Amigurumi Naima and Husband Person

I do not normally like to show off the gifts that I get but we received these sweet little amigurumi likenesses of me and the Husband Person from my sister. This is the only time you will see me taller and with better hair than the Husband Person. =)

I wish you all a wonderful holiday season!

Finger Cymbals!

~N

It's a Steal!

I have been stalking this costume online for some time now. It had a list price of $295 but had been discounted down to $195 due to the back of the belt was "upside down." I patiently waited for about a year until the price finally dropped to $75. I greedily snagged it up and within 2 hours cut the fringe off and resewed it on the correct side. It only took me that long because I spaced it out over 2 evenings. To be honest, the 3 different color blues (fabric, fringe, bead detail,) make it a little homely. But for a D cup bedlah with all of those sew on stones and fringe for $75 who cares?

I mean really, how do you not notice the fringe is hanging from the wrong edge? The model in the online store photo looked like she was sitting in a child's booster seat from the way the belt humped up on her back.

Fringe removal.

The width of each color varied so I laid it out in the most ascetically pleasing way before sewing it on.

 Fringe reattached to the correct belt edge.

Lining stitched back into place.

Perfect!

Fun Fact: When I opened up the bra lining to remove the pads I discovered that the cups are made out of a stiff green vinyl.

Happy clearance hunting!

~N

*UPDATE 01/02/15  *  BONUS PIC!

Original model photo from website. If you stare at it long enough you will start to see scary faces.

Recently

My late July trip to Indianapolis for the Jonatan Derbaq and Deniz workshop was went great. I met some lovely fellow dancers while there. Dancing to live music was the cherry on top. Not to mention a stop at Dahlal's and 14 hours of riding in a car nerding out about dance, music, teaching styles, gossip, AND eating, hands down, the best food I've had in my entire life at Firefly Grill in Illinois. 

Next up, Malaika hosted Bahia for a 2 day workshop in late August. I was super stoked about this and I found out that our dance philosophies have A LOT in common. But also, MANY differences. Thinking about our different viewpoints has actually helped me better define and articulate how I feel about my personal dance philosophy. Which is great. That means I'm still thinking for myself.

Saturday's afternoon class thinking "Masculine thoughts," with Bahia. Which apparently translates to "show me your guns!"

With the lovely Bahia. 

~N

Photos 1,2,and 3 generously borrowed from my FB friends.

A Tongue-in-Cheek at a Glance Guide on When to Hire a Bellydancer

Have you ever wondered why you can't seem to hire a bellydancer to jiggle her lady bits at your next rowdy shindig? Why does she become closed off, defensive, or even hangs up on you without so much as an explanation when you tell her you would like her services for a private party at the end of a dark road at midnight?

It is an outdated and frustrating notion that the general public still still thinks bellydancers are adult entertainers. So let's clear up the biggest misconception right now. Bellydancers, burlesque dancers, strippers, and escorts are not the same thing. They are all uniquely different and are hired for distinctly different occasions.

We understand your frustration at this revelation. We do all kind of look alike with our glittery boobs and hair, dancing with focus on the belly and hips, but that doesn't mean we are or do the same thing. How do you know the difference? Use this layman's at-a-glace guide to help you choose the right entertainer for your function.

Best of luck planning your next event!


~N

Naimaland State of the Union July 2014

Australia and the US bonding over dance.

APRIL:

I met my Australian dance pal Kis, husband, and daughter in St. Louis for some costume shopping at Dahlal International's warehouse. We had a great morning walk around downtown St. Louis in search for breakfast. Then Kis and I took off to Dahlal's so we could nerd out over costumes. I custom ordered a Pharonics bedlah and Kis went home with an amazing black, orange, and yellow number. Custom ordering was pretty painless. I told Dahlal what I was looking for. She showed me a selection of bra and belt designs that could be custom ordered. I tried on one to decide on cup size. Then she took my measurements and color choices. I paid the down payment and that was that.

One third of one room inside the harem at the Dahlal Intenational warehouse in St. Louis.

 "To the window (to da window), to da wall, (to da wall) Till the sweat drop down my..."

Awards for most cut-outs goes to this dress. Even the sleeves and space between my knees in front had cut-outs. Sadly it did not come home with me.

I also went on a "glamping" trip to Huzzah Valley with my lady friends at the end of April. We lounged, we crafted, we went thrift shopping, we had a fire, and played games.

 

 Photo of me with Princess Farhana's The Belly Dance Handbook taken by the book's photographer and designer, Maharet Christina Hughes.

MAY:

I attended friends, Dean and Janice's pirate wedding and met up with dance friend Maharet. She has been living and working in LA since last year and came back to Springfield to photograph for the wedding. I off-handedly mentioned how I haven't ordered Princess Farhana's new book, which was designed by Marharet, because you cannot order the book signed by the designer. She promptly went to her car and brought back a copy of the book. She handed it to me saying she brought a copy to give to the first person who mentioned it. The wedding got underway before she had a chance to sign it for me but she managed to snap this pic before she left. I have yet to read it cover to cover only because I've been skipping to the parts that are most pertinent to me (and looking at the pictures.) I will say, out of the other BD books in my library, this is the most comprehensive and will be my go to reference for a while yet.

Yoga. I started doing yoga ten minutes-ish very day from May 21st to now (July.) My knee no longer hurts. My shoulders, neck, and wrists are doing great. My back pain has greatly improved.

I added 2 pallets to the existing flower bed in the back yard at the end of April.  May gave me purple, yellow, and salmon colored irises and the beginnings of day lillies.

JULY:

I will be making my first ever trip to the state of Indiana for ISAMETD's DANCING INSIDE THE MUSIC with Jonatan Gomes Derbaq and Deniz (OH.) on Saturday July 26, 2014. Naia and I will be headed out that Friday for the 6.5 hour drive to Indianapolis. I am crossing my fingures the custom bedleh I ordered at Dahlal's back in April will be in before our trip. It takes 12-14 weeks for the order to be completed and shipped from Egypt. I should be getting an email any day now. 

Dance has taken a backseat to X Files and gardening. The Husband Person and I are also doing an X Files marathon beginning to end, all 200 plus episodes and movies, which is taking us weeks to get through. The rest of the time I am outside picking bugs off of the vegetables and making homemade garden bug sprays.  Two more pallets and two more months in the garden and we've got radishes, cucumbers, pole beans, pumpkins, tomatoes, okra, squash, herbs, and wild flowers growing. I also added a border bed around the patio slab. 

I have to get back on the dance wagon ASAP. Greek Night was moved up to August 2nd. Then Bahia will be here for a workshop August 22nd. I am exited about both.

BONUS PIC: From my late February awards trip to Disney World. Guess who found the most fabulous pair of mouse ears in the whole park. Sequins AND appliques AND feathers, oh my!

~N

New Family Member

Starting with bare bones.

After my debut of the silver shamadan, the lovely Melhessa gave me her gold shamadan. GAVE me. Like here, take this. It is plain-jane but incredibly light in comparison to the silver one. I will most likely semi-retire the silver shamadan. It is difficult to transport and oh so heavy. Pick up the chair you are currently sitting in, put it on your head and light it on fire. Yeah, it's like that. So, I got to work making the new gold family member dance ready.

Blurring pic of the super un-sexy nut and bolt used to tighten the headband.

Inside the headpiece's framework.

Using foam left over from the silver shamadan I cut strips to line the interior of the headpiece for a custom fit. I then cut strips of left over fire proofed curtain fabric to cover the foam for a nice finish. I don't plan to catch myself on fire but I find having a "fire proofed" headliner amusing.

I used hot glue to wrap the fabric around the foam strips. Every time I use hot glue I think to myself, "Wow hot glue is so easy and convenient to use! Why don't I use it more often?" And then I promptly burn the piss out of myself.

Applying hot glue to the interior of the headpiece where the foam strips will go.

In progress.

I added gold, copper, and silver rhinestones glued around the frame with E600 adhesive for extra bling.

Different sizes and colors should pick up the light without adding weight.

Green/gold metallic flower clipped to the headband for panache.

Back lit by the window but lovely nonetheless. The headpiece is still utilitarian in design. I flip-flop between adding more bling or leaving it simple. Either way, a lit candelabra on your head is always epic.

I got this.

~N

Nadia Nikishenko - Khaleegy

Found this great Khaleegy performance by Russian dancer Nadia Nikishenko floating around between my Facebook friends. Love!

Making Friends

While working with Naia on our duet at the end of 2012, she made an observation that I was really fighting to get the veil over my head. This has always been a problem for me from the first time I picked up a veil back in my newb days. Every time I picked up the veil I fought with it. My upper body would quickly become fatigued and sore even with the most basic of veil work. Once or twice a year I would dig out my veil, flail about, and then decide that veil practice took longer and was more painful than I wanted to invest in. Veils are pretty, sure, but could I dance without one? Yes. So for 14 years I did my best to avoid it.

Admittedly, I had fun dancing with veil at Naia's direction in our duet. I spent the next year trying to analyze why I struggled so much. What was making veil my least favorite prop all of these years? Most bellydancers fall in love with veil from the moment they touch one. Why have I been the only one who kind of hated it?

Back in the pain days. I may look happy but I'm not.

To answer this question I have to go back to the summer before our duet. I have been sitting at a desk for a living for over a decade. My hip flexors, hamstrings, and calves are so tight that many of the common dance stretches (pigeon, kneeling hip flexor lunge, etc.) were almost impossible for me. I relied heavily on forward bends and triangle poses that, while good for flexibility, were not addressing the right areas of my body.

That summer, I was introduced to the simplest of standing hip flexor lunges at a workshop with Ava Flemming. Doing this particular stretch (feet forward, heels down,) created a much different feeling than the other stretches. Just by turning my feet forward and tucking my pelvis created a painful yet blissful feeling from my low back, through the front of my pelvis, and all the way down and around to the back of my knee. Stiff muscles and joints...understatement. Initially, my lunge was quite shallow. I started doing it daily. I would fit it in here and there. Waiting on the microwave, before bed, before and after dance practice, in the checkout. I made this lunge a part of my daily being. Even if I could only hold it for just 5 seconds per side once a day.

Now, my lunge is much deeper. I have also added a side stretch leaning away from the outstretched leg creating a deeper stretch. I am slowly undoing the default fetal position my body has curled into over the years of sitting at a computer. My lower back feels better. My posture is improved.

So I thought what can I do to help me get the veil over my head without flinging it and grimacing? I took a cue from my hip flexor stretches and started looking for ways to open my chest and shoulders. And again, I found the simplest stretch made the most impact. I picked up my veil in earnest and started working on my flexibility. Everyday for a week I held my veil in both hands and did very slow shoulder rotations stretching my chest and lubricating my shoulder joints. That's it. No music. No dancing. Over the next few weeks I added in a few basic veil turns or tosses after stretching, but just a few. If I felt pain, strain, or fatigue I stopped and put the veil aside. My practice consisted of barely 5 minute spurts of stretching and arm work.

These baby steps made a huge difference. My flexibility has improved enough with proper stretching that I began learning a beginner veil choreography from a DVD. I work with the DVD at least once a week, sometimes more. Sometimes I work for 5 minutes, sometimes as much as 30 minutes, but only as much as my body can handle and no more. And despite my lack of experience performing with veil, I have picked up quite a veil vocabulary through workshops and choreography classes over the years. The DVD is giving me a structured practice for the technique I already know which I can follow at my own pace instead of being at the studio going the class' pace.

After 14 years of avoidance, (particularly after I had concluded veil is the devil,) the veil and I have made friends. Being a beginner at veil is pretty actually pretty awesome. I am getting much satisfaction out of the tiniest accomplishments. I learned how to get in and out of an "envelope" without getting my head caught...most of the time. With each successful "envelope" it is like opening a present and finding me inside. Surprise! That was me under the veil the whole time.

~N

Dance Crush of the Week: Tamar Bar-Gil

I was tipped off by DBQ to the fantastic Israeli dancer Tamar Bar-Gil. I am totally digging her juicy technique and very deliberate ab work.


~N

Custom Hip Scarf and Headband

 Melissa raqs it customized.

Check out the quick tutorial posted on How to Custom Fit a Hip Scarf post at Belly Dance at Any Size.
~N

Urban Gypsies Are Picture Perfect

I'm currently in love with this group shot of the UK's  Urban Gypsies. Often times promotional photos can be static and overly posed. This photo has lots of movement, color, and smiles. After looking at this photo who wouldn't want to dance with these ladies!

~N

How Belly Dancers are Made

 click to view larger

An illustration by Misty Dawn Waggoner on how Bellydancers are made. I like that at the "Dance Enthusiast" stage the belly button comes out. Too true. You can look through my dance pictures from my newb days to now. The waist band just gets lower and lower. ;)

Tutorial: Getting Rid of Belt Butt-Gap

 Careful you don't trip and fall in.

I first saw the technique of using elastic to smooth away gaps in belts published in Dahlal's costume catalog, Inside the Harem. Being without imagination and a total costume newb at the time, I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. I needed to get rid of a butt-gap on my red coin belt so I decided to show the detailed process here.

You can sew the elastic under the belt lining or right on top of it. I've done it both ways with the same results. Here I decided to put the elastic under the lining because I had the time open it up, sew in elastic, and re-close the lining. Not that it's terribly time consuming. I probably finished the whole thing in 20 minutes. But, if you are squeamish about ripping open the lining, just skip that part and go right into sewing on the elastic.

Keep in mind adding elastic won't fix every belt gap. If you have a multiple or very wide gaps, have a unique figure, or if the belt is just designed funky you may need a major alteration such as cutting and removing parts of the belt or adding darts. But for those pesky 1 inch or so gaps this seems to do the trick.

You will need:

• Small length of elastic
• Sturdy thread
• Safety pin
• Sewing needle
• Scissors
• Seam ripper (optional)
• Fire (optional)

There are no rules as to how much elastic you need. I used two 3 inch-ish pieces. Two because my belt has a heart shaped curve along the back and it was easier to put a piece on each side instead of trying to curve the elastic. If the belt was straight I would have used one piece of elastic centered in the middle back between 4-5 inches long. The type of elastic really does not matter here either. I used a scrap piece I had in my stash.

• Seam rip the lining (optional,) along the area of the gap.
• Use a lighter or candle flame to singe the ends of the elastic to minimize fraying (optional.)
• Anchor one end of the elastic to the inside layers (or lining) of the belt with your choice of stitch close to the upper edge of the belt. Do not stitch all the way through to the front of the belt. Make sure the elastic is secure by giving it a couple of tugs before moving on.

• Stretch the elastic and inch or so longer then when it is at rest and safety pin it to the belt. When you stretch the elastic out it should lay flat against the belt. When you let go it should make the belt pucker along the edge. I prefer using safety pins here over regular pins because they will not slip out and I cannot stab myself on them.

• Begin zig-zagging stitches back and forth over the top of the elastic but not through it, stitching only through the inner layers of the belt and not all the way through to the front. This will create a casing for the elastic so it will not slide around but will still be able to stretch. Keep the stitches loose. Stretch the elastic out flush against the belt every few stitches to ensure the stitches are not constricting its movement. 
• Stitch down the remaining end of elastic then remove the safety pin. NOTE: I wanted to do it all with one long piece of thread so I stitched one side, zig-zagged across, and then stitched the other side in one pass without starting and stopping. You can stitch down both sides of the elastic first and then add the zig-zag casing across the top if that works better for you.

•  If you put the elastic on top of the lining then you are done. Good Job! To replace the lining keep reading.

 Second piece of elastic added.

• To close the lining, begin your first stitch 3-4 stitches back from the open edge of the lining and sew right over the top of the original stitches.
•  When you get to the last original stitch continue sewing to close the hole you have made.
• Once you have closed the hole continue sewing over 3-4 of the original stitches on the other side.
• Knot and cut your thread.

NOTE: Here are close ups of the blanket stitch I used to close the lining. Needle comes in from the top, thread wraps underneath the needle, pull tight. I used a wide blanket stitch to close the opening because it is the stitch used on the entire lining. A simple baste or whip stitch would have laid much nicer. If it gets to loose I may go back and whip stitch over it.

Crack is wack.
 

The belt should now lay smoothly against your body instead of gaping around the curve of your back. You can add elastic to trouble spots on a spandex or velvet skirt in the same manner. This trick is also handy for taming bulkiness along the side straps of your bra underneath the armpit area.

Have fun and good luck!

~N