Halleyah Raks

The Intermediate Hump

2011-10-19T15:44:00.000-07:00

The Intermediate Hump: This is what I call the phase that all dance students go through. They have mastered all the basics and many of the more advanced ideas and concepts, but there is still something missing. They are "stuck" and their dance doesn't seem to be improving.

It's a very frustrating phase and one that every student hits, myself including. I remember it well - even though it's been over 15 years ago! I've seen all of my advanced students go through it (and personally I don't consider you an advanced student until you have successfully made it over this hump - no matter how much technique you know!). I've watched other dancers in the community go through it. Each one deals with it differently.

Some quit. That's it, they can't wait for this nebulous phase to pass. Others keep doing what they have been doing and just hang out at the hump and never make it over because they eventually give up and quit. Those who hang in there and don't quit eventually make it over the hump.

What is so frustrating is that this is an individual process. I, as your teacher, can make many suggestions, but there is no one thing that works for everyone. This hump is as individual as you are! There isn't a "do this" check box that will get you over the hump and there is no short fix. This is where you decide who you are as a dancer, what you value, what you want and what drives you. It's where YOU take charge of your dance and you become a partner in your dance education. It's not that you will never again need to take class or learn new technique (as a matter of fact you may still need to learn lots of technique). But it is where you start evaluating your path as a dancer and begin to think outside the student box and make decisions based on your individual path as an artist.

I read a most wonderful blog today on finding yourself as a dance artist. She said it really well and while all dancers need to do this, the dancer stuck on the intermediate hump needs it most of all!

Think outside your box! Go to the library and check out Orientalist painting books - not because they are accurate, but because they can inspire you! Take a Flamenco class or a folk dance class. Sit in on a Persian music concert. Spend time reading on the history of the region and culture. Start collecting beautiful textiles from the region. STEP OUTSIDE OF YOUR BOX!!!! Don't think that taking another technique class will do it all by itself. This is about you finding yourself as a dancer - not about learning someones technique or a new choreography.

As your teacher, I want you to grow. If you are growing with me, then I'm thrilled. If you need to be elsewhere to grow - GO THERE! I'm so thrilled when you return and I'm just as thrilled if you discover that your dance path is Flamenco and you never return! As your teacher, I want you to grow into the beautiful amazing dancer that I know you can be - whether you ever dance professionally or not. This isn't about how much money you make - it's about soul and art!

Fly Baby Dancers! Fly!

Wise Woman Retreat

2011-08-16T12:55:00.000-07:00

I spent the weekend of August 3-7th in Albuquerque, NM at Amaya's Wise Woman Retreat. I'd first heard of the retreat some years ago and it just seemed that I could never get the time and the money in the same year in order to attend. This year it worked out magically and I found myself half a continent away from home with a room full of strangers having one of the best weekends of my dance life!

The weekend is designed to bring together dancers who are ready to venture into the professional arena or professionals looking to bump up their game. It's also designed to give dancers an opportunity to form relationships with other women who are dancers in a peer group. All too often we are all busy teaching and performing - but how often do we get to spend a weekend talking about our dance love in a stress free environment with others who love dance as much as we do?

There were women from all over the world there. The guest instructor was from Canada, several ladies from the local area and several from Texas. One from New Orleans and one from the Washington, DC area, one from Sweden, one from Kansas, one from Germany, and then myself. A total of 15 women - the max Amaya allows to attend. Her husband was kind enough to help in shuttling folks around, but otherwise it was just us ladies. The weather was great and we were off and running......

Wednesday evening was the orientation dinner, Thursday was a trip to the Pueblo to see the annual Corn Dance ceremony. It's a religious ritual and so while spectators are allowed, no image reproduction of any kind - including sketch books is allowed. We watched one visitor ignore the rule and the Reservation Police took her camera and deleted her pictures and escorted her off the reservation. This isn't a performance and it's a shame that not everyone could respect that. I've a history of attending Native American Pow Wow's on the east coast, but this was the first Southwestern event of any kind that I'd been too. It was not a Pow Wow and that changed everything. A truly special event and I'm glad I was able to attend.

Friday began the first day of dance classes and they were taught at a higher level - no beginner stuff here and it was nice to take class at my level of experience. It was also nice to take a dance class and not a drill you till you drop class. Don't get me wrong - drill are very important to dancers to achieve and maintain a certain level of technique. But drills aren't dancing! So I just love it when I get to take dance classes that allow me to dance. For two days we took dance class. We worked hard in class, but had nice built in breaks so that it wasn't stressful or too much. I was able to learn so much in this environment. Luscious!

Friday night we had the treat of attending a local dance show where Mardi Love and Amaya were performing. I've never seen a dance show in another region of the country and it's really nice to see how the dance community dynamics are different in different areas. I enjoyed the performances that night.

Saturday night was our own private Wise Woman Hafla and we all danced for each other. It was great fun to see everyone perform after getting to know them over the weekend. Afterwards we ended our weekend with a talking circle where lots of important sharing went on.

I flew out at the crack of dawn and in the process lost my cell phone at the airport. Low and behold someone found it in the middle of the road and mailed it back to me! I'd recommend a visit to Albuquerque any time!

I spend my days busy - running too and fro taking care of things that have to get done and doing things I love, but it is really nice to step away from it all, recharge and relax. We always tell ourselves we dont' have the money or the time to do this, but don't believe it! Find a way to be present in the moment and rejuvenate. Find a way small or large and come back refreshed and ready to take on your life and accomplish more! You can not feed people with an empty pot. You may be standing there and scooping out air, but it's not nourishing nor is it good for them!

Until Next Time,

Halleyah :)

Persian and Live Music!

2011-07-18T07:26:00.000-07:00

Wow - so here is my annual report on things! I've got to find time to pop in here more often! :)

Another busy year and this time Student Recitals are done and went off beautifully! Both schools did amazing jobs and I'm so proud of my hardworking students!

This past weekend I had the blessed opportunity to dance at TribalCarnivale (http://www.awalim.com/awalim-brings-live-music-atlanta/) with live music! I started my dance with live music and when I began teaching and performing in the Atlanta area, I did not have access to much live music and so over the past 10 years I've come to rely on recordings. I've very grateful to all the artists who provide those recordings, but nothing tops dancing to live music! I had forgotten how much that changes things and how much it touches my soul to dance that way! All of my nervousness disappears and I float on the notes and drum beats in my own personal heaven! So I was thrilled when Majda of Awalim contacted me to be a part of this very special show. My undying thanks to Ziah and Majda for bringing this awesomeness to Atlanta!

Several of my students (Arra, Heather, Luaxanna and Marie) danced with me in our first full improv ATS piece which was just loads of fun! They did wonderfully and I had a blast. Then it was off to change for Persian.

I spent 20 years in the SCA (www.sca.org) learning, researching, publishing and performing Classical Persian dance from the 16th Century Safavid Court. It is a long time passion of mine and it's been almost 5 years since I've performed a Persian piece. It was like coming home! While I added some Qajar styling to what I performed on Saturday night, it was just beautiful to float on the awesome ney and frame drum and DANCE! I probably stopped too soon, but I got lost and couldn't tell how long I'd been dancing - not nice to hog the stage ya know! ;)

This experience has reaffirmed an old love and brought it back into my life. Persian is a beautifully flowing and graceful dance - even the modern pop dance flows! Classical always makes me feel like a fairy princess! I'm a bit past the princess stage of life - so let's go with Fairy Queen!

I'm grateful to Ziah, Majda, all the musicians, and my many Persian teachers and inspirations for Saturday! Thank you all! I'm also grateful to my students and friends who showed up in force (we filled up 4 tables of people!) to support my work and their fellow dance sisters. You should all look for Persian to show up more often!

~Halleyah, still blissed out

Spring 2010

2010-04-29T05:32:00.001-07:00

Good Grief but time is flying! This spring has been filled with preparations for the Student Recitals in June (yes we start this far in advance!), with my first solo performance in years, and two amazing workshops! I'm tired just thinking about it all!

I started the year behind on recital prep. I usually walk into the new year with the music chosen, the costuming decided, and the choreography mostly finished. Unfortunately or fortunately that didn't happen this year due to starting a new job at the end of the old year (love the new job, but it wrecked havoc with my dance schedule!). So I started the year behind. In addition I added the solo performance - well it didn't start out as just a solo, but once we had some unavoidable personnel issues (one of a trio got ill) it was just a solo. The trio piece rocks and will appear again in the future - somewhere! Then there were the workshops. (sigh) I love being busy, but sometimes my enthusiasm overtakes my brain and I end up over scheduled!

So at the end of February I attended TribalCon .... so I could rest! Ziah, of Awalim, laughed at me when I told her that, but believe it or not I did rest that weekend and still managed to learn lots and attend class - plus spent a ridiculous amount of money! A great weekend that happens every year at the end of February in Decatur, GA. If you live on the east coast and don't attend - you are missing out! Amazing teachers, wonderful hafla with live music, great musicians to teach the music track and play for us, awesome show, teacher discussion groups, vendors galore and Niccola's Food! Heaven for a those of the tribal vein! This year one of my favorite classes was Ashara's History Class. A wonderful breakdown of how the tribal vocabulary developed and which teachers contributed which moves! Turns out I'm more Salimpour than ATS - who knew? Actually, I knew I did not do classic ATS, but over the years of taking dance from many wonderful teachers the lines of where I got certain things had blurred and ATS had solidified. Absolutely essential information for me to have! Thanks to Ashara! Of course Donna Mejia was wonderful - she always is and her lecture this year could have spanned the entire weekend! I was bummed to have missed Ariellah's emoting class - I heard raves about it the rest of the weekend! I always enjoy Megha's ATS classes as they allow me to refresh on my general skills in that style. I spent waaaaay too much money at the vendors - ate wonderful food - visited with belly dance friends and was absolutely thrilled that so many of my students attended this year! I was so proud of them! Ahhhh, TribalCon (http://www.tribalcon.com/)

After that came the Zafira Workshop and my performance at the show. A great workshop by the Zafira ladies - I loved the workshop and the perspective they gave on moving through space. Their moving drills were amazing, though not for the faint of heart! I can see why they are in such amazing shape after that class! That evening was the show at Red Light and it was an honor to take the stage with the other performers there. I enjoyed the ones I was able to watch and got wonderful reviews from my friends and students in the audience who attended on the ones I had to miss due to being backstage. I was thrilled with all the students who turned out to support me! Thanks! Most especially to Heather who got some great photos of me dancing! Another awesome weekend although I did not rest this time!

Now it's back to student recitals, finishing choreography, getting the last costume pieces ordered and delivered, etc, etc. The students are working hard and I think the performances will be beautiful! Unfortunately, the two schools set their recitals on the same day - so I get to play musical performances running back and forth between two sets of students! Luckily, I have folks to help out when I can't be somewhere and I do get to be there for both sets of students to assist them in getting ready and see their first show of the day! It's going to be awesome!

Some days I'm tired (actually exhausted - but let's not quibble), I'm cranky, I've got time crunches and my body hurts. This is still the best job ever! I love my students - I love the people I work with at each studio - and I love the work I do!

Happy Dancing!

Halleyah :)

Divine Feminine

2009-10-19T06:34:00.000-07:00

This is a term that's bandied about in the belly dance world. It sort of hit mainstream terminology after Dan Brown's book "The Davinci Code", but it's been around since the women's movement began. How does this term apply to belly dance - or does it?

In a patriarchal society (cause that's what we are here in the US) many women began wanting to find a personal connection to the divine (call that what you will - this is not a religious blog) and found that most - in fact the vast majority - of our divine images in this country were male. Now with the rising women's movement - they decided to start looking for female images of the divine. They found them and some have made their way into mainstream society. So, how does that apply to belly dance?

For some dancers, it doesn't. Not at all not one whit. Period. Discussion over. So, we'll move on to the dancers that it does apply to.

Art is creative and certainly the art of the Renaissance had many divine images in it as does the art of many other cultures, but since I'm writing to a mostly Western audience, I'm going to stick with Western images - no disrespect meant to other cultures. In Julia Cameron's "The Artist's Way", she postulates that all art is divinely inspired - the creator created beings that then create themselves. This does not mean that all art is religious (another topic - see above statement on religion). It means that she believes that art is transcendent of our world and I agree with that. All art isn't good - all art doesn't speak to me - but all art is transcendent of this world. It all reaches out to emotions, images and concepts that are beyond our day to day life - even if the theme of the art is our day to day life.

Now, if we apply that concept - that all art is divine - then is it any wonder that belly dance seems to inspire the concept of divine feminine? The art form is mostly performed by women (the reason for this is for another time and no disrespect is meant to the many talented men who perform this art). Belly dance has an interesting affect on the women who study it - increasing self-esteem and opening up their world in a way that other dance doesn't seem to do. Tribal Belly Dance is particularly accepting of women "as they are". Talent is just as important - if not more so than looks. This attitude can be found in the cabaret world as well - but not so much in the Restaurant scene which is where most cabaret dance is performed publicly (though, I think that may be changing slowly).

So women, who bring their own personal spirituality to this art, come to class and discover that they too can create art. The ability to create art doesn't mean that your art is publicly profitable, creating art is creating art for the sake of creating art. So they come to class and go "wow" - I can create art! I can make something beautiful and moving beyond what I do to make a living and beyond what I do to care for my family. And this "divine" experience often makes them look around and see the divine feminine in the other women in class who are also creating art and living beyond their work and family.

So many of my students refer to class as "my time". It's their space to explore the art in their soul and to do it in the presence of other women. Now, don't get me wrong Men Rock! They have some very wonderful qualities - not the least of which is to look at us when we're sweaty and have baby puke all over us and see the glorious goddess within and desire that! Believe me on a bad day - loving eyes are pretty awesome. But time spent with other women who are experiencing life in a similar way is priceless. It allows us to develop female images of strength and beauty that haven't been airbrushed and don't exist just to look "sexy".

So is it any wonder that the phrase "divine feminine" gets bandied about more in belly dance than it does in say Ballet or Hip Hop? And the women who are drawn to belly dance are often looking for that connection - whether they know it or not. And the ones who aren't usually progress on to their own needs - whatever those might be. Belly Dance is beautiful and feminine and Ballet is beautiful and feminine in a totally different way - both valid and both serving different needs for the women who dance then and the audience who watches the art. Both technically difficult in different ways and both entrancing to watch.

This past week I had the great pleasure of watching a video of a performance that demonstrates this term the way I see it. The artist is one of my favorites and the performance brought me to tears and I hope that all of you can see the divine feminine in this video:

Donna Mejia's "The Private Rapture of Mary Magdalene"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAUyx2wm5Wk

Be sure to read the notes on this found in the upper right corner under the poster's information.

Enjoy and Be Inspired to Create!
Halleyah

DragonCon2009

2009-09-09T05:51:00.000-07:00

Well, WOW! 30,000 (I haven't heard final numbers, but that's the usual turnout these days) people in downtown Atlanta split between one mall food court and 4 hotels is just wild! Made it through registration to pick-up my prepaid badge in only 1 and a half hours! It's a record! 3 hours is about average. So that started things off in a good way.

I spent lots of time in the art show with a friend who was in the show and selling her art at a table - great glass bead stuff! Visited with folks that I don't see that often - and attended a few panels. Usually I do a lot of night time costume/people watching, but as I was driving in each day instead of staying at a hotel - I missed all that this year. I did end up getting invited to sit on my first panel at the last minute (ME Costume) and that was a hoot! Watching Ziah and Magda put up their hair with no mirrors from memory was a blast!

Unfortunately I missed my Writer's Meeting (we all took AC Crispin's workshop in 2002 and still meet regularly) due to some stomach issues! Truly bummed about that, but saw some of them at other places in the Con. Bought a few things - never did get back to Krishna's booth for another look-see! And then we managed to extricate ourselves from the art show - no thanks to an overzealous Atlanta Police Officer who just looked lost! Home for me and much needed rest!

Usually I do quiet a bit of belly dance related activities at DragonCon. There is a huge drum circle most nights, I usually dress in full costume and wonder around getting my photo taken and I usually end up at the Silk Road Dance Show. Missed all that this year due to driving in and not being at the hotel. Must save pennies so I can stay on site next year!

Now Back to the Real World of Belly Dance!
Halleyah :)

Judgement and Art

2009-08-14T05:08:00.000-07:00

This week, I hit my nose smack on that irritating wall called judgement. Now, we all should exercise assessment. Assessment is good. It allows us to look over a situation and weigh the pros and cons and decide that texting while driving 75 mph down a crowded rush hour freeway MIGHT be a bad, bad idea! Judgement, however is another thing all together. Judgement weighs two things, people, situations, etc and decides that one is BETTER than the other. So this week I got JUDGED. Yuck!

This week it was judged that only one belly dance performance could be included in a local festival. Now this is a festival that I've danced in for many years, but evidently there was this unwritten rule that there could be only one - that I was unaware of. There can be unending numbers of cloggers and country line dancers (which I totally enjoy doing and watching - mind you) and multiple jazz numbers, hip hop, and tap. Multiple rock bands are evidently a plus - but horrors of horrors let there only be one belly dance number! Why if we allow more than one - I don't know maybe the world would come to an end or HORRORS we might multiply and there would be more of us! Gasp! (I truly hope the fact that my tongue is firmly in cheek is coming through here)

<SIGH> So, we will be unable to dance in a festival that my performance class looks forward to all year. We make a day of it. Getting dressed together and helping each other do make-up. Then we drive over together and saunter through the crowds until we get to the performance area. We are always stopped for photos and occasionally we end up in the local paper. We enjoy cheering on and applauding the other performers in our school and then we use the gardens to take some really nice photos while we've got all our gee-gaws on! We pass out flyers for class and sometimes we all stop in and have lunch or dinner (depending on our performance time) and rehash our day. It's a bonding experience for the students and a great deal of fun.

My question is "Why can there only be one?" This is where the wall of judgement comes in - belly dance is judged as being too "iffy" to allow more than one. Some folks don't see us as family entertainment. Never mind that for thousands of years belly dance was done in families. Never mind that even today having a belly dancer at your wedding is a must in many Middle Eastern countries. Never mind that we wear more clothes than most of the other dancers - and truly do not compare to the hip hop dancers where risque dance moves are concerned. At least we're adults and not 12! Some unnamed "people" get upset that we're there so the festival organizers feel like they have "bent over backwards" (yes that is a direct quote) to include belly dance. Perhaps they have. I don't know. My point is that it is a shame that they might have to do such a thing in the first place. Truly this is an example of how my area is sooooooo not an artistic community. Way too much judgement!

Art doesn't really flourish in a judgemental atmosphere. Now, we all assess which arts we like or don't like. But if you judge art as it is being created - you sort of kill the creative spirit. This festival is local and not that big. It's an opportunity for the local folks to shine. Because if you want super talented professional performers at your festival - you pay them. Mostly local clubs and students perform and those people who are trying to move from amateur to professional. I enjoy supporting the arts in my community so I have performed in the past, but these days it's just as likely that I won't and let my students do the performing. So, a little less judgement please and a little more support for the arts would be nice!

Next year, I will make sure (now that I know there can only be one) to have my application for the festival in on the very first day - since acceptance is done on a first come first served basis! But this year - I'm feeling judged!

Halleyah

Meow! That's Hot!

2009-07-20T04:28:00.001-07:00

Heather (one of my students) and I attended Yasmine's Duo Combo workshop on Saturday at Meow! That's Hot! Great workshop, even though my bum shoulder only let me get half-way through the workshop (why I seem to always be injured when attending one of Yasmine's workshops is an unanswered question!). I enjoyed the combos and got lots out of it - even if I did only watch the last half.

I also love that Yasmine usually provides a handout of what she's teaching! I don't worry too much about taking notes. I sit down at the end of class and scribble my own little do-das once she hands out her notes. It allows me to really focus on what's being taught.

The space was very nice - a real surprise! We were a little crowded and the post in the back in the middle of the floor was a pain as I seemed to continously run into the darn thing - but otherwise a nice space. I enjoyed browsing the neat metaphysical shop and I saw several nice things in the vendor room - finances just wouldn't allow me to shop!

All in all a nice day!
Halleyah

Student Recitals Put To Bed!

2009-07-08T04:59:00.000-07:00

Good grief it's been a month - but it's taken me that long to recover! ;)

Student recitals have come and gone and it was another wonderful year of watching students achieve things they didn't think they could do! Everyone seemed to have a good time and some of the students were just popping with excitement!

AFBS recital went off without a hitch thanks to students who listened and a wonderful backstage assistant! The bellydance class has the orchestra pit as a dressing room since there are so many of us there and we're there for all the shows (most students aren't). We have a good time down there and it's nice to have some room to move around. The shows went well and no one made any huge mistakes - so each performance was a good one! The audiences were really neat this year - they are learning how to respond to belly dance and the clapping and zaghareets ringing out were awesome. It's always interesting to see what move or combo the audience likes the best and rarely is it the one I think it will be. As a choreographer, it's really fun to sit in the audience and experience their reaction to what we've created. A really great day and I'm very proud of my students!

Dominy recital was a bit more complicated! Dress rehearsal ran late and due to having two seperate numbers in each show - costume changes were crazy! Definately a learning experience there. Having one of my advanced students total her car the night before the show was also scary! Believe it or not the girl danced both shows, with some choreograhy changes to accomodate her injuries!!!! What a trooper! We also had our first experience with technical difficulties in the form of two weeping fog machines! My thanks to the gentelmen who ran the fog for handling a wet mess in the middle of a show with dancers everywhere! Another learning experience! In the end both shows went well and our numbers were well recieved. This year's audience was unsure how to respond to us, but many people came up afterwards saying how much they enjoy us and at dress rehearsal one Mom stopped one of my dancers to plead with us to rehearse soon as her daughter's wouldn't leave until they saw us dance and she was TIRED! One of the best compliments I've gotten over the years! ;) Again my students did me proud and we ended on a high note!

Halleyah :)

Guedra

2009-04-30T05:05:00.000-07:00

I had the wonderful fortune to attend a workshop by Morocco - the dancer not the country - on Guedra. I first learned about this "dance" (we'll get back to that later) years ago in the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism www.sca.org) and have participated in many guedras over the years. Attending this workshop gave me the opportunity to clarify a few questions and to learn the "dance" from the main instructor in the United States. For a background on Morocco and her research into this "dance" see www.casbahdance.org and look for her article on "Dance as a Community Identity" about the Berber National Identity and Guedra.

First off - the reason I keep putting the word dance into quotations is that one of the things she emphasized was that this was NOT a dance, but a ritual. "It's not a dance, it's never been a dance, and it never will be a dance!" I've always heard it referred to as a dance and this one statement completely changed how I thought about this ritual. The article listed above will give you a good background on the ritual and why it's performed. I'm not going to go into that - I'm sure you can all read! ;)

Some of the things that I took away from this workshop:

1. Clapping and Chanting: This was presented in a much different format to how I've always done it. The method I was using worked, but the method she presented was much simpler and less structured. I can't wait to try it out!

2. Magic Necklace and the Man's role: This was really cool! While only a woman can perform the guedra - men do have a role in this ritual and I loved the "magic necklace", which is the term Morocco used for the necklace that the guedra wears. The idea of a community building their own magic necklace that is then used for guedra was really enticing!

3. No Flailing: I'd always understood that the increased movement or "running man" or "flailing" at the end of the ritual was necessary to trance. Morocco was very clear that this was not so and could even be very dangerous to the woman performing the ritual! I spoke with her after the class and her best guess was that this came from a staged performance that she and her troop did where two of the girls added such movement in order to increase the umph of the performance. It was not traditional to the ritual and not necessary in order to trance. So while there is swaying and chest lifting - the arms are held fairly steady at shoulder level and the chin is just gently lifted and turned. Morocco said that if everything else was done correctly the movement was not needed in order to trance. The trance was about the energy work - not the movement. I've never liked the flailing at the end of the dance due some neck issues and was quiet happy to hear I could stop performing it that way!

4. Drum Rhythm: I'd always read that the drum beat was a heartbeat rhythm, but I've never - not once - had such a rhythm played at a guedra that I'd participated in. Most of the time the rhythm played was a Moroccan 6/8 - which works just fine, but isn't authentic. Morocco had a CD of several performances of guedra recorded in the 1970's and the difference in the sound is profound. I think the heartbeat will assist in the trance and it's much easier to play. Can't wait to try this one out either.

All in all it was a really great class - more lecture than movement, although the time we spent practicing the hand flicks, salutations, etc was really fun and I definitely felt it in my wrists the next day! It was also wonderful to see this legend in belly dance perform not once but three times in the show that evening. Morocco is a "granny" of belly dance and let me tell you what - it doesn't take amazing strength moves or super ooey-gooey undulations to create a great performance. I truly began to comprehend why they say in Egypt that no woman younger than 40 can be a great belly dancer - she has nothing to say. Well Morocco had something to say and I was thrilled to be able to listen that evening! I hope that when I'm a "granny" of belly dance that I can rock the stage - literally - with my shimmies that go on forever! Take that Belly Bunnies of the World!

Halleyah

Student Recitals

2009-04-20T11:35:00.000-07:00

Most students decide at some point that they want to perform. Some students want to perform right away and others take a bit longer to get their confidence built up, but usually they all want to perform. I mean they've spent time, money and effort learning how to dance and they want to show it off. All very natural - I'm a big fan of performing myself! ;)

What many students don't think about when this urge comes over them is exactly what "performing" entails. Since a first performance is usually at a student recital, I'm going to use that as our example. There are rehearsals to attend, choreography to learn, costumes to purchase or make, accessories to purchase or make and usually some extra make-up to purchase. There are often photos to have taken, tickets for the show for family and friends, dvds of the show, etc, etc. "Performing" can get expensive fast!

Aside from the money, there is the time. Most shows rehearse for at least 8 -12 weeks as least one hour a week, sometimes more. It is good manners to show up for all of these rehearsals, so that is a major time commitment. Often students don't realize how important their attendance is. First performances are rarely solos, so if one person doesn't rehearse, then the whole group ends up looking bad. It's selfish and unprofessional to not consider how an individual's actions effect the group. Some teachers require extra paid classes if you should fall behind, others just remove the absent student from the show. Some do nothing and in my opinion that is a disservice to the student. It teaches them that they have no responsibility to the group and just causes future escalation of the issue. But to each their own!

Members of a performance need to show up on time, know their choreography and practiced outside of rehearsal time, be warmed up and ready to go, be dressed appropriately and remember to bring their props to rehearsal, to show up in a good mood, and work hard to not let their own personal frustrations (Why can't I get this right?!) to effect the group. It's not OK to snap at the other students, roll your eyes at the director, or stomp off in a huff! It makes rehearsals tense and stressful for the group and while we all feel frustration - it's our job as mature adults (and I'm assuming we all are mature adults here) to manage their own emotions. You may think that your frustration isn't showing, but most of the time everyone in the room is aware if someone is angry or upset and certainly if you start snapping at folks it's pretty obvious. Take a minute to go to the restroom or get a drink of water from the fountain in the hall (even if you brought a water bottle to class) so that you can take a deep breath and let go of your frustrations in private where others won't be effected. It will help you to feel better and it will contribute to the group and make others more willing to assist you as you try to do better.

All to often students think they know better than the director. This tendency really seems to come to the forefront during preparation for a show. The director says, "Be here at 1:00pm" and the student thinks, "Oh I don't need that much prep time! I'll arrive when I need to." The director says, "No food or drink in the dressing room." The student says, "Oh, I'm an adult I can manage not to spill." The director says, "Don't wear strong perfume." The student says, "I can't live without my perfume - everyone else will be fine with it!" I could go on and on - but I'm sure you get the idea. Please - PLEASE - give your director the benefit of the doubt that she/he just might know what they are doing. PLEASE! I know that for every one of those little nagging rules, there is a very good reason in my shows. Things happen over 20 years and you learn a few lessons - also the director may well have knowledge you don't. For instance perhaps one of the students is asthmatic and strong perfume could cause an attack on the day of the performance causing this student to be unable to perform! How horrible would you feel if that happened? I mean this poor lady spent the same time and money preparing as you did - not because one person couldn't follow the rules or thought that they knew better someone is horribly disappointed. Trust that your director knows what she/he is talking about and that there is a reason for what they do.

Things to remember on the day of the show:

1. Bring everything you might possibly need! Check your list twice and then do it again!

2. Show up on time. Allow time to get lost or park or whatever if you've never been to the location before.

3. Stay calm and considerate. Nerves are running high on the day of the performance for everyone. So do your best to be calm and flexible. Things happen that are beyond anyone's control - loss of air-conditioning, delays, sound mess-ups, lighting issues, etc. STAY CALM!

4. Do not leave the performance venue for any reason until you are finished for the day, evening, or show. Accidents can happen and how terrible for everyone involved if you get in one while running to the corner drugstore for something!

5. Allow time for visiting the friends and family that come to see you after the show. Don't book your time so closely that you have to dash off immediately following a performance. It's rude! They were gracious enough to buy tickets and take the time to come and see you, at least you can chat with them for a few minutes.

6. Be dressed, in full hair and make-up, and warmed up ready to go well before your stage time! You don't want to be the person who causes the whole show to be delayed or worse yet, be in the bathroom when your music starts!

7. Manage your own physical needs. Make sure you drink enough, eat if need be, take medications, don't stand around all day until your feet swell, etc, etc. You know best what issues and needs you have. Don't expect others to remember all this on the day of a show. You are responsible for your own needs.

8. Be considerate of others when you are not performing. Don't hog the mirror, don't make noise backstage, don't parade around in public before the show in full costume and no cover-up, keep your supplies, clothes, etc in as small a space as possible, pay attention to time, be kind and helpful and please try to overlook the other performers not in your group who may not be as well trained as you are. Nerves explain only so much bad behavior, but it does no good to start WWIII backstage during a show. Wait until afterwards to let your director or the dance school owner know about any incidents.

9. Follow the building rules. The venue will have rules that may not be what you are used to. FOLLOW THEM! Many dance schools have lost venues due to the bad behavior of one student. Don't be that student!

10. Last, but not least - Have a good time! You've earned it! You've worked hard, so take the time to take a deep breath and enjoy the day!

"Performing" can be one of the greatest experiences in your dance studies. Just remember, you're not the only one on the stage and your needs and desires do not take precedence over the other performers who are just as excited as you are about this special day.

Halleyah

2009-04-14T05:11:00.000-07:00

It looks like my advanced students and myself will be performing at the Conyers Fine Arts Festival with Dominy School of Performing Arts on Saturday May 16th. As soon as I have the venue and times, I will post them. I hope to see you there!

Also, on Saturday May 30th 1-5pm I will be hosting a Hair and Make-up workshop for students looking to explore the fantasy "Gypsy" look. This workshop is designed for my students who are participating in the June recital, but there will be good information for anyone interested in this theme. Jennifer Harmon, a professional hair and make-up artist, will be the co-instructor for the seminar. We will be covering stage make-up applications and achieving the "natural" look without disappearing under heavy stage lights and will also be looking at several loose hair styles that will give you that fantasy "gypsy" look. Those interested should contact me at holliewilliams (at) gmail (dot) com for details and fees. I hope to see you there!

Halleyah

Dance and Energy

2009-03-13T05:01:00.000-07:00

In the belly dance world one will often hear folks talk about "energy". When I first started dancing, I wasn't really sure what they meant - was this some nebulous thing, was it something I'd have to work hard to learn, was it going to take me places I did not want to go? It made me nervous - what the heck did they mean by "energy"!

Over the last almost 20 years, I've learned a lot about this concept and agree with my early teachers - it's important! According to Quantum physics - we're all energy. Energy that forms into solid matter and then unforms and reforms into something else. Science says that energy can change form but can not be destroyed. Now, I'm no Quantum physicist so that's my very basic explanation of the science of energy where this conversation is concerned.

So if we are all energy and we need energy in our dance, than it stands to reason we already have this nebulous quality in us. That however does not mean we control it - just ask any cat owner. One can have a cat - that in no way means one can control said cat! However, let us assume that we can learn to control this energy that we already have. How is that relevant to our dance and why is it important?

I'm sure we've all seen dance performances that look like they are having fun. They are animated, they are looking at the audience, they are technically perfect - and we are bored to tears! In old Hollywood, they used to call it "star quality" - being technically perfect, beautiful, and talented wasn't enough - there was something else out that you needed. That, Ladies and Gentlemen is "energy". Its the performer's ability to control their energy and use it consciously to effect the audience, the musicians and the other dancers on the stage. A perfect example of this was Donna Mejia's performance at Tribalcon this year (see my earlier post). She was beautifully dressed, she was technically perfect, she included the audience and then she did that last element - she used her energy to effect us! And boy howdy did she effect us - she received a standing ovation and had half the audience tearing up or outright crying. That is "star quality" and it comes from consciously using her energy. I have no doubt she's studied many different disciplines in order to do this. Like the cat analogy - I doubt she began life being able to do this.

So what can we do to add that component to our dance. It's powerful - very powerful both for the dancer and for the others in the room. Let's start small - how many of us have been dancing somewhere - performance, hafla, class, in our living room - and lost ourselves? We could dance longer, faster, slower, it almost hurt to dance it was so intense and yet the "pain" was amazingly satisfying and wonderful? I would imagine that anyone who has danced for any length of time has experienced this at least once. The Spanish call it duende'. That is connecting with and experiencing the energy. Sometimes when this happens we can consciously use it to effect others. Sometimes not - if we have no training, we can only ride the experience and not direct the train - so to speak. Years ago at an SCA hafla, we had danced for hours. I was on an endorphin high and it was late well past midnight. I was dancing with good friends and the drummers were almost all good friends and all the loud party people had passed out somewhere. We danced one last song and I was in duende' I was faster, hotter, more intense - it was an amazing experience and one that I remember almost 15 years later as if it was yesterday. And on some level I must have directed my train that night - because when we were done we were all on a dance high and I was almost in tears. One of the drummers, someone I didn't know who had stuck around for the last dance, dropped down on one knee - kissed my hand and looked up at me with wonder in his eyes and began to tell me how I had effected him that entire evening. It was overwhelming and I was very embaressed. He ended as he stood up and bowed thanking me for the great privilege of watching me dance as it had touched his soul. Now the SCA is full of flowery men who pay ladies flowery compliments, but they don't usually do it with tears in their eyes. Scared the dickens out of me! When I saw Donna Mejia dance I knew what he meant and I regretted that I hadn't been able to handle his compliment with more kindness and grace. Duende'!

So, I know of my own experience - both as dancer and audience member, that this is possible. Now, how do we achieve this in a more controllable way? Or can we? I think that we can. The important thing is to control it without loosing it's amazing power and breathtaking duende'. If we loose those things then it becomes rote and we'll loose the energy. I personally believe that you aren't controlling it, if you loose those things. If it becomes rote, it's because you aren't actually doing it anymore.

The answer to this is we have to study energy. I don't mean scientifically, although if that helps you to connect -feel free to add that to what I'm about to suggest. As humans, we already have institutions that deal with this concept - so start there. For many people their personal religion has an energy component - investigate this look at how worship involves the use of your energy. Do you achieve duende' in worship? That is the most common place for anyone to begin their study of energy. Yoga is another place to do this. Yoga is definitely about the study of energy. Many martial arts, particularly those from the East, have an energy component. Meditation is another way to tap into this (pick your style). Meditation is definitely about energy - controlling it and directing it. These are all places to start. Note that not one of these is in a dance class. You might find a dance class that is about investigating energy - they do exist, but they aren't everywhere and the other suggestions are often easier to locate. Here is my caveat' - not all Western practitioners of these methods actually focus on energy work. So be discriminating as you investigate teachers. You might find an amazing yoga teacher who does deep and intensive energy work at a gym, but it's more likely that you'll find one as a private practitioner. Energy study often scares the average workout junkies - so practitioners tone down classes or ditch it altogether. Talk to teachers, how comfortable are they in discussing this? Do they outright dismiss the concept? Move on talk to someone else. Trust me they are out there.

If you want to take your dance to that next level - consider a study of energy work!

Happy Dancing,

Halleyah :)

Tribalcon V

2009-02-26T05:25:00.000-08:00

For the last five years, a most wonderful belly dance convention has been held in the Atlanta area. For the last four years it's been in quaint downtown Decatur, where everything is pretty much in easy walking distance - including MARTA. This is my fourth year in attendance - I missed Icecon the first year due to a previous commitment. Each year this event gets better and better!

The event is put on by Ziah of Awalim (www.awalim.com) and she puts a great deal of effort into making this such a well run event. The teachers are from all over the US and she runs a complete music track as well as a dance track. On Sunday, she holds open discussions with all of the teachers and it gives you dedicated time to ask those questions that go beyond technique and stage presence (such as - how to manage a troop, where do they see the new trend going, what neat things are they seeing/experiencing as they travel around the US, etc). Friday night is an awesome open music performance and hafla with the music instructors and local folks who join in after the hafla starts - some of the most amazing live music is played and we all get to dance! This year everything was seen - poi, hula hoops, solo noodling, traditional folk line dancing led by one of the music teachers (Dennys) and a well known local restaurant owner (Niccola), and large circle ATS. It was awesome!

That is followed by an amazing show that has performance styles that run the gamut of Tribal Belly Dance. This year was no exception. The show ran smoothly and the performances were again wonderful. I always tell my students that if they can't afford anything else - GO TO THE SHOW! It is a wonderful teaching tool and the following week in class we spend time discussing what they've seen and how they feel about it. All of my students say it's a wonderful experience and this year I had a student offer to sponsor a beginning student to attend the show next year! That act speaks for itself - she felt it important enough that she wants to pay for a total stranger to attend next year! Way to go Ziah!

The meat of the weekend is the classes. Each year a variety of teachers come to share their knowledge and wisdom with us. I count on this conference each year to learn new concepts, and to inspire and refresh my own dance. I attend as many other workshops as possible during the year - but so far none have compared to this one. This year the line up was amazing and while all of the classes were good and I learned something from them all - my two personal favorites were Mira Betz and Donna Mejia. These two ladies taught some amazing things this weekend and I came away with so much information and experience to process that I had trouble speaking coherently for a couple of days! Any chance to take class with them is worth the money and the travel - don't miss it!

I've taken workshops with Mira Betz last year at Tribalcon and what was wonderful is that she covered many of the same truly important concepts in a new and different way! She considered the concept that many of us may have taken workshops with her before and crafted a workshop that was good for both the student who had not taken previous workshops and those who had. Prepare to be worked hard in dance technique and combos that challenge. I'm not personally a fan of the trend in workshops that offer a yoga or exercise class. While it is often interesting to take those types of classes with workshop teachers - I'm more interested in dance technique and combos or in finishing and polishing work. So I love the fact that Mira Betz's workshops are filled with technique drills, some technique strengthening work, combos and finishing pointers. I'm always dripping in sweat when I finish and happy to be exhausted - but I'm never so overworked that I've actually damaged myself. A fine line to walk with a room full of varying levels and abilities.

Donna Mejia was a new to Tribalcon instructor this year and WOW - did we get our money's worth and more! She started the weekend with a lecture class on the ethics of fusion. At the end she handed out a reading list that ran the gamut from women's spirituality, dance history, cultural studies, dance and body health, to artistic inspiration! Awesome starting point for anyone wanting to take their dance knowledge and understanding to new levels. I was pleased to note that I'd read many of the books, owned a few and most of the others were on my own personal need to read list. I was very happy to add the new ones to the list. The lecture was well thought out and presented some tough challenges to a field of dance that is just beginning to look outside itself and consider what we're doing in relationship to the larger dance world. Then her next class truly opened some eyes (at least it did mine) to how much one can actually pack into one workshop class! I've taken university level dance classes before, but Donna Mejia's workshop surpassed any of those and left them in the dust. She had an extensive warm-up that really and truly worked every muscle in the body and touched the spirit of the artist as well with visuals to complement the mind body connection. She started with breath and ended with breath and along the way imparted many safety concerns for dancers who want to stay healthy and still be dancing when they are 80! Since I have some physical limitations, this was much appreciated as she said things like "If this challenges your knees, we'll meet you on the floor" so those of us who knew better didn't feel the need to push past safety into a danger zone. Awesome! She also made it a point to visit other teacher's workshops so she knew what we'd been working hard on all weekend and then made choices which still worked us but allowed us to rest some of our bodies that were really stressing - like my arms. The last workshop she taught was slower and more focused on alignment, posture, and muscle usage - really nice to know that I had my concepts correct! I also learned some really nice exercises to approach the concept from a different direction than I usually do. So the teacher side of me was much nourished by Ms. Mehia! The class ended with some dynamic movement across the entire ballroom floor as by then many attendees had left the conference and the class was smaller.

Combining both Mira Betz's class and Donna Mejia's on Sunday was a serious challenge to my endurance, especially since lunch didn't really happen for me, so I was physically tired, mentally exhausted and my blood sugar was dropping - but I was happier than I'd been in a really long time! Way to go ladies!

Oh yeah, and somewhere in there I shopped! Tribalcon always has the most wonderful vendors who bring a wide variety of goods to purchase. I went home with a basket, lace gloves, a hair nubbin, the FCBD Devotion dvd, and a new rose hips topper for class! A great weekend!

For those who had to miss - PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR! It usually happens towards the end of February each year and start saving money - registration usually opens in the fall.

Happy Dancing!

Halleyah

Student Hafla

2009-01-19T06:39:00.000-08:00

The student hafla went off wonderfully this past weekend! The weather was crazy, but lots of folks were brave and made it - I hope they had as good a time as they seemed to be having! We opened with performances from Daughters of Djinn and Halleyah Raks (Performance Class Members) with the incensing of the room, tossing of rose petals, sprinkling with rose water and fire! It was really cool - the first time we tried this and then we closed the song with the ATS Moving Meditation in silence. Then Halleyah Raks performed and did wonderfully! After that two students, Jennifer and Heather, performed their first choreography duet and were awesome and we closed with a Daughters of Djinn performance by myself and Bella.

At that point we opened the floor to dancing and got all the folks there up and dancing including the studio owner who had dropped by! She finally got to see what goes on at one of my haflas. The table was overflowing with yummy foods and the room smelled amazing and the twinkle lights and tapestries gave the room the most wonderful atmosphere!

It was magical...... Hope to see you there next year!

Halleyah

A New Year of Dance!

2009-01-04T06:37:00.000-08:00

Well, the new year is off to a bang! I'm booked from January 17th to the end of February and March and April are already starting to book - be careful what you ask for - you just might get it!!

A new restaurant opened in the local Old Town area of Conyers (Borage Grill). Mediterranean is how they are billed - what that boils down to is a mix of Indian, Lebanese, and Greek food. I was thrilled that I might not have to drive into Atlanta to get Middle Eastern and Indian food - so a couple of friends and I tried them yesterday for lunch. Good Food! Awesome bonus - not just OK, but GOOD. Certainly not the best Mediterranean food I've every had but good solid food. YEAH! While I was attempting to order - I got into a conversation with the waitress about being the local belly dance teacher and the owner overheard. Wow, was he excited! He wants dancers every Friday and Saturday night and I want to do some student showcases with the "dinner and a show" format. Also I'm considering doing some full stage shows in the local black box theatre right down the street - not even a block away and his restaurant would make a wonderful after show location. Plus it's not far from the dance studio - so dinner or dessert after classes just got easier! I have a meeting set up with him for today to discuss all the possibilities, hopefully this will go well. Boy Howdy did life just get more interesting!

I'm not a big fan of restaurant dancing, so I may not take him up on that aspect and just give him some recommendations for folks to contact on this side of town who do that sort of thing. I haven't decided and to be honest the bottom line will probably be what he's willing to pay me. Money is tight for many of us in this economy and I don't know that I'll turn down the job if the money is good. So my quiet last day of vacation just got hot with too much stuff to decide!

In addition to the bomb that went off yesterday, I was already booked hot and heavy for January and February.

January 17th is my yearly student hafla. Doors will open at 7:00pm. Entry Fee is to bring a munchie to share. Daughter's of Djinn and the Performance class will do a few performances and then the floor is open to everyone to dance and visit. Lots of fun!

January 24th I'm teaching workshops (Hair, Make-up and Costuming)

January 31st I'm participating in a friend's Graduation.

February 7th is a personal retreat.

February 14th I'm teaching workshops (dance).

February 19th - 22nd I'm attending Tribalcon to take workshops and network - It's sort of a working vacation and dance renewal weekend for me! I just really enjoy the event and this year there are some awesome folks teaching so I'm really looking forward to learning new stuff!

In March I get a short break after which I'm preparing for performing at the Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival - this will be a new one if I get in. The jury process is pretty intense - but I'm planning for a positive outcome! And if negotiations go well with the Borage Grill mentioned above, I will be prepping for my first Student Showcase Dinner and a Show! March is also when I start rehearsing my students for recitals. We usually spend about 12 - 14 weeks working on this one hour a week.

In April, I'm hoping to offer my Hair and Make-up workshop that was so popular last year. I'm also hoping to make a Morocco workshop in South Georgia to do some Guedra training with the best!

May starts to slow down on the calendar - but to be honest I know it won't be slow by the time I get there! It's the month before recitals, so we're usually in the middle of costume craziness and I'm sure some other performances and teaching opportunities will show up!

June is recitals at both schools - two weekends of mass craziness and lots of nerves!!! And hopefully my second Dinner and a Show!

Yep, the new year is off with a BANG! Hope yours is going as well!

Halleyah :)

A Personal Note . . .

2008-12-12T03:20:00.000-08:00

This blog doesn't usually reflect my personal life much. It's my dance blog - but sometimes life spills over.

My Aunt passed away last night. It's all so sad. She was my mother's older sister and the first of her generation to pass away - I guess I'm getting old enough to notice the change in the wheel of life. She won't be the last and eventually I will be the oldest generation in the family. Kind of a scary thought in some ways. There won't be anyone older to call and say, "Hey! How do I handle this?"

Sad times for me today. Love your family - and most of all remember that any personal issues you have with your family should be resolved. Don't wait - time is always so much shorter than we think! My Aunt and I ended on a good note, but too many folks wait until it's too long to realize that once death comes it's too late to say "I love you" or "I'm sorry".

Be Well Everyone!

November Ate Me!

2008-12-04T08:44:00.001-08:00

Good grief, but November ate me! I can't believe that in all the times I thought about posting - I didn't. Such is life.

Well November was busy with classes, website updates (www.halleyah.com), plans for the January Student Hafla, workshops, family duties, and oh yeah - Turkey Day! Whew - makes me tired just thinking about it all.

I'm still working on the 3rd installment to the history overview. I'm also working on developing a couple of small self done video's for my students to purchase, and an introductory online bellydance class - not teaching technique, but an overview of things that new students might want to know (costuming bits, props, some history, what makes a good teacher, the sub-culture, etc). It's all been truly interesting!

Well the holiday season is arriving as I type - so be safe, be happy, dance a lot!

Olde Town Fall Festival

2008-10-27T02:36:00.000-07:00

Every year the city holds a Fall Festival in the historic old town district. There are vendors, food, and two performance stages as well as a children's area with games and such. It's a small festival, but usually lots of fun.

For the past several years my student troop, Halleyah Raks, has performed with the dance school where I teach my class - Dominy School of Performing Arts. We've always enjoyed performing at the festival.

This year I branched out a bit and a new group that I'm dancing with, Daughters of Djinn, also performed at the festival. So I was doing double duty - performer and mama hen. The process of getting there was a bit rough, with DOD having to re-choreograph our performance pieces after we got moved from one stage (large and flat) to the other stage (small and high) about six weeks out. Frustrating, but we made it work.

The day was beautiful. Sunny and breezing. Not hot, but not too cold. You could smell Festival foods as the wind blew - popcorn, cotton candy, hot dogs, etc. Since DOD performed at 12:45, none of us had eaten and the stage was downwind of the food vendors so we were hungry! The wind had us worried - our first number had lit candles, sword and fan veil! All difficult props to work with in the wind. Bella, the member dancing with the fire, is a professional fire performer, so all precautions were taken and she was confident she could manage the flame. And low and behold she made it through her section without a candle going out until the very end! About the best one could ask for under the circumstances. Next up was Stacia with a large and sharp scimitar. She managed very well and made it through with no bobbles! Then it was my turn. I picked up the fan veil with a sigh. I had planned some really neat moves, but the wind was whipping by and I just figured that at some point the darn thing would eat me! But I made it through without being wrapped up in my veil and when I watched the video latter was quiet surprised at how wonderful it looked!

Our next song was a new choreography - the one we'd had to do in six weeks. Well 5 weeks really since I was out of town for my sister's wedding for one of those weeks. Lots of turns and my shoes were sticking to the stage horribly! I made it through with only one bobble, that I can see on the video, but probably few others noticed. Poor Stacia flipped too soon at one point, but other than some minor polishing stuff - it went off really well. When I watched the playback, it was so funny to hear an audience member say, "We have this in Conyers, GA!?" Yep - you sure do!

Then it was pack up everything, help Bella and Stacia change for the Halleyah Raks performance, and run over to the other stage! A whirlwind and there were lots of folks I wanted to visit with that I just didn't have the time to do so and when I caught my breath they had left! Sorry about that! We made it to the second stage, got everyone together. I turned into mama hen and pinned belts, checked hair and make-up and got everyone together to mentally walk through choreography before they had to go onstage. We were second to last in the line up and the girls did beautifully! Watching my students perform and excel is one of the wonderful things about being a teacher. One of the newer girls, Heather, had her first solo and she was terrified - but she looked cute and cool as a cucumber! The audience loved it and after a few minutes of adjustment started clapping and enjoying the peppy energy. Whew - they were done and it was great!

We spent some time in the small gardens taking some nice photos for everyone to remember the day and then walked around the festival handing out class flyers, etc. A really successful day, but I've got to remember that just because it's not hot - doesn't mean I don't need sunscreen! Oh my aching cleavage!

Halleyah :)

History of the Dance - 2

2008-10-18T05:24:00.000-07:00

So last time we stopped with the advent of Islam ...

This truly affected the world of the Middle East. Islam spread and with it came new ideas and feelings about women and dance. I'm not interested in discussing whether there was some ultimate "right" or "wrong" about these ideas. The ideas simply "are". The effect was to contain and marginalize women's roles in a changing society and that directly affected their dance.

Since women became more contained, the examples of public dancing became more scarce. Islam completed the removal of dance as a sacred and religious experience and moved it firmly into the secular realm. Certainly there were fringe examples of dance being associated with the sacred ( think Zar and the dancing that took place at weddings and the Saints tombs), but by and far dance became firmly secular. Women continued to dance in the privacy of their homes, "proper" women did not dance in public. There are always exceptions, but in general this still holds true today with female public performers being looked down upon and even in certain cases being sued by others for "inciting men".

So, during the middle ages, secular dance moved into the streets and into the "hands" of the street prostitute. Much of our information from this period is from sources who only had access to street performers and prostitutes and their movements and life. The images begin to move from those of graceful performers with sweeping arm gestures to the intensive hip orientation that is found today in belly dance. Certainly there were hip movements prior to this time period - Roman writers describe them and their are depictions from the ancient world that show hip work or a hip emphasis in costuming. But the writings and the images become more hip oriented once the dance hits the streets.

As the Renaissance starts more and more European travelers begin to comment on the "dancing girls of the east" and the beginnings of the fascination with them can be found. Still most of these women are street performers, courtesans, and prostitutes. I haven't found any accounts of the average woman performing in front of the visitors. Not to say it never occurred, just that I haven't found such an account. Please share if you know of one!

But the height of the "dancing girl" accounts comes during the Orientalist period of the 1800's. And with it comes much insinuation of the sexual aspects of the street prostitute and courtesan. Those images and stories greatly affected how the Western World viewed belly dance. The dance became intricately tied to the sexual aspect and the long lost folk and sacred aspects were left to history.

My point with this very abbreviated generalist history is that there were many things that affected what we know today as belly dance. By the time the West discovered the dance, it had already been through many incarnations. So while the bones of the dance, the soul of the dance might stretch back through time to a place where it held religious and sacred aspects, by the time it reached the West those days were long gone.

Just as the purpose of the dance had changed, so had the movements. While some were similar being hip driven and body driven verses footwork and sweeping arm movements as many Western dances were, much was added. Life is change. Artists are influenced and adopt the new trends and street performers more than court performers use what is popular and trendy. They must keep the interest of the populace and don't generally concern themselves with maintaining a cultural purity unless that is what is popular. So as the cultures blended with each Empire change so did the art of belly dance. New musical phrases and dress were introduced and this influenced the movements. Conquered entertainers were imported and were all the rage for their exotic differences and so the locals adopted those differences in order to keep their customers.

Now here is the hard part. It is simple enough to see that both purpose and movements changed - but HOW had they changed? This is the difficult if not impossible question for a dance historian to ask themselves. As the dance comes to the notice of the West, how "pure" is it? What forces have already influenced it?

Next time, we'll look at the changes that happened once the dance was introduced to the West...

Computer Crash

2008-10-14T05:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I've done it again and killed yet another innocent machine! Electronics and I do not get along. I have a computer geek friend who swears I should work on them from behind a lead shield.

So I did it again and killed my desktop. I'm now the proud owner of my first laptop! However,at the moment, I've lost ALL my data. :( I'm in negotiations with the manufacturer of my hard drive to attempt a data recovery, but it looks grim. Of course, I don't have a recent backup - don't yell at me! I hated burning tons of Cd's and didn't own a zip or a portable hard drive to do backups on. I do now and this will not happen again!

However, that still leaves me to rebuild everything. I've lost at least 3 years of photos, some I've got stashed but many may be gone forever. I think I've got most of my text files, but there is a whole folder of JSTOR articles that is gone and those puppies are hard to come by!

So no belly dance news right now - I'll get back to the history post soon. Wish me luck and send me some good vibes! I need them!

History of the Dance - 1

2008-09-19T11:35:00.000-07:00

I've spent years studying belly dance throughout history. Where did it all begin? Has it changed? How has it changed? Is it the same everywhere it's danced? Etc, etc, etc. You know - those questions that historians ask. ;)

Most performing arts are very poorly documented throughout most of history. The art itself does not survive past the performance until the invention of video - so historians are forced to rely on artistic representations and written description. Both are poor sources for what was actually done. In addition to that is that in many cultures no one bothered to record in any way information about dance. So most of the early ages are pure theory. Now this doesn't mean that I believe that you just throw up your hands and go and do whatever you want. There are many areas of history and in science where theory is all we have. So you base your theory on solid facts and be prepared to rethink your position as new information becomes available. Nothing wrong with that at all.

So what facts do we have about the beginnings of belly dance? Good Question! The answer is not many. We know that dance of some kind was done as a part of religious worship in the the same geographic area. Some of the descriptions and very few depictions give us the idea that this early dance was related to belly dance. This seems to be a commonly held belief among most of the scholars doing research in this area. Most dance historians of any kind believe that dance in general began as part of spiritual and religious beliefs. So it's not really a great surprise that belly dance might have begun in a similar way. However there is little documentation that the dance done by the priestesses in that geographic area was the same (as in unchanged) from what we do today and know as belly dance. After all wild maize (corn) doesn't look anything like the genetically domesticated corn that we eat today! So why should the dance which is even more fluid and easily changed than a plant?

So we leave the myst of the ancient days and move into more documented times. There were many early cultures in that area of the word Sumerian, Babylonian, Egyptian, Persian that were fairly well documented. Unfortunately none of the ancient cultures left much direct information on dance. That they danced is a definite. How they danced is the question. This is the era that I believe where the sacred dance began to change and be used in a secular sense. The sacred and the secular lived side-by-side. This was the first large sweeping change to what eventually became known as belly dance. There are artistic depictions of dance in some of these cultures. Ancient Persia has many vases and murals from this period that depict dance and they regularly imported Greek dancing girls. Ancient Egypt has some wonderful artwork that depicts dance - but it doesn't particularly look like modern belly dance. For examples of Ancient Egyptian dance read Irena Lexova's book, "Ancient Egyptian Dances". The dance appears to be more angular and more acrobatic than modern belly dance. There are ancient texts that discuss "quivering thighs" and this definitely sounds more like what we know as belly dance, so I definitely believe that the dance existed. The question is in what form? What music did they dance to? This has to affect the dance! It certainly affects dance today. At this point we know that women were still dancing publicly. Did men dance this dance during this period? Did men and women dance together? All good questions and mostly the answer is it depends on the culture. Just like today, belly dance or it's form at this time, was greatly affected by the culture. Men definitely danced in the ancient world even the bible discussed Solomon dancing in the streets and the temple. The question isn't did men dance - the question is did they belly dance? Did they belly dance with women? Men and women were often segregated in the ancient world. There are still placed today where this is true. Certainly it was true in history. All good questions and all important when tracing the dance.

For the Middle East, the next period is the one where even more specific information on belly dance becomes available. The birth of Islam and it's spread across the area affected belly dance in a most significant way. The world changed dramatically and all of culture and society was affected by that change. Women and their role in society was perhaps affected most of all.

To be continued . . . . .

The Art of Teaching

2008-09-06T10:31:00.000-07:00

Teaching is an art - a talent - and a learned skill. We all can remember one amazing teacher that touched our lives and changed how we viewed a subject. We got it - the light bulb came on and we were excited! That is a good teacher.

Anyone can hang out a shingle and begin teaching anything they want. They can ask folks to pay them money and there it is. Academic teachers usually have to prove they know how to do this and have been trained if they choose to teach through a school or organized institution - however, if they choose to offer their services as a tutor or private teacher there isn't any governing organization that requires that they be trained or licensed - although the potential employer can do so.

Dance teachers have even less requirements placed on them. There is no organized state or government board that licenses the average dance teacher (for those teaching in the academic world there is a certification process, but most dance teachers don't go that route). The average dance teacher has taken lessons and achieved a certain skill level and then begins to teach. Each dance discipline handles this in a different way. Belly Dance has very little structure for this process.

Many belly dance teachers take lessons and start getting requests from friends and audience members to "teach them". And so they begin teaching. Many belly dancers consider the question of whether they are qualified to teach, but many more don't. They are flattered and see a need and start teaching. Some of them are naturals. They luck out and work at it and become even better and all is good. Many are not naturals and they don't luck out and woe be it to the student who ends up in their class. Being a talented performer or a knowledgeable dancer does not make one a good teacher.

The old adage of "those who can do and those who can't teach" is a bunch of malarkey! Teachers in any subject need training and skills and to be great they need passion and talent, just like any other field or occupation. That old adage is one of the reasons that classroom teachers make so little money and have so little respect, but I digress.

I've set in and lurked through many online discussions on what the qualifications of a good teacher should be. What skills should they know? How many years of experience as a dancer should they have? What makes a really talented teacher? The varied opinions on this cut a pretty wide path.

Some people think that no one should teach unless they have been performing professionally in the restaurant trade for X number of years. Hmm - that one leaves me out. I don't perform in restaurants - not my cup of tea. Don't enjoy it and have no intention of doing it. So I'm not a big proponent of that one.

Some people think that no one should teach unless their teacher says they can/or are ready. Now this one has some merit. Your own teacher is a really good judge of your strengths and weaknesses. She/He will know whether or not you can break down moves well, can perform moves and choreography with excellent technique, are well versed in the culture and history of the dance form, and whether or not you have good performance skills. This is an age old method of deciding whether someone is ready to teach in many other occupations and I think a valid consideration for belly dance. Many of those bad teachers skip this step because they know their teacher wouldn't "sign-off" on them so to speak. So they drop out of class and suddenly the teacher hears that their student has started teaching across town. It's disappointing and fools no one. People in the community will ask the teacher, "Did you know X has started teaching?" And the teacher always answers "Yes, but without my blessings." This does nothing for the new teacher's reputation and causes much ill will in the community. Now here's where I disagree with many folks. I don't think it's the experienced teacher's job to go to her now ex-student and say, "You can't teach" or some other version of that sentiment. There is no regulatory board and the student already knows her teacher wouldn't approve or she wouldn't have been so sneaky about it. Many folks feel it is the experienced teacher's job to police her students. While I wish that the original teacher had some authority in this matter that just isn't the case.

Some people think that a dancer should have learned specific technique/styles/etc before they should teach. Belly dance has grown beyond a one style dance. There are a variety of styles that any good teacher should be familiar with and know who the experts are so as to be able to refer students to the experts in other styles. However, I don't necessarily believe that all belly dancers should be experts in all styles. For one, some of them just aren't every one's cup-of-tea. I like certain traditional styles, but I choose to perform and teach in the tribal genre'. Even in ballet there is the Russian School and the American or Western School. Ballet teachers don't usually cross schools as teachers - they know the difference and know who the good teachers are in the other discipline, but they teach in one or the other. I see no reason for belly dance to be any different. Now I'm not saying that a teacher couldn't do it all - but I don't think it should be a requirement for her/him to do it all.

All of this leads me to the following. My own list of what makes a good belly dance teacher. Consider all of this as you look around for someone to study with. . . .

1. Good Solid Technique in their chosen style and knowledge of technique in other styles.
2. A curriculum that is thought out and constantly being revised. Goals and objectives. A time line for accomplishing the curriculum. Organization in presentation. Thought to how the movements build upon one another and consideration for learning styles or modalities.
3. Solid knowledge in the cultural history, current culture, and community of belly dance. Learning this art form goes beyond just the moves.
4. Costuming knowledge and skill. This needs to go beyond - "you can find it at www.costume.com".
5. A relationship with the local belly dance community. The teacher should be able to recommend other instructors in other styles and know where/when upcoming events are happening.
6. Patience, passion, and purpose. Consideration of the student's needs and what is best for them even if that conflicts with what they want today.
7. Health and safety. A knowledge of anatomy and basic injury risks is necessary. Good warm ups and cool downs, how to protect the student while they learn and when to not attempt something.
8. Performance skills and experience. Belly Dance is a performance art. The good instructor takes the student beyond technique and into performance. Choreography, Improvisation, stage work, and restaurant work. It all has it's own set of dos and don'ts and it's own set of needs. Performance opportunities for students should be provided. How often and where can vary, but they should happen regularly and be appropriate for the students level. Choreography should be designed for the student performer - not a professional unless the student is a professional.
9. Time and Ethics skills. Teachers should manage their classroom time to benefit all the class. Spending a bit of extra time on something, but not getting sidetracked. Being prepared for each class and not just "winging it" (this goes back to number 2). Creating an environment where everyone is welcome, not just the really talented people, or prettiest or youngest, etc. Not tolerating behavior that works against any of this. Teachers should be in charge of their class. This is class - not girls night out at the local pub. While friendships will and should develop between students, that shouldn't be the basis of attending class, but a fringe benefit.
10. Fun. Teachers should try to make sure that students enjoy and have fun in class and with their performances. The teacher is only half of this - the student has to put forth effort on this as well.

These are my top ten. I could go on and on about this topic. Outside of belly dance I hold a Masters of Education and I've taught many subjects including dance for almost 18 years. I could turn each of those numbers in the list into individual papers on that subtopic! But I think you can get the drift from the short version. ;)

DragonCon Review

2008-09-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

Well, Labor Day weekend is over and I've survived another Dragoncon! It was a whirlwind and very fun! My recovering feet managed to make it through the weekend without too much trouble and I saw tons of great costumes.

Steampunk was all the rage! My son and some friends did a steampunk night of costuming and had a great time. Some of the steampunk was amazing with glowing bits and pieces and elaborate copper fittings! Really enjoyed them this year.

There was a great Dr. Octopus from Spiderman who looked really good. And I even say an Almighty Isis! It was really odd since some friends and I had been talking about that Saturday morning show not long ago. Blast from the past!

As usual, I was too busy people watching and shopping to attend many panels. I did make it to the SG1 Costume contest and that was fun! Saw a really great Knox! She was very shy and was just perfect. I walked through the Walk of Fame, but there weren't a lot of celebrities that I wanted to see this year and autographs have gone up to $30.00! Good Grief!

Made a few purchases and saw some of the drum circle. I didn't make it to the Dance Expo since I was feeling under the weather at that point. :( I was really bummed about missing that!

I did make my yearly Dragonwriters Meeting and that was awesome! I make that a priority every year.

The highlight was getting my picture taken with one of the alien muppets from Sesame Street. You remember the ones that go yip-yip-yip and imitate the phone ringing! He was just really cool!

Today is recovery day and then tomorrow it's back to dance classes and regular life!

DragonCon!

2008-08-28T05:24:00.000-07:00

Dragoncon is one of the largest S-F/Fantasy/Pop Culture conventions in the southeast. I've been attending (since it's in my backyard) for almost 10 years. It happens every year on Labor Day Weekend and is one hell of a party!!!

If you like to people-watch it is the extravaganza of people-watching! Beats Mardi Gras in New Orleans any day of the week (I'm from Louisiana). You can see everything from high Opera costumes to cardboard box leggo costumes!

On most nights they host a dance/drum circle. It started out being very small and very quiet and then it moved out to the pool and got crazy and then it moved back indoors and was small and quiet and now it's held in one of the larger ballrooms and is crazy. At any given time - once the drummers get going - you can hear three or more different rhythms being played as you dance around the circle. This can make for some interesting transitions!

Everyone comes to dance - belly dancers, club dancers, goth dancers, drunken gay pirates, fuzzies, jedi, - you name it they will probably show up at the drum circle. Some years I make it and some I don't - this year it's not scheduled to even start until mid-night.

There is also dance and costume tracks held in the Silk Road panels and a dance expo on Sunday in one of the smaller ballrooms - thank heavens! Last year the dance expo was overflowing and we definitely needed a bigger space.

In spite of the fact that Dragoncon is not a belly dance convention, there is plenty of belly dance stuff going on!

If you happen to make it there - look me up! If you can find me ......

Belly Dance as Art

2008-08-22T07:46:00.000-07:00

Is belly dance art or is it just side show/floor show entertainment? Is there a difference? Are the two mutually exclusive? These are all questions that many professional dancers in the belly dance world ask themselves and each other.

What is art? Boy howdy is that the big question! One man's art could be another man's trash. Is it art if the the message is incomprehensible by an audience? Is it necessary for art to be communicated or is it enough that the artist recognizes it as art? Heavy stuff! So far what I've found is that there is no definitive answer to these questions. The belly dance world hasn't reached a consensus of thought and I'd hazard to guess that many other art forms haven't either.

So here's my two cents on the subject ... OK, it's probably more like a buck-fifty, but anyway -

Is all belly dance art? Nope. I've seen lots of dancer's performances and many have not been art. They've been bad and or good entertainment, but not art. Have I seen belly dance as art - you bet your sweet bippy!!!! There are some amazing artists out there doing beautiful and thought provoking performance art through belly dance. Performances that touch your soul in some way or make you leave the show thinking, "Wow! What was that? I don't know but I liked it!" Performances that make the audience start discussing the piece in some way - all of this is what art does. It touches us, it challenges us and it makes us think! Belly dance can do all of that and it can do all of it at once. It is growing beyond being a traditional folk dance into something else.

Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with traditional folk dance and there is much to be commended in the performers who choose to continue that tradition and preserve it for us to return to and enjoy over and over again. It is simply a different path than belly dance as art. Not lesser than - just different.

There is also nothing wrong with the performers who choose to practice as entertainers. Who spend years crafting audience loved performances that are enjoyed and applauded. There is a craftsmanship in this type of dance that is honorable and requires talent and dedication to achieve. It is also a different path than belly dance as art. Not lesser than - just different.

Many of us who are considering these questions compare belly dance to ballet or flamenco. Both are dance forms that rose from being folk dances to being considered art. Ballet had it's beginnings in the courts of Europe as a social dance and then transitioned to the stage. It spent decades as a scandalous pursuit and the women and men who chose to perform it were looked down upon. Flamenco began in the Spanish - Rom blending in Andalusia and went through a similar transition where it's performers were primarily Rom and looked down upon. Both have risen to be considered art.

Belly dance began as a folk dance and is still danced that way in many places today. Then it was moved to the stage. When that happens, the dance is changed. It is less intimate and not performed solely for the pleasure of the performer as folk dance is, but for the pleasure of an audience. Many dancers today are trying to move belly dance into the art world - they are pushing boundaries and asking more of themselves and their audiences. Will we survive the transition? Only time will tell. Personally, I hope so. I think there is room for all three versions - although as modernization occurs the true folk dance aspect will probably be lost and only preserved through the efforts of the dancers who have chosen to specialize in that aspect. Like many other folk dances have been lost throughout the ages.

Life is change - and so is art and so is dance. Sometimes we loose things in this change and other times we gain so much more. However, it is fool hardy to believe that it will not change.

Recovery and Classes

2008-08-21T07:12:00.000-07:00

Last spring I developed some serious perneal tendon issues in my ankles. Caused by falling down my driveway the previous August and not realizing that I had done major trauma to my feet - I continued dancing and performing. Bad Me!

So last April I was put into a cast and ordered not to dance - HA! I was in the middle of recital rehearsals for two schools and had to finish out the beginner sessions. Thanks to help from some really good friends, I managed to make it through all that. I was released from the cast in June and spent July trying to build some dance strength.

Classes started back at the beginning of this month. Two hours on Monday nights, 1 hour on Tuesdays, and 2 hours of intermediate and advanced class on Thursdays. Lots of dancing and that doesn't include my personal practice time, rehearsal time for performances and private lessons! I'm feeling the time off! My ankles and tendons are feeling the time off!!!

Thanks to some wonderful alternative healers - massage therapy and reiki, I'm making it through, but oh my aching feet! ;) Oh yeah and this great topical anti-inflamatory cream that my orthepedist ordered for me - great stuff!

I'm sure this will all get better as long as I take care of myself. The classes are going really well and I used my down time to revamp some thoughts on teaching and restructed my classes. I tend to do this every few years anyway, but I like the revamp. I hope the student's do as well!

Now ... back to work on rebuilding those ankles!

Tribe.net

2008-08-18T06:22:00.000-07:00

So for those of you who are unaware, there is a social group called Tribe.net. Many belly dancers, particularly tribal belly dancers, are on this group and use it extensively for their dance needs - obsessions - joys - business. Unfortunately, it is not a really stable platform and periodically goes down. This causes all kinds of hysteria amongst the belly dance community as people contemplate loosing the easy access they have to communicate about belly dance.

This past weekend we had such an outage. It's back up - thank goodness - but it again poses the question for how long? What would we do if it falls and can't get back up? How would that change the face of belly dance? Not so much for the serious professionals, who are tied into the community in many ways, but for the hobbyists and the students who use Tribe to develop their knowledge and careers.

They (you know the proverbial "they") call this the information age and boy howdy they aren't kidding! A friend and I were discussing something and I made the statement, "you know before we had cellphones." The conversation stopped as if we had to search the deep recesses of our memories to remember the time before cell phones! Yes. There was such a time and it wasn't all that long ago. The information age has impacted our society as much as the industrial age did back in the 1800's. Life has changed and for better or worse we would be hit a hard blow were we to suddenly loose our ability to communicate.

Now, back to Tribe... There are other belly dance communities on the web - Buzz, Myspace, Frontpage, website, blogs, yahoo groups, etc, etc. For some reason everyone likes Tribe the best - I think it's how the "tribes" or groups are set up and accessed. The groups don't send you tons of e-mails that you don't want to read like yahoo groups does, yet you have easy access to all of the messages once you log in to the community. Myspace and Frontpage are individually neat - but they don't foster such a large group community. Then there is Buzz. Buzz is pretty good, but it's not as easy to access the community groups as Tribe is. Also, Buzz seems to be more cabaret oriented than Tribal.

In the end, if Tribe goes down the community will have to cope. Such is life - life is change and if you aren't changing ...well then you're dead!

Peace!

Crazy Questions????

2008-08-13T12:16:00.001-07:00

In my tenure as a belly dancer, I've been asked some crazy questions about the art and my own participation in it. Here are some of my favorite crazy questions:

1. Did you have to go to China to learn how to do that?
I've had variations on this so feel free to substitute any exotic far away country you'd like, but believe it or not China is the one most often mentioned. For the record - belly dance is a traditional folk dance from the Middle East. It can be found all over the world today - but it evolved in the Middle East. Traditionally this dance was done in Egypt, Turkey, North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and along the Silk Road. I learned in Atlanta, GA. Most larger towns have someone who teaches throughout the US. As far as I am aware China did not traditionally dance in a fashion that I would refer to as belly dance. ;)

2. Do you teach pole dancing too?
Nope. Never have - never will. Pole dancing has nothing to do with belly dance. It's sort of like asking a ballet teacher if they also teach cheer leading. Two completely unrelated art forms. I get this one a lot!

3. I saw (insert professional belly dancer's name here) last weekend on TV and I want to dance like that for my anniversary in a month. Can I take a couple of lessons to learn to do that?
Wow! This one, or one of it's common variations really blows my mind. The implication being that of course it's not hard to learn and become an expert in a few short lessons - let's not break a sweat! The question is born out of ignorance, but it can be difficult to answer without making someone mad. The short answer is "No". The long answer is, "Professional Dancer X has spent at least 10 years perfecting her art form and spent hundreds of dollars on lessons and rehearsal space. I can teach you something basic in a short time, but if you want to dance like Professional Dancer X, it will take longer than a few weeks." I usually put a big smile on my face and hope for the best!

4. Does your mother know you do this?
Usually asked by a kindly elderly lady with a concerned look on her face. Yes. My mother knows I do this, she loves seeing my videos and photos although she has never attended a show since she lives half a country away from me. I have no doubt she would be front row center if she could!

5. I bet your husband/boyfriend really likes that you do this?!
This one is usually asked by a slightly leering male. I can be covered head to toe with elaborate turbans and not an inch of flesh showing other than my hands and feet and still get this question. My answer goes something like this, "Not really. It costs tons of money to keep up my training and costumes and travel and I'm teaching most nights of the week. So for him it kind of sucks!" Smile and walk away...

There are tons more, but those are currently my favorite one!

New Toy!

2008-08-12T06:56:00.000-07:00

Since I'm new to blogging, I'm still playing around with the features of the page. I just added my first gadget - Moon of the Day!

I'm really into the moon. I've always loved to look at it and it calms me. I hope the photos will be breathtaking and inspirational!

Enjoy!

Welcome!

2008-08-11T06:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome to this new space where I will be able to share some thoughts and knowledge on Belly Dance! I'm excited about this new venture and hope that those who stop by will find something useful or something that makes them see or think about the world of dance in a new way.

For those who don't know me...
I started dancing in 1990 and currently teach 5 classes a week at two different school as well as offer workshops on a variety of topics. Stop by my web page (www.halleyah.com) for more information on my teaching and current performances.

In addition to teaching I have been researching the history of belly dance since 1990. I own a fairly extensive library on Persian dance images from the Medieval period and have a good variety of literature on other styles of dance from that period as well as more recent history from the Victorian Era and early Twentieth Century information in the United States. This is a continuing area of study for me and I'm always searching out the new source on the history of this elusive dance form!

I use this research to create performances from the different periods that I study as well as to enhance my more modern fusions with Tribal Style belly dance. Currently, I'm looking at more theatrical uses of belly dance and use of dance in ritual and ceremony.

I'm looking forward to sharing some of this information with others and hearing what others think about what I share.