With this time of sheltering in our homes, a lot of us, teachers and students alike, are turning to online classes as a way to connect to our community and to continue our education even though we can’t physically attend a class. But with all the distractions at home, how can we really get the...
When you are stuck at home, on your own (or even with your family), it can be difficult to stay focused and in touch with your regular daily life. So I thought I would share with you a few ideas about how you can stay strong in your dance and mental health while we are...
As a part of the belly dance hack posts, you’ve seen what’s in my gig bag, but that’s not the only bag that is important to me. Just as important is what is in the bag(s) I take when I teach a class. 1. Dance Props Some things may come and go, but something I...
First Run Stage. All heart. No frills. But what does that mean? Why a blog post on an event? And why should you even care? Well, let me give you some details and see if we can puzzle this out together. What is a “First Run Stage”? At its core, First Run Stage is an...
Have you forgiven yourself recently? Don’t look surprised at the question, nor your answer. As women, and as dancers, we rarely give ourselves a break. We sometimes will take some time out, some “me time”, but that’s not the same as forgiving yourself for not being “enough”. What is forgiving? Psychologists generally define forgiveness as...
We’ve all seen the clickbait headlines “10 things you need to do to be a great dancer!” and “Top 5 stretching trends you must do now!”. We are already doing so many things, that I think it’s time for a new list. That’s why this blog entry is all about taking a look at what...
You may find it hard to believe, but I’m not a dancer who lives to perform. I can and I do, but that’s not where my passion for dance lies. Unbelievable right? A belly dancer whose goal isn’t to perform, who hasn’t retired or disappeared into the miasma where dancers who aren’t performing go to...
There’s a particular excitement that happens when performing on a stage. From getting ready, all the rehearsals and planning and selecting your costume, getting nervous. Plus culminating when your music starts and you set foot on the stage. My first solo performance was in 2010. It should have been a fully choreographed drum solo that...
As 2019 comes to a close and a new year starts, many of us will start considering what we want to do in 2020. Resolutions, plans, plotting, become the go-to for the forlorn dancer who wants to do better but isn’t sure where to start. But how do you really work out what you really...
You may remember, we touched on some of the myths about belly dance in an earlier blog post. We’re back today to cover a few more, so lets jump right on in with… Belly dancing is about dancing with your stomach/belly. You’d think by the name that this was true, but when you think about...
