Man essential !

I have been working out. Having always said I would never be a gym bunny. I am now. As I'm getting older I want to be strong and I see dancers who can do some amazing things, partly because they are strong and focused, so that has been my aim recently. My name is Sara and I go to the gym three times a week.

I mostly focus on my abs and can do a variety of strange sit up type thingies - I do one where I hang like a wonky bat and come up from there. That one is fine as long as you don't hang upside down for too long. I also do arms and legs, but its the ab work that I love. Anyhow I have had to move out of the ladies gym because some of their machines dont go up to the weights I want. I dont like the mixed gym very much, cos the men do perv, so I do some sessions in the ladies and some in the mixed.

Anyhow yesterday I went with my husband and he made me do loads more arm work, because thats what he enjoys and it was good to share an hour of each others company. Then I went to put the weights onto one of the sit up machines and did a silly cartoon type struggle to get it off the floor. I hadn't realised but I can't lift the weights onto the machines that I lift with my tummy ! - either the machines have already been weighted or he has been a gent and put the weights on for me. Anyhow a couple of people had watched me getting stuck with the heavy weight and having to be "rescued" by my husband, there was definately a bit of smurking going on - and I then took great pleasure in doing three sets of repeats with the weight on the machine :)

Planet Egypt - wish me luck

www.planetegypt.co.uk/party_d...ka.shtml

And tell me why two ten minute numbers and a 4 and a half group number has filled my diary for the last 6 months? nearly a week with the suitcase out in the bedroom and yet I'm still not packed !!?

I thought I would write the list at the beginning of the week so that I wouldn't have a last minute rush and while I have crossed lots of things off the top I keep adding to the bottom. Right now I have 9 painted toes...... stress !!

2009 - Classes and stuff

Only really of interest if you want classes or to book me for a workshop :)


New Term. This week all the drop in classes start back at the usual times and places – South Street in Reading, Viables, Oakridge and Central Basingstoke. If you would like a reminder then go to the “Quick class finder” on my web site. Saturdays at the Sports Centre in Basingstoke doesn’t start back til mid February but now is the time to pre-booked on 01256 326331. If you are not sure of which class to join then either email me or come along to any of the beginner drop in sessions – you are sure to have a warm welcome.

Kick Start. I’ve had a few emails from people who want to use Bellydance as part of their plans to get fit or lose weight this January. I’ve just added a new page on my web site that has some tips to help you use bellydance to help your fitness: “Fitness and Bellydance”. I have a special offer for this week for anyone with 10 or more weeks of learning behind them and who wants to get moving this January. I’m going to run two additional sessions of Drills and Thrills - one on Tuesday 6th, 7.15pm at South Street in Reading, and the other on Wednesday 7th, 8pm at Oakridge Hall for All in Basingstoke. The regular weekly session of Drills and Thrills, which is held at Viables each week on a Thursday at 8.30pm, will also run as normal. I’m offering everyone who makes it to the Tuesday or Wednesday the chance to do the Thursday class for free. So for under £5 you get two sessions to get you started to a ‘fitter you’ in 2009. Of course while you are out you can also choose to join the class before or after if you really want to get moving!

New Years resolutions. After the success of our Midsummer Madness event when we took time to assess our levels and set aims for the rest of the year I’m going to run a similar class on the 7th at Oakridge at 8.45pm. We will look at different parts of our skill set and see how we can improve our overall dancing by focusing on one or two key objectives. I will bring along information about events, books and web sites to help provide the tools you need and we can also talk as a group about supporting others. This session is open to dancers of all levels and from all classes.

The right class for you. I would also like to remind people at this time of year to check their own level to see if they should be moving up or if they are taking the wrong class for their needs. I have more details on this on my web site under “Beyond the Basics”. It also has some notes about learning styles that is expanded on in the article I wrote for Taqasim magazine. I try to offer something for everyone, fitness, choreography and technique, Tribal Fusion and beginner sessions, but if none of the classes suit your needs please let me know and I’ll suggest someone else local who can provide for you.

Dates for your Diary: Our next Day of Dance is all set for the 31st of January. Teachers include Pamela, Lisa and Theresa plus lots of the Mersin teachers. The workshop schedule is very exciting covering everything from ATS to Burlesque and loads in-between. All the details are on this web page: “Our Events” or you can pick up a flyer in class. At lunchtime we have the very popular Premiere Performance Platform where dancers perform for the first time. If you would like a slot in either that event, or the evening show then please let me know.

Performance Troupe. Ever wanted to perform? Nashida Abla is my student performance troupe and is for dancers with at least a year of classes behind them and who are regulars in at least one of my classes. We meet twice a month at Oakridge, focus totally on Choreography and currently have a few vacancies, so if you would like to be considered please email me or let me know at your next class.

Tribal Sessions. Tribal style is the fusion of Bellydance with other dance styles resulting in a very exciting improvisation style for all levels of dancer. I run a session twice a month at Oakridge and these are open to anyone of any level who has done my “introduction to Tribal” workshop or session. The next chance to catch this is on the 14th and 28th of January at 8pm at Oakridge, and its followed by the chance to put your learning into practice and join the regulars for some group improvisation. If you think Tribal might be your kind of style, or if you just want to improve your general dance skills come along and join us.

Fitness Class. As mentioned above I run a regular session of Drills and Thrills on a Thursday evening at Viables from 8.30pm. As well as working hard we are also a very chatty group who encourage and support each other. Its drop in so everyone is welcome anytime.

On-Line community. If you are interested in chatting on line to your classmates or other local dancers then why not join our Ning group. I chose Ning above groups like FaceBook and MySpace because of the higher level of privacy and the lack of search functions, which mean its not about getting in touch with old friends or making new ones, just chatting to those you know through class.

Workshops. I'm going to be teaching near Plymouth in January and Sussex in February - email me direct for more details.

If you have any questions on these topics or anything else I’m always on email and I’m happy to help. – Lots of love, Sara

www.letsbellydance.co.uk

Workshop offered - perfect for New Year !

Hi all,

I have been working for a while on a new workshop called "Your Personal Development Plan" which helps dancers assess their level, their skills and weaknesses, their budget and available time, allowing them to set short, medium and longer term aims and objectives linked to their dancing.
I ran it as part of our Day of Dance in the summer and received very encouraging feedback, so much so that the students have asked me to repeat it this January as so many of us like to set New Years resolutions.
Often students get to a point where they want to know everything now, or they are getting bombarded with workshops and don't know what to take or are just confused about why its all suddenly become much harder. I have found that they need a few ideas on how to focus, if not for their sanity then for their bank balance ! I have taken some of the work I've done over the last few years for features in Taqasim magazine and tried to help each and everyone see how these ideas can help individual focus.
Some of my students then split into peer support groups reporting back regularly to class on their progress, which has not only improved their dancing but also helped build a better dance community.

Previously I have struggled to teach workshops outside the area as I have had a regular teaching job for 50 weeks of the year each and every Saturday - this year I have organised to only teach 30 - giving me not only more time home, but also more chance to travel and teach more workshops !, something I'm keen to set as one of my main aims for 2009 !!

Please let me know if you are interested in this or any of my other workshops, which are listed on my web site. - lots of love, Sara
www.letsbellydance.co.uk

Drills and Thrills

Tonight I start my new Bellydance drills class. I've been nagged for years to do one of these, but to be honest I kind of like the artistic side of bellydance so much more than the drilling, so I tend to keep my drills for home practice and use the big halls to express myself. Anyhow this new hall has come along, and I needed to start a new beginners. Its not really worth leaving the house to just do one class, and I already do an intermediate, an advanced and a tribal in the area, so non of those would work. it felt like everything had fallen into place for a drill class.
Anyway one reason I didn't want to do drills was that I didn't think I knew that many - my Saturday class like them so we do about 1/5 of class time, maybe two a week, so I thought I had maybe a dozen filed away. Then I started shuffling things in excel so I could make up the lesson plans and found I have 80 - yes 80 !!!!! - 80 drill ideas already pre-planned.
this is what comes of keeping notes in excel of everything you ever think of - some of them are a bit the same as some others, but then thats no bad thing.....
I just need to see if I can do them myself ! - wish me luck

ouch !

whats could be worse than writing a choreography and then finding you can't do one of the turns ?
having four of those turns all in a row ?
knowing that it looks easy so all the work going into it wont be appreciated by the audience ?
or catching your shoe on your big toe nail and lifting it off the bed !!!?

when it stops bleeding I guess I need to get back to practicing and see if my plaster sticks to the kitchen floor.

these blinking turns had better look good on the night !!!!

"this year I will learn how to turn"

Las Vegas here I come !

Nearly ready. so nearly ready, if you dont count the pile of clothes and costumes on the floor, the half done packing list, the lesson plans for my classes while I'm away and the other 20 things on my list. Thats nearly in my book !

I'm blogging on my web site www.letsbellydance.co.uk and the Ning group for my students if you want a blow by blow account. Or you can wait for the photos of me grinning like a daft one.

Today has been a list day, and while I have added lots to the bottom, I've also crossed off loads from the top, including all the big ugly jobs like labelling all the school clothes, buying food for the brood and promoting the new term to students. This is such a silly time to try to go away, but I couldn't not go when I saw the line up for the intensive.

My dance was looking good over the weekend, but now I'm back home I'm worried that I will have enough practice time - still I have that long flight to drill the difficult combos - I'm used to the funny looks and its better than sitting watching your ankles puff up....


whooo, whooo ! (yes I have had a glass of wine.....)

Its tonight !

That I'm doing the Brothers of the Baladi tour - www.baladi.com - and I'm mighty nervous. It doesn't help that I have a very complex day of teaching class, orthodontic appointment (not mine, I'm just the taxi), exams (again, not mine, I'm just the taxi) and a trip to a 1950's farm needing costume and bio-degradable packed lunch (you guest it - not mine...)
I picked out a dozen costume choices last night and then darling daughter looked at it all, frowned and said "don't you have anything else".... oh now I'm going to feel like a million dollars !!

Anyhow I think now I should paint my nails while I have five minutes, cos 9 of them are pink and nothing says class like a full set :)