JUST SHIMMY ~ Adventures in Bellydancing

Wanna go pro? Watch this!

2012-02-01T08:52:00.000-08:00

I'll be posting a series of videos here, by Florida bellydance instructor Nathalie Zarate (http://www.dreamsbellydnce.com/) on how to become a professional bellydancer - the RIGHT way. There's some great information in these videos, nothing that should be new to anyone already pro or seriously considering it, but still great to have all in one, easily-accessible, place.

Enjoy!

First Ever Workshop Series!

2011-11-01T12:57:00.000-07:00

I am super excited to announce this news....the Daniela Dance Company is Proud to Present:

Beyond the Basics: Bellydance Workshop Series

Four workshops with two great instructors!

November 12th – Ballet for Bellydancers with Jennifer

Students will use modified ballet techniques to help increase balance, fluidity, flexibility, strength and grace. Ballet is widely understood to be a foundational movement style, and cross-training in ballet provides structure and body awareness that is beneficial to all levels of belly dancer. This workshop will focus on ballet technique that is most useful to a belly dancer, and will include bellydance combinations integrating ballet-inspired moves and postures.

December 10th – Dancing with Zills with Daniela

Students will drill different rhythms and patterns for playing zills (finger cymbals). Different dance combinations to accompany new zill patterns will also be taught. Basic zill ability (competence with the R-L-R/gallop pattern) is recommended but not required. Please bring your own zills.

January 14th – Advanced Sword Choreography with Jennifer

Students will learn a complex sword choreography, with new and innovative “tricks” that can be used in choreography or improvisation. Students should have a basic competence with sword balancing. Please bring your own sword.

February 11th – Raks Al Assaya (Cane) Choreography with Daniela

Learn a complete cane choreography to the classic Egyptian song, Luxor Baladna, and add an authentic cultural element to your shows. A basic competence in dancing with cane is recommended but not required. Students must bring their own cane.

The more workshops you attend, the more you save!

One workshop: $30 in advance ($40 at the door)

Two workshops: $25 each (total $50) in advance ($35 each at the door)

Three workshops: $22 each (total $66), in advance ($30 each at the door)

All four workshops: $20 each (total $80), in advance ($25 each at the door)

Pay for all workshops now, or pay as you go – amount paid will be applied to the “total amount due” as you continue to register for more workshops

All workshops will begin at 4:00 and last for 2 hours. Workshops will be held at Queens Dance Project, located at 214-26, 41st Avenue in Bayside.

To Register, contact Daniela at 347-782-3616 or danielabellydance@yahoo.com

The best students make the best teachers

2011-09-27T12:33:00.000-07:00

After another fabulous weekend of workshops with Aradia of Las Vegas, I've been thinking about what it is exactly that makes her workshops so fabulous. Comparing them to other dancers I've had the opportunity to learn from, I think it comes down to one major thing - where most dancers present "dance moves" to you, Aradia presents the dance, along with its context.

Let me give an example of what I mean - Dancer X may explain a move like so: "This is a hip circle, but it only goes to the front, so push to the front and then contract back in before you start to circle back." Aradia, however, will say "This is a hip circle that only goes to the front. We do it this way when we are dancing in the style of the Golden Era, because the dancers back in those days considered pushing their butts to the back to be vulgar. So, before you start to circle around to the back, contract back in to center."

Or, Dancer X might say "now we are going to do tush pushes to the left." Aradia would say "Now we will do Mona's gooey tush pushes to the left. Mona El Said does these while looking over her shoulder at her hip; she's very flirtatious with this step so that is how we will do it."

Just looking at the notes Aradia hands out after every class, you can see they contain not just the descriptions of dance moves, but the names of the dancers to whom the signature move belonged. Learning a choreography from Aradia means you are also learning the history, culture, and context of the dance.

Aradia is the ultimate student. She absorbs information from dancers all over the globe, and spanning across generations, and is able to pass that information on to her own students. It makes for a so much more of a rich class, when you can learn more than just a dance move, but the who, what, how and why of that move as well.

Bellydancing and....Italian food?!

2011-09-16T10:02:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's right - come see me and members of the Daniela Dance Company performing at Cascarino's in Bayside on October 10th, and enjoy a delicious dinner (Italian food, of course!) as well!

Tickets are $30 and include the show, dinnner, dessert, and non-alcoholic drinks.

Buy tickets below! (name will be held for reservation - you will not receive an actual ticket).

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Name (for reservation)

Back to (Dance) School!

2011-09-09T12:16:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you all, but I am itching to get back to dance class! Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a little time off; it's nice to have all of my evenings free to hang out with my daughter and my husband. But by the beginning of September, I'm ready to DANCE again!

Please join me for a new season at one of my classes (listed below). There will be all new choreographies, new music, and new and improved warm-ups! So, don't miss out!

All classes resume next week (9/12).

Mondays, 7:30 - American Dance and Drama Studio (188-22 Union Tpk, Fresh Meadows)
*Open level class (please note there is no seperate intermediate class at this time. HOWEVER, if there is a demand for it, it will be reinstated. So, if you would like the intermediate class to resume, you MUST come to this open level class or else they will never know that there are serious students interested in the intermediate level. Intermediate level will resume as soon as there is demand demonstrated, so come to class as soon as possible so that we can have the intermediate class back quickly!!)

Wednesdays, 7:00 - Queens Dance Project (NEW location - 214-26 41st Ave, Bayside)
*Open level class (stay for Zumba after and get a discount!)

Sundays, 10:00am - Ultimate Fitness (26-50 Brooklyn Queens Expressway, Woodside) (formerly BQE Gym)
*Cardio belly/Open level

I'm also teaching yoga at 7:30 on Monday mornings at Queens Dance Project (address above). This is a mixed-levels vinyasa style class; no experience necessary and all are welcome!

I hope to see you in class soon!

The information on my website is currently slightly out-of-date (stay tuned for a BRAND NEW website coming soon!), so email me with any questions!

When is it lying?

2011-07-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

In a dancer's bio, she often lists the teachers she has studied under in the past, particularly if they are "big names," to give others a sense of what style she is, how much knowledge she has, and how much time she has put into her bellydance education. Of course, the general public, reading a bio, will not know (or likely care) who the dancer has studied with, but other dancers will. And the general public will like to see that a dancer has a broad dance background, even if they don't have any clue who the particular teachers are.

But my question is this - when does a teacher "qualify" to be listed on a dancer's bio? In other words, how long/often do you need to take classes or private lessons with a teacher before you can put them in your bio as someone you've "studied under"?

In my own bio, I only list two teachers by name, because those are the only two teachers who I have spent a significant amount of time with. I studied with my first teacher, Amira Mor, for two years. I danced in her company, I was in her DVDs, and she was basically my first and only intro to bellydance for quite a while. I studied with my second teacher, Alyne, for much less time, but her impact on my dance and my style is just a great, if not more so, than Amira's. I was with Alyne for three months, while living in California with my boyfriend/now husband. I attended classes twice a week and had several private lessons with her.

I consider these two women my "teachers," worthy of being in my bio as dancers who have trained me and shaped the way I dance. I've taken lots of workshops over the years, with "big name" dancers like Suhaila, Fathiem, Jillina, Nourhan Sharif, and of course Aradia, whom I host in NYC every year. But I wouldn't include any of these dancers in my bio, because I haven't actually "studied" under them - in my opinion, one or even two, workshops does NOT equal "studying under." If the teacher doesn't even know your name, doesn't know your individual needs as a student and doesn't help you on an individual basis, you haven't studied under them. (Hmm....since I will now be hosting Aradia for the third time this September, maybe she does qualify as someone I've studied under at this point. I'll have to think about that one!).

That's just my personal opinion. BUT.....I've seen loads of bios where dancers list basically every "big name" bellydancer as someone they've studied under. It's clear to other dancers that these dancers have only taken a workshop or two, at most, from these dancers, because it would be impossible to meaningfully study under all of them. But that's how it's portrayed in the bio; there are no disclaimers given. I've seen this happen in varying degrees - people who list loads of dancers, as well as people who will list only one or two dancers, but I personally know that those dancers were just in town for one workshop, and that's the "training" that the bio references.

I think it's false advertising to list dancers in your bio unless you have really, meaningfully studied under them. OR, unless you clearly state that your exposure to that dancer was a one-off workshop. Again, I'm not sure how much impact this all has on the general public, so maybe it doesn't really matter. But I think it all goes back to professionalism, which relates directly to truth in advertising. You don't want to create hype around yourself that you can't live up to!

What do you think?

Zumba class killed the bellydance star....

2011-06-23T11:39:00.000-07:00

Well, not the bellydance star, but possibly the bellydance class....

As a bellydance instructor, I have felt the effects of this extremely popular exercise "fad," and I don't mean on my waistline. I mean in my classes. Ever since Zumba has become "the" thing to do, I've noticed that less and less students are showing an interest in, and signing up for, bellydance classes.

Here's are my thoughts on why this is happening.....

Lots of women come to bellydance with the goal of doing something fun while getting in some exercise as well. Most students do not start a bellydance class with the hopes of one day "going pro." They like the dance, it's fun, and it can help get them in shape. Additionally, most people these days are feeling a pinch in their wallets, and probably don't have the money to sign up for multiple recreational classes a week. As great as a bellydance class is, it is still a DANCE class. And if your goal is to get fit, a bellydance class alone is not going to help you. You need to take an EXERCISE class.

That's when Zumba might seem like the perfect answer - it's a great workout, but you also get to "dance," which appears to be the perfect compromise to the student who wants to take a dance class for fun, but also wants to get in shape.

I'll admit it, I like Zumba. I take Zumba classes frequently. But let's be clear about one thing - Zumba is not dance. More and more often, I have people who tell me they know how to "bellydance" and then when I ask who they take classes with, they tell me they do "bellydance" in their Zumba class. ::smacks forehead::

Zumba is a follow-the-bouncing-butt type of exercise class. It's not dance. It's fun for what it is, but please don't confuse it with learning any form of dance - be it Latin, belly, hip hop (and speaking of hip hop, according to a hip hop instructor I know, those classes are also being negatively affected by the Zumba craze as well). Take it for exercise, but if you want to actually LEARN to dance, take a dance class.

With the Zumba craze being as large as it is right now, it's hard to picture it every waning. Will it eventually go the way of Jazzercise in the 80's, and Tae Bo in the 90's, and loose it's popularity? Maybe. If history is to tell us anything, then probably. But one thing's for certain - bellydance is an art form that has been around longer than any exercise fad, and it isn't going anywhere.

Buy tickets for Daniela's 6th Annual Student Showcase here!

2011-04-09T10:07:00.000-07:00

Our Sixth Annual Student Showcase is on May 7th, at Frank Sinatra School in Astoria, Queens. Doors open at 7:00pm. Don't miss it, buy your tickets now!

Just follow the link below!

Getting back into the swing of things

2011-02-02T10:35:00.000-08:00

In September, I had my beautiful baby girl, Gabriella. During my pregnancy, I had delusions of being back to my "fighting weight" very quickly after giving birth, and being able to get back out to gigging soon after.

Sadly, that is not the case! The baby weight is coming off much slower than I had thought it would, and as a result, I haven't yet restarted my advertising. I feel like it is false advertising to show pictures of myself on my website looking one way, and then show up to the gig looking entirely different.

I have a gig this weekend - a first birthday party for a former client, and I've explained the baby thing! - and I am very excited to be getting back in the saddle. Although I had hoped my return to performing would have been much quicker, I'm happy to be back, at any rate!

Any other moms out there returning to professional performing? How long did it take?

New Fall Class Schedule!

2010-09-05T21:06:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again...summer is almost over and fall is in the air. Sure, it's sad when summer ends, but the good news is that fall classes will be beginning soon! I have a new schedule this fall, so please check below to see which class is right for you!

Also, I will be out on maternity leave for the month of September. The BQE Sunday morning class will continue to be subbed by Suneydis (Friday mornings are canceled until October), and the American Dance and Drama and Queens Dance Project classes will be subbed by Salit, an amazing and talented dancer (check out her video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQRpAr9J63o&feature=search). Salit has extensive performance and teaching background and September will be a great month for you to learn something completely new! I know she has a lot of great material planned for you all, so be sure to check out her classes!

Classes begin September 13th!! (Sunday BQE classes are ongoing). The new fall schedule is as follows:

Mondays - American Dance and Drama Studio (188-22 Union Tpk, Fresh Meadows)
7:30 - Beginner (PLEASE NOTE new day and time!)
8:30 - Intermediate (PLEASE NOTE new time!)

Wednesdays, Queens Dance Project (34-57 Francis Lewis Blvd, Bayside)
8:00 - Open level (all are welcome!)

Fridays - BQE
ON HOLD until October

Sundays - BQE
10:00am - Cardio belly/Open level

Contact information for all studios is on my website - www.danielabellydance.com/classes. Contact the studios directly with any questions regarding pricing and package discounts!

Enjoy the rest of your summer and I will see you in the fall!!

Calling all Bellydancing Moms!

2010-06-03T09:17:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't already know, I am 6.5 months pregnant and expecting a little girl in late August. I have not danced professionally since I started showing at about three months. I am feeling very out of the game. I performed at my student showcase, and I still teach my classes, but as far as gigs go.....I haven't been able to do any of those since February. I am hoping to get back into performing shape soon after the baby is born, but that's not what's worrying me. I feel like being a pro bellydancer is a constant game of keeping your name out there, staying in the public eye, and building your repuation. And after all is said and done, I won't have done any of that for about a year!

Ladies, I need to know how you do it! How did you get back into gigging after the babies were born? Was it totally different? I know I really can't go back to the levels that I used to, with multiple gigs each weekend - I was never home! I will need to scale it back somewhat, I know. But how to I even get back to the point where scaling back is an option? How do I let everyone know "Ok world! The baby has been born and I am ready to dance at your parties again! Come hire me!" :-)

How did you do it?? Share your tips, please! And just for kicks, here's a picture of me from a gig a few years ago. I forgot I had it!

I broke my own rule!

2010-05-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

I was just reading back through some old blog posts, and I saw this one, where I said I always felt that I needed to have a choreography ready if I was performing on stage (as opposed to the usual improv I do at a restaurant or party).

Well....I broke my own rule! I did an improv performance - ON STAGE! - at my latest student showcase. It wasn't so much by choice - I would have preferred choreographing something but I just didn't really have time to do so this year. So, I grabbed a veil, put on one of my tried and true songs, and just....made it up as I went along!
I think my biggest fear was going up on stage and blanking out - which is funny because I always say that if you blank out and forget your choreography, you can just switch to improv. I guess if you blank out when you are improv-ing, you can only switch to...standing still? So, on the one hand, the stage-improv gave me more anxiety than getting up to perform a choreography. On the other hand, I was more relaxed, because I didn't have anything I had to remember - I could just do whatever came to mind (and I hoped that something would come to mind!).

It was a great experience. I did not have any blank-outs, and I felt very free up on the stage. I would try it again, but only in the same situation as this time - with a short song that I know VERY well!

Aradia Workshops in NYC!! June 19-20!!

2010-05-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

Aradia is coming back to NYC for another exciting weekend of workshops!! Email me at danielabellydance@yahoo.com for a registration form - Early Bird registration ends May 19th so don't miss out on huge savings! (Click on the picture to see it larger).

Our Fifth Annual Show!

2010-05-05T10:37:00.000-07:00

It was amazing!!! The venue, the performances - it honestly could not have been better!

Thank you to all of my students for your hard work, and to the staff at Frank Sinatra School - you helped make the show look better than ever!

Here are some pictures:

It's that time of year again - Student Showcase #5!

2010-04-13T08:36:00.000-07:00

Our Fifth Annual Student Showcase is this Saturday!!

April 17, at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts (35-12 35th Ave, Astoria). Doors open at 7:00, the show begins at 7:30!

Tickets must be purchased in advance, and you can do so very easily by following this link:

BUY TICKETS HERE!

We have a great show planned, and I hope to see you there!!

No, I don't sit by my phone waiting for it to ring!

2009-11-06T20:39:00.000-08:00

Lately, I have gotten a TON of last-minute gig requests - like, really last minute. For example, just last night I received a text from the owner of a club I have danced at before - the text came in at 8:30, he wanted to know if I could dance at 10:00. What!?! No! I have a life, thankyouverymuch!

Contrary to popular belief, I do not sit by my phone in costume waiting for the phone to ring. I need at least 12 hours advanced notice if you want me to perform. And even that is pushing it. Maybe it's because I have a day job - I work 9:00-6:00 every day, and then teach 6 classes a week. So - I'm busy. My weekends are precious to me, and every single second is scheduled weeks in advance. Even if I'm not "doing" anything in particular, I have so many errands to run on the weekends, because of lack of time during the week, that I always feel that I need a weekend from my weekend by the time Sunday evening rolls around.

So, if you call me hours before you need a dancer, don't expect me to take the gig. I am probably busy. And even if I'm not busy, I'm probably exhausted and would rather stay home and rest than flip my weekend upside down in a whirlwind of getting in costume, packing my gig stuff and getting out the door. Sure, I could always use the money. But sometimes I could use my sanity more.

But someone must be doing this gigs, no? I mean - who is actually dancing at the restaurant that called me at 7:00 for an 11:00 show? Or the lounge who wants to know if I can be there in an hour? There's got to be someone taking these last minute gigs, or else these club and restaurant owners would actually need to *plan ahead* and book a dancer - gasp! - a DAY in advance!

So what's your position on last minute gigs? Do you take them? Do you charge more for the aggravation? Or are you like me, where the likelihood you will take a gig with less than a day's notice is slim to none?

How to be a good audience member, Rule #1

2009-09-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

Don't get up and walk out mid-show if doing so involves walking directly in front of, or past, the dancer! Especially when she has a sword on her head!! And when there is almost no one left in the restaurant!

Recently, I was performing on a very slow night at my weekly gig. There were a total of three tables when I started my show - two groups of two, and one group of six. One of the tables of two got up and left almost immediately after my entrance - they obviously were not there for the show and got out of there pretty quickly. So, I was left with two tables to perform for, eight people total.

About three quarters of the way through my set, I am in the middle of my sword routine when the table of six gets up, walks right past me and out the door! Leaving me with TWO people to perform my sword, drum solo and finale for!

Now, I know that I am a good performer. I know that audiences enjoy my shows. And I understand that bellydancing just isn't for everyone, and some people will go out to a venue that happens to have bellydancing just to enjoy their time, and not have any interest in seeing a show. But doesn't common sense and decency tell someone that walking out of an almost-empty restaurant, not only in the middle of a dancer's show, but in the MIDDLE of a SONG is RUDE?? No? I mean, I would think it would be pretty darn obvious!!!

So, Rule #1 about how to be a good bellydance audience member - wait until the end of the show to leave. Or if you must leave mid-show, do it so that you are inconspicuous, and at least wait until a song is over!!

The end of summer....

2009-08-29T18:35:00.000-07:00

Sad to say, but it's true. Summer is almost over. I haven't blogged much this summer because things have been sort of slow in bellydance-land, so I haven't had so much to talk about! Summers are usually my slow season - most of the gig-requests I get are from people looking for hula dancers for their luau. If I have to explain the difference between Middle Eastern dance and music, and Polynesian dance and music one more time, I'll scream. I think part of the lull this summer was also due to the economy. Of course, bellydancers are a considered a "luxory item" (because, even though we like to think we are necessary in order to have a good time, you actually can have a fun party sans bellydancers...).

I kept busy with the Aradia workshop and show, teaching my classes, and performing at Hush many Sunday evenings. I do have a few stories to share from those experiences, but I'll save them for another day, and another post. ;-)

But, with the fall comes more bookings. I just got back from a great gig out in NJ (very funny birthday boy!), and I have jobs booked the next few weekends. So, now that I am back in bellydance mode, I am also back in blog mode!! I'll be posting more and more in the weeks to come, hopefully with new stories to share!

So, how did you spend YOUR summer vacation?

Aradia Workshop and Gala Performance!

2009-06-20T18:41:00.000-07:00

Aradia from Las Vegas (www.aradialv.com) is coming to NYC this weekend!

Friday, June 26, Aradia, along with myself, Mariyah, Nabila, Kymberly, Suneydis, the Daniela Dance Company, and Mariyah's Move with Grace Dance group will be performing in a Gala Performance. Check out the flyer for details. Tickets are only $20 for this amazing show!! You can purchase tickets at this link: BUY TICKETS HERE! Don't wait to buy your tickets at the door - this is a SMALL venue and will likely sell out fast!

Also, don't miss out on a weekend of AMAZING workshops - Saturday, we have a morning session of Egyptian, Lebanese and Turkish Combinations, followed by a class on Double Veil. Sunday morning it's a drum solo workshop, followed by a Saidi/Assaya class. Email me at danielabellydance@yahoo.com for a registration form - pre-register and save!!

Career Stability/Longevity

2009-05-29T20:53:00.001-07:00

I posted this on bhuz.com a few days ago, but I'd like to get feedback here as well....

First, a little backstory to explain what got me thinking about all this - A few months ago I found out I had a basal cell carcinoma on the tip of my nose...long story short, I had Mohs surgery to remove it three weeks ago, and it turned out to be a lot worse than anyone thought. They actually had to remove some of the cartilage in the tip of my nose because it went down that far (on the surface, it only looked like a teeny tiny little red spot that wouldn't go away). Anyway, the plastic surgeon did a skin graft from another part of my nose to cover the hole, and the healing process is now shaping up to be longer than I had originally anticipated.

Obviously, while this is all going on, i can't gig. No one wants a bellydancer with a bandaged, oozing nose. I'm not even sure how long I'll be out of commission - I had originally budgeted for no gigs the month of May, but that is when I thought I'd only have a few stitches. I figure I am looking at about two months of gigs lost when all is said and done.

So, in the meantime, I've been teaching. Thank GOD I have a day job, because if I had this sort of injury and BD was my only source of income, I'd be in serious doo-doo right now.

Which leads me to my question/thought of the day....we can't always gig. We can't always be the sexy, pretty, mysterious bellydancer that our clients want/expect us to be. Whether it is because we get older, or we get injured, or become pregnant or something else that affects our appearance.... I think that the amount of time in our lives where we can go out there and be the pro bellydance performer is so short compared to the times we cannot.

In my experience, in the times where I can't get out there and perform, I can still get out there and teach. Because you don't need to "look the part" to teach - you just need to know what you are doing. And that doesn't change despite of what you look like. So, if you really want to be a dancer, make a living off of it (or a substantial part of your income, anyway), do you need to be a teacher as well? I have friends who are amazing dancers, but who just don't like teaching, or don't think they are very good at it so they don't do it. Are they destined for a short dance career?

Is teaching the only way we as dancers can insure that we will be around for the long hall? Those who can't do, teach, right?

What do you think? And don't forget to wear sunscreen!!

How well should you know your music?

2009-05-03T17:03:00.000-07:00

In a workshop I attended, Nourhan Sharif said you should listen to a piece of music so much that you are sick of it, and only then are you ready to dance to it. Her point being that you need to know your music well to be able to do it justice with a live, improv performance.

I understand what she is saying but I also see it slightly differently - I have basically the same set that I use for all my basic gigs (birthdays, retirement parties, weddings, etc). Pretty much the same songs, in the same order, unless there is a special request or other reason that I would change things up. Lately, I have been feeling, well, uninspired when I dance to those songs. Kind of like "Ho hum, shimmy, shimmy, pop, turn, turn, turn.....same old, same old" I know them SO well, that they don't get me excited any more - you know, the feeling you get when you hear a song you LOVE and you just need to get up and dance to it right away!

I have found that, lately, my exciting (to me) shows - the ones where I finish feeling like I rocked - are the ones where I am using different music. Maybe a song I don't know very well, because I've only heard it a few times. So it's new to me. Yes, I am probably missing some accents I could be using, or getting slightly off-beat when there is a change in the music that I didn't realize was coming. But I am having more fun, and I feel like it shows. And I think that is pretty darn important.

What do you think? Do you listen to your songs until you hear them in your sleep? Or do you like to change it up frequently?

The Show was a Success!!

2009-04-10T06:47:00.000-07:00

My fourth annual student showcase was another huge success!! I am so proud of all of my students - everyone worked so hard and it showed!! The show just keeps getting better and better every year!! Here are some pictures of the night - enjoy!

And no shipping and handling charges!

2009-01-23T13:38:00.000-08:00

I received a voicemail the other day that went exactly like this:

"Hi. I am having a party this Saturday and I would like to order two bellydancers. Please call me back at ....."

Um. Excuse me? You would like to order two bellydancers? You do know that bellydancers are people and you can't order a person, don't you?? You order things off of Ebay and Amazon, you do not order people.

I understand that most of the general public doesn't get that what I do is an art. I understand that, 95% of the time, I am hired as a "novelty act" to embarras the guest of honor, and not because the party host appreciates the ancient art form that is Middle Eastern Dance and wants to share that appreciation with his guests. I understand that - it comes with the territory of being a bellydancer that does "belly grams" and short party gigs.

But I would hope that potential clients, and the entire general public, at least see me as a person providing services that you HIRE, and not a good that is ordered and delivered to your party. At least understand that. You can't ORDER me, but I would be more than happy to be HIRED by you.

I didn't call this person back. Bad business move? Maybe. But it would have been a bad move for my ego if I allowed her to "order" me for her party.....

PSA: Mind your socks

2008-12-17T10:53:00.000-08:00

Just a public service announcement to my fellow performing bellydancers freezing their butts off on the way to gigs this winter....

If you wear socks that will leave any sort of a mark on your leg, roll them down or take them off well before you arrive at your gig!!

Nothin' says "NOT sexy" like a tube-sock mark on your calf.

That is all.

Twilight Zone (aka oversaturation)

2008-12-03T06:55:00.000-08:00

This is something that happened to me a few months ago at a gig, and I posted about it on Bhuz.com. Someone just resurrected the post, which reminded me that I never blogged about this interesting event, so...here it is:

I was at a gig over the summer waiting to go on. It was at a big restaurant with two party rooms. I was standing outside my party room, ready to go, with my gold wings wrapped around me. I look down the hall to the other party room, and there is a bellydancer standing there, ready to go on, with her gold wings wrapped around her. My first thought was this was some cruel joke - I didn't realize there was another room and I thought the host was going to have us both come out together. Then, when I realized she was there for another party, I panicked that we were both at the right parties, that that maitre'd didn't just say to the hosts "the bellydancer is here" (not by name) and stick us in the wrong spots. We quickly introduced ourselves (she wasn't someone I knew and/or recognized - she said she was booked by an agency), and then my music started so I had to go.

But wow, in those first few seconds of seeing a bellydancer down the hall I was soooo confused. And really - is it so common to hire a bellydancer now that two out of two parties in the same place have one performing at the exact same time? I thought we were a special treat for the guests, because most people don't have much exposure to bellydance? Are we becoming trite or cliche? Have we oversaturated the market? Have we made ourselves un-special?

Anyone else have a twilight zone story to share?

Oh What a Feeling, When We're Dancin' on the Ceiling...

2008-11-15T18:43:00.000-08:00

Well, not the ceiling, exactly. That would be kind of hard. But what about the chairs? Or the tables? Do you dance on them?

Being a born and raised American, I'm not so comfortable with the idea of dancing on the furniture (not to mention the act itself making me uncomfortable - I really loose all sense of balance when at least one foot is not firmly planted on the ground). To me, dancing on chairs and tables (and bars) has always seemed a little, well, raunchy. Exotic dancers, the Coyote Ugly girls...the list could go on, but you get what I'm saying.

But it's different will bellydancers - to some Arabs, anyway. Sometimes, they expect you to dance on their chair. And if they offer you their chair and you don't dance on it, they are actually insulted. When I used to dance with Amira Mor's company, there was a point in every gig when Amira would go around yelling for all of us to get up on the chairs - and so we did, 6 or 7 bellydancers, scattered throughout a restaurant or banquet hall, standing on chairs and shimmying their butts off. It was a sight, I'm sure. I always felt kind of weird doing it, although I have always been treated respectfully by the guests who have graciously given me their chairs.

Tonight was the first time I got on a chair since I left Amira's company. I was at a crazy 70th birthday party - so much fun, kids everywhere, adults dancing with me; it was a blast. Towards the end of the set, one of the kids (a young teenage girl) was just standing on a chair and dancing. And then one of the adults got on a chair. And then another. And then me. I jumped up there with them and they loved it. And I loved it to. It was so much fun, and I'm sure it made for some great pictures.

I think that, with the right crowd, dancing on the furniture can be a fun addition to a show. With the wrong crowd, it can be taken the wrong way, so you need to be careful reading your audience. I think I'll consider doing it more often, when I find the perfect moment, like tonight.

What do you think? Do you dance on chairs or tables? What has been your experience with the reaction of your audience? Any mishaps? Love it, hate it, tell me!

Ballet for Bellydancers is BACK!

2008-09-17T05:51:00.000-07:00

Back by popular demand - Jennifer Alvarado will be teaching another "Ballet for Bellydancers" workshop. The last workshop was such a success (and sold out!) that we had to do it again!! Don't believe that ballet can be fun?? Read HERE to see what everyone had to say about it last time!

Here's the info:

September 21, 2008

Jennifer will be teaching a 2 hour workshop including:

~ Barre exercises and center floor excercises focusing on proper posture, proper arm and hand positioning and proper foot placement;

~ Core and lower body strengthening and conditioning;

~Traveling movements, including turns and spins

If you attended the first Ballet for Bellydancers workshop, you are of course welcome to come again! Jennifer will be doing some of the same exercises, as well as working on new things, so it will be a great experience for new and old students alike!

Registration begins at 12:30

Class begins at 1:00

Workshop will be held at Queens Dance Project

34-57 Francis Lewis Boulevard, Bayside, NY

Prepay : $30At the door:$40 (space permitting)

Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to improve your dance!!

Talk to me about your restaurant sets....

2008-08-18T20:21:00.000-07:00

This summer, my intermediate students have been working on the elements of an American Cabaret show. We've gone over the basic parts - entrance, veil work, audience participation, prop and/or chiftetelli, drum solo, finale (of course while zilling all the while).

I know this is the old school AmCab way of doing things, but this is how I've always structured my sets, and I'm the first to admit that I'm an AmCab girl all the way (veil wrapping and all!). But what are the other ways to structure a set?

How do you do it? What style of bellydance do you do? Does your style affect your set structure? I know that the NYC scene is very AmCab with heavy turkish influence, and most of the sets I've seen follow my format, or they just do a bunch of pop songs to get the crowd up and dancing (no real "set"). But I'm curious to know what else is out there! Talk to me about your set, please!

How old is too old??

2008-07-09T13:43:00.000-07:00

Kind of a spin off to my previous "How young is too young?" post a few months ago....

Lately, I've been getting a lot of comments on my age - good comments, ones like: "Oh, I'm so happy you are young! The last bellydancer we had was really old!" or from a DJ: "Can I have your card? I am always getting requests for bellydancers but the only dancers I know of are so old!"

So, I have two questions: First, does the general public (GP) have a different perspective of what "old" is? When they think "bellydancer" do they think 20-something hot chick with perky boobs and a golden tan? Does the GP think that anything close to 40 is old? Because, I've got to tell you - I have yet to see a website of a 70 year old woman advertising herself for bellygrams. When I think "old", I think grandma-style. And while I, as a dancer, can appreciate that bellydancers get better with age, I am aware that the GP doesn't feel the same. But I am concerned that the label "old" means something totally different for me as it does for the GP.

Which leads me to my second question - will I know when I'm too old?? As I am about the leave the realm of the 20-somethings and embark on a new decade, I worry about "aging out" of this dance, which has also become a pretty lucrative career as well. I mean, I understand that no one wants an old lady dancing at Uncle Bob's birthday party, but will I still think I'm "young enough" when others think I'm past my prime? I don't want to turn into one of those dancers that people complain to me about - the dancer who thinks she's still "got it" when everyone else snickers behind her back.

What do you think? How old is too old, and when should a dancer hang up her bedleh?

Best. Party. Ever.

2008-06-29T18:22:00.000-07:00

Tis the season for weddings, and I've been dancing at quite a few lately. Two this weekend alone. I love dancing at weddings, but this weekend I had the opportunity to dance with the coolest guests at the best wedding ever (from a bellydancer's perspective, of course!).

I drove all the way down to Pt. Pleasant on the Jersey shore (on a Friday night - talk about a stressful situation! I was petrified that I'd get stuck in shore traffic and miss the wedding!). My husband and I decided to make a mini-vacation and spend the night on the shore. I was hoping for a good party - a rockstar party, if you will - to make the long drive worth while. What I got was better than any rockstar party I've ever danced for.

The crowd was awesome. It was a mix of Arabs and Americans, but everyone was up and dancing. The groom and all his friends were Arabic, and they did not sit down the entire show. They were up and dancing with me, singing along to all my songs (I had added some new pop songs to my set, and I'm so glad I did - they knew all the words and obviously loved them!). There was an older man (very old....) who was dancing along the sidelines, so I pulled him out to the dance floor while I danced my slow and sexy almost-taksim to Jemileh. He was getting his groove on right along with me! And then he gave me the best compliment a bellydancer could ask for....he said "Are you an Arab?" Me: "No!" Him: "You're not??? What are you??" Me: "I'm Italian!". Then he started cracking up (this is all on the dance floor during my show, mind you) and said "But you are SO GOOD! How can you be this good and not be Arab??" I melted.

I seriously felt like a guest at this party, I was having so much fun. I couldn't believe that this was my JOB - I was being paid to get out there and party with everyone else! It was truly an amazing time and I wish every party I danced at could be that awesome (although I don't know if I'd have the energy to keep up if they were ALL that crazy!). It made my trip down to the Jersey shore totally worth every minute stuck in traffic (oh yeah, and my husband and I had a nice time on our mini-vacay, which made it worth it too....;-).

Good luck to the bride and groom (and to all my brides and grooms who have really all been wonderful people). May you have a lifetime of love, happiness, and dance.

The Show was a Success!

2008-05-14T06:27:00.000-07:00

Our third annual student showcase was a success! This was certainly the best show yet - they just keep getting better!

All of the performers worked so hard perfecting their dances and preparing to dazzle the audience - and it worked, the audience was dazzled.

The Taiwan Center was a great location - big stage, lots of seats. We'll be back next year for sure!

Here are some pictures from the show, I'll be putting more on the website soon. Enjoy!

Awwwwwww!

2008-04-20T19:50:00.000-07:00

Just had to share these....they are from a wedding I recently danced at. I love dancing when there are children in the audience, especially little girls. Little girls love the sparkle and the glitter and prettiness of it all. You can just tell that their new dream is to be a bellydancer when they grow up, which is an especially interesting observation in light of the post below...

Enjoy!

Choreography vs. Improvisation

2008-04-11T18:47:00.001-07:00

I'm trying to work on my Solo for the upcoming showcase. I want to dance to Jemileh, by Pangia. I love that song. It's so beautiful, it puts me into that "magical dance place," where you can feel the music and forget about the audience - you can just dance.

I love impov-ing to that song. With it's predictable rythym, it's easy to make your improv look like a choreo, as long as you know the song. And I'm no stranger to improv - it's what I do. When I dance, 95% of my performance is improv. I really enjoy it - for parties. Not for stage shows.

For some reason, I feel as though standing on a stage means I must have a choreography prepared. I feel absolutely uncomfortable doing improv on stage. Maybe it's because I feel more comfortable improv-ing in an environment where I can interact with my audience, and where it is necessary for me to be able to change things up in response to the actions and emotions of the audience members. Maybe it's because when I'm on stage, I don't get that interaction - on stage, it's like I'm on display - no matter what the audience is doing, I just keep on truckin' with my dance, especially since I can't see the audience from stage half the time anyway, what with the glaring spotlights and all.

But I'm having a hard time with it here - I want to dance to Jemileh, a song I know like the back of my hand and that I am so used to improv-ing to. But, it's going to be on stage, so I want to choreograph something. But I'm finding that extremely difficult because I just want to improv.

Ugh. And so, two weeks before the show, I still have no solo.

How young is too young?

2008-03-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

There have been some threads recently on bhuz.com talking about children bellydancing. It has gotten me thinking about the subject - how young is too young to start dancing?

I've always thought that - when I have children - if I have a girl, she will be dancing as soon as she can walk. Not just bellydance, all forms of dance. I started "ballet" and "tap" (if you can call it that!) when I was two, and never looked back. I envision signing my toddler up for dance classes, and dressing her up in sparkly costumes. I want us to dance together, and to perform together. Dance is such a huge part of my life, I can't imagine not sharing it as much as I can with my children.

Suhaila Salimpour and Isabella Khoury are a great example of a mother/daughter dance duo, where the daughter is a bit on the young side. Isabella is around 9 years old. Some people think that's too young. I say it depends - what kind of 'moves' is she doing? What is her costume? Is she trying to emulate and adult, or is she doing the dance in 'child-appropriate' manner? I think it is great to start a child young - especially in bellydance, where so many of us don't get our start until we are much, much older.

What do you think?

It's showtime!!

2008-03-19T10:11:00.001-07:00

Well, almost....

My yearly student showcase is a little more than one month away. Practices are starting to get longer, and more frequent, and the stress levels are visibly up in class. Everyone is thinking show, show, show.

We have a lot to do and not much time to do it all! All of the students have learned their dances, now it is time to perfect them. Anyone thinking of doing a solo needs to be working on that now as well. Costumes are being bought and made, and tickets will start selling next week.

It's a crazy time of year, but we love it! If we didn't love it, we'd be crazy for doing it again and again!

Big Stage, Little Stage

2008-02-22T11:35:00.000-08:00

I danced at a party the other day at a catering hall with a HUGE dance floor. The party had about 400-500 guests, so I'm sure they needed the space. But with just my tiny self on this ginormous (it's a word now, I swear. See?) dance floor, I spent half my time running around the dance floor trying to get to each side of the room. Very little time left for the moves that make bellydance what it is, in my opinion. And then, when I'd get to one side of the room, I'd do a vibration, or a shimmy, or some impressive ab-rolling that requires serious muscle control, and then realize that only 1/8 of the party could actually see me! The rest of the guests were scattered around the football-field dance floor - to them, it looked like I was just standing still!

And I was insanely out of breath, after only 20 minutes. I attribute that to the fact that I was running around a heck of a lot more than at a normal party, when I can stand still and do my "tricks" for a big chunk of the show.

I decided that a performance by a single bellydancer (I'm not talking about big, BDSS-type productions) is better suited for a smaller venue. While we might appreciate having enough room to actually move our isis wings around without impediment, our performance translates to the audience much better when they are up close and personal, and we don't need to run around the dance floor like track stars.

What do you think?

Dancer insecurities

2008-01-31T16:09:00.000-08:00

A wise old ballet teacher once told me "Dancers are the most insecure people of them all." Mr. Christopher firmly believed that all dancers were insecure - it was in our nature. Which was why he would start pounding his cane into the ground and yell at you if he caught you so much as whisper one word to the person next to you while someone else was dancing - he said that if a dancer sees someone else talking while she is dancing, she automatically thinks that they are talking about her. And not in a good way.

I always thought Mr. Christopher was a little off his rocker in most respects, but this point stuck with me. I think that we dancers are insecure, and I think it is because of the nature of our profession (or hobby) - that we constantly put our whole selves - our bodies, our emotions, everything - out there for the world to enjoy, or critique. How can we not become insecure? What if the world doesn't like our dance - since our dance is really who we are, does that mean they don't like us??

I recently danced at a private party in the back section of a restaurant that had a house bellydancer, who was going on right after my show. The dancer was from Greece (just arrived in America, actually), so in my born-and-raised-America eyes, she was the real deal. The singer for the restuarant was also there, and she was from Greece as well. After my show, both ladies were complimenting me and asking me questions about my dance - how long had I been dancing, who did I study with, etc. To anyone else, their questions would have seemed like genuine admiration - they really liked my show. But to me, the insecure dancer, their questions seemed insincere - like they thought I was crap and they were mocking me. Was that the case? I don't think so, I think they really did like the show - but there's always the nagging thought in the back of my head that I'm not really as good as I hope I am. Am I that insecure that I can't recognize and accept a compliment when I get one?

Do other dancers feel this way? Was Mr. Christopher right? Are we all insecure? Or is there a way to overcome the insecurities?

Ballet for Bellydancers

2008-01-31T15:54:00.000-08:00

Sounds like fun, huh? Actually, it was! Last week, I hosted a Ballet for Bellydancers workshop, taught by Jennifer Alvarado, the owner and director of Queens Dance Project.

The workshop was a ballet class, but instead of focusing on pirouettes and tour jete's, Jen focused on the skills that we, as bellydancers, need to know.

I've taken ballet since I was a little girl, and it's been drilled into my head by dance teacher after dance teacher that "ballet is the foundation of all dance." While that might be a very grand statement to make, now that I am a bellydancer - practicing a form of dance that seems to be the farthest thing away from bellydance - I see how true that statement really is.

Ballet teaches strength, but it also teaches grace. It teaches proper posture, and proper arms and hands. It teaches you how to be aware of your body, so that you can become a better dancer. And shouldn't everybody know how to do that?!

Were you at the Ballet for Bellydancers workshop? Share your thoughts! And even if you weren't - what do you think about the connection between ballet and bellydance?

I wanna be a rockstar....

2007-12-17T06:29:00.000-08:00

I've performed at a lot of parties throughout my professional dance career. I've met a lot of people and experienced many different situations. Over the years, I've experience two huge extremes in the types of parties I perform at, and I've labeled them appropriately....the "plague parties" and the "rockstar parties."

A "plague party" is one in which the guests treat me like I have the plague - I spend half of my time trying to pull people up to dance with me, and rather than being willing participants in the show, the guests shriek and recoil in horror and will not budge. That would be bad enough on its own, but another common characteristic of a plague party is the "point at your friend" game that the guests inevitably play. As I make my way around the room, every table will have at least one person pointing at someone else at their table and mouthing "pick him, pick him." So, I will go over to the unsuspecting guest and attempt to dance with them, which will always end with yet another shriek and recoil, at which point I move to the next table and start the process all over.

Plague parties really stink, because I can never get into the groove of the performance. I spend most of the set just traveling around to the guests trying to get them involved, and by the time I realize that absolutely no one wants to get up and dance (despite the fact that half of the guests are still furiously pointing at their friends and trying to get my attention so that I will dance with their friends, and their friends are now hiding under the table to avoid me), it's almost time for me to make my exit. Plague parties can be very trying and boring, and it's so hard to keep your energy up during your performance when the audience gives nothing back.

A "rockstar party", on the other hand, is the complete opposite of a plague party. Rockstar parties are just like they sound - I am a rockstar. Everyone wants to get up and dance with me because, well, who wouldn't want to dance with the rockstar? The audience is so into the show, cheering and clapping and encouraging. No one points at their friend in an attempt to embarrass them because (1) no one thinks it's embarrassing to dance with the bellydancer and (2) everyone wants to dance with me themselves!

Although it may not be noticeable to the guests at either of these parties, I feel like my performance is so much better at a rockstar party, because I feed off the energy of the audience and I am truly enjoying myself while I'm out there. I love rockstar parties - I wish they were all like that!

BDSS - the review!

2007-12-03T13:50:00.001-08:00

The Bellydance Superstars returned to NY and performed for a half-empty theater at Westbury Music Fair (now known as Northfork Theater) on Nov. 11. Yes, you heard that right. The place was AT LEAST half empty. And, as the theater is normally a theather in the round, it was already cut in half for this performance, to give the dancers a "backstage." So, technically, they were performing for a theater only 1/4 full....

Why was there such a small crowd there? Surely there are enough bellydancers in the NY area to at least make a decent showing when such a big event comes to town, right? (to their defense, there was a show two days prior in Manhattan, which I did not attend and therefore I don't know how many people were there).

Here's what I think.....

If you've seen the show once, you've seen it enough times to last a lifetime. That is, as long as they keep doing the same old thing. What do I mean by this? I've been to BDSS three times (the only time they came to NY and I didn't go, they were here performing a repeat of Raqs Carnivale) and each time it's the same exact format. Aside from last year's "girls on stilts" fiasco, and other little "tricks" thrown in here and there, the show is always the same. You know when you go to see a BDSS show, you are going to see:

Sonia and Isaam performing a drum solo;
Isaam doing his "clap to the beat while I spice it up and try to trick you" schtick (it was cute the first time around, but come on now! He even does it in the Folies Bergere dvd, so even if you haven't seen the show live, you know what I mean);
Jillina performing a drum solo while Isaam and Rachel Brice drum for her, and the Desert Roses will always come out at the end wearing galabeyas, they will all do some crazy zar movements and Jillina will always end on the floor;
Petite Jemila performing a double or quadruple veil routine which consists mainly of a lot of spinning (you know you have seen something too many times when spinning that much with four veils no longer impresses you) and (for the past two years) two of the Desert Roses will come out and do a whirling dervish thing behind her;
A not-quite-Polynesian number with Sonia in the lead (at least now they've taken to calling it "bellynesian".....??);
A dance that just leaves you going "Huh?" (ie: Adore's gymnastics, Dondi's "Marilyn", a new blonde dancer this year doing ballet, etc);
The group drum solo when one dancer attempts to "battle" Isaam with her finger cymbals (sorry, but no one can hold a candle to Ansuya and really shouldn't even try) and then she and three other dancers each take turns performing solo;
for the past two years, a reggaeton choreography, obviously choreographed by Jillina, who obviously knows very few "hip hop" steps because it was basically the same dance two years in a row.

It's just, well....boring. It's not that the dancers aren't great dancers - for the most part, they are. And it's not that I don't appreciate the lack of stilts and other in-your-face gimmicks, because I do. I guess I'm just over it?

Everyone I talk to about the show says their first time seeing the BDSS was their favorite. Whether it was last year, two years ago, or this time around. Maybe that's because after the first time, it's all the same?

What do you all think?

Ready to see some stars....

2007-11-08T20:59:00.000-08:00

The Bellydance Superstars are coming to town. They'll be performing at the Northfork Theater (formerly Westbury Music Fair) this Sunday at 8:00pm.

It's been a few years since BDSS came to NY with a new show. They were here last year, but were back performing Raqs Carnivale, which they had done (and I had seen) the year before. So, this is their first new show in the area in a while.

I'm excited about going to see BDSS. I'm really hoping for a great show this year. I have to say that, although I love (most of) the dancers of BDSS and I think they are amazing performers, I was very disappointed in Raqs Carnivale. I felt that the focus was more on the razzle dazzle of a big stage show that keeps the general public interested, and less on the actual bellydance. There was much discussion about this show on Bhuz.com at the time, and the general consensus was that BDSS was trying to appeal to a broader audience with the content of their show, but was not reaching a larger audience with their advertising and marketing. Thus, the seats were consistently filled with bellydancers, who were less-than-thrilled with the show that was obviously geared towards the general, non-dancing public.

My feeling was, if I wanted to see samba dancers, I would not go see a bellydance show. If I wanted to see a girl on stilts, I'd go to the circus. I go to BDSS to see some of the best bellydancers in the western world on one stage, and I'd like to see them actually bellydance, please. I don't ask much, do I?

So, I have high hopes for this year's production - that they keep it to what they know how to do, and what they know the audience will enjoy. I'll be sure to post some reviews when it's done!

What are your goals?

2007-10-26T19:47:00.000-07:00

Now that my wedding is over (yay! I'm Mrs. Daniela now!), I have a lot more free time on my hands. Well, maybe not a LOT, but definitely more. Anyway, I put many of my dance goals on the back burner as the wedding got closer and closer, and now I'd like to re-focus my energy on dance 100%. I have a few goals I'd like to accomplish over the next few months. Here's what I'm thinking:

Go to more workshops. I was on my honeymoon during Rakkasah East, so I missed out on some great opportunities there (not that I'm complaining, because I was on my honeymoon...). I'd like to aim for one workshop a month, but I know budget and time restraints will be an issue, so I'd be happy with one every two months.
Put together a sword workshop. This is something that many of my students have expressed interest in - I'd like to do a two-day sword workshop, spread over two weeks' time. I think that this will be great for all students who have a good handle on the basic isolations, and want to add a prop to their performance repertoire
Buy a new costume!! Ok, this might not seem like a legitimate goal to some, but I have not bought a new costume in months - I didn't want to spend the money so close to the wedding! But now I'm due!! So, I'm on the hunt for a new sparkly.....
Choreograph show dances. It's that time of year again. Time to start getting ready for the annual student showcase. Planning on my end begins way before the actual show - before anyone can start learning their dances, I need to choreograph them!
Blog more. I know, I know. I always say I'm going to do this. But now that the wedding is over, I really mean it this time!

So...what are your bellydance goals?

Tips for Workshop Organizers

2007-09-16T19:49:00.000-07:00

The Adriana Lira Workshop was the first big workshop I had ever hosted (and by big, I mean bringing in a foreign instructor). I kind of went into it a little blind and not knowing what to expect, but I did learn a lot a long the way. Here are some helpful tips I think other first-time workshop organizers could benefit from:

Don't plan a workshop for the end of August. People go away during August. Especially the end of it. No matter how many people want to come to your workshop, most of them won't even be around.
Make sure you have at least 10 people (or some reasonable minimum you deem reasonable) who swear on their lives that they will be at the workshop. Before agreeing to host Adriana, I asked around amongst my students and dance friends to find out who would come to the workshop if I decided to host it. Lots and lots of people said yes - some were, I'm sure, just saying yes because that's what they thought I wanted to hear. Some said yes without thinking about the logistics of the workshop - could they afford it, would they be able to get there, would they be available? Whatever their reasons, almost everyone who said they were interested did not sign up, and we were left scrambling at the last minute to find enough students to make the workshop worth it. So, get signatures in blood if you have to, but don't agree to host a workshop unless you are absolutely positive you will get a minimum number of students attending.
Have video clips of your instructor performing and teaching. This is especially important if you instructor is not a "big name." People want to see what you are asking them to fork over cash for.
Ask your instructor to bring his or her music with them as a carry-on on the plane. Or at least a few "emergency cd's". Adriana had a horrible flight experience - a diversion, a weather delay and a missed plane in Atlanta - and one of her bags was missing for the entire weekend. Unfortunately, it was the bag with her cd's for the workshop. (and all her clothes!! But she had her costumes, and really, that's all that matters, isn't it??). We had to do some creative song substitutions to make the classes work. They worked, but Adriana had plans for each class that she wasn't able to execute because of the missing music.
Advertise heavily. Everywhere. On the internet. In your classes. In dance studios. Everywhere. People may really want to come to your workshop, but due to the procrastinating nature of human society, they will not sign up when they hear about it, and then forget to do so until it's too late. If someone told me they wanted to come to the workshop, I emailed them and emailed them until I got a registration. Yes, I was probably annoying. But they registered.
Don't park your car in a bus stop in Manhattan. Um, well, that piece of advice is not really limited to workshop organzers - it's good advice for everyone. Don't park your car in a bus stop, or you will have to spend hours in the NYC Tow Pound and pay $185 to get your car back. Yeah, it happened to us after Day 1 of the workshop....

So, those are the little bits of wisdom I learned from hosting this workshop. Anyone out there have some experience in this field? Please share what you've learned!

Adriana Lira workshop was a success!!

2007-08-27T10:07:00.000-07:00

Whew! What a weekend!! Adriana Lira has just left NYC after an intense weekend of workshops. The workshops were great!! Everyone really had a great time and we learned so much.

My favorite class was the drum solo. I will definitely be using that choreography in my classes! It was so unique and very appropriate - there was a samba section in the music, which is awesome, being that Adriana is from Brazil!

I loved Adriana's style of dance. With her ballet background, her dance is infused with much ballet influence, which I love. Her style is also unique to her in that she draws from her Brazilian background, and you can definitely see the samba in her dance as well!

There were some minor snags in the weekend (ie: Adriana's luggage with ALL her CD's got lost and the airline didn't find it until AFTER the workshops were over!) and I definitely learned a lot, not only from a dancer's standpoint, but from an organizer's standpoint as well. I'll post some of my tips for organizers later.

All in all, though, it was a great weekend. We were truly luck to have Adriana here in NYC and can't wait for her to come back!

Adriana Lira of Brazil is coming to New York

2007-07-27T06:47:00.001-07:00

Well, the workshop I've been talking about this whole time is quickly approaching, so I thought I should start telling you all some more details...here's the little blurb I listed on bellydanceny.com:

Daniela presents a weekend of workshops with Adriana Lira of Brazil at Stepping Out Studios, 37 W. 26th St., August 25 and 26 (Saturday and Sunday).

Classes include drum solo, pop choreography, choreography and improvization for performance workshop, and Lebanese cane. $75 for one day, $140 for both.

See www.danielabellydance.com/adriana (now with VIDEO clips!) for information including registration form contact. Email danielabellydance@yahoo.com for more info an a registration form.

So, that's the info. Please visit the website to learn more about Adriana. I urge you all to sign up, even if just for one of the two days. The best way to grow as a dancer is by experiencing other teachers, other styles, and by just getting yourself out there and learning MORE. So, sign up ASAP, because you don't want to wait till it's sold out!

See you at the workshop!

I'm too sexy for my bedlah.....

2007-07-05T16:00:00.000-07:00

No, I don't really think that....I'm just playing with that ever popular song from the early 90's (come on, you know you all just started singing "I'm Too Sexy" in your heads....).

Anyway, back to the blog topic that triggered visions of bald men doing their little turn on the catwalk - what do you think about the relationship of being sexy and being a bellydancer? There was a thread on Bhuz the other day talking about how the general public (let's just call them the gp to make things easier, yes?) correlates bellydance directly with sex, when it really has nothing to do with sex. Well, my response to that is....oh really?

I do agree that folkloric style middle eastern dance is NOT about sex. Definitely not. But, is that really what we do? Or is our dance so far removed from it's "roots" that it really bears no resemblence to its folkloric beginnings, and as become an American invention all its own?

We all can agree that ATS (American Tribal Style) is an American invention. But we still classify what cabaret bellydancers do in terms of Middle Eastern style - Egyptian, Turkish, Lebanese, etc. Is it really?

I wanted to be a "bellydancer" since I was little. I saw the dancers in the Morocco pavilion at Epcot Center in Walt Disney World and thought they were the coolest thing since My Little Pony. I never once thought of it as an "authentic" anything - never thought about it's origination and the fact that it might mean something more than just being a sexy dancer. Like the gp, I've always correlated bellydance and sexy in my head - I mean, lets face it - we dance with our bellies exposed and create hipnotic shimmies and undulations with our bodies. What's not sexy about that???

As a beginner bellydancer, I continued on with this train of thought. At first, I was not exposed to the history and the culture of Middle Eastern Dance. I did not see myself as a conduit of Middle Eastern Culture in America. I saw my self as a sexy, sensual creature who all of a sudden had this superpower over men that I could excerise just by saying "I'm a bellydancer."

To me, that is what the American Cabaret bellydancer is all about - sensuality, sexuality, mystery, power, and grace. I don't think our sexuality as dancers is something we should be ashamed about, or be mad at someone over pointing it out. I think it's a great thing. But I am also to careful to draw the line between sexuality and trashiness - the key to the power we posses is in the "less is more" attitude we must have. We must keep up our mystique, and be careful not to cross the line.

Also, I am not saying that as bellydancers we do not have a duty to learn as much as we can about the "roots" of our dance. I am just saying that I think our dance has evolved so much from these roots that it is ok for us now to say that maybe, just maybe, it has become more of a way to celebrate a woman's sexuality and sensuality, than to accurately portray the cultural dances of the Middle East.

Ever since Little Egypt did her hoochie koochie dance at the Chicago World's Fair, since Barbara Eden crossed her arms and blinked her eyes and lived in a magic lamp, America has been enthralled with the exotic mystery of the bellydancer. And through this obsession with the "exotic", the American Cabaret bellydancer was born.

So...what do you think?

Long time, no blog

2007-07-02T05:23:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Well, when I thought it would be easy to hold down a full time job as an attorney, teach bellydance classes 5 days a week, dance at multiples parties every weekend (and sometimes during the week), plan my upcoming October wedding AND keep up my blog, I must not have been thinking clearly....

Anyway, I'm back! I have lots of interesting topics that I'd like to blog about, but I don't have the time right this minute. I will save those ideas for when I have time to do them justice.

In the meantime, I'd like to hear from you. What have you been up to lately? Take any good workshops? See any good dancers at your favorite restaurant? Find a new favorite dancer on youtube? Start a new class with a new teacher? Master that dance move that's been bugging you for years? Tell me about it!

Workshops!

2007-06-12T10:27:00.000-07:00

Over the summer I will be hosting Adriana Lira of Brazil, for a weekend of workshops in New York (more about that in the weeks to come!). All this thinking of workshops has got me reflecting on my own workshop experiences and what I liked and disliked about them.

Most recently, I attended a workshop by Fahtiem, and one by Suhaila. Although the workshops were held on the same day, that was about the only thing that was similar about them!

The Suhaila workshop was intense. Suhaila is amazing, and I do love her dance style. However, I think her style is one that is better learned over time, and not in a three hour workshop. The class I took was on drum solos, and Suhaila uses a lot of layering in her drum solo work. I consider myself good at layering, but I felt like an uncoordinated goofball during this class. The movements that Suhaila incorporated into this dance were outrageous - I felt that only the most seasoned Suhaila student would walk away from that class feeling like they knew what they were doing.

The Fahtiem workshop was definitely more my speed. Fahtiem is a like a butterfly - her moves are effortless and she floats, rather than dances. I also found her to use a lot of jazz and lyrical type moves (not a shimmy in sight, actually), which were very easy for me to pick up, considering my dance background.

I left Fahtiem's workshop feeling like I had accomplished something. I had a choreography I could remember, and use, and I was enjoying myself during the class. I think all of these things are key to making a workshop successful for the individual dancer. It was definitely worth it for me.

So, what workshops have you taken? Who was your favorite? Why? Are there some things that make or break a workshop for you?

Glam. Not Glam.

2007-05-24T16:23:00.000-07:00

I had my monthly show at Parker Jewish Adult Day Care today. Forty five minutes. They have me dance for forty five minutes. I now know why football players throw up after long, hard practices.

As I hunched over the toilet at the Day Care center dry heaving, I laughed to myself. I thought of this post, by Lucy on Bhuz, and how appropriate it was especially at that moment. So, with Lucy's permission, I am posting her extremely on-point monologue here for you to read. Enjoy.

Not glam: An inch of black crust on your feet from dancing in dirty restaurants. Detangling your sweaty, hairsprayed hair when you get home. Ass sweat. Crotch sweat. Belly button sweat. Sweat in places you didn’t even know you COULD sweat. The hard, rough calluses you get on the balls of your feet. Deflecting patrons who want to tip you in inappropriate places. Trying to keep your spirits up when you’re dancing for people who aren’t even paying attention to you, or worse, giving you dirty looks. Arguing with a club owner over money. Trying to dance with your eyelids stuck together thanks to an overzealous application of eyelash glue. Standing in a filthy kitchen, waiting to dance, and trying to keep the hem of your $800 costume off the floor. Changing in a cockroach-ridden storage closet. Trying to dab the sweat dripping down off the tip of your nose without the patrons noticing. Attempting to pee while still in costume without letting any part of your designer duds touch the toilet seat. Restaurant owners who think you can do a show, no problem, in the 6″ between tables and without any open space at all. Taking your wig off in the car and throwing it in the back seat, and then realizing that the people in the next car over are watching you. The smell of your head after you’ve sweated in a wig for three shows. Getting your veil back after a show and realizing that someone accidentally dipped it in hummus. Waking up the morning after a show with weird dance-related injuries - a rhinestone-shaped bruise on your knee, pinch marks from your bangles, scratches on your underarms from where you brushed against a jutting prong on your costume bra. Keeping your stage face on while a drunk asshole shouts, “Hey, loooookammmmme - I’m a bellydancer TOO!” and starts pelvic-thrusting his way across the floor (although you get your revenge when you swat him harder than is really necessary during your “playful” cane song). Waking up the next morning and realizing that you forgot to unpack your costume bag after the show last night, opening it up and being hit with the smell of damp sweat, shisha and cigarette smoke. Running into the back room after a show and having to bend over, heaving, to get enough air into your lungs.

Glam, or just plain fun: Making a little girl’s face light up. Getting a little Persian grandmother up to dance and having her family stuff your costume with twenties in appreciation. Buying out CVS’s entire stock of false eyelashes. New costumes. New music. Hitting the beat JUST right and doing something amazing that you’d never done before, never dreamed of doing before. Dancing to your favorite song at an Arabic nightclub and hearing the crowd sing the lyrics for you. Navigating your way across a stage that is so covered in dollar bills that you are afraid of slipping. Seeing yourself make money, REAL money, not a paycheck - dollar bill after dollar bill, until afterward, you cannot even close your wallet for all the money. Having someone want to show their appreciation for you so much that they write you a check as a tip. Dancing for people who appreciate all the work and research and sweat time you’ve put into becoming a great dancer. Being on stage, being beautiful, creating art with your body and your spirit, becoming music embodied, watching your skin shimmer and shimmy under the lights.

Lucy's website is http://www.lucy-dances.com/ and her blog is www.sparklepirate.wordpress.com

How did you get your start?

2007-05-15T12:51:00.000-07:00

A recent thread on bhuz.com got me thinking. How did you get your start in bellydance? What made you take your first class, what made you decide "I want to do this?"

For me, it was almost an accident. A friend and I were going into major dance withdrawal after graduating from college and being finished with the dance team. We were taking various hip hop classes at Broadway Dance Center in Manhattan. One of our favorites was the class on Monday nights, which we never missed. The beginner bellydance class with Amira Mor was immediately after this hip hop class, and we decided to try it out for fun one day. I had always had "fantasies" about being a bellydancer, and had put learning how to bellydance on my "things to do before I die list," so I figured the opportunity was there, and I should take it.

We HATED it! The group was working on a veil choreography, which we later learned was one of the more "advanced" choreographies in Amira's repertoire. We had neither a veil, nor the ability to move our bodies the way some of the students in the class could (don't get me wrong, we weren't the only clueless people in the bunch, but there were certainly girls in the front who appeared to really know what they were doing).

We decided we were done with bellydance. Been there, done that, hated it! That was in October of 2002. We avoided that class at all costs until January, when a friend of my friend decided she wanted to take bellydance. We reluctantly agreed to go with her, so we ended up once again back in Amira's class.

Well, this time we actually enjoyed it. The choreography was more our speed, and we felt a little more comfortable following along. We learned that the group was preparing for a student showcase, and Amira asked us to join. During rehearsals for the showcase, Amira asked us to be in her company, and the rest is history.

So, that's my story, that's how all this craziness began. What's yours?

(By the way, if you have yet to sign up for bhuz.com and participate in the message boards, I highly suggest that you do so. You will be amazed at the wealth of information available from dancers all over the country. Be sure to say hi when you sign up - my handle is (what else??) danielabellydance.)

Gotta give 'em props.

2007-05-08T09:20:00.000-07:00

Or do you?

Sometimes, I feel like my bellydance performance is more of a freak show than a dance show. I feel like, if I actually went out there and just DANCED for 20 minutes, the audience would get bored. So I have to distract them, with fun and exiciting props. Oooohh, look at the pretty wings! Ooooohh, watch me balance this sharp and dangerous sword on various body parts! (I haven't yet entered the realm of flaming candelabra on my head, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time...).

It's not that I don't enjoy using props. I do, really. They are fun, and sometimes challenging, and I do like working withthem. My current, standard show consists of wings, veil, sword and finger cymbals.

It's just that I sometimes wonder if I'd be able to hold the audiences attention without them? We live in a world where live action movies like Spiderman can show real, human actors swinging from building to building from spiderwebs coming out of their wrists. Are audiences jaded because of it? Does it take a lot more to "entertain" now that hollywood and technology have set the bar so high?

Can a simple dance awe the audience? Or do today's audiences need more?

Dancer killed in VA Tech shootings

2007-05-02T12:27:00.000-07:00

One of the students who was killed during the Virginia Tech massacre was a freshman by the name of Reema Samaha. Reema was a bellydancer, and a member of the bellydance troupe Hill and Veil on the Virginia Tech campus. The bellydance community around the country has been extremely devastated over her death. I'm going to cut and paste a post from Kira on bhuz.com to fill everyone in on the situation, and inform you of the fund that has been set up in her name to benefit future members of Hill and Veil.

I urge you all to donate in Reema's name.

From bhuz.com:

As some of you know, we lost a sister in dance at the Virginia Tech Massacre - Reema Samaha.

A memorial fund has been set up in her name.THE REEMA JOSEPH SAMAHA MIDDLE EASTERN DANCE MEMORIAL FUND will be used to assist the student-members of the Middle Eastern Dance Association of Virginia Tech. Depending on the amount donated, the fund may be used for a one time gift in Reema’s name or for an annual award, perhaps a small scholarship.

Her Bio from VT Hill and Veil MED Troupe Webpage - Reema has been dancing since she was 2 years old. She has been classically trained in ballet, jazz, modern, hip hop and has had experience in many other styles. Her love for belly dance came from her Lebanese heritage and she has been exposed to it from a young age. She has taken classes, attended workshops and has performed for her Church's Middle Eastern Food Festival and in front of her high school. She won best individual performance in her school's talent show her senior year. She is very excited to be part of Hill and Veil and looks forward to learning and choreographing with her fellow members.

Online donations for the Reema Memorial Fund can be made at:

https://webapps.banner.vt.edu/giving/academic_index.jsp

In the "Gift Designation" area of the form go to the box "Other Designation" and type in Reema Joseph Samaha Middle Eastern Dance Memorial Fund. There is a general scholarship fund set up to honor Reema. However this particular Middle Eastern Dance Memorial Fund will go for a scholarship for a member of the university's student troupe.

Here is how to make a donation by check:

Make check payable (in any amount) to Virginia Tech Foundation, Inc. Mail to:
University Development
902 Prices Fork Road
Blacksburg, VA 24061

Be sure to either write on the check or in a cover note that the donation is for the REEMA JOSEPH SAMAHA MIDDLE EASTERN DANCE MEMORIAL FUND.

If you would like to send a hard copy of a card, you can send it to Hill and Veil's address and they will send them on to her family.

The address is:
Hill and Veil
703 Montgomery St Apt 1
Blacksburg, VA 24060

Here are the some clips of Reema on youtube. She was an incredible, wonderful, and passionate young woman who deeply loved dance. Reema is the one in green, dancing in the middle of the debke line. The debke performance is from the weekend prior to her passing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrScSK-IRrI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEjU_...elated&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QagL_...elated&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trBUdwXkoW0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th5I0_1QDwc&NR=1

Souzan, a member of Bhuz, has been instrumental in organizing the scholarship and working with Liz from VT Hill and Veil MED Troupe to make this happen. Many thanks to both women for their hardword in keeping the legacy and memory of Reema alive, along with all the other Bhuz members that supported them in their efforts.

Who's your favorite?

2007-04-25T11:40:00.000-07:00

Who is your favorite bellydancer? She (or he!) doesn't have to be famous or very well known, and can be tribal, cabaret, or anything in between. She just has to be the person who you can't get enough of - whose dancing makes you happy and inspired and encouraged to be a better dancer yourself. Who speaks to you that way?

My favorite is going to sound cliche, I'm sure, but it's Jillina. And no, it's not just because she's a Bellydance Superstar and I've fallen for the hype. It's because I think she is the dancer who I most relate to, style-wise, and who most embodies everything I think a good dancer should be, and everything I strive to be.

A lot of people (Middle Eastern dance purists?) give Jillina flak for being too "jazzy." Personally, I've studied jazz since I was two years old, and I don't see the correlation between Jillina's style and any style of jazz I know. But, I think I do see why they say that. Jillina, like myself, comes from a diverse dance background, and didn't begin bellydancing until later in life. The fact that she was classically trained in ballet is evident when you watch her graceful movements, particularly her arms. I don't think the actual moves she does are "jazzy", rather, her delivery is one of a dancer who has been trained to dance, and to carry herself as a dancer.

Ask any of my students and they will tell you that my ballet background makes me a stickler for things like graceful yet strong arms, good posture, and fluid movements. To me, Jillina embodies these characteristics in a bellydancer, and makes her a joy to watch. Another reason she is a joy to watch is that her facial expressions are priceless - you can truly see how much she loves this dance while she is dancing. To me, she is entertaining in every sense of the word. Not to mention, she has kick-#ss shimmies!!

So, who's your favorite bellydancer? Why?

What to wear....

2007-04-21T09:23:00.000-07:00

I have a gig tonight, and I'm trying to decide what to wear. I'm leaning towards my red lycra number (see picture) because it only made it's debut at the show the other day, and it's super comfortable. I have a long drive to Brooklyn for this job, and I'd prefer to sit in the car in a strechy skirt than in a tight and uncomfortable bra and belt combo.

But, my costume conundrum has got me thinking - do we, as bellydancers, become so caught up in what is trendy and cool in "our world" that we forget that the general public doesn't know the latest fashions of bellydance? If I show up in a sexy and sleek lycra costume, is my audience going to wonder why I'm not wearing a flowing skirt and tons of beaded fringe?

When the general public hears the word "bellydancer", what comes to mind? I think it's the image of the dancer in a fringe laden bra and belt, layered over a flowy chiffon skirt. I think that's what they expect, because it's the typical "harem" costume from hollywood sultan fantasies. And those hollywood fantasies are probably the only exposure to a bellydancer most people have ever had.

Do you think audiences appreciate that bellydance fashion, like all fashion, changes over time? Or do you think they expect us to be stuck in a fashion rutt, wearing the same costumes for all of eternity, because that's what they wear in the movies?

Are fashionable lycra costumes better saved for haflas and other bellydancer-friendly events? Or is the general public ready for a change?

Not to be a party pooper, but.....

2007-04-20T11:48:00.000-07:00

...I just want to remind everyone what the purpose of this blog is.

It is to foster a greater discussion about the dance that we all love, and to create a community that goes beyond the classroom.

I've received some comments which were not very constructive; in fact, they were downright hurtful to the person they were directed towards. That's not what this blog is about. Some of those comments contained criticisms (legitimate ones, too!) about the recent show, but I couldn't publish them because they contained hurtful statements about other dancers. I'm never going to publish a hurtful statement about someone else, so please stop trying.

Constructive criticism is good - it helps us become better dancers. Sometimes it can be hard to hear, because no one likes hearing criticism at all, but it's a necessary evil if we want to grow as performers. But there is a fine line between constructive criticism and nastiness, and we have to be very careful not to cross it.

As a matter of fact, here's some "constructive criticism" for readers of this blog - please try to keep your comments related to the post you are responding to. I understand that lots of you want to talk about the show, but the show discussion belongs in the show thread, not in the thread on hand flicking, etc.

See, that was a criticism, but it was constructive. You'll all be better bloggers because of it. ;-)

The show was a success!!

2007-04-18T07:47:00.000-07:00

Whew, that was fun! After all the months of hard work and preparation, the show has finally come and gone, and it was GREAT!!

I can't even tell you how many compliments I've gotten from people in the audience. Everyone thought the dances were great, and those who were there last year say that the quality of dancing was even better this year! Audience members noticed the improvement in individual dancers from one year to the next, and thought the group numbers looked more polished and professional than ever before.

I was a nervous wreck for the week leading up to the show - not because I was worried about my students or the dances, but because of all the "behind the scenes" stuff that ultimately fell on my shoulders. I was worried that things wouldn't come together like I'd hoped, and that we wouldn't have a smooth and seamless show that the audience could sit back and enjoy. But, of course, the show could not have gone any more smoothly. Everyone who helped out behind the scenes did a great job with keeping the show moving along like the well-rehearsed production it was.

I am truly happy with the success of the show. I couldn't have asked for a better result, and all the hard work, late nights, and gray hairs (I swear, I've found some, and I blame the stress from this show!!) were worth it.

So, my wonderful students, how do you feel? For those of you who were new to the stage, was performing everything it was cracked up to be? For those of you who were in the show last year, how was this show different? Was it better or worse for you, and why?

And finally, the most important question - are you ready for next year????

Can't stop the flick!!

2007-04-07T21:41:00.000-07:00

Those of you who are my students will know that I am in constant battle with flicking wrists - I hate them, on me, on you, on ANYONE! Flicking wrists have no place in bellydance! They turn an otherwise graceful and elegant dance into what appears to be a fight with an imaginary mosquito. To me, a dancer with flicking wrists (myself included!) looks like she is trying to get something off of her hand, and I spend the entire performance watching the wrist and waiting for it to stop flicking!

When I say flicking wrists, I don't mean the occasional dainty flip that coincides with a coy look and cute shimmy. I mean the constant "I don't even realize my wrist is doing this" rolling that creeps up on even the most seasoned pro.

The problem with the subconsious flick is that, even though you don't want to do it, you can't stop yourself, because you weren't aware you were doing it in the first place.

I first realized I was a flicker after last year's student showcase. I was watching the DVD and could NOT stop looking at my hands. Where did this come from?? Did I always do this?? What the heck was wrong with me?? Make it stop!!

After that, I started noticing the flick in my students as well. This got me worried - did they learn this from watching me, or is it a subconsious habit they picked up all on their own? I've spent this past year trying to help them break the habit, and trying to break it myself - or so I thought.

Last night, I was practicing my solo for the show, and I asked my fiance, Joe, to watch it. After I was done, Joe said "That was really great. But - didn't you say last year that you wanted to stop flicking your wrists?" Of course, I said. "Well, I did notice that you were flicking your wrists a lot just now."

What???? I was??? That can't be!! I abhor wrist flicking! I teach my students not to do it, I point it out when they are and encourage them to fix it! I am the anti-flick! I can't possibly still be flicking!! But, according to Joe, I was....

I just finished practing my solo for tonight (wait, it's 12:50 in the morning...what the heck am I still doing up and dancing?!). I tried doing the solo once through while consciously paying attention to my wrists and not flicking them. It felt like I had sticks strapped to my hands. My arms felt so weird and restrained, but, looking in the mirror, they looked the way I wanted them to look. The non-flicking wrists I had tried so hard to ingrain into my dance felt so foreign to me. Which led me to only one conclusion - I am still a wrist flicker. My subconsious completely takes over when I dance, and I happily flick away.

So - do I continue to fight what is natural to me? Or do I give in to the dreaded wrist flick? I think I have no choice but to keep fighting.

9 days till showtime!!

2007-04-05T11:47:00.000-07:00

The show is almost here!! In a way, I can't wait for it to get here. I know it will be a success and it will be nice to get back to "normal" life (and to get back to bellydance class where I can actually DANCE, rather than just critique my students dancing to my choreographies). But in a way I feel like I need more time. I'm not ready!! I just finished my solo, surely one week is not enough time to perfect it, right? And my students, don't they need more time to practice?!

Of course, we don't need more time. We have been getting ready for this show for months. Some of the choreographies were even started last summer. We are as ready as we will ever be.

For some reason, no matter how much time I have to prepare for a show, there is always a little something inside me wishing I had more time. I guess that's a natural part of pre-performance jitters, right? The logical half of my brain tells me that we are so very prepared for this show, and we are all going to kick *ss. But sometimes my neurotic, not-so-logical side gets the best of me.

For those of you who are in the show, how are you feeling right now? How are you dealing with it? For those of you not in the show, have you ever had pre-performance jitters? For what? How did you deal?

Connecting with your audience

2007-03-31T06:20:00.000-07:00

As our show nears closer and closer, my students are starting to perfect the steps of their dances. But there's more to a performance than just executing steps. Even a choreography that is done to perfection may be boring for an audience to watch if the dancer does not "connect with her audience."

What do I mean by "connecting with your audience?" Well, for one - you must look up! It seems so simple and obvious as you sit here and read this, but many dancers, once they are put in a situation where there is an audience watching them, find it difficult to unglue their gaze from the floor. So...look up! If you find it intimidating to catch the eye of an audience member, pick a spot right above the heads of the audience to focus you attention. The audience will not realize you are staring above them, and it keeps you from looking at the floor. And if you don't mind locking eyes with someone in the crowd, by all means, do it!!

Another tip for connecting with your audience is to enjoy what you are doing. In class, I always stress the importance of smiling, but I think true performing means more than just a smile. Don't get me wrong - if your options are "no smile" and "smile" - definitely smile! But why not try having a little more fun with it? Are you enjoying yourself? Let that show on your face. Expressions that are appropriate for the song and steps of your dance can go a long way in conveying to the audience that you love what you are doing, and they should love it too.

Finally, it's important to remember that, especially if you are performing on a stage, the audience will see everything much smaller than it actually is. For the same reason that stage makeup is so much heavier than real life makeup, so too your moves must be a bit bigger and more defined when you are on stage, versus when you are in class. I'm not advocating forgetting all your form and technique and going all-out crazy when you are on stage. What I'm saying is - make your hip drops sharper, your head snaps snappier, and your camels more undulate-y (what? You get what I mean...). You don't want to perform an entire drum solo of what you think are crazy shimmies, only to have your audience say "Why was that girl just standing still for most of her dance?" because your tiny shimmies got lost on their way to the audience.

So, those are my off-the-top-of-my-head suggestions for improving your "performance" skills. I know there are loads more out there, can you suggest any?

Pledge your allegiance?

2007-03-28T06:53:00.000-07:00

Do you have to? Choose a style, that is. Can you be a bellydancer and dance both tribal and cabaret styles? Some students of mine recently took a tribal workshop and expressed the fact that it seems difficult to learn both styles, since they are so similar yet have distinct ways of doing the same moves.

It sort of reminded me of trying to learn Italian in college, after taking four years of Spanish in high school. I had always wanted to learn Italian, and I thought that my background of Spanish would help me, since the two languages are so similar. What I learned, however, was that the similarities actually made it sooooo much harder. The two languages actually merged into one, completely incorrect, language in my head. I lost the ability to put a sentence together in Spanish, without throwing some Italian in there, and I could never have a conversation in Italian without it being part Spanish.

Is this similar to the the tribal and cabaret conundrum? I have to admit I have no experience with tribal, so I'd like to hear your thoughts. Ladies who have crossed over to the "other" side - what do you think? Can you do both?

Choreography 101

2007-03-26T05:07:00.000-07:00

With the show quickly approaching, many of my students are putting the finishing touches on their solo choreographies. I realize that choreographing a dance is not an easy task, so if you are attempting to put together your first choreography, kudos to you!!

I've choreographed many dances in my life (bellydance and other) and I've watched many students perform their own choreographies for the first time. Here are some observations I've made, that may guide you as you put your dance together:

1) Listen to the music! Too many times, I see a student choreography that does not interpret the music the student is dancing too. You should keep in mind that you are dancing TO the music, not just dancing with music in the background. Don't just string together eight counts of one step, eight counts of another, eight counts of another, and so on, regardless of what the music is doing. If the music is changing rhythm, or tempo, change your steps to match. If there are accents in the song, hit the accents with your body. The whole point of dance (any type of dance) is to interpret music. Let that come through in your own choreographies.

2) Take up the whole stage! (Or dance studio, or living room...). Don't just stand in one place and do your steps. Especially if you are choreographing a solo! One person on a stage, standing in one place, will get lost. Use traveling steps, take up the whole stage, and make your presence felt!

3) Choose a song that works for you! Don't try to force yourself to choreograph to a classical Egyptian song, if you normally go the pop music route. You need to be inspired to choreograph; chosing a song that doesn't speak to you will make the process even more difficult. An uninspired choreography is no fun to watch!

So, now what? You have your song, you are inspired, you are ready to cover ground and interpret to your music. What do you do now? Well, listen to the music. Put the song on and just dance around your house to it. See what the song makes you want to do. Do this a few times, and try to remember some of the steps you feel most natural doing to this song. Then, listen to the first few counts of 8 (or 6, or whatever your song is). Choreograph that section only, really listening to the music and using it to your advantage. Do the rest of the dance the same way - a small section at a time. If you get stuck, go back to step one - just let the music play and start dancing. You will be inspired again, and can draw from that inspiration to add to your choreography.

Good luck!

For the love of dance...

2007-03-24T18:00:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a day of snowboarding, and I'm sore, tired - no, make that exhausted - and just want to sleep. I'd love to have a nice relaxing Sunday, like normal people, where I could sleep in, run some errands, and just rest and prepare for the work week ahead. But I haven't had a normal Sunday in years! I teach bellydance class Sunday mornings and Sunday evenings, making Sundays possibly the busiest day of the week for me (because I do still need to do those errands, too!)

So, why do I do it? That's a question I often ask myself, as my normal 9 to 5 friends come home from their jobs and actually get to relax (as opposed to running out to teach a bellydance class, or changing into costume and running out to a performance). And it's a question I've been asking myself about quite a bit lately, since our Second Annual Student Showcase is coming up in a few weeks, meaning that classes are stretching into their second hours and extra practices are scheduled daily (more about the show another day!).

I've come back to the same answer to this question time and again - without bellydance, I would not be complete. I've been dancing my whole life; since I put my first pair of tap shoes on at the age of two and a half, I've done everything from tap, jazz, lyrical, ballet, modern and hip hop. I've never felt the euphoria with any of those dance styles, that I do with bellydance. A friend asked me a while ago if there was anything in this world I was passionate about, and I told him bellydance. I told him that, when I'm performing bellydance, I don't need to fake a smile. I don't need to pretend I'm enjoying myself for the sake of putting on a good show, for the sake of entertaining the audience. I AM enjoying myself. I am smiling for ME, not for the crowd. Heck, I smile when I'm dancing in my kitchen with no one but my cats to see me. I can't help it - it just comes out. I'm happy when I dance.

So, why do I do it? Why do I put a normal life on hold, in exchange for one with late nights and early mornings, back aches and blisters? Because I LOVE this dance, and without it, my life wouldn't be normal.

What about you? Why do you do it?

Welcome to my world!

2007-03-23T15:55:00.000-07:00

As I sat down to write my very first post of my brand new blog, devoted entirely (well, almost entirely) to my love of the art of bellydance, I racked my brain as to what to write about. In fact, I racked my brain as to what my blog would be about. I knew I wanted to write about bellydancing - I mean, why wouldn't I?? It's what I do, what I AM. But why would people want to read about what I had to say? What could I write that would actually interest people?

And that's when I decided - this blog would not be about me, it would be about you. You - my fellow bellydance enthusiasts (ok, ok, let's just say it - bellydance ADDICTS!). I want you all to tell me what to write. I think that my experiences in bellydance have given me much to offer to you, the readers. As an instructor (and a former student!), I have lots of insight as to what goes on in the mind of a student from her first attempt at a hip drop to her first on-stage performance. As a performer, I know what it's like to try and put on a show that will dazzle your audience every time. What do you want to know? Ask me, and I'll do my best to answer you.

So, thats what this blog will be about. Bellydance - my world, your world, and everything in between. I'll answer your questions, I'll make up my own, and together we can share all that we know about this beautiful art - Bellydance.