Come Be a Modern Goddess
Join the new community wave
"Interpretive Belly Dance"
With Barbara Derecktor Donahue-
"The Dancing Spirit"
Classes Now Held in Tiverton and Fall River
(The following pictures were taken by Omar during class at The Fall River Y for an article which was posted in The Fall River Herald)
You
can read the article on " Newspaper Pages"
Celebrate being a woman
Learn creative, beautiful, sensual movements
Embrace who you are!
Be more confident and expressive with a better body image
Learn something new from the inside out
Be in your body - Love your curves
And smile - this is very different from workout classes and always fun!
Class attire - workout bra or decorated bra or leotard , tights or dance pants or skirts - Hip sashes ( on sale at class) or hip scarves. Dress in clothing that makes you feel comfortable and happy - Jewelry is encouraged for drama and mood Veils and hip scarves are available to wear for class will be available for class use.
For directions, locations, times or interest in other class times - privates, parties, events etc please call
401 624 4289 - 6731
These pictures we are all wearing special "Caravan Dance Bras" designed by the wonderful
" World Famous American Belly Dancer
"Delilah"
Visit her website www.visionarydance.com
for bras, weight belts, hip scarves, costumes and an amazing library of Belly dance information
A
few dance thoughts.
I have been dancing my whole life - well since the age of 4. My very first class
was an interpretive modern dance class which seems like it was yesterday. In
that class we were given a piece of paper and pencil and told to draw a design.
Then we danced the design in our own way. Many times over the years I have feltl that,
that teacher and class gave me a map for my dance life. When I teach, I like to teach
tools or gifts of movement which enable my students to dance in their own way.
Through many years I learned the great discipline and grace from the traditions
of ballet and modern. Their vocabulary - lessons of posture, lengthening and
core strengthening is always included in my classes. Belly Dance is a beautiful
dance form which incorporates so many simple and beautiful movement gifts that
can be interpreted many different ways It is a dance of the people - for
everyone who loves to dance - all ages, all shapes and sizes. This dance form
requires no previous dance training because it is based in community folk
dances. Across the Middle East - where this dance originates - every region has
a dance. These dances have been collected and combined over hundreds of years.
Today American Belly Dance is a gift of all these traditions and the dancers who
brought them to us. In my class you learn the basics of my
traditional/classical ballet and modern dance training - combined with this new body
knowledge of circles and openings, some simple movement combinations, veil
exploration, the freedom of self expression and exposure to new music and the exotic world of
beautiful and colorful
costuming. To teach is to learn - to dance is to dream.
The Benefits of Beauootiful Belly Dance
1) I have lost 20 pounds - not just from dancing - I admit from dieting also. But my inspiration came from my desire to wear all the beautiful costumes and to be able to see my body muscles and outlines more clearly
2) Since practicing snake arms over and over and over again - my shoulders, upper arms, forearms , hands and fingers have become more sculpted and sensitive to the air and space around me
3) My belly is more muscular and flatter from a new awareness from the inside out.
4) My chest is carried higher than before with a new kind of pride and inner awareness of space in my ribs - a new space in my body where space never existed before - my whole poster has improved because in order to isolate - you must LIFT, and lift More!!!!
5) There is a place around my very non existent waist - because I have a rather square frame - I guess it is called ' love handles" - that I never liked before. Now I love that place because when I do full beautiful round hip circles the extra roundness of my body talks to me and becomes part of my beautiful body expression
6) My husband noticed that my bottom has actually shrunk. Now I admit - having extra on my derriere was never a concern of mine but now I know that if you do a million hip pops - You do can tighten and shrink and wake up those muscles in a really fun way!
7) laughter - much, much laughter - moving my hips, my chest, circles all around with every body part and getting all my wonderful students to do the same -, playing and teaching with beautiful veils, wearing hip scarves for class work - exploring all the costume possibilities while working really hard to perfect and teach this dance - what could be more fun?
8) All the wonderful women and dancers and teachers and friends of belly dance that I have met who have changed my life
For those of you who visit this website - If you have additions to add to this list of belly dance benefits please write to me on the Guest Page or email me at thedancingspirit@aol.com - I want to know how belly dance has changed your life
A Delilah Story
When I first began belly dancing I found two local teachers - Katherine and Katia who were completely different from each other and both wonderful. Meeting these two teachers , within a very short time, and discovering the vast differences in their approach to technique and philosophy made me realize I had entered a completely new dance realm. So I began my search for as many teachers and styles as I could . I began my search on the internet for everything I could find - teachers, books, costumes, music, history - all new to me. I found Delilah of www.visionarydance.com She was offering a belly dance workshop in Hawaii ( where I had never been) called " Dance your Passion". I signed up at the last minute not having a clue what I was getting myself into.
Delilah, I was surprised to find, had been offering these workshops for the last 15 years. I discovered she was exactly my age and had been belly dancing since the age of 18. This fact in itself was amazing because at 18 I was a serious ballet/ modern dancer who never would have thought of belly dancing ever. I never thought of belly dance as a serious dance form. I grew up a New England girl, thinking this dance was for "dancers of the night " who wore fantasy costumes. Niavely I didn't even have a clue that there was a technical base for this dance.
In order to take this workshop I had to make two costumes. Being a dancer and always a costume maker I thought this would be an easy natural thing to do. No - instead it was a huge challenge because I had never made this kind of costume before. One costume had to be a "costume of fire" and one a costume "of your passion". How was I to put these two full throttle ideas and feelings into costumes???? I did it but it was an amazing challenge and I knew anyone who could challenge me this way - before even meeting her in person - was someone very special - and I was so right.
My great dance friend/ adventurer Joya was living in California at the time and she decided to join me on this adventure and we happily roomed together. While there for 10 days - on the Big Island - we not only danced every day - most of the day - but we also traveled all over the island - stayed in 4 wonderful places - ate an interesting array of island food - and danced EVERWHERE - in costume. Dancing everywhere in costume - as if it was the more natural thing to do - in itself - was completely wonderful for me. Before this I had always thought of my self as a stylish colorful dresser - but I came to find that there can be much more fun and exploration of dressing up - every day - the sky is the limit.
Delilah was and is the workshop goddess. In your life , if you are lucky, you get to meet someone who really reaches out beyond normal limits - someone who organizes, teaches, gathers, inspires, pushes and pulls you and the group along. She is a superb dancer also - but much more than that she is an inspiration of creativity - a power house. She asks you to reach way down inside yourself and pull out all your passion and self expression - for the world and for yourself to see and experience - all to live music of Sirocco - which was another incredible experience - dancing to live musicians who followed your every movement and nuance. That's what we did for 10 days - for her, for ourselves, for the musicians and for each other. Delilah was the great Den Mother.
When we first arrived - I not knowing what to expect - was very surprised by all the different types of people who came to this "Dance your Passion" workshop. All ages, all shapes, all movement backgrounds .Not all trained dancers by any means and a few people not even in any kind of aerobic shape ready to dance or at least that's what I thought in my very " closed trained dancer" mind. This dance workshop was for " dancers of the spirit" as much as for dance of the body. We were also joined by one solo male dancer and one husband joining his dancing wife.
There were so many amazing moments during our 10 dancing days together with our fearless and inspiring goddess leader but one moment sticks out in my mind as the root and core of what is so beauootiful and magical about this Belly Dance .
All of us were a bit modest at first about revealing our naked bellies and uncovering our imperfect, white bodies - as opposed to Delilah who seemed so completely comfortable in hers. We were all experimenting with different costumes and looks throughout the workshops for classes and meals and gatherings.
One day it was very hot. In our group there was a tall , very attractive woman in her 50's who had been wearing a loose shirt and skirt to every class. During class she suddenly took her shirt off to reveal just her bra and skirt. Watching her I saw that she was instantly transformed and was more in her body - it was as if she had peeled her outer layer of psycological baggage off .She was more feminine because you could see her shape - and she was shimmering with beauty, energy, happiness and freedom in her body. The whole room of 30 people clapped and yipped and yelped in celebration of her new freedom and beauty . It was such a moment of celebration. During the rest of the workshop this woman dressed up like a queen for every class and occasion and walked with a new regal posture. Needless to say after that - one by one - myself included - we all started peeling off our layers to show our full bodied dancing spirits.
That moment for me was of all the magical moments - a true revealing of what this dance is about. It is like peeling an onion - back to ourselves - back to our birthright of walking with pride, comfort and confidence in our own skin - and feeling completely celebrational of being alive. That is what is the beauty of this dance.
So I want to honor and thank Delilah right here for creating such an amazing environment for people - where they can celebrate themselves in such a beautiful community way - and for inspiring me - to do the same in all my classes and in my community.
If any of you are free this spring to go to her amazing workshop - look up www.visionarydance.com and see what adventure of the spirit through this dance can be in store for you.
To
see my updated schedule of classes please click here
Directions:
-
- The Dancing Spirit Studio Map
- 219 Nanaquaket Rd
Tiverton, RI 02878-4751
401-624-6731