I couldn't talk about this until the project was finished. Diana and I were contracted by Ansuya to be part of her new DVD, "The Magic of Bellydance" a beginner's instructional video.

When Ansuya asked for two more dancers, I suggested my student Tempest and Heather of BellyCraft who also takes classes with me.

We were given three weeks to learn a beginner’s choreo that included veils and zills. Even though it was beginners we found our own challenges, this made us schedule bi-weekly rehearsals in my home studio and weekly at Ansuya's.

Filming started on Friday Sept. 29th. We arrived there at 10.00 am as instructed, started filming a few hours later and little by little all the pieces of the puzzle were put together.

Friday was nerve racking for me. I had done extra work in Los Angeles back in the late seventies and early eighties, but I had never had a camera fully focused on me like this was, (mind you, of all the footage taken of me, you may only see seconds, we'll see when the video comes out).

Saturday, we arrived again in the AM and the filming crew spent most of the morning and early afternoon setting up,
We started filming sometime at 2pm the instructional portion of the videos and that was very tiring,. But, for me even though it was a long process, I liked it.

Saturday evening, Ansuya has asked us to invite several of our friends to be part of the audience. Our friends arrived and were given dinner and refreshments and treated to a performance by Ansuya and us and then one performance of Ansuya alone.

Nilly, Michelle, Medina, Jeanette, Maggie, Leigh, Ileana and Kamileh, who also brought one of her closest friends was there! Supporting us, helping us. Kamileh who kept me a little saner between takes, I am so grateful for all of them being there for support. Some drove there without knowing what they were going to see, they were just told that it was to support me while I filmed something, but they had no idea it was with Ansuya. Some like me drove from Ft. Lauderdale, Nilly drove from Weston, very far away, but they were there for their friends.

The performance was the most difficult part for me, after each take of this full performance, I would end up more nervous than the last time. Only when the song would start, I would relax into it. I don't know if it was holding the last pose for an extended period of time that absolutely made my hands shake after breaking the pose. WOW!

It was hot, I was sweating buckets, no exaggerating, full Alina Sweat Buckets. I had told Jenaeni, (Ansuya's mom) that I would sweat a lot, and she graciously said it would be perfectly OK!

The audience (our friends) would come up between each set, and help us blot the sweat. At one point, during one of the takes of the performance, I felt my own cold sweat spraying from me, when that set ended, and we broke that last pose, I yelled "blotter" OMG. Ansuya yells back at me .................aaaaaahhhhh DIVAAAAAA! LOL
I couldn't help but to laugh almost in embarrassment, then said, "I always wanted to do that" so there!

I hope that gets caught on tape for the bloopers.

Ansuya and Jenaeni, were so beautiful, gracious and accommodating at every moment. I can't say enough of these 2 gorgeous ladies.

I am very honored to have been chosen to be part of this and I will be forever grateful to Ansuya and Jenaeni for all they did, how they took care us, how they encouraged us and made us feel so welcomed and relaxed in their beautiful home!

After the performance section ended, roughly around 1:00 AM. We had to remove all our makeup and change into lounge wear and medium make up for interviews.

We talked on camera, about what bellydance is for us, how long we've been dancing and what bellydance has done for us!

There was more shooting on the instructional portion until 6AM Sunday morning and then it was all over.

Drove home from South Kendall and passed out, slept the entire day and then went to Belly Motions to get my recommended dose of Tribal, a gorgeous performance by Roshana Nofret, a 17 year old virtuoso.

I feel so charmed to have had this experience. This week will be forever engraved in my memories as one of the most beautiful ones.

Thank you Ansuya, Jenaeni, Diana for taking me to take semi-private classes with Ansuya, Heather and Tempest for a job well done and all the friends who came in support.

I'm truly charmed!!!