Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Aziza's Ultimate Bellydance Practice Companion DVD
Just got it & tried it out - it's great! I had sweat running down my face before I even got to the shimmy section. I also know now why Sara B has such great range of motion. These drills really do urge you to push it to the limit. Will work this into my daily practice - maybe split it up over the week with the Asharah DVD for a while.
Friday, December 5, 2008
2008 - A year in bellydance!
This has been such a great year! I feel like I have progressed significantly in my dance. I've also become even more obsessed, and who thought that was possible? I was able to do all kinds of cool things I wanted to do, plus some stuff I hadn't thought of.
Torque is coming along. I knew what I wanted Torque to be when I took workshops from Zafira at Triboriginal in 2007. They were excellent dancers and really loved the dance & each other. I wanted to be part of something like that - and now I am!
This year I changed from taking every workshop I could find to taking ongoing lessons with multiple teachers. Workshops are excellent tools to show new things and to open eyes to different ways of doing things, as is dropping in on classes given by other teachers for 1 or 2 classes. I find that taking lessons as I am now is more useful in furthering my dance than taking many workshops or taking classes with a single teacher. Each of my teachers is able to see my progress & roadblocks over time & to better help me overcome them. I am able to understand my teachers better too, which helps me to learn more from them. I'll still take workshops but I am going to stay with my regular teachers over anything else. I also love my teachers and the people in the classes.
My performance skills have improved, as have my technical skills & technique. I slowed down in my practice over the year, but I am picking it back up again by doing at least 10 minutes every day. I did a lot of strength training last year, which definitely helped. I need to work specifically on my leg strength as well as general endurance. I performed in every show I could, always with a grou. I dance with Sara B's student group whenever I can. I signed Torque up for every performance I could. I was able to perform with my class in Daliana's Holiday Hafla (that was fun!) A major block is that I make a face when I miss a step - I have to figure out how to stop this annoying habit! I also need to do some solos. I believe that the only way I can bring myself do that is to visualize it a lot first :-) I feel great in a group, not so great alone.
I also started teaching this year. I had no plans to do that! The thing that got me going on it was my great desire to dance tribal improv in a group. I got very frustrated, knowing that the only people could do it with were in Durham or Cary or beyond. I just suddenly realized that the only way I would likely ever find people to dance it with closer to home would be to teach them myself. Sara told me she thought I was ready to teach it (when I asked), so I just did it. It is a challenge to get people interested, but I have faith that people will see what fun it is & decide to do it. I just have to stick it out. I was unable to teach at the studio, so I talked to Tavane at EBN & we worked something out. Now I am starting to teach at the studio too, this Jan. That will be a weekly series type class, as opposed to the drop-in class twice a month at EBN. I'll keep them both up.
Another frustration has spurred some activity - I decided that we need to start having haflas in this area that other troupes can join. I love the activities & mutual support that the dancers in RDU have - we have nothing like that here. The dancers are separated for reasons I can not fathom. We should be together, providing opportunities for each other & supporting each other. So, I suggested a Torque-sponsored hafla open to all performers to the Torquians, with the first being a benefit. We are planning it for July. I hope that this will be the beginning of a change in the way Triad dancers think. The Torquians are all with me in the wish for a tight belly dancing community.
This is no major accomplishment, but something that I just did not think I'd ever do - I was part of a photo shoot! I have never been much for getting my picture taken, so the photo aspect of being a performer has been a bit difficult. I am getting a bit better with it. As long as I am loaded up with makeup & have a costume I really like on, I'm not too uncomfortable. I have actually signed up for an individual shoot.
Last major thing I've done - that I can think of now - is that I learned some additional web programming & have written a website for Torque!. All it took was reading a few books, some practicing, & I was able to get it written & posted. At most it needs tweaking now! My daughter did the graphic and helped me wit the colors. I really like the way it looks now. I feel pretty good that was able to design & produce the site, as well as get the domain name & a FREE web service!
Like I said, it's been an excellent year in bellydance!
Torque is coming along. I knew what I wanted Torque to be when I took workshops from Zafira at Triboriginal in 2007. They were excellent dancers and really loved the dance & each other. I wanted to be part of something like that - and now I am!
This year I changed from taking every workshop I could find to taking ongoing lessons with multiple teachers. Workshops are excellent tools to show new things and to open eyes to different ways of doing things, as is dropping in on classes given by other teachers for 1 or 2 classes. I find that taking lessons as I am now is more useful in furthering my dance than taking many workshops or taking classes with a single teacher. Each of my teachers is able to see my progress & roadblocks over time & to better help me overcome them. I am able to understand my teachers better too, which helps me to learn more from them. I'll still take workshops but I am going to stay with my regular teachers over anything else. I also love my teachers and the people in the classes.
My performance skills have improved, as have my technical skills & technique. I slowed down in my practice over the year, but I am picking it back up again by doing at least 10 minutes every day. I did a lot of strength training last year, which definitely helped. I need to work specifically on my leg strength as well as general endurance. I performed in every show I could, always with a grou. I dance with Sara B's student group whenever I can. I signed Torque up for every performance I could. I was able to perform with my class in Daliana's Holiday Hafla (that was fun!) A major block is that I make a face when I miss a step - I have to figure out how to stop this annoying habit! I also need to do some solos. I believe that the only way I can bring myself do that is to visualize it a lot first :-) I feel great in a group, not so great alone.
I also started teaching this year. I had no plans to do that! The thing that got me going on it was my great desire to dance tribal improv in a group. I got very frustrated, knowing that the only people could do it with were in Durham or Cary or beyond. I just suddenly realized that the only way I would likely ever find people to dance it with closer to home would be to teach them myself. Sara told me she thought I was ready to teach it (when I asked), so I just did it. It is a challenge to get people interested, but I have faith that people will see what fun it is & decide to do it. I just have to stick it out. I was unable to teach at the studio, so I talked to Tavane at EBN & we worked something out. Now I am starting to teach at the studio too, this Jan. That will be a weekly series type class, as opposed to the drop-in class twice a month at EBN. I'll keep them both up.
Another frustration has spurred some activity - I decided that we need to start having haflas in this area that other troupes can join. I love the activities & mutual support that the dancers in RDU have - we have nothing like that here. The dancers are separated for reasons I can not fathom. We should be together, providing opportunities for each other & supporting each other. So, I suggested a Torque-sponsored hafla open to all performers to the Torquians, with the first being a benefit. We are planning it for July. I hope that this will be the beginning of a change in the way Triad dancers think. The Torquians are all with me in the wish for a tight belly dancing community.
This is no major accomplishment, but something that I just did not think I'd ever do - I was part of a photo shoot! I have never been much for getting my picture taken, so the photo aspect of being a performer has been a bit difficult. I am getting a bit better with it. As long as I am loaded up with makeup & have a costume I really like on, I'm not too uncomfortable. I have actually signed up for an individual shoot.
Last major thing I've done - that I can think of now - is that I learned some additional web programming & have written a website for Torque!. All it took was reading a few books, some practicing, & I was able to get it written & posted. At most it needs tweaking now! My daughter did the graphic and helped me wit the colors. I really like the way it looks now. I feel pretty good that was able to design & produce the site, as well as get the domain name & a FREE web service!
Like I said, it's been an excellent year in bellydance!
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