tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67255444085833609972011-11-22T11:49:07.606-05:00Thoughts, theories and my journey with Bellydancewww.bellydancewillow.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15468578248325216919noreply@blogger.comBlogger201100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6725544408583360997.post-87120598653472402842011-11-22T09:37:00.000-05:002011-11-22T09:37:59.472-05:00

I recently read an article on the Gilded Serpent website entitled The Ballet-ification of Bellydance by Sausan, who is an Egyptian-style performer and instructor out in California. I wrote a response to the editor that was very long, and probably won't make it into the "Letters to the Editor" section. It is full of information and I want it to be read. So, without further ado, I present it

www.bellydancewillow.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15468578248325216919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6725544408583360997.post-25858078517759289922010-10-15T22:28:00.000-04:002010-10-15T22:28:33.050-04:00

Here are a few drills and combinations I wrote on my Bellydance Willow Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/bellydancewillow). All notation is written out and abbreviated in SS Format. All Students - Work on isolating the upper and lower abdominal muscles separately. Just the upper - contract and release. Just the lower - contract and release. Then work on alternating the contractions

www.bellydancewillow.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15468578248325216919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6725544408583360997.post-72321132565265414492010-09-04T17:16:00.001-04:002010-09-04T17:18:04.176-04:00

I have dozens of bellydance VHS tapes and DVD's for sale. Tapes $5 each - DVD's $10 each. Shipping $5 per order, for as many titles as you want. I have been collecting these titles for almost 20 years and have been influenced by all of these beautiful dancers in some way. I would love to share these videos with others so they can benefit from these amazing dancers as I have. Please see

www.bellydancewillow.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15468578248325216919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6725544408583360997.post-28864105662787192982010-09-02T21:31:00.002-04:002010-09-02T21:33:43.734-04:00

View this newsletter as a web page. It's been some time since I sent out a newsletter. I hope you have been enjoying this beautiful summer as much as I have. I've been very busy with many dance and non-dance related activities. On the dance front… The Ranya Renee workshop in June was very well attended and fantastic as always. Ranya has such a fun way of teaching and explaining thing. She

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What a year in dance this has been for me so far. I certainly can't blog about the whole past 6 months, but here are some of the highlights from the first part of 2010 in dance for me. Learning Angelique's Cheetah choreographies for "The ZOO" show was a crazy experience. We began the choreographies in January and I barely felt ready to perform by the middle of April. "Ampersandstorm" was the

www.bellydancewillow.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15468578248325216919noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6725544408583360997.post-61464174683504591582010-02-25T16:33:00.000-05:002010-02-25T16:33:06.421-05:00

Footwork Combinations to practice - Enjoy! Combination 1 Starting Right - Step Touch - 4 counts 3-step turn to the Right, starting on Right foot - Twist Left on last count - 4 counts Repeat to other side starting with Left foot. Combination 2 Footwork - Front, Middle, Back, Middle on Right foot - 4 counts Push Turn Forward on Right (turning to the left) - 4 counts Repeat Combination 3 Chasse'

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From time to time, I will leave homework here for my students. Feel free to use these combinations for your own practice. Remember, it's not just what you do in class that will make you a better dancer, it's what you do OUT of class that matters most! Walking Half Time - Playing longa (3's) continually. The third beat of every set will be the downbeat. When you are comfortable playing 3's,

www.bellydancewillow.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15468578248325216919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6725544408583360997.post-9462708186331137922009-12-28T22:29:00.003-05:002009-12-28T22:30:26.039-05:00

http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/email/newsletter/1410138987

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Please enjoy this video of me performing a choreography by Jillina, used as an audition for the Bellydance Evolution show.

www.bellydancewillow.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15468578248325216919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6725544408583360997.post-46530837794641502242009-12-28T21:55:00.001-05:002009-12-28T21:56:47.518-05:00

I have been finding a lot of really great resources for make-up on the internet and I wanted to share a few of those resources with my readers. Clumps of Mascara is a blog by a women who started out reviewing mascara on her blog, now she does make-up reviews, and talks about beauty products and treatments she has tried herself. Here are some Youtube video tutorials that give step by step

www.bellydancewillow.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15468578248325216919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6725544408583360997.post-74898652740772307432009-11-14T18:23:00.001-05:002009-11-14T18:23:44.079-05:00

November Hudson Valley Bellydance Events Newsletter

www.bellydancewillow.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15468578248325216919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6725544408583360997.post-68588623404509601572009-11-07T16:00:00.002-05:002009-12-28T20:58:26.974-05:00

Thrillin' Zills and Drills - Finger Cymbal Workshop with Willow Saturday, November 22, 2009 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. Location: Shakti-at-the-MAC 743 East Chester Street Bypass Kingston, NY 12401 Never played finger cymbals before? Willow will teach finger cymbals from the beginning! Have some experience but need more technique and practice? Willow will also teach fun and challenging drills to

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Here's the video of my performance with Angelique and the Bellydance Collective dancing to "Raks Bedeya" at Rakkasah East, October 2009, in Somerset, NJ. Enjoy!!!

www.bellydancewillow.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15468578248325216919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6725544408583360997.post-50748843618831213062009-10-20T20:36:00.002-04:002009-10-20T20:48:21.685-04:00

I had a revelation today. Bellydance is my job. I've said this before, like when I've justified the expense of getting pedicures before a performance. But it just actually sank in, the full realization of it. I was driving to my other job this afternoon - my clothing business - thinking about doing an on-line class tonight. Then I realized I was in class last night (Monday), I like to do

www.bellydancewillow.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15468578248325216919noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6725544408583360997.post-13751119811143461662009-10-12T17:10:00.005-04:002009-10-22T10:55:52.774-04:00

Click here to view Willow's Fall Bellydance Newsletter

www.bellydancewillow.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15468578248325216919noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6725544408583360997.post-67522797225988831432009-09-28T17:58:00.000-04:002009-09-28T17:58:19.276-04:00

I have been writing dance notes by hand for years and years. Since before I actually started teaching, sometime back in 2002 or 2003, I think. I have kept these handwritten notes in spiral notebooks, binders and folders for years, not all in the same place. I've even written class notes on post-it papers and little note papers, and find them lying around every now and then amongst completely

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I feel horrible. Headache, body aches, fatigue, off and on fever, and this cough, ripping my throat apart. But I just want to dance. I have choreography clips running through my head. Both the choreo. ABC is working on for Rakkasah and combinations for teaching. Can I do any of this? No. I tried to do an on-line bellydance class yesterday, but I could only sit in my chair moving my arms

www.bellydancewillow.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15468578248325216919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6725544408583360997.post-72993138589830681592009-09-07T17:23:00.002-04:002009-09-08T22:44:11.065-04:00

This past week, I took a weeklong intensive with master instructor, Anahid Sofian from NYC. This was an incredible opportunity to study with a master instructor who has been bellydancing and performing since the 1960's, with a rich history of experiences to draw from and share with her students. She has a background in ballet and modern dance and much of what she taught this week had a

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Do you know how to incorporate more physical activities and exercise into your busy schedule? What with work, family obligations, running the kids around after school and just plain tiredness, where do you have time in your life to incorporate more physical activity, nevermind a regular exercise program? Well, it's easier than you think. It only takes a few minutes at a time to accumulate 30

www.bellydancewillow.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15468578248325216919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6725544408583360997.post-86852986404441179702009-09-07T12:00:00.006-04:002009-09-08T22:45:02.853-04:00

In addition to being a bellydancer, I am a certified personal trainer and I wanted to share with you a list of some of the benefits that can be derived from a regular exercise routine. Most people know that exercise is good for them and that there are many health benefits to regular physical activity.  But in this day and age of hectic schedules and technological convenience, most people don't

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