Homeward Bound to my Belly Dance Roots
A few weeks ago I ventured up to Taos, New Mexico and interviewed two very important and special women in my life. It was like going home and remembering where my passion started from even as naïve as it was. I went homeward bound to my belly dance roots because my dance journey really started in Taos. It was in Taos that I met Barbara Sayre Harmon and Sakti Rinek; the two women who would be instrumental in making my belly dance dreams come true.
On my trip up to Taos, I had forgotten how spectacular the drive was because everywhere I looked was breathtaking. Coming up from the canyon you are met with a panoramic view of the Gorge and the Taos mountains. They greet you like an old friend that has been around since the beginning of time. The view is always, fresh, new and awe-inspiring, no matter how many times I see it. In many ways, I said to myself, “I am home.”
The lingering memories of learning an ancient art form was almost like a pilgrimage going back to a place that transformed my life. From the day I saw dancers performing so many years ago, I knew belly dance had placed her mark upon me. Taos in many ways represents my temple of learning. Sakti and Barbara were the two women that took me by the hand and guided me into the poetic dance movements of ancient times. Sakti’s studio always had the feel of being an ancient sanctuary with a high priestess energy to it. As I entered her studio, I always knew I was there to study and to understand that the dance was a privilege to learn. Sakti’s curriculum was detailed and full of combinations that were easy to absorb and practice. To this day I find that Sakti is the one teacher through out my career that shared everything she knew about belly dance with me. Sakti always reminded me of a high priestess because she took belly dance and made it ageless. It was as if she took it from an ancient manuscript and brought it to life, always youthful with no apparent age to the movements. With ageless beauty emanating from her varied movements I knew when I saw Sakti dance that I wanted to be apart of this ancient heritage that was a rite of passage, the path of the enlightened and worldly belly dancer.
Every woman who goes into the farthest reaches of her heart knows that magic is alive and by proxy we are its ambassadors. Whenever I walk up to Barbara’s courtyard I am not only taken back in time but I think time stands still out of reverence. It’s a vortex of magical fairies, dragon flies, and an array of flowers of all colors and shapes leading up to her cottages that are alive with whimsy and delight. Walking into Barb’s studio is a piece of pure enchanting revival to the eyes. Everywhere there is a painting that leads you to another one and then another so that the senses are filled and slightly intoxicated with pure creativity. The colors seem to emanate off canvases that come to life telling their story from creative inception to completed masterpiece. For a dancer, the atmosphere can easily captivate the mind and stimulate the creative link between creativity and inspiration. With both studios apart of my up bringing and training in belly dance, it is no wonder that my dance persona is part enchantress and priestess. I think with most women, this is our rite of passage and one that we often forget.
Coming back to Taos was like coming home after a long pilgrimage where I ventured out looking for answers to many questions. I started off each adventure as a naïve novice and as time passed the proficient dancer emerged. As I was driving up to Taos, my accumulated experiences somehow looked me square in the face when I looked into the rear view mirror and I wondered if any of my experiences had amounted to much. I realized my fear was like a dress that shows off all my imperfections and magnifies them with no regard or consideration for my state of mind. I was wearing my fears of inadequacy with the details of a skilled seamstress.
The interviews in many ways were a long time coming. Barb has been living the painters life most of her life along with Cliff Harmon her husband and comrade in arms. Barbara is one of the top female portrait artists in the US besides being a well received writer of children’s books. Sakti has been living the belly dancers dream, traveling around the world for over 36 years. She has been performing and teaching her unique dance style to hundreds of women from all walks of life. They both radiate a kind of accomplishment that not many women can pride themselves in, a life time of creative study that results in endless works of art. The creative process became a way of life for both Barb and Sakti so much so that they have become one with the essence of their own inspired design. It is because of this very reason, I felt it was time to interview them for my membership site and get their stories out to aspiring dancers and artists.
Its funny how we think the world views us like we view ourselves, it’s really not a realistic way to think. As I met with Barbara and Sakti, my apprehension just melted away and I had the best time laughing and talking non-stop the whole time I visited and interviewed both of them. When I was looking behind the video camera and listening to Barb talk, I realized that there just aren’t women like Barb anymore. Her eloquence and refined gestures made me feel like I was in the presence of a legendary actress. In many ways each painting is a script or a story that has individual meaning to whoever looks at it. If I closed my eyes, I could hear the whisperings from each portrait that was surrounding me. That’s why I love going to Barbara’s studio, it’s a magical place that transports me into a world that is always waiting to be discovered or rediscovered. There were a few times I wanted to pinch myself just to make sure I was really there listening to Barb talk about her early years or the tidbits of information about Martha Graham. I decided right then and there I didn’t need Google or Wikipedia because Barbara was a walking encyclopedia. The amazing thing about artists is that they are sponges for every topic they come in contact with. There seems to be no stone unturned by the curious artist and I realized that creativity demands a studious mind. Barb symbolized this with brilliance and genius.
Sakti was as vivacious as ever just as I remembered her. I really think she found the fountain of youth and is keeping mum about it. The studio had a new floor that her boys (obvious young men) Eli and Adam put down for her. It was even more beautiful then I remember and with the new sitting area with large windows over looking her pond, it was just enchanting. As we began our interview it was so much fun to relive Sakti’s stories and adventures with her. Sakti did what every belly dancer dreams of doing; she not only made a living with belly dancing but she became successful with it as well. But the difference here is that Sakti was “living” the belly dancers life instead of just talking about it. In the end trains, plains and automobiles become as familiar as each hotel room. It’s a gypsy life that isn’t for the faint of heart but for those who pursue it, the end result is enriched memories of cultures, people and places. Sakti’s portfolio isn’t just full of shows, workshops and performances she has the memories of each experience that lives inside her. The difference between a professional hobbyist and old school dancer is how they live their lives and what they carry within them. Experience is the upper hand in this case. You feel the experiences as soon as you walk into Sakti’s studio.
The working dancer lives a novel life that is a daily script made with continual rewrites but that is why it is so enticing for the average woman; it’s a nonsensical way of life. If women were any less complicated it wouldn’t seem logical but because we are who we are, it’s the perfect way to stimulate the senses and reawaken the soul. As Mae West said, “I’m no model lady. A model’s just an imitation of the real thing.” We either live our lives to the fullest or live to regret not birthing our dreams. And to me that’s the difference between women who go out and live their lives versus those who watch from the side lines, they make magic happen. So in my interviews prepare to meet two amazing women who made magic happen and to date are still living their lives to the fullest yet leaving room for new adventures, scripts not written and performances yet to be danced. It’s the blank canvas of life that allows us to paint masterpieces of our desires.
I will be eternally grateful to Barbara and Sakti who have imprinted upon my heart, joy; friendship, laughter, loyalty and the desire to succeed. They showed me this by example and it is only fitting after all this time I come homeward bound to my belly dance roots to thank the two women in my life who made all the difference and helped me become the woman that I am today.
If you are curious about my membership site, check it out and become a member. I have many videos to view and as you can see many more to come. www.bellydancevillage.com
Sphere: Related ContentConnecting the Dots in Belly Dance
by Leyla Najma · 1 Comment
This past weekend I was able to do a workshop with my students and at the same time showcase the curriculum that I have been working on for a better part of a year. What is so exciting about this new curriculum is that it is the end result of students understanding choreography in a way that makes sense to them.
What I mean by this is students are learning to understand their own choreography. The curriculum shows them how to connect the dots.
The one thing that I have noticed especially with the emails Daniel and I have received through out this last year is that many dancers don’t understand how to interpret movement to music or they don’t even know why they move a certain way to the music, they just follow their teacher. Some dancers have said that they learn the same moves over and over again but the reason behind the move is not talked about.
I think as teachers we have to take a good look at our own curriculum and than stand back so we can take a good look at what we are teaching.
Connecting the dots never made more sense to me than it does now. We can’t just give students a glimpse of something and than hope they get it, we have to show them what happens when the dots are connected. What is so exciting right now is that the end result of my curriculum is showing itself in each and every dancer that I have. I have beginner students who I started with this curriculum and they are advancing in leaps and bounds. I have students that have come back to me that are amazed at the changes and they can see the difference in what they had already learned to what they are learning now.
The online classes have really helped evolve this curriculum and my teaching ability. I have many students and dancers to thank for helping me understand that when a student is learning how to dance she has to be taught in a way so that she can enjoy and understand the process.
The formula is simple; opposition hips and understanding how they work together or apart. Layering with opposition hips and understanding when to work in your right and left sides. Transition steps and transition moves used to change with the phrasing in the music.
If students are given a repertoire of moves and combinations and they are taught how to use them than eventually the body will relax and take over. Once the body relaxes and takes over than accents,exaggerated moves or pauses along with level changes, lines and angles can be used in the dancers own unique way. The end result will be a dancer that is confident and well trained.
So for all you teachers out there think about how you train your students because once a student understands how to connect the dots, the dancer in her will emerge before your very eyes and it is a beautiful sight indeed!
Sphere: Related ContentCures, Disorders and Syndromes!!
Just yesterday I was talking to a friend of mine regarding the solo student dancer syndrome of “who are you, I don’t know you”. This is a very old disorder that I have been dealing with for many years. Only thing is I didn’t realize how contagious it was until just recently. I’m no Einstein but it finally sunk in that there is something going on here. I had always looked at students as women of great possibilities and potential. And for a while I had a naive idea that my students would carry on my grand illusions of what I thought belly dance was. OK……so I’m a few quarts low in that regard but I am finally cured!
My point is that I have had students come to class who come right in with problems and issues never stopping to think to leave anything at the door. Do I do this……….yes of course but than it’s my class and I can do whatever I want……not really. I learned through the years that what students want is a teacher and that is all! How simple and yet how complicated all at the same time. If I become more of a friend than my teacher status starts to suffer. If I am just the teacher and that is all than I am not very compassionate. So where does this fine line exist of friend and teacher?
Just so you know it’s in another dimension parallel to ours. No…really. How do students get the “who are you, I don’t know you” syndrome? This has perplexed me for years but I have come up with a hypothesis.
It has to do with what their real motives are when they decide to become a belly dancer. These motives are nurtured by society, parents, relationships, and learned behavior from all three. If any of the three are negative (which hello is very likely) than the beginning stages of this syndrome start to form. This disorder can take on a variety of symptoms. One of the most familiar of these symptoms is what I call the “outside of their world” non communication variety. Maybe it’s because friends are a dime a dozen or that their upbringing taught them to drop you like a hot potato. We often as a society of women will have more patience and compassion for a loved one that beats us or a relationship that is unhealthy than we will for a dance teacher. God forbid that the teacher was not only there for her student but was a sounding board for everyday problems. Realistically as a teacher you have to be a sounding board no matter how professional you want to keep your relationship with your students. But this backfires more frequently than you realize.
The other symptom is the “invisible” kind. Now I know I do this too. As a matter of fact I have had a few students that if I would of known back than what I know now, they never would have been allowed to take class from me. But for this to take place a lot of disrespect and drama has to happen. Than yes these people are not only invisible but non existent in my world. Somehow I seem to have had this same effect on a particular group of students. It’s OK but the difference here is that I gave knowledge along with whatever drama they felt they went through. I only got drama………and a few pains in the you know where. But this is from my side of the fence and from where I see life. But I want you all to know that as a teacher I always look at my students as dancers. They all deserved this respect because anyone that takes from me is giving me a gift which is their time and efforts. But what do the students think of this? Is the efforts of my class worth it? Do they speak well of me or not at all? When they go out and perform do they appreciate our class time together? Oh, yes I wonder all these things because I remember what it was like my very first belly dance class. I haven’t forgotten that feeling of pure amazement and I haven’t forgotten my first teacher. And yes if she was still alive today I would let her know I haven’t forgotten her.
Appreciate who you can and let the others alone. If you can’t speak well of your teacher than take a look at why. Is it so much what she didn’t do or was it what she should of done but didn’t do it to your liking? How hard we are on our teachers is only setting us up to be regarded in the same way down the line. Because always remember that to be disappointed in people is easy, not setting people up to disappoint us is the hard part. The dancers who are under the symptom of “Who are you, I don’t know you” have choices. Maybe if you are under this symptom you might stop and think about what you are setting yourself up for. There will always be people we don’t get along with but why create a dance world where this syndrome exists? It’s easier to get along than not but than water seeks it’s own level so maybe the cure is seeing yourself equal with everybody else. It’s a lot easier to learn from someone who not only sees you as a talented dancer but treats you like one. This means we have to take responsibility for our own drama and not throw issues onto other peoples shoulders to carry.
My shoulders are only full of my problems and even if they feel like they are carrying a load, it’s my load. This is my cure and my way of taking care of my responsibilities. I can than say I see you and you are beautiful………..even the pains in the you know where!!
What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You……
Within this last year I learned many things and I realized that teaching our students is a never ending job. In saying this I also realized that with all of the opportunities out there for dancers to perform that there a fundamental values that are being forgotten. Dance etiquette can’t be put on the way side because than we have a bunch of dancers who think only of themselves. This I experienced in co-producing our show this year and when the light bulb went off, I was surprised to see that what you don’t know can hurt you!
Solo performing is not easy and as I say to most of my students getting out on stage after a troupe has done a wonderful job takes invisible huevos. Most of my solo performers are very independent and they all have the self confidence to pull through any show with ease. But one thing was continually coming to my attention and to tell you the truth it was like being hit over the head time and time again. My solo performers were not the best team members when it came to participating in group events. I mean getting oneself together to go out an perform isn’t too hard but when you work in a production and have to wait for your turn and you have to return phone calls and you have to go to rehearsals…….well these solo performers balked, whined and made up “poor” excuses as to why they couldn’t do something when the rest of the crew could. I was in total shock with their egos and self important attitudes.
So this made me think of what happened to these dancers and why they felt they were separate in responsibility from the rest of the performers. As a matter of fact the more I tried to figure this out…..well the more I got to scratching my head. First of all there is a self absorption going on that only allowed my solo performers to see what they were doing and to not even see what anyone else was doing. They were blinded by their own ritualistic habits of preparing themselves and expecting everyone else to do the same. But what didn’t occur to these students is that in a production there are schedules with other people who have to work in different areas to make it all come together. Solo performers are use to the work being done for them except if they are producers themselves. Than I have to tell you that you will see some of the most well rounded dancers on the planet. Because anyone who produces shows and directs understands the process and they respect the efforts of everyone involved. A good group of people working together can move mountains. One solo performer who doesn’t understand this only gets in the way.
I found I had to call my solo performers more, ask over and over again why something wasn’t being done on time and why they didn’t call to find out the schedule. The answer back was always the same,” they weren’t the only ones with phones!!” This got to me because towards the end of working on our production I found that it was easier working with actors or troupe performers. And I got taught a very good lesson on what I had failed to teach my students. To assume that our students understand appropriate etiquette after they leave us is a bit naive on our part. I had to unfortunately fire one of my students from the show and this was definitely a low point for me. I was totally in constant amazement with her condescending attitude and finger pointing. So from now on in my beginner classes we will have theater 101 along with etiquette and the art of working as a team.
Now I’m not saying all solo performers are this way. My co-producer Rozana Al Jinan and myself came from old school learning. The best way we learned was to participate and watch the professional and seasoned dancers work their magic. And let me tell you……when you have talented dancers working together there is nothing more beautiful to watch.
On the other side of this coin is the experienced dancer who has performed for years who doesn’t feel they have to do much of anything except to show up. These are the dancers who know better but feel their reputations precede them. As experienced dancers we have to remember our humility or we can get heads so big they don’t fit through the door and they can wear thin on everyone else holding up their end. Who wants to hold up a big head, especially if it isn’t yours?
The false flatterer in a production can also get on your nerves. Usually my radar goes up with these people and I found that in co-producing this show that there was one person who was so ready to compliment us only to be the first to talk behind our backs. This particular actor was about as sincere as a heart attack. He complimented us on a Tuesday on what a fantastic show we were putting on and two days later on a Thursday he pulled out saying he couldn’t be apart of our show. Moral of the story…….always have a plan B and we did!
The list could go on but than I would rather put it all in a book for you that I will be getting out in the next year or two. Remember there are always lessons to be learned no matter how long you have been dancing and the best part of all……..is that there is always something to learn!
Sphere: Related ContentWhat Do You Want From A Belly Dance Class
Have you ever gone to a belly dance class and felt the teacher didn’t explain things in a manner in which you could fully understand?
How about repetition in class and learning the same moves over and over again? I remember when I first started belly dancing I took a class and we learned a specific choreography. No explanation was given as to what inspired the choreography or how it fit with the music. I remember dancing and thinking to myself, this is not me and I would not dance to this song this way. So what do you do when you learn from someone that doesn’t fit you and your style of dance?
When we all first start out dancing we are sponges and we take it all in. After a few years we than realize what specifically we want out of dance and than we go forth to find those teachers who will help us achieve our goals. Once this happens it becomes apparent that we really do dance from a place of preferred choice. We constantly choose our way in dance and our path shows the world how we have become who we are.
All this being said how do you tell a teacher, “Look, I’m not learning from you what I feel I need for my dancing. What can we do about this?” Is it really as easy as just saying it? Most women will just leave without saying what she feels yet she will tell others and the message my trickle down to the original teacher. So what good does it do if we feel we can’t tell the one who needs to hear the message the most? I didn’t tell that teacher years ago that I didn’t like her choreography; I just left and never went back. But I have to say it has haunted me all these years because I am sure she wondered why I left. Being a teacher for years now and looking back I now understand that feeling of wondering what happened. So here are some solutions I came up for teachers and students. Because after all we are both student and teacher until we no longer say we are a dancers.
For the Student……..
Remember you are paying for class and for the information and experience of your teacher. If you aren’t getting what you pay for let your teacher know that there is a problem. I mean if a product didn’t work right most of us, we would take it back and either get our money back or we would want it fixed. At least you are bringing something to your teachers’ attention that she needs to hear whether she wants to or not. But putting yourself out there as a teacher means this is a part of business especially if you charge for classes. After all, satisfaction should be guaranteed.
Don’t settle for less because there may not be other teachers around. Look for a teacher that is qualified to teach or someone who wants to share the dance. Either way if you relate well to each other, class time will be fun and that in itself makes it all worth while. Always strive to find the teachers that fit you best. Put it out to the Universe what you want and be ready to dance!
For the Teacher……
Ask your students from time to time what they think of class. This doesn’t take away from you as the teacher; it helps you understand what your students think of your class from their view point and their eyes. Our students can help us become wonderful teachers because sometimes as I have said before we can get lost in our own lesson.
There is no amount of experience that can compare to the satisfaction of happy and content students. I have witnessed teachers so full of themselves that they could never see beyond their own needs, wants and desires. And even though we are the ones that make our own dreams come true, we must be aware of others and their dreams, wants and desires. Those lost in themselves usually are left alone in the end with no one around and when they finally wake up, it is too late.
We all have the right to ask the very simple question, “What do I want out of class?” As your students this question and be open and willing to receive the answers. I just recently asked one of my students this question and what she said made me smile. She said, “I want everything, that’s why you’re my teacher.”
Another student said, “But you’re the teacher, you’re suppose to know what I want.”
The latter made me smile because I remember being like that until I came into my own as a dancer. But never the less I let all my students know they can tell me what they need to. This frees us both and makes our paths easier to travel especially when you’re going in the same direction.
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