Ya Salam

Ya Salam - I choreographed this piece for my beginner - intermediate student in last year. This group were with me for 3 months then they skipped to intermediate level. This music was my FIRST workshop (learn how to choreograph) with Samra (USA) in 2006. They were filled with a desire to learn, with a passion to explore. Cheers for belly dance.

Making Our Own Costumes

Our own made beaded costumes

Belly Dance Costumes Competition in Nov 07







Joey&Hubby
Annie & Popo




Ho…ho..ho…Last night I finally finished my tribal tassel belt. My bra top finished a couple of weeks ago. I’m now waiting to sew the 10 yards tribal skirt. As you know, there were no local vendors of bra and belt sets we could find here, the only resource I had was searching on line, or buying from a small vendor who sold pretty Indian scarves, beads, coins and bells to make my own costume.

I know my student are very smart, creative, once I show them mine, they will know how to decorate for their own. I remember how the audience ooh and aah over their beaded costume during our 2nd annual hafla show.

We have been so blessed by this dance and the many things it has brought to us – the beauty, sensual, friendship, self expression, confidence, fitness & health. It is important we can share it together.

My final words for costume - Costume enhance your dance, the audience only watch your costume for few second. So, choose the appropriate and less expensive costume that fit you if you are at beginner level, once you reach intermediate, you'll have a better idea of what your style of dance is and what style of costume best fit your body. Most importantly, know your music and dance with your music, of course enjoy yourself! That is what belly dance is all about.

ATS Tribal Belly Dance

The 14 weeks sessions ATS Tribal (Fat Chance Belly Dance of Carolena Nericcio format) class went by so quickly. My student had completed the whole choreograph where they need more practice and practice. And the tribal fusion begins in end of December. Our Tribal Belly Dance journey is just beginning. Last Sunday was the 1st day for technique class. This is the class I work for my student to practice their technique drills. We will do technique drills for layering, shimmies, locks and slow movements that form the foundation of tribal fusion. They will be dancing and having fun before they know it.

We will also discuss appropriate costuming, music and history of this dance form. I will show them my tribal costume in the next lesson. Let yourself be inspired!

Invitation to perform in the Singing Competition in Nov 2008.

Kids practice behind the stage.... hey! they looks so nervous!!!

I teach many different ages and levels of student. This is one of those years when I have many little ones. It’s is usually much more fun to tech the advance ones, but it’s a big challenge to get through to the younger ones, keep them happy, have them learn something, and pass on to them my great love for belly dance.

To me, there are still so many things to learn and I still go to workshop as possible. How boring life would be without music and wonderful people to dance, to share it wonders with.

Back From Christmas Holiday

Artist images at Orchard Road

Yam....Yam.....Yammm.......Seng

Wishing both of you happy forever and "yong yuan xing fu kuai le"!

Ok well, I’m finally back from Christmas holiday. Posting some of photos while I traveled to Singapore.

Enjoy your New Year’s Eve and please be safe.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2009

I am going to take an early vacation to celebrate X’mas, to do shopping for CNY clothes. I will be back to dance with you on January 2009. I don’t want to be a slave of my laptop. Just 5 more minutes and I will turn off the computer. I want to enjoy this season - not thinking about works, deadlines, blogs to write and lessons to teach. I want to break free from computer slavery starting today up to the next weeks. Hee…hee…

"Thanks! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all! See you soon." Hope everyone travels safe and if you are going for holiday or shopping on maybe you are dumb enough to buy me cool stuff while you are out...I mean smart enough. Yeah, I meant smart.

2008 Year End Review & Belly Dance 2009

I am on my way for a year end review. This year I start off this early. This gives me an ample time to think about what would I like my goals for the next year to be. Moreover, it helps me to start planning which will support me to fulfill my goals for the next year. To simply put, I am now doing basic research, gaining knowledge, taking advice, forming strategies, making space in life for the new goals etc. In the month of January, I don’t want to scratch my head wondering how to go about with my goals. I rather want to start working on my strategy and get closer each day towards my goals.

Most of my year 2008 was spent being busy. It was an interesting year when I look back now. Arabesque Belly Dance is three and a half month old now. And the journey so far has been amazing. My body work harder and harder to adapt new activities and motions, my dance routine keeps feeling fun and challenging. The only thing I missed out is my 3rd annual hafla which I had postponed to 2009. My blog - although I have only 47 posts on this blogs, I’m happy that I have been able to share the value info for my dancers or readers. People have written such wonderful comments to me, some through direct mails and some by phone calls. This is the greatest achievement of all for me.

I’ll update this again!

My Kids Belly Dance

Tonight I brought my kids for belly dance show. People were very nice to us at the show and seemed to enjoy watching my kids belly dance. They were all ready, they remembered the choreography, and danced with their little hearts out. How lovely they looked in their red costumes & make up. I’m so proud of these beautiful girls.

We were invited to perform for Chinese New Year again. To be fair, I need to confirm with my kids whether they are available at that time. As school reopen soon my kids will be busy with their homework and tuition.

Here I’m just going to say, my kids enjoy dancing in a group and they really have fun ! I feel that it’s important for young dancers to interact and learn as a team. Team based dance provides new and existing dancers with an opportunity to have fun while learning and growing as a group.

I'm Sick

I am back from Singapore. Damn long queue, big jam all the way stretch to almost JB immigration. I was up all last night sick. My body feels terrible pain. I called office to inform them I wont be in today. I've spent the 12 hours in bed. Other then that, things are ok I suppose. I’m still so weak all over there and severe headaches. But feel a little better now that its out of my system. Boo! Luckily no class today, time to rest and maintain health.

I got so much on my mind I really don't know where to begin...I am not even sure if anyone reads my blogs so I’m still going to post. First things first we have invitation for charity show on December 31st. Well I really need to plan for what to dance on new year eve, I guess too much on my mind at the moment.

The More Practice, The More Better!

Practice drills are very important in belly dancing. The more you practice, the more you will find which muscles are used and how to drill the technique into muscle memory. One thing that is practice does not make you perfect, but you must practice until you are perfect and you will be perfect only briefly. And remember to sustain practice a new skill to become automatic or for new knowledge to become long-lasting.

Believe me, practice over and over and over – you must make sure you are executing a move correctly. When I practice, I will go through that motion. A hundred times, two hundred times, over and over. The More Practice, The More Better!

I lost my book - Dynamic Belly Dance

Back to office after 2 days of ‘hari raya haji’ holiday. I have lunch with my 2 students today and we enjoyed chatting. I'm going to singapore by tomorrow morning. Woohooo.... excited to meet my niece and attendding her wedding.

I love to read when I have the time. Especially the book for my dance education. I lost my book - Dynamic Belly Dance . I don't lose books. I remember I brought to the hair saloon to read while waiting for my turn. Yesterday I have scoured all our bookshelves and I cannot find it. For some reason, I hope I may misplace it for a while.

New Drills

I am half a sleep when writing my blog… but that’s my plan to be more active writing my life for belly dancing. Ok, I am gonna to post it.

I've been too tired the last few crazy weeks. Yes…I’m picking up a few new moves. I am actively practice every day, upper body and lower body, layering, traveling and drill drill drill….I need to really focus on my muscle, all of the different muscle groups and exercises for my tribal, then speed up and drill drill drill. I need to work on to achieve my goals. Shhhh…. it is huge amount that needs to be learned. it’s my learning journey for sure, and I love drilling.

Got to practice all those drills and find out some more to post it.

NEED A BREAK TO THINK ABOUT IT

It is Sunday and I did do some work yesterday. I'm getting some work done on my web pages. Waiting to upload.

Everyday I spend time trying to understand both an exercise and dancing current point of view in the place I live.

We all knew that exercise or dancing workout are great workout for our health. But why does everyone can't stick to any kind of program for more than a few weeks? You see, kids exercise all the time without even thinking of it. They just being active, like when they run around outside or play kickball at school field, is a kind of exercise.

It really doesn't matter which exercise or dance workout you choose. It is important to have good sweat, heart pumping, help you get into shape and make your heart happy. Remind you, you may know that your heart is a muscle. It works hard, pumping blood every day of your life.

Can you touch your toes easily without yelling ouch? Think about it and decide what you will do and when you will do it. You will be able to move around and do all the stuff you need it to do.

Something is better than Nothing. Don't think of activity is "nothing." Be happy even if you expand something new - Think of exercise as your daily vitamin.

HADIA WORKSHOP - MARCH 2009

Belly Dance Hafla 2009

I am excited for 2009. I am going to Bali in May for my own dance inspiration and education. I am hosting Hadia workshop in March 2009. Then Nigma ATS in June 2009. Hmmm....and while I know I’ll be making random updates here and there, workshop and my big big hafla event in 2009. I have stayed pretty busy writing... its just a matter of time. So stay tuned - I'll make sure to keep you all posted!

Everyone loved my Hafla (belly dance party celebration), but it is far too much work! Don’t get me wrong, I will do my 3rd annual hafla in 2009. I hope my dancers will willing to work as a committee and share the work, I would be happy.

That's about it for now. I'll keep this blog updated on a semi regular basis, with information and updates on my new website. Thanks for reading!

American Tribal Style Belly Dance

DATES FOR NIGMA WORKSHOP – JUNE 2009

Surprisingly Nigma called me far from SPAIN while I was at work yesterday. We had a long chat over the phone about her workshop.

I am pleased to welcome her back to A/Star. She is one of Master Teacher and an inspiration to me.

The workshop will be :

13-14 June 2009 Tribal Guide Level1 Stage1 Alor Star
20-21 June 2009 Tribal Guide Level1 Stage2 Alor Star

27-28 June 2009 Tribal Guide Level2 Stage1 Kuala Lumpur
04-05 July 2009 Tribal Guide Level2 Stage2 Kuala Lumpur

Private class with Nigma is available during her stay in Malaysia. Plan & Mark your calendar !!!

NEW INTAKE 2009

Since I started teaching class, I've been trying to stop watching an excessive amount of TV and focus more on getting my choreography done ahead of time. But then, I still lack of time to dance, to practice for my own.

I've always had a really hard time juggling class and work. How I wish I can quit the job to concentrate my class or dance, but it’s not the good time at the moment. I have several new beginner classes at 6pm and 8pm from Sun – Thursday. I will do the 1st and 2nd session on 8pm class, then Audrey will continue the rest. It’s been little while Audrey stop teaching class due to her workload in insurance company.

Writting My Belly Dance Website

Lately, I’ve just been so busy writing! Writing what? My website writing. I’m not quite making a great brief content categories yet. But, that’s for sure – and I’m definitely working my way up the writing ladder.

I didn’t realize it’s been 2 weeks since I’ve last posted on this blog –it shouldn’t be long now. Anyway, with the year end coming up I know I’m going to be way busy, and I hope everybody is looking forward to the year 2009 – I know I sure am!

Anyway, I wanted to keep this short – but I’ll keep in touch! And remember, keep dancing and dancing!!!

Planning for 2009

Do you know the current economy? Now that the economy is spiraling downward, some of my friends have been getting laid off of their part time jobs. Thus, we all have to save money by cutting back on some unnecessary expenses.

In December, It's very hard to stay focused on my dance schedule because X’mas mood approaching; I need to clear off my annual leave, take long holiday to stay with my family, go to Singapore visit my nieces…….

With my new class schedule, I will be doing the same throughout the years. I’m now planning for the new intake, then I will again embark in my crazy world in 2009! !