Back from India, all refreshed and browner :)

I have to say that this time around, the trip was a heck lot more enjoyable because we didn't rush around as much. We had time to do the workshops that we really wanted and also time to wind down and simply relax in Goa. That, overall was awesome.

Overall, the India Fiesta Latina was a great festival. We made new friends, got to know some old friends better and danced all night since the time we landed till the end of the festival. I have to say that there are some pretty impressive Indian salsa teams, and some, like Bad Salsa were jaw-droppingly good.

We performed a more polished cha cha piece and the extra effort showed. The only downside is that my partner fractured his foot and was unable to perform, hence I only worked the shines with the ladies...but still. I have to say though, that the thrill for performing is still there. Even though the butterflies have diminished over time, when you are on stage and presenting a piece that you've all worked so hard for, it IS worth it.

Dance Unlimited Singapore performance team

In addition to the usual partner/shines/styling workshops that we all did, I managed to snag a place in the workshop with Meher Malik. I had no idea who she was at first, but after watching some videos of her dancing on Youtube, I was really excited. Because there are run-of-the mill belly dancers and then there are belly dancers who simply dance with a joy de vive that is absolutely a delight to watch.  The only downside of her workshop was that it was overrun by over enthusiastic, rabid fans who were more interested in watching and talking with her over learning something substantial. That said, I still went for the workshop and came out with this:



Would someone please bring this woman down to Singapore for classes? There are so many things we can learn from her! Heh...

There is just so much to cover with the trip and all but then again, you can see those photos for yourself. Enjoy! For I surely did :)

And possibly juggling, jumping through a burning hoop, making miracles happen...wait, I do that shit at work. But for now, this will do :) 

Heck, at least now I have a cane which comes in handy in crowded trains, malls and also for when I feel the urge to break into Singing in the Rain! 

If you are in the performing arts, you'd have to get used to a few uncomfortable things.

1. The mirror.  It should be your friend. No, not so you can preen all the time but so you can see yourself and how totally retarded you look as you attempt various moves. Just try not to stare too hard or laugh too loudly at other people or yourself as you attempt your moves. The good part about having that mirror is so that you can correct all your retardation to make it somewhat smooth.
2. Criticism. Everyone will get it. Most importantly, you  have to hear what is being said and put it into your performance to enhance it. Over the years, I've gotten my fair share of tough love and while it is never easy to deal with, once you address your issues and work on them, you will find that progress will come much easier.
3. Solos. A couple of weeks ago, I got the chance to teach my fellow dancers a short choreo as part of our musicality training. No matter how long you've been dancing, sometimes the best way to learn about the music and how to listen is to come up with your own little masterpiece. I have to admit that even a 30sec piece was tough as I had to execute not only the moves for the girls but for the boys. I have new respect for choreographers and so do not want to be in their shoes!
4. Competition. Sometimes the competition for a dancer is not with everyone else but with themselves. Because there will always be someone better, faster and more agile than you. But the onus is on yourself to push as hard as you can in order to get to the next level. You just have to know that blood, sweat and tears are part of this shindig. The rewards are immeasurable but extremely satisfying at the end.   

Last week, I completed the Intermediate 3 class for Belly Dancing. Ana Dana was an interesting little choreo because for the first time, I had to do a choreo which relied on its coyness and sensuality. Watching this video and listening to my instructor's critique, I know that I still have much to work not only in terms of technicality and movement.

Despite it's exotic roots, Belly Dancing is not about being sexual...it's about sensuality and celebrating the female form. Hence, there are no movements where the performers touch themselves unlike in exotic or burlesque. Watching this video and others over the course of a year's worth of lessons, I'm pleased that there has been some improvement in terms of my movements. Now to work on refinement!


As always, there is always an aspiration. This time it is Sadie. She may be American but she also has the moves and the spirit of the dance down. Working my way towards moving like that!

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It's been more than half a year since I've taken up belly dancing and I have to say that I've yet to get bored. It has been an uphill climb to learn some of the moves though, but then it's no fun to learn something which is really easy.

This last intermediate class was fun because we learnt how to incorporate props. In this case, a veil. Which sounds like a piece of cake, right? Not really. In the beginning, we had a whole bunch of flailing females in class. It's hard to to look at yourself in the mirror to snigger. Or in some cases laugh your ass off because you looked like a demented butterfly. Which in my case is most of the time...heh.



I have to say that although it's not as tough as ballet, belly dancing moves takes a lot more time to master because you have to gain fluidity and grace that makes everything look easy. Despite dancing for some time now, I recognize that it will take some doing before I can get to even close to Shakira's level.

But still, it's not an insurmountable a challenge, right?

I love all the drama of dancing and the challenge of learning a new choreo, it gets me all excited :) Ok, so you may think that videos are self indulgent but it really helps you learn from your mistakes. And in my case, it's that plus try not to fall on my face or crack up like a loon.



That, my friends was Belly Dancing, Level 2. And for my next trick, it will be to get my Shakira groove on (Yay! I'm mad, I know). This is the song for level 3. Good luck to me and my fellow classmates.

I've always been fascinated by belly dancing. Long before it was commercialized by pop stars, I always thought that it would be an interesting dance to pick up. There is something so sensual about a woman who has total control over her body and who knows that she can use that power to captivate her audience. I actually learnt the basics a few years back with Corrin but then, we had a very erratic teacher who was more interested in just dancing than showing a pair of newbies the foundation moves.

On J's recommendation, I signed up with Belly Dance Discovery, one of the leading belly dancing schools in Singapore. Thanks Yanti, for the scarf, that certainly got me going :o) Thus far, classes have been great, although, not as easy as it looks. The amount of control that you need to build up is amazing. I find myself constantly challenged in each class, which is a great thing. So, at the end of the first eight weeks, here is the Level 1 video. Not as funny as the pole one, but still, not as bad as I thought it would be.