DANCING FOR OUR MANY MOTHERS

 Happy Mothers Day!

 Whether your mother is biological, or a mother within the realm of dance, use this weekend to honor her.

A few days ago, at a showcase, I was watching my beautiful friend Alli Ruth, a  belly dancer from Finland, perform.  She’d grown up in Southern California, and was trained by the late, great Diane Webber, a belly dance pioneer who influenced literally hundreds of dancers.  Diane’s troupe, Perfumes Of Araby, begat many strong solo performers who taught and influenced many others. Her classes at Every Woman’s Village in the San Fernando Valley   spawned   many accomplished dancers, including Jillina.

But back to my pal Alli Ruth: in the middle of her show, the woman sitting next to me burst into tears.  She clutched at my arm and  sniffled,

“I’m so sorry… but I see Diane in her dancing!”

It was a profound moment; I’m getting goose bumps right now just writing about it.

People have told me that they can see my teachers in my dancing, and I have also been told that students of mine reflect my own movements and essence.  While I was always proud of both statements, the point was never quite really driven home to me, until the other night…and then I began to think in an even broader scope.

In the very act of dancing, we are honoring our forebears in dance. Belly dancing has been handed down from mother to daughter, from teacher to pupil through many millennia and hundreds of generations. It is a song of the soul, and a celebration of beauty, femininity, power, and strength.

In the very act of dancing, we are honoring women   past and present, all over the world.

The women who gave birth to our physical beings are obviously very special, but there are so many other women to pay homage to… those women with no blood ties who selflessly gave birth to us in different ways.

 Our Dance Mothers nurtured us and raised us in art and beauty. They helped us through our baby steps to grow into strong performers, sharing our triumphs and our woes, advising us, seeing us through the ruts and rough periods. They understood our discouragement, our passions and helped us fulfill our goals.

No matter what style of dancing you perform,  take a moment to think of all those who came before you, those  who  pioneered the way for us, those who taught our teachers.

Give silent  respect and love to  the myriad women whom we never even knew in our lifetimes, women from this country and many other countries all over the globe who all have a hand in what we are doing today,  the gift of dance that we might sometimes take for granted, grumbling in a class or competing for a dance job.

 On Mothers Day let’s belly dance… let’s dance for the mothers, grandmothers , great grandmothers and great  great grandmothers of our dance. Let’s celebrate the lives of Biblical temptresses, harem slaves, dirt-poor villagers,  the women in tiny dark apartments in Cairo in the 1970’s, the Romany women of the defunct Sulukule ghetto in Istanbul.

Let’s dance for  women of the stage and silver screen who dared to dance when they were forbidden to. Let's dance for the women who shamed their families by dancing. Let’s dance for women in Beirut when the bombs fell, for the women and girls of blood-torn Syria, for the veiled women who can’t drive in Saudi Arabia, and for all the women and girls  in Afghanistan who were denied education. Let’s dance for Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager who crusaded for women’s rights in the Swat Valley, who was shot in the head by the Taliban.

 Let’s dance for all the  women whom we will never even know in our lifetimes… let’s dance for those who can’t, and  then let’s close our eyes and hear their voices.

THE KING AND I

 The security line at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport was ridiculously long, and the TSA officials seemed to be ultra-paranoid, checking and re-checking toddler’s bottles, tearing apart well-packed quart baggies, patting down old ladies, and treating everyone in the queue with suspicion. I was sweating bullets for no other reason than because I was already insanely late for my plane to Los Angeles.

 During the weekend belly dance show I’d performed on in Grapevine, Texas, I’d been hanging out my new friend Tamra Henna, a fantastic local belly dancer whom I’d recently dubbed “Tex”. Tex and I had gotten along like gangbusters, so well that she’d offered to drive me to the airport. Over lunch at a taco stand, we discussed everything from vintage Egyptian cinema and our favorite Arabic songs to stage make-up and the craziest, weirdest gigs we’d both been hired for. Since it seemed like I had plenty of time until my flight, and we were both hopelessly addicted to glitter in general and belly dance costumes in particular, we mutually made the executive decision to stop at Little Egypt Imports.

 “You will not believe this place!” Tex promised, as she barreled down the highway,

” You’re totally gonna lose it when you see all the stuff they have!”

She suddenly swerved her car into a driveway and parked in front of a huge building with rusted corrugated metal siding.

“Here we are!” she exclaimed triumphantly, while I wondered what in the hell this giant airplane hangar could possibly have to do with belly dancing.

As we stepped through the door, I realized that the entire place was Little Egypt Imports.  It was as though the entire Valley of the Kings had been teleported into this colossal Quonset hut and then dropped directly onto the Texas heartland. One room was full of gleaming, enormous pieces of heavy, carved wooden furniture decorated with hieroglyphics and cartouches, gaily painted in a rainbow of colors, strewn hand-woven, tasseled brocade pillows. There were seven foot tall statues depicting Isis and Osirus, Horus, Hathor, Queen Hatshepsut and Bast; gold-leaf busts of Nefertiti, blue ceramic scarab and hippotamus paper weights, and an over-sized reproduction of King Tut’s sarcophagus, which, when opened, revealed an interior decorated as sumptuously as it’s outside shell. I was flabbergasted…I never even knew stuff like this existed outside of an actual museum!

Breathless with excitement, I tore over to the rooms that featured the belly dance costumes, and promptly immersed myself in the endless racks of Swarovsky crystal-embellished goodies. Tex and I each tried on countless costumes, sighing over the Egyptian finery, longingly fingering the hand-beaded details. In our frenzied process, we promptly lost our street clothes amidst knee-high piles of glittering chiffon hip-scarves, their coins jingling merrily as we literally trudged through them, looking for one of my shoes.

  Finally  done with the costumes, we eagerly asked about   Isis Wings.  Though now a  belly dance staple, Isis Wings are glamorous, huge, pleated metallic chiffon wings with sticks on the ends to increase their span were hard to come by back in those days.  At the beginning of the New Millennium- practically no dancers had them unless they’d been custom made…but Little Egypt had scads of them, in every hue.

Seizing the opportunity, standing at the counter still minus my missing shoe, I negotiated a great price and selected a beautiful gold lame’ set of wings for myself. They were packed up for me in a darling little custom carrying case, which resembled a long, blue vinyl tube with handles. Suddenly snapping back into reality and realizing what time it was, Tex and I made a mad dash for the car and then she drove like Nascar champion to DFW airport.

Since I had only brought a small suitcase to the belly dance event, I decided to check my bag and carry my coveted, fragile  Isis Wings into the plane’s cabin with me, rather than cramming them in along with my costumes. Tex reassured me that I was making the right decision- the wings were simply too rare and delicate to relegate to a checked bag! We quickly said our good byes at the loading zone curb and I made a mad dash for my gate after checking my bag.

So there I was in the TSA security line, tenderly cradling my newly purchased Isis wings, stressing about whether I’d actually be let onto the plane, which was scheduled to depart in about twenty minutes. The line was moving at a snail’s pace, and I was still not through security.

Finally, it was my turn.  I lovingly slid my wings safely into a plastic bin and sent them on their way down the conveyor belt into the X-Ray machine. A seasoned traveler, I had removed any accessories that might have set off the metal detector and passed through easily.

 But the moment I thought I was free and clear, an obese female TSA agent began carelessly waving around my Isis wing carrying case, screaming in a nasal Plains twang that could only be described as The Trailer Trash Accent, yelling:

 “WHO DIS BELONG TO?”

  As I stepped up to claim my precious package, she demanded an explanation as to what, exactly, it was. I realized immediately that I’d be much better off not mentioning anything about belly dancing, assuming she’d somehow equate an Egyptian dance accessory with Arab Terrorists. As the woman gave me the stink eye, looking at me with a mixture of contempt and distrust, I noticed the perspiration rings under her tightly fitting uniform…apparently she took her job very seriously.  I also saw that she had an inordinate amount of dandruff, not to mention an IQ that was probably just barely in the double digits.

 She repeated her question, blowing breath that reeked of Corn Nuts directly into my face,

 “WHAT IS DIS?”

Keeping an even, cheerful tone, I said as nonchalantly as possible,

“Oh, I’m an actress from Los Angeles, and those are just… a set of big butterfly wings, I use them in a play, they’re part of a   stage costume.”

“WELL IT HAS RODS IN IT!” she huffed, “WHY THEM RODS IN THAAAYR?”

Beginning to seriously panic, with the seconds ticking away til my flight departed, I thought fast. What I needed was damage control- otherwise I was going to be spending the night on the floor in the airport!

“Why those aren’t rods,” I said as sweetly as I could muster,

 “Those are just like…little,tiny, skinny balsa-wood sticks… you know, like for a paper airplane? Just little…  Popsicle sticks! Those aren’t rods… They’re just pieces of craft-wood, light as a feather!”

 My voice trailed away as she regarded me sternly, as though I was a seasoned Plutonium smuggler, or some crazy criminal who just happened to be plotting a skyjacking with a set of newly purchased Isis Wings.

“WHY DIN’ YOU CHECK THIS?” she snarled, as though I was trying to bring an automatic weapon on board with me.

  Breath, I kept repeating to myself… just breathe…. you can do this.

“Well, ma’am, it’s just a very delicate stage costume,” I said quite earnestly, “I was afraid to check them, because I thought they’d get ruined.”

 “AHMONNA HAFTA CALL A SUPERVISOR!” she bellowed, and immediately made an announcement on the loudspeaker.

More time went by as we both waited for the supervisor to show up. Finally, I saw him coming. A dyed-in-the-wool Good Ole Boy, he ambled up to the security line, his TSA uniform augmented with cowboy boots, a straw cowboy hat, and a fancy silver rodeo belt buckle. He was rolling a wooden toothpick around in his mouth.

“JES’ WHASS GOIN’ ON AROUN’ HYAAAR?” he asked, hooking his thumbs into the rodeo belt, cocking his head to the side as he sized me up.

Immediately, I knew I had to play The Belly Dance Card.  To someone like him, a true redneck, the mere words “belly dance” would  probably get him all warm and fuzzy…or hot  ‘n’ bothered as the case may be… probably bringing to mind fond memories of wet T-shirt contests and bachelor-party pole dances. Though usually annoying, the general public’s misconception of Oriental Dance sometimes does, indeed, come in handy!

Standing straight up and thrusting my chest out so he had a direct sigh-line to my cleavage, I said in what I hoped was a tone of voice that sounded like I was a bona fide Reality Show Bimbo,

“Hi sir! I’m a belly dancer!”

He looked me up and down, through narrow eyes, chewing contemplatively on his toothpick.

“A BELLY DANCUH, HUH?” he grunted.

“Oh yes I am!” I answered, batting my eyelashes and twirling my hair flirtatiously.

“WELP, SHE SAID YOU HAD SOME RODS IN THAAYR, MID IF I TAKE A LOOK?”

 “Oh no sir,” I simpered, “Please go right ahead.”

He un-zipped my case, and began palpating it, before pulling out yards…and yards…and even more yards of pleated, metallic fabric.

Finally, he narrowed his eyes and addressed me, scratching under the brim of his cowboy hat.

“WHUD YEW SAYS THIS WAS AGIN?”

“It’s a stage costume, sir!”

 I wiggled a little to drive my point home before throwing a beaming grin in his direction.

 As he fingered the material thoughtfully, suddenly it looked like a light bulb went off in his head.

“HEY! I KNOW WHAT THISSY-HYAAR IS!” he smiled,

“THIS IS JES’ LIKE ELVIS, INNIT IT?”

 I didn’t have the foggiest notion of what he meant by that comment, but eager to please him, and more than eager to maybe actually make my plane, I nodded enthusiastically. If The King was something that would get me on my flight, I’d be more than happy to accept the comparison!

 “Yes! Why, yes it is just exactly like Elvis!” I agreed.

 “OH,” he grumbled to the female TSA agent,

 “SHE AIN’T GONNA DO NUTHIN’ WITH THIS! LET HER BE!”

 With that, I grabbed my wings and ran like hell to my gate. I was of course, the last passenger to board the flight.

 Puzzled by the entire thing and mulling the incident over in my head, it wasn’t til our aircraft was over Phoenix, Arizona that I realized what that man had thought my wings were: those Super-Hero circle-shaped capelets that Elvis had worn over his jumpsuits, towards the end of his career, when he was in his Fat Phase.

Now, years later, any time I don a pair of Isis Wings before a performance, I breathe a silent prayer of thanks to The King!

NOTES FROM DOWN UNDAH

G'day mates!

I'm writing this post from Melbourne, Australia...I've been "Down Undah" for a little over a week and having a fabulous time. March has been an absolute whirlwind, but then, what else is new?

I began to month in the UK at the Majma Festival in Glastonbury. The theme for this year was "Viva La Diva" and festival director Raheesha and her amazing staff went all out on that front, even choreographing an adorable opening number featuring showgirls with incredibly huge feather headdresses and tributes to icons like Marilyn Monroe, Madonna, Carmen Miranda and of course Queen Elizabeth... It was quite a spectacle! my co-headliners were Manca Pavli, a gorgeous tribal fusion dancer from Slovenia and Khaled Mahmoud , who brought the house down twice during the festival, leaving mouths agape with his crazy, energetic shaabi performance.

On the way up to the festival, the Royal Chauffeur Layla brought me to Stonehenge. I was surprised to see a cluster of helicopters hovering overhead and then found out that one of the UK's largest military bases is nearby- I now refer to the landmark as "Dronehenge"!

Just days after arriving back in LA, I left for Australia-the flight was LONG but it was so worth the jet lag. My first show was with Kylea Hartley of Tribe Vibe, at her amazing Vaudeville Club. Since the Adelaide Fringe Festival was on at the time, Kylea was able to pull from a pool of fantastic performers who'd come to Adelaide from all over "Oz" , including brilliant slapstick actor/dancer/comedian Rod Lara , glamorous snake dancer Flavella Lamour, and strongman Mr. Plonk, who lifted up four women ( selected from the audience) as they sat on swings attached to a long bar he hefted up on his shoulders!
The workshops the next day were held at Cinnebar Red dance studio, owned by the lovely dancer Evangeline . Because it was also my birthday , a couple of the gals baked me a cake, and Evangeline gifted me with a gorgeous tiara she'd made by hand using vintage rhinestone pieces. I was speechless with shock ... And once again blown away by the generousness of the members of the worldwide dance community!

That night, Kylea took me to The Fringe Festival , which I can only describe as a cross between a cool old vintage carnival and... Burning Man meets SRL . There were crazy mechanical contraptions built by mad geniuses , wild sideshows full of antique carnival artifacts and weird fringes acts going on everywhere in tents and on the midway . We saw the alternative circus show "Limbo" which featured incredible acrobats from all over the world, hot Fosse style jazz dancing, contortionists, fire eating, magic illusions and aerial acts. As we left the midway, sideshow artist The Space Cowboy juggled three chainsaws... And they were running! Happily, he didn't have an accident!

Kylea's home is in Aldinga Beach, a remote ocean-side community just outside of Adelaide. It was just a short walk to the beach and literally steps into the bush... We went on our own little "walkabout" and saw lots of kangaroos in the wild... When we finally walked back to civilization, I actually started to cry it was so amazing! The next day we went to Urimbirra wildlife preserve , where we saw wombats, emu, koalas bears , wallabies and over 80 kangaroos...which you could pet and feed!! I was in heaven- and now I totally want a kangaroo for a pet!!

Melbourne, located in a different state that Adelaide , is large cosmopolitan city and full of terrific dancers. My hostess Alia has been solo soliciting to my every Royal whim. The classes were held at Azura's Oasis, a lovely studio on Sydney Road, and I did a show at La Di Da with Sapphira's Showgirls. Sapphira is an Aussie, but we'd met and worked together years ago in London, at her popular Shimmy Shake show in Soho, a belly dance and burlesque show highlighting the best of both genres. The show in Melbourne was similar with beautiful belly dancers Bella and Ianessa, and hot burlesque performances from Miss Honey Potts and Sapphira herself.

Last night, Alia held an all 1920's themed extravaganza at The Heidelburg Center in the historic Ivanhoe section of Melbourne. The venue was lovely, all Art Deco and complimented the show theme perfectly! Azura and her troupe started the show off with an adorable Charleston number which really set the theme for the evening. Many of the acts were vintage/ flapper/ 1920's themed, like the sword dance done by the Ma-Ahmala duet and the peacock number by Trisnasari and her students, which looked like an Erte drawing come to life. I was really pleased to see a number of superb male dancers, too, including Aussie fusionista Baze (who said once he saw Rachel Brice , he never looked back) and Greek dancer Jimmy Hellas, a cat- eyed, athletic performer whose been dancing all his life. Crowd pleaser Ferdie blew me away too; Turkish and Macedonian, his stage presence was brilliant and sassy, he flirted with the audience shamelessly as he put on a fierce cabaret show. Everything I'd hear about him was true-- and more!!!

Anyway, that's about it for now...I'm having the time of my life Down Undah, and here for a few more days before I hit Honolulu for MEDAH workshops and a show on this Friday, March 29 at The Venue, 1144 Bethel St. If you're on the Island of Oahu, I hope you'll join me!

Info and tix here: www.pfshow@eventbrite.com

TRUST IN ME: DANCING WITH SNAKES

  Ssssalutations  Ssssweetie...thinking of performing with a snake?

 Throughout the years, serpents have always been associated with belly dancers, even though dancing with snakes has no foundation in traditional oriental dance.

 From a modern perspective, the association with snakes and belly dance probably  came about because the serpentine undulations in oriental dance echoes the movements of the snake, but  serpents have worshipped for centuries, linked with rituals, the supernatural and the divine. We are all familiar with the serpent that tempted Eve with knowledge in the Garden of Eden, but in the ancient cultures of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Minoa and Crete, snakes were highly symbolic. They were often associated with goddesses like Ishtar, Egyptian deity Renenutet,  and the gorgons of Greek mythology, including Medusa, were female human/snake hybrids. Serpents were also an important part of the Dionysian cults, and in pre-Christian  rituals in the West. 

In India and The Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Libya and Tunisia) snake charmers are still a common sight on the streets and in the souks. In America  and Europe during   the last century, women  belly dancing ( or doing an approximation of belly dance) with snakes were often a staple in touring carnival sideshows.  The 1967 Disney film The Jungle Book , featured  the number  Trust In Me ( The Python's Song)  a sardonic ditty performed by Sterling Holloway, as Kaa the serpent, who attempts to seduce the main character Mowgli, before making a meal of him. This song has been covered extensively by  rock and roll artists ( by Siouxsie And The Banshees and The Dead Brothers, among others) and has become popular with fusion style  performers dancing with snakes. 

 The use of snakes within contemporary belly dance is widely thought to have originated with the storied pioneer Jamila Salimpour, who danced with snakes in her groundbreaking Bal Anat shows during the 1970’s at the Northern California Renaissance Faire. 

Today, belly dancers of all styles incorporate snake dancing into their shows, with the most commonly used snakes being pythons or boa constrictors. These breeds seem hardier and more adapted to stage work, and can grow to impressive sizes as well.

If you are thinking about owning –and dancing with- a snake, there are many points to contemplate:

 First, snakes are NOT dance props; they are living creatures that need tender loving care the  same way any companion animal would.

 Housing And Feeding

 Snakes need to be housed in containers,such as a large aquarium or reptile cage that is climate controlled, well aerated and most importantly, secure. These reptiles can definitely rival Houdini in that they are notorious escape artists; they can squeeze through very small openings and are also liable to push out of an unsecured cage door or cage lid quite easily. They are also shy, particularly during molting, and will need plenty of room in their enclosures to hide.  Snakes need to have a sizable water bowl  (which will have to be changed and cleaned often) in which to soak. Their living spaces will also have to be cleaned out completely at least every few weeks.

Snakes are predatory and carnivorous-they like to eat mice, rats, frogs, earthworms-even baby chicks. Though they usually only feed every couple of weeks, they do need to eat, so if you think that putting live prey in their cages will freak you out, it’s comforting to know that most snakes will accept a meal that has already been killed… but this will  mean that you’ll most likely have a freezer full of dead rodents!

Transporting Snakes To Gigs

 When you are bringing a snake to a show, your foremost concern should be the snake’s comfort and well-being. 

Many dancers use large woven baskets or those self- locking plastic crafts containers (with holes drilled into the lid) padded with blankets or towels. Another option is a pet carrier, again padded for warmth.

Once you arrive at your gig, find an out-of-the-way to place to store your snake’s temporary home that isn’t cold or drafty. Some dancers even take along a small heating lamp along to add warmth. If you’re sharing a dressing room, let other dancers know that there is a live snake present and ask them to be respectful of its comfort. This will keep your snake safe and secure, and also serve a warning to anyone who may have a snake phobia…which will avoid creating chaos backstage!

 Dancing With Snakes

 Snakes need to be approached slowly and handled in a calm, firm and deliberate way.  Their bodies need to be fully supported, and they must to know that the person handling them is relaxed. Snakes get stressed from sudden movements and they can also sense fear or nervousness, which will make them become agitated. One you have taken your snake out of it’s house, let your snake slowly discover you, remaining still while the snake slithers around your body, exploring.

 

 Never attempt to dance with your snake until you are comfortable handling it!

  Before you start dancing with your snake, select a costume that will not harm him. Your snake dancing costume should be sturdy, and in my own opinion, smoother and less decorated is better. Beaded fringe and other delicate or potentially sharp embellishments (hello… the prongs used to set rhinestones and crystals) are not a good-or safe-idea.   Many dancers wear coined costumes while dancing with snakes, but again, check that the coins don’t have jagged or sharp edges that can potentially injure your snake.

Snakes really cannot be trained, period. Snake dancing usually means letting the snake slither and glide around you while you perform, therefore, slower musical pieces and improvisation are mandatory, because you can never be sure what kind of mood your “dance partner” is in!

Remember that your snake is a reptile, not an entertainer!

Respect this, and mentally prepare for anything that might occur during the course of your show. Your snake may be frightened by bright stage lighting, loud decibels, and the crowd you are dancing for. Also, some vibrations in the music itself can potentially make the snake edgy.  He might want nothing more than to hide in your hair, or he may get aggressive and try to bite you, or start to constrict you. Move slowly and carefully, and try not to agitate the snake. 

 When you are done performing, bring your snake back to his traveling container, and try to get him back home into a safe and quiet environment as soon as possible.

 Do I have to tell you never to leave your snake in a parked car? I thought not!

.

  Photos:  

 Actress Maria Montez (1940's)

Dancer Heather Shoopman and friend: Zulu Lounge,  Los Angeles, 2012

SOME THOUGHTS ON TEACHING

 Teaching belly dance is extremely fulfilling and enjoyable. It’s lot of fun, and rewarding for the instructor and students alike. There’s nothing quite like the joy that comes from helping women to discover themselves through a creative art which encourages self-expression. Watching your students starting out as awkward newbies and blossoming into beautiful, self-assured dancers is incredible! By the very act of teaching, you’ll be enhancing the artistic development of your students, and will become a better dancer yourself, because you’ll have to consider movement and technique breakdowns such as isolations and shimmy mechanics. You’ll be forced to drill along with your students, keep track of posture and body alignment, and invent combinations- all of which can only lead to cleaner technique for you. Teaching will also supplement your income…or as the case may be, feed your belly dance addiction!

Unfortunately, in the belly dance community-perhaps more than in any other dance community-there will always be instructors who have absolutely no business teaching…at all.  The  “six week wonders”- women who’ve taken an introductory course and then set up shop as a qualified instructor- have been a problem for decades. The saddest part of this phenomenon is that beginning students will not know the difference, and may be taking classes from someone who knows nothing about safe posture and basic technique, let alone the cultural aspects of the dance.

  Teaching is a huge responsibility.

 In order to be a competent instructor, it’s imperative that you have experience, the ability to break down movements verbally as well as physically, and to have at least a basic working knowledge of what muscle groups are being used and how to describe where each specific movement is originating from.  You need to have more than just a passing familiarity with whatever style of belly dance you are teaching- you’ve got to know the signature moves of the style, where it came from, and so on. In laymen’s terms, you need to know your shit.

 There are many ways to start a teaching career, and each one is as valid as any of the rest. Every so often, it just sort of happens- the way it did to me. I hadn’t even considered teaching, but I kept getting requests from friends or other dancers.  I started holding informal Saturday morning classes -in my sister’s living room! My classes were getting crowded, and, like, my four-year-old niece would be running in and out of the room, wrapping herself up in everyone’s veils! It quickly became apparent that I needed to move to a real studio. 

 Often a local teacher will move or retire, and designate a star student to take her place as the instructor; some dancers start off substitute teachers at the their dance studio, or apprenticing themselves to an instructor there before beginning their own classes. Many prospective teachers decide to get certified by master teacher or a dance school, in a unique format or style of belly dance, while others come to teaching in a more organic way, developing on their own. Any way is fine, it just depends on what you’re teaching, and where. Whether you choose to be certified or not, it goes without question you’ll need a broad understanding of the dance in it’s myriad forms and knowledge of your local scene as well as the world-wide belly dance community. You should have been learning from a variety of teachers and workshop instructors, and broadened your horizons by attending several workshops,  festivals and events.

An experienced performer might be a superlative dancer, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that she’ll be a good teacher.

 Performing skills and a flourishing career can be a definite plus for a dance instructor, but they don’t guarantee that she will have what it takes to be a good coach. Teaching is an art form, and some people are blessed with a natural gift for teaching. Several dancers teach but prefer performing, some do both equally well and enjoy it all, and there are also those who don’t care for it and don’t have the patience or personality needed to become a great instructor.

 As a teacher, you’ll be facing a myriad of students, all with different needs, a wide range of physical abilities and/or talent, and a bunch of reasons for even considering the study of belly dancing. Some women decide to take classes for amusement; others are serious trained dancers who want to develop their skills.  You need to be able to discern the needs of your students and treat them as individuals.

 After I was teaching for a while, I noticed that it seemed like I had an awful lot of students who were coming to me from some sort of traumatic situation such as a divorce, a mastectomy, an eating disorder, miscarriage, or just a plain old midlife crisis.  I wondered what was up with that, but when I discussed this phenomenon with other teachers, I found that it wasn’t uncommon. My friend Suhaila Salimpour told me something to the effect of  “When I see women coming into my classes, I know it means they are ready for a major life  change or transition.”

 This is not to say that you’ll be holding classes in The Land Of The Broken Toys, but you’ll probably find that many of your students do have a back-story that isn’t necessarily all about fun or experiencing a new adventure. That means that in addition to technical skills, as a teacher you’ll need to hone your emotional intelligence, and be able to zero in with the skill of trained psychologist to ascertain what makes your students “tick”.

There is no one type of student. Some work diligently, progress quickly and start performing, while others are just taking the class to lose weight.  Certain students desire corrections, critique and brutally honest assessment, but to others, this may seem humiliating. Then there are students who will chatter incessantly, question every word you say, and act out in other ways disturbing to the class as a whole. You’ll need to be able to command a class without seeming like a tyrant, keeping the atmosphere light and fun, but educational. This takes a lot of finesse and sensitivity.

 Whether you’re teaching already or just thinking about it, here are some points to consider:

Student Safety Comes First

 It’s crucial that you practice and teach safe posture and thorough warm-ups and cool downs. You can never be too careful about this anyway, but once you throw students into the mix, you are now responsible for the well being of others. Ask your students point blank if they are currently dealing with any injuries or infirmities that you should be aware of. Let them know that it’s all right to speak up if they have health issues or if a movement feels strange or is hurting them, and that it’s fine for them to take a breather if they feel the need to. Remind them to stay well hydrated. 

If you think you may be lacking knowledge in the area of health and safety, general anatomy and biomechanics, then by all means, before you start teaching you must familiarize yourself (at the very least in a broader sense) through taking fitness classes and adjunct courses, and also by reading as much as you can on these subjects. While you are teaching, pay strict attention to the body alignment and posture of your pupils, focusing on areas that are prone to injury, especially the spine, hips and knees. Correct your students and remind them often about their posture.

Begin your warm up with large, soft movements that articulate every area of the body, before continuing into some lightly aerobic dancing, lifting the arms above chest level before beginning to stretch. Static stretching and stretching cold muscles can  cause injury. It was once believed that stretching was the way to warm up, but that theory is outdated…and dangerous. Once your students are warmed up, they can begin to stretch. Have them hold a comfortable stretch without straining, and do not allow them to bounce. A class cool down is important for injury prevention as well. Always allow a few minutes for a thorough cool-down at the end of class.

 Be sure that the studio where you are teaching has insurance -and a first aid kit!  You may also want to look into taking first aid or CPR classes and obtain teaching insurance as well.  There are many companies that offer insurance specifically for dance and fitness instructors.

The Responsibility Of Knowledge

As a teacher, it’s your job to shape your students into well-rounded dancers. This is a responsibility that should never be taken lightly. Not only will your students reflect upon you, but also you’re assuring the future of our beautiful art form! It doesn’t matter what style you’re teaching-you have to know fundamental belly dance history. Students are curious and will have many questions; they’ll wonder about rhythms, costuming, cultural traditions and the countries they came from, when to play finger cymbals, song titles, famous dancers of the past and present- and you need to know the answers. If a question stumps you, admit you don’t know the answer, but do have research materials on hand or refer the student to someone who does know.

Focused Teaching Means Better Learning

Write out your lesson plans well in advance so you can have your students work towards goals.  Plot out exactly what topics you’ll be going over in each class, so your sessions will have a good flow. Make notes on any combinations or choreographies you’ll be using and refer to them in class if you need to. Create class CDs or an iPod play list so you don’t have to waste time fumbling through your music to find the appropriate track.

Know that even if you’re teaching a beginning class, your students will have a wide array of abilities. In any class, there are those with natural talent and/or prior training, and those who will need to work harder to get up to speed. It’s absolutely vital that you be prepared for this.

It’s important to know that there are three basic types of dance students:

 Auditory learners need to hear the movements, rhythms and counts described verbally. Visual learners must have sight references and like to see the technique before absorbing it. Kinesthetic learners absorb the movements physically, benefiting from a literal hand-on approach.   Be sure to ask a student if it’s OK to touch them before you do.

Many students are a combination of all three types, so it’s wise to integrate your teaching with visual, auditory and kinetic techniques.

Don’t be afraid of boring the class with drilling, repetition helps students retain what they’re learning by engaging muscle memory. Make sure to demonstrate any movements or combinations by facing towards the class, away from the class and offering a side view. Keep an eye on your pupils, checking frequently for posture, body alignment, weight placement, and incorrect or unsafe technique. Don’t single anyone out- offer corrections in a generalized way.  Have the class perform technique and combinations facing towards-and away from- the mirrors.  Experiment with spatial orientation and add variety to your classes by forming lines, making a circle, dividing the class into groups and having them perform for each other.

Foster A Structured Learning Environment

Having a set pattern for your classes will aid your students in efficient learning. Creating a learning environment that is fun, challenging and informative will keep your students interested and encourage them to strive for their personal best. It will also help them retain what they’re learning, because they’ll grow familiar with your methodology and know what to expect from you-and what is expected from them. How you create this framework is your decision. I like to structure my classes this way: A few minutes of gentle, full-body activity followed stretching; technique drills, then either new movements, short combinations, a specialty or choreography, and finishing up with a cool down.

Teacher-Student Relationships

 Keep your interactions with students relaxed and pleasant; building a learning environment that is fun, challenging and informative. Create an atmosphere of respect, for the dance itself, from student-to-student, and for you as their leader. Sometimes students get excited and like to chat with each other, ask questions and make comments; allowing for a little of this is fine, just don’t let the class run away with itself! Through compliments and positive reinforcement, encourage your pupils to focus on the curriculum instead of socializing. Provide positive feedback and keep your critique constructive and gentle. Notice the personal qualities students have to offer, help them feel good about their unique development and progress. Have them strive for excellence without creating an atmosphere of competition.  Try not to play favorites- there will always be a few star students, but those who don’t shine as brightly or who are more reticent need your love, too. While some of your students may be your personal friends outside of the studio, during class, maintain a slightly removed but open and friendly professional distance…you are, after all, the educator. Cultivate your leadership by being a role model.

Every so often, you might be faced with a problem student. This can take many faces, including (but not limited to) know-it-alls who’ll always have a “better” explanation than you do and take it upon themselves to offer correction to other class members; the ultra-needy types who constantly hog your attention, extremely competitive or aggressive pupils, or those who use precious class time for gossiping, joking and fooling around   Don’t let anyone usurp your authority; nip these behaviors in the bud as soon as they start, or it will be a continuing problem. In some cases, a light admonishment in class will do the trick; otherwise a private talk before or after class is in order. If the problem child continues to turn your classroom dysfunctional, sadly, sometimes the only option will be to ban the student and offer her a refund.

Establish Goals and Create Opportunities

There are many ways to get students enthused about learning to dance and becoming a member of the local dance community. Establishing goals early on will give your students something to strive for.  Students always respond well to this and delight in measuring their personal successes and accomplishments. Compile a class mailing list and send out newsletters letting your students know about belly dance performances and events happening in your area.  Have a video night where students can watch clips of famous dancers or dance-related movies; hold a halfla or dance party in your studio where everyone can dance and mingle. If your students are ready, you might want to form a student troupe that also holds rehearsals outside of class, with the goal being to perform.

 Don’t be jealous or a separatist- know that your students will only benefit from learning from a variety of teachers. 

A great teacher is a generous teacher!

Invite guest instructors or lecturers to teach workshops or talk about specialized styles. Network with other studios, dance schools or instructors within your community or recommend that your students explore taking classes from others, whether belly dance or some other form of dancing.

 The Teacher Needs Homework, Too

The most important thing you can offer your students is knowledge. It’s your duty to keep abreast of what’s going on in the Middle Eastern dance community, whether locally, nationally or globally. Continued study and research on your end will only make you a better teacher… so don’t be afraid to attend workshops side-by-side with your students. Subscribe to belly dance trade publications, join Internet forums, seek out other instructors with specialties and learn from them, do research on line or at the library.

 Set an example for your students by showing them that learning is a never-ending process!

PREPARING FOR BELLY DANCE COMPETITIONS

This coming weekend, February 15-17, 2013 marks the 23rd anniversary of the Belly Dancer of The Universe Competition, held annually at the Convention Center in Long Beach, California. I hold an extremely soft spot in my heart for BDUC, and not just because I love the mother and daughter team who put it on, Tonya and Atlantis. BDUC was the very first belly dance event I ever attended...exactly 23 years ago! During those years, I went from "baby belly" to professional dancer and competion judge, and so I kind of count BDUC as my "belly dance birthday".

In that time, I've judged a heck of a lot of belly dance contests , so I thought I'd share a few observations I've made-both on competitions in general, and how to ace them, grow from them and have fun to boot!

Performers enter competitions for reasons that are as diverse as the belly dance community itself, but it seems the majority of dancers enter hoping to get noticed. Belly dance competitions are a great way of gaining exposure: along with a trophy and prizes that can range from cash to costumes, jewelry and gift certificates, title-holders can pretty much expect good publicity and national or international name recognition, plus lucrative offers ranging from coveted spots in theatrical shows to contracts to teach workshops, and even appearances in performance videos or on instructional DVDs. Of course, depending on whose in the crowd, or where the contest is being held, even if a contestant doesn’t place, the recognition and job offers can still happen- because contests are a way of putting yourself out there as a dancer. The very nature of a competition calls attention to promising unknown performers as well as “unsung heroes”- talented dancers that the public might otherwise not be aware of. It’s a terrific way for someone from a small, regional studio to get the national or international attention they deserve, and it’s not uncommon for contestants to travel from far-flung locations (many of which may not have a thriving dance scene) to compete, and hopefully take their career to the next level.


Sometimes performers enter belly dance competitions for the sole purpose of setting personal dance-goals, because they want to challenge themselves. For these contestants, winning or losing isn’t the main objective; it’s the whole process that counts. They may be in love with the dance but committed to a job or raising a family, and competing is more about accomplishing something they set out to do rather than jump-starting a career. There are also dancers who compete as a lark, or because they were urged to enter by a teacher, mentor, friends or family.

As someone who has judged a fair amount of competitions, I can tell you that judging is not an easy task.

Personally, I believe that anyone who enters a competition should be given kudos, no matter what-it takes guts to put yourself out there, to believe in yourself and your talents and to compete with your peers! I myself am a lenient judge, and even though the criteria sheets for judges are (most of the time) anonymous, I try to scribble a few lines of encouragement to the contestant, or at least explain the reason why I added or subtracted points in a certain category.


Sometimes, I find the judging process itself completely surreal. Many times, a category I’m judging is so full of great dancers who have wonderful stage presence and dazzling technique, wearing costumes I’d give my right hip for, it’s really difficult to pick a winner. But there are always a few contestants who, sadly, don’t have a clue…and unfortunately, this aberration applies not only to my own personal taste, but also to everyone on the judging panel, as well as the audience! Even though belly dance competitions are not the Olympics, some of the acts appearing onstage during competitions are downright confounding- and I’m not talking about a dancer accidentally tripping on a veil or having a minor technical issue with her music. There’s always entries like the weird, un-choreographed “interpretive dance” that couldn’t even be classified as fusion entered into the Egyptian category; or some poor newbie dancer in a Halloween Headquarters costume that doesn’t fit and is showing the contestant’s underwear. There’s typically someone wearing finger cymbals but not playing them, or a dancer with zero stage presence, no technique and badly-done music editing…all at the same time… Ask anyone who has judged a competition and they will tell you that any of these train wrecks are actually not uncommon!


Once I was judging a kid’s competition, ages 5-13. The contest organizers told us not to get too dazzled by the overall cuteness of the contestants, and believe me, most of them were adorable- not to mention extremely well trained! At one point, I was so impressed with the level of presentation, I wondered to myself why I was a judge- any of the uber-talented kiddies on stage could’ve literally danced circles around me! The age thing had me stumped too: How was I supposed to be judging a category where some contestants had been dancing for years longer than others had been alive? By the middle of the kid’s category, I found myself thinking: I don’t care about plastic surgery; I just want a tendon-transplant from a flexible 9-year-old whose vocabulary doesn’t include the words Ibuprophen or chiropractor!


Also, and this is just my own opinion, I am not sure why nationally or internationally-known professional belly dancers (some with instructional DVD’s on the market) enter contests, since it seems to me that they already have recognition and a good career… but I guess that’s just my own thoughts on the matter


But back to judging: most of the time, competition judges are given sheets with a strict point rating system for the categories they are observing, and sometimes, there is a space left on that sheet for additional comments.

These criteria can range from points for costuming, stage presence, lyrical and rhythmic interpretations, choreography, improv, transitions, and prop use. Often, points may be subtracted for performances or costumes that are not appropriate for the category; or songs or routines that run over the allotted time, or if the contestant’s age or experience isn’t suitable for the category entered. Many contests offer a “People’s Choice” where the audience votes for their favorite performer. The actual contest winner or someone who took second or third place may or may not win this award; sometimes it goes to another contestant that didn’t even make semi-finals. This is up to the crowd alone, who are not given any sort of scoring or point sheet; they just vote for whomever they liked. Once in a while, competitions take a surprising turn, with an un-expected, dark horse winner taking first place, and an audience favorite not even placing as a semi-finalist. This is sometimes due to the judging panel’s personal taste, and also because when determining a winner, all points given by judges are taken into account and tallied up for a total, overall score.

As a judge, I look for the “whole package” in a contestant, and it’s my guess that is what the other judges do as well.

I can’t tell you exactly how to win a competition, but I can tell you things that will help you prepare.


Practice, Practice And Practice…Did I Say Practice?
 There is no such thing as “over rehearsing” for a competition…unless, of course, you injure yourself in the process. Know your routine (whether choreographed or improvised) and know it well. Some contestants practice hours a day for months. Just make sure that during this intense rehearsal period you are getting proper nutrition, and enough sleep to let your muscles –and your brain-repair! Many dancers add on private lessons, or work with coaches when prepping for competition- it’s something to think about, and worth doing if you can afford it. If you can’t, try to seek out a dance mentor who can watch your performance and offer helpful tips. Videotape yourself and your routine and view it to determine your strong points and weaknesses.


Preparation
Make sure you have everything you need in your dance bag, including all costume pieces, needle and thread, pins, feminine protection, hair spray, back-up copies of music, a cover-up, etc. You can never be too prepared, and you never know what will come up! Know the directions for getting yourself to the contest itself, make travel reservations and confirm them well in advance, pack some light snacks and water with you on the day of the contest, and get some rest- you will need it!


Presentation Is Everything
To become a winner, you must have it all: technique, a hot routine that uses the full stage, a compelling presence and appropriate emotions that translate beyond the footlights, professionally edited music, a costume that fits well and looks beautiful on you… and you also need to stick to the time limits- don’t go even a second over your allotted time.


Categorize Yourself
Pick the appropriate category (or categories) for your dancing… if you are a strong fusion style dancer; do not enter the Egyptian category hoping to be noticed. You’ll only be throwing your contest fee away because you won’t stand a chance of wining. Determine whether or not you are entering into a competition category that is suitable for your age range or skill-level, and make sure you know exactly what certain category criteria is. I have seen contestants get points taken off for a variety of things, but one major blunder is not sticking to the criteria for the category entered. For example: I recently judged a “Specialty Props” category, where many contestants did veil work… and not that much of it…with a single veil. Though I didn’t check with the other judges, I believe we were all on the same page: a veil isn’t a specialty prop- along with finger cymbals, it’s a belly dance “standard”. Specialty props are things like cane, fans, shamadan, veil poi, hula-hoops, trays, jugs, swords, Isis Wings, and double veils. If you are using a fire prop, you need to check whether or not open flames are allowed in the competition-because many times the event- and the venue itself-will not allow any sort of fire or open flames onstage!


Appropriate Costuming
You’re not going to win a contest through your appearance alone, but you can and will get points taken off if your costume isn’t appropriate. It doesn’t matter if your costume is home made or a high couture creation- but it should fit perfectly, flatter you, and be suitable for the category you are entering. Use fashion-tape and safety pins even if you think you don’t need them) wear shoes to protect your feet (there may be beads on the stage from other dancers) make sure all straps, snaps, hooks and zippers are in tip-top shape, hem your veils and skirts, spray your hair, and for Pete’s sake wear enough make up!


Kick Stress To The Curb
If you have rehearsed well and planned enough to be comfortable in your performance, alleviate stage fright and performance adrenalin by taking a few even, deep breaths before you go on stage. Remind yourself mentally to go slow and to finish every movement. Remember to smile- it really “sells” your performance, the audience adores smiling dancers. Even if the judges are keeping poker faces, smile and look them in the eye! A smile and a confident attitude sometimes makes the difference when points are getting scored, so keep that in mind, too. If you miss a few steps in choreography, or have some sort of minor mishap onstage, do not let it show in your facial expressions. Know that you have prepared for this moment fully, and trust yourself and your abilities. Nobody on the judging panel started out being a fantastic dancer or was born that way- everyone worked towards that goal, just remember that! As judges, we admire your bravery and your unique presence, we’re only human…and we too have had mishaps occur onstage, probably more than most of us would ever admit to!


Use Competitions As A Learning Experience
Congratulations, girl: even if you don’t win or even place in the semi-finals, you have done your personal best, and by the very action of entering a contest alone, you are a winner! All of your preparation and practice has not gone to waste if you don’t win; you will only be a better dancer for the experience. Don’t beat yourself up and try not to feel dejected. You set a goal for yourself, and you followed through. You probably also made some new friends, and now people in the community are aware of you, as well.


All that alone is amazing and with the popularity of belly dance growing every day, there will be plenty of other chances for you to enter other competitions!

BDUC GENERAL INFO:
http://www.bellydanceroftheuniverse.com/bduc2013.htm


BDUC WORKSHOP REGISTRATION http://www.bellydanceroftheuniverse.com/bduc2013/bduc2013-workshops.htm


I will be teaching "Strike A Pose: How To Make The Camera Love You" at BDUC on Sunday, February 17, from 12pm-2pm in...appropriately enough(!!) "The Princess Lounge" at The Long Beach Convention Center...but I'll be there all weekend!


Come on by and say hi!










Photo by Dusti Cunningham

BEHIND THE MUSIC

  Long ago in a land far away, I was a confirmed card-carrying rock and roll chick.  Before I started belly  dancing professionally, I was one of the original punks on the scene in Los Angeles; I fronted three bands that put out records and toured all over the place, I was also a music journalist and club booker for years. But then my life got taken over so thoroughly by belly dance that my music career sort of ceased to exist. I made a 360-degree turn in what seemed like an instant, with Om Kalthoum replacing Elvis and   Hakim taking the place of The Cramps. Once in a while, I even felt guilty for my new allegiance- it felt like I was “cheating” on rock ‘n’ roll because  nothing I listened to had lyrics in English!

 I had long since become fully reconciled to my new lifestyle, but then an odd coincidence occurred.  In 2006, I was asked to headline at the Majma Festival in England, where I’ll actually be returning next month.  It was my first major belly dance gig in a foreign country, and I was super- excited!    Just after   accepting that gig, my music publisher contacted me and said that the well-known   UK dirty house deejays   Peace Division wanted to sample   some of my spoken word vocals for a new track they were working on. I said yes, and we signed the papers. Shortly after, I was contacted again and told that my samples had now turned into the lead vocal and the track would be released the week I was heading to Majma.  The song came out as “ “Blacklite Sleaze” by Peace Division, Featuring Pleasant Gehman…and the moment I touched down   at Heathrow Airport, it entered the British Pop Charts.  You can listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goZ41xzs3_o

 Ironically, the moment I’d switched my focus from music to dance, I suddenly had a legion of new fans who wanted to hear my audio recordings, but my dance career kept growing, and I didn’t find the time to do any more recording.  After a while, I began to miss being in the recording studio, as opposed to the dance studio.  I wanted to make a track or track   the melded my   two favorite things- writing and belly dance, but it didn’t seem possible.  

Enter Karim Nagi.

If you are a belly dancer or a fan of cool rhythmic mixes, undoubtedly you already know Karim’s work, released under his own name as well as his moniker Turbo Tabla. But on the off chance that you don’t, Karim   is a multi-faceted artist: musician, deejay, dancer, instructor and orator, who is extremely knowledgeable about the traditions of Arabic music and dance… but he’s also a forward-thinking risk-taker artistically, and ridiculously talented and funny to boot!    In addition to his own  compositions, he’s made “Arabized” cover  versions of everything from Vivaldi to  the 1970’s hit “Low Rider”! In fact, he’s probably the only person on earth who can sing a tongue-in-cheek acoustic version of   the Queen hit “Bohemian Rhapsody” (in Arabic, no less!) accompanying himself on the tabla!  Though this epic bit of clashing cultures will probably never be documented for posterity ( ok, it was an impromptu  dressing room performance after a belly dance show)  I realized at that very moment that I  had finally found my dream collaborator!

  

 Though Karim and I are each infused with the culture of our native countries, we love, admire and are immersed in the culture of our adopted countries as well. Together we created   “Heart Full Of Cairo” a crazy ethno-soundscape that we conceptualized together.

 I wrote the words and did the vocals; Karim did the music and produced it, putting it all together.  The project came about organically, and of course the idea was spawned at belly dance festivals where we were both working.  We started discussing it at Cairo Caravan in June 2012, and by the time the Las Vegas Belly Dance Intensive rolled around in September 2012, we were onto something. We decided that whatever we did had to be Oriental, but not traditional.  I have done many vocal and spoken word recordings in the past, but I never combined my recorded work with belly dancing- I kind of inadvertently kept those two areas of my life compartmentalized.

Many of you readers may remember my posts about Egypt during the revolution as well as my reports from the Ahlan Wa Sahlan festival in 2011, post-revolution Cairo.  I was nervous about my Egyptian and ex-pat friends during the protests, concerned for their safety. I was also a little apprehensive about the future of a country I loved so much; afraid I might not ever get to return. Cairo is definitely my favorite place on the globe.  The moment I stepped off the plane on my first trip to Egypt, I started to weep, I was so happy to be there, and my feelings for it never change. I get giddy every time I go there; it’s a sensory overload of the very best kind. Karim is from Cairo, so   undoubtedly he has a different “relationship” to the city than I do, and understands it in a way I never will.

 But we both have a profound love for the city often known as Masr, or Al-Qahirah … so,  just in time for Valentine's Day, here’s the audio love letter  to Cairo from Karim and me… Enjoy!

 TURBO TABLA (KARIM NAGI) FEATURING PLEASANT GEHMAN (AKA PRINCESS FARHANA)   “HEART FULL OF CAIRO”

https://soundcloud.com/karimnagi/heartfullofcairo

   Karim and me  backstage at Cairo Caravan 2012,  posing as Egyptian Golden Age movie stars

 Photo of Princess Farhana on  "Heart Full Of Cairo" cover by Andre Elbing