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New Article" Belly Dance Obsession"
Sept 11, 2009
Must
be something in the water, they
are finding me.......second article this month..........
New
East Bay Newspaper's first issue - WOW ,Barbara www.thedancingspirit.com
How
long have you been a dancer?I
began dancing when I was 4 yrs old in a Creative Movement class in NYC. I
remember the class like it was yesterday. The teacher gave us a piece of paper
and pencil to draw a design. I drew a complicated design all over the paper. She
said " Dance your design". I felt like crying because my design was so
complicated. I believe that was my long dance/ life/ journey map. My bio is on
my website www.thedancingspirit.com
which tells the long version of my dance road to Belly Dance
How long have you been running your studio? This
will be my 8th year studying, teaching - 4th year on 1759 Main Rd.
What about belly dancing attracted you to it? Where did you learn? I
took my first class one month after 9/ 11 and one month after my father passed
away. When I moved my hips in a circle for the first time I felt an overwhelming
,inevitable connection to heaven and earth. My first teacher in that class was
younger than me and had less classical training than I, but she could move her
body in a fluid, expressive, beautiful and mysterious way that was new to me. In
that class, though I knew nothing about the story or history of the dance I
became determined to learn everything I could . Teachers say it takes 6 years to
become a pro performer. I didn't understand that at first but I know it is true
now. Belly Dance ( the short American name) can be studied and perfected. The
more a dancer knows through reading, traveling, taking classes, practicing on
her own and watching other dancers , the more confidence she grows and the
fuller her dance expression is
What's necessary - in terms of clothing, attitude, preparation - to learn to
belly dance?Mid
East Oriental Belly Dance in it's root form is a folk dance for the people, of
the people, by the people. In the Mid East the rhythms and body / attitude
movements are a big part of the culture so everyone, of all ages, dance together
and separately. Every one dances at weddings but the wedding dances ( for
instance) are specific, known, learned from a very young age. The
dance is /can be, has evolved into a beautiful sophisticated, challenging art
form which is being shared , studied and loved in many countries around the
world .The
thing that can be confusing is that you can see many wonderful looking Belly
Dancers , performing in different venues, wearing two piece ( called bedlah)
costumes but nowhere does it say that those costumes are equal to tutus for a
ballerina.
A
new student can wear a beautiful Belly Dance costume (home made or bought) that
might make her/ him feel like they look like a Belly Dancer but it takes
knowledge, study and confidence to wear the costume while dancing gracefully
with full expression. A great Belly Dance artist dances with her entire body
from finger tip to toe and can dance different rhythms simultaneously
There are many different styles of Belly Dance which I didn't know in the
beginning. Each of these styles has it's own costume, dance feeling/ attitude
and way the dancer interprets the music. Middle Eastern music has a DOWN beat
which is like a heart beat and when you begin to study you can't really feel the
DOWN in your body for quite a while. It is subtle and strong, simple and
complex, at the same time. While a dancer is dancing she is interpreting the
many different rhythms that she has studied and hears in the music. Hearing the
music fully takes a while too because the rhythms are ancient and have evolved
over time so there are many layers and instruments which are foreign to our
ears.
When
I teach I usually wear a leotard, dance pants, a chiffon skirt by
www.spiritwear.ws with something
tied on my hips and I dance in bare feet. Students wear anything comfy to dance
in and I have a basket of hip scarves to choose from. Sometimes everyone puts on
a and dances full skirts which I have in supply. Dancing well with skirts takes
skill and practice as does dancing with a veil, sword, cane shamadan or snake.
When I began to Belly Dance I had no idea there were so many fun props to learn
How
is the response after people try it for the first time?
Some
students fall madly in love, like I did and become completely obsessed. They
want to learn no matter what and stick with it . Some students try it for fun
and are disappointed when they discover they have to work at it. Some students
take classes until they perform and then they move on to the next thing. Very
few students stick at it long enough to become pro. The rule of thumb is to take
classes for at least 6 months before throwing in the towel because it takes that
long to begin to really feel the expression of any of the smaller isolated
movements
Belly Dance is an ultra feminine, earthy, sexy, proud dance. One of the things I
teach to every student is strong lifted posture. Without good posture the dance
doesn't look right. If a student has weak posture it is a challenge for them to
work on that in addition to learning everything else but once they get it their
body/ life attitude is more positive .
Many
think Belly Dance is all about wiggling and shaking which couldn't be further
from the truth. Belly Dance is having ultimate control and expression of your
whole body while interpreting the music. Belly Dance can be lot's of fun and
very entertaining but it can also be completely soulful and passionate. it is
the inside/ outside dance. Your feelings you have while creating isolations are
interior but when you dance the expression shows on the outside and much of the
time it is very joyful expression
Outside
of your studio, are there other places to belly dance locally?
There are Belly Dance teachers in Bristol, Warren and Providence. In addition to
my Tiverton studio, the only other Belly Dance studio I know of is in Warwick.
What
do you do once you have this talent?
The
journey of the Belly Dancer is a challenging one, I would say ,especially in New
England which has a culture stemming from Puritans and Shakers. Belly Dance is
not like studying Ballet ,Modern, Jazz or Tap where there are established
companies to audition for and possible careers, under that umbrella, once you
have put your time in. Belly Dance is an underground art form. You must seek and
search and as you do, you grow your dance. Sound crazy? It sort of is but it is
also very exciting and different. As a Belly dancer you NEVER know where or who
you might be dancing for next. I started this journey in my 40's. I had no idea
what the rules were - what was good, bad, appropriate or anything. I had to find
out myself and I wanted to experience each part and I have pretty much.
One
way to get jobs is to be listed with an entertainment company like gigmaster
which I am. I did not consider myself an entertainer before I became a Belly
Dancer but I have become one, in one sense. A Belly Dancers work can include
teaching Belly Dance classes for all ages (I also teach a Dancers Pilates) and I
perform for birthday parties, wedding showers and special events.
Sometimes I am the true LIFE of the party. I bring the dance, music, hip
scarves, veils, zills, a lot of happy energy, in a beautiful costume with
knowledge of another culture . Sometimes I only perform but most times I get
everyone up to dance
There are very few respected or great performance venues in New England where
the Belly Dance culture and music is known or truly appreciated as an art form .
After all Belly Dance comes from the Mid East. If you are or know someone of
Lebanese, Egyptian or Turkish culture that is a way IN. If not it is difficult .
La
Camelia in E Providence is a tiny wonderful restaurant run by a couple who love
the dance and have live music for the dancers every few months but it can be a
secret only the searching Belly Dancer can find if she is serious. You are only
asked to perform there if word on the street says you are good and how does that
happen? A Belly Dancer must take classes, read, study, practice, learn the
rhythms, practice her zills, veil work, skirt work, take workshops, make or buy
her costumes and will finally feel ready to perform. Then she begins to research
venues. I put on shows with my students, inviting other new England dancers and
I try to host out of state teachers who come teach workshops and perform in my
shows.
It
is hard to make a living here in RI as only a performing Belly Dancer.
The
Dancing Spirit's Mid East Oriental Belly Dance to do list
1)
Sakonnet Belly Dance community performing troupe
2) A
monthly drumming/ dancing night either at my studio or at a local restaurant
3)
Help to create develop a Mid East Oriental Dance/ movement vocabulary/
history syllabus which would be embraced and included by all( many/ most) USA
dance studios and College/ University Dance Depts. ( Which it is not except with
a few west coast University exceptions)
4)
Share the dance with teachers and experts in the medical field for it's mind/
body/ spirit therapeutic benefits
5)
Develop an East Coast branch for Teens of SEEDS ( Self - esteem, Empowerment and
Education through Dance)
Thank you for this opportunity to write about this beautiful , most
misunderstood dance form
Sincerely Barbara ,
I am grateful for finding this dance and being able to share it with so many
Newport Life Magazine Spring 2005
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