;)
photo: Kevin Fox
Friday, October 14, 2011 at 03:54PM It was late one morning—I know because the sun was shining over my dolls as I played in the foyer. I was three and my mom was preparing lunch in the kitchen when I saw a man entering through the front door. He ran towards me, smiling.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 12:51AM 
Hello there and happy Fall.
Did you find me through Rakkasah? Welcome to my blog! Please go HERE.
After our long break, classes at 92Y resume this Friday, October 14. SIGN UP NOW. I'm very excited because we will be preparing a dance piece for the incredibly cool student show (photo on the right.) I hope you can join us!
Monday, July 25, 2011 at 09:59AM I remember the feeling: pride, superiority, walking a little bit above the ground.
Having studied bellydance for a couple of years, having performed in parties and onstage, having learned choreographies, I no longer was a beginner: I indulged in calling myself a professional dancer or, at the very least, an advanced student.
But was I?
I was so eager to join the experts that I skipped the intermediate stage — the bridge one has to walk to go from the novice to the advanced level.
Turns out, I am not the only bellydancer who ever despised the intermediate level: I often recognize in others that eagerness to become a pro. Turns out, bellydance is not the only dance form where the intermediate level is missing: with very few exceptions, the dance schools I've observed over the years seem to have only two levels: "beginner" and "everything goes" (advertised under names such as "advanced beginner", "advanced," "open," etc.) In my journey I've noticed that even if some schools named a class "intermediate," it usually wasn't so. There seemed to be a gap, a gap that made things harder and less pleasurable for everybody.
Levels exist because, as you know, attending a class above your level can be intimidating, and because attending too basic a class can be boring. They exist because it's inefficient to interrupt an advanced class in order to explain a basic step to a student. And they exist because not explaining things in detail gives birth to sloppy dancers.
Let's begin from the beginning. To teach a proper basic beginner class, we need to place ourselves in the shoes of a person who has never danced before. We need to think of the most basic building blocks and go from there.
As Serena Wilson taught in her basic beginner level, that first layer is built with a conscious study of body positions. Serena's method has nine body positions and if you take a class at her studio, you will learn them; and if you open your eyes, you will begin to see how everything stems from them. She was a teacher of genius, indeed.
Next, in beginner level, we have moves, steps, poses, turns. These are single elements, like beads that later on will be strung into a necklace; like individual parts of a pattern that later on will be sown together to create a finished dress.
Logic tells us that our third level of learning consists of stringing together 2 elements. Not three, not four: Two elements. In my opinion, this is what intermediate level needs to be about: that magical and decisive component that distinguishes the good dancer from the mediocre one; that most important of skills that marks the difference between learning a choreography in a few hours and learning it in a few weeks (or not being able to learn it at all): good transitioning.
By "Good" I mean clear, purposeful, efficient, aesthetically pleasing, meaningful, fun transitioning.
"Bad" would mean a transition which is sloppy, uncertain, hard to remember, confusing, annoying, undesirable, uncoordinated, and just plain ugly.
When we as teachers and students skip a true study of the intermediate level (of basic transitions) we move directly from executing single, isolated moves to memorizing an entire choreography like parrots. For some students this is enough, and their bodies are able to assimilate intrinsic transitions this way. But for the vast majority this creates huge gaps that will interfere with efficient learning in higher levels.
Rejoice in the study of simple transitions. Cherish the idea of "intermediate" level. Stay curious and stay humble. Doing so will take you farther and to a happier place.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at 06:21PM 
Hello hello!
Well, it's been a while since I posted a playlist as I had been busy with other projects but I sure am happy to be back :)
Today we will listen to five of non-traditional songs that use Maqsum. In most of them you will recognize the upbeat vibe that makes Maqsum so festive.
But you will notice that At the Gates of the Citadel and especially Mocksoom have a darker feel to them. Why do you think that is?
0:00 Mocksoom by Moontan | CDBaby | iTunes |
0:37 Resulina by Stellamara | iTunes |
1:04 The Sultan's Dance by Solace | iTunes |
1:46 Samer by Djinn | iTunes |
2:19 At the Gates of the Citadel by Phil Thornton & Hossam Ramzy | iTunes |
Stay tuned for our next playlist.
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Belly Dance, Bellydance, Blanca, Blog, Drum Solo, Maqsum in Music, Playlists, Rhythm Email Article Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 04:19PM The following tips will help you take your dance from a simple routine to a magical performance.
