XIN NIAN KUAI LE

I wanted to wish everyone a very Hhappy Chinese New Year, wealthy, healthy and happy! I hope this year will be filled with light & love, good health, happiness, and a touch of magic! May you also be given strength and wisdom to handle all challenges that come your way!
Happy eating (and drinking) for the next 15 days! *wink*

Gong Xi Fa Chye Belly Dance Gathering

I am organising a small potluck style Chinese New Year gathering party for all belly dancers on the 5th February 2009 (Thursday) from 7:30pm onwards at Music System Dance Studio, Alor Star.

All are invited and are encouraged to bring your favarite food to share. Drinks will be provided.

There will be a few dance belly dance show from students, free dance and a special “Fashion show“ by Belly Dance Kids. Don’t forget to bring hip scarves and dance with us.

Good luck, Good Health & Prosperous Chinese New Year.!!!

Group Photos

Last night was my last sessions in Jitra studio. Then I will close down for Chinese New Year!! We took a group photo before wishing each other a happy new year. ... So I set my camera and got everyone to get into position. So, here’s the picture.

It is a wonderful feeling watching the student practice the dance and enjoying themselves.

They are age-mix of my lovely beginner since March 2008. They are really keen to learn.

Miss Photogenic Contest & Dance Talent - Part II

I didn’t watch the semi final photogenic competition last night. Here I’m going to tell you what I heard later from my student that the contestants kicked the night off by singing, performing of Thai Tradition Dance (Lai Kah Thong), Chinese Umbrella Dance and the Modern Oriental Dance from my Arabesque Troupe - Audrey. She performed the piece of choreographed dance by me and she improvised it entering with a veil to spin around a couple of times and then discard it. This was really great entrance piece.

I was told that the belly dance had been great. It was of high quality and was most enjoyable which made me regret a little my decision to miss it. Audrey told me she wont feel panic at all, she proudly danced to the end of the long piece of music in front of the large audience and the judges. How impressed I’m because she understands the meaning of bellydance.


Oh, yes! It's nice to know our belly dance was a truly WOW with a real bang! I assume this was more or less to surprise to local people here, since Alor Star is not well known in the oriental dance world.
Later I was informed that the finalist will be on 29 Feb 2009 which I sure will be even greater to watch my student perform.

Miss Photogenic Competition & Dance Talent

One of my belly dance teacher right now taking part in the Miss Photogenic contest. She has enter the category from the day of the competition. The final night will be on 13th Tuesday Night. She was told by the organiser lastnight that all contestor must show their talent competition on final stage. So she decided to bellydancing. We discuss what to dance over the phone. She told me she is a bit nevours, she don’t mind whether to win or place, she just want to beat her belly dance performance to the audience and all belly dancer out there. Bravo!!! Oh my dear…..I was touched by when I heard what she said. I told her to take a deep breath and focus on what to do on the stage. Enjoy the mood of the music, look at the judges, look at the audience in the eye and smile, smile, smile.

Okay! get ready, get set and go get prepared for the belly dance lovers.

A Mystery In Black And White

My blog is the most frequently updated section of the site. I regularly post new photographs into the blog so please come back to visit.

I am spreading my wings as an aspiring choreographer. I see a light in each one of those students that has been lovingly nurtured, and I experience a renewal of inspiration that I bring with me into my dancing where ever I go.

Khai Shin : "This is not something that many girls who dance get to take part in living in a small town. Belly Dancing is an eye-opening expedience as well as a tough life to live. However, without the long hours of training I have put in, I would have never been one of the girls picked to dance in Arabesque Troupe".

TSL : "I knew that the Arabesque Belly Dance was where I needed to be to get that feeling fulfilled. After my mom first seeing me perform she could not stop commenting on how good I danced. Even though I was new, it really made me feel really special".

Audrey : "Annie gave me my first chances to choreograph as I taught for Arabesque Belly Dance Centre. I can only be grateful to Annie and other teachers at the workshop for helping me get to where I am today. Without the opportunities, I would most likely not be where I am today; let alone the person I am today".

Belly Dance Photo Snap !!

This morning, I received our photos which were snap in studio recently. YP commented it would be nice to have all photo to preview at just one click. I decided to upload on my blog instead of having to clink each on each link to preview. Actually, I am currently working on my website photo display text, when all of the pages have images. Will keep you posted when my assistant does some updating.

A special thanks to YP for writing in with this suggestion and for the others that continue to comment.

Raks Assaya or Saidi Cane Dance

Cane dance costume I bought during Bali Lotus Dance Retreat 2007.

Everybody have just been busy since school re-open. Busy Girl gets to college, busy mom busy for back-to-school routine., Today, the first thing I heard when I step in to my studio were “Aaah, I have 80 over books need to wrap” One of busy mom told me that she have to wake up her 8-year-old! Get her to eat, get ready and get out the door with all her homework and without peanut butter all over her face. Haha… Whoa, Mom! It’s back to school time and the energy is great.

I started my saidi cane dance class with saidi beats. The cane dance is a peppy and playful women's dance using a cane. I taught my student some techniques to hold the cane and show them the gallabiya costume. We did some combinations of dance – The Echappe Coupe Coupe which I learned from Nurriya when I was in Cairo. The step is basically a hop on both feet, and a lifting of the other leg.

Guess what! They were hooked and fell in love with cane dance.

Mailed Hadia's Workshop Mar 2009

I mailed Hadia’s Workshop flyers to all the dance clubs, studios, and all the belly dancers I knew. I know it is a good idea to advertise, but it can be expensive and which I cant afford to do it. I hope everything are going smoothly.

Thank you for Adrienne Almeda from Philippine to send kind notes, leave thoughtful comments and we share some idea of belly dancing. Thank you for your friendship. Hope to see you again soon in Bali/Singapore.