Ring in Spring

Happy Ostara! Also known as the first day of spring. If you are here in Seattle, it may not feel like spring (hello snow last weekend!). But then all the more reason to ring in spring with one or all of these ideas.

1. Nab a bouquet of daffodils or tulips. These traditional flowers of spring will brighten any home or work space.

2. Dance. Traditionally marking the passage of time and ushering in the new, dance has always been a part of rituals. Doesn't mean however that you have to do a traditional dance. Put on whatever music moves you and shake it!

3. Take a walk. Leave your desk, the couch, your car, and be outside in nature. Smell the fresh spring air. Listen to the birds. Stop at a park and swing on the swings. Smile at puppies. Skip. Laugh.

4. Decorate Ostara eggs. The original Easter egg, a tradition of celebrating the return of spring was decorating eggs, as they were thought to be a symbol of the Universe, with the shell representing earth, the membrane representing air, the yolk fire, and the white water. Don't have time to decorate eggs? Then how about just eating a chocolate one?

5. Plant. Time to discover your green thumb. Buy a packet of seeds, plant them in an indoor pot, sit them on a windowsill, water, and watch them grow. See, easy-peasy!

6. Scent your home with lavendar. Put it in your eye pillow, bath tub, or just put a few sprigs on a bedside table to smell as you drift off to slumber.

7. Be a goddess. An original festival celebrating the power of the goddess and in turn, of women, embody this day. Whatever that means for you.

You Don't Want to Miss This

There are some exciting and unique belly dance workshops and events coming up in Seattle in March. I will, without a doubt, be attending all of these.

Tamalyn Dallal Workshop: World-famous dancer, Tamalyn Dallal, is teaching a workshop on Samaii, Turksih 9/8, and Masmoudi Khabir. Tamalyn teaches classes, workshops, and retreats all over the world. Tamalyn has trained various dancers who have gone on tour as members of the Bellydance Superstars. She has also performed for numerous celebrities, including Madonna, Michael Jackson, and King Abdullah of Jordan. Workshop is on March 10th, 2pm - 4pm at the Ottoman BellyDance Studio in Bothell. Also, in July, Tamalyn will be teaching a week long belly dance intensive here in Seattle. Check out her website for more details.

Leila of Cairo Workshop: Another world-famous dancer in Seattle this month! Leila of Cairo will be teaching an Egyptian technique-based workshop, including the latest hot moves from the stages of Cairo and a section focused on Shaabi style. Leila has been a professional dancer and model since the age of 16. In 2002, she moved to Cairo and landed contracts with prestigious hotels. From there her career went on to include television commercials, music videos, and even movies. The workshop is on March 25th from 1:00pm to 4:30pm at the ARC School of Ballet in Seattle. To register for the workshop email me at alessandra@alessandradance.com and I'll put you in contact with the scheduler.

Saharan Soul Performance: This is a performance featuring eight esteemed and influential performers with over 25 years of experience each. Performances will range from raqs sharqi to dervish whirling to khaliji and raks assaya. Performers gracing the stage will include Mish Mish, Alfredo Gormezano, Feiruz Aram, Maria Morca, Marion Moat, Sahaila, Zaina Hart, and Zulaika. Performance is March 31st at 8pm at the Seattle Art Museum. Tickets can be purchased on Brown Paper Tickets.

 

Photo Credits: Middle photo of Leila from Leila's website at leilainegypt.com

Performance Opportunities for Amateur Dancers

Feeling ready to share your dance with the world, but don't know where to start? Then look no further. I have danced at all the events listed below throughout the years and they are all great stages for getting your feet wet:

1. Saqra's Monthly Revue: Hosted by Saqra, this event occurs the first Saturday of every month at Jimmy T's in Kent. Dancers of all levels are welcome. You can dance to either recorded music or try improv and dance with Saqra's RaqsBand. Very welcoming and encouraging environment for new dancers and a great place to hone your improv skills. Saqra's website has more details.
2. Med Fest: Seattle's biggest belly dance festival - two stages and two days of non-stop belly dance performances. First time soloists to world-famous professional dancers have graced the stages of Med Fest. Festival always happens in July. Registration for 2012 is not yet open, but here's the link for when it does. Claim your spot by completing the registration form and mailing it in.
3. Hasani's Hafla: Hasani hosts a quarterly hafla at the First Congregation Church in Tacoma. Her website has the future hafla dates for the next five years! Sign-up by phoning in once registration goes live.
4. Alauda: This event occurs the third Tuesday of every month at the Skylark Club and Cafe in West Seattle. (Psst! I'm performing at this event tomorrow!) Event is organized by Angela, Medea, and Katana. To register, email alaudabellydance@gmail.com. Insider tip: register early as this show fills up months in advance.
5. Leyl Al Arab: This event happens the third Saturday of every month at Enat's in Northgate, and is hosted by BreAnn and Trisha. Each performance includes one or two student dancers, one or two guest dancers, and a feature dancer. Check out the blog for more info.  
6. Delilah's Belly Dance Performance Class: Maybe not feeling quite ready to sign-up for an event yet? Then Delilah's performance class may be the thing for you. A legendary dancer and performer, Delilah will help you hone your performance skills and after six weeks of instruction, there is a student recital held at the studio that you can invite friends and family to. The recital at the end of this class series was my first solo performance ever!
7. And more! Other events come up throughout the year. And of course their are other instructors in the area who offer class series with recitals at the end. Sign up for BellyTalk, the Yahoo! Group for Seattle belly dancers, to stay in the loop as new opportunities come up. To sign up, you need a Yahoo! email account, then search for BellyTalk in the Yahoo! Groups section, send in a request to join, and a moderator will approve your request.

Now go forth and dance!