Mia Shauri Workshop

Last Friday,  I went to Penang attended Mia Shauri workshops - Samba belly dance and Flamenco dance. Mia Sha'uri is from  Puerto Rico. She has the most beautiful classic length hair and she is gorgeous! I have to say I am still ‘high’ with her Samba belly dance! I love the way she teaches and I enjoyed the unique way of mixing bellydance with other fusions. From the slow and sensual, to fast energetic steps, the technique of each movement broken down, I love  many of  movements compliment Middle Eastern dance with fancy foot work and rolling hips. It was truly a new experience to spice my dancing. 

When come to the Flamenco dance workshop, Arghhhh!! The art of flamenco dance is always difficult to dance,  the sweeping arm movements and rhythmic feet stomping, it was not easy for inexperienced dancer to dance. First of all, you need stronger flamenco passion and technique to pick the flamenco choreography. So in this 3 hours workshop, Mia taught posture, turns, footwork, strong arms, graceful hand and floreo (arm work), structure, and some major palos of flamenco. She drilled each combination many times, the music kept playing and she kept dancing and  we were all following all those little combinations without thinking before she moved on. That is when we got our surprise at the end of the workshop, everyone have to pick two movements to dance to  those combination.  It was a good, useful and fun day. She was such a patience  and keep  reminding our bodies  correctly aligned when we dance. Mia also gave as much information include history, and interesting topics about the flamenco dance.  All in all, I was happy  to attend two workshops with Mia Shauri,  it is always useful to learn something new!

Saturday was a WBDD show, my students and I didn’t  attend this time.  I did not attend Sunday workshop. But I had an awesome time hanging out with friends, it's good :-))! 

Me with gorgeous Mia Shauri after the workshop.

Meeting with Nanci Traynor

I just came back after visited Nanci Traynor. Knowing that she is leaving Malaysia in June, I feel sad too..... :( And as always, all good things must come to an end! Nanci told me beside teaching Yoga and Tribal belly dance, she cant earn enough for a living expenses in Kuala Lumpur, Ya…the field of dance is highly competitive nowadays. She made the good decision for  her dance career in the future by leaving Malaysia. 

Nanci Traynor  organized Beatrice Tribal workshop today, 13 May 2012, I would love to be there,  but I really cant go due to my very tight schedule.  I am already back and working now in the  office. Nanci only expected 10 participants and I hope she manage  to get more.  I hope our local belly dance teacher dedicating their full attention to their dance. It does not matter what kind of dance you are pursuing, either.  Most importantly, fully committed to dance! Remember, experience and exposure in a variety of dance styles is important for creating versatile dancers.

  

We talked a lot about dance in belly dance circles. A lot of time  the dance community did not see her. I don’t know what’s wrong?? I guess because she is very honest and straight forward, and I really admire that.  Most of the time Nanci is doing Improvisational Tribal Style Belly Dance. She didn’t choreograph it! And there was no choreography in 30 hours workshop, which we were studied with her last time.  I have to admit, some of the participants felt frustrated because there were too much art involved. But I was  impressed by the way she balanced content and technique. I have to say that I don’t get a negative feeling of that, I respect what she do. Part of what we learned was the arms, the posture, the formations, cue and move. Nanci add a cue that is consistent with the format and add something fancy such as a turn. The moves are changed through a series of subtle cues and transitions made by the lead dancers. It was interesting that we lead again and again  during the workshop. The beauty of the dance is you can dance with anyone else, anywhere in the world who also understands the 'language’. You don’t need the choreography.  May be some of the dancers prefer the choreography more than improvised.

We discussed our views and the way others view belly dance, things we’ve struggled with, and how our journey within the dance has been. I believe hard work and dedication always win out in the end. If you believe in yourself, never give up, and work until you see your dream become a reality.

The dinner was great, no one drank, I am  happy to have a chance to say goodbye to her! We didn't have much time together, but I appreciate our teacher student friendship & I hope you will remember me always! Looking forward to see you Nanci, what we promised somewhere out there, very soon!