And So the Story Goes…
Skeletons, ghosts and names on tombstones greeted us at the Haunted Hips workshop in Abilene. We arrived in Abilene after driving the long way around to get there and thankfully settled into comfy beds at the hotel. Even our 3 legged blue heeler, Mr. Zippy was out like a light, snoring away and dreaming of that unreachable rabbit. Saturday morning was upon us in what seemed to me to be only ten minutes of sleep but I know I am exaggerating a bit.
The Haunted Hips workshop was finally happening and I was ready and anxious not only to get started but to meet all the wonderful women who travelled to the workshop from out of town. The Magic Lamp Studio director Jami Chance is about the nicest and most gracious hostess I have had the pleasure to work with. Jami and I met through my online videos a few years ago and we have been dance friends ever since.
Saturday was a day full of opposition hip combinations that is based on the Hip Phylosophy curriculum. It was a day of laughing and dancing which is always the best way to learn dance. Everyone who came to the workshop came through the 4 hours of instruction with flying colors. There were different levels of dancers so it was an interesting mix of beginner dancers to professional. Sunday was a mini choreography on Continual Soft movement and group participation. It was my favorite class of the weekend because the girls took combinations apart and put them back together in various ways and then performed the combinations for each other. I think in the Sunday class the girls were able to see that putting combinations together can be fun and both groups came up with wonderful variations on the combinations. They could actually see that what they came up with not only worked but looked beautiful all at the same time!
The Saturday evening show was full of great energy and I must say that Jami did a wonderful job training her girls. Each performance was full of high energy and the evening flowed effortlessly and easily. It was just one of those shows that was a joy to be in. At the end of the evening Jami brought me roses and we all danced to live music by a wonderful drummer named John. It was the perfect ending to a perfect evening!!
When the end of the workshop came it was sad to leave. Jami’s family is just as gracious as she is and we feel so fortunate to have met Jami’s husband Steve, daughters Brittany and Bekah. Thank you so much for making our stay wonderful and memorable. And thank you Jami for letting me off the hook for forgetting the lights!!
Leyla’s Updates
by Leyla Najma · 2 Comments
Hip Mastery 6 Video Series
This morning I was thinking about what I would write in my blog and I thought I would bring the subject up of my Hip Mastery videos only because I haven’t really mentioned them much. I tend to create videos and edit them, give them to Daniel and then move on to the next project. The funny thing is that if Daniel asks me a question regarding a video I usually have to go back and look at it because I have made so many besides my curriculum classes that I am not sure how to answer him sometimes.
There are 6 videos in the Hip Mastery series that focus just on the hips. But the best part is that each video connects to the next one. So I didn’t want students trying to figure out how to work in movement and combinations without a guide. It just seemed to me that most women who are passionate about this dance want instruction that will help them get results.
I realized that living the life style of a belly dancer day in and day out means that there is no rest for the choreographer. I constantly think of combinations and different choreographies to share with dancers, it’s almost like a calling. I would rather make videos for dancers or teach workshops then perform because seeing women in the glory of their movement is where the spirit of belly dance lives for me. It’s in the learning process of moving within our bodies where I see the epiphanies come alive for women. To me the stage is the end result of a beautiful journey but it is so much fun watching women learn and grow along their path before they achieve their goals.
Hip Mastery is my answer to the questions that women have asked me about thrusts, mayas and shimmies. Add in soft moves, traveling steps and you can see why this is a 6 video series. To me they make “Belly Dance sense”.
Here’s the website in case you want to check them out. www.hipmastery.com
Drum Solo Choreography”Jibber Jam”
The drum solo choreography “Jibber Jam” is coming along and I am almost finished with it. My daughters first day of school is coming up so I will be able to finish the choreography and get it videotaped. I have to laugh though because I put together what I thought was a simple drum solo choreography and it’s not as simple as I thought. I am excited to offer music never heard before, text and a step by step choreographed video in a way that will make it easy to learn. This will be so cool once I get it done but as with all my projects it is taking a little longer then I thought. Hopefully within the next two weeks it will be done and I can blare my bugle and sing a song but only in the shower!
Floralia Belly Dance Festival for the Goddess
by Leyla Najma · 1 Comment
I keep thinking to myself that Floralia is months down the road and looking at my calendar today…..wow…..it’s just around the corner! This is a very exciting Dance Festival for me because it is produced by a very special friend of mine Selena Kareena of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. Selena is one of the most down to earth belly dancers I know and this Festival really tells a lot about her and her giving heart. The story of Floralia is as follows; The Floralia, also known as the “Florifertum,” was an ancient Roman festival dedicated to Flora, the goddess of flowers and vegetation. Floralia symbolizes the renewal of the cycle of life, marked with dancing, drinking, and flowers. So be assured there will be plenty of dancing, eating, laughing and enjoying the change of seasons.
You can put on your dancing shoes or come bare foot and enjoy live music by James Yousif of Andaluse Entertainment. This year Selena personally invited dancers that she felt have unique and different qualities that offer a change for dancers from the normal workshop venue. I am honored to be one of those instructors who Selena has personally invited this year along with Farasha of Las Vegas, Saz’hrah of El Paso, Raksanna of Chicago, Helena Vlahos of Phoenix, Nadia Yousif (James Yousif’s wife) from Albuquerque. One thing for sure, with the caliber of teachers at Floralia, I will be taking classes myself besides being an instructor.
A little info on my workshop class:
I am so excited because the class I am teaching on Sunday is my favorite kind…….. a mix of my restaurant secrets and tips on how to work a room especially those spaces that are small, confining and suggestions on how to handle those occasional grumpy diners. You will be learning combinations that work best for restaurant dancing and a different kind of layering with sharp and soft hip combinations. There is a mind set that is required for restaurant performing because we are closer in proximity to customers and we can unintentionally invade their space. So there are a few dos and don’ts I will be sharing with dancers who are ready to venture into restaurant dancing. Plus the little secret I’ll be letting you in on will be my techniques for getting good tips from customers that are easy and rewarding to say the least! All in all it will be a very exciting 4 days!
The best part of all will be making new friends and meeting dancers from all over the US. So I’m looking forward to seeing all of you at Floralia and doing what we all do best which is having fun, laughing and of course dancing! Information to remember; Floralia Belly Dance Festival for the Goddess is April 29th-May 2nd, 2010 in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.
For more information on Floralia watch the video interview I did with Selena and then visit the links. If you’re interested in attending get in touch with Selena at the number below.
Selena Kareena 575-743-2048
