I challenge you this month to put the “YOU” into Unique. So many dancers think they have to copy what they see others do, how they dress, how they move. While it is important to witness the trends in fashion and movement, if you ever want to stand out as a Middle Eastern dancer, you need to dare to be authentic.

“Authentic” is defined in the dictionary as “genuine, real, not false or copied”.  Authenticity comes from living the motto “what you see is what you get”. It allows you to develop into a unique artist and a valuable individual. It might not always be easy, but it is definitely rewarding. From how you move on the stage to how you carry yourself behind the scenes, authenticity transforms you and empowers you. It is a series of conscious choices where you take charge of the direction in which you are headed.

Take a moment to think about how you see yourself right now and notice if there is anything you wish to improve or change:

1. Do you trust your gut?  Who better than a belly dancer to connect with her ‘gut’? What we call ‘gut instincts’ are the feelings that rise from inside which resonate with your true self and compel you toward or away from something. What drew you to belly dance in the first place? Why belly dance and not something else? What was the first thing you did to try belly dancing classes? It all started with an instinct followed by an action step. Whether conscious or not, this combination repeated as you moved forward on your dance journey until you arrived at the point where you are now. Next, consider where you are going with your dance. Deep down inside your gut, whether or not you admit it to anyone else, do you ever dream big? For most of you belly dance is a hobby that is enjoyed in your spare time, but come on, how long do you think that hobby will intrigue you if you don’t let it evolve? Dreaming big is a great thing! Don’t doubt yourself. Be honest. What do you truly want to be when you grow up? After you admit it, you then need to…
2. Think outside the box: The moment you chose belly dance you already stepped outside the box. We all know Middle Eastern dance is not mainstream, not like jogging, ballet or yoga. Once you got involved in belly dance, you studied it and tried to emulate the instructors and performers that you admire. After a while, you need to stop copying others. It means stepping outside the box again, something that needs to be done over and over. The farther out of the box you go, the more exciting the experiences will be. You will challenge yourself both physically and mentally. You might go so far as to become an expert at your craft, a revered artist. Look around at the lovely dance enthusiasts that are your peers. If you only do what everyone else does, you will remain lost amongst the masses. If you want to stand out of the crowd, you need to do something that the majority doesn’t do. You must wear your thinking cap and…
3. Set a goal with a date:  Once you know the ultimate, long term goal, getting there will take a series of small steps. Remember the combination of instinct and action? Identify the first step towards that goal and put a date on accomplishing it. Maybe it is an exact day and time or maybe it is more loosely a month and year. An end date will assist your willpower and determination to make that goal without giving up. You will focus your abilities, turn on your creativity and give yourself a direction to make your dreams come true. Once you reach that goal, you should pause, reflect, look inside for what your gut is telling you and then choose another action step. Any step you take can always be altered along the way, but finding the power to use consistent, persistent action is the only way you will ever get there. As you take steps forward, you will find that you will someday have to…
4. Take risks:  The word ‘risk’ can be scary if it is something that is done without forethought. I’m not advocating rash decisions and throwing responsibilities to the wind. What I’m suggesting is a calculated risk that will get you ahead and possibly catapult you forward. Explore opportunities that you otherwise might not have considered. You will feel some measure of discomfort and, while that’s not fun, it is a sign that whatever you are considering can bring great returns. Some of the best experiences will come your way, things that will shape your destiny and create highlights in your life. So when you are offered your first dance job at a restaurant, take the risk. Go to that dance conference in another country. Take a trip to the Middle East. Enter that dance competition. Work with live musicians. Accept that teaching job. Facing the discomfort is small price to pay for gaining valuable experience and networking with peers and leaders who can help you. Your confidence will soar and you will be able to face and conquer other forms of discomfort. This especially includes the discomfort created by the…
5. Naysayers:   If you haven’t already encountered someone negative who wants to burst your bubble, you eventually will. The farther you travel on your dance journey, especially if you have set high goals, think outside the box and take risks, the louder and more aggressive the naysayers will become. They ridicule you either directly or behind your back. They make you feel bad and try to undermine your confidence. You can try to argue with them, but it doesn’t really change anything. You try to be nice to them, and they only find you weak. They don’t agree that your dreams are worth the effort. Or perhaps they are jealous of you and can’t bear to see you achieve something that they don’t have the courage to try or the talent to accomplish. No matter how hard it is to ignore them, the best thing you can do is say nothing and move on. You don’t need their approval. Just honor your authenticity, which has nothing to do with anyone else’s authenticity. Take the high road, even if it appears to be a lonely one. In the end you will be happy that you did what is right for you.

Maybe these guidelines seem like lofty ideas, so I will offer you some examples from my own personal journey that prove that they work.

• Trust your gut: My gut always felt that I had something special to offer oriental dance. I began dancing at 3 years old and by the time I was 16 I learned that ballet was not going to provide a career for me, mostly because I had the wrong body type (too curvy). So I explored other dance forms. When I tried oriental dance, I knew right away that this is where I belonged. This same gut instinct told me when to attempt my first night club gig, when to accept my first teaching position, when to travel to Egypt, and when to latch onto a great mentor, Ibrahim Farrah.
• Thinking outside the box and setting goals with dates: I stepped into oriental dance knowing that my family would not approve. Oh sure, they were amused but they didn’t believe dance could ever be a serious career. I studied and performed part-time for quite a while, but deep inside I promised myself that I would become a full-time dancer someday. I set a goal and put a date on it, and guess what? I met that goal exactly. It was 1991, feels like yesterday! Lol
• Taking risks: It was a scary when I was offered a job to teach for six months in an oriental dance school in Vienna, Austria, in 1993. I left the security of my home to live in a different country where I had never been before, did not speak the language, and did not know how different it is to live in Europe. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. There were performance and teaching experiences that I would never have acquired if I had stayed in the U.S.
• Naysayers:  My parents were my initial naysayers, but once they saw my success as a dancer, they became my biggest supporters. Other naysayers included Middle Eastern people who claim that only people born in the Middle East can ever perform oriental dance with the right ‘feeling’. What fun it was to see them impressed when I was invited to perform in a theater tour along side Nagua Fouad of Egypt. Other naysayers included a variety of ambitious students who studied with me for years only to eventually part ways, some quite notoriously aggressive, some passively aggressive. Can’t say I have heard much about their dance career afterwards. Instead, I focused on my goals and stayed out of the way of anyone who tried to derail me. You must to believe in yourself and be committed to your dreams!

You are the sum of all of your experiences. Make your journey exciting. Promise to value your unique self. Dance through your life in such a way that when you look back on your journey, you will feel no regrets. Strive to be fearlessly authentic!

When you want to develop your own dance persona, one of the greatest tools you can utilize is to choose an inspiring role model. You’ve got to take a close look around within the realm of belly dance and not be afraid to select the ‘stars’ that encompass all the things you’d like – from costuming to dance style, from charisma to business savvy. Consider any Middle Eastern artist anywhere in the world and also from any era, past and present. While personal experience is the best teacher, the second best is to learn from and copy those who have already acquired the look and success that you want. Select your role model(s) carefully. Have a clear picture of what you want from your dance. I hunted for role models back in the 1980s.  At that time in Egypt, there was a famous dancer who was extremely impressive. Her name was Suhair Zaki.
 
Suhair was born in 1944 and still lives today in Cairo, Egypt. She no longer performs, having retired in the 1990s at the height of a very successful career. I was fortunate to see her dance many times in Cairo, from the stages of smokey nightclubs to extravagant wedding receptions in grand hotel ballrooms. She is my favorite Egyptian dancer because she is not only an outstanding artist, she conducted herself 100% as a lady.
 
Suhair’s dance style was along the lines of Tahia Karioka. She did not rely on props to dazzle her audience, nor did she need a lot of space on the stage. She performed as a soloist with no background singer, dancers or troupe, as did some other well-known performers. Her only backdrop was her excellent orchestra. Music was specially composed for Suhair every six months, as were her costumes. One of the most famous costume designers, Madam Abla, created the stunning baladi dresses (more like cocktail dresses than folkloric dress) as well as the heavily fringed and beaded oriental outfits, complete with mesh over the midriff. They set the fashion trend for belly dancers around the globe.
 
Suhair’s shows were a class act.  Her group of musicians numbered between 15 and 30, and they connected with Suhair perfectly. Together they made magic happen on the stage. Suhair was the first oriental dancer to perform to music of Om Koulthoum, one of the highest revered singers in the history of Arabic music. It was a risk to do so, at first, because at the time Suhair was still young and not well known. But Om Koulthoum herself claimed that Suhair interpreted the music beautifully.
 
Many dancers in Cairo have choreographers that assist in the creation of their show. Suhair never did this. She claims that she always danced from her own inspiration and feeling, and that is what moved her body. She was quoted as saying that she needs the dance as anyone needs air to breathe. She believes that dance is art and must always be honored and respected. In that, she honored and respected herself as a dancer and as a woman. She did not compromise her integrity, not even when the trends dictated a change to more risqué costuming and flashier variety-show performances. She stated that on stage she wanted to feel like a princess.
 
Suhair danced with passionate emotional expression and amazingly precise hipwork. Her movements were feminine, graceful and rather reserved (less is more!). There were no high kicks, incessant spinning, or overly skimpy costuming. Instead, she used her hips, back and abs to create intricate contractions.
 
Today you can find online films of her performances. You will encounter music that was written for her, and many others that used her name to indicate the classical oriental style of the music, not that she was the producer. There are tons of photos of her in her dazzling costumes.
 
Suhair Zaki’s standards were high, and her name epitomizes the elegance and grace of oriental dance. If you choose Suhair as one of your role models, you will join the movement to promote and preserve the Art of Middle Eastern dance.

Have you ever taken a belly dance class with an instructor who’s really tough? I mean, the kind of teacher who takes belly dance seriously, has high standards, and kicks your butt? Did you rise to the challenge or walk away shaking your head, saying “no way, that class was too hard” or “that teacher was mean”?

It seems these days that the concept of “tough love” is considered “old school” and is commonly avoided more than embraced. Teachers in grammar schools and high schools are told to be ‘politically correct’ and never touch a student in any manner, not even to hug. Their hands are tied when it comes to a student who is out of line and could use a bit of discipline to get back on track. I remember being deathly afraid of my fifth-grade teacher, an old lady with a loud, gruff voice. The fear was so great, I worked extra hard to please her… and you know what? I went from being a mediocre student to being “teacher’s pet” with all A’s.  That tough woman did me a favor in the long run. My confidence soared and I remained a straight-A student all the way through college.

And then there was the ballet master I trained with for many years. The world-famous program was super traditional. As a student, I wore a sky blue leotard to indicate my skill level, pulled my hair up in a bun with no bangs allowed, was silent when the instructor entered the room, could never lean on the barre, and was given only one shot at watching the combination demonstrated before having to repeat it. The stern-faced teacher then walked around the room with a yardstick that occasionally tapped at a limb to straighten the form of the leg. Mental focus and physical endurance was key to success. The outcome was a slow progression towards a beautifully trained classical ballerina.

A tough-love teacher presents a challenge to you. Either the challenge is a physical one where you know you will be expected to work hard, pay attention and practice, or the challenge is a mental one where your own ego can get in the way of you choosing to stay and work with that person. Tough-love teachers direct your progress and keep your evolution in check. They offer positive reinforcement supplemented with a strong discipline. Ask anyone in football, track, ice skating, piano, voice lessons, martial arts, flamenco, gymnastics, or any other kind of movement or artistic coaching. Excellent training works on all levels, including physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.  The tough coach demands a level of respect between all the individuals within the classroom in order for the class to be focused and effective, and also so that the topic is learned and practiced safely and successfully. While growth of individual ability is the primary goal, at the same time, this type of instructor develops your character, which will ultimately affect your entire life.

I was fortunate to study intensely with master artists Ibrahim “Bobby” Farrah and Mahmoud Reda. Both men were creative, energetic, passionate, and quite tough. If they didn’t like what you were doing in their class, they were not afraid to get right in your face and make a blunt suggestion about what to fix, or they might just ask you to leave. There were times when I witnessed an inflated ego get totally knocked down so far that the dancer left the room crying. At times like these, the training also developed your sense of humility. No one ever dared to disrespect the instructor by telling him he was out of line. If you didn’t like the directness of the “old school” style, you just didn’t take class anymore, and in the long run, it was your greatest loss.

When you decide to study with a person who is considered an oriental dance artist or master, then you are in for a wonderful journey full of obstacles and growth. If you don’t want that kind of journey, please find a laid-back class at an informal setting where the goals of the class are more about socializing than serious dance study, and with that, lower your standards of how far you will grow as a performer.
Should you find that rare artist who is also a great teacher, consider yourself blessed, take a deep breath, and trust that the process will condition you to be the best dancer you can be. That coach will offer you the following challenges, and here’s how you need to meet them:

• The challenge of a focused mind:

1. Seek a class that is appropriate for your level and pushes you to grow by having to execute movements correctly, learn how to transition fluidly, and dares you to remember a choreography.
2. Come to class prepared to work. Put your troubles aside and clear your mind so the class can release your stress and tension.
3. Be quiet and pat attention to the instructor. Do not talk, joke or whisper to classmates while class is going on.
4. If you have a question, ask no one except your teacher.
5. Trust your coach’s judgment. If in doubt, defer to their assessment of you and accept their guidance.
6. Come to class prepared, even if it means taking time out the rest of your week to practice.

• The challenge of an athletically conditioned body:

1. Dare to ask your instructor for a list of your strengths and weaknesses. They should be able to clearly explain your weaknesses, not just praise your strengths. You can’t improve unless you know exactly what needs improvement.
2. Be aware of your dance space. Be careful that your movements are controlled so you avoid banging into everyone around you.
3. Make your teacher aware before class begins if you have any physical limitations that day.
4. Try to dance the way the instructor requests. Once you are out of the classroom, you can massage the movement into your own style. Within the classroom, you should trust that the method offered by your teacher is valid and valuable.
5. Remember that physical conditioning takes time. Be patient. You will grow in steps and then plateau before you elevate to the next step. Be consistent and tenacious enough to endure each plateau with giving up.
6. Outside of the classroom, it never hurts to do a few extra sit-ups or planks now and then. Supplemental core conditioning will keep you strong and healthy.

• The challenge of a strong spirit:

1. Group lessons are an opportunity to discipline your ego. Put envy aside and be open to watching others in a non-critical way, particularly if you are split into two groups or if one student is selected as an example to perform the combination. You can learn by watching others. You can also use this time as a chance to visualize yourself doing the combination.
2. If you enter class late, quietly take your position in the back of the room. Respect those who were there on time. Don’t push yourself in front to stand ahead of others. Be sure you apologize to the instructor at the end of the class.
3. If you must leave early, inform your teacher before the class begins.
4. Accept correction as positive criticism. Your coach is not picking on you.  View the correction as an opportunity to grow, even If you struggle with feeling embarrassed for being singled out. You are being corrected because the instructor believes in you!

• The challenge of upholding honor and integrity:

1. Always do the best you can do. A good coach recognizes and rewards effort.
2. Be honest with yourself. Be honest with your instructor.
3. Remember, teachers are human too and can make mistakes or have a bad day. Never openly criticize your instructor. Sarcasm and disrespectful behavior of any kind have no place in the classroom. If you feel you need to act in this manner, you need to leave the class.
4. Pay for your classes responsibly and be aware that you are paying to benefit from the knowledge of your instructor. Ego stroking has nothing to do with your tuition.
5. At the end of the class, no matter what, thank your instructor.

Face these challenges and you will evolve. It is an empowering journey! It is up to you to choose your mentor carefully. Just because someone markets themselves as the best, doesn’t mean they always are. Look for a coach that has many years of first-hand, professional experience. It’s best to check their credentials to see that they have also studied with a good coach and, therefore, will provide you with a lineage of artistic training.
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After four decades of teaching belly dance, it’s always been a wonder to me why Middle Eastern dance still struggles with recognition as an art form. I believe that if we are ever to gain that recognition, we need more great dance coaches and dancers who know the value of tough love!

Some of us naturally love to study history, and some of us don’t. When I was in grammar school, it was my least favorite class, mostly because of the way it was presented. It was memorizing a name, a place and a date (ie, John Doe discovered something in a specific year). Boring! I just could not see the value of the dry material.

Of course, as I got older and literally lived history and even created some of it within our beloved world of belly dance, my opinion changed. The subject of oriental dance is a passion of mine (in case you couldn’t tell! LOL). I used to ask my teachers, my mentors, and the musicians I worked with all kinds of questions about the dance, the culture, the music, etc. I collected whatever books I could find on the topic of belly dance…and for a long time, they were books that only tried to teach movements, not offering much about the history. When the internet arrived, I was one of the first dancers to publish online articles about oriental dance. Since then, the internet has exponentially evolved into a vast source of information.
After 40+ years of being involved in oriental dance, I can look back on the decades with hindsight. That timeline shows me how I came to be a successful artist. Without studying our dance history, past and present, I could never have earned a full-time living from dance and could never have appreciated the value of our dance as an art form.

When you explore how our dance came to be, you will learn to appreciate the depth of the culture, its traditions and its evolution. You will see how dance, music, art and fashion are intertwined. They are the ways a culture expresses and communicates FEELING.
Here are some reasons why belly dancers should study Middle Eastern dance history:

• It provides us a better understanding of a dance that is a cultural identifier. To ever be taken seriously as a Middle Eastern dancer, you must develop an understanding and respect for Middle Eastern culture.
• It expands our own lives and view of the world. Middle Eastern dance has existed nearly 8,000 years old. Such a depth of history grounds us and clarifies where we stand in the timeline, what we can contribute, and how we can progress the art form.
• Seeing how Middle Eastern dance history developed inspires your personal dance journey. When you know where you came from, you will know where you stand today, and how you may keep shimmying into your future. Can you identify your own dance lineage? Who did you train with? Who did your teachers train with? This is your personal dance genealogy, and it impacts the entire evolution of Middle Eastern dance, even if you believe you are one tiny dancer lost in a world of dancers. Dancers of every kind all over the globe proudly share their unique lineage. As a dancer, you should choose to maintain credentials that are about quality, not quantity. Knowing your dance history will make you a great representative of this ancient dance form. You will be respected as a viable contributor to this dance over and beyond the casual hobbyist who cares only for self-gratification.

I would like to bring up one more essential reason why you should study the history of our dance form. It is because it will broaden your performance base so that you can present folkloric dance of the Middle East, not just oriental dance. Folkloric dances include themes such as Saidi, Melaya, Fellahi, Saudi (Khaleegi), and Ghawazee dances. Your knowledge of history will give you the ability to take each of these special themes and represent them correctly. Middle Easterners will appreciate you even more as a performer! But the biggest reason to take time to focus on folkloric dances is because it will enhance your overall emotional expression, even when you are performing oriental dance.

Why is emotional expression important?
Anyone can learn to be an excellent technician of Middle Eastern dance. While their movements are beautifully executed, their performance will feel empty to the audience without the ability to emote. Dance is meant to be an emotional experience for both the performer and the audience.
Every audience seeks a performer that shares their passion. Great dancers provoke an emotional response, whether good or bad. What they never want is no response at all. Neutrality means the audience does not care about what they just experienced, and they will leave the show with a feeling of apathy.
The dancer who successfully connects with their audience on an emotional level experiences a wonderful side effect. You are creatively stimulated by the audience’s reactions and then will dance even better. After the show, you will feel an unparalleled ‘high’ that is rewarding and exciting. Once you experience it, you will seek that ‘high’ every time you perform.
Folkloric dances are ‘character’ dances, in which you play a role. For example, take an Alexandrian Melaya dance. In this theme, you play the woman who goes to market in the port city of Alexandria. You are wearing a dress, a scarf on your head, a burka on your face, and are wrapped in a black opaque garment called a melaya. The dance is telling a story, where you go to the market and engage in an innocent flirtation with a sailor. You are dancing in a gently enticing way, being playful, sweet, and rather shy, but trying to flirt at the same time. Playing this role, you must project with your body language and facial expressions. Perfecting a folkloric dance, you will build your skills to express various emotions whenever you dance oriental dance, too.

Below is a photo of me in a Melaya costume.  For an example of a Melaya dance, please take a look at this YouTube video clip from my YouTube channel of me in a classroom (not in costume) so that you can see the style of movements and hear an example of the music: https://youtu.be/2uX4LglVCss

Folkloric dances are fun to learn and can easily be adjusted from a solo to a duet or group dance. Middle Eastern folklore and history are invaluable to the belly dancer that wants to be the best dancer she can be! Enjoy your research.

As a full time belly dancer for over 4 decades, I’ve been asked many times how I climbed the ladder to international success. How did I make my dance dreams come true? Did I know from the start where I wanted to end up? Did I draw an outline of my goals? Was I just one of the lucky ones, in the right time at the right place? The first thing I would tell you is there is no magical ‘secret’ to getting what you want. But there are some things that I would advise.
For most of us, dance is a sanctuary from the stress of everyday life.  It’s not usually someone’s full time career. Yet, every time you choose to shimmy you take another step forward on some sort of dance journey that’s unique to you, and inevitably it will lead you somewhere. You want to keep your experiences positive and add value to your life. When you go from student to performer to instructor, you are always growing and evolving as an ever-improving dancer.
Here's some things you can do to be the best you can be and make your dance dreams come true:

1. Dream:  No matter who you are, what you weigh, where you live, whatever amount of dance background and experience you have, you can always take something you love to do and extrapolate. In other words, dream! Dream big! If you can dream it, you can achieve it. It is healthy to envision what you will do with the dance that you love. There are few things in life that we truly resonate with. When you dream, you open up your creative side. You will find yourself considering possibilities that never before came to mind. You will believe in yourself a little more than you did yesterday. You will detox from whatever or whoever stresses you out. Give your soul permission to do exactly what is right for you. As a visionary, you will find that you can better…
2. Believe in yourself: Our beliefs control everything about us. If you believe you can do something, chances are you can. Maybe not at this very moment, but you will soon be able to accomplish it. If you believe you can’t do something, everything in your power, both consciously and subconsciously, will prove to you that you are right. You will only see the reasons why you would fail. The key is to keep searching for the things that are part of your dream. Keep asking yourself if whoever and whatever comes your way is serving your vision. If so, embrace it. If not, let it go. This is the work you need to do. You should not be afraid to…
3. Work hard:  Practice makes perfect. Practice your dance moves, keep taking classes, go to rehearsals, and dance, dance, dance.  When your work hard, you will improve your physical ability, you will train your mental discipline so that you can accomplish more, and you will increase your focus on your dream. To keep the momentum going is sometimes tough.  Motivation doesn’t always last, even if this is something that you love to do. When that happens, lean on your commitment to continue. People of accomplishment rarely sit back and let things happen. They go out and happen to things! So take it one day at a time and…
4. Enjoy the process:  This part is easy! Look online to see what else is out there. Go out and meet other dancers. Make friends. Make mistakes. Be ethical. Never stop learning. Surround yourself with positivity. Review your dream and sometimes update it so that you are freshly inspired. Reward yourself when you attain a goal. Acknowledge your attributes and recognize your progress. Be kind to yourself. Don’t compare yourself to others. The moment you feel like you have to prove your worth to someone else is the moment to absolutely walk away from them. Dance for yourself, not for anyone else. You dance because you…
5. Love the Art: ‘Falling’ in love and ‘being’ in love are two very different things. You can ‘fall’ in love with belly dance, but if it never develops into a state of ‘being’ in love, you will find that the excitement fades and you abandon it. Once you are in love with the dance, it becomes a part of you that you can’t deny and shouldn’t ignore. It will set roots deep inside you. Only then can it grow with any hope of lasting long enough to make an impact on your life.  We lose ourselves in the things we love. We find ourselves there, too. Dancing is not something you do logically and rationally. It works best if you…
6. Dance with your heart:  While you could dance by simply mimicking someone and performing a mechanical motion, anyone who is a ‘real’ dancer (amateur or professional) will attest that if they dance from the heart, that’s where the dream resides. That is the place where inner peace is found and from which you exude creativity. Dancing with the feet is one thing, but dancing with the heart is unparalleled. Always trust your heart. Then, all you have to do is…
7. Repeat: Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.”

Now you know what to do to get what you want from the beautiful art of belly dance. These 6 simple steps repeated over and over again will drive you forward on an upward spiral so you can achieve heights you might otherwise never experience. Go ahead. Make your dance dreams come true. Get some good vibes cranking and just be happy with yourself. Love what belly dance brings to you. Become the image of your own imagination. Go forth and shimmy!
If you want to learn how to share your dance passion with others, consider taking the Sakkara Dance Teachers’ course at www.SakkaraDance.com

This month we are honoring strong, bold, beautiful women, those who are mothers, leaders, influencers of all kinds. These women are often overlooked and underestimated. Even those who have fame don’t have the whole truth of their story revealed to the world. 

Let’s take a look at one of the most famous women of all time. You may be surprised to learn that you (or a woman you know and love) is very similar to this fantastic historic figure. The woman we honor today is Cleopatra.
 
The story of Cleopatra is one like many others. It is filled with love and war, alliance and intrigue, tragedy and drama. Why was a woman born 2,000 years ago still commonly recognized today? Here are some highlights to her story.
 
Cleopatra was forced to face a monumental hardship when she was only 17 years old. Cleopatra’s father, the King of Egypt, died in 51 B.C. when she was a teenager. Her brother, Ptolemy XIII, was 12 years old. At the time, as was the custom, Cleopatra had to marry her brother to rule Egypt jointly. First the grief, then the formality of marrying her baby brother, then the huge responsibility of ruling a country!
 
Cleopatra was both brilliant and beautiful. For a woman, she was very well-educated. Cleopatra was well-versed in mathematics, literature, astronomy, medicine, and could speak several languages. Even though the Ptolemies ruled Egypt for 200 years and were of Macedonian descent, she was the first one who could fluently speak the Egyptian language. Her intelligence was assisted by her beauty, charisma, and passion. To others she was intimidating and envied.
 
One year later, Cleopatra suffered betrayal. Cleopatra’s own sister, Arsinol, worked with 3 official councilors to overthrow the new Queen. Because the young brother was easier to control, they kept him in place as King. It was only Cleopatra who they exiled from Egypt in 48 B.C.
 
Cleopatra’s cunning and determination won back the throne. Julius Caesar arrived in Alexandria 1 year after Cleopatra was exiled. It took some time, but Cleopatra managed to pull together an army. Then she knew not to approach Caesar directly because she would be killed if seen openly at the palace. To gain an audience with Caesar, she rolled herself into a carpet and had her army deliver it as a gift. Cleopatra instantly charmed Caesar, and they quickly became lovers. He helped her overthrow her brother, but the victory paid a steep price. The Great Library of Alexandria burnt down.
 
Cleopatra stood strong and proud against gossip that slandered her. Cleopatra traveled with Caesar to Rome. There she lived with him even though this offended the conservative Republicans. Caesar was already married, yet he wanted to marry Cleopatra. There were laws against marrying foreigners, so their marriage was forbidden, and their love was ridiculed harshly and openly.
 
A year later, Rome assassinated Caesar and kicked Cleopatra out. A conspiracy of Senators had Caesar assassinated because he was considered a huge threat. Cleopatra returned to Egypt and patiently watched from a distance as Rome fell into a Civil War between Caesar’s heir, Octavian, and Mark Anthony. Eventually Mark Anthony won. Because he had fallen in love with Cleopatra when she was in Rome, he went to Egypt to find her.
 
Cleopatra had a second great love, Mark Anthony. They were politically and intimately united for a year before Mark Anthony was recalled to Rome. Unfortunately, political pressure forced him to marry Octavia, the sister of Octavian, Caesar’s heir.
 
Cleopatra marries Mark Anthony. Four years after he left Egypt, Mark Anthony led a military campaign against Parthes, which brought him near Egypt. As soon as possible, he summoned Cleopatra to his side. He was still in love with her, and they married, even though he was technically married to Octavia. The war with Parthes continued until Rome was victorious in 34 B.C. Mark Anthony celebrated in Alexandria, and soon it became evident to Rome that he intended to stay with Cleopatra, rather than return to Octavia. In 32 B.C., Mark Anthony divorced Octavia. Then Rome declared war on Cleopatra. They fought long and hard, culminating in one of the most famous battles in history, the battle of Actium. It was fought off the coast of Greece in the Adriatic Sea between Octavian’s forces and those of Cleopatra and Mark Anthony. Rome won, forcing  Cleopatra and Mark Anthony to flee.
 
Rome went further to destroy the love between Cleopatra and Mark Anthony. When Octavian claimed Egypt as a Roman providence, the generals of Mark Anthony falsely reported to him that Cleopatra died in her mausoleum.
Mark Anthony then attempted suicide. Dying, he was taken to Cleopatra. He learned all too late that she was still alive. Mark Anthony died in Cleopatra’s arms and was buried as a king.
 
Rather than become a slave to Octavian, Cleopatra committed suicide. When Octavian entered Alexandria, Cleopatra was captured and taken to him. He made it very clear that he had no intention of having a relationship with her. He planned on taking Cleopatra to Rome to exhibit his triumph, but Cleopatra refused to become his slave. She locked herself in her mausoleum. Three days before they were to leave Egypt, Cleopatra had her hand servants bring a basket filled with figs. Hidden within was a snake. The Egyptians believed that death by snakebite secured immortality. Cleopatra was bitten by the asp, as were the hand servants. Octavian found them all dead.
 
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Romantically and spiritually, the belly is the core of a woman’s being, her femininity, her center of power.  Historically, a soft, round womanly shape was considered beautiful, and a curving belly symbolized both wealth and position.  It seems most men still prefer a woman with those curves, but modern society has influenced the opinion of most women.  In the Western world, the least favorite part for most women is the lower abdominal, affectionately (?!) referred to as the belly. It is in that area of the body where you feel muscularly lazy and find it too easy to collect a pouch of fat. Most women give their bellies the evil eye, especially when they are in front of the mirror. I don’t know how many times I have seen this in dance class and can personally say I have felt the same way! I don’t know anyone who wants to look like the jolly Buddha.
 
Webster’s Dictionary states the noun “belly” is the abdomen. The verbs “bellied” or “bellying” mean to swell out or bulge. Well, that’s not exactly promising, is it?!
 
Here are some things you can do to define your midsection and slenderize your waistline:
 

1. Engage your lower abs to create proper body alignment. Your belly is made up of four layers of muscles. Because of this, the abdominals can stand a lot of toning exercises. They work together the back muscles to support the column of the spine. Your belly will sag forward if it is weak muscles and it will pull the lower spine into “swayback”, which can cause pain. The lower spine curves naturally, but should only form a slight curve. If you lengthen your spine and tighten the lower abs, you will automatically improve your shape. Consciously practice pulling in the lower abdominal muscles. It sounds simple enough, but will take repeated practice until it becomes a habit.
2. You definitely will improve your belly is you remove excess fat which lies over the belly. Removing fat means reducing the amount of goodies you consume, as well as adding cardiovascular exercise to burn the fat away. The good news is, if you take dance class three times a week, you are getting the workout you need. You can always supplement your dance classes with a brisk walk, taking a tone class at the gym, or using any kind of cardio equipment. You simply need to choose the ones you like the most, so it does not feel like a tedious chore.
3. Abdominals exercises are also something you can do to strengthen your core. The traditional Sit-Up comes to mind, but I know for fact that often people execute them incorrectly and end up hurting their necks instead of helping their abs. Please consider something else, like holding a plank position for 1-2 minutes, or using a Bosu ball.
4. There are specific belly dance movements that strengthen the abs and lower back muscles (your core). Within the realm of belly dance, the book The Belly Dancer in You, written by famous Turkish dancer Ozel Turkbas, claims that it was the Turks who added belly movements. Ozel states that the dance became a fixture in Turkish wedding celebrations as part of the awalem, a non-verbal dance that taught women which exercises to do to enjoy painless childbirth without stretch marks. Ozel feels that belly dancing brings women the closest to the status of goddess. The stomach symbolizes the center of all community, which is a very appropriate place for civilization to be based.  She even points out that the Japanese have a whole philosophy based on hara, a point just below the navel which must be kept loose and mobile if the individual is to have a spontaneous and fulfilled existence. That hara point is the belly dancer’s abdomen.

 
There are technically only two movements that the belly can perform, namely contraction and release. The entire abdominal wall can be used, or different parts in different series, to create various interesting and challenging dance movements.  The Stomach Flutter is a great movement that uses the entire abdominal wall. Release the control of the stomach as you let it out, then grab it back in. Do it at an even tempo, in-out in-out in-out without holding your breath. As you gain control, increase the speed to create a fluttering effect.
 
The second most common movement done with the belly is the Belly Roll.  First, try to separate your ab muscles in two parts, the upper portion above your belly button and the lower portion beneath the belly button. Practice contracting and releasing each half separately. The slower you practice, the better. Once you get confident with the separate movements, try this sequence: contract the upper half, then while holding it in contract the lower half (so the entire abdomen is held IN). Then release the upper half without releasing the lower (that’s hard but not impossible!). Finally, release the lower half (so the entire abdomen is relaxed OUT). Repeat many times. Once you have the Belly Roll, you can reverse it or build upon it by incorporating it into a roll that uses the whole torso and spine to make a full Undulation. Advance into a moving Undulation, called a Camelwalk. An excellent version of Camelwalk is what I call the "small Camelwalk", which is executed entirely on the balls of the feet. It challenges your balance, which automatically tones your core. Check out my short instructional video on how to execute a Small Camelwalk: https://youtu.be/ErSvUYmCZTs
 
Belly dance wouldn’t be belly dance without great belly movements. As you work to improve your dance technique, take special time to develop your abdominal muscles.  Not only will your dance technique improve, but you’ll love how your belly looks and will dramatically improve your long-term health. Go ahead, search for that better belly. It’s a win-win situation. You might find that Ozel was right, you are a goddess!

St. Patrick’s day is a day of 4-leaf clovers, pots of gold, and tons of good luck. Here is how you can attract good luck that will take your dance to new heights:

1. “L” stands for Love:  Ask yourself, do you absolutely LOVE to dance? Do you feel happier when you move? Do you allow yourself to truly enjoy your femininity? If you want to attract luck, you must step into your dance 100%. Not just by physically moving, but really feeling it. When you relax and wrap yourself in positive energy, it will act like a magnet for joy and abundance. Avoid being overly critical of yourself or seduced by gossip. Negativity destroys luck. Instead, focus on the positive, imagine what you want to have happen, write it down, feel it, and focus on it. Then watch for signs that it is coming your way!
2. “U” stands for Unique:  Luck doesn’t come to the ordinary, but to the extraordinary. Want to rise to that level? Figure out how you are UNIQUE from everyone else. Instead of following the current trends and copying what everyone else is doing, explore the strengths within your personality and identify what your taste is in movement and costuming. Use them to create a unique ‘brand’ for yourself as a dancer. Dare to stand apart from the crowd!
3. “C” stands for Charisma:  People are attracted to CHARISMATIC people. When you dance, forget about perfection. Insecurities will never bring you luck. Instead, what you want is to sparkle on stage. Have the courage to make eye contact and smile from your heart. Share your emotions and be playful. This will create an electric exchange between you and your audience. Once they become mesmerized by you, their demand for your talents will rise, and you’ll thrilled by how many more dance shows will come your way.
4. “K” stands for Knowledge:  Luck isn’t something you can force. It’s got to be built upon a solid foundation, formed by your KNOWLEDGE. Always be open-minded and willing to learn. Practice your dance often so you perform with sophisticated skill. Work on really knowing your ‘self’, because your authentic self will be apparent each time you step onto a stage or into the classroom. If you are clear about your integrity, your talent and your confidence, you will find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

As you see, luck isn’t something outside of yourself that magically appears. It is something that comes from within. The leprechaun’s greatest secret is that you don’t need him, because you already possess the potential. Believe in yourself and you will be the luckiest dancer ever!

The Lotus is an exotic hand movement that has roots in ancient Egypt.  It's history dates back to 4000 BC when it was an important part of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Flowers from the Nile Valley can be found on many of the objects that the ancient Egyptians used everyday. Sometimes the lotus designs were purely for decorative purposes, and sometimes they had religious meaning, particularly in funeral ceremonies in the Egyptian quest for eternal life. For the ancient Egyptians, the lotus flower was a symbol of creation, renewal and rebirth. The flower grows along the Nile, blooming at dawn and closing at dusk. It grows from beneath the depths of the water to above the surface. It is a symbol for hidden vitality, appearing as if out of nowhere, hinting at the true source of creation.

The belly dance movement called the Lotus captivates an audience more than most of the other hand and arm movements. The Lotus involves both hands and should be done at a time in your routine when you are not holding a veil or wearing finger cymbals.  When performing the Lotus, it's best if you stay in place or do a simple, graceful glide across the stage, allowing the audience to appreciate its beauty.  The center of the movement is around the wrists, which become the center of the flower. The hands and fingers are the petals. With constant movement, the petals appear to be many, creating the full blossom.

It's not the easiest hand movement to master, but once you break it down and practice it carefully, you'll see that all it takes is a coordination of flexing and bending your hands around the wrists. To help you master the Lotus, please take a look at the instructional video that I have posted on my YouTube channel. It breaks down the Lotus into 4 basic positions. It also gives you tips on moving the Lotus in a beautiful fashion.  See link at bottom of this blog post.

Incorporating the Lotus within your oriental dance routine adds a touch of beauty and is an especially authentic addition to a pharaonic-style dance. The Lotus helps your dancing blossom to exciting heights!

Ever wonder why other dancers get more accolades or seem to get ahead faster? Self-doubt can lead us to making a fatal error that leaves you feeling like you are going nowhere. Sometimes we don’t even know we made an error at all, we just struggle with frustration.

What are the common mistakes an ambitious dancer might make? Check out the following list to see if you are stuck in the mire of an error right now and need help getting unstuck. Or maybe you can relate to an error that you made in the past and learned from it. You can help guide another in their dance journey. 

1. Dancing from the neck down:  You might have the best shimmy in the whole world, but if your dancing doesn’t tell a story with feeling and charisma, it will never stand out as anything special. Mastering technique is a wonderful asset, but if you are only a great technician, your show will be flat and unemotional. Make sure that you are truly feeling things when you perform! And I don’t mean stage fright. I am talking about emotional expression like happiness, playfulness, shyness, boldness, drama, sweetness, and a myriad of other feelings. This means you must use your body language and your facial expressions to add meaning to your excellent technique. Oh, and by the way, don't forget that you should use your head when you dance. Head slides, circles, rolling, tossing the head back, throwing your hair forward, and just plain looking sharply for an accent are all exciting enhancements to your performance. (Um, about the head movements, please don't over do it! It is not in good taste to throw your hair around repeatedly. Zar dance is not belly dance.)
2. Not taking class anymore: So you feel like you have are a good dancer, are maybe teaching others how to belly dance, and/or are acquiring dance jobs and doing pretty well. This is the time when it's easy to believe you no longer need to study dance anymore. But the most well-trained dancers of any kind can tell you they still take class and look for workshops that will expand their knowledge. Plus, there’s nothing like a personal dance coach to keep you physically and mentally on top of your game. The internet is a great tool for seeing what is going on around the world, but you will always need a real-life coach that is not afraid to correct you with honesty. Find a mentor that can challenge you.  Look for new ideas. Research on the internet to learn as much as you can. Practice a lot. If you keep learning, your art will keep growing. When you stop learning, your art will stagnate and decline.
3. Doing too much, too little, too soon:  When should you claim that you’re a professional? What makes a professional anyway? These days you look online and see thousands of dancers claiming to be the end-all of belly dance. How do you know how to sort between who is for real and who’s simply good at posting on social media? The fact remains the internet alone does not make you a professional, no matter how good you are at promoting yourself there. You need to dance for real at all sorts of gigs. Build real credentials with real experience.  Accept as many dance jobs as possible, using each gig as a learning experience. When you do that, you will absolutely know that you are indeed a professional, and all your online marketing will be backed up by your true experience. Until then, hold off on declaring that you are a pro. 
4. Losing your focus: You get what you focus on. But first, you better make sure you know what that is. Do you have a dance goal? If not, you are stuck floundering and will never get ahead. If you can identify your goal clearly you are already halfway there. Be consistent and diligent. Visualize your goal often and in detail. Focus on one thing at a time, work on it, and master it. Once you have achieved that goal, you can set a new one. It’s like slowly climbing a ladder. You take one rung at a time, carefully stepping up and never looking down.  Over time, you will get grand results. It’s not easy, but it is simple.
5. Comparing yourself to others:  As a dancer you should be the best you can be. The only person to compete with is yourself. If you look around, you will always be able to find someone who looks better, moves better, and/or is more well-known than you are. That’s discouraging. It's tough not to feel even a little competitive. However, you would do yourself a huge favor if you let go of all that and stay on your own path. No one else’s approval will ever be enough if you do not feel confident in your own abilities. Ask a trusted coach if your ego is in your way, and don’t be offended if the answer is yes. You must sometimes get out of your own way in order to succeed.