Swap Meet 2015

It has been way too long since my last post so I'm back to blogging.  I hope to post at least something each month; wish me luck that I can make this happen :-)

So much has happened since my last post a year ago!  Let's start with January 2015 and move forward. 

January 17th was my last annual swap meet, number 21!!!  It's hard to believe my small event went from my front yard to the huge event it ended as.  I moved my swap meet to the Women's Club of Mesa since I needed a larger venue.  My swap meet went from a few dancers selling used costumes to over 25 vendors both dancers and belly dance vendors selling new items along with workshops during the day along with performances during the day and a show at night featuring the days instructors and their troupes.  It was a lot of hard work and so much fun!  I will miss it, 21 years is a long time for such a great event.

Here are some photos from the day.

Until next time...

Great Source for Articles on Belly Dancing

I use to love receiving my Habibi magazine when I first started dancing in the 1980's.  This journal has gone through many publishers through it's life before it ended in 2002.

Shareen El Safy was the last publisher from 1996 - 2002 and she has created a website called "The Best of Habibi".

Here you will find around 260 articles that were published during the time she was publisher.  Check it out when you have lots of time to read, http://thebestofhabibi.com/. :-)

Four Mistakes Dancers Make on the Internet

When updating my website today I ran across an article by Princess Farhana entitled, "Four Mistakes Dancers Make on the Internet".

I started my website, Joy of Belly Dancing back in 1990 when there wasn't a lot of information on the Internet about belly dancing.  I use to spotlight a dancer each month and a lot of the spotlights I received were sent via snail mail to me and I had to scan in the photos and type the bios in by hand.  I stopped spotlighting dancers in 2009 since no one wanted to be bothered promoting themselves anymore; I know crazy that's free advertisement!

Through the years I have seen a lot of dancer websites being born and recently they are disappearing; this is sad.

Everyone is saying, I have a Facebook page I don't need a website and this is not true a website is still very important.  Not everyone has Facebook, I know hard to believe, and if you are not "public" on Facebook not everyone can see it.  You don't want to mix personal life with you dance life, so I agree totally with Princess Farhana.  Don't get me wrong social media is important but it's not a website that promotes just you.

Check out her article when you have a chance, http://princessraqs.blogspot.com/2014/07/four-mistakes-dancers-make-on-internet.html.  It is going to be a series, I can't wait for the remaining articles.

Fusion Day Photos!

Fusion Day was such a blast!!!  Thank you everyone that came by to shop, take a workshop and attended the evening show!

Below are photos from the day:

 

 

Next event Beat the Heat in Bisbee, July 11th - 13th, hope to see you there.

 



Fusion Day 2014!!!!

Mark your calendars for Saturday June 21, 2014 for Fusion Day!!!!  The place to be is the Women's Club of Mesa, 200 N. Macdonald, Mesa, AZ 85201.  The fun starts at 9:00 a.m. with shopping and the 1st of 3 workshops starting at 10:00 a.m.

Workshops will be:
Cari from Anaya Tribal teaching skirt combos (10 - 11:30)
How to Dance to Live Music with Yasmina, Jim and Patrick (noon - 1:30)
Carrie Konyha teaching Tribaret Combos for the Versatile Dancer (2:00 - 3:30)

Vending by Ro & Rea, DSD Medieval Needle, Shimmy Bliss and henna by Annwyn.

Can't take a workshop, no worries come by and shop the vendors and get a henna tattoo.

Can't make it during the day, come see the evening show from 7:00 - 8:30; doors open at 6:30.  Show is $5 and you can pay at the door.

Want to be in the show?  Register to take one of the workshops and let me know you'd like to perform.  There are still openings but they are going fast.

Check out all the info on Fusion Day 2014 on my website.  Hope to see you there...

Spring Session Starts March 25th!

The new dance session starts Tuesday March 25th with beginning 2 cabaret and intermediate cabaret classes. 

The beginning 2 cabaret class will be learning an Egyptian style routine with the intermediate cabaret class learning something different this session, Voi. 

Wednesday night is tribal night with beginning tribal 2 class learning a skirt dance with a gypsy flare and the intermediate tribal class learning a hand candle dance.

Thursday night is beginning basic classes in both cabaret and tribal.  For the cabaret class is a veil dance and something new for the tribal basic class a choreographed dance along with basic moves.

Below is info on times, dates, registration info and costs. 

Spring Session (March 25 - May 8)
     
Tuesday
bellyrobicsCAW14DNC007-11 T Jan 14 - Feb 25 5:30-6:30pm $53 YR $62 NR
beginning belly dance 2 (Egyptian Style)
CAW14DNC003-11 T Jan 14 - Feb 25 6:30-7:30pm $53 YR $62 NR
intermediate belly dance (Voi)
CAW14DNC004-11 T Jan 14 - Feb 25 7:30-8:30pm $53 YR $62 NR
Wednesday
beginning tribal style 2 (Tribal Fusion Skirt)
CAW14DNC001-11 W Jan 15 - Feb 26 6:30-7:30pm $53 YR $62 NR
intermediate tribal style (Tribal Hand Candles)
CAW14DNC002-11 Jan 15 - Feb 26 7:30-8:30pm $53 YR $62 NR
Thursday
beginning belly dance - basic (Veil)
CAW14DNC011-11 TH Jan 16 - Feb 27 6:30-7:30pm $53 YR $62 NR
beginning tribal style - basic (Tribal Style)
CAW14DNC012-11 TH Jan 16 - Feb 27 7:30-8:30pm $53 YR $62 NR


Register by calling the Mesa Arts Center register, (480)644-6520, or drop off your registration at the Art Studios at the Mesa Arts Center lobby.
Brochures are at the Mesa Arts Center or visit the Mesa Arts Center website.

Enjoy your weekend and hope to see you in class...Yasmina

Road Trip to Prescott

What a fantastic time we had in Prescott, AZ at Troupe Salamat's 15th Anniversary Celebration.  Dana and Dawn were right on time at 5:00 a.m. to get on the road so we could be in Prescott by 7:00 a.m. to set up for vending and they could take the first workshop at 8:00 a.m.  I had the car already loaded with Shimmy Bliss inventory and I even could see out the back window; that's a huge feat to do that when I'm vending :-)  We stopped at QT to get goodies for the trip and off to Prescott.

We made pretty good time and were only 25 minutes after 7:00.  We unloaded the car and set up for vending.  I met Flo from Tribal Souk located in New Mexico and Elsanne from Libeluladanza located in Mexico; they were great vending buddies through out the day.

After the first workshop Dana, Dawn and I went and had some lunch in downtown Prescott and had time to check out one of the antique stores before going back to workshops.  I took the afternoon workshop with Terri Walden directory of Troupe Salamat on some of their combinations with zill patterns.  It was a lot of fun and I have new combos to teach my students.

We had several hours before the evening show so it was off to hunt for something light to eat and we found a little pie place and couldn't resist having a slice of pie.  We sat outside and ate which would be unheard of in the Valley of the Sun since it was 119 on Saturday at home; got to love Northern AZ!

Back to the studio to get ready for the show.  Dawn and I ran through our Duet and Dana ran through her first solo.  It was so great to see all my old friends in Northern AZ and get caught up on what's been going on in their lives.  It was time for the show so all the dancers got together back stage before going on to prepare.

Troupe Salamat started the evening off and dancers from all over the US and Mexico performed; what a show!!!!!  Dana did wonderful on her first solo and Dawn and I rocked the house after her.  I loved seeing all the different dance styles and costumes; so many ideas for future routines :-)  After Troupe Salamat ended the show we vended a little bit and it was time to pack up and hit the road.

We stopped at a Denny's in Prescott Valley for some food before heading back down to the Valley.  We arrived at my house after 1:00 a.m. all of us tired from a perfect day of belly dancing.

Below are some photos from our trip.

We took 3TV on our trip

Dawn

Dana

Flo

White Lotus Belly Dance