Zoe Jakes

Every time I see her dance I fall in love with her a little bit more.

Where Did the Dancing Go?

Last night about 2 AM I was reading my Facebook stream and a local group was advertising a showcase.  To my surprise and delight the organizer was a dancer I used to cross paths with quite a lot.  You know how you are part of a belly dancing sphere and you bump into people a lot coming and going to classes and conventions and what not.  I wouldn't say we were ever more than acquaintances.  Even then (twenty years ago) she was locally famous. I also doubt she'd remember me as more than a face in the crowd.

The painful part is where as about ten years ago my belly dance career ground to a halt as I got older, fatter, more frustrated and just slowly lost my desire to persevere with my dancing goals, other dancers my age and older didn't give up.  Now they are teaching at conventions, performing all over the world, performing at local restaurants and so on. Many of them are older than me, some by a lot. 

Basically life got me down. One of the places I taught at went under. The other place I taught had shoddy management that got real bad about paying people. I got some really harsh criticism following some dance gigs.  It just all piled on top of me along with mundane problems like poverty and not being able to build my own dance studio. Right now I don't even own a car.

But seeing her website last night I realized quitting was the wrong thing to do. I just don't know how to get back to where I once was, mentally, emotionally or physically. I want it back but I don't even know where to start. I don't even think I could survive a dance class right now, much less teach one. At 3 AM I finally went to bed. This morning, I'd hoped to feel better about it but if anything I feel worse.

Time and a Place People

Scary but funny: After fireworks on July 4th, while leaving a park in the L.A. area, a van pulls behind our parked truck blocking our exit, and some scary looking characters start to pile out. They are yelling something out to me. I'm thinking 'carjacking' or 'robbery'. A woman gets out and says, "Hey do you belly dance too? Best exercise ever." Behind her is a little girl who says, "I love your belly dancing scarf." LMAO.

Belly Dance Bazaar

I just found out my friend Marisa has an amazing belly dancing website here: http://bellydancebazaar.org/ I have barely scratched the surface of it but it's been a long day and I'll have to check it out later.

Be A Better Dancer

Years ago, when I was in my mid forties and teaching belly dancing, a 22 year old dance student challenged me in class to a flexibility test she had in some college class.  I lost of course. When she's 45 maybe she'll figure out that it's not so easy once your not all that flexible.  But today I was thinking that while flexibility is important to a dancer there are so many other factors that are important.  Most of us love to keep practicing the ones we are great at because that's our comfort zone.  But if you want to grow as a dancer, it might help to pick the five you are the worst at and work on those too.

Here are some I came up with off the top of my head.

1. Timing
2. Motivation
3. Musicality
4. Confidence
5. Poise
6. Strength
7. Stamina
8. Overall good health
9. Passion
10. 'the it factor'
11. Balance
12. Persistence
13. Consistency
14. Ethics
15. Spacial awareness
16. Peripheral Vision
17. Symmetry
18. Teamwork
19. Theatricality
20. Synchronicity
21. Punctuality 
22. Business savvy 
23. Originality
24. Innovative 
25. Trust 
26. Self-acceptance 
27. Sense of humor 
28. Posture

Flowers in Your Hair

How to keep those fancy hair ornaments in your hair while you dance.

Reminiscing

Many nights when I am restless I find myself watching belly dance videos on line. I must have seen 1000 by now. I wish that resource had been available in the 70's when I needed them. I love all the innovations. When I first combined belly dancing, fire spinning and juggling back in the 70's, people looked at me like I'd just fallen off the turnip truck. No one patted me on the back and said, "Wow, what innovative ideas." Now of course a great many dancers combine things like hooping and fire props. Maybe I was born 20 years too soon. I wonder if other dancers in their 50's feel like I do. One year I was performing at Cairo Carnivale with a boa constrictor, juggling, and magic. I wish I'd known a friend with a video camera from back then so I'd have a record of it. The only time I got to watch belly dancing videos back then was if I was at a M.E.C.D.A. party of something and someone put videos in. I was on a tight budget, raising 2 small daughters, so videos weren't a high priority compared to rent and groceries. Costumes are also much easier to come by. You don't have to wait for a convention to roll around anymore. I hope you guys are appreciating how good you have it.

Tarot Inspired Belly Dancer

Pink Gypsy

Penny over at the Pink Gypsy updated my listing. It's here: http://www.pinkgypsy.com/fayme/zelena.htm Make sure you refresh your browser to see the new updates. If you've wanted to take belly dancing but had no idea how to find a local teacher, her site provides links to many resources, so pop over and see what's in your neighborhood.

Seeing Spots

Source: raks-sharki.com via Theodora on Pinterest

Love this costume. The spots remind me of Flamenco dresses. This is Sandra. She will be teaching for M.E.C.D.A. at the convention.

Twisted Gypsy

Twisted Gypsy performing at Festival of the Rose last Saturday. I was too far away to get good photos, but at least these are better than nothing.

Self Acceptance

Source: criticaldieteticsblog.org via Kitt on Pinterest

HIgh Pony Tail With Hair Extensions Tutorial

This high pony tail is a great look for belly dancing.

Amazing Belly Dancer in Leopard Print and Red Costume

I thought this dancer was so talented and gorgeous, and I said to myself, "I bet in the comments someone is going to be hating on her." Belly dancing seems to be so polarizing and some of the comments are so ridiculous.  Why oh why did I read the comments? A few people give a very condescending 'well, I thought she was kinda good, but you should go watch so and so, now that girl can dance." One guy said, "Look at that jawline, must be a man." Seriously? What an idiot. Anyway, you can judge for yourself.  If I never see another belly dancer again, I'd still die happy knowing I saw her, even if it was only on YouTube.



And her costume is to die for. It fits her like a second skin. And she won a major contest. Who do YouTube commentors think they are anyway? If I had $10,000 to hire 10 dancers for a show and each one got $1000. then she'd be my headliner.

Bead Fever

Inexpensive beads I got from Walmart today.

Expensive Delica beads I got from Fire Mountain Gems today.

Like many belly dancers, I suffer from bead fever. I just can't resist the little suckers.
Today I got my Delicas in the mail. I call them the Legos of beads, because they are so uniform, they improve the look of anything you weave out of beads. These are spendy, and will be used only for things like loom beading, peyote (gourd) stitch and brick stitch. I can use the run-of-the-mill beads for other things like stringing necklaces, or freeform embroidery.

Tumblr

Since I can't resist the appeal of Tumblr, I started a fashion Tumblr, which morphed into a belly dance Tumblr, so if Tumblr is your thing, follow me over there. http://splashionbellydance.tumblr.com/

Two Patterns For One Costume

Today when I went to JoAnn's they had Simplicity patterns 5 for $5. A new belly dancing coat pattern caught my eye.  It's #2159.  The other new pattern 2158 was similar to other skirt patterns I have so I wasn't going to get it. But since I needed to get 5 patterns to get the sale price, and one of my selections wasn't in stock, I got it.

Now that I'm home and on closer inspection I realized the patterns go together. Pattern #2159 just has the coat and 2 hip scarves. The other pattern has the skirt and bra to complete the outfit. It's not typical for a pattern company to split one outfit into two patterns.  I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed if you only get one or the other. See the photo for details.

Steampunk

Steampunk Crocheted Hipband

I spent the morning making a pattern for a crocheted hip band.  Since it's a Steampunk theme I'm going to use washers at the ends of the fringe.  But for a more traditional look you can use coins, bells or wooden beads.  For pirate belly dancing you can use sea shells  As I'm working on it, I can already visualize 3 or 4 more variations on a theme. I'm putting together a tutorial video and I'll share it when I have it made.

Steps I Can Do For Tomorrow

Watching this makes me miss teaching.