My Last Post in 2010 - Joy of Receiving

The Joy of giving – better to give than receive. “All giving is an expression of joy. This is a great reminder. We give because of love, and we give without expecting anything in return. Give whatever you can to help others, be it may be time, food, consulting, services, money. If we only give with the expectation of receiving in return, we are missing the joy of giving. It's important to remember to give from our heart and not from a feeling of  MUST.

I learn to be independent from young age. I do the best I can not to rely on others for help. Ever since I used to have this mindset that whatever kind gestures I received from others, I have to return it back one day. I will only have peace in my mind after I have duly returned the kind gestures. I think I give more than I receive.

My students/friends gave me some souvenir each time after their holiday trip :) I cannot describe my joy thru this blog. I greatly appreciate in those little things. It doesn’t matter how small the gift is. It can be something as simple as a card or text message, but the excitement of receive each one of them brings a little delight into my heart.

My best friend gave me this book as one of my Christmas gift last week -  In The Sphere of Silence.  I felt joy in my heart. I went home and read it through the rest of the night and all through the next day until I finished it. I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed it! Among books that talk about the secrets of success, this is the only one that specifically deals with the importance of SILENCE. And now I can see much clearer in SILENCE and Peace. I end with a personal plea : don't stop writing, I felt ready to conquer the world, woohooo!! Thanks Vijay Eswaran. It’s time for me to move forward with what I want for my entire life. I highly recommend it to you if you need to change your 21st century Lifestyles.

Well, while it is better to give than to receive, I am willing to receive when someone gives in earnest. If I don’t, I deprive them of that warm, fuzzy feeling. I am now able to view the whole situation in a different perspective. When I receive/take, I’m actually giving the chance for my friend to enjoy the pleasure of giving and sharing. If done in the right spirit, giving and receiving are one and the same. There should be a balance in all things - Giving without expecting anything in return, and receiving with gratitude. I hope I am right to say so!

This will probably be my last post before Christmas 2010, since I’m trying to take some time off around the holidays. I'm excited! I'm looking forward to a break. I do have a lot of stuff lined up though for after Christmas and the new year, I will be back soon.

If you celebrate Christmas, I wish you have A Very Merry Christmas, indulge as much as you like, forget about work and then get ready to get back on it in 2011!

With much love!

December Update - New Newbie & Advance Class

Today I am cleaning my house and have been deciding what to keep and what to let go. Letting go of something I can’t have, letting go things that are not ‘MINE’ .  I am packing and getting things that make my heart just sing. 

I'd been wanting to go on an adventure, but had been so busy it just hadn't become a reality. It is a very hectic time for me when holiday mood sets in, especially  Christmas and  New Year. Oh….how sad  I never have a chance to walk down the streets of Orchard road this time.  I love the snow-themed everything and  I even love the non-stop playing of  Christmas music there. I don’t know how is the decoration for this Christmas. I hope it is not  too bright, I like decorations that create an atmosphere of winter.

Inspiration and motivation is coming at me fast and furious this week. Just yesterday I started a new beginner class for  every Sunday & Thursday. They are my new newbie!  I also started advance choreography for my senior students, 6 of  them really had fun with it. It was a lot of hard work, a lot of "wows". During  the 2 hours sessions, we just managed to dance for 32 seconds of whole track of 5 minutes music. I received the sms from my student after the class. She  told  me she is crazy fell in love with the music and my intelligence choreography. I think I always manage to surprise one another with the variety of styles and the quality of choreography that I come up with. They are my amazing students,  we're constantly learning from each other. I appreciated for what they do and the unique way in which they do it.

On a positive note, my attitude are more important than my intelligence. I see the reason why other can do, I also can do it, not the reasons why I can’t. I concentrate on my assets, that is  positive attitude to use my mind to create and develop an idea. Always develop  an ‘I can do it’ attitude.  So I put a lot of pressure on myself to work hard and believe in myself, believe I can do it. When I'm accomplishing some idea so I am super motivated. On the other hand, I read some articles about training, professionalism, career development and practical advice for dancers. It's definitely geared towards professionals which is great. I love it.

Many more private classes are lined up in the next few days for those who have always had trouble their turnout, they have to work on one-on-one technique sessions to get quick improvement. I say to myself,  doing something I  love and are passionate about and sharing it with others can be such a fulfilling journey, I loved to dance I loved to teach,  I'm glad I did. There is much to be thankful for!  

15 New Newbie in this class, a little crowded.

6  in  Advance, 3 didn't turn up.

My Wish In Advance

I am  declaring in advance -  My 2011 resolution is Healthy & Balance Life!!  Find a balance between the internet and those around me and take time to sit and have drinks/dinner together, not be so tied to a screen and a keyboard. For me my life is about connections connections with spirit and also personally. 

Somehow I’m  hoping for a miracle….. and I love to dream and think ahead, and DREAM BIG!!!  In my dream, move on – always look forward, it is my passion. Though obstacles get in my way which was holding me back from moving forward with my ideas. But,  I never  forget that I was supposed to be doing what I loved, and I made a decision that I had had enough. Life is too short,  I am convinced that simply to stop Thinking,  and start Doing!!  I know over thinking has only made things worse for me, both professionally and personally. My productivity mantra recently has been “Just do it.” Yay! Do it! Without dream and start doing  I will  not get what I  want.

I am  foreseeing I will be super doper busy in 2011! I am feeling lots of work piles up now. The music, the choreographs, organizing, dance communications and traveling. I am so excited! I am thankful that God has given me "spiritual gifts” , a desire and knowledge. He give me  roots and give me wings, he give me freedom to follow my  dreams,  I'm totally geared for the challenge now.

Here is the workshop I sponsored in 2011. Click  http://www.arabesquebellydance.com.my/flyer.html  for  2 days/ 11hours Workshop with Hadia in April 2011.

Please note :  Sept & Nov 2011 workshops are pending information .  You can't miss this event!!!! Payments, registration starting from May 2011.  For further details, please contact me!  

To read more about  Serkan Tutar,  visit  http://www.serkan.be/

To read more about Mercedes Nieto, visit  www.nietomercedes.com

Reflecting 2010 and Creating 2011

How time flies, we have left 3 more weeks for 2011 and am another year older. Sigh…so many ups and downs in early 2010. I cried non stop especially friendship, I really learned a lot about myself and my real friends. Very sad when people I thought were my friends, they leave me for the next best thing that comes along. Very sad when I gave myself unconditionally, without expectation, simply because I love them, respect them, care for them but then I was told that we cannot ball up and stand up for the friendship, sad that I’m simply not worth the effort. It broke my heart to think about, it still hurt! I admit I may not be the best friend in your world but I can honestly say I have the biggest heart, and I always sincere in everything I do. What a feeling of relief it is to believe that everything happens for a reason, I was firm on my decision, people change so I learn to let go, no one is 100% perfect!!

The holidays are here and so is the spirit of love, reflection, gratitude and giving. Fast forward in 2010, I am also thankful for being blessed along with joys and excitements. First, Thank you to all my students for your continuous support. I love you all! I'll continue to follow my passion to engage in both quality teaching in coming years. I make a list I want to teach next year. Must be determined what I want my students to learn and why. Make some of those determinations now before I turn my calendar to the New Year. It’s a long list and I need a couple of days to allow my mind to find these nuggets!

I dedicated myself to eating healthy and I had a very disciplined belly dancing & yoga. I took up an intense yoga practice every Tuesday. It was my "church". This was heaven for me because I was learning how to break the addiction of thoughts and just be at peace. My body - So happy I am still wearing the same size jeans that I wore when I was 28!! Yipppie! I am excited about new projects that I have planned up my sleeve. I am changing things up a little bit. This year I really made an effort to reach out and connect with more like minded people. I have found wonderful communities and I can see next year will be a better year! My heart is so joyous and I'm so proud to be working with the most amazing master on my projects. I'm humbled by the good will, the enthusiasm and professionalism of everyone involved. Thank you belly dancers/teachers/students. You Rock!!! More project coming up and  I'm committed hosting three wonderful master workshops, Yipppe!!Poster and details coming up soon!!

I had a chat with my student last night. I told her I am going to have another gathering before December 31st that I want to add “most fun” gathering. Too often fun gets sidelined, especially near the busy end of the year. I will not let it happen this time, make sure that we have some big fun before the end of the year.

My blog - I got some readers. Not a lot, but some. I got a little bit of traffic. There have been times when I’ve wanted to give up (and I actually did a few times). However, I’m still blogging. A few readers said some nice things about what I wrote. Thanks! I wish express my special Thanks for all the encouragement you have given me in the past (some thru my email & text sms). Facebook – I blocked some of friends from viewing my profile. Website - I start updating my website designed. I hope to have it up and running in the next couple months. Lot of writing to do!

Been reading a lot of Bible Study Notes, inspirational articles and touching stories recently. Sometimes, I would experience such gratitude that I would be brought to tears. But still I did not understand a lot of things but I do found a lot of things in there that supported what I believed about God. God created everything, he has the power to do anything and control everyone, but he give us freedom to choose between right and wrong, it was evident to me that it mattered a lot what I chose to do or how I chose to act. Deep down inside I knew that one day I would have to give an account for all my deeds. Yes, God sees everything and hears everything at everywhere. God loves everyone everywhere all the time no matter what. I promise, pray hard, work hard and trust God! 

Peace and Blessings to all.

When the calendar turns to a new year, it means more to learn,  change and improve.  A new chapter start, these actions will be like magic in my life.

Time To Rest !!

Back from Karen Madrid Castillo workshops. I suppose to join the dinner with Karen but I couldn’t find the way to E&O hotel. It was raining along the way which make me lazy to look for the place. I called Mee Mee to inform her I will not joining their dinner, I drove home straight away! I was exhausted after too much spin and turn!

Finally got a chance to learn from Karen before she leaves Malaysia to Mexico early Jan 2011. I enjoyed both of her drum solo and Isis wings choreographies very much! Fun and Energetic but gets dizzy spins too much! I am not sure whether she will back or not, but I surely hope she will!

As I said, this is my last workshop in 2010. And here I am not going to go suck in writing. Lot of things to do before year end. It is time to give myself a Rest and to allow my mind to find what I’ve learned this year. Huh… it is a long list, it is time to allow my mind to find these nuggets!! Just posted some photos to share.

Karen demo barrel turn

Isis Wings & Drum Solo Workshops with Karen Madrid

This will be my last workshop in 2010. The workshop is organized by Ang Mee Mee in Penang on 27th & 28th Nov 2010. If  I don’t  paid  in early, I think I will give an excuse not to attend.  Seriously,  I took up too many workshops this year. I'm on a a bit tight budget in this month due to the floods, class only  started  last night, half of students still not turn up to class,  I’m really looking forward all will come back on this Wednesday,  fingers crossed!  

2nd thing – I don’ t know why  my car’s windscreen cracked, bottom on the drivers side. It started with a fine cracked line and 2nd day was much longer (14”) and  definitely needs to be replaced.  This morning I run out to Toyota workshop replaced a new one. Unfortunately, I don't have the windscreen option on my insurance,  it really burned up my pocket after came back from Ipoh.

Karen came here for  3 years, if I’m not mistaken. This is  my 1st time to learn from her. We met several times when attended others master workshop, and judging the competition & dinner  together. I got a shock when Mee Mee told me Karen is leaving Malaysia and  back to Mexico in  early Jan 2011 PERMANENTLY! Another good dancer/teacher is leaving us!! (Last year was Paola Blanton) I'm so glad that I got the chance to attend her workshops before she leave us.

There will be a farewell buffet dinner for Karen after the Isis Wings workshops on Sunday, 28th Nov in Penang. I don’t know where is the place for the dinner yet, as usual, will call & check it out from  Mee Mee later, make sure I bring my jeans  for photo session! Make sure I bring my wings for workshops!

Karen Madrid, a winner of Jillina's famous Belly Dance Evolution show casting competition will be conducting Isis Wings and Drum Solo for the first time in Penang! Workshops are targeting dancers with Intermediate to Advance level.

 

Wings of Isis Dance

It was such a lonely  day when my mom is not at home. Pity me.....I cooked maggie noddle for lunch, fast and  have some food in my stomach. Dinner ate biscuits with coffee, huh...cant sleep now!   Before going to throw my pillow and bolster across the room,  I am going to upload this video - Wings of Isis. 

Nicole requested me to create a choreography for Wings of Isis Dance, she said the dance is to be performed on her wedding night. Eventually she knew the Wings of Isis are a skilled tools and it’s always  capture the attention of an audience, so  the Wings of Isis dance is a surprise to her hubby. It brought tears of  joy to my ears !  After seeing her willingness to take hard work to practice, I suggested we set up semi-private lessons so they could learn to lift up the postures, bird arms positioning and etc!  After a couple of private lessons,  I choreographed  a beginner level  of  the dance with the 5 minutes of  music!  We knew we just had to learn to do that!

And finally, a performance with Isis Wings with my students  made  an unforgettable impression to Nicole’s wedding.

Working With My Troupe

 

I have been a bit in a stir since watching this video. The experience to form a troupe  was truly a life experience. It shed light on things that I didn't even realize were effecting me so deeply. It was touched they sewed their group costume, how hard they put their effort to come to practice.

Teaching a troupe dance is  PATIENCE. First of all, I love what I am  doing,  then it seems natural to create [a sense of] patience…it really takes A LOT of patience, especially when you have some beginners who is slow…and some are  a very quick beginner who understands, picks up and goes right along with the foundation work.

I remember Serkan told us during his workshop,  “Remember where you came from.” And remember that the bottom line should be not so much who’s greater than who, but who has the most fun. Not who dances the best, but who’s having the greatest time out there, because, after all, I think that’s what dancing should be. And every one movement & style are unique! It should be part of our life in the cultural way that we experienced it, the important thing is fun and enjoyment.

Thank you Master Serkan! And  Thank you my lovely students.  You are the best and hope all of you continue to dance!  

A Question that Stress Me Out ......:(

It's was a lovely rainy night,   I had hoped the fact that I was so physically and  mentally drained from work would help me put aside the things on my mind and heart and allow me to sleep but that was not the case.

Still remembered my friend came with a big hope for her MLM plan last week, and I  did not get involved after her first presentation. Whew… That’s a lot to remind, in any business venture of MLM, that is  invest money to make money. I told her I don’t want too wrap up in MLM,  I don’t want all of my friends, family and students become potential recruits and sources of my income.  She said I am underestimate the power of  my mind,  she said I am underestimate the power of making a difference! Then she asked What do you want in your  life? Are you going to be a  belly dance teacher  in 5 or 10 years ?

OMG…. it stresses me out  and I hate to answer!  I  seriously considered sticking it out a few more hours last night but just had no energy left.  I am feeling somewhat confused about where my life was heading. It’s a question I don’t think I  should bother answer in the first place. Why? Because I fall into the trap that I can’t answer that question.  The trap is  I need to make big life decisions before I can start doing anything. The trap is I  need to be born with a passion. And the lie that being able to combine my interests and develop  my  profession is easy. In all honesty, My journey record shows that my passions changed considerably through the years, although not considerably great, but I have never hesitated to take on a challenge. I believe concentrated effort for the next four or five years could definitely make my dream come truth! 

These days it feels like every part of my life is impacted by dance. I pretty much eat, live and breathe it and a lot of actions that I don't even account for reflect the choice to focus on that. Yippe… I should  thankful for the meeting, It's an opportunity to refresh and refocus on what  I  really want. I prefer feeling thankful that I have another day on this earth to experience life, to live with meaning and love, to appreciate what I have and appreciate the day as an opportunity.

I felt like I need to push myself to work hard and make up my big decision for next year.  On the other hand, I feel like I'm accomplishing some stuff – 2011 will be eventful year! So I am super motivated when I organize my last event! I  feel a little more strongly that it is  it is time to be serious about  things. Whether I am intend to work in a job or a dance  business makes no difference. I am  the CEO need to know how to connect my  passions with serving other people.  In ten years,  I may have gone through them all with a completely different passion, who knows?

Happy Healthy

My good friend came all the way from Johore to see me for a Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) plan.  She started to randomly talked about how these  supplement nutrients  diet  plan she was taking made she feel “great”.  Then she continue to talk about these supplements will make people shape better, keep people from getting sick, or even help people live longer. Sigh…I felt  boring and kept on yawning.  I wonder why this MLM people cant go and find a better job rather than pull your close friends  to this kind of deal. 

With this background in mind,  I saw the diet pills are marketed as nutritional supplements! Here’s my biggest problem is why  do I need  a dietary supplement? And I have to pay RM4,800 for the diet pills! For me eating healthy foods is the best way to get the nutrients. Everybody also want to stay healthy and active as long as possible, so we have  careful about healthy eating.  I don’t think just because something is said to be “nutrition” doesn’t mean it is either safe or good for everyone!  It could have side effects sometime. Sorry, my friend, my experience is adopt healthier attitudes  to exercise is the best to keep weight off. 

During the chat with her,  I did the body fat analysis test last night, I had great results - my body fat currently stands at 28.9% which is acceptable with a BMI of  22.0! If I  really truly wanted to be at 21-24% body fat (Fitness), I would find a way to make it happen, will see how! 

Cow Gals Party

Just came back from a  fun  crazy and wonderful ‘cow gals party’.  I have a wonderful moment with all the girls played and danced  together. What’s hot night party? Ummm….My high heels killed my feet. I kept ignoring the pain in my feet anyhow just because I knew I just needed to dance. 

 

It was a  challenge to figure what to wear for the cow girl party.  It basically got a big boots and kind of western wear. But I had not really got into that Western wear last night. My outfit was simple.  A feminine shirt, a tight jeans and a cow girl hat.  It was  comfortable I wore it all night. There were so many cute styles that I saw at the party,  they were all looking good with the cowboy hats and boots.   Really a  fun  western wear party when the girls were play around!

 

The party reminded me the cowboys song! David Hasselhoff – Rhinestone Cowboy! The song was so easy to get stuck in my head all about being a Rhinestone Cowboy. “ Like a rhinestone cowboy riding out on a horse in a star-spangled rodeo Rhinestone cowboy Getting cards and letters from people I don’t even know And offers coming over the phone…” I I love this song very mush and Mr Hoff’s voice, pretty damn good singer !  As I write this, I fondly remember I watched  many country stars as they graced our television screen on Saturday nights along with my sisters when I was a little girl… I miss the old school days, when life had no purpose but to run around,  play and scream about how simple life was. Ooppss….miss my favorite teacher taught us Marty Robbins 'Red River Valley.' 

My cow gals outfit

Wa liao..… saw 3 photographers  were busy on the dance floor. I asked Susan 

why?. She told me one was paid to shoot the rest were volunteer to shoot as their hobby. I guess they must  shoot  a ton of cool stuff! I hope they have captured my nice image when I was crazy on the dance floor. Hehehe….afraid I was like a crazy horse last night.  I had some  shots from my camera last night, it was awfully photos of that I just couldn’t  stop laughing.  Just post some selected photo I was crazy on the floor.  

enjoy in dancing

Dancing to cowboy song - ride out on a horse

Susan Ho & me

My Students Li-Ann/Carolyn & Irene