What's in a name? The meaning behind Deep Roots Dance.

If you're reading this, it's because you have arrived at the NEW Deep Roots Dance website.  I really hope you enjoy the new online home for our dance and community!  If you're curious about the name change, I thought I would share my thought process, to both answer your questions and to maybe spark some food-for-thought for other dancers and businesswomen who are embarking on a new business or new direction for their existing business.


Why the name change?

I have always been a lover of names--for me names hold power and promise.  The idea of having deep roots resonates keenly for me, recognizing that whatever we are doing today in our dance (and life!) is the result of foundations that have been laid down in our past.  These roots are formed both by our own efforts--the work we do in the classroom, developing a strong foundation on which to build--and by the creative efforts of other dancers, artists, and cultures who came before.  It is of utmost importance to me that I honor those roots in my work; nurture that which grows from them; and encourage my students, fellow dancers and teachers to do the same.

The name also speaks to the family tree of bellydance.  Especially among tribal bellydancers, we can trace our lineage, our family tree, back through our teachers and their teachers all the way back to Carolena, Masha, Jamila... I love how each teacher left their mark on the generation to follow, and each became another branch of the tree.  And we continue to grow and branch out, while today's teachers continue to nurture new shoots.

Just try it.

If you have been taking dance from me even a few weeks, you already know this: I love digging in to the minutiae of movement. I could talk all night about precise foot placement, body line, muscular impetus, how it should look, how it might feel, where your energy is flowing, what the audience sees, your stage alignment, your gaze, your hands, your hands in relation to your torso...the list goes on and on.  And if you ask for more detail, sometimes I can't help myself, and I explain it away...

But the truth is, sometimes you just have to try it. And fail. And try it again. And struggle. And curse. And try again.

Doing vs. Teaching

I am a pretty competent cook. When people eat my cooking, I get lots of compliments, and I know my way around my kitchen. But if someone asked me to teach a six week course on cooking, I am not sure I would do such a great job. I think the best I could offer would be to teach a different recipe every week. I would definitely teach the ones I know best, not necessarily the ones someone should learn as a foundation for strong cooking skills. I wouldn't be able to talk very competently about what went into making the recipe, be able to clearly explain why the flavors balance the way they do, or confidently suggest what substitutions one might be able to make to tweak the flavors or caloric contents...

Orientalist Art - bellydance costume inspiration

A lot of inspiration can be gleaned from looking at Orientalist paintings. While we know that these images were to a large degree a Western fantasy version of the culture, they can provide a lot of ideas about how to combine color and texture for powerful effects. Look at the color combinations, look at their jewelry--in short, look to the details!

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

On Music and Passion

I loves me some TEDTalks, and this one is no exception.  I dare you not to be moved and inspired by this talk by conductor and musician Benjamin Zander.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!