Showing posts with label bellydance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bellydance. Show all posts
Monday, January 9, 2012
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Here we go again! Another featured artisan from On Fire for Handmade!
This week's featured artisan is Barbara Rosenzweig - Watercolors by Barbara. Beautiful creations to add to your home! You can find Watercolors by Barbara on:
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Get ready for a new Artisan of the week!
On Fire for Handmade's newest featured artisan of the week is:
This week's Featured Artisan is Suftan - Il Mare Atelier! Absolutely gorgeous
creations in her shop. Perfect addition to any wardrobe and great gifts too!
You can find Il Mare Atelier on:
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Check out this week's Featured Artisan On Fire for Handmade!
This weeks' Featured Artisan is Seb - Knit and Crochet Touches by Seb!
Beautiful and Delicate fashions for you! A Must have for every ladies closet!
You can find SebSurer on:
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Ready! Set! Road Trip!
Yep. It's that time of year again. Summer is sneaking up on us and that can only mean one thing: It's time for a road trip.
Traditionally, I take a bus or a train for my road trip every summer. This year will be a little different. I'll actually be on the road. It's my first time driving long distance by myself so it's an adventure of some magnitude for me. But the destination is familiar and I've taken the route before with family and friends. I'm confident I can make it on my own.
I'm headed out to Colorado for a little Rocky Mountain high fix. I have family there in the mountains and I try to get out there at least once a year to visit and get away from the real world for a week. It's always good to see Mom, too.
I've been there many times before to visit family and to attend one of my favorite dance festivals of all time: Elevation. It's held in early spring in Golden Colorado and it is so much fun.
The last time I was there (2007), I got to meet Rachel Brice and actually danced with her for a while backstage before our performance. That is something I will not soon forget. I'm hoping to attend the festival again next year although probably not as a performer.
So that's my story. I'll be out and about and hopefully there will be photographic evidence. See you when I get back!
Traditionally, I take a bus or a train for my road trip every summer. This year will be a little different. I'll actually be on the road. It's my first time driving long distance by myself so it's an adventure of some magnitude for me. But the destination is familiar and I've taken the route before with family and friends. I'm confident I can make it on my own.
I'm headed out to Colorado for a little Rocky Mountain high fix. I have family there in the mountains and I try to get out there at least once a year to visit and get away from the real world for a week. It's always good to see Mom, too.
I've been there many times before to visit family and to attend one of my favorite dance festivals of all time: Elevation. It's held in early spring in Golden Colorado and it is so much fun.
So that's my story. I'll be out and about and hopefully there will be photographic evidence. See you when I get back!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Warrior Weekend--Be there or be bored.
With classes ranging from Make-Up 101 taught by Bellatrix Ali and Zills taught by Siham Ali to classes about mehndi, hooping, musicality, adding drama to your dance and others, there is likely to be something for everyone. The Warrior Weekend Showcase in the evening will present a variety of dance styles with performances by presenters and participants alike.
At the writing of this blog, several class spots are still available. If you find yourself with a free weekend, you should consider heading over to Lees Summit. I know they'd love have you.
You can register for classes here: warriorweekend2011.eventbrite.com
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Hair Goodies
Lately I've had this urge to create some new hair sticks. I haven't made hair sticks in a long time. For me, there are three basic types of hair sticks:
1. The structural hair stick.
These are the kind you see women with really long hair wearing. This style requires a bit of skill and some serious artistry to pull off. There are several nice youtube videos on the subject. Usually, they are of simple construction with perhaps a bit of carving or a painted design on the ends. I rather like the way this girl does it:
2. The decorative hair stick.
These are usually worn as an accent to an up do. These will usually be constructed of a thinner material like metal or plastic or bone with a larger, more intricate design on the end.
3. The Tribal hair stick.
No holds barred, all-out decorated hair sticks! Worn as an accent for the Tribal dancer hairstyles loved by dancers all over the world. Some are simple with a few cowries or beads dangling from the end. Others are more elaborate with longer falls comprised of macrame or braided fibers.
I tend toward the latter creating hair sticks with unique designs and Tribal flair. I use coins, shells, beads, yarn, fabric, more shells, etc. Anything that will thread onto the strands or sew securely to the
falls is fair game.
I have made many different colors and styles over the years and I usually make them in pairs. Lately, I'm starting to think of unique, individual hair sticks more often. When I make them, I really enjoy making the first one. But then I really trudge through the second one trying to make it 'match.'
I think I'll stop worrying about that so much and just enjoy making the hair sticks.
1. The structural hair stick.
These are the kind you see women with really long hair wearing. This style requires a bit of skill and some serious artistry to pull off. There are several nice youtube videos on the subject. Usually, they are of simple construction with perhaps a bit of carving or a painted design on the ends. I rather like the way this girl does it:
2. The decorative hair stick.
These are usually worn as an accent to an up do. These will usually be constructed of a thinner material like metal or plastic or bone with a larger, more intricate design on the end.
3. The Tribal hair stick.
No holds barred, all-out decorated hair sticks! Worn as an accent for the Tribal dancer hairstyles loved by dancers all over the world. Some are simple with a few cowries or beads dangling from the end. Others are more elaborate with longer falls comprised of macrame or braided fibers.
I tend toward the latter creating hair sticks with unique designs and Tribal flair. I use coins, shells, beads, yarn, fabric, more shells, etc. Anything that will thread onto the strands or sew securely to the
falls is fair game.I have made many different colors and styles over the years and I usually make them in pairs. Lately, I'm starting to think of unique, individual hair sticks more often. When I make them, I really enjoy making the first one. But then I really trudge through the second one trying to make it 'match.'
I think I'll stop worrying about that so much and just enjoy making the hair sticks.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Year!
It's that time of year again. Time to reassess our lives and determine the new directions we want to take in the coming year.
I sat down last night and did that very thing.
For the last few months, I've been on a hiatus from dance. For many reasons, getting together with my dance friends has not been feasible for me. I miss them and I miss dancing.
But that hasn't stopped me from creating more things for dancers to wear. After all, half the fun of dancing is the costumes. Face it, ladies. It's the clothes. I can't seem to stop making them. It's an obssession.
For personal reasons, I've decided to make some changes in my Etsy shop. That shop will be exclusively for custom items. You will still be able to get the new choli you've been wanting or the skirt you'd like to have. You'll just have to tell me what you want. Talk to me and let me know.
My one-of-a-kind creations will now be showcased in my Artfire studio. There you will find the accessories that I love to make. You can also get the custom stuff there, if you are so inclined.
I am pleased with the Artfire process. You don't need an account to buy something so there is one less site with your financial information saved. I've also expanded my payment options to include Amazon Payments and Google Checkout for those of you who prefer not to use PayPal.
The new year is a time for change and planning for the future. Let us begin.
I sat down last night and did that very thing.
For the last few months, I've been on a hiatus from dance. For many reasons, getting together with my dance friends has not been feasible for me. I miss them and I miss dancing.
But that hasn't stopped me from creating more things for dancers to wear. After all, half the fun of dancing is the costumes. Face it, ladies. It's the clothes. I can't seem to stop making them. It's an obssession.
For personal reasons, I've decided to make some changes in my Etsy shop. That shop will be exclusively for custom items. You will still be able to get the new choli you've been wanting or the skirt you'd like to have. You'll just have to tell me what you want. Talk to me and let me know.
My one-of-a-kind creations will now be showcased in my Artfire studio. There you will find the accessories that I love to make. You can also get the custom stuff there, if you are so inclined.
I am pleased with the Artfire process. You don't need an account to buy something so there is one less site with your financial information saved. I've also expanded my payment options to include Amazon Payments and Google Checkout for those of you who prefer not to use PayPal.
The new year is a time for change and planning for the future. Let us begin.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Why? Why do I dance? Let me tell you....
I've been asked by so many people over the years why I dance. They want to know why I'd do something that 'unusual.' Makes me smile when they say that. Here's why:
At my day job, I work in an analytical chemistry lab. I have a degree in chemistry. That makes me a certified geek in many circles. An outcast of sorts. When people I've just met ask me what my profession is and I tell them, "Chemist," they usually get a frightened look on their face and change the subject.
I'm used to it. At times, I rather enjoy it.
The thing I had to get used to was the reaction I get from my chemistry peers at work when I tell them about my bellydancing. Some are utterly fascinated. Some are simply aghast. Almost all of them have asked me the same question: "Why would you do that?"
Over time, I have developed a list of pat answers: It's good exercise. It's fun. I like to learn new things. It keeps me out of the bars (usually). And occasionally, I've admitted that it's the clothes, really.
All of those answers are correct in some way. But for those who really want to know, for the women who take me aside and ask me about it, this is what I tell them:
It's the sisterhood. It's about being a part of something that is bigger than the sum of its parts. It's about meeting a woman from Argentina and having something in common with her besides gender. It's about finally getting to meet Rachel Brice (be still my heart!) and discovering after the fact that she had been dancing along and following our on-stage performance while waiting backstage for her turn.
When I started dancing, I joined a worldwide network of women who are of a like mind. We do not all dance the same style. We do not all wear the same costuming. We do not all speak the same language in our day-to-day lives. But we understand each other in a subtle, but fundamental way.
In my childhood, I grew up with a single sibling. A brother. I love him dearly. In my 40's I'm refusing to grow up along with hundreds of thousands of other women. These women are my sisters in dance. Even though I may not know them personally, I also love them dearly. It's all part of being a bellydancer. It's why I keep doing this crazy thing. It's why I keep making the costuming. It's in my blood. It's chemistry.
So this is for all my dancing sisters. The ones I know, like the ladies in Troupe Sicorae. And the ones I don't know personally. Love to all.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Starting at the Beginning
My interest in dance started at a very young age. When I was a young girl, I had observed my girlfriends going to ballet class. Naturally, I wanted to join them. Imagine my little girl shock to learn that I was 'far too large of a girl' to be a dancer.
Fast forward to age 41or so. A lifetime later. I'd been participating in aerobic dance classes. The endless repetition of the same old moves was wearing not only on my knees and ankles, but also on my nerves. The loud jarring music, the constant urging by the far too thin instructor to keep moving and the utter exhaustion that pretty much canceled out the rest of the day finally broke my spirit and I quit. Sometimes I think I'd like to go back, but then a creak in the knee or a ping in the ankle changes my mind.
Shortly after this quiet divorce between me and my only outlet for physical activity that did not involve a large gardening tool, I saw some cabaret style bellydancers at an outdoor ethnic festival. I could see the women were all close to my age and as they fluttered and spun on the stage, I felt a lift in my spirits. I waited for the performance to be over, and I approached the women, secured a business card and a time and place for a lesson.
My first bellydance lesson was something of a fiasco. I was one of 2 new students in the class and the teachers were at once helpful and off-putting. I borrowed the red coin scarf and tied it around my hips over my grey sweat pants and struggled to follow along as they haltingly taught me a choreography. We finally ended the class with a short demonstration by the teachers of what we could eventually expect the be able to do.
I was less than impressed. I was largely disappointed. Clearly, this bellydance thing was not for me. I resigned myself to the fact that my long ago run-in with the dance teacher was actually true and I was far too large of a girl to be dancing.
About a year later, I was at that same ethnic festival enjoying the dancing on the stage. The next act was announced and this group of women in the most outlandish costumes I had ever seen took the stage by storm. They danced together. The audience clapped and the music was uplifting and exciting. They looked happy. The looked AT each other and smiled. They weren't dancing for us, the audience. They were dancing for themselves. It wouldn't have mattered if the audience were there at all. I could see that they would be doing this in their living rooms or the park or the sidewalk downtown and be just as happy.
A moment of crystal clarity hit me and I made note of the name of the group. I was unable to catch the attention of the dancers in the crowd as they made their way to their next performance on the other side of the festival. A few days later, I plucked up my courage, looked them up in the phone book and called.
My first lesson was early on a Saturday morning. The teacher was fun and engaging. She smiled. She told me stories about her life. She asked me about myself and my life. She taught me the basics in that first hour and by the time I had walked out the door, I knew I was hooked.
The teacher, Barb, taught me a particular style of dance that day. She called it American Tribal Style Bellydance. ATS for short. Today, more than 5 years later, I am still hip deep in my love affair with this style of dance. It is as much a part of me as my love for gardening or for dogs. I can't seem to stop and Lord knows I've tried. It's in my blood. This sisterhood makes me stronger because it is bigger than the sum of its parts. It is bigger, it seems, than even I could be.
Fast forward to age 41or so. A lifetime later. I'd been participating in aerobic dance classes. The endless repetition of the same old moves was wearing not only on my knees and ankles, but also on my nerves. The loud jarring music, the constant urging by the far too thin instructor to keep moving and the utter exhaustion that pretty much canceled out the rest of the day finally broke my spirit and I quit. Sometimes I think I'd like to go back, but then a creak in the knee or a ping in the ankle changes my mind.
Shortly after this quiet divorce between me and my only outlet for physical activity that did not involve a large gardening tool, I saw some cabaret style bellydancers at an outdoor ethnic festival. I could see the women were all close to my age and as they fluttered and spun on the stage, I felt a lift in my spirits. I waited for the performance to be over, and I approached the women, secured a business card and a time and place for a lesson.
My first bellydance lesson was something of a fiasco. I was one of 2 new students in the class and the teachers were at once helpful and off-putting. I borrowed the red coin scarf and tied it around my hips over my grey sweat pants and struggled to follow along as they haltingly taught me a choreography. We finally ended the class with a short demonstration by the teachers of what we could eventually expect the be able to do.
I was less than impressed. I was largely disappointed. Clearly, this bellydance thing was not for me. I resigned myself to the fact that my long ago run-in with the dance teacher was actually true and I was far too large of a girl to be dancing.
About a year later, I was at that same ethnic festival enjoying the dancing on the stage. The next act was announced and this group of women in the most outlandish costumes I had ever seen took the stage by storm. They danced together. The audience clapped and the music was uplifting and exciting. They looked happy. The looked AT each other and smiled. They weren't dancing for us, the audience. They were dancing for themselves. It wouldn't have mattered if the audience were there at all. I could see that they would be doing this in their living rooms or the park or the sidewalk downtown and be just as happy.
A moment of crystal clarity hit me and I made note of the name of the group. I was unable to catch the attention of the dancers in the crowd as they made their way to their next performance on the other side of the festival. A few days later, I plucked up my courage, looked them up in the phone book and called.
My first lesson was early on a Saturday morning. The teacher was fun and engaging. She smiled. She told me stories about her life. She asked me about myself and my life. She taught me the basics in that first hour and by the time I had walked out the door, I knew I was hooked.
The teacher, Barb, taught me a particular style of dance that day. She called it American Tribal Style Bellydance. ATS for short. Today, more than 5 years later, I am still hip deep in my love affair with this style of dance. It is as much a part of me as my love for gardening or for dogs. I can't seem to stop and Lord knows I've tried. It's in my blood. This sisterhood makes me stronger because it is bigger than the sum of its parts. It is bigger, it seems, than even I could be.
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