Sensual Bellydance

Riffs vs. Rhythms with Mal Stein

2012-03-22T15:40:34Z

My Dog Has a Lot To Do with My Dance

2012-02-09T17:49:54Z

Lola and the seeds of love.

Lola, my dog, is on a two-day vacation with my neighbor. I came home just now to an empty apartment and realized how much love and warmth she radiates. I thought I'd be happy to take a break from tending to her. Instead, I miss her so much.

When I was little I adored dogs and wanted to be a vet. Then, during and after college, I lived a period of complete atheism and perfectionism during which I, amazingly, stopped liking dogs. It was at that time that a coworker at my design job said,

"I could never trust someone who doesn't like puppies."

October 14

2011-10-14T19:54:59Z

It was late one morning—I know because the sun was shining over my dolls as I played in the foyer. I was three and my mom was preparing lunch in the kitchen when I saw a man entering through the front door. He ran towards me, smiling.

Fall Classes and a Gift for Rakkasah Lovers

2011-10-12T04:51:59Z

Where in the World is the Intermediate Level?

2011-07-25T13:59:50Z

Playlist 4: Maqsum Modern & Fusion

2011-03-30T22:21:03Z

Candle Tray: Story, Emotions, Showmanship

2011-02-16T21:19:43Z

The following tips will help you take your dance from a simple routine to a magical performance.

Tips:

Center yourself before you begin. Your stillness will also draw your audience in.
Make a story and believe it. Are you a priestess making an offering? A sorceress casting a spell? Is it a love spell? A divination? You are a performer so allow yourself to play.
Making up a story will not only fuel your intention and emotional energy, it will also give logic and meaning to your routine. Your audience doesn't need to

Happy Birthday, Odalisca

2011-02-14T06:33:20Z

'Odalisca' by Richard 'Moontan' Jay. Available on iTunes, CD Baby and Amazon.com"Open your heart," the Oracle said.

"I don't want to open anything. This hurts like hell. Make it stop!" I begged.

"If you don't open it now, it will come back and hurt even more. That's how people get heart attacks." The Oracle wasn't impressed by pain. She had compassion for me, but she knew tough love was what I needed. That night I cried until the crying knocked me unconscious.

Days later, when she found me calmer, she advised: "What you need to do is go out. Meet people. Figure out the kind of person you want to be with. Make a list of the qualities you want in a boyfriend and

Bellydance Composition: Space

2011-02-09T08:29:44Z

There's a confession I need to make. I can't stand watching a show where the dancer either drifts aimlessly from side to side across the space or plants herself in one spot for the entire performance, as if glued to the floor. The root of such dislike comes from the fact that, as a beginner, I did it all the time. I did it because I was nervous and because I hadn't studied Spatial Design.

Spatial Design is one of those powerful tools that, if you know how to use them, give you the ability to hold EVERY audience's attention — not just that of your family and peers. The study of Spatial Design gives you a body of knowledge that greatly improves your choreographic and improvisational abilities.

Best of all, an understanding of Spatial Design gives you freedom: freedom of

Candle Tray: Movement Sections

2011-01-05T22:33:00Z

www.carterscreativecatering.comDon't you love the way a skilled chef presents his food? The way he places each item on the plate in a deliberate plot to make you fall in love... the way he uses the plate—not as a mere container, but as a frame for his creation?

In contrast, think of what would happen if you take what's in that plate and mix it together until it forms a tossed salad. Where did the asparagus' luster go? What happened to that perfectly shaped sea bass? Did the pretty sauce just disappear?

Even worse, imagine mixing it all in the blender!