Ancient Moon

At the beginning of a new session of classes we see lots of new students come in to try bellydance.

It's always exciting to see a room full of faces:  usually nervous, often unsure.  And, unfortunately, a lot of them aren't back next week.

Is it me?  Am I such a horrible teacher that you all go running back to real life and never look back?

Sometimes, I think so.  But, most of the time, I doubt it.

I remember being a beginner.  My first class with my first real teacher was a serious challenge.  And I was 4 months pregnant at the time!   By the time we got past basic stuff like hip lifts and shoulder shimmies, my belly was huge.  Try doing a body wave when you have absolutely no control over the mass that used to be your perfectly flat belly!!    There were nights that I didn't want to be there.  There were plenty of times that I felt out-of-place in a room full of mostly skinny cheerleaders.  But I wanted it.  I stuck with it, even after a lot of the original students dropped out.  Bellydance taught me to appreciate my body:  what it was and what it would become post-baby.   My tummy will never be perfectly flat again, but watch my hips!  They're incredible!  I can look in the mirror now and appreciate my body for what it can do (not what it once looked like).  I'm so very glad I stuck with it!

Bellydance, like any new skill, is just that:  a skill.  In order to acquire a new skill, you need to work at it.  I'm hoping that no one expects to completely understand the physical mechanics of a bodywave on the first night of class.  And those hips and bellies that we try so hard to cover and disguise at work, need time to get accustomed to being the center of attention.

As your muscles develop a memory for the pattern of these new movements, your taqsims will smooth themselves out.   With practice, dance posture becomes easy and comfortable.  And eventually your turns and cues will be silky smooth and absolutely glorious!

Anyone can belly dance!  I truly believe that.  Some students will just "get it" in the first couple of weeks.  Others take a bit more time for one move or another.  (It took me 3 years to really get the 3/4 shimmy!  - but don't let that discourage you.  Some students get the shimmy in the first week or two.)  We are all different and all beautiful!  And we are all going to learn at our own pace. 

Recently, I've had two new students begin classes.  Both came to their first class very unsure and a bit self-concious (very like me, when I first started).  And I know there is nothing I can say to make them stay - they have to want to stay.   But I'm already seeing great potential!   I know they can do it and, I guess, part of my job is convincing them of that truth.   If they stick with it, great things are going to come from these women.   They don't know yet that they are dancers.   It's exciting and it takes a bit of patience, but, I think soon they are both going to discover it for themselves!  Honestly, I can't wait to see it happen!

For new students, considering belly dance classes, I would advise that you go ahead, take the leap and pay for the month's tuition.  If you can make a small financial commitment, it will help you get yourself to classes.   Commit first, learning the dance will come with time.  Not everyone is going to discover their life's love in bellydance, but if you REALLY want to bellydance, you can!  Make that decision, tell yourself you're going to do it and give yourself some time, love and encouragement.  You deserve it!  

We would love to have you here, dancing with us!

I've had several people lately inquire about bellydance.  They have wanted to know what is bellydance or why I dance.  If I say, "come see," often they're not interested.  "It's just another dance." 

So I've been thinking:  why do we bellydance?

Bellydance serves different purposes in different lives.  Some people dance to get out of the house, some people dance for exercise, some people dance because it sounds exotic, some people dance because their girlfriends do.

In my life bellydance is about me.  It's about dancing to get in touch with the creative side of myself.  It's about being a woman and really appreciating what my body is capable of.  It's about spending time with other women and it's about forming bonds of love and trust.

In class you'll find a group of women who will welcome you with open arms.  Women who are glad you're there, really and truly glad!  There's nothing like walking into a room and being greeting by a group of smiles.  And there's nothing as comforting as turning to your group after you've finished your lead and knowing that warmth and love will meet you in the center of the circle.

Our style is American Tribal Style and I think that says volumes about what we do.   ATS has this magical ability to form connections among the dancers in a troupe.  Dancers learn how to communicate.  Through attention and practice dancers learn to "read" each other, dance and exist together.  They learn to appreciate and really use the dance space.  They dance in the spirit of support and honor and respect for one another.    It's about cooperation, it's about trust and it's about dancing together, really together.

It's not just a dance, that, I promise.

Ancient Moon is undertaking a fabulous project!  Fire dancing!! 

For a couple of months now we have been assembling fire fingers:  steel rods with wicking that attach to our fingers via leather cuffs.

We have worked out a choregraphy to one of our favorite songs and we're practicing. 

It's a bit scary.  There is so much to know about fuels and fire safety, but we are determined to do it right.  Luckily we have Rick and Reyna of the Rising Sun Tribe to guide us.  They have been playing with fire for a while now and it seems they've tried it all!  

September 11, 2009 will be our fire debut as guests of Rising Sun Tribe in Morganton, NC.   We're excited to add a new chapter to our story!

Yippee!!   Ancient Moon performances may soon include live music!  How exciting is that! 

John has rounded up quite a gang of very talented musicians.  There are at least two drummers (more may be coming), a violin player, Cindy plays accordian and Carlyn plays clarinet!! 

We're off to a great start anyway!  Maybe I'll get motivated to make another attempt at the doumbek. 

And, hey, if you're interested in coming to play with us, let us know!!  We'd love to have you.

Wow!   How lucky are we?

By some stroke of fate, Ancient Moon had the privilege of dancing at the Eymarel show Thursday night at Boone Saloon.

Eymarel has recently moved to Asheville, NC.  They've been touring around to promote their CD Groovin' a Little Each Day and we were lucky enough to catch their show in Boone and bellydance a bit, too!!  Their sound is groovy, slow, smokey and intense.  --Just perfect for our tribal style dance.  We were a bit nervous going in with no plans; just improv.  But, really once we got started, the music could've kept us dancing all night!

Check out their website:  www.eymarel.com.  You can listen to the tunes, buy a CD, find their next show and learn a bit about Mary Frances and Lee Allen.

Thanks to Eymarel for an incredible show and a performance opportunity!  What an honor!