamic, melodius Mark Kapner on reeds accompanied by the wonderfully sensitive Sam on violin. 2006: Castleberry’s isn’t there any more! They were too sweet!

August 6-8, 2004 - Attending Bahaia's Red Hot Seminar with Tamra Henna of California;Tamra Henna

July 31, 2004 - Lucila's Blue Moon Celebration. I opened to my Hossam Ramzy Act "Crack of Dawn" and the "Tabla Solo"

July 11, 2004 - Austin, Texas - Birthday Party Baby! Danced for Sarah Dinan & Tyler Buttrill and their lovely & talented guests! We literally stopped traffic that night! Bill played masterfully! We were inspired! It was one of the hippest and most appreciative audiences we have ever seen! They were great! Sarah even joined me in a double back bend! You should see the pic! Maybe you will! I love an Austin crowd!

June 13, 2004 - Carnival "Celebration" Cruise. Talent Show. Twyla's dance became the entertainment for the remainder of the cruise after the talent show on the closed circuit television. She performed for several thousand people. The showroom was full to capacity! The "Astoria Lounge" is the most beautiful stage of which I have ever performed. The feeling of the spot light following me as I traveled across the large semi oval stage was magnificent! Oh to have the feeling again…the sound system and crew were perfect; the lighting crew were outstanding, and the band was "too die for". But I came prepared to dance my Hossam Ramzy show: "Crack of Dawn" and the "Tabla Solo"…. But that spot light following me was it! You have all heard about it, but too experience it was something wonderful in deed!

June 5, 2004 - Reserved Private Performance - Zein Al Jundi's Dance Recital - Solo & Group Performances with the girls from the classes I take at Zein's. We performed two numbers, one was a cane act. They were cute choreographies. I danced my solo act to Hossam Ramsy's Faddah - "Crack of Dawn" and "Tabla Solo"

 June 4, 2004 - DESSERT PASSION MIDDLE EASTERN BELLYDANCE THEATRE, Casa de Luz, 1701 Toomey Avenue, Guest Dancer & Musician; I love dancing on this stage. This night, I was privileged to have Bill on drums, and Mark Kapner on Clarinet as my band. Mark played a Malaguena for me. Unfortunately, Mark is not in this picture, but Bill is. Hands of Fatima are in the background.

May 15, 2004 San Antonio, Texas. "EVERYBODY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY" for JAMES STEWART

May 14, 2004 - NUEVA ONDA RESTAURANT Guests: Drakon, Sahira, Meredith & Hands of Fatima and Twyla's Birthday! Last Show for Nueva Onda; closing the bellydance show at this venue! And the poets went too! With this …

DANCING AND SINGING FOR THE ANGELS

By Thom the World Poet with adaptations

by Twyla Grace & Wendy Woodruff

 

We are privileged to be alive--

To have dance, and voice, and song, and poem and light!

We are lucky to be here tonight!

Many a dancer has stopped dancing; many a poet clammed up; many a song bird stopped singing

Given the game up, stood us up

Because they see no point in beaming…

Why bother? They chant--

As if that ever stopped a dance

From re-enacting its eternal steps

Within us and around us.

So we prance like ponies for the joy of it--

For the freedom that comes when we affirm

Every syllable of our dreaming is a smile

And others join us-after a while!

THOM & TWYLA &WENDY MAY 16, 2004

 

April 14, 2004 - CAUCAS CLUB -8:30-10:00 p.m. Twyla Guest Dancer, Red River @ 10th downtown Austin; I danced this night with Sonya of Eshta and Yasmin!

April 9, 2004 - NUEVA ONDA RESTAURANT: Guests – Lisa Bama, Sweet Lorraine, Tamara, & Mary Beth with Gary (performance art)

April 8, 2004 - MIRAGE @ UT CAMPUS, Twyla solo performance at 7:30 p.m. I danced to "Crack of Dawn" & a "Tabla Solo" by Hossam Ramzy's FADDAH. Beautiful music, very lyrical!

March 28, 2004 - Excalibur Fest - Smithville, Texas - Hafleh Feature with the Hands of Fatima, 2:30 p.m. Show

March 23, 2004 - RUTA MAYA, Benefit, Performed with Nelson Saga & The Weapons of Soul Band, World Beat Music

March 12, 2004 - NUEVA ONDA RESTAURANT GUESTS: Chamaigne Montana, Chris Corsbie, Sabira, Mandy's All Girl Band; collaborative project with Thom the World Poet! Thom MC'd for me when I entered!

March 5, 2004 - DESSERT PASSION MIDDLE EASTERN DANCE THEATRE, "Guest Dancer & Musician", Casa de Luz 1701 Toomey, Austin, Texas; We were featured at the end of the show this night. We really loved performing and were both insinct this night. We were called at 3 p.m. and asked to dance there that night. We had fun! Why not? Says Bill & I!

 

Personal Interests:  my pets (human and animal),birding, canoeing, dancing, gardening (growing my greens), kayaking, traveling, cooking, research of all kinds, studying new things, organizing projects

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Last Revised: March 12, 2006