Let’s Go Countdown ......

I hope you and your family and friends enjoyed a beautiful Christmas. I'm almost done with my holiday with lots of food and great shopping for new clothes. I also have a great time during Women United 2011. We whined and played  games  and sang. And ate too much. I love the holidays and all the food, Thanks goodness it is almost over. Sure I don't have to eat but I do. And there's still lots of goodies that I need to buy for Chinese New Year too, it’s just a start!  

Women United 2011 photos :

My students participated in 70s Rock & Roll

Let’s the Countdown begin…. Say cheers! It's a Happy New Year. Every person would be planning to celebrate new year in a very special manner.  My friends have been calling me  for weeks saying “What are you doing for New Year’s Eve?”  I thought for awhile…I usually  not going to restaurant to pay the expensive  price menu or to stand in  a crowded nightclub watching a bunch of strangers get drunk  just because of New  Year Eve. So many people make such a big deal over “5-4-3-2-1 Woohoo Happy New Year!” but I am not the one. My best New Year’s Eve is with family and  friends sitting around having some good food, good drinks and good chat. For me, this is the most perfect night to gathering.  I don’t need to be around with strangers. I don’t need to try to hook up with somebody just because it’s New Year’s Eve.

Here I am going to tell you, I am going to Auto-City New Year Countdown Fiesta 2012. Yay!!  I will be there for judging  the belly dance competition. It was quite a surprise that knowing Auto-City having a belly dance competition. The location is at the public area, the stage is right in front of KFC restaurant.  I don’t have the details or flyer event to share here, no public announcement as I know of. I was told I have to be there at 6pm for judges briefing and the competition will start at 7pm and ends at 8.30pm. If you happen to be there, do come to support the girls! 

Once again,  Happy New Year!! All of you have made my year really special. Thanks for your comments and for your support. I look forward to making 2012 an amazing year with all of you!

Celebration Behind the Scenes of a Dance

I had a great time for our celebration dinner although not all of my dancers can come, some of you  left  for vacation and other dinner but never mind, we will have another gathering party during  Chinese New Year ,  Year of Dragon 2012 !  As I say,  the dinner was a  “Celebration Behind the Scenes of a Dance” ! On other hand,  Behind the Scenes of a Dance,  the celebration is marked  of the success, team work of the production and the hard work!  Thank you for touching my heart….you follow my passion and make my dream come true! Indeed, dancing is about life; and life can be expressed in the form of music and dance. Real inspiration.....

Cheers to mark the completion of the hard work by all!!!!! 

One week until Christmas! It's that time of year again-the time of busy shopping days, holiday baking, and twinkling lights. It's the season of  "holiday cheer." It’s a season to be merry, so let’s put aside dancing for awhile and celebrate the year’s end!  Merry Christmas to you all! I hope you find peace and joy in this holiday season!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

RICH of SUCCESS!!

Just about to settle down for a while ....

Had a looong day today,  getting everything done from here and there….Tired but was fun and happy. I just want to say my 2011 events  were  almost ended  and I can honestly say that this was the best year  that I have done!!!  The "Fantasy Oreintal Night" and the "4th Annual Exotic Raqs Sharqi Gala Show"! In general, most of my students, family and friends have been very positive and supportive of it,  I appreciated  very much!! But , there have been a few naysayers that have made me think for a second!  “What am I doing?” But only for a second!! I’m not going to let other people’s negativity stop me from following my dream. Think I’m too stubborn to let that stop me too.  Always keep my  positive energy develop one way to another.  

Looking at my new 2012 calendar, with my red  biro marks next to all the events I wanted to attend, I can say the 2012 would be another  spectacular  year!!! I guarantee it. First, I am travel to Istanbul n June 2012 and continue to Nile Group Festival!!!! Yippe…. I am truly honored and can’t wait to get started! I am  set my mind into doing something… I do it, and put my  best foot forward and do my fantastic  job.  

The big news at my studio is the new schedule and new students of classes.  And actually that can be big news  to the beginner students, they will jump up to intermediate class, we all develop out thought being challenge, I had a great time  with this before, I believe that I was also working on becoming a better dancer and better teacher!  Beside that 'entertainment point' , it is a lot of hard work! Right  now  am waiting for the dinner and celebration of the joy  with my students on this weekend, 9^th Dec at Sentosa Regency Hotel, and one more dinner to celebrate for Women United  on 19^th December at Anggrik Seafood Restaurant !! Yahoo....See you there!!

Most Rewarding Day!!!!

A BIG thank you to all my students   who performed  on the 4th Annual Exotic Raq Sharqi Gala Show night! It was a huge success!!! And the past few days have been the most rewarding days of my life! When I  see the results in all of the smiling faces,  I know all of them had the best time at  the stage!! Life feels more memorable, hence I become more memorable. Following my dreams take unexpected turns and challenges.  Those challenges help me  grow as they make me  step out of my comfort zone.  I can't express how happy, proud and touched because of  the girls' hard work and dedication to the dance,  I am proud of your  efforts,  Girls, keep up the good work.  I look forward to dance  with you again!!! 

And a special thank you to all of you who helped behind the scenes with ticketing, money collection and ushered. We appreciate all of you and we couldn't do it without you. Thank you for supporting us and the arts!!!  Enjoy the students performance’s photo here!  

Our Opening Dance, The music is  8.3 minutes on stage

The Arabesque Kids perform Raqs Assaya (Cane Dance)

My sweet students perform her solo drum

Lovely Troupe perform Pop Baladi with Boa

Belly Dance Fusion - Oriental mixed Flamenco

Cow Girls Shaabi

Look like I was dancing solo, but it was duet.

Grace Heng - Bravo!

One of my student Albee solo - Fei Yang Jitra

Wings of  Isis with lovely students

My Sweet Angels perfrom Crazy Drum by Serkan 2010

Happiness moment ....

Me with some of my sweet and lovely students...don't know where the rest??

Youngest students 3 yrs - 6 yrs, they only performed to 2 minutes music! Cant love them enough!! Love Love!!!

Everything Done !!!!

The Entrance

The Backdrop

The Ballroom

I am extremely  tired and I am having fever right now. Pain all over body, chills, fever, exhausted, nasty cough really sucks! It was last 2 weeks   when I  was in Penang for a day, Then to KL in and out for the workshop, visit Batu Caves, Crafting complex,   then KL city. …The whole interval was crazy. It has been a crazy crazy crazy rushing week. Yesterday I was in Kuala Lumpur (KL), tired after a trip back.  Now, here I am, in Alor Setar,  not mentioning that I will have to be at KL tonight.  I just hope that I don't wake up one day and realizing.. What day is today? Well, my mind is pretty stuck much now.

Mercedes Nieto workshop and show, everything is over,!! She  gave me so much inspiration, she is  unique and so special and I adoooooooooooooooooooooooore her  and I can’t wait that she  come to Malaysia next year!!!!!!!!!! Right now Mercedes still on holiday in Malaysia.  I am waiting Mercedes to come back from the island. Yes yes… gonna pick her up at station. Cant wait to see her and have our last shopping again in China Town tomorrow.

Mercedes Nieto (from Budapest, Hungary) & Me - Batu Caves

The venue of 4th Annual Dinner Gala Show - Mercedes Nieto & Press.

Mercedes Nieto - She is gorgeous!!  

Mercedes Nieto - before enter the Ballroom Hall. 

In all of the excitement and frenzy surrounding event preparation,  the gala show turned out to be a success, 400 tickets sold out and I am happy.  Behind every event there is the role and effort of event. Despite my tired body, we managed to enjoy everything on the stage. Tons of fabulous impressions, so many positive feelings, so proud for the progress I saw from the girls, Thank you for joining our gala show!!!!  The photographer took a lot of photos, over 4000 pcs!!! The photographers have such a strong power to evoke happy memories.  

 I actually has a lot and a lot to write. But suddenly, I am here and I am  stuck and not knowing where and what to write. Let me see, what do I write later.  See you soon!

Our Final Week Rehearsal

Sweat Sweat Sweat l!!! It’s an exciting time.  We're now mid way through our last week of rehearsals and things are going well.  We're all working very hard and there's still a lot of  laughter in the class.  Thanks so much some of  you  brought  yummy food to keep us full of energy! All of the hard work of the months before is for this moment - 19 November 2011,  you are going to dance a story to  the audience. For me, it’s the best part of my job – I love sitting with an audience! I'm having great fun exploring the differences characters of  my students. 

Yay.. I am working on choreographing my solo performance piece.. almost done and  always in last minute!  Are you ready to rock that stage? I am not  able to sleep and relax before a show.  I watched the video of the rehearsals last night, and you look fantastic in full costume!  I decide not to upload your photo on facebook before the show, yes agreed that it won’t be surprise  anymore if everyone access to everything. 

 

Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards 2011

Just received an  email about Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards 2011 which is  the nomination period has been  extended until 11.59 pm, 7 November 2011. I really hope I can  nominate to it, but  I'm not good enough and my blog is lack of awesomeness things except  belly dancing journey. Hmmm…my friend asked me to try it in the contest! I  surely know no one's will gonna nominate it either.  I never think that I will get any award or vote, so I should not be nominating my blog, shameless if I nominate to it!!

This 16 December 2011, 500 bloggers from around the Asia-Pacific region will be gathered at Putrajaya Marriott, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards 2011.

This awards aim to not only honour the region's best bloggers, but also bring together blogger communities from across Asia-Pacific!

If you are interesting to nominate your favorite blog from today, click here http://awards.nuffnang.com/2011/nominate/.

For  more details : http://awards.nuffnang.com/2011/

Packed Weekend Packed Ads !!!!

What a hectic weekend….reached KL on Friday 3.30am, slept for few hours, then cooked and cleaned the house whole day. The next day, went to Klang for ‘Bak Kut Teh breakfast’ and met some friends, then to shopping. I bought many fashion clothes from fashion shops.  Yeahhh!!!!!!! I like women dresses, tops, bottoms and I went bankrupt :( !!!.  Evening time visited  my cousins at Wangsa Maju for buffet dinner. Sunday morning went to her wedding ceremony, then rushed  back to Taman Midah’s house with all relatives and headed to Six Happiness Restaurant at Selayang for wedding lunch at 1pm, drove back to Kedah again at 4.30pm. Great arrangement for  the wedding lunch so I drove home on the same day. I thoroughly enjoyed quite a good days of *free* time even though I was tied up with a lot of stuff and things to do.  Of course, with work, I still always try to find time and spend time with my family, they are one thing I will never neglect.

I am paying attention to 19 November, mind wanders off to see what I can prepare from now, what can be tackle, how to prevent myself to left out something.  Now, its much terrible when I  know that I am  running short of time and there is nothing much I can do and I feel like I needed more time to do it. Well, at least now, everything is still under control.

Arabesque Belly Dance Centre and me have  been featured again in the Chinese local newspaper, this time is for 4^th annual gala show and Mercedes Workshop.  And also : TICKETS ARE NOW READY for pickup! Collect or book yours or call 012-4895395 or email us at annie_arbq@yahoo.com .  And  the early bird rate is over, all workshop are back to normal price.  

We have a packed weekend coming up! We have to works very hard consistently from tomorrow, a long period of time and  no time to give your  body a rest until 16th. Then we're going to have a break from rehearsals to rest and recharge before heading to Sentosa Regency Hotel’s for our last  stage rehearsals. Woohoo… I am happy with your progress, and I am so proud of all of you!  

 

 

 

It's A Great Day Again!!

It's a great day for Arabesque Belly Dance Centre again! After a long and tired  day at  2nd BDFI Taiping Open Dance Championship, my little girl Grace Heng walked off with a gold  medal (Champion) and Sarah won 4th placing in Belly Dance Novice Open. Grace also participated in Latin Dance Competition. She also won the Champion in Ballroom Dancing Solo (under 12 category) and Latin Dance was at 8th placing. 

Champion & 4th placing in Belly Dance Novice Open

And at Studio, the performers for 4th Annual Gala Show”  went through full hours of  rehearsals everyday. All of you have been working very hard since August. In spite of your positive attitude, I can see how exhausted most of you are, and some of you are falling sick and still coming for rehearsals. Thank you  everyone, for your continuous hard work and commitment. And I am  amazed and touched by the care and support you show each other. Feel very proud of all of you! Because of this, we will have a 3 days BREAK from rehearsals on 28th, 29th & 30th and I will going to Kuala Lumpur to attend my cousin’s wedding! We will have our costume rehearsal on 3rd of November and  plan our lighting on the stage!  

 

Here are important dates to jot into your diaries :-

Full costume rehearsal in studio :

3rd November 2011 / Thursday  6.30pm -10pm

On the Stage rehearsal :

11th November 2011 / Friday 11am – 3pm

18th November 2011 / Friday 11am – 3pm

2nd BDFI Taiping Open Dance Championship

I am going to the 2nd BDFI Taiping Open Dance Championship tomorrow - 22 October 2011!   The competition will  be held at Persatuan Ong Si Thye Guan, Taiping, Perak, Malaysia.  This  is the  2^nd year  joint organizers - Mr Lim Poh Hu & Ms Shirley Hun, put together a championship again.  I take my hat of to Shirley & Mr Lim for taking this action and  managed to keep things together and organise  no matter what.  2 of my students participating in belly dance novice open category. Good luck to all contestants!!!

Mercedes Nieto's Workshop & Show

As always ... Beautiful!! !Mercedes Nieto is one of the great belly dancer  in the new generation!! She is a passionate artist. I  love her expression, movement, emotions, and the best part is that she danced with energy and joy,  flow is an incredible honor to watch. I enjoyed each second of her dance. Mercedes Nieto's costumes are very unique.   I really like the above costume, the top with the necklace hanging and shining pants under a skirt that seems to hang off her hips. Look stunning in a person.  I love that costume,. I really appreciate the one who designed  her costumes. 

I have  been busy preparing and searching the costume,  and honing our gala show  and workshop everything. Alor Setar workshop still open for early bird rate register,  Kuala Lumpur workshops are still open but filling up fast. 4 weeks to go…. Mercedes promised  will bring the most special workshop subjects for you and I am sure everyone will not forget these weekends. Yay! It will be such an amazing and special weekend! Please register soon to make sure you get a space. it is gonna be great workshop!  

Banner for publicity done!  Woohoo… Contacted he videographer/photographer, they  are charging me a different price compare to my previous event. This week rehearsals has been fantastic. Each day brought something new, although there are times that some disagreement and arguing  between the dancers, it isn’t a bad thing. I am okay to disagree on certain things but it’s important to be open to new ideas and new experiences, be open minded about it. Trying new things can help everyone grow together as a team work and get things done.  It is important to examine how I conduct myself during arguments. Yippe! I am thankful than we have been working hard for this. My  goal is to make every happy and proud on the stage on that night  when the videographer/photographer are taking shots of the show.!

Finally receive Mercedes flight schedule, soon I will be super busy when Mercedes arrive! This week we received our first  costume, So happy,  the costume look great and all my dancers are happy with the colors. Meanwhile, I've to find the  date for  costume  rehearsals shortly.

Stay tune! 

Fantasy Oriental Night (highlight) Video

I was very excited when I finally got this video. Finally got the DVD on the Fantasy Oriental Night 2011!!! 

Thanks to everyone who came out to Fantasy Oriental Night 2011! Thanks to all the performers, awesome performances !! You did rock the stage t!!!! And a super big thank-you for all audience who came to support Fantasy Oriental Night,  I  hope you enjoyed the show :)!  

Here is the highlight of that night event....Enjoy it. If you want to order, please email me at annie_arbq@yahoo.com