Belly Dance Performance Videos for Inspiration

A recent conversation with a belly dancer made me think of this.  Sometimes when we have been belly dancing for a year or more, you can get bored with your own performances.  You feel like you are doing the same moves over and over and in the same way.  Sometimes we just need to be inspired. Periodically watching professional belly dancers can be the shot in the arm that you need. Watching them can give you ideas to add to your dance.  If there's a showcase or show, go and see it.  Getting out a performance DVD that you haven't watched in a long time and viewing it again will inspire you.  Buying a new belly dance DVD and asking other dancer friends to come over one evening is another idea.  You can bounce ideas off each other.

Be inspired!

Visit our Belly Dancing Performance Video Section.

Suzy Evans
BellyDance.org

Belly Dancing is More than a Drum Solo

I know. It's that flashy, fast, dynamic part of a belly dance routine that we all love so much. Drum solo classes and workshops are almost always the most attended.  Its also part of the performance that people in general associate with belly dance. Its the part of the dance when we shimmy, and everyone loves to shimmy.

But belly dance is a lot more than a drum solo.  Without all the other parts of a belly dance routine the drum solo would not shine. Whatever your performance consists of: a full five part cabaret belly dance with veil, or just a couple of changes of pace in the dance, it's important for your dance to contain more than a drum solo.  Its the changes of pace that make the dance complete. Its adds dimension and interest to the dance as a whole.

So learn all paces of the dance. It will make you a more memorable performer.

Speaking of a change of pace, Sultry Slow Moves with Sadie is a great belly dance video.

Suzy Evans
BellyDance.org

More than 100 Belly Dancers

I was just looking at the long list of belly dancers who have been a part of IAMED.  They have either performed in one or more of our stage shows and were then on the DVD version of the show or they are teachers on one or more of our instructional DVDs.

I counted at least 117 solo belly dancers and dance companies/troupes. Some danced only once, some numerous times.  Some like Jillina and Jamileh performed both solo and with their dance company. 

117 + is an impressive number of belly dancers, but as many of them that have performed or taught, I would love too add more.....More of our previous belly dancers and more new talent.  I am always looking for new great talent.  If you think you are that new great talent, send me a link to your performance videos. 

Suzy Evans

Click Here to visit our website BellyDance.org

Ava Fleming - Sizzlin' DVD Set

One of the things I noticed about belly dance when I was a baby dancer was the importance of isolating parts of the body. One part of your body this way and the other that way, isolating muscles in various parts of the body. It's a very important part of belly dance.

Ava's Sizzlin' Torso and Sizzlin' Hips is all about isolations. Ava takes you through her unique technique in this set of DVDs.  Her style is based on relaxation within muscular and skeletal isolations and weight distribution. 

In the 2 DVDs she teaches muscle identification with exercises to help you connect to the specific muscles you will be using. 

This set is truly unique and there's nothing else quite like it anywhere else on the market.  If you don't already have this set, I would highly recommend them.  They will make you a better dancer. 

Click here to view the Sizzlin' Set.  Take a look at the video clips of the DVDs. 

Suzy Evans

BellyDance.org

The Story of the Half Tart

I bet your wondering what I'm talking about.  I'm referring to the IAMED logo. In the early years of IAMED it graced everything from my invoices to being embedded on our awards and on the BellyDance.org website.

The original artwork was done by belly dancer and graphic artist Brandi Centeno who also did the early Awards of Belly Dance flyers and video covers.  She expanded the artwork to be a full belly dancer with a skirt. But we mostly used the half tart logo.

Why was she called the half tart?  It's an inside joke.  We had a full belly dancer logo and half of one.  Not sure if it was Carolynn Ruth or I in one of our brain storming sessions who jokingly referred to her as the half tart the first time. As opposed to of course the full tart. And so the name stuck.  And that is the story of the half tart.

The Half Tart

In a future post, I'll have to tell you the story of the green troll with flexible dancing toes. :)

Suzy Evans
BellyDance.org

What makes an excellent belly dance teacher?

So what does make an excellent belly dance teacher?

Experienced, well-studied, smart, passion for the dance are some of the elements.

Unfortunately belly dance is rife with unqualified teachers.  Too often students taking lessons feel they are qualified to teach themselves long before they should even consider it. If you've been taking lessons for a few months or a year or two; you should not be teaching.  It's just not fair to anyone that would take lessons from you. Because YOU are still a student.

Some dancers should not teach simply because they themselves, no matter how long they've been in belly dance or how many lessons they took, just are not good dancers.  Many rushed through the learning process themselves. These people just should not teach.  When they do teach, how good will their students be?  Not very.  They are doing their students a huge disservice.

Please put your ego aside and think twice about teaching belly dance classes. If you are truly qualified to teach, then teach.  If not, wait until you are ready.  Your students will respect you for it!

A good teacher should have at least several years of consistent, intensive dance studies and performing before considering teaching classes.

When choosing a teacher you should see her dance first.  Then ask yourself:  Would I like to dance like her?  Is she one of the most graceful belly dancers I have ever seen?

Follow my advice and you just might get this nifty cup!

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BellyDance.org