Saturday, November 21, 2009



I received a friend invite from some random guy on tribe.net. This guy has 655 friends, all of which are women.

ALL OF THEM!

Not one guy in the bunch. I know, I looked. Ok ladies, you'd think chick #100 would have suspected something pervy but 655?!! Maybe I'm a little 20th century but this kind of creeps me out. Way to go random dude at dupping 655 women into internet stupidity.

~N

Friday, November 20, 2009



I try to keep my posts bellydance related. This has nothing to do with BD other than the song is called Africa. Part of which contains Egypt. Which is considered one of the many birthplaces of BD. So that's really the only connection.

But really, I'm posting this because it is probably the BEST cover of Toto's Africa

E V E R !

fo' reals

I hope you enjoy.
~N



It's like a picture book of Egyptian culture.
Cairo/Giza Daily Photo Blog

~N

Now listening: Pandora Radio
mood: apples in any incarnation that includes cinnamon

Thursday, November 19, 2009


'Convenient' roadside bathroom

I left for my first out of town Naima Exchange shortly after 7am on Saturday morning. I made it to Springdale a bit before 10am for our class at the Library. We had a nice private room that had a small raised stage. I spent my time on the floor instead of the stage. The stage seemed far away from everyone. I did a head count of the students but I can't remember now. 12 or so?


Library stage backdrop

This would be where I talk in detail about class but I'm never satisfied with how I teach. I think it is because, despite my notes and prep, I blank out on certain topics and feel flustered. Which is ironic. Dance Easy. Teach Hard. The students were satisfied though. That's the important part.

We worked for 2hrs before breaking for lunch. We went to the Pontiac Coffee House where I had a club sandwich and a "Peachy Keeno", a banana and peach smoothie suggested by my host Anala. We stopped by the Security Bank to set up tables and chairs for the hafla followed by a trip to the Shiloh Museum with Anala and her husband. Then we made a quick trip to a local dance supply shop for browsing.


Stuffed "Pilgrim" prairie dog at Shiloh Museum


Raqs Akia's first hafla was super fun. They had a very well planned pot luck with everything from cider to kabobs to baklava. Many people donated door prizes and names where drawn throughout the evening. We played "Who Am I?", a party game where you have a famous name taped to your back and you have to ask yes or no questions to figure out "who you are." We also played "Teacher Says", a version of Simon Says only with bellydance moves.


Who am I? I'm Xena Warrior Princess!


Raks Akia


First Solo


Rompi Rompi


Tiny Dancer


Your's turely


All smiles


Thanks to whoever grabbed my camera and took some shots of me dancing. I don't remember who took them now. I also don't remember smiling much when I was dancing. I think my poor coffee planning allowed fatigue to kick in about this point.

All in all, I had a great time even with the drive home through a ridiculous rain storm. I made out like a bandit too. I receive a thank you gift, won a door prize, and 3 awesome meals (including a kick-ass pomegranate martini made by Anala's husband.) I look forward to my next trip down. I plan on loading the car up with some of the Springfield gals and we will all have a big rocking bellydance hafla.

HOOO!

~N

Now watching: Sense and Sensibility (1995)
mood: TURKEY and PIE!!

Monday, November 16, 2009

Come Join Us at the GLOBAL DANCE COLLECTIVE! Instead of our usual Fall Showcase we have decided to have a hafla!

Saturday November 21st
8:00 PM
Potluck, Dancing, and Fun!


Global Dance Collective
3165 S Campbell Ste C7
Springfield, MO 65807
417-234-9007

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Passing it along...
~N

Belly Dance Hafla
Friday November13th

Alive and Well Studio
The Brentwood Center
2740 S. Glenstone Suite 105
Belly Dance Party 7pm

Alive and Well Studio is located in the Brentwood shopping Center. Look for Men's Suit Mart towards the south end of the center. Enter through the courtyard under the awning that says 2740. Go down the stairs, the studio is immediately to the right.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009



I just finished uploading 140 complete Bellydance, world, and fusion dance albums to an external hard drive for safe keeping. That's 14 albums per year over the past (almost) 10 years. I think Bellydance may have eaten my soul.

~N

Now playing: The Secret of NIMH
mood: spicy pumpkin soup

Monday, November 09, 2009


Sa'dia


The lovely Sa'dia will be preforming for Greek Night at Galloway Station, Springfield, MO. is this Sat. Nov. 14th, 2009. I will be in teaching and dancing in Springdale, AR. the same night and will not be there. So, you local folks go out, support, and get your Greek on this weekend!

~N

Thursday, November 05, 2009



I'm in the process of covering and shaping a scalloped bra to match the belt I cut out the other night. I like working with felt (as per Ozama's post ) much better than interfacing now. It seems, I don't know, more flexible but bulky enough for my liking.



That, and I get a kick out of thinking that my BD costume has recycled plastic bottles in it.

~N

Now watching: My So Called Life on hulu.com
mood: split pea soup

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

V

"Yeah they really blew their wad in the first hour revealing everything so fast. What are they going to do for the next 8 shows?

And why don't aliens ever call when they are at the moon or so? Always showing up over the world's major cities, scaring the poo out of people. They have the technology to travel through space but they can't make a phone call or Morris code or something like, 'Hey, we're going be in your atmosphere in a few hours. Just FYI.'...wtf?"

~N

Now watching: Cry Baby
mood: spicy chicken sandwiches