Greetings from Kentucky

[TreTre]

Hi everyone! I am an EXTREME novice at belly dance (maybe six classes in?), but I do believe I have become addicted. I've lurked here a few days to find answers to a few questions, so I felt I owed y'all the courtesy of an introduction.

I come to dance from a music background. I am a multi-instrumentalist in a variety of styles--years ago, in fact, I contributed darbuka and guitar to a few belly dance performances--and perform and record my own oddball pop tunes. Of course, I'm also a huge record nerd, and I love everything from Andalusian psychedelic rock to Detroit techno to Van Halen to Debussy... if it's groovy, I'm on board.

I've always loved belly dance--the subtlety, the intricacy, the rhythm--and only recently decided it is something I should try out. It has been a challenge, as I've never thought much about movement beyond the fingers and wrists, but, as I said before, I LOVE it! I had the past week off of work, and found myself spending hours drilling moves to whatever popped up on Spotify (sadly shirking a number of home improvement projects).

I'm excited to see the community here; this is an overwhelming knowledge base (and I'm pleased to see that male dancers are nowhere near as rare as I'd anticipated). I look forward to talking with you all!

Trevor

 

[Shanazel]

Welcome, Trevor! How cool to meet a baby dancer who is also an instrumentalist. Hope you'll stick around and contribute lots of stuff.

 

[Zorba]

Welcome aboard. My family is from Kentucky. You'll probably find Zills easy enough to play - I did. Now dancing while playing them was an entirely different story!

 

[TreTre]

Welcome aboard. My family is from Kentucky.

Very cool! Whereabouts? I frequently find myself defending my decision to stay here, but I do really love this state.

You'll probably find Zills easy enough to play - I did. Now dancing while playing them was an entirely different story!

The zills did come easy, but I definitely cannot incorporate them into any movements yet. I expected some of the musician skill set to carry over to, but dance is so much more complex!

 

[Zorba]

Very cool! Whereabouts? I frequently find myself defending my decision to stay here, but I do really love this state.

I have an aunt who lives in Louisville, but more distant relatives all over the state. My Surname is fairly common in Ky. My grandfather was a coal miner in his early years, my father had dim memories of the 1930/31 Battle of Evarts. Later, grandpa was a Methodist minister - in those days ministers were moved around quite a bit - my father lived all over. E-town, Lebanon Junction, Elkton (where he met my mother), Hopkinsville, Shepherdsville, maybe Bowling Green - I'm sure there were plenty of others. Grandparents retired in Leitchfield and are buried there. More family was in Bardstown (I *LOVE* Bardstown!), but that branch is now extinct.

The zills did come easy, but I definitely cannot incorporate them into any movements yet. I expected some of the musician skill set to carry over to, but dance is so much more complex!

My teacher had a simple dance with a simple zill part. I practiced it for an hour (minimum) every day for 6 weeks before I could dance and play the zills at the same time. Then I showed my teacher who pointed out that I'd learned part of it wrong. So I got to undo and relearn part of it! The biggest tip for learning Zills I've ever heard is to NOT stand still, and to NOT hold your arms in one position either. I've found that if I can do "Snake Arms" while playing a new pattern, I've pretty much got it down.

 

[Mosaic]

Welcome to the forum. Being a multi-talented instrumentalist, I am sure you will soon be dancing up a storm - enjoy the journey.
~Mosaic

 

[Selene]

Welcome!!!

Musician and now a dancer, ohhhh I am sure we will be hearing from you soon! Have fun!

 

[danijane]

I took my first classes in Kentucky! Hi there!

 

[Trumpets Go!]

hi too