I have been dancing consistently for more than 25 years. Ballet, the foundation for all my dancing, was done ages 4 through 15. Then came hip hop, lyrical and modern dance when I joined the high school dance team. By the time I hit 18, I was strictly doing modern dance… and was fortunate enough to have done several performances with Maria Rendina Frantz (based out of the Erick Hawkins technique) while going to school and living in Santa Barbara from 1995-2004. It was there that I discovered bellydance at a Middle Eastern concert. I was so captivated by the costumes, diversity of movement, and the music that I immediately signed up for classes… initially with Bonnie Paul and eventually with Alexandra King. Their enthusiasm and knowledge was the catalyst for my passion of bellydance; my appreciation for the wide range of styles, music, and most especially, the fact that anyone (male and female of all ages and sizes!) can belly dance.
Living in Indonesia and teaching English for a year was an unforgettable, amazing experience that affected every aspect of my life. Although there wasn’t much bellydancing to be had there, I filled my dancing need by taking classes in traditional Indonesian dance. This experience helped me realize and appreciate the translation of music through dance, enabled me to hone in on my appreciation for the visual arts, and contemplate dance as a universal means of expression and communication. Like bellydance, Indonesian dance incorporates accessories such as sarongs and drums. So it was in Indonesia that I picked up on the art of subtlety and how to dance “big” with minimal, understated, and controlled movements and the importance of facial expression.
I decided to start teaching bellydance out of my home when I realized how much I missed it and a group of friends wanted to learn; in fact, they settled for dancing amidst my living room furniture without mirrors! It was a natural fit as I was already teaching (English) and had a passion for bellydancing! The combination of teaching English to non-English speakers and bellydance to women without mirrors formed a great foundation for me to refine what I knew about bellydance and how to communicate it effectively. Teaching English paved the way for teaching bellydance in a pragmatic way – devise a lesson plan, demonstrate the ultimate goal or lesson, break it down, reinforce the learned goal or lesson, and finally, review, review, review!
When I returned to the US in 2005, I discovered Tribal Fusion belly dance through classes with Ayse Cerami and began dancing with the Sisterhood Dance Collective (now known as Conejo Sisterhood). I found Tribal to be edgy, ultra-fun, and noncompetitive; in fact, extremely communal and supportive. What's more, I found Tribal Fusion to be a great counterpart for my Cabaret background.
Both styles have much to offer and despite the differences, fit my personal style.
I'm going on my third year of teaching and the things I'm doing now are things I never expected when I first started! For example, the bimonthly haflas began this January as a result of witnessing the monthly Las Vegas hafla in July 2007 (thank you Daughters of Durga and UNMATA for such unprecedented inspiration and jaw-dropping style!). These haflas are a labor of love between the planning, coordinating, cleaning, and performing - but worth every minute! Not do I have the pleasure of hosting amazing dancers and musicians, but more importantly, I've created a fun and safe environment for students and other amateur bellydancers to take to the stage.
My current undertakings include joining a Tribal Fusion troupe called Nataraja (directed by Elizabeth "Mahina" Souza), and preparing my student troupe, Dahab (Lebanese for "jewel") for upcoming performances. Apparently I blinked, my bellydancing life gained momentum and no signs of stopping... I couldn't be happier!
