Newly relocated to Southern Washington....

Amira_116

New member
Hi everyone!

I've been sticking to local forums, and decided to expand my horizons so to speak.

I've been dancing about 30 years, starting in California where I studied with Angelika Nemeth, Beata Zadou, Shareen el Safy. When I moved to Northern California I studied at the Salimpour School of Dance, then joined Suhaila's Dance Company. I've also studied with Rachel Brice extensively, as well as other fabulous dancers - I've been really lucky that way. I'm not a 'natural dancer' in that I have to really WORK to be any good, so learning from the best has helped a lot.

I've just moved from California to Southern Washington - Vancouver area - and am completely at a loss in my life. I gave up a good-paying job, students, a business and decades worth of contacts in the area to move north with the hubby.

The very first time I was to perform up here since the move, which was last Saturday, I got through my intro section, turned to go into the fast part, and heard the weirdest POP in my leg. Yep, I tore a tendon! So now I am using my dance cane to actually WALK!!! Never thought I'd get to that point even if I'm not a spring chicken any more :)

I'd love to connect with dancers in the area, but I'm happy just to have folks to talk dance with!

Hey, does anyone out there speak Egyptian? I've been learning a while and would love someone to practice with too.

Let's see...what else? Oh, I design and make costumes, I do solo and troupe choreographies, I've been a troupe director for a gazillion years, and I love animals, especially cats and camels :) I've been to Egypt twice so far and hope to go again this winter.

I really hope to make some friends on the board here. And now, I'd better go feed the cats before they beat me up!

It's great to be here.

Jana "Amira"
Essence of Egypt Dance Company/Enchantment Unlimited Entertainment
www. howtobellydance.com
 

Lotus Dancer

New member
Hello and Welcome,
Congratulations on your move.
Wow what a Wonderful History of Dance you have!! You have certainly been Blessed.
I am sure you will recover well. (it can happen to us at any age, I did mine at 23, turned and out 'whack' there it went.) But Lady I certainly didn't have a bellydance cane to walk with, your doing it in style hee-hee.
I did some w/shops here in Aus with Rachel Brice also. WOW. Her dance is just effortless. Simply stunning.
My own dance evolved after her instruction. I am forever grateful for having the chance to learn from her.
Well I am sure you will Love this forum as much as I do. It's a wonderful place to be.
Smiles to you from Down Under.
Lotus Dancer.
 

Marya

Member
Hi there, welcome to the forum.

The Vancouver/Portland area is a hot bed of dance. Are you on the MEDPDX yahoo list and David Reihs's list? there is also Bellytalk (yahoo) which is mostly Seattle area.

I like this list because it is international.

Marya
 

Amira_116

New member
Hi Marya!

Yes, I'm on MEDPDX. I haven't heard of David Reihs's list - do you have a website I can get onto it from? I'll try Bellytalk too. I'm actually planning on doing some workshops for Saqra's series up in Seattle, so it wouldn't hurt to get on that one.

Talking bellydance with everyone is a ton of fun anyway, and I've gotten to have friends all over the world through meeting online. It IS my major lifelong obsession!

Thanks for the leads on the lists.

Jana
 

gypsydanse

New member
Welcome!

I would suggest also joining Bhuz.com. There are lots of dancers in the Portland/Washington area on there. Plus you'll make lots of contacts, and have fun discussing various things. It becomes an addiction after a while.:)
 

Amira_116

New member
Hey Lotus

I've been very lucky to have studied with so many great dancers, but I also know I've made my own luck - I've been determined to improve no matter what the cost, and I've kept looking for the best teachers. Sometimes the best dancers are NOT the best teachers, too.

Rachel was really inspiring to me. I took a weekly class in San Francisco and weekly privates at her flat, and I got to know her as a person as well as a dancer. It's funny learning from someone who has much less time in, but her yoga background helped her finally fix a posture issue I'd had for years, that no one else was able to help me with. Two minutes, and my posture improved incredibly! So I've been able to add some of what I learned from her to my own style, and have really grown in my dance as a result. I'll never be a big time tribal dancer, but my time with her was very well spent.

The leg is healing, thankfully, but I'm still caning my way around town! I'm teaching my classes anyway, and it's going ok, but I can't wait to be fully recovered and back in the dance vibe.

I hope to still be dancing until I can no longer walk, so maybe this is just practice for then? LOL :)
 

Marya

Member
Yes, I'm on MEDPDX. I haven't heard of David Reihs's list - do you have a website I can get onto it from? I'll try Bellytalk too. I'm actually planning on doing some workshops for Saqra's series up in Seattle, so it wouldn't hurt to get on that one.

Talking bellydance with everyone is a ton of fun anyway, and I've gotten to have friends all over the world through meeting online. It IS my major lifelong obsession!

Thanks for the leads on the lists.

Jana

Here is the information about David's list:

Portland Middle Eastern Arts Update operated by: David Reihs
Middle Eastern Musician, Promoter, Instructor
dhavir productions www.dhavir.com
Portland, Oregon / Istanbul, Turkey

Dedicated to the Celebration of the
World's Finest Entertainers and Instructors of
Middle Eastern Performance Arts

Subscribe to the dhavir productions newsletter and Portland Middle Eastern Arts Update to receive regular announcements of Middle Eastern performance arts in Portland, Oregon and The Greater Northwest. Email david@dhavir.com to sign up.

Marya
 

Amira_116

New member
Hi Marya

Thanks a bunch! I've emailed him.

Appreciate the leads.

I'm also looking for more places to list my classes if anyone knows of good directories. I'm in several but certainly not all of them.

Amira
 

AngelaJP

New member
Welcome to the family, Jana! Wow, you have an impressive dance background! Hope you can post photos of costumes you have made and designed. I'm in the process now of looking for a designer/dressmaker here in my city to make my first ever bd costume :D

Cheers!
Angela
 

Amira_116

New member
Hi Angela!

Thanks! I'm diving right in here.

Yes, I'll be posting all kinds of photos as time allows.

What kind of costume are you thinking about? If you want, I'm happy to help you design something or decide on a great style for you.

Do you have any bellydance festivals in your area? That's a great place to try on costumes and decide what style you like best.

Let me know if I can help in any way. :) I love costuming stuff!

Jana
 
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