DanceTastic Tuesday: UNIQLO MIXPLAY 0 comments

I particularly love this because of the dancers' ability to remain so still. The pop & lock movements give it a robotic feel but it's the stillness that creates the illusion of machines. (That, and I think hip hop Asian boys are just cute as buttons).

~N

mood: tom soup and grilled cheese

Happy Hedonistic Holidays 2 comments

Here is the clip of Tanya Lemani dancing in the Star Trek episode Wolf in the Fold. I thought it would be fitting since her costume looks like Christmas tree tinsel. I also get a kick of bellydancing being associated with a "hedonistic society". They even imply all of the women there are prostitutes. Way to go 1960's stereotypes!

I hope you all are having a "Hedonistic" Holiday without getting into too much trouble.

http://www.tanyalemani.com/

~N

Now playing: The Guru
mood: spiced cider

A side project. 0 comments

I've been sitting on this for over a year. Not BD related.
A side project here.

~N

Now listeing: Damien Rice
mood: a better hollandaise sauce

Making a Ruffled/Lettuce Hem on a Skirt 1 comments

I've had these pics on my computer for a while and keep forgetting to post them. This shows how I zigzag stitched clear fishing line to the inside hem of a skirt to created a ruffled edge. I held the fishing line in the center of the foot as the needle zigzagged back and forth over the top of it. It was that simple.

You may also see fishing line or something similar stitched under the fold of a rolled hem on chiffon skirts. You can see this on one of my professionally made skirts on this post. Bead work was added after the hem was stitched. The fishing line retains a coiled shape from the spool creating a ruffled lettuce edge around the bottom of the skirt.

Pretty spify, huh?

~N

Mood: wool socks

Meanwhile 0 comments

I am currently working on a side art project. I will share if it ever comes to fruition. Meanwhile, the secret project dance rehearsals are going well. We have one gal in the hospital, (HI KC!), for an unknown amount of time. She will most likely not be on her feet for dancing any time soon. So, I am re-staging all of the 5 dancer pieces down to 4 dancers in case that happens.

~N

Now playing: Not Another Christmas Album
mood: cereal

If I had $60 1 comments

3-DVD Package Deal!!
Buy all three together & save!
Also sign up for the free teleconferences for the DVDs you buy

BONUS: INCLUDES BALADI, MODERN ORIENTAL & CLASSICAL ORIENTAL TELECONFERENCES(ONE CONFERENCE FOR EACH DVD)

SPECIAL: FREE PERFORMANCE DVD WITH PURCHASE OF
3-DVD INSTRUCTIONAL PACKAGE pick one performance DVD "Layali Lafayette" or "Live at the Hookah Lounge" as a bonus gift

That's 4 DVDs AND you get free teleconferences with each teaching DVD where you call in to a mass virtual meeting to discuss the DVDs with Ranya. How cool is that?
http://www.ranya.net/shop.html DVD page
http://www.ranya.net/dvdinfo.html Teleconference info

~N

Now watching: Jpop videos
mood: dark chocolate coffee anything

655 Friends 4 comments

I received a friend invite from some random guy on tribe.net. This guy has 655 friends, all of which are women.

ALL OF THEM!

Not one guy in the bunch. I know, I looked. Ok ladies, you'd think chick #100 would have suspected something pervy but 655?!! Maybe I'm a little 20th century but this kind of creeps me out. Way to go random dude at dupping 655 women into internet stupidity.

~N

Africa 0 comments

I try to keep my posts bellydance related. This has nothing to do with BD other than the song is called Africa. Part of which contains Egypt. Which is considered one of the many birthplaces of BD. So that's really the only connection.

But really, I'm posting this because it is probably the BEST cover of Toto's Africa

E V E R !

fo' reals

I hope you enjoy.
~N

For the Purists 0 comments

It's like a picture book of Egyptian culture.
Cairo/Giza Daily Photo Blog

~N

Now listening: Pandora Radio
mood: apples in any incarnation that includes cinnamon

Naima Exchange Goes to Springdale, AR. 0 comments

'Convenient' roadside bathroom

I left for my first out of town Naima Exchange shortly after 7am on Saturday morning. I made it to Springdale a bit before 10am for our class at the Library. We had a nice private room that had a small raised stage. I spent my time on the floor instead of the stage. The stage seemed far away from everyone. I did a head count of the students but I can't remember now. 12 or so?

Library stage backdrop

This would be where I talk in detail about class but I'm never satisfied with how I teach. I think it is because, despite my notes and prep, I blank out on certain topics and feel flustered. Which is ironic. Dance Easy. Teach Hard. The students were satisfied though. That's the important part.

We worked for 2hrs before breaking for lunch. We went to the Pontiac Coffee House where I had a club sandwich and a "Peachy Keeno", a banana and peach smoothie suggested by my host Anala. We stopped by the Security Bank to set up tables and chairs for the hafla followed by a trip to the Shiloh Museum with Anala and her husband. Then we made a quick trip to a local dance supply shop for browsing.

Stuffed "Pilgrim" prairie dog at Shiloh Museum

Raqs Akia's first hafla was super fun. They had a very well planned pot luck with everything from cider to kabobs to baklava. Many people donated door prizes and names where drawn throughout the evening. We played "Who Am I?", a party game where you have a famous name taped to your back and you have to ask yes or no questions to figure out "who you are." We also played "Teacher Says", a version of Simon Says only with bellydance moves.

Who am I? I'm Xena Warrior Princess!

Raks Akia

First Solo

Rompi Rompi

Tiny Dancer

Your's turely

All smiles

Thanks to whoever grabbed my camera and took some shots of me dancing. I don't remember who took them now. I also don't remember smiling much when I was dancing. I think my poor coffee planning allowed fatigue to kick in about this point.

All in all, I had a great time even with the drive home through a ridiculous rain storm. I made out like a bandit too. I receive a thank you gift, won a door prize, and 3 awesome meals (including a kick-ass pomegranate martini made by Anala's husband.) I look forward to my next trip down. I plan on loading the car up with some of the Springfield gals and we will all have a big rocking bellydance hafla.

HOOO!

~N

Now watching: Sense and Sensibility (1995)
mood: TURKEY and PIE!!