Blog-O-Matic

Whirlwind of life.

asharah — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:55:45 GMT

Dance is officially a 2nd full-time job... I have so much going on that i hardly feel like I have any free time at all! I do enjoy being busy, but sometimes a break is needed. So, today I took a sick day (my sore throat, coughing, and stuffy nose insisted), and caught up on some dance business... and I'm not even done. But here are some things coming up in the near future: MAY 2008: Tribal Fest 8: Performing on Friday, May 16th at 9:13pm. Awesome time slot! Thanks Chuck and Kajira! Sestraluna show with Kami Liddle and Petite Jamilla: I'll be performing in the gala show, hosted by Sestraluna, in Brooklyn Park, MD. May 24th. More info at http://sestraluna.com/workshops.html JUNE 2008: Spring Caravan: Teaching and performing on Saturday of this fusion festival, in Somerset, New Jersey. Check out www.rakkasah.com/spring June 7th. Raqs America: I'll be teaching and performing at the BDSS Raqs America event in Washington, DC. The RA website isn't up quite yet, but it's scheduled to go live really soon. I'm so excited to be a part of this event! June 21st. Gothalyptic: Teaching and performing at this mini gothic bellydance fest in the Louisville, Kentucky area. Check it out here: http://www.tl2productions.com/gothalyptic.htm June 28th. SEPTEMBER 2008: Mt Zion Music and Dance Fest: Hosted by Rom Deussen. I'll be performing to live music by the awesome and amazing Helm, as well as teaching a workshop. OCTOBER 2008: Tribal Alchemy: Teaching and performing at the third annual Tribal Alchemy in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas. I'm so honored to be a part of this event, teaching along side such amazing dancers as Mira Betz, Elizabeth Strong, and Frederique. October 18-19. 2009: TribalCon! I'll be an official instructor at TribalCon in 2009! Details coming soon!

Web difficulties.

asharah — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 21:41:28 GMT

So... I was trying to install WordPress on my asharah.com website and goobered up some things. So, until I figure out what the heck I did, the main page, www.asharah.com will give you a weird error message. If you really want to take a look at my site, go to www.asharah.com/news.htm and the rest of the site will work fine from there. Sometimes technology just doesn't want to behave! EDIT: Nevermind! Fixed it! MySQL will bow to my superior (uh, yeah, right) web skilz.

A blog of thoughts.

asharah — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 23:29:28 GMT

So, I've started a more formal blog about dance, life, philosophy, learning, and creativity over on Blogger. My first couple of posts will be on what it means to be a student, the responsibilities of instructors, and integrity in art. I'll also post images, other people's blogs, words of wisdom, and any other material that I find inspiring. I hope that you enjoy this, and I hope that my thoughts help fuel your journey as a student, artist, and human. If you're interested in reading my ramblings, please point your browser to http://bdpaladin.blogspot.com/ (Umm... I'll also explain why I'm "bdpaladin".)

Trailer for my DVD!

asharah — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 02:23:27 GMT

I'm so excited about this! Neon and WorldDanceNewYork have just created the trailer for my DVD. Check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zERHZz_k7wA

Happy New Year!

asharah — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 19:34:17 GMT

And for the new year.... Maduro t-shirts, hoodies, and stickers. http://www.cafepress.com/maduromusic

Saturday - Salla Saffron Holiday Party!

asharah — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 03:56:22 GMT

Hey everyone! This is just a reminder that the Salla Saffron holiday party is this Saturday! Come enjoy festive refreshments and a show featuring Saffron faculty and students. For the tribally inclined, I'll be performing a "dark festive fusion" piece, and tribal faculty member Jen Hodge will perform FCBD American Tribal Style with her troupe Sammati. There will also be open dancing for all! 7:30pm, $15. Show begins at 8pm Saffron Dance is conveniently located a block away from the Clarendon Metro (Orange and Blue Lines) and has on-site parking. 3260 Wilson Blvd, Arlington (Clarendon), Virginia http://www.saffrondance.com/events/index.html

Pre-order my instructional DVD - Modern Tribal Bellydance, produced by WorldDanceNewYork

asharah — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 20:06:08 GMT

Hello everyone! I just wanted to let you all know that now that we're finished filming, I'm now accepting pre-orders of my upcoming instructional DVD: Modern Tribal Bellydance with Asharah, produced by WorldDanceNewYork. We're currently looking at a January 2008 release, and I'll ship them as soon as I get them. Here's brief description of what's on it: This DVD is aimed for the dancer looking to polish her technique and add a touch of mechanical and robotic movement to her practice and performances. After a rigorous warm-up, Asharah will lead you through a series of intermediate-level drills and isolations. Then she'll teach you how to break down traditional bellydance movements into smaller and punctuated parts to achieve ticking and strobing effects. Then she'll lead you though six short cominations that compose a short choreography. We conclude the DVD with a 10-minute cool-down. The DVD also features two performances by Asharah. Music by Maduro, Venetian Snares, Hecate, and Cdatakill. Just visit www.asharah.com/dvd.htm and click the "Buy Now" button.

Classes with Asharah at Saffron Dance

asharah — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 01:47:08 GMT

Registration is now up for Tuesday night classes with Asharah at the new Saffron Dance in Arlington, Virginia. Classes begin January 8 and run until April 29th (16 Weeks). I'm really excited to be a part of this beautiful studio, which is dedicated to promoting the art and community of belly dance. www.saffrondance.com/register/index.html Tribal 1: Technique and Drills 7:15pm - 8:15pm This class has been created for dancers seeking to develop the fundamental posture, alignment, and technique for a broad array of tribal belly dance styles, from American Tribal Style (ATS) to its modern fusions. Technique builds from week to week through structured drilling exercises based on the Suhaila Salimpour format* and ATS (group improvisation) created by Carolena Nericcio and FatChanceBellyDance. Students will also develop strong posture, arm positions, hip work, torso isolations, and basic foot patterns specific to the tribal style. This class follows an organized approach to building the basic elements of tribal and is perfect for students who have never been exposed to tribal belly dance. No dance experience is necessary. Tribal 2: Modern Tribal Combinations 8:15pm - 9:30pm This class builds on technique developed in Saffron Tribal 1 by using more advanced elements of the Suhaila Salimpour and FatChanceBellyDance formats, as well as Asharah's own signature dance vocabulary. This class will work to develop core strength, stamina, isolations, and musical interpretation. Classwork emphasizes the breakdown and drilling of each element. Students will incorporate technique and movement into traveling and combinations with a focus on execution and precision. A minimum of 6 months prior experience study with Asharah is required for registration. *Asharah is not an official instructor for the Suhaila Salimpour School of Dance, but Suhaila Salimpour has given permission for Asharah to use the Suhaila Salimpour format in her classes. **Asharah will continue to teach at Joy of Motion's Atlas Arts Center. Registration will be available soon.

Travel Tips.

asharah — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 21:11:09 GMT

Don't take Miao hairsticks in your carry-on luggage when traveling by plane. TSA almost confiscated mine! (Hairstick pictured is not mine.)

Workshop next Sunday in NYC!

asharah — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 22:17:59 GMT

Hosted by Sarah J. Locke of Alchemy Performance: In this workshop I'll teach tips and tricks for powerful, fluid movement for tribal fusion belly dance. While sharp locks are an essential part of the tribal dancer's repertoire, grace and polish are equally, if not more, important for conveying expression and feeling from the stage to the audience. I'll lead an intense warm-up that will prepare the body for fluid arm-work, sinuous isolations, and dramatic extension. We will drill smooth bellydance movements, such as arm-waves, interior hip circles, and undulations, and then we'll learn a short combination using these moves in a choreography. Sunday November 11th from 1-4 pm Dance Forum, 20 E 17th St. (btw. 5th & B'way) 2nd fl. $50 in advance / $55 at the door To register please contact sarah@alchemyperformance.com if you wish to pay by cash or check, or pay via Paypal using the "send money" tab to send $51.50 ($50 + $1.50 service charge) to sarahjolo@aol.com. Visit www.asharah.com and www.alchemyperformance.com for more info.

Workshop: November 17th!

asharah — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 22:48:17 GMT

November 17th, 12 noon - 3pm.... I'll be teaching the complete three-hour "Pops, Locks, and Tick-Tocks" workshop at the new boutique Saffron Dance studio in Clarendon (Arlington), Virgina. We'll break down traditional bellydance movements into smaller and sharper parts to give your dance a robotic edge. After drilling these movements, I'll teach a short combination that demonstrates how these movements can be used in a performance. $55 pre-registration, $60 at the door; register at Saffron Dance, located at 3260 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA. Free off-street parking, and only a 3 minute walk from the Clarendon Metro station. Registration is now up at http://www.saffrondance.com/register Hope to see you there!

Goodies for sale!

asharah — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 00:16:39 GMT

I'm selling a lot of the tribal goodies that I've collected over the past few years. My personal style is changing, and I want to give these items to a good home. Some of the goodies: * Beaded medallions galore. Some matching pairs. * Tribal headpiece (from Old World Imports) * Mirrored belts, both old and new * Afghani jewelry items * Beaded tassels * Colinette Point 5 yarn Ethnic items all are in excellent or good condition. Yarn has never been used. Please look at my photo set on Flickr to see them all. PM me for prices. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kiaroskuro/sets/72157601734492017/

It's fall already?

asharah — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 00:29:03 GMT

Holy crap.... registration for the fall semester of classes is up and ready at Joy of Motion's website. In addition to my regular Monday night classes, Joy of Motion has a bazillion other classes in many different dance forms, such as ballet, jazz, hip hop, modern, and more. My classes are as follows... most of you have seen this schpiel before, but the times have shifted a bit, and I'm being a little more strict about my Beginning II prerequisites this semester. Both classes are at Joy of Motion's Atlas Arts Center, 1333 H St, NE, Washington, DC. BEGINNING I. 8:00pm - 9:00pm, Monday nights. Beginning I will focus on building body awareness, increased strength and stamina, and tribal posture using a combination of classic tribal style moves and the Suhaila Salimpour format with a pronounced emphasis on strong technique. The class will focus heavily on muscular movement, and students will learn about the history of the tribal style and its context within the worldwide belly dance community. This class is open to all students of belly dance who are willing to sweat in class and be sore the next day. BEGINNING II. 9:00pm - 10:00pm, Monday nights. ***Please note pre-requisites.*** Beginning II classes will build on the basics taught in Beginning I such as glute-driven hip work, undulations isolated in the torso, and American Tribal Style movements, and will introduce more complex elements such as muscle locks, three-quarter shimmies, traveling hip work, full-time isolations, and non-Middle Eastern musical interpretation. ***Students must have at least two semesters of Asharah's Beginning I classes OR be Level I certified in the Suhaila Salimpour format. Serious study with certain other instructors can also fulfill this pre-requisite, but please e-mail Asharah at asharah@asharah.com for more information. Registration is at http://www.joyofmotion.org/Fall%202007/enrollment_regform_usethis(1).htm I swear I'll post a non-promote-y something soon.

Promo and stuff.

asharah — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 01:47:14 GMT

Some upcoming stuff. And JAZZ HANDS! X - Collaborative Art Experiment August 18th 6pm-10pm; Washington, DC "X" is a creative amalgamation of live art including graphic designers, electronic music acts, tribal belly dancers, independent fashion designers and other local artists in a four hour, 21st century live art "happening". X begins at 6pm and ends promptly at 10pm, and takes place at BeBar. Asharah will perform twice with live electronic/IDM artists Eliot Lipp and Aligning Minds. BeBar, 1318 9th St. NW , Washington, DC. DCTribal Cafe August 26th 7 pm; Washington, DC Performance at DCTribalCafe at Asylum in Adams Morgan! Doors open at 6pm, and show begins at 7pm, $10 at the door. Come enjoy great belly dance performances, as well as great food, company, and DJ sets between the dancers by Mellie Mel! Asylum, 2471 18th St NW, Washington, DC. ... both places are air conditioned. :)

OMG iPhone.

asharah — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 03:21:03 GMT

Maduro got one. I'm on it. So. Cool. As only an Apple product could be.

Heading out to LA to teach a workshop!

asharah — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 00:36:45 GMT

I'm super excited about this! Sashi of Ascend Tribal Dance will be hosting a workshop with me out in Los Angeles in July! Here are the details... July 28th, 2007 3:00pm - 6:00pm Orange County Dance and Theatre Arts Studio 2214 Newport Blvd. Ste 200 Costa Mesa, CA 92627 $45 pre-register or $50 at the door To register please contact Sashi at 714-936-9050 or e-mail her at sashi@ascendtribaldance.com I'll be teaching "Pops, Locks, and Tick-Tocks", or as I jokingly call it, "How to bellydance like a robot and still be fluid and elegant." After an intense warm-up, I'll go through a review of basic "round" bellydance movements such as torso undulations, vertical hip figure-8s, and interior hip circles, and then we'll explore how to break up those movements into percussive "micromovements" that create strobing and ratchet effects. We'll also play around with strobing arm waves and full-torso locks. Then we'll learn a short combination to music that combines these sharp and small movements with the snakey and smooth elements of tribal style bellydance. I'll also cover some basic information about electronic music: its history, and how it is made, and how knowing this information can help you listen and dance to breakcore, IDM, and other challenging electronic music genres. I am incredibly excited about this! (I know, I said that already, but it's true!) I really hope to see some of you there. :D (The image is of an actual robot, created in Japan, and called a "Flexible Spine Humanoid.")

Summer semester of my tribal belly dance classes begin June 18th!

asharah — Fri, 25 May 2007 01:34:40 GMT

Hey everyone! Registration is open for my Asharah's Summer 2007 Tribal Bellydance classes at Joy of Motion dance studio. The winter semester begins on June 18th and runs for 10 weeks until August 19th. Both classes are at Joy of Motion's Atlas Center, 1333 H St NE (Please go to NE and not NW or you'll end up at the other side of DC!), Washington, DC. Please note the change in the class name (from Tribal Fusion to Tribal Belly Dance) does not reflect a change in my teaching format or style. Beginning I; Focus on Technique and Isolations. Monday nights 7:30- 8:30pm Beginning II; Building on Basics with Layering and Locks. Monday nights 8:30-9:30pm To register, visit: http://www.joyofmotion.org/Summer%202007/enrollment_regform_usethis(1).htm For more information about me and the classes, visit http://www.asharah.com

Spring Caravan!

asharah — Fri, 04 May 2007 16:17:55 GMT

I'm off to Spring Caravan this weekend! I can't wait to see some of you up there! And for those of you who'll be there, I'm dancing at 7:16pm tomorrow (Saturday).

Mona Said on fusion.

asharah — Wed, 02 May 2007 03:19:37 GMT

This is from a panel discussion held last November, with Jihan Jamal, Shareen el Safy, Dahlena, Debbie Lammam, Amina Goodyear, Edwina Nearing. Debbie Lammam says this: Regarding music, I would just like to relate an anecdote. In 2004, I went to Dallas when Mona Said came to the U.S. to teach. I’m sure you all know that Mona Said is one of the great Oriental soloists. She’s pretty much retired now, but she’s known for her exquisite musicality. In her workshop, she used exclusively pop music--things that were heavily Spanish influenced, you name it, it was a very global mixture of Arabic pop. One very well known workshop teacher, who had come all the way from Canada, raised her hand and said, “Mona, why don’t you use more traditional music anymore? Where are the qanoons? Where are the ouds?” To which Mona replied, “This is the music of now. The music is faster. It has a beat like this [snapping fingers] and the dance has to become faster. This is now.” And the woman said, ”What about Om Kalsoum?” and Mona said, “That is the past. This is the music of the future.” You can read the rest of the panel discussion here: http://www.gildedserpent.com/art38/COSpanel.htm

Coalition for Organ Failure Solutions Benefit - TONIGHT! 8pm (Washington, DC)

asharah — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 19:21:47 GMT

Hey everyone! The Coalition for Organ Failure Solutions (COFS), a non-profit international health and human rights organization committed to combating the trafficking of humans for organs and ending the exploitation of the poor as a source of organ and tissue supplies, is hosting a benefit TONIGHT at Marrakesh Palace/Pasha Lounge at 8pm! The benefit performance will feature myself, Sahara Dance Tribal, Benat Baharat, Nadira Boop, and Samira Shuruk. Please come out and brave the rain to support this important cause. Marrakesh Palace/Pasha Lounge is located at 2147 P St NW, Washington, DC. Hope to see you there!

"One likes to believe in the freedom of music..."

asharah — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 14:24:46 GMT

Rush tickets go on sale today! *squee* I haven't seen them in more than 10 years, on the Test for Echo tour, where my skating coach, his wife, and I got 5th row seats right in front of Geddy Lee. I was so utterly amazed by Geddy's musicianship - and Alex's and Neil's as well - but this guy plays bass (a virtuoso, no less!), sings, and plays the keyboard, all at the same time. I think that was the first time I had seen someone "layer" movements! And they played one of my favorite songs, "2112" all the way through, all 20 minutes of it, which they had never done before live, and will probably never do again. So, yes. Totally excited! "...And the magic music makes your morning mood."

DC peeps: Organic flour FREE for the taking.

asharah — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 22:43:00 GMT

I have nearly two 2lb bags of King Arthur brand unbleached organic flour that I won't be using, at least for a very long while. I'd hate to throw the flour out, because it's good quality stuff, but due to some health issues, I can't eat it. I'd like to give it to someone who will actually use it. Any takers? ***The flour has found a good home. Thanks Elise!

To anyone who's been trying to reach me...

asharah — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 01:32:36 GMT

I've been insanely busy and have had almost no time to return people's e-mails or tribe messages. I promise I'll get back to people soon.

March 18th: I'm performing at the Bellyqueen DC show!

asharah — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 21:25:15 GMT

I'm super excited about this... Bellyqueen is one of those troupes that deserves sooo much more acclaim than they've already received. They're an amazingly talented group of performers, and I'm really honored to be a guest in their show here in DC. I mean.... look at this line-up: Amar Gamal, Kaeshi Chai, Elisheva, Anasma, Fayzah, Sandralis, Geneva Bybee, Susan Frankovich will all be performing in this show. ...and not to mention that they're great people too. :) Show details: THIS SUNDAY! March 18th at 7:00pm Atlas Performing Arts Center - Lab Theatre II 1333 H Street NE Washington, DC 20002 Buy your tickets now: http://www.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=87680

DC Tribal Cafe CANCELED!

asharah — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 18:03:47 GMT

Sad news.... Because of weather, DC Tribal Cafe is canceled today. The next DC Tribal Cafe will be March 25th. We're all really sad about this, but the safety of all our dancers and audience members is most important. For more information about DC Tribal Cafe, visit http://groups.myspace.com/DCTribalCafe or keep an eye on http://www.romkadance.com. All DC Tribal Cafe news is also posted on tribe.net at http://TribalDC.tribe.net See you all on March 25th!