Facebook Changes and Nia Local to Global

I am usually a fan of change. 

I am a fan of change especially when I understand how the change will improve the present circumstances. 

I am also appreciative when I've asked how I feel about the proposed change and how I might use this proposed change.

I am not at all happy about the loss of the Discussion Boards coming October 31st. Perhaps I am in the minority who uses the DB as an archive for information I share on Nia Local to Global and the Nia Workshop Sandbox. It was my intention when I created these pages to have info. on the feed but also available when friends and colleagues were ready for it.

I love to share information - without a time limit and I'm very disappointed in Facebook for removing this app. And where can I protest this? Here I guess.

What's my point?

POINT:

I'm going to move all of the information I've archived through this blog. It will be one way to remind anyone interested that the info. is available and won't be lost.

From now on, instead of clicking on the Discussion Board icon on the left side bar, to connect to this information, you can go to the blog page Space for Change or my blog, Space for Change at http://niaspirit-fitness-dance-life.blogspot.com

Right now, this seems like a complicated process, but I'm hoping that in the end (when I'm used to it), it will become as easy as the present process.

From discomfort almost always comes something new and wonderful...

So here it comes...

3 South African Dance Pioneers

3 South African Dance Pioneers
Reaching Out to the "New Woman" of Their Country


by Charlotte, Jaie Piers and Shalimar
posted September 15, 2011

Editorâs Note: While on my recent tour in England, Spain, and Morocco, (June 3011) I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing Charlotte while she was also in Morocco at Simonaâs Mediterranean Delight Festival in Marrakech. Her generosity in helping Gilded Serpent give readers an overview of the development of Belly dance in South Africa has revealed a new part of the world to all of the Belly dance community. Each of these following three "Belly dance pioneers" offers her own unique outreach to modern day women of South Africa who are searching for a sense of who they are and who they might become through the vehicle of Belly dancing. Each instructor speaks of grounding her own dance students with an underlying philosophy for living and an ever increasing availability of dance education and performances in this evolving country.

South Africaâs Belly Dance: Authentic Essence?
by Jaie Piers

South Africa is a multi-cultural melting pot and Belly dancing is fairly new on the scene here, so its roots do not go very deep even though we have seen some well-known Belly dancers who have come here to do workshops (just as have some South African ladies gone abroad to participate in various workshops). One dancer comes to mind immediately: Hadia! Also, Mahmoud Reda stands out for me now. There have been many wonderful dancers, such as Tamalyn Dallal, Rania, Danisa (recently), Alia (Miss Switzerland Belly dance), and Yasmina of Cairo, plus many more.

South Africa is beginning to attract some global attention. Women are fusing Belly dance with other styles of dance, such as Indian dance, Bollywood, Hip Hop, Modern, and Jazz. Many students are jumping onto the bandwagon with Belly dance studios mushrooming up overnight! I, too, started my own studio just over ten years ago. Originally it was mostly "fusion" style, and then I experimented and delved into Tribal and Gothic. I have realized the absolute thrill of discovering that the richness of Middle Eastern music in its complexity gives one total freedom to interpret the soul and emotional body of the feminine. After realizing this, I parted ways with the confusion of mastering the art of Belly dance.

Much speculation has been paid to what is authentic in Belly dance. However, all too often a fusion of its more sexual and Western counterpart is blended together and is presented as authentic Belly dancing to uneducated audiences. By no means do I intend to criticize any style of dance. However, over a ten year period I have struggled to discover the essence of this dance, and I believe I now have it safely under my coin beltâ¦

To dance in the authenticity of this dance takes more than a certificate to say that one can; itâs more a combination of knowing the complexities of Middle Eastern music, and how to express oneself through the dance appropriately to its different nuances.

Plus, to be fully appreciated as a Belly dancer, one needs an audience that is familiar with Middle Eastern cultural forms. From the stand point of the dancer, one needs to be fully accomplished inside and out, and not dance with a Western attitude, which is prevalent in this country at the present time.

One should dance with the fullness of knowing her role in life, honoring that knowledge in its purity, and following the ideal of Middle Eastern feminine essence rather than dancing from a competitive space.

This attitude is what is perceived in Middle Eastern countries as true Belly dance by women and men both.

As dancers, if we sell out our feminine souls, and trade business for friendships and relationships that are not based on respect, then sadly those women who do sell out will have to deal with what they have created. I stand in opposition to this current wave of behavior which is being passed off as acceptable here in South Africa.

The matriarchs of our society got here by a process which deserves respect! What legacy do we leave behind when we honor only the masculine way of doing things in a womanâs world?

I realize that my views are not popular, because generally women feel invalidated and this is, I believe, the underlying reason for displaying poor behavior that is contrary to the feminine spirit. Some dancers are creating a distorted image of Belly dance and its place in society. Oneâs values and ethics involving oneâs self and others dictate the beauty of this dance which is performed from within and pours out from a deep space of truth. We women of South Africa are on this journey because, sooner or later, one realizes that whatever she does in life is a path to self knowledge and truth.

One thing I know for certain is that finding oneâs path is difficult, and the search for it has nothing to do with popularity. Once you give up your ego-driven quest and dance only for the purpose of passing on what you have discovered, all these egotistical elements cease to be important. I dance for this reason and canât expect everyone to understand me (or even agree with me).

My most important assertions are that every Belly dance teacher should be honest about what she/he teaches and why they are teaching it at all. Respect for teachers by their teaching students must be maintained, and they must acknowledge the input of each one. I would hope that they teach only for the sake of manifesting the sense of the Divine that sustains us all! I hesitate, for various reasons, to be specific about all the situations I have overcome as a dancer in Cape Town, and Iâm relatively sure that along the way I have been misinterpreted, misunderstood, and misrepresented from time to time.

For one, I search for my Goddess-essence within a home-based studio that I maintain as a haven for all women to dance in freedom of their own expression and who wish to learn the authentic art of Middle Eastern dancing. If we all try to reach the finish line first, we stumble over each other, rather than looking around and helping others along the way. When we work together, we can all have a party and finish together, not alone. Too often, I have reached out and shared my opportunities with my colleagues, only to be excluded from their activities in favor of women racing ahead of themselves. I used to wonder why, but now I think I understand.

Lately, there has been a move towards competition in Belly dance. I believe this is mainly due to following trends that set high standards in technique while omitting any focus on the emotional and healing aspect of the dance. This perhaps forces women more into masculine traits, which I find detrimental to feminine psyche in that it robs us of our feminine power. It takes real strength to be soft.

I have always believed it is valid to honor my own way of dancing and teaching, and refuse to participate in the world as if it were only a manâs world because I have found my place as a feminine spirit. I feel secure that, in this way, I now know everything from deep within myself. Also, I believe that I have found my own unique expression and am not a carbon copy of someone else.

The quality of individuality is the authentic essence of Belly dance.

At least, I believe it is so.

Shalimar of South Africa

In 1976, I was pregnant with my third child when I found a book called âGet Slim With Belly Dancingâ. It had 4 moves: pelvic circles, hip thrusts, shimmies, and shoulder thrusts. At the time, I was teaching a class in my lounge called âKeep Fit to Musicâ for 5 ladies. I worked out the moves described in the book I had found and then went looking for some music. The only music I discovered was the vinyl recording called âCaravansâ. When I played the music and tried out the moves, I felt that more moves seemed to come from my soul; the lovely music just pulled it out of my heart!

At this stage, my âKeep Fitâ pupils wanted to learn Belly dancing, as well. I had never seen Belly dancing because it was not performed in public in South Africa. The Turks and Lebanese were not allowed to live in South Africa at that time, and I had not seen any Belly dance on film. So apart from the picture of a dancer in costume and the moves given in the book, I had no idea what I was doing. I knew only that it felt great!

When my pupils started to nag, I went to Mr. Wally Green who was Head Choreographer for SABC Television at the time. I danced for him, and asked him what he thought I was doing. He said it looked like Belly dancing to him. Then, I felt at ease teaching my pupils.

Word spread quickly, and soon we were dancing at birthday parties! The newspapers got hold of the excitement, and I was given a 3-page article in the âSunday Times Magazineâ that was sent to Swaziland. A Turkish family who saw it contacted me and asked if I would perform for them in Swaziland. I agreed, and they sent me a video of the top Turkish Belly dancer of that time, and for the first time, I saw Belly dancing that I had not taught. (However, I was surprised to find that my dancing was similar.) So off I went to Swaziland, and my dance was much appreciated by the Turks and Lebanese of that country.

I had been teaching for five years before I received the dance that I was doing was something that the people of its origin loved. About seven years later, my pupil (who was an air hostess and flew internationally) gave a video recording of one of my extravaganzas to Bellisa who taught in Perth, and through that, I was invited to attend a âWorld Congress of Belly Dance Teachersâ to be held in Perth. I was very blessed as everything was prepaid, and I had the opportunity of attending a workshop given by Ibraham âBobbyâ Farrah who was a renowned teacher from New York. That was the very first lesson I had ever taken!

I had founded the Belly Dancing Association of South Africa about a year prior to my Perth trip but never really ran it as an associationâuntil one of my pupils said she would like to do some form of exam to see how she was improving. Then, I put together an examination syllabus and found that many people wanted exams. At this point, I realized that I was not good at administration, and with relief, let some board members take over the duty. Our Belly dancing association started to become the strong networking association that it is today, with an exam syllabus that is respected and adjudicated throughout South Africa as well as internationally.

I now teach what I call âBelly Fusionâ taking on the style of dance created by whatever music I am using at the timeâmay it be pop, Shakiraâs music, Turkish, Arabic, or Egyptian. Just allowing the music to be my guide, I also teach a âTribal Fusion Belly Danceâ that is very popular and brought my eldest granddaughter high praise as a âTribal Soloistâ at the Miss Belly Dance South Africa 2010 contest. She and her partner received fabulous âFirst Duetâ results. At the age of 66, I am as inspired by Belly dance as I have always been and teach my 14 classes a week that also include 3 classes of âShumbaâ (a high-energy, low-impact dance aerobics) that also give me so much pleasure!

A Dance Journey: Prominent Milestones
by Charlotte D. Blignaut

The first time I attended a class was in 1989, with Shalimar in Randburg, South Africa. I was bowled over! As a very shy woman, I had found at last a form of exercise that made me feel comfortable and secure! The style of Belly dance presented there seemed to be more Turkish in origin. Shalimar taught loads of floor work and back bends, all requiring high energy! I loved it! After a very short time, the instructor invited me to join her Advanced Professional Group. I remember that wonderful evening as if it were yesterday! The class made a huge, life-changing contribution to my dance, and it changed my life as well!

When an Egyptian travel agency invited me to travel to Egypt in 1994 to experience the Egyptian style of art, I thought I was in heaven for two reasons:

a trip to Egypt for free,
and the request to dance for their Middle Eastern clients (when they had events).

I was so flattered and humbled at the thought that I was professional enough to receive these opportunities! I brought back to the studio new educational information about the style of dance, especially folk-dance, and it was wonderful!

After a few years of dancing at The Tent in Rivonia, (my fantastic training ground for providing a cabaret show plus separate interactive participation), the word spread, and this opened many doors with other Mediterranean restaurants and Middle Eastern venues. After I helped organize the opening of Sheikhs Palace there, they requested Carmen and me to be the regular dancers at the venue. We were busy! (I can recommend never performing after 10 p.m. in the western world, however.) Sometimes, we danced five shows a day; the most I have ever done was eleven shows in five days! The reason I mention this is that different venues have a different clientele, and we found that they each liked a different kind of music. My dance style evolved out of this milieu and developed into my signature styleâone that combined the stunning individuality, presence, and isolation movements that are typical of Egyptian dance, combined with the inspirational high energy of the Turkish dance style. My high-energy dance became renown among my fellow dancers, and I began teaching private lessons in 1996 as a result. Increased demand led to the 1997 opening of the studio number one of Jewels of the Nile. We progressed from strength to strength. I created a syllabus that evolves all of the time, and eventually, franchised the publicly-acknowledged business.

The more I researched the art form of Belly dancing over the years, the more I saw how much there was, and still is, to learn! In the light of my growing dance independence, I made a commitment to myself to gather as much knowledge as possible about the various styles and cultures that influence the art. I have travelled to Egypt five times, once each to Lebanon, Turkey, and Brazil, and twice to Morocco. I have attended workshops in all of these countries, with fantastic, renowned teachers. I have met many students, as well as professional dancers and teachers from all over the world! I am in awe of the dance stars of the Middle East! I love what they share of themselves when they perform; it is not tangible, but it is uniquely superb! I adore that they are known by name; most of them use their own names, rather than stage names. Their own! I love it when a woman stands up, stands out, and owns who she is as a unique individual through the dance. This is why and what I teach women to do.

Be the representative of your truth. Be an individualâown it, and dance itâno matter who you are, and no matter what your truth isâjust be unique, authentic, and let your inner beauty shine though.

Also, I have worked with groups of women who have been abused, using Belly dance as our medium. It can be a powerful tool for empowering and healing when used with trained knowledge. This is where my interest peaked and prompted me to pursue furthering my education in the professional coaching field. Truly, Belly dance is a healing art form, which is the reason why it is not only limited to a public dance form, it is also useful for private and personal womenâs growth.

While it is true that I have experiences some times when I have wanted to stop teaching, it seems that clients and media in South Africa wonât let me. Every year that I arrive at that point, I have been approached for articles in newspapers, magazines, e-zines , or television and radio interviews. I have been fortunate enough to have danced at international and local Belly dance events (some for corporate clients). Once I even danced for an Arab prince in Seychelles on a floating raft. What fun it was! I was fortunate enough to attend the first teacher and performer certification seminar in Egypt. That was an honour for me!

I believe that by being a Belly dancer I have been blessed with a gift. I enjoy being able to train, teach, and share with willing students and professionals, what it takes to have staying-power and courage (to follow your dreams, make your path, leave your stamp on the world) and wake up feeling authentically glorious! As a Belly dancer, whether student or professional, you have afforded yourself the best and most varied education in the art of dance, so that you know that what you express is your own heartfelt expression of your soul.

One can never know what tomorrow will bring and never suspect what opportunities lie in adversity, until it is experienced. Belly dance helped me through so much adversity in my life! Eternally, I will be grateful for the dance that is constantly renewing my inner drive and passion.

Taking Back the Knife and Moving Forward: a Birthday Tale

I realize that in order to consciously help others to heal, I must be consciously healing myself as well.

The most powerful class I've shared since experiencing my Black belt intensive was our 9am, this morning. For today I indulged and picked a few of my favorites pieces of music from my collection of Nia routines. Every song I chose was a favorite. I took the time to eat breakfast rather slowly with my son this morning, so by the time I got around to organizing my playlist for class, I had little time. I made my selections quickly,  not taking the time to consider the possible impact.

The Focus: Moving Forward

The Intent: to get closer, every minute with every step to creating the life I desire; a life that is meaningful; to consciously create shifts that heal; to create a life within which I can share the gifts I was given (this will sound familiar to some of you); to give.

These are the songs I chose:

To Mend (Cadence)

Mulatica Mia (Aya)

Qalanderi (Humanity)

No Quiero Nada Mass (Aya)

Brasilero (Cadence)

Nostalgia Workshop (Clarity)

Dah Din Beats (DreamWalker)

Rhythm Is? (Aya)

Shine (R1)

Sail (Black Belt)

Organ Grinder (DreamWalker)

To Mend was so literally appropriate, I couldn't cue. I was emotionally overwhelmed and the silence is what was called for. 

To truly share the focus and intent, I had to quiet the insistent workings of my mental body. I asked that emotion and spirit inspire and guide my dance.

My creativity has felt a little flat over the past several weeks. I have been processing such an enormous amount of information over this year (both personal and professional) and since Black belt in late August. I realized this morning, though, that I have been processing in such a way that  kept my teaching and sharing separate from my processing. Today, through my "indulgence" the two came together and produced one of the most authentic, emotionally rich and balanced classes I think I have ever shared!

With every song, I brought my self, fully present; I brought my heart; my gift (reserved when I shared the focus, but it opened and blossomed with each note of music), I brought my emotional body and allowed pain, frustration, anger, hope, joy and impatience to fold into my dance in order to have a voice. I brought my physical body; my instrument, my somatic voice through which I communicate more clearly and with more authenticity than through anything else.

Technically the playlist worked nicely. The Warm Up allowed for our joints to practice standing, shifting, pushing, pulling, reaching, bending, expanding and contracting in gentle, nurturing ways. Mulatica Mia introduced expression, slowly and playfully. Qalanderi invited us to express more systemically; moving in detail - expressing through our beautiful spines, our delicately singing fingers; opening the door to another level of Get Moving. The energy built to individual peaks - different for each being dancing and then Shine soothed the intensity a bit. Sail was freedance. It was a breakthrough piece for me in Black and as such was a meaningful and appropriate offering. Organ Grinder reminds me of Halloween and my body always moves in intriguing ways.

The choreography was there, my creativity was there, knowledge of the music was there, all 4 realms were engaged, principles were there. I have never shared a class like this one. This was my first step into my next step, into my transformation; my future self made present. This experience was my shift. It showed me what can be done, how it can feel and why I teach this discipline called Nia. 

Moving forward...

Finding the Faith to Trust Myself

Two weeks ago tomorrow I left Chicago's Midway airport for Portland, OR to take my Black Belt intensive. I was excited to return to the city of Portland, and experiencing low-grade anxiety about stepping into this next level. I felt professional as well as personal stress. For me, Nia is my professional life and it is also my personal passion.

Some brief history:

Two weeks ago, if you had asked me how I was going to get around Portland (even though I've visited 5 times over the last year), I would have told you that I have to have a map - due to the fact that I have "no sense of direction". My mother always lamented her sense of direction, or lack thereof. I am also aware that in comparing women's and men's brains, women have a better developed language area while men have better spatial relations. This validated the fact that I wasn't just making up an excuse for getting lost alot.

On arriving in the Pearl District of Portland, I discovered that I didn't like the map I had. I exited the train and started to walk, first in the wrong direction then in the right one. I asked for directions once and lo and behold, with no map I arrived at the Portland International Guesthouse in one piece!!

It was in that experience that I decided that for the 10 days I would be in Portland, I would not use a map and I would not ask for directions. It was my intention to put aside my belief that I lacked a sense of direction and let trust take over.

The following morning I planned to take a master class from Nia Trainer, Ann Christiansen. Purportedly a 20-minute walk from the Guesthouse to StudioNia., I left 60 minutes early! I knew the general direction in which I wanted to go and I just headed that way. It took me 40 minutes and I definitely took the "long way home", but I did in with trust. I had faith in myself. I shared this experience with my beautiful Brown (and now Black) belt sister, Beth. Thank you, Beth for seeing me and for being there to share that moment.

For those of you who have either never been lost or for whom this has never been an issue, my accomplishment may seem small. Perhaps it is (no, I didn't find a cure for cancer) and that's ok. The point is that I found more than StudioNia - I found faith. And this faith fostered a sense of trust. Faith and Trust in myself that I have never before in my life owned.

I practiced this faith all week long. Every time I left either the Guesthouse or StudioNia I took a different route - usually on purpose, but sometimes due to mental and emotional distraction. During the week I asked for directions once (and I'm ok with that).

That walk became a moving meditation. Except for Thursday morning, I always made that walk alone. It was my ritual. Sometimes with music, mostly without. On Saturday morning, after the intensive was over and I was heading to StudioNia for a practice, I sang out loud! The whole way! 

I don't share my voice much except to talk (and if I don't know you well, I don't talk much). This is a stuck place for me, something else I'm healing. Honestly, I don't know what, if anything the sense of direction thing has to do with my voice, but I suspect there's a connection to finding faith...

This is the first attempt at putting my toe in the water in terms of sharing the revelations surrounding my Black Belt experience. There is an enormous amount for me to process. Eventually it will settle and it will be mine to fully embody and share.

Until then, who know what'll come up!!

P.S. If you're going to Portland, the Portland International Guesthouse has apartments for weekly rental. They are adorable, full kitchen, washer and dryer, clean, in a lovely residential neighborhood and the management is always warm, friendly and available!!