I'm Teaching & Performing in Santa Clara, CA - December 10th

Sunday December 10th I will be teaching and performing in the Santa Clara (south of San Francisco) area of California.
These workshops are going to be *awesome*. I have some excellent material for everyone - completely different than the material I teach at Rakkasah!

Come on down and check out two workshops I'm very proud to present:
1 - Dynamic Drills and Techniques: From sassy, we'll break down a few combinations into edible chunks, beginning with drills and exercises to achieve the proper presentation, through concept, energy flow, weight transitions, arm frames and all the delicious things that make the Middle Eastern dance geeks drool! I have not only concepts to share like texture sequencing and morphing, but a very different way of breaking down the steps to learning how to learn sequences of movements. I've heard some great feedback, and I'd love to hear yours -- come on down to check out the workshop. Although this class is suitable to all levels, I've found that beginning students find themselves able to grasp complex concepts, and advanced students and pros have been able to find that extra little twist intheir foundations that helps them excel in a new direction. I'm very proud of this material. I recently taught it on the East Coast to rave reviews.

2 - Shimmy Layers/Drum Solo & Accents/ Master Class: Oh, let me challenge you! I have such a different way of teaching choreographies. I really hope to inspire teachers to teach in a similar method, because although it takes alot of work to set up, you'll be amazed at how fast your students can grasp concepts of motion, energy, technique and expression! Add into it some of my signature concepts of foundation technique (TikTokBlehEenh!) and shimmy layers and we'll put together a more complex presentation of my latest drum solo choreography. It's most delicious!

My signature teaching style is designed to assist dancers move from 'doing moves' to moving and interpreting the music, defining textures that are organic rather than pure mechanics. It's the smoulder....the passion...Yum!

And then, I get to perform at a restaurant!
Those of you who know my performances know my big stage work. I'll admit, I love working restaurants. The intimate environment allows a fun presentation of the dance. I'm *really* looking forward to this show and getting to entertain. Ask the people who used to go to the restaurants I performed at in my...um....30's. :)

Gala show includes Alexandria, Tatseen, Una and more!

Workshop prices:
#1- Technique -
10am-12pm
$35advance/$40 door

#2 - Master Class/Drum Solo Choreography
1pm-3pm
$45 advance/$50 door

Workshops held at
Dance Attack
120 Carroll St
Sunnyvale

Gala Show Dinner starts at 7:00pm
Doors open 6:30pm
Negeen Restaurant
801 W Hamilton Ave
Campbell
Dinner & Show $40

For more information or to register for classes:
Patricia Kahangi/Parri
c/o Jim Boz Workshop & Gala Dinner
5255 Stevens Creek Blvd. #207, Santa Clara, Ca. 95051
parri@parri.net / (408) 218-9839
azura@azuradance.com / (408) 839-6365

Chili Blues Bikers & BELLY DANCE

Yup, I'm teaching at Chili Bikes & Blues in Laughlin, NV this weekend

Sign up now for the workshop!

WooHoo!

Hope to see y'all there!

www.JimBoz.com/cbb

2007 MEN of Middle Eastern Dance Calendar

It's here!

The 2007 MEN of Middle Eastern Dance Calendar featuring:

Michael Beach
Brothers of the Baladi
Extreme Taqisim
Amir Thaleb
Serkan
Hassan Ali
Jim Boz
Jamil
...and more!

visit www.CafePress.com/sandstormdance to order yours today!

Oooooh..let's post it here...

Here's my latest updated tour schedule for at least the next few months:

Nov 11-12 - Carnival of Stars, Hayward, CA - Performance
Nov 18 - Northampton, MA - Workshops & Performance
Nov 19 - Manhattan, NY - Performance
Nov 24 - Chili Bikes & Blues, Laughlin, NV - Workshops & Performance
Dec 2 - North Park Toyland Parade, San Diego, CA - Parade Performance
Dec 3 - SFBAMECDA's Prop Till You Drop, Santa Clara, CA - Performance
Dec 9-10 - Raqs & Rolls, Santa Clara, CA - Workshops & Performance
Dec 19 - Princess Farhana's Annual Fun Raiser, Moun of Tunis, Hollywood, CA - Performance
-- 2007 --
Jan 20-21 - Jim Boz presents Frederique David in Workshops & Belly Jam, San Diego, CA
Jan 27-28 - Phoenix, AZ - Workshops & Performance & Bad Girls of Belly Dance Party
Feb 2-4 - Houston, TX - Workshops & Performance
Feb 24-Mar 3 - Belly Cruise, Mexican Riviera - Jim Boz Presents, Workshops & Performances (and impromptu dances at various bars in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan & Cabo San Lucas)
Mar 9-11 - Ft Walton Beach, FL - Workshops & Performance
Mar 12-18 - Rakkasah West, Richmond, CA - Workshops & Performance & Bad Girls of Belly Dance Party
Mar 23-25 - Kent, WA - Performance & Vending
Mar 30-31 - Jim Boz presents Christina of Blue Lotus Tribe in Workshops & Belly Jam, San Diego, CA
Apr 20-22 - Jim Boz Presents Morocco in Workshops, San Diego & Los Angeles, CA
Apr 27-28 - Saqra's Showcase, Hillsboro, OR - Performance & Vending
May 4-6 - Nanaimo, BC - Workshops & Performance
May 17 - Bad Girls of Belly Dance Party, DisneyWorld, Orlando, FL
May 18-20 - Festival on the Nile XXX-something, Orlando, FL - Performances
Jun 1-3 - Shimmy for the Cure, Denver, CO - Workshops & Performances
Jun 8 - Bad Girls of Belly Dance Party, DisneyLand, Anaheim, CA
Jun 9-10 - Cairo Carnival, Anaheim, CA - Workshops & Performances
Jul 13-15 - Wiggles of the West, Reno, NV - Performance & Competition Judge
Jul 20-22 - Sedalia, MO - Workshops & Performance
Jul 24-29 - 5 Day Intensive, Clinton, MD - Workshops & Performances

Coming in Fall 2007:
Milwaukee, WI
United Kingdom
Rakkasah East, Somerset, NJ
...and more

for the latest info, visit www.JimBoz.com

Hey...you mah friend ooh aintchya?

Hey, if you're on my friends list...join my dang fan tribe, eh?

i gots 329 people on my friends list and only 53 in my fan tribe.

tribes.tribe.net/jimboz

Do it today!
(it's easier for me to keep in touch, ya know)

My Site finally gets into the 90's

Started a blog on my website at www.JimBoz.com/blog
I think I have it safely integrated into my existing PHP code.

Oh the joy!

Also started an articles section using the same code/template, but have yet to publish something on it.

check it out!

PS - if you haven't been by my site for awhile, there's new pics and video!

End of an era...

So, those of you who knew me back in my mid-30's remember the shape I was in. Since commuting between Oregon and San Diego, and then getting things in order here in SD, I have been off of my gym scheduled for most of 4 years.

<sigh>

Well, I've been back at for the last 4 months. I get really into my 'systems', and stuck with a full body workout for 3 months until I started targeting muscle groups on different days.

It's amazing how fast it comes back. Since I started working out, I've lost almost 3 sizes in my waist (had to buy new pants even!) and gained 10 pounds! YeeHaw! I'll be back at 250 o'muscle again.

So, here's the end of the era:
I finally maxed out the shoulder press machine.
<whew> I was hating being so weak! Now let's get my bench presses back up and we're good to go.

Okay, not that exciting: it only goes up to 200#. And there's plenty of other shoulder exercises to do.

Maybe I'll find that pic of me showing off my cleavage and post it here. heh heh

<sigh>..now how long until I get those biceps back.

Any other tattooed body building motorcycle riding belly dancers out there?

I'm just excited to be back on the training schedule. I'm addicted to endorphins...and lifting! (It's such a Y Chromosome Thing)

Somebody Strangled Tinkerbell

So, I've been hanging out with Princess Farhana alot. We sort of joke around that we're cousins because we were commenting on our 'mutt' heritage and it seemed like we were both related to someone with the last name of Stipanovitch in San Pedro.

We never followed up on it, but it'd be funny if we really were long lost cousins. Zanier things have happened.

Well, last weekend I was of teaching in Dallas again. oh, I seem to love Texas. Tambra hosted me, so my workshops were filled with warm supportive dancers who were just SO much fun to work with. Except for starting at 9:30am, I had a great time.

So I dragged Princess Farhana aka Plez along with me for the show. We were sharing a room and she was getting ready in the bathroom, I was using the alcove outside with lights/mirror.

The show was great, with excellent performances from the get-go. Wow!

Now, the Tinkerbell thing:
After the show I look at the counter in the bath and it's literally *covered* with gold & red glitter and sparklies. The alcover outside? Silver and holograph.

It was like someone was strangling Tinkerbell and she left all this sparkle all over.

I think it's going to be a running image.
Use it, please.

Special HOWDIES out to my friends I met in Dallas, especially Lena from Arkansas, Nacheska from Ft Worth, the Blonde Bombshell(tm) Jodi, Vashti, Shanna, and all my friends and cohorts in the Lone Star state!

Inspiration

You know what it is, right?

It's that moment...or it really lasts longer, but in the course of your career the period seems so fleeting. So often when you get mired in the day-to-day poopoo you forget these times.

I was truly inspired in dance tonite.

Okay, so I've been at this over a decade, and there have been many moments I've been inspired. But this is one of those inspirations that makes you look back all the way to the beginning. All those hours of sweat and frustration, those times of feeling inadequate, those times you felt accomplished. It also puts in perspective those joyous moments when you think you've reached a new plateau.

It's sort of like that.

Tonite I saw someone dance who truly let us see her, almost as she was discovering things in herself that surprised and encouraged her. From the moment she took the stage my eyes welled with tears.

She was beautiful. Head to toe.

Her comfort in front of a cheering audience was neither haughty nor contrived...just a genuine 'howdy' to her fans and fans-to-be. Her first moments tentative, a few repetitions, a few sauntering glimpses of her posture, her costume, her presence and then the roller coaster hit that first hill. From introspective, to full on entertainment of sassy joy, she had the audience and carried them.

I'm still holding back tears as I think about it.

You can usually tell who I am at shows. I mean, I'm not a small guy: 6'2", 230-240# (it varies, I'm a guy, eh?), shaved head, goatee, skulls and flames tattooed down my forearm. Sometimes you can see me bawling my eyes out.

That's when you know it's one of my girls dancing.

I am priviledged to work with some of the most dedicated, beautiful dancers in Southern California. Yeah, many have come through my classes...and more than a few have left in a huff. It takes years of study before I allow someone to perform for the general public. I have high standards...it's sort of my niche in the market. I try to instill a philosophy in my students to not compare themselves to what they see around them, to not settle for status quo. I try to inspire them to seek the greatest example of what we do, and exceed it.

Tonite helped me realize why the hell I do this.

I didn't see a woman dancing steps I taught her.
I didn't see a woman dancing the way I would have to each phrase.
I didn't see a woman emulating the big goofy bald guy.
I saw a woman who shared with us her passion, her dedication, her emotion, her joy.

Damn, I'm crying again.

I know a few people will be appalled I refer to my dancers as 'my girls', but I am one proud papa. I love my girls...my women...my dancers...my friends...with all my heart.

When they dance, they are not going through the moves. They are existing in the music. They have found that place between the melody and the drum to be, to flow, to energize and entertain.

Elizabeth/Bambi last week and before, Laura/Sassy tonite and Heather/Fierce hopefully next on your menu. And waiting in the wings we have Julie/Mom, Jaisan/Tart, Larissa & Kim.

I love you all.

Damn...where's a tissue...

Scary Insights

So...um...for those of you who remember me from back when I was in my 30's, I used to be more...erm...'buffed'. I used to work out religiously and was on a body building program that was paying off.

Course, moving to SoCal and getting as involved in 'life' as I have, I have slacked on the gym for a few years, alas.

So I've been back, of course. For a short time. Amazing how fast it comes back, but I'm on a general 'all over' work out, rather then those "spending a whole hour just on biceps" routines. (Ah, I miss those, actually...was almost at 18" biceps!)

But then again, having to get custom suits made sucked the major one. You know what it's like when you go to buy a suit and they have nothing to fit you because what fits your shoulders in the jacket is like 10" bigger around the waist?!?

Okay, but that's not the scary part.

I rarely listen to anything other than Middle Eastern music, mostly because of my job. Sometimes I like kicking back, tho, to some Ella, Nina, Sara, et al with a dry martini...or put on some of that there alternative from the late 70's/early 80's. Heh, then again, I was one of them there 'punk rawkers' back in the day. (I still want to start a punk rock band made up of only people over 40 who remember it 'back when')

So here's the scary insight:
This is what is on my mp3 player for the gym...ready for this?

Agent Orange - Bloodstains
Black Flag - Nervous Breakdown
Ministry - Just One Fix
Ministry - New World Order
Rammstein - Bobo
Social Unrest - The Brutality & The Truth
FEAR - I Love Living in the City
Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK
Coptic Rain - Outcast
Soft Cell - Mr Self Destruct
Angel Corpse - Demon Seed
Plasmatics - Black Leather Monster
Dead Kennedys - Chemical Warfare
DOA - Race Riot
Morbid Angel - Opening of the Gates
Germs - We Must Bleed
Chemlab - Jesus Christ Porno Star
Ministry - Shove
Angry Samoans - Inside My Brain
Circle Jerks - I just Want Some Skank
Sex Pistols - Bodies
Wendy O Williams - It's My Life
Wendy O Williams - Reform School Girls
Guana Apes - Open Your Eyes
KMFDM - A Drug Against War
Sex Pistols - I Wanna Be Your Dog
Social Unrest - Thinking Of Suicide
Black Flag - Rise Above
Chemlab - Codeine, Glue & You
Chemlab - Exile on Mainline
Circle Jerks - Wasted
Rammstein - Bang Bang (Triple XXX Soundtrack)
Rammstein - Eifersucht

Scary, huh?
Okay, I'm going back to watching that Troma vid: Cannibal - The Musical...one of the early projects of Matt & Trey of South Park fame.
Gnite