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Allies Blog, Uncategorized

Today we Celebrate

Celebrating All Women today!

Today we celebrate all moms! As we are women we are moms in many forms! We are moms to our kids, pets and even close friends. As a teacher I am a dance mom. I love my students as if they are my own and I care, love and nurture them and pray for their safety.

I also have had many mother figures in my life; not just my mom who brought me into this world! I have a few Aunts that I considered a mom figure and I have a dance mama too! These additional moms give you the same support! They are loving and nurturing and are your cheerleader when you need one but they also give you a kick in the butt as well! I am so fortunate that I have had so many amazing moms in my life and I thank you and love you and I celebrate you not just today but everyday!

Celebrating Mothers day is a once a year celebration but, it got me thinking….why does it have to be only once a year? Why can we not celebrate moms in someway every day? Why can’t we pamper ourselves daily and not just once a year? Are we not that important or worth it?

Today I celebrate you as women and mothers! I celebrate you just not today but every day! Take the time to stop every day and do one thing to love yourself and pamper you! If you know me I am big on self care! It was a hard step as I feel I often need to be super woman! Have you ever felt like that? Do you think you need to do everything? We often care for so many others that we put ourselves on the back burner and then we end up being stressed and tired.

Mothers day we often buy flowers, chocolate, cards and many other things but what if just once a week you went out and did this for yourself? How would that make you feel? Would you feel guilty for buying you something or would it make you feel good and lift your spirits?

Here is a poem I wrote:

What is a mother?

She is strong, loving, nurturing, open, giving and caring. She is a force to be reckoned with. She protects and gives whole heartedly expecting nothing in return. She is often the foundation and the rock. She can be gentle, quick and strong all at one time. She makes everything she does look easy. She loves with every breath and bone of her body. She is the one who cries at night when you are hurting and she is the one that always picks you up when you have fallen. She is there with you at the finish line cheering you on. She believes in you. She is filled with such grace, dignity, love and strength. There is nothing like a the love a mother it is a love that is special and pure!

Allies Blog, Najlas Blog

Dance Practice Outside of Class

Happy New Year and we are back in the roaring 20’s! Imagine that! So you have just started belly dancing and you are loving it and you go to as many classes as you possible can, which is great! I am asking you today how is your dance practice outside of class? Do you practice at all? If no, why not? Is it due to motivation, lack of space or not sure about the movements or what to even work on? These are all very common! I will start by addressing these to help you out! If you do not have a dance routine outside of class; you need to! Why? Belly Dance is an art that requires muscle memory! The only way we can get that muscle memory is by drilling the same movement over and over again! Yes, there is no magic wand or key here! Even myself after dancing 20 years I still practice and drill the basics!

No motivation? Get inspired! This is easy! What inspires you to dance? Music, a new hip scarf, putting flowers in your hair? If it is music search for new music and make a playlist for you to dance too! If it is a new hip scarf buy one and keep it just for at home practices to make it special! Put flowers in your hair even for your dance practice at home! These are just little easy things that will motivate you!

Lack of space? Everyone has space in their house! This space can be a corner of a room or even a room to yourself! What space are you most comfortable in? When I first started I used my kitchen a lot! I would stand in front of the microwave because I could see my movements! I did not dance past the microwave so the space I used was relativity small! Don’t think your space has to be huge! Eventually, I moved my dance space and acquired a small corner of our dining room! I even put up some of those square sticky mirrors and took pieces of fabric and draped it around the mirrors and it was perfect and still not very big! Maybe you have a guest room that you can use? Use your imagination! Do not think you need a huge space! Decorate that space with something that makes you feel good! Just even flowers and lighting a candle will help!

Not sure about movement or what to work on? This is so very common and your not alone in this! Starting out; write down all the movements you do know and your comfortable with! These are called your safe moves! Everyone has them. Once you get them written down divide them by fast moves & slow moves. Divide them out once more; upper body & lower body! This gives you 5 days of practice!

Day 1: Safety moves Put music on and drill all the moves out! Do not worry about technique here. Focus on staying with the music and the beat! This helps with transitioning from one move to the next and eventually you will become fluid and seamless!

Day 2: Fast moves; put on a fun & upbeat song and dance! Keep yourself grounded! To much bounce? Bend your knees! It is all about control here!

Day 3: Slow moves; this is were we can get gooey and juicy! Put on a slow piece of music that you absolutely love! The slower the better! Dance all those slow moves focusing again on staying with the beat! Do not move fast! Relax and enjoy the music! Let the music flow in your body and out through the movement! If you need to grab a glass of wine to help you relax!

Day 4: Upper Body: Here is where we work on proper execution and technique! Focus on your posture and executing the movement properly and all the way through! Do not cut the movement or take shortcuts! If the movements have hand and arm positions work on that first without the movement, then the movement and then both together.

Day 5: lower body: here is where we work on proper execution and technique! Focus on your posture and executing the movement properly and all the way through! Do not cut the movement or take shortcuts! If the movements have hand and arm positions and steps or turns work on that first without the movement, then the movement and then both together.

There is your 5 day plan! See how easy it is! I would love to know what your doing and I would love to see pictures of your dance space, practice or both! The most important thing is to have fun and explore!

Remember we all have bad days! Do not beat yourself up but celebrate your journey! Last year, my dance practiced suffered tremendously for the first time in years! Its okay as there is always tomorrow!

Allies Blog, Uncategorized

Creating Boundaries

Welcome to my Blog! It has been awhile since I have written anything and it truly has been heavy on my heart! I will blog at least once a month, sometimes more depending on content and what is truly on my mind!

My word for the year: Boundaries! This is the first year I have actually chosen a word for myself. Do you have a word? The word boundaries has so much depth and so many levels! Let”s take a look at the definition of boundaries:

Boundaries is a line that is imaginary. It is a separation. It separates your physical space, needs, your feelings as well as the responsibility you have toward others. Having boundaries are how other people treat you: meaning what is acceptable and what is not acceptable. Boundaries are needed because without these imaginary lines people will take advantage of you.

Boundaries & You

Here are what boundaries will do for you:

  • Being your true self! You have the right to have your own feelings and making your own decisions without trying to please others.
  • Self Care at it’s finest! This has been a tough one for me and is a struggle but I am getting better! Respecting your own needs and knowing ( ok this is what is tough) you are not responsible for the people in your life how they behave or feel! Listen to this! They are responsible! When you have boundaries you allow yourself to stop worrying about how others feel and makes them responsible! This is huge! Do you feel you have to many irons in the fire? Do you take on too much? Saying no is tough! Say no to those things that do not align up with what you want! This is going to be a constant with me! How about you? Do you say yes, just please others?
  • Being Real! having real expectations! We need to know what is expected. This takes communication! Telling people what you expect
  • Feeling safe! Creating boundaries makes us feel safe and secure. It keeps us from things that maybe uncomfortable or hurtful.
  • .

What is holding you back?

  • Fear! The fear of doing something different or new! Here are questions to ask: What are you afraid of? The thing your afraid of is it likely to happen? What will happen if you do not set boundaries? What will happen if you do? Fear is something that we all have! Trust me I know! Sometimes it takes me awhile to get over the fear, but asking these questions helps me see if I am in a situation I need to get out of or just stuck in a rut.
  • low self love. Feeling unloved or unworthy. I have been there we all have at some point. Not knowing your worth you will always put others before you. It is not selfish to put your needs before others! This is how we earn and get respect! Take care of your needs first and foremost! As women, this is tough because we care for so many people that our needs get lost. Make you a priority! Do something you have always wanted to do! Take that dance class, take that walk, have a girls night!
  • pleasing others Yes, this has been me! Trying to please everyone and hating conflict. This is why I need boundaries! You can not please everyone!

Boundaries are about what feels right and what does not feel right! The other day Paulette Rees-Denis sent this to me and I wanted to share her to end:

“Boundaries are physical, but most importantly energetic. They are a commitment to honoring yourself. Do not allow within your energetic space what doesn’t feel right, loving or aligned.” Sophie Gregore

Boundaries are: self love, protection, are divine birthright, honor, worthiness, strength, compassion, empowerment, balance, accountability,abundance. Wow love these words! Don’t you?

I would love to hear from you! You can comment and lets talk!

Allies Blog

Kids Class

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Every week I spend a half an hour with the kids, specifically girls that attend the summer program at Carver Community Center.  The reason I am writing about this is because it is a very important part of what I do and one of the many reasons why I teach.  The ages I have range from 4-12 which is great because I get to work with all different age groups and they can learn from each other in a controlled and positive atmosphere.  So what do we do in class?

First, it is all about having fun, creating a positive image and self-esteem while getting the kids moving and learning about a dance form along with another culture.  Today we worked on flexibility and stretching and talked about the importance of both and why we do it.  These girls are really smart and in fact, a few weeks ago one of the girls came to me before class and told me she forgot to do her homework.  How cute!

We also worked on working together as a group and how important it is and what happens if one dancer does not do the same thing that the other dancers are doing.  I have been teaching the girls the debke’ which is a circle dance holding hands.  I asked the girls why we dance in a group togehter and what does it help each one of us focus on.  I had answers such as moving, a few I don’t knows…one girl spoke up and said, ” it’s about working together” and she is right  I had her repeat it so everyone could hear it again.  I lead the girls around in a circle repeating the steps and showing them as they followed me.

As we continued around the circle, I changed the tempo as we started stepping more quickly.  A few of the girls feet got tangled up and well you could imagine what happened….the circle stopped as some girls fell down and the circle became disarrayed.  I then asked the girls what happened and why we talked about what we do affects those around us and those next to us.  After leading the girls through simple belly dance moves such as hip thrust and the washing machine we ended the class having races walking on tip toe and playing red light green light belly dance style.  The girls have fun and I do as well.  Plus, getting the chance to teach them this wonderful art form!

Allies Blog

Suzanna Del Vecchio past workshop

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When I first started dancing, I had only been dancing for maybe about a year and I got the chance to take a workshop in Cincinnati with a topwell known dancer; Suzanna Del Vecchio.  This was a really great experience for me and I came away learning so much from her and the workshop I attended.  She is such a graceful dancer and full of knowledge.  I was very excited that I got to meet her in person and I had a chance to chit chat with her for a brief minute. I will never forgot the experiance and she is one that I do reccomend if you ever get a chance to go to one of her workshops; it is a must!  I can remember we were moving in groups across the floor doing pelvic rolls down and I was doing them in reverse and she came up to me and said “we are not there yet” I really appreciated her telling me, but at the same time I also was somewhat embarrassed.  We went through various drills and movement in the beginning and at the end she taught us choreography to Khayarouni by Woroud and can be found on the Belly Dance Superstars Cd, Volume 2.  To this day, I still know a little bit of that choreography. In her workshop is where I learned the D-step.  Suzanna has been dancing for over 25 years and she actually holds a retreat in Colorado that is a huge event.  Suzzana teaches body alignment and technique through movement.

Here is a video of Suzzana Dehttp:Vecchio; Enjoy!