Danielle Dance

I'm embarking on a 90-day dance challenge. Here's the method to the madness. I'll also include random thoughts on dance.

[daniellebellydance]

Identity Crisis

I've been laying pretty low in the belly dance world. Although I've performed more in the past 6 months than I have in all of 2012, I've felt a certain detachment. A separation of sorts. I don't teach much right now, mostly called on to sub here and there. I don't think I've done a full fledged choreography at all (for those who have seen "Ask Yourself", it's mostly improvisation that stuck because it wasn't anything complicated). I have something brewing in my head: a song, or two, or five that's been on repeat when I'm on the train. However, I find myself not motivated to go to my living room to put it out there. I'm having difficulty making it real. I'm having difficulty in being present.

I'm lost. I have a vague idea of who I am as a dancer, but it's changing so much that I don't know when I'm showing you the person behind the mask and when I'm being a character (aside from the obvious character pieces I've done). I'm in search of that thing, that spark, that bud that will inspire me again. I also don't know what my place is in the belly dance world. I've created space from a community that I consider(ed?) my family. Why, I'm not going to get into. On the business side, I'm so disappointed in myself. I KNOW better, yet I listen to my fears and sabotage myself. I don't do the things that I need to do to better establish myself. Then again, do I want to?

People ask me if I'll be teaching regular classes anytime soon. Right now, the answer is no. I will teach privates and sub, and I'm content doing that right now. Plus, I'm also focusing on laying the foundation for me as a yoga teacher, but that's a different topic for a different day. I've done quite a number on my body over the years to the point that I don't think my hip will ever be pain-free. Most importantly, I want to be a student again. I want to find something new that I haven't discovered about belly dance. I want to fall in love with it again. After almost twelve years of belly dance, four of them teaching, I've earned that right.

[daniellebellydance]

What is the 90 day dance challenge?

It was inspired by a belly dancer by the name of Alia Thabit, where she would dance every day for 90 days and record her thoughts. It could be anything from moving meditation to teaching to even doing mental choreography. Every day provided a different perspective.

[fuckyouilikethis-blog]

[faisdm]

*flails* DO WANT!

[ktshy]

Lovely reading nooks.

[daniellebellydance]

Love!!!

[daniellebellydance]

Mandanah's drum solo Belly Dance (by drumteacher1)

[daniellebellydance]

DC Day 90: This is It!

I made it! 90 days worth of dance, whether it was actually physical or mental. I actually did it. I completed the 90 days.

Today, I opted for a handstand class. It was tough to motivate myself to go since it's drab and wet and cold in NYC, but I hauled ass. I'm glad I did. I needed to get back into a consistent practice of handstands, anyway. What really stuck out to me was that I have this tendency to shift my weight to my left hand. What that means is that my right side is stronger than my left side. I notice it in my dance, but it was especially apparent right then and there.

I don't take care of my body as well as I should. I have an injury in my hip and glute that has yet to heal. I don't rest when I should. I eat horribly. I don't work out. All of that will change. I get to do what I love. I want to be able to do it at 90.

Where will I go with this tumblr? I don't know. Does anyone want to see anything in particular?

[daniellebellydance]

DC Day 89: One More To Go...

I have one more day of the dance challenge. I'm excited yet sad that I'm nearing the end. It's challenging to write every day about dance, but it was a great journey.

I finally have Cera's planner. I'm really excited to use it. So far, my only thing is that I wish the dates were actually blank so that I could put it in manually. Other than that, it's definitely something that I'll need to keep me accountable as I head into 2013.

I also took the plunge and bought a pole dance class! That's right! After a long hiatus, I'm finally heading back to Body and Pole. I'm so excited to come back to it. I'll definitely need to find a way to do it on a consistent basis.

[daniellebellydance]

DC Day 88: Holiday Travel, pt. 2

Anyone who's my friend on facebook knows the ordeal of trying to get to the airport despite being stuck in traffic. Basically, the whole experience had me in a panic, and it takes a lot for me to panic. 

The plus side is that I didn't sleep much. It left me a lot of time to think of the choreography. It came in bits and spurts. Alas, I left my iPhone in my bag in the overhead compartment, and I was too lazy to go get it. Still, I could hear the music, and I could see it. It's time to make it into reality.

[daniellebellydance]

DC Day 87: Getting Closer

There's something that I'm not a fan of. I think every belly dancer can identify with this. I hate that when I tell people I'm a belly dancer that people want to see me dance on the spot or teach them something. If I'm not in the mood for it, it's not going to happen.

[daniellebellydance]

Day 86: Merry Christmas!

I'm operating a day behind, so bear with me. Within yesterday's craziness, it was near impossible to find some alone time to drill or practice. However, I did. Here, in the family home, there are a lot of mirrors. I managed to sneak in a few moments of drilling before I spent time with my family. Only four more days left.

[daniellebellydance]

DC Day 85: JFK-FLL

You know what is fun to do while waiting for your luggage? Drill! That's what I did yesterday. I would have actually posted yesterday, but I only slept while on the plane.

[daniellebellydance]

DC Day 84: The Final Days

As I'm preparing for my trip to Florida, I'm finding little moments to shape up my shimmy technique. I have a few songs that I find to be great shimmy songs because there's a distinct percussive rhythm, so I'd have to match my hips to the music. It's challenging, but it's what I have to do to get better.

I find myself stuck with Airbreaker. It's mostly the main verse of the tune. It calls for everything but belly dance, but I'm a belly dancer. I teach belly dance. This combo needs to have belly dance in it! I'm hoping that the break will allow me to find my creative juices. Choreographer problems.

I indulged myself and ordered Cera Byer's Dancer Planner. I'm certain that it will be waiting for me while I am in Florida, but I am most excited about the book. I'm in need of creating structure for myself as a dancer, and I'm the kind of person who needs something tangible to look at over and over. I'll certainly post pictures of my progress!

[daniellebellydance]

DC Day 83: The Starving Artist

One of the not so fun things about being an artist and a temp is the inconsistent income. When there's inconsistent income, that means the opportunities of taking classes are minimal. I hate that I can't afford to take the classes that I wish to take. If I could, I would spend my time either at the gym, the studio, the dance floor or the stage. Comes back to the business of being a dancer. Getting the finances in order... Big goal for 2013.

[daniellebellydance]

Dancer Problem # 635

The callous on my foot is coming off. This is very inconvenient as I will have to build it back up again.

[daniellebellydance]

DC Day 82: The Roots, pt. 2?

I'm really getting that itch to go back to cabaret. No, this does not mean that I'm renouncing my fusion dance. I want to take the time to go back and develop the belly dance side even further. I need to re-familiarize myself with the rhythms, enhance my technique, and master zills. You heard it first. I, Danielle, want to master zills. The bane of my existence as a belly dancer. I need it to become a better dancer.

Time to embark on the cabaret teacher search!

[daniellebellydance]

DC Day 81: Trust

One of the important aspects of being a teacher is trust. The students are trusting that the teacher knows what she is doing, that she has the mastery of her technique and she can explain it well. The teacher must trust that the students will be in attendance every week ready for whatever she'll teach.

Tonight was my last class of 2012, and it was admittedly all over the place (at least by my standards). I usually have an idea of what I want to teach when I'm in the shower. It goes out of the window by the time the music starts. At the very least, I try to think of one thing to focus on for a song or two. I did my usual stuff, but decided to do pelvic locks on the down with chest lift/drop on the half beat while traveling. It's up to me to be able to offer and break down a challenging layer. On occasion, I'll flub up something. However, I will never teach something I don't know how to do. I always want to make sure that I can do it before I offer it to my students. After all, they are trusting me with their safety, and I am going to make sure that their bodies are safe and sound. I'll push and I'll challenge but it is always with the intention that we can be the best dancer possible.

I'm honored to have their trust. I'm glad they have mine.

[daniellebellydance]

DC Day 80: 10 More Days!

YAY! I really don't have much to say about teaching today. I'm really on this knee-driven shimmy kick, so I'm rolling with that.

I think I'll have more tomorrow.

[daniellebellydance]

DC Day 79: Choo Choo!

Today was the final Tuesday class of 2012. It was a small class, but I dig it. It allows for more in depth correction. It also allows me for having some flexibility with what I want to teach. Sometimes, I have an idea. Sometimes, I like to ask if there's something the class would like to work on. More often than not, I'll allow my intuition to guide me.

Tonight was all about intuition. I've been really intent on focusing on utilizing a different approach to hip work, and today was my chance. Normally, I've of the Suhaila school of glute-driven shimmy. Today, I took the Jill Parker knee-driven shimmy. I prefer it by far. It looks better on my body. Plus, my choo choos look better with a knee-driven shimmy.

Choo choo. That will be the theme of the next two classes. Choo choo! Choo choo!