My Blog

Back in the world again!

Kisaiya — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:56:17 GMT

Well...it seems that my new life in the new town is getting a rhythm. I have a new old job...my old company has hired me at the local office..that I love. I have a great place to live. I am working out with a personal trainer. Now I can stop a moment and breathe. Of course, with that comes questions......is it time to get involved in the local dance community? YES! I miss dancing. I miss the folks in Charlotte/Gastonia. I miss the music and the costumes. I am feeling better than I have in 15 years. I am ready to really get started again and where better than the place I learned to dance? It seems that my first teacher is still here and teaching! Plus, there are many other groups that look wonderful around. So I am excited. I am getting ready to insinuate myself back in my favorite world. Yippee! Be warned Greeensboro folk....I am ready to dance! Hugs to all!

Yeah, employment!!

Kisaiya — Sat, 24 May 2008 14:44:46 GMT

Thank the heavens, I have found a job! It is a decent brain dead job that will allow me to pay my bills, dance, do some yoga and hopefully go back to school. Yipee!!! I feel a lot less stressed now. The only down side, is it does not start till the end of June. But at least there is a light at the end of the unemployment tunnel!! Now I can get back to concentrating on positive things, rather than stressing out! Wooohoooo!! I have decided that I need to get off my butt while I have time and really work on figuring out a look for my costumes other than slacker...grin. I need to have an image. So while I am sitting at home, that is my goal. I need to think about how I want to look when I dance. Rather than throwing things together without a cohesive plan, I am going to really look at what inspires me and how I can use that as a way to portray myself. Hopefully this will help me get re-energized and get back out there.

Moving is done.....job searching is key

Kisaiya — Tue, 13 May 2008 14:03:19 GMT

So I have moved to Greensboro. I love my apartment and my neighbors. The apartment complex is nice, the employees are responsive and it is ten times nicer than my old house (no mold!!!). My neighbors are all friendly which is a relief. So things are going well. Now I am concentrating on finding a job (urgh) and meeting people in the new town. The job search is frustrating. I am not used to being unemployed and I have to say it sucks. I am sending my resume to anyone I can think of and answering all ads that I am qualified for and am not getting a ton of results. I am keeping my fingers crossed. Soon I will find something. In the meantime I am trying to meet folks in town and getting involved in local activities. If anyone knows of anything happening in Greensboro, share please!

Life and all its wild ways...

Kisaiya — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 18:32:27 GMT

Hello everyone! Sorry I have been off line for a while. Life is changing radically. Mostly in a good way though. I am moving to Greensboro. It is where I was born and raised, so while I am sad to be leaving my home of almost ten years, it will be nice to get back to my first home and be near my family. The move has been taking up most of my time recently, but once I get unpacked and fund a job (eek!), I will be back dancing. I have been cleared to dance again, yippeee!! I am working out and trying to loose those unneeded extra pounds I gain while flat on my back. I look forward to finding a yoga class and hopefully a dance class in Greensboro and getting back into the groove. Till then, I hope that you are all well!! Thanks Kisaiya

Oohhh...change is scary......

Kisaiya — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 22:18:51 GMT

To actually try and fulfil one of my resolutions, I have hired a personal trainer. I have not met her yet, but it is kind of exciting and kind of scary. Does that make sense? My goal is to learn how to work out safely, to find a workout that helps me loose some weight but also helps me get stronger to aid my dancing. I have started slowly back with yoga to work on my limberness. So now the next step is to get in shape. Really get in shape. Eek. The lady I called sounds really....peppy. Hopefully that will be encouraging and not irritating. At least it is not in the morning. I dont think that I could stand happiness and the gym early. But my hope is that she will be happy and love working out and some of that will rub off...energy by osmosis....grin. So keep your fingers crossed for me. Hopefully it will be challenging but fun. I hope that everyone out there is doing well and that 2008 is starting out wonderfully!

Woohooo! Back from the living dead :)

Kisaiya — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:40:58 GMT

So for the first time since I hurt myself, I actually got to dance a bit this weekend. It was lovely. I had a great time. The musicians rocked. The dancers were fun and supportive. I wanted to give the Rising Sun Tribe folks-Reyna, Rick and Allison a shout out for being so supportive. Having them there meant a lot to me and knowing that they were supporting me helped me get out there and start getting my groove back. :) So now I am out of PT, I am heading back to the gym and am going to be very very careful as I enter back into the real world. Stretching is key. I hope to dance smarter. Thanks everyone!

Life works in mysterious ways.....

Kisaiya — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 17:15:25 GMT

So it is no secret that my health has not been the best over the last couple of years. I have had problems off and on now for about 3 years. I have found out that a lot of those have been caused by mold that has taken root in my house. Right after my last round of problems, then I hurt my back and had to stop everything and deal with that. Now, I have a physical therapy routine and permission to start slowly stretching again. Hopefully this will solve my problems and we will not have to go to shots or surgery. I would like to thank everyone who has been so super cool while I have been out of touch. I have gotten some great advice and lots of sweet thoughts while unable to get around. I want to especially thank Asali who was willing to take in my students when got the news I could not teach. It is a relief to know that they are being taught by someone as talented as her. So I have been working on getting back my mobility, strengthening my immune system and figuring out what in the world is happening in my house. Once we learned about the mold, I was able to a)get some much needed medication and b)get to start planning a move. My family has jumped in and offered me some great opportunities to get some much needed time to recuperate and to replenish my savings accounts. So thanks to them for being so super cool and totally supportive. Their willingness to jump in and really help me get my affairs straightened out has be a relief. Hopefully soon I will be in a new house, on track to getting better and back to the yoga and then...sometime soon...dancing. It will be slow but I am ready to make the changes I need to make to be healthier, to be a stronger person and to be a better dancer. thank you!

Got those coughing blues.......(this is a whiny one..watch out!)

Kisaiya — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 21:05:17 GMT

I have struggled for 3 years now to control my asthma (a recent issue), control my blood pressure and cholesterol and kick start my immune system (a long term issue). I started working out regularly, taking yoga, eating better and taking vitamins. It has helped a good amount I will admit. I still have 40 more pounds to lose, but I have started seeing a change at least. I started to really feel better and stronger. That allowed me to start dancing again which has really made me happy. I admit though, that I get frustrated because the slightest virus that goes around, hits me like a tanker truck. I of course picked up a bug on my most recent travels and it hit me quick and hard. Now-a-days any bug or virus I get goes straight to my lungs, which I have to say, stinks. So this time around, I have been out of work sick for almost a week now. I am starting to get better (finally). Now I am at that stage where I feel well enough to be frustrated by not being able to do the things that I want to do. I remind myself that I need to have patience and be kind to myself, but I then I forget and get cranky again. Then my poor sister has to listen to me whine. (And now the internet...woohoo aint blogging cool?) My neighbors and my sister have been fantastic though and have been taking wonderful care of me. I know good people I have to say. They are super cool. So I guess while I am taking it easy and trying to remember to have patience (maybe once I get that, I will get to move on to some other growth experience), I will look at some more dance videos, dream up new costumes, work on some SCA event plans and plot out with my doctor how to improve myself so that I dont have these interruptions in my life. Till then, dance and have fun and most importantly, appreciate those around you!

Today's Belly Dancer

Kisaiya — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 20:08:49 GMT

So I was talking to a really nice lady today about belly dance videos. She asked me what videos I want currently...which made me think that it was time to post another random suggestion otherwise known as the belly dancer of the day! So todays dancer is Jillina. You can find her website at http://www.jillina.com. I like Jillina for several reasons. I think that she is a great dancer, choreographer and business woman. Jillina is the artistic director for the Belly Dance Superstars, the choreographer for Desert Rose and I believe the founder of the Sahlala Dancers. Obviously she has a lot of creativity, talent and drive. Jillina also has several videos on drum solos, choreography and the like. On these videos she explains the steps very clearly and they are organized in an efficient manner to make watching them and following along easy. Jillina is an energetic dancer. Every segment I have seen with her dancing is exciting to watch. She interacts with the audience, she moves around the stage, changes levels and can really strut her stuff. I think that her technique is incredibly crisp. It is fun to watch her dance. As a choreagrapher, I think that she uses her troupes/dancers well. Again, they use the space they have to dance. There are layers to the choreography and she maximizes what each dancer brings to the dance. Her work is really complicated yet direct if that makes sense. She is also not afraid to explore different music and styles. Finally, it impresses me that she is really focused on business without hurting her creativity. I think that a lot of dancers (and other artisans) have difficulty marketing themselves. From all that I can see, Jillina has a great head for business but she is still a creative powerhouse. She does videos, classes, seminars, performances and tours. She manages to straddle that line between art and business and be true to herself and her art. That is amazing and definitely a skill. Any with all that she still looks like she is having fun. You go girl!! I urge people who have not already seen clips of Jillina to look her up. She is truly a great dancer. Have a great weekend folks: dance, laugh, sing and be true!

Real Life can be so um real!

Kisaiya — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 18:24:39 GMT

So it has been a busy busy time here. I have been dealing with a lot of work, helping plan my best friend's wedding, finishing my choreography for the September show, taking classes, teaching classes....I am pooped! It will all be worth it I am sure, but as I stood talking to the exterminator while he sprayed my house yesterday, I realized I need a break. So tonight it is no practicing, no working, just enjoying a nice night off. Then tomorrow I can go back to freaking out. Weeeeee!!!

What a weekend!

Kisaiya — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 13:45:21 GMT

So the Aziza workshop was great. She really is inspiring and I would take another workshop with her in a hearbeat. I got a chance to meet several people there as well and that was so fun. We met people at the hotel, at the class and at the show. It is always really gratifying to see the support and friendliness of the belly dance community at these things. People were giggling, shopping, smiling and just having fun. It was lovely. :)

yipeee!!!

Kisaiya — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 20:30:26 GMT

I am so excited....hop hop....Aziza is this weekend....only a few more hours till I go!! I get to see some cool folks, including Sanura and Asali and I get to meet some new cool folks...and I get to dance and see Aziza...hoot!!!

Is it Saturday yet?

Kisaiya — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 17:41:44 GMT

I am so excited about the seminar this weekend. I cant wait to be there. I generally really enjoy seminars. It is exciting to meet new people, learn new ideas and generally be immersed into a subject I enjoy. Dance seminars are slightly more challenging in that I am still not in prime shape yet, but in some ways that makes it more mentally interesting. It is fun to be challenged in a positive way. (Not fun in a drill instructor way...). So I will be at the Aziza seminar this weekend. Barely containing my excitement. Two of my students are coming with me and that is just another level of excitment. So come say hi if you are there. I will be the red head with a smile so big it eclipses her face. Peace!

Ease on down the road....

Kisaiya — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 18:05:01 GMT

So I am back up and running...well dancing anyway. I am working on my yoga to make sure that I keep limber and dont hurt myself. I am working out at least an hour a day, though sometimes I admit it is only like 30 minutes. I am determined though to get back on track and loose the rest of my weight. I want to be healthy!! So that is the goal folks...good health. So I am working on my costume, on my choreography and my butt. It is a busy time but hopefully it will pay off. I am having so much more fun this time around with my dancing. It is such a happy place to be. I want to thank all the local dancers who have been so positive and supportive. It has made a huge difference! I look forward to seeing people at Aziza! I cant wait.....at least the excitement can be drafted into my shimmy...grin. Hugs

Kidney Stones suck!

Kisaiya — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 19:33:15 GMT

Well, last week did not exactly go as planned. I passed some kidney stones and ended up being in bed half the week...not the best birthday present ever..but oh well. I am now back at work and back at play...grin. I did get a gift certificate to Flying Skirts as a present from one of my students, which is very cool. :) I will be heading online to order a skirt asap! I hope that everyone is doing well and had a good Fourth of July!

The Arabesque Dance Company

Kisaiya — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 13:07:56 GMT

As I struggle to write my second piece of choreography, I have been looking at dancers that create great dance and great performances. So today I want to encourage people to look at the Arabesque Dance Company of Canada. The artistic director and choreographer is Yasmina Ramzy. They mix a modern dance flair with a great knowledge of traditional belly dance and come up with an exciting performance. Watching Yasmina dance is fantastic. Her moves are crisp, exciting and her use of traditional instruments and orchestras are inspiring. When you mix her styles with the dance troupe, it is just awesome. The dancers use every inch of the stage in twists, turns, fading forward and back. They are completely absorbed into the dance and are totally in synch. The choreography is complex, yet not busy. She uses each dancer as part of a flowing group and it is impressive. You can look at her web site at http://www.arabesquedance.ca/ Or you can see some clips of the troupe dancing on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SRS6cDF9OM I find the work impressive as I am having such a hard time figuring out how to use my students to the best advantage in a piece. I have been fighting with my choreography for months now and am no closer to finishing it. I know in my head that I am making it much more difficult than it needs to be, but unfortunately, that seems to be how I always am when trying stuff like this (ask me one day about my masters thesis...10 years!). So it is nice to see someone like Yasmina Ramzy doing such incredible work both solo and with the troupe. It reminds me that there is a good way to utilize every dancer, show the beauty of the dance and wow the heck out of the audience. Dance on ladies!

Mental wanderings....

Kisaiya — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 19:15:32 GMT

I did not sleep much this weekend-I drove to Richmond and helped a friend move here and then helped clean her new place. It was good though, she was in a bad place and I am happy that in a small way I could help her get out of it. I was thinking of poetry and dancing today...things that are not always connected but can be...so here is a dancer of the day and a poem of the day....though they have nothing to do with each other, other than being connected in my unfocused brain..... Today's dancer is Suzanna del Vecchio. She has a video called Lock, Flutter and Roll which is inspiring. Her muscle control is fantastic! She does several teaching videos which while I have not seen them all, have gotten good reviews. She is an interesting performer and is always eye-catching and professional. Check her out at her web site: http://weba.viawest.net/~dancersuz/ Hmm...so poetry...I love free verse. It is (much like dance) dependent on how you feel at the moment and how in tune you are with the world around you. Simple moments can turn into magical ones.... Here is an interesting one about dancing with fairies: Honey, child, honey, child, whither are you going? Would you cast your jewels all to the breezes blowing? Would you leave the mother who on golden grain has fed you? Would you grieve the lover who is riding forth to wed you? Mother mine, to the wild forest I am going, Where upon the champa boughs the champa buds are blowing; To the koil-haunted river-isles where lotus lilies glisten, The voices of the fairy folk are calling me: O listen! Honey, child, honey, child, the world is full of pleasure, Of bridal-songs and cradle-songs and sandal- scented leisure. Your bridal robes are in the loom, silver and saffron glowing, Your bridal cakes are on the hearth: O whither are you going? The bridal-songs and cradle-songs have cadences of sorrow, The laughter of the sun to-day, the wind of death to-morrow. Far sweeter sound the forest-notes where forest- streams are falling; O mother mine, I cannot stay, the fairy-folk are calling. - Sarojini Naidu

Dancer of the Day.....grin

Kisaiya — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 14:54:58 GMT

Howdy folks! I decided today would be all about Eva Cernik! Eva is an amazing dancer and a great performer. She has spent years traveling and researching different cultures and her results are entrancing. I was lucky enough to take a class with her once and it was great fun. I learned a lot but I was also impressed with her energy, her love for the dance and her friendliness and personality. So if you are looking for inspiration when it comes to folkloric dance or just someone new to see dance, check out Eva Cernik! Her web site is: http://home.earthlink.net/~evacernik/eva.htm Work it!

A cool dancer!

Kisaiya — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 20:48:51 GMT

Based on a post I read on the Lotus Tribe, I was thinking about who my current dance inspirations are. There are a lot of local women, without whom, I would have never even known what belly dance is (Karahman, Yasmine, Zarifa, Shelly from Colorful Waves...and many more!) There are also a couple of dancers that I dont know and have only seen on video but make my jaw drop each time I see them. These are not tiny women but they are gorgeous and are fantastic dancers and performers. Their movements are crisp, clean and often complex. So with that thought, here is the Dancer of the Day...someone that I think is amazing and people should check out. http://www.zill-goddess.com/ Her name is Siovana. I saw her on a video doing 2 different routines. One was an African dance and it was pretty interesting. The other was what I would call a "cabaret" routine. In this clip, she never stood still. It was amazing. She shimmied and shimmied and built on those shimmys and was in constant motion for the entired song. She was smiling and enjoying herself but also really entertaining the audience. It was impressive and amazing. So check her website out. Dance on!

Seminars, seminars and seminars....exciting :)

Kisaiya — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 19:39:56 GMT

I just have to say that I am so excited about the upcoming few months. I have just gotten back into dancing after a long absence and am starting back with classes, working on a costume and networking. I have signed up for a couple of seminars that are just making me shimmy with excitement. :) I am takigng a class with some folks from Raleigh, I am taking a class this weekend in Winston Salem and this August I hope to take a seminar from Aziza, hosted by the Winston Salem group, Ruby Scarab. I cannot wait! I also am thrilled at the people I have talked to so far. Everyone is just as supportive as I remember and their encouragement is helping me get back into the swing of things and helping get my confidence back. Now, I need to get back to a local class and practice, practice, practice. I have to say, it is good to be back. Hugs Kisaiya