Call-out for participants for Nic Green's Trilogy

Women of all ages, backgrounds, shapes, sizes, levels of fitness and ability are sought to perform naked in an ensemble dance celebrating the female form, as part of Nic Green’s extraordinary, multi award winning show Trilogy as part of this year's Mayfest programme!

Trilogy, one of the most talked about shows at Edinburgh Festival 2009, is a celebratory venture into modern-day feminism and examines and interrogates the joys and complexities of being a woman today whilst driving steadfast into the future with commitment and hope.

The first part ends with a high energy naked dance performed by the volunteers. It is a powerful and emotive moment, presenting the female form in an alternative, empowered way, and celebrating the difference and diversity of women. The performers will have taken part in workshop sessions beforehand, beginning monday!

To sign up, please contact Dion on assistant@mayfestbristol.co.uk

For more details, go to www.nicgreen.org.uk or http://www.mayfestbristol.co.uk/

------
More events for women - latest belly dance events worldwide.

New belly dance shop available on Worldbellydance.com

As a belly dance enthusiast, I am always in search of new belly dance items to buy, such as books, DVDs, CDs and clothing and accessories. I have found that Amazon.com is a rich source of belly dance material to buy (it is also a reliable seller and easy to return items if there are any problems). I usually buy DVDs from them as they have more belly dance DVDs for sale then on Amazon.co.uk where the choice is still at the moment more limited.

Following this interest, I have decided to create on Worldbellydance.com a section where I have selected and added the best belly dance items available for sale on Amazon.com. Browsing Amazon.com I have added to this section my favourite DVDs and books, as well as Cds, MP3 downloads, clothes and accessories and also belly dance costume patterns for those who want and are able to sew their own costumes.

From this section it is possible to browse all these items, add them directly to a shopping basket and buy them from Amazon.com. In this section you will find only belly dance products for the enthusiast belly dancer to shop. Go on the Amazon shop section on Amazon shop section on Worldbellydance.com if you would like to take a look.


------
Now on World Belly Dance - Belly dance events and Dancing guides.

Baladi workshop with Serena and Hossam Ramzy

Yesterday I attended a workshop on Egyptian baladi with Hossam and Serena Ramzy. The workshop was very interesting as it was not so much about the movements, although Serena explained some shimming technique, but mainly about the culture that generated the Egyptian baladi style.

What was interesting was especially the fact that Hossam Ramzy broke down for us the structure of a baladi piece. He explained how it starts slowly with a taqsim, to then develop towards a question and answer part between the drummer and the other musicians, thus alternating melody and rhythm. The rhythm then goes faster and faster, until the fallahy is played and then after the music slows down again.

Understanding this structure is very useful for improvising to baladi, because the dancer will know what to expect. Hossam and Serena also gave us some tips on drum solo improvisations and rules that drummers and dancers adhere to when improvising a drum solo, in order to communicate effectively with each other. Overall the workshop was interesting and I gathered some useful information, that have changed the way I will be listening to baladi pieces from now on.



------
Now on World Belly Dance - Belly dance events and Dancing guides.

How belly dance can help beat the ‘winter blues’

With Christmas and New Year festivities already behind us, and spring still a way ahead, February may seem a grey month for those of us living in the Northern hemisphere. I hate winter, but I find that hobbies, such as belly dancing, help me keep busy and in a good mood during the coldest month.

My regular belly dance practice and teaching oriental dance every week are things that help me stay active and positive. It is sometimes hard to motivate myself, especially on the coldest days, but it is always worth the effort. Belly dancing is known to provide several health benefits, for the body as well as for the mind. Just like every other form of physical exercise, practising belly dance causes the release of endorphins. In addition to this, the social aspect of dance helps improve people’s mood. This is also the subject of a relatively new discipline, called Dance Therapy, which I find fascinating.

Do you also find that belly dancing improves your mood and joy of living? Please feel free to send comments with your experiences.



------
Now on World Belly Dance - Belly dance events and Dancing guides.

A belly dancer’s New Year resolutions – January 2010

Welcome to my first belly dance blog for 2010. As a belly dancing enthusiast, my plan for the New Year includes some resolutions to do with my favourite dance form.

My first resolution to do with belly dance is of course to practise more and if possible attend private lessons with some famous belly dancers. Also, I would like to go to Egypt at some point if finances and time allow.
I also would like to try and perform more often and also try and listen to more Arabic music to see if I can discover new tracks I like. I would like to attend more events and workshops and, finally, I would like to really learn how to play sagat properly. This is not easy as it requires a lot of practice and I do not want to upset my neighbours with the noise…however, the sound of zils can be muffled somehow. It would be great to play finger cymbals freely, but playing them muzzled is better then nothing. If I ever move to a detached house, then, who knows, I may be able to let myself go!

I wonder what other belly dancers’ resolutions for 2010 are. Please feel free to send me your comments!


------
Now on World Belly Dance - Belly dance events and Dancing guides.

Workshop with Sadie, American bellydancer, in September 2009.

During the International Belly dance Congress in Frimley, UK, in September 2009, I had the opportunity to attend a workshop with Sadie. Sadie is a well known American bellydancer, who is famous for her impeccable technique and perfect isolations.

I attended one of Sadie’s workshops on isolation technique and drills and I have to say that hers was one of the toughest belly dance workshops I have ever attended. Sadie made us focus on upper body and lower body drills, combined with footwork at the same time. Some drills were easier than others, but after repeating drills for about three hours, we could really feel that our muscles had worked! The fact that some drills were carried out in addition to travelling steps around the room (i.e. chest lifts while doing Arabic walk), it meant that Sadie’s workshop was challenging for the mind as well as for the body.

During the International Belly dance Congress Sadie performed on one of the evenings. Sadie’s performance was great, technically perfect and you can tell she is a very skilled dancer who has worked and still works hard to achieve that level of fitness. Sadie has made some instructional DVDs, which I am thinking of buying in the future.

------
Now on World Belly Dance - Belly dance events and Dancing guides.

Christmas presents for belly dancers.

We are just over two weeks away from Christmas and, if you have not yet bought a present for your belly dancing friend, partner, wife, mother, relative and you need some ideas, here is a brief list of items they will like.

· Belly dancing items of clothing, such as costumes, hip scarves, belly dance tops and skirts.
· Accessories and props, i.e. swords, zils, veils, canes or jewellery such as anklets.
· Belly dance resources, such as DVDs, Arabic music CDs or books on bellydance.
· You could even pay for them to attend a workshop or you could pay for tickets and go with them to a show or an hafla. They will appreciate it.

As you can see there are a lot of presents you could get for a belly dancer, in addition to the greatest present of all, which is your support and appreciation for their art!


------
Now on World Belly Dance - Belly dance classes and Dancing guides.

Khaled Mahmoud - Male Belly Dancers

Khaled Mahmoud is arguably one of the top male belly dancers in the world and based in London, he holds a number of workshops each year. His classes tend to be excellent and I highly recommend signing up for one of his events if you can.

He normally teaches Egyptian folk style as well as raqs sharqi. You can find his latest workshops on World Belly Dance Events.

Below - an introduction to Khaled Mahmoud: