Guess i shoulda started here first, but got distracted by other forums...
My names Mikey, I've joined to become more involved and educate myself on the subject of Belly Dance. I can't say I've taken lessons from a teacher, but have collected some 16 instructional DVD's but become interested in the urban Egyptian style Baladi after Hilary Thackers set and then kinda fell inlove with Baladi after Ranya Renee's very well done instructional DVD. I've only just become aware of Hafla's, and hope to get down to in London, as there must one, if not more. Think i've just seen one called Saqarah on here!
I've made some errors not being to aware of how costume goes with any given tradition or style of Belly Dance of divers countries of the Near and Middle East.
I've been documenting my progress on Youtube with my friends (who are more or less moral supporters) and anyone else who may pass by them, made some good acquiantances along the way. I've also shared the learning curve on Livejournal, but sometimes find people take pleasure in breaking you down rather than giving feedback or advice. And now here, a proper site for Belly Dance D), in all instances some just condescend, while others give sound critique. Either way you learn something if not of yourself, then of others! Styles, techniques, traditions and folklore, as well as becoming aware of musical artist and/or performers.
But since August 09 i've not stopped, and every week or so make a vid and compete against myself if you will to get better, watching pro's and natives on Youtube doing their dance, trying to pick up on subtleties and nuances.
I hope to get more involved in the Belly Dance community, find my niche, most likely in Baladi, one day even perform if i'm not too old by then, as I'm already 26, but I've seen unlike the pop industry the dancers of Baladi tend to be matured anyways, i do hatha at an intermediate level, and weigth train, take care of the aesthetics too, so hopefully when I get there I wont be to ancient!
Its actually taken a while to bring my mind round to the contained sensual reserve and sens of nostalgia of Baladi, to developing an understanding of the culture and respect for this folklore. Luckily my mother was a folklore dancer in her home country, who was influenced by Ottoman occupation, which influenced so much folklore about Eastern Europe and Near and Middle East, and grew up listening to similar music from Bosna and Herzgovina, as well as Dalmatia.
My names Mikey, I've joined to become more involved and educate myself on the subject of Belly Dance. I can't say I've taken lessons from a teacher, but have collected some 16 instructional DVD's but become interested in the urban Egyptian style Baladi after Hilary Thackers set and then kinda fell inlove with Baladi after Ranya Renee's very well done instructional DVD. I've only just become aware of Hafla's, and hope to get down to in London, as there must one, if not more. Think i've just seen one called Saqarah on here!
I've made some errors not being to aware of how costume goes with any given tradition or style of Belly Dance of divers countries of the Near and Middle East.
I've been documenting my progress on Youtube with my friends (who are more or less moral supporters) and anyone else who may pass by them, made some good acquiantances along the way. I've also shared the learning curve on Livejournal, but sometimes find people take pleasure in breaking you down rather than giving feedback or advice. And now here, a proper site for Belly Dance D), in all instances some just condescend, while others give sound critique. Either way you learn something if not of yourself, then of others! Styles, techniques, traditions and folklore, as well as becoming aware of musical artist and/or performers.
But since August 09 i've not stopped, and every week or so make a vid and compete against myself if you will to get better, watching pro's and natives on Youtube doing their dance, trying to pick up on subtleties and nuances.
I hope to get more involved in the Belly Dance community, find my niche, most likely in Baladi, one day even perform if i'm not too old by then, as I'm already 26, but I've seen unlike the pop industry the dancers of Baladi tend to be matured anyways, i do hatha at an intermediate level, and weigth train, take care of the aesthetics too, so hopefully when I get there I wont be to ancient!
Its actually taken a while to bring my mind round to the contained sensual reserve and sens of nostalgia of Baladi, to developing an understanding of the culture and respect for this folklore. Luckily my mother was a folklore dancer in her home country, who was influenced by Ottoman occupation, which influenced so much folklore about Eastern Europe and Near and Middle East, and grew up listening to similar music from Bosna and Herzgovina, as well as Dalmatia.