Jim Boz's Local Class & Announcement Info for 02/07/08

You can sign up for my local & class announcement list, in addition to my General announcement list, at www.jimboz.com/phplist/

Greetings Middle Eastern Dance Fans!

A couple of quick announcements:
- JBSD Field Trip to Dallas for the Fifi Abdo workshops & show!
- Next 6 week Class session
- Rakkasah Help?
- No Class Days in Feb & Mar
- First Church of Shimmy 2/17
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- JBSD Field Trip to Dallas for the Fifi Abdo workshops & show!
April 18-20 Little Egypt will be hosting the legendary Fifi Abdo in workshops & show! We'd love to say this is a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity, but it's now a Second Chance in a Lifetime since she's already been here!

The difference this time? Jim AND Vanessa will be performing in the friday showcase! :)

Get your deposits in as soon as possible. This event WILL sell out. FYI - Jim & Vanessa will be flying out of SAN Friday morning and returning Sunday night on the 9:30pm-ish flight on American Airlines. Want to join the party! Come on down!

Fifi event info at www.LittleEgypt.com


- Next 6 week Class session
Next 6 week sessions begin March 4 & 5. There will be no class during the session on Mar 11-12.


TUESDAY
Level 1
Foundation Techniques 6:30pm Overview of beginning foundation steps, isolations and posture in addition to exploring folkloric influences. Emphasis will be on the basics of breathing, posture, emoting and basic rhythms. Beginning 1 is the entry level for Jim Boz's Belly Dance Classes. The series is designed to provide the safest introduction to the techniques necessary for different stylings of Middle Eastern Dance.
Level 4
Performance Technique
7:45pm Dynamic expressions from the large stage to the intimate restaurant environment, our Level 4 Performance class is offered by invite or audition only. Call if interested. Suitable candidates will have a basic understand of movement vocabularies, culture and an interest in exploring performance options with a respect to the cultures we study.

WEDNESDAY
Level 2
Technique & Combinations 7:15pm Foundation movement textures covered in depth and offered in 'realtime' combinations suitable for layering in performances and choreographies. Steps are often covered in context of routines with emphasis on placement and appropriateness to a style of music, technique, situation or choreography, including Pop, Saidi, Oriental, Drum Solos, etc.
Level 3
Advanced Technique & Combinations 8:30pm Complex techniques, layering and combinations in a fast paced setting. Experience the Jim Boz style in a exciting one-on-one environment. Drills, technique and layers will be presented in a variety of applicable texture phrases with discussion on placement and applying to individual characteristics. Focus will include individual expression, dynamics and musicality.

* Drop In Rates
o Drop in $18/class;
o Two Drop in Classes in same evening $27
* Session Rates (no makeup classes, no prorating - Session fees good ONLY for one specific class period/one session)
o $70 one 6 Week session (Same class all 6 weeks)
o $105 two classes in same session (Same two classes all 6 weeks)
o $125 three or all four classes in same session (All You Can Take for full session)




- Rakkasah Help?
Want to help at Rakkasah? It's the world's largest middle eastern dance convention and is being held in Vallejo, CA on March 14-15-16. We need help in our booth! Interested parties call 1-888-4-JIMBOZ!

- No Class Days in Feb & Mar
There will be NO CLASS on Feb 19-20, Feb 26-27 and March 11-12.

- First Church of Shimmy 2/17
Feb 17 at 11:30am join us at Vernetta's for another installment of the First Church of Shimmy:
11:30-1:30 - Drum Rhythms - Part of the "Things you need to know to call yourself a belly dancer" Series!
2:00-3:00 - Finger Cymbal Drills & Jams
Drums: $20 for members of the JBSD/$25 otherwise; Cymbals: $10 for members of JBSD; $15 otherwise.

Moving Forward Again with the Music

For most of my life I've been bummed that my favorite music is acoustic Arabic music, but my main instrument has always been computer/synth. For those of you who knew me 'before the dance' know that twice in my life I gave up a budding music career for a different path: once as a code hack, and second as what I am now. (What is that again?!? Oh yeah, broke! LOL)

So I'm finally trying to meld my loves and have been noodling with a few pieces & projects. A few original noodles, working some traditionals, re-working some traditionals to electronica, remixing some pieces (drum solos, BoB's "Mizmar Madness", etc) and just general 'let's see what trouble we can get into'.

However, I'm finding it difficult to find good samples or VST plug-ins with excellent Arabic instruments. I'm currently using Cakewalk SONAR (since I was a big Cakewalk fan back in the...*ahem*...DOS days. Yeah, dating myself)

I'm kind of set on drums 'for now' with Hadeeth I & II and Wizoo Darbuka, plus plenty of samples from friends. Could always use more, but I'm extremely interested in usable samples of mizmar, oud, ney, kanun, etc.

Anyone with any input? I'm considering the following:
- MOTU Ethno Instrument
- Sibelius Sounds: World Music
- East West Quantum Leap RA
- Orient World
- Ethno World 3

All are varying in price. Some include loops, most include drums.

Thoughts?
Thanks!

Oh, and don't hold your breath on hearing anything anything soon. Although I've studied theory (classical and jazz), Arabic music is very different and I'm very rusty! And add to that the myriad of projects I have on my plate and little time to address them due to my overwhelming tour schedule...! Ack!

Shimmy On!

Yes, I had some time off

So sue me! :)

Amidst all these trips just starting, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. So I nipped off on a cruise to Cabo - leaves Thur/return Mon. Right out of San Diego. Very handy.

It was nice to decompress.
Gained back 4 of those pounds I lost, but I'm up at 6:30am again to walk my morning 4 miles, go to yoga, then I'll be at class and then the elliptical tonite for 4 more miles.

Ground is still moving as if I'm on a ship tho.

Houston will see the slimmer moi this weekend.
I'm excited about visiting Houston - they're SO nice there!

Then of course it's back to Mexico on the Belly Cruise. I think there's still space left, but the cruise is definitely more expensive. It will still be a blast - trust me! Acapulco, Zihuatenejo, Manzanillo -- sunshine and shimmies!

Can't make it this year? Well, we're planning next year!
Going to the Caribbean next year -- well, at least thru the Bermuda Triangle. That was Plez's request. It will also be my 13th cruise. oooooh

o/` ... On the ro~o~oad aga~a~a~ain... o/`

Ah, the wonderful 'break' is over, alas.
Time to get back on the road. My first travel trip of the season: Phoenix. No show, but 4 days of workshops.
Looking ahead at the next 10 months of approximatey 124,000 miles in flights across the USA and to 11, possibly more countries. All will be over the first week of December and then I'll get to breathe. :)

It seems exotic, but it's work. And being on the road is rough.
Eating unhealthy, litte time or opportunity to work out, go go go go.
Yeah, I love it. :)

But pity me: I've spent most of December and January taking kickboxing 3x a week, yoga twice a week, back to lifting and walking 3-8 miles a day. I've lost 20lbs and rearranged the rest. Let's hope I can try to keep that! Whew!

I'm planning on being all svelt by Rakkasah.

Andrea of Babylon Breeze was sitting with my photographer at Rakkasah East and remarked, "You must be good, you can hide his fat gut."
Now I's gots a 'one pack' and working on the other 5!
Yeah, eat your heart out, Andrea!

SCAM ALERT: MyNewsLetterBuilder.com

Someone has been spamming me and making phone calls trying to get me to sign up for Mynewsletterbuilder.

Idiots - like i can't run my own mailing list script?!?

So here's the scam: the message said, "Oh, we're setting one up for Sadie and Princess Farhana"

Umm...Like I'm not going to check?!?

My bud Plez (Princess Farhana) doesn't even know who these people are.

So umm....if anyone asks, I don't use them and you should not either. Spammers and cold-call soliciting will continue if you support these methods. If you want a mailing list, there are many free options available, and probably scripts available via your ISP.

And remember, PLEASE: Do NOT Add ANYONE to your Mailing List without their DIRECT PERSONAL REQUEST!

If you do, that is Unsolicited Advertising Email...aka UAE...aka SPAM

XMas Eve Dinner Started - Mele Kalikimaka

Just started cooking the pig.

We WERE going to do this for xmas day, but we ended up getting invited someplace so we wouldn't have time to cook before we go - so I'm cooking today.

On the menu:
Kalua Pig (no Imu, oven style -- yeah yeah, not as good as the traditional way, but we can improvise, no?)
Sweet Rolls
Sweet Potatoes with coconut
Rice
Green Salad with lots of fruit
Haupia
Fresh Pineapple

on the MP3 player: Blue Hawaiians, Na Leo, Makaha Sons

and yes, plenty of mai tais!!

Sort of like a xmas for people who just got back from Hawaii!
Mele Kalikimaka!

Possible Availability on my upcoming UK/Euro tour

I'm making a few adjustments on my upcoming UK/Ireland/Euro tour.
I may have a weekend available if this adjustment comes up, either the weekend of Aug 9/10 or 16/17, depending on a few upcoming decisions. I definitely have weekdays available the week of Aug 4-8, but travel would need to be closer to London/UK venues. My existing venues are:
London, Suffolk,JWAAD Summer School (UK) and Dublin, Ireland

I understand this is a usual time for holiday and it will affect attendance and availability of students.

If anyone would like to discuss possibilities, please contact me here or better yet, via email at "contact -at- jim boz -dot- com" (or visit my website at www.jimboz.com and go to the contact page). This is an opportunity to share my trans-atlantic airfare expenses with other promoters.

I am asking for:
- A percentage of the trans-atlantic airfare based on the number of promoters involved (currently we are at between 20-24% of my total airfare)
- Transportation expenses from my last venue
- Hotel & food expenses for your specific engagement
- 150Euro per hour for instruction (preferring a 5 hour minimum)
- 175Euro for performance

let me know if you or someone you know might be interested. I'm hoping to have these plans wrapped up shortly!

I'm excited about this tour!

Holiday Schedule update for the Jim Boz School of Dance

Just an Update to the Holiday Class Schedule:

December 12 - NO CLASS (Jim is heading out of town...for the LAST time this year!)
December 18 & 19 - We WILL Have class! Special bonus classes even! Yum!

Holiday Break December 25-January 7 - NO CLASSES

SANDSTORM & Banat Majnoona Auditions
Wednesday, Jan 2 7:30pm
All current troupe members encouraged to attend.
All prospective troupe members should prepare a short 3-5minute solo (or portion of a solo) highlighting your abilities. For more info, call 877-682-5873.