___

Dance after your 20s?  Never thought it possible, but then I took a belly dance class with my teenage daughter at a local educational center and discovered that a world does indeed exist for those of us who need a creative outlet.

The artist at work.

THERE IS SO MUCH TO LEARN!  After years of study, I feel I've just begun this adventure- tribal locks and smooth, muscle isolations ala Rachel Brice will give me goals to last a life time; those fabulous, Rom gestures and full skirt combos (28 yards at the bottom tier!) still have many roads to be explored.  And then there's Bollywood- egads, how fun is that?!

I love it all.  That's why I dance.   That's why I teach.  I want to introduce this passion to as many women as I can and set them on their explorations.  Discover other styles with other instructors- I think that's wonderful.  LEARN LEARN LEARN!  And then we can all dance together, under the moon, around the fire, women with unleashed spirits soaring, learning, growing, sharing...

...All because of this beautiful art we simply call, The Dance~

You are most welcomed here.

Still want more about me?  I study as much as I can, when I can and try to teach the same moves in several different ways, hoping to discover the one that makes you go "Oh, that's what you're doing."  I've been dancing for six years and consider myself a student, always.  I will never master this, as it grows and changes constantly.  I only teach what I love, and I strongly encourage my students to work with other teachers to discover the style that works best for them.

I've taken many, many workshops with greatly renowned dancers and unknown gems alike.  I travel yearly to Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis and elsewhere to study what simply isn't available here.  I'll do this as long as I can, doing the best that I can and no more, and then I'll sit in our garden and watch my daughters dance.  I am not one of the "greats" and never will be, but I will share with you what I've learned, encourage you, offer a shoulder and a note of reality when needed, and we'll laugh, often and thoroughly.

Blessings~

I MADE A DVD?

With a Great Friend and Bollywood Artist, Pallavi, why yes, yes I did!  LOL~

 

I Made A DVD!
With a Great Friend and Bollywood Artist, Pallavi~

 

If someone were to say on January 01, 2009 that the year would end with me being a writer, director and producer of an instructional bollywood DVD, I would have laughed until my sides ached.  But there ya go- you just never know what doors will open until you decide to knock.

Last spring, I began taking classes with Pallavi in St. Louis to feed my hunger for Bollywood dancing-it's simply joyous.  It lifts my spirits as soon as the music begins, and the exotic movements feed my creative spirit.

I decided to travel to St. Louis because there was no way to study beyond my self-studies here, and I was really frustrated with the limited exposure to good workshops and the lack of instructional dvds for full dances...

After one class, I knew Pallavi was exceptional.  Pallavi was teaching us an incredibly fun and full Bollywood dance routine.  I just couldn't understand why the market was filled with bellydance dvds teaching full choreographies, but I couldn't find anything for bollywood dances!

So, I told Pallavi at the second class, we should make one.

The insane woman said yes.

And we were off and running.

There was so much to learn.  I can't believe how much we covered in such a short time- the details are endless.  From registering Cue sheets with the national songwriters guild to and endless array of technical jargon.

Would I do anything differently now that we've been through the whole creation and production process?  Oh my heavens, YES!  The next one will benefit greatly from the lessons we learned.

But for a first time attempt, I'm feeling proud.  There is always room for improvement, but I wouldn't change the path we took for anything.

I made a great friend- Pallavi is an incredibly giving and warm woman.  Her family opened their doors to me with welcoming smiles that never ended.  Her kids are GREAT, and her husband helped us out more than once and I know that he gave Pallavi the same strength my husband generously gave me when she and I were ready to pull our hair out and jump off the St. Louis arch.

But we're still here, and we have full heads of hair.  I do have a few grey hairs on my eyebrows that weren't there before.  (And may I just add,  pthththtbbbbbbt to that.)  But we made it through, all the same.

I'm still trying to process everything- it was overwhelming more than once.  I know now that my husband is truly a saint.  My children really do love me, and miss me when I'm not here.  My dance sisters are goddesses.

And my heart is full of gratitude.  Endless, endless gratitude.