Sequins and Shimmies

Alessandra, Signing Off

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 22:04:00 +0000

Well, 2020. What to say about that. I would love to never hear the phrase "social-distancing" again. However, when I reflect back on these last 12 months, for the year that was "canceled", I actually did quite a bit.

Before the lockdowns hit the U.S., I got in an epic vacation to the Yucatan peninsula where I got to visit Chichen Itza, amongst over Mayan ruin sites, which was one of my dreams since childhood. The trip included Cancun, Tulum, Merida, Playa del Carmen, and sites in between. There was swimming in cenotes, dancing to salsa, watching epic live performances, and relaxing at the beach.

When it comes to belly dance, I didn't do nearly as much as I normally do in a year, of course due to so many restaurants being closed and my company being on hiatus. But I did manage to squeeze in five performances. I also auditioned for and joined a ladies salsa team through Studio Azul back in January. Once the lockdowns started, we continued practicing virtually, which was sometimes a struggle, But in July we pulled off a live virtual performance, after only one in-person rehearsal. I also continued to take pole dancing classes when studios were allowed to be open, and I am proud to say I graduated to level two. I'm looking forward to resuming when studios reopen in Seattle.

In April, I completely did the pandemic puppy thing and this fluffy, sweet little guy entered my life. He is my constant companion and I love him to the moon and back. Best part of 2020.

I also purchased a condo this year! By the time I moved into my new space in July, it was my fourth address in less than two years (FML, moving is seriously the worst). But I'm happy to have found a permanent place to call my own, and have had fun selecting some new furniture and turning my second bedroom into my dance rehearsal space.

With so much performing art being cancelled this year, it was a necessity for me to still find ways to encompass beauty and creativity into my life, and am happy to say I had the opportunity to collaborate on five photo shoots this year, with the outcome being some of my all time-favorite pictures. But let me just say, my soul is dying to sit in a theatre or music venue and watch someone sing, dance, act, or play a musical instrument. Please can we get back to regularly scheduled programming some time in 2021!

Photo Credit: Al Martinez

Photo Credit: Boudoir in Seattle

Photo Credit: Al Martinez

Photo Credit: Fred Dimanno

I also found ways to keep myself entertained at home. I took up the very easy craft of diamond painting and completed two paintings. I purged my closets and donated two carloads of clothing and other household items to Goodwill (those hour-plus long donation lines were no joke!!). And I read 25 books, with Glennon Doyle's Untamed being by far my favorite.

For some much needed changes of scenery during pandemic lockdown, I was fortunate to get in some weekend trips to Vashon Island, Mount St. Helens, and Spokane / Coeur d'Alene. And finally, I tapped into my inner Katniss and took a six-week archery class during the fall. Yup, pretty sure that officially makes me a badass!

That being said, 2020 wasn't all fun and games for me, as I'm sure it wasn't for any of us. There were days when I felt my train had fallen off the tracks; days where I was melancholy, grumpy, and unproductive. You know how you usually say, wow, this year just flew by, what happened to the time? No, not this year. Not for me anyway. I feel I have been living in 2020 for something more like three years. Some days, I feel I have been working at my dining room table for all 16 years of my professional career. The repetition of it making me feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog's Day. I also had quite a bit of personal relationship drama and distress. However, I'm happy to say that now, by the end of the year, things have worked themselves out in that regard.

One of my personal realizations has been that the lockdown triggered a significant amount of childhood emotional trauma for me. I grew up in a cult where one's whole life was dictated to you: who you could be friends with, what career you could aspire to, how much education you could attain, what clothes you could wear, who you could marry, what music you could listen to, pretty much even the thoughts inside your own head. So there were elements of the lockdown for me, being so restricted on what you can and can't do, that brought me back to being in a cult and a culture that I had escaped from as a 17-year-old. It created high levels of anxiety and depression for me at the beginning of each new lockdown cycle, and it was something I had to actively work through, including speaking with a therapist about, amongst other issues related to both the past and recent events.

Looking forward.

I know just because tomorrow morning we will wake up in 2021 that not everything will be resolved. But with advances related to the vaccine, I feel optimistic that things will slowly start to get better. I also have a number of personal goals that I feel excited and energized about: seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time, upping the ante on my fitness and wellness, studying belly dance with my favorite dancer Diva Darina, traveling to Chile, hopefully riding in a hot air balloon, amongst a number of other aspirations. Overall, I'm trying to focus on the things I can control. Always wise advice, but especially in a time period when so much is out of our control, I think that attitude is even more important than ever. Twenty twenty-one, let's turn the page to a new chapter. I'm ready.

And finally, to the title of my post: signing off. I've made the decision that this will be my last blog post. It's been a long run for sure. I've been posting every month since 2010; an entire decade. This post will make post #180. I've written about the history of belly dance, tips for performing, and belly dance cultural icons. I've interviewed fellow dancers and had guest bloggers. I've shared my personal struggles, triumphs, dreams, and goals. The past posts will continue to stay up, but in the interest of making more time for other pursuits, I have decided that I will no longer be posting new content here. However, you can continue to find me on my belly dance Facebook page at Alessandra Dance and my Instagram page at andria_alessandra.

To each of you, thank you for reading along with me all these years. I appreciate you taking this journey with me. Wishing you a happy new year, filled with love and abundance. Blessings.

Halloween Creativity

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 17:36:00 +0000

Halloween is my favorite holiday, hands down. With 2020 being, well 2020, and limited options for celebrating in the traditional way, I still wanted to get into the spirit of things. So I grabbed my favorite photographer, Al Martinez, along with a red wig, black horns, cool props, and vampire teeth and headed to a local park to see what kind of cool visual art we could create. Here's what we came up with.

Fantasy Photo Shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 23:14:00 +0000

With live performing at a COVID-lull, I'm having to find new ways to exercise and indulge my creative spirit. The perfect opportunity for that happened a few weeks ago when I met up with the photographer-extraordinaire, Al Martinez, for a fantasy inspired photo shoot. Check out the fruits of our creative labor below, and be sure to check out Al's other photography work on his Facebook page.

Arabic Music: An Intro

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 23:00:00 +0000

Like many Western dancers who discover Arabic music and dance in their 20s, 30s, and beyond, I didn't have much exposure to Middle Eastern music growing up. It wasn't until I was in my mid-20s and started taking belly dance classes that I began to regularly hear and learn about this rich, beautiful musical tradition.

Growing up, I was a classically trained violinist and studied Western musical theory for around a decade, and as such I was very familiar with Western scales and octaves. I thought this was the only "organizational" format that music could exist in. Ha! Turns out that was definitely wrong. In fact, it rather blew my mind learning that Arabic music employs its own tone system. (That U.S. education, or at least mine, isn't more culturally encompassing is a topic for a whole other blog post...) I certainly won't claim to be an expert on this topic, nor is this post going to dive into a full blown discussion of Arabic musical theory, but here's a brief introductory explanation.

To start with, let's do a quick review of Western scales for comparison purposes. In Western music theory, octaves are divided into a series of 12 tones, which comprises a chromatic scale. Each interval or movement up the scale is a half-step or semitone. When music is played, it is played in a certain pitch, or key signature, to indicate which eight notes will comprise the scale. An eight octave scale has a pattern of whole-step, whole-step, half-step, whole-step, whole-step, whole-step, half-step. If that's not making sense, think about singing Doe a Deer from the Sound of Music in your head.

Classical Arabic music, as well as Ottoman, Persian, and Indian music, take this one step farther. Instead of only dividing down to just a semitone, these musical traditions make use of quarter tones. Just like the name sounds, a quarter tone is half the size of a semitone. And thus in the Arab tone system an octave divides down into 24 divisions, instead of just 12. From those 24 tones, seven are selected to produce a scale. From there, the specific notes used in a piece will come from one or more of 70 modes or maqam. A maqam, which translates as location or position, is a system of melodic modes that is built on a scale, which in turn, defines the pitches and patterns of a piece of music. This ultimately sets the structure for a musician to be able to improvise music. Whew! Interesting and complicated stuff!

Moving away from musical theory, it's also important to note that Arabic music utilizes many instruments not frequently, if ever, seen in Western music. The most common of these include the oud which a form of lute, the qanun which is a zither, the ney which is a type of flute, and the riq and dumbek which are types of drums. This is not any way an exhaustive list, as there are many more types of instruments, especially as one gets into folkloric styles of music.

And lastly to say a word about rhythms. Rhythms are an important part of Arabic music and dance. Rhythms can commonly be associated with certain geographic locations and cultures. For example the Sa'idi rhythm originating from an area in Egypt that runs along the Nile of the same name. Rhythms that you will hear commonly danced to by belly dancers include masmoudi, ayub, malfouf, maqsum, beledi, sa'idi, and chiftetelli. A well-trained, well-versed, and well-educated dancer should be familiar with all of these rhythms.

There is of course, so much more to be said and to learn about this topic, but that is your very quick intro and I hope it inspires you to learn more!

Don't Forget Your Mask!

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 16:52:00 +0000

It's the new thing, the new normal. When you feel your house you have to don a mask or face covering.

Wearing a mask might not be the most enjoyable thing ever: it can make you feel overheated on warm days, lead to undesirable breakouts ("maskne"), fog up your reading glasses, and generally be a pain trying to remember when you leave your house. But hey, if you got to do it, might as well try to make it a bit more agreeable.

So here's my nod to having a bit of fun with our new mask couture. Photos by Fred Dimaano.

Find Your Big Magic

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 22:28:00 +0000

I recently finished reading Elizabeth Gilbert's book Big Magic, and here's what I thought of it:

Absolutely wonderful inspirational advice.

If you are pursuing any kind of creative passion, at any kind of level, read this book. It's such a refreshing take on the creative process.

In short, Big Magic is the ideology of freeing artistic endeavors from labeling or valuing them by external quantifiers, such as money, fame, awards, recognition, status, and the like, and admonishes to instead purse creativity for creativity sake. For the joy that it brings. Let the ego go, and let the heart take over. Stop worrying about what others think and how they see your artistic expression, and allow yourself to fall in love with your personal passion all over again.

I know there have been times in my belly dance career where I definitely felt this way. I felt pressured to land a new restaurant gig, make a troupe audition cut, or win a competition. I was valuing my art and my enjoyment in it based on what other people thought, based on what external value was being assigned to it. And you know what? It was a sure fire way straight to a dead end for enjoying what I was doing. It was killing my art, my creativity, my soul, and my spark.

Gilbert is also a big proponent of keeping your day job, so that you can take the pressure off your art form as a means of paying your bills. I completely agree with this. There was a time when I wanted to be a full-time artist, but not anymore. By letting my day job cover my expenses, I have the freedom to selectively choose which people and projects I want to work with, and which I don't. The projects that light me up get the green light, and the rest get left behind without causing any financial anxiety.

Gilbert also introduces this incredibly cute, but also incredibly resonate idea that creative ideas are these sentient forms of energy, floating around in space, just waiting to find the right human being so that a magical collaboration can be entered into. What is the trick to catch one of these magic ideas? You have to be listening. You have to be open with your receiving antennae on and tuned into the creativity vortex. That's how you find your magic.

If you are feeling stale, stuck, bored, or uninspired by the things that used to bring you joy, this is the book for you. If you feel shot down by rejection, pride wounded by criticism, this is the book for you. If you just need more magic in your life, this is the book for you. I highly recommend that all artists and creatives add this to their reading list.

I will leave you with this powerful quote from the book. "I have learned to watch my heated emotions carefully, but I try not to take them too seriously, because I know that it's merely my ego that wants revenge, or to win the biggest prize. It is merely my ego that wants to start a Twitter war against a hater, or to sulk at an insult, or to quit in righteous indignation because I didn't get the outcome I wanted. At such times, I can always steady my life once more by returning to my soul. I ask it, "And what is it that you want, dear one?" The answer is always the same: "More wonder, please."

Yes, more wonder. Free yourself. Free your art. Embrace wonder.

The Show Must Be Paused

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 15:58:00 +0000

I originally had a different post intended for this month, but I think this topic is far more relevant and important.

Black lives matter. No echo of all lives matter needed. Just this: black lives matter.

(If that doesn't resonant as true or makes you feel uncomfortable, try reading this.)

I think recent events have highlighted for me that it's not enough just to be non-racist. To change the system we all need to do our part to actively be an ally. The active part is something I will admit to not having done well at in the past. So one of the first steps I'm working on, highlighted by this week's #blackouttuesday, is listening; amplifying the voices of the BIPOC community and muting the voices of the privileged who have had the platform for far too long. Privilege is a podium and it's time to hand over the microphone.

With that in mind, here are a few ideas of ways to educate, ally, and amplify:

Listen to a podcast. Try checking out #TellBlackStories, About Race, Still Processing, or Code Switch.
Read a book. Educational titles to consider are Black Feminist Thought, The New Jim Crow, White Fragility, or How to Be an Antiracist.
Watch a movie. Pertinent choices include The Watsons Go to Birmingham, 13th, or Freedom Riders.
Join a study group on racism. One group is being hosted by Daybreaker and the group will be reading through the book mentioned above, How to Be an Antiracist. The first meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 9th at 8:30pm ET. Sign up here.
Learn from this classic essay on white privilege by Peggy McIntosh.
Follow a BIPOC thought leader or activist on social media. Some groups to add to your feed include the NAACP, Equal Justice Initiative, Antiracism Center, and Color of Change.
View a TEDx talk on privilege and compassion.
Get even more ideas on what you can do from this checklist.

#mutedandlistening

Quarantine Dance & Fitness Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Fri, 08 May 2020 03:08:00 +0000

Quarantine, social distancing, shelter in place, self-isolating. Whatever you might be using to describe it, it's certainly dragging on at this point. While of course we want to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities at large, this extended stay at home can't help but bring up uncomfortable and anxious emotions. If you're feeling like me, you're starting to feel pretty trapped and stir crazy at home. But one thing that always helps me: movement.

Moving my body to music, moving my body to break a sweat, moving my body to get out of my head, moving my body to free my spirit. Even if physically I have to remain in the same place, movement helps transport me. Movement helps me cut back on the intensity of the cabin fever, focus my concentration, and generally pass the time. Thus for this month, I've compiled a list of resources you might consider engaging with if you are looking for something new in the dance and fitness arena to try at home.

Studio Azul: a local Seattle studio, Studio Azul offers dance and fitness classes on both live classes on Facebook and on demand on Vimeo. Classes range from salsa and bachata technique, to barre and the sassy 305 Fit. There are a number of different commitment levels, including "drop-in" if you just want to try out one class. You can find the options here.
Carbon38: online retailer Carbon38 offers two to three free daily workouts live on Instagram. Look for the daily post for the day's schedule.
Aziza: One of my all-time favorite dancers, Aziza, regularly offers online belly dance classes. She also offers one-on-one virtual feedback and coaching over Zoom. You can schedule both at azizaonline.appointy.com. Use the promo code MAY FLOWERS to get a 15% discount on private coaching.
Datura Online: the jack pot of on demand belly dance videos, Datura Online, offers either monthly membership options, or pay to rent options, to access videos by belly dance favorites such as Zoe Jakes, Rachel Brice, Sadie, and Sedona Soulfire.
Studio Tone It Up: the expansive fitness app from the Tone It Up girls, Katrina and Karena. The app includes fitness videos ranging from toning to yoga to HIIT to dance cardio, and even meditation. The app is free for the first seven days, and right now there are specials for 50% off an annual subscription and 25% off a monthly subscription.
Alo Yoga: another athletic wear retailer, Alo Yoga, offers online videos from popular instructors ranging from yoga to fitness to mindfulness. The first 14 days are free.
Mind Body Online: The ultimate virtual movement platform, you can use Mind Body Online to find all types of virtual classes, including dance, fitness, wellness, and beauty. Offered at all different times and all different price points. Just might be something for everyone.

I hope within the ideas above you find something that brightens your day and brings a little joy to your heart. Stay safe. Stay sane. It's an incredibly difficult time, and we are each in our boat of mounting struggles, but I wish everyone well, and remember, that this too shall pass.

What is a Zeffah?

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 14:18:00 +0000

You may have heard the name, or perhaps even seen a recreation at a folkloric or cultural event, but what is a zeffah?

While there are multiple kinds of zeffahs, but the one most commonly referred to is the zeffat al 'Arush, or wedding procession of the bride. It is a tradition in Egypt dating back many years, in which a wedding party is escorted though the streets by a musical procession of drummers, bagpipes, horns and other instruments. Sometimes even car horns! In more recent years, the procession frequently happens indoors, such as through a hotel. To mark the occasion, a traditional rhythm, the iqa zeffah, is normally played.

And guess who commonly leads the procession? You guessed it - a belly dancer! Traditionally, the belly dancer wears a shamadan, or candelabra, balanced on her head, and dances ahead of the bride and groom while playing the sagat, or finger cymbals. Some theories surmise that the inclusion of the belly dancer was to provoke the transformation of the bride from a virgin girl or woman to a mature wife.

Let's take a look at some different examples of zeffahs, some with and some without dancers.

Want to learn more about this Egyptian tradition? You can click here to get expert dance ethnologist, Sahra C. Kent's, free zeffat al 'Arusha ebook.

Yucatan Adventures

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 21:02:00 +0000

I just had the wonderful experience of spending the last two weeks traveling around the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, visiting the cities of Cancun, Tulum, Merida, and Playa del Carmen. I climbed Mayan pyramids, swam with turtles in cenotes, watched folkloric dance, ate the best street tacos of my life, snorkeled with giant manta rays, checked Chichen Itza off my bucket list, danced salsa to live music, and even ate crickets. That was definitely a first! Here's a few fun highlights from my recent adventures.

Now to get caught up on dance practice....

Back to the Studio

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 01:45:00 +0000

While I usually prefer to do creative, fantasy or belly dance inspired photo shoots, sometimes it can be nice to just keep it simple. I did just such a shoot with Nick Rodriguez back in 2019. Here are a few of the images we captured in that session.

Shine Bright

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 21:17:00 +0000

Well hello new decade! It's hard to believe it, but it's 2020. A whole new decade, with shiny new possibilities. And man oh man, am I ready for an easier, happier, more joy-filled year. Twenty-eighteen and 2019 were not simple by any means. It was a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to clear out situations that were no longer serving me and, in their place, rebuild a new, more authentic life. Curious what that was all about? You can read about my 2019 and 2018 in prior posts.

But enough with the past. I'm ready to move forward. Ready to let bygones be bygones. Ready to ditch all baggage and focus on the future instead. As always, I've done some soul searching and goal-setting for my year ahead. Here are the highlights of what I hope to do, enjoy, explore, and accomplish in 2020:

Explore the Mayan ruins in the Yucatan peninsula (happening February 2020!)
Develop at least a moderate level of skill with a bow and arrow (yasss inner badass!)
Go sky diving (terrifying!)
Tour Bran ("Dracula's") Castle in Romania
Audition for and join a ladies salsa troupe
Ride in a hot air balloon
Get a photo shoot published in Envious, a fantasy boudoir magazine
Bare it all as a naked biker in the Fremont solstice parade (also terrifying!)
5-day Tone It Up detox (because holiday food and drinks have been no joke this year)

Overall, my aspiration for 2020 is to shine bright. That is in fact, my theme for the new year. The affirmation and intention I will be reminding myself of as the months progress. I encountered so many difficult circumstances over the last two years; situations and hardships that dulled my sparkled and dimmed my shine. I'm so ready to leave all that behind me. I'm ready to live in the light. No more dancing with the shadows. I'm ready to exude radiance and glow from the inside out.

Twenty-twenty, I see you. Let's go. I'm ready. I'm more than ready. The last two years have polished me, smoothed out some of the imperfections and rough edges. I've been tumbled and refined, and now I'm ready to shine.

The Wound Is the Place Where the Light Enters You

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 02:53:00 +0000

I had to make you uncomfortable, otherwise you never would have moved. - the Universe

Oh 2019, where to even start with you? It was a year of ups and downs. Some very intense challenges and soul crushing situations. But at the same time, it was a year of building my future and laying the foundation for my future happiness.

This year was the year I legally finalized my divorce. Like many couples, we weren't in agreement about how to allocate our financial assets, which makes an incredibly difficult emotional situation even worse. After teetering along the brink of bringing in lawyers, we were finally able to come to an agreement. Check one, on thank God that situation is behind me.

The house I owned and put up for sale back in 2018 finally sold in 2019. Let me say, it's really not a stellar feeling to be paying a mortgage for months on a house that you aren't even living in, not to mention paying a ridiculous amount for rented furniture to keep the house staged and attractive to potential buyers. But bad timing with a slowing Seattle market left the house up for sale for almost six months. However, it finally sold and closed in early 2019. Check two, on thank God that situation is behind me.

Then there was my job. My previous job had turned into a very toxic work environment, that perhaps in a less-stressful time in my life I would have had more energy, patience, and perseverance to deal with. But not this year. I finally reached my breaking point in early 2019 and actually submitted my resignation without having another job lined up. It was a moment of stomach clenching nerves, and dear God what have I just done anxiety. But there was a part of me who knew it was something I had to do. After a flurry of interviews, I believed I had my new job lined up, only to be given the run around about my new start date for over a month. I know, sounds cool to have time off of work. But when you are just waiting day by day wondering when you're going to have a paycheck again, it's really not that cool. However, a new job opportunity suddenly presented itself at the end of July and in less than a week I had a new offer. I'm enjoying my new company and position, where I feel challenged, engaged, and valued. Check three, on thank God that situation is behind me.

With divorce, house, and job resolved, I could finally focus on moving. Since moving out of my house, I had been living with a good friend, who had kindly opened her home to me. When I had first moved in, I was only supposed to be there for four months. Well, fast-forward twelve months later, and I finally moved out. While I can't underscore the bigheartedness of my friend letting me stay with her for that long, there is certainly a quality to staying in your friend's spare bedroom while all your stuff idles away in a storage unit that chips away at your self-esteem and makes you feel like a squatter. But in August I was finally able to move out of her apartment, reclaim all my furniture and household items, and move into my own place again. Check four, on thank God that situation is behind me.

Nonetheless, 2019 wasn't all dealing with adversity. There were definitely some highlights as well. I was signed as a model by a local agency in Seattle, Northwest Model Management. When I first started styling and participating in photo shoots as a model purely for fun, I never thought it would lead there. But happy to say that it did. I also had the good fortune to have some amazing travel adventures, spending weeks overseas in Barbados, the Dominican Republic, and Croatia. While my three and half month sabbatical got a little tense at the end, it was also pretty amazing to take a break from deadlines and the daily grind and just spend my days doing whatever I wanted, which turns out was a lot of reading, journaling, working out, cuddling with my dog, catching up on sleep, and generally being outside in mother nature. And of course dancing. The extra time off work, coupled with some hustle, lead to me performing more than I ever had before in my life throughout the summer, with multiple gigs almost every week of summer.

The trajectory of events starting in 2018 and culminating throughout 2019 lead to me getting my second tattoo, a long Farsi cursive script running down my spine. The words are from the Sufi poet Rumi and they read, "The wound is the place where the light enters you." And I think that about sums it up. I believe it's the hardest moments in our lives, the ones that keep us up at night, that make us doubt ourselves and our abilities, that make us question the possibility of making it to the other side, that these are the situations that makes us grow as individuals. That push us to the next level. The adversities that wound us deep in our core are also the challenges that break us open to be bigger, better, and brighter than before. It's these events that allow the light into the dark recesses and the hidden places that it couldn't have reached before.

Yes, the wound is the place where the light enters you.

Blustery Bikini Photo Shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 15:00:00 +0000

As many readers know, in addition to belly dancing, I also do some modeling. And I love to share the creative outcomes from photo shoots that I participate in on the blog, which is the topic of this month's post. Back when the weather was "warm", I did a bikini photo shoot with Phil of Donley Photography out at Golden Gardens in Seattle. I put warm in quotation marks because while it was July, being Seattle, it was overcast, a bit misty, and super windy. So it was a standard beach day in the Pacific Northwest. Nevertheless, we pushed through and ended up with some pretty good results.

Modeling in Magnolia

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 14:00:00 +0000

If you've been reading the blog for awhile now, you might know that in addition to dancing, I also do some modeling as well. I was recently asked to be part of a fun collaborative portrait project coordinated by Mary Cartwright of SmartSkinRN and Claudia of Magnolia Village Studios. The pictures were featured in a local art walk here in Seattle back in July, and will later be combined into a printed art book. The core of the project was portraits in soft flowing gowns. However, I was told I could bring my dog and a belly dance costume as well. So you better believe I didn't hesitate to grab both! Here are a few of my favorites from that shoot. Oh, and by the way, if you're wondering why my dog Zeke is looking so intently at the camera, it's because the photographer is holding cheese. Yeah, she's got his number!

Cultural Sensitivity and She Said What?!

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 14:00:00 +0000

This post was inspired by a recent incident at a wedding I was performing at. I had been hired to do an approximately 20 minute set, during which the bride and groom had requested an audience participation section. Specifically, they'd requested I pull up a couple of the groomsmen up to dance with me for one song.

Fast forward, day of the show, I'm working my way through my performance, and upon arriving at the song I'd selected for the audience participation portion, I make my way over to a table where there were four groomsmen and their respective dates sitting. I grab one man and gently lead him to standing. I reach for another, when the woman sitting next to him clamps her hand down on his forearm and whispers something furtively in his ear. Upon this, the man gets a slightly awkward, indecisive look on his face. Not entirely sure what just happened, I smile and say come join us, beckoning him to stand. At this, the woman turns around to me with an angry stare and tension in her jaw and says, "I say no, and I'm the wife!"

Insert sound of record scratching. Sudden desire to slap my palm against my forehead.

Wait, what!?

I have so many thoughts go through my head in quick succession.

Lady, have you been watching the show so far?

You realize this is a belly dance performance, right?

Do you think I'm up here performing some type of adult or "inappropriate" entertainment?

What type of unfounded bias is this heated reaction coming from?

As well, as maybe a few other more personal comments that are better left unsaid.

But I think perhaps the reaction that stood out the most for me was the level of cultural insensitivity and quick judgment encapsulated in that statement. Because when it came down to it, the one thing I really wanted to say was a brief oration on the history of belly dance, including it's significant cultural and historical roots. Roots that her comment denied, discredited, and disapproved of in one short demeaning reaction.

In that moment, I had to hold back from launching into a lecture in the middle of my performance. Instead I bit my tongue, smiled, and moved onto the next groomsman, and concluded a lovely show. But if I had said something, this is what I would have said:

Where does your intense, uninformed, and unfounded level of judgment come from?

Let me give you some background info that might make you feel differently.

Belly dance, or raqs sharqi in Arabic, is a traditional dance of many Middle Eastern countries, especially common in Egypt and Turkey. While raqs sharqi has been theatricalized and stylized for stage performance, it has roots in raqs beledi, literally meaning dance of the people. Raqs beledi is a dance characterized by grounded footwork and hip and chest isolations performed by men, women, and children in their homes and during celebratory events. Both raqs beledi and raqs sharqi are performed to music that is intricate and beautiful, based on a complex musical system of maqams. It encompasses unique rhythms that tie back to various cultural regions and people of Egypt, such as the sai'idi rhythm originating from along the Nile valley. It is a dance that has overlapping components of dance vocabulary with traditional folkloric dances, such as ghawazee, raqs asaya, and shamadan.

Ultimately, it has heritage that goes back years beyond American dance and performing arts. Don't be deceived to think that Hollywood is the only epicenter of dance stars. Belly dancers, such as Samia Gamal, Tahiya Carioca, and Nagwa Fouad were big movie stars in Arabic cinema. The dancer and choreographer, Mahmoud Reda achieved fame and acclaim on par with America's beloved Gene Kelly. And while, yes, the sparkly two-piece costume is not traditional prior to the twentieth-century, I would like to point out that it covers more of a dancer's body that your average ballet costume. But for those not familiar with a belly dancer, it somehow feels easy to look down upon, to consider low-class, while ballet is "classical" and "refined". Let me say, it's time to recalibrate that narrative.

In short, my take away is this: before you judge someone else's culture, before you dismiss something you aren't familiar because it's foreign to you, take the time to be informed. Take the time to pause and consider how many layers of history, culture, and tradition you might be disparaging with your initial assumption. Cultural sensitivity, inclusivity, and respect should always be the first and last stop as we engage with each other.

Photo Credit: Samia Gamal, source unknown

Check Out My New Video!

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 14:00:00 +0000

This post is going to be short and sweet. I recently did a new promo belly dance video, and I am loving the result so I wanted to share it with you. The videography and video editing was done by Kat Welsh of Tacoma Dance Studios. Kat and I got together on a beautiful sunny afternoon in Seattle and shot in the picturesque Kubota Gardens in south Seattle. The pink costume is by Anastasiya Romania and the purple costume is by Patrycja Marzec. Thus, without further adieu...

Follow Your Shiny Thing

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 17:13:00 +0000

I was having a bit of a reunion with the much-loved Pixar movie Finding Nemo this last week. And while I've always loved Dory, one of her behaviors in particular was sticking in my mind this time around. That behavior is her tendency to follow shiny things. Like complete, without hesitation, outright rapt and enthused, no holds barred attention to present shiny object. While in the movie it's painted as a bit of a negative personality trait, aligned with attention deficit disorder and lack of focus on the current task at hand, I think there's an underlying life lesson there. What is the lesson?

Follow your own shiny things.

Whatever that means to you. Whatever catches your attention again and again. The things that call to you, perhaps even when you try to ignore them. Whatever you feel inherently drawn to. The things that light you up inside and stir your passions.

I think as adults we often feel we have to focus on the adult-responsibilities of job, children, partner, home, and finances. And yes, this is absolutely true, these things need our time and attention. But I also think it's vital to our happiness and personal fulfillment to identify, find, and follow our shiny things.

It's sadly common, that our culture frequently only assigns value to the things or activities that bring financial inflows. While interests or hobbies that don't earn income are regulated to second place, if ever even given attention at all. Yes, we all need some type of financial influx to survive, but it doesn't mean that the things that align with our core values don't deserve a place in our lives as well. Abundance comes in many forms.

So give yourself permission this week to chase your shiny things. For some of you, I'm sure you already know what they are. But for others, if you're not quite sure, start noticing what catches your attention and piques your interest over and over again. It could likely be things that have chased you since childhood. Were you enraptured with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers waltzing across the silver screen? Sign up for that dance class already! Is it anything pink and glittery? Maybe a trip to a craft store for DIY headdress supplies is needed. Maybe it's been more of an adult discovery. Love an expertly crafted cocktail? Perhaps a bartending class or mixology book. Do you love settling into the couch to marvel at the physical prowess of the competitors on American Ninja Warrior? Then maybe it's time to research training gyms in your local area.

That's your homework for the month: follow your shiny thing. Take at least one step toward cultivating something that excites you and lights you up. Craft a life that is full and rich and meaningful. And who knows, maybe someday that things just might possibly be the thing that also provides you with financial abundance as well.

P.S. Dory also wants you to know that, "When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do? Just keep swimming."

Photo Fun from Over the Pop!

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 19:37:00 +0000

Last month, the company I dance in, Lunaria Dance Theatre, starred in a fun and frolicking two-night cabaret show, Over the Pop. Here are a few sassy and sexy pictorial highlights, taken by David Horvitz of Vitz Photos. The Lunaria company dancers in this year's show were Alessandra, Angelina, Genevieve, Gevene, Ava, Mellilah, Nieva, Shakti Moon, and Yaminah.

Island Life: Barbados and the Dominican Republic

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 23:29:00 +0000

Back in February, at the tail end of the Seattle Snowpocalypse Week, I had the good fortune to have a trip to the Caribbean planned. Despite at one point being concerned that my flight might get cancelled, I arrived safely and spent a warm and magical three weeks split between Barbados and the Dominican Republic. Here's a few highlights from my travels.

How to Prep for a Photo Shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Tue, 02 Apr 2019 18:52:00 +0000

Not to #humblebrag or anything, but back in January I was signed by a modeling agency here in Seattle; Northwest Model Management. Of course, getting signed by an agency is a lot about having the "look" they are going for. But it's also about the culmination of, well, taking a lot of photos. I've had all kinds of shoots: some good, some bad, some seamless, some awkward. Reflecting on this was making me think about what tips and prep-work can go into ensuring that a photo shoot turns out the way you want it to: you have fun and you look f@%king awesome in your pics.

If you have a photo shoot coming up, dance or otherwise, to ensure that your face and your heart really light up when you get your pictures back, here are a few tips I would recommend to make your shoot as successful and smooth as possible.

Banish Bloat: This is not about weight loss, but it's about feeling comfortable and sexy in your own skin. I have yet to meet anyone that likes the feeling of being bloated. Bleh! So let's nix that feeling for the day of your shoot. Everyone's body is different, but common culprits of bloat are dairy, gluten, sugar, and alcohol. I would recommend cutting whatever foods bring on the bloat for you a week in advance. On top of that, let water become your new bestie!
Practice Your Poses: For most people, posing isn't natural. It takes some serious practice. I highly recommend getting on Instagram or Pinterest and finding photos that you like and then studying them. Practice replicating poses that you like in front of the mirror. Yes, really examine yourself in the mirror and make corrections until you like what you see. If you need something to quickly refer to during the shoot, have them easily accessible on your phone for review right before you start. Also, most posing requires serious engagement. You should be contracting all your muscles: back, arms, leg, and abs. And that's without letting your face get tense, which is a tricky one! But muscle engagement will so pay off. Your photos look elegant, refined, and poised instead of pedestrian, limp, and lifeless. If you find pictures that you like, you can also send a few to your photographer in advance so you can have some shared inspo for what you're collectively trying to create during the shoot. I do this pretty much every time I shoot.
Head Angle is Everything: This one of the easiest things to mess up in a photo, but also one of the simplest to fix. Unless you are doing a pose where you are intentionally looking up or down, when looking at the camera, think of sticking your chin both slightly out and slightly down. It should feel a bit like being a turtle and it should feel like it's not actually that pretty. But trust me, this is the most flattering angle for your face in relation to the camera.
Put Your Clothes On: Beforehand that is. Try on all your clothing or costumes prior to the shoot. Check that everything is fitting right and nothing needs repairs or alterations. Try to check the outfit in lighting as close to what you'll be shooting in, inside or out, and make sure that you are happy with the look. I also really recommend a trial run of hair and makeup so you can test what you like and what you don't like, and then you can nail it day of the shoot.
Pack Your Bag: Don't just pack your wardrobe for the shoot. Pack everything that you might need to be comfortable and ensure good pictures. Definitely pack makeup for touch-ups, as well as anything you might need for hair-styling. If shooting outside, consider bringing a full length mirror so you can check your appearance. I always bring water and snacks so that I know I can stay hydrated and energized. By the way, I don't think I've ever done a shoot that was less than two hours. Good pictures take time, so plan on being there for awhile! If outside and it's sunny, make sure you have on sunblock, and easy shoes to slip on and off to protect bare feet against hot sand or pavement. Outdoor shoots also have the added consideration of where you will change if there's no public buildings / restrooms and you're doing multiple outfits. I've changed in the my backseat before, but shoots where I've had a pop-up tent have been so much easier. Make sure you have safety pins if something breaks last minute. Stash your floss in your bag, in case that snack gets stuck in your teeth. Deodorant and / or a towel for battling sweat can come in handy. And setting powder or bloating papers, as a hot sun or hot lights can cause you to lose your dewy matte look fast.
Don't Be Afraid to Ask: Photographers can come in all different flavors. I worked with one that choreographed the tilt of my head down to what felt like the millimeter, compared to others that barely said a word for three hours. If you have a photographer that's on the quieter side, don't be afraid to break the ice. Ask them how the pose looks. Ask if they have any suggestions. Ask if you can take a quick peek into the camera (just not after every single shot please). You two are a team, so the more you can work together, the more the two of you will be happy with the end product.

Photo by Cliff Lenderman

Over the Pop: A Cabaret

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 20:30:00 +0000

Lunaria Dance Theatre is at it again for the third year in a row! Join the company for two nights of sexy and sassy musical theatre fun as they perform in Over the Pop: A Cabaret, produced by Mellilah.

Check out the recent pics of the company below, including a sneak peak of some of the show costuming. And be sure to visit here for more info on the show to purchase your tickets! Photos by David Horvitz of Vitz Photos.

The show sells out every year, so get your tickets before it's too late!

Traveling For Dance

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 20:34:00 +0000

Two of my loves in life: travel and belly dance. So what could be better than putting them together and traveling for belly dance, am I right? But before you grab your hip scarf and zills, and run out to sign up for the next out of town dance workshop or retreat, it’s best to make sure you know exactly what you’re signing up. That way you can ensure that you have the best possible experience.

I’ve traveled twice out of the country for week-long belly dance retreats. One was great: well-managed, organized, and excellent instruction. The other was not so great: disorganized, failed to provide all elements paid for, and overall left a great deal to be desired.

So how can you avoid the pitfalls of poorly managed and executed dance retreats and instead find your way to the retreat of your dreams? Research. Yup, I’d say your number one key to secure a great experience is investing the time up front to investigate what you’re getting into. The data you are able to gather in advance will be a great indicator of what kind of experience you’re signing up for.

Here are my recommendations of what to check out and what questions to ask before you hit that submit payment button:

What is the reputation of the instructor? Is she well-known within the dance community? A good instructor should have strong ties and be on “good terms” with the dance community at large. Things to check out is whether or not the instructor is a member of popular dance related Facebook groups and if she is friends with a majority of other well-known dancers. Check out her teaching schedule and see if she is sponsored by other dancers and travels regularly for teaching gigs. Also try searching the discussion threads of online forums and groups to see if any complaints or negative feedback have been shared.
Can the person actually teach? Just because someone is a good dancer doesn’t necessarily mean they can teach. If possible, check out the instructor’s DVDs (if she has them), try to attend a local workshop, or check out any instructional YouTube videos she might have uploaded and see if her teaching style is coherent, logical, and appealing to you.
Read and solicit reviews. Are there any online reviews posted about the event? Or have you had any friends that have attended in the past? Word of mouth and reviews from past attendees will be one of the strongest indicators of how enjoyable the experience will end up being.
How long has the camp / workshop been running? A successfully run camp will have a good history and will run annually. Newer events might be a bit more iffy, as they have not yet stood the test of time.
What does the website look like? If the instructor is running a professional operation, they will also invest time and money into the website. A cheap website might be an indicator that the instructor is just trying to make a quick profit and not really investing anything into the experience. Additionally, how well organized and laid out the website is may also be an indicator of how well organized and laid out the retreat will be.
What is the response time on emails? Try sending an email asking some questions about the retreat and see how long it takes to receive a response. An organized event organizer should get back to you within 24 hours, or I’d say 48 hours tops. Longer response times might indicator poor service both now and during the event.
Make sure you understand what’s included. Read the fine print. Maybe the price is cheap because you will be expected to pay for your own meals. Or maybe you won’t have a private room (if that’s important to you). So be sure you know what you are paying for.
Can they accommodate any special needs? If you have food allergies or intolerances, can they cater to this? If there are any other special health needs or accommodations will need make sure you inquire about these in advance.

Okay, there you have it! Those are my top items to look for and investigate before signing up.

Hope you have a marvelous, fabulous, and magical time on your journeys. Bon voyage and break a zill!

Photo Credit: http://www.mgtdesign.co.uk

Happy & Healthy 2019

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Thu, 03 Jan 2019 17:29:00 +0000

It's that time of year again. A time of new beginnings and fresh starts. Shiny resolutions and crisp, juicy goals, ripe for the picking. And oh man, am I on the band wagon. My 2018 was a rough one (which you can read about here if you like). Thus, I am more than ready to leave the old year behind and start anew. A clean slate, a fresh page, a new me.

As part of the new year, I always pick a word or theme for the year. This year I've chosen 2019 to be the year of "happy and healthy". Yeah, it's perhaps not as eloquent or clever as some of my previous themes, but it gets right to the point. Happy and healthy: that's exactly what I want for 2019. No more struggles, no more sadness. No more fears or resentments. Rather, feeling joyful, grateful, and excited for what's ahead. Waking up energized and looking forward to what the day will bring. That's what I want to embody in the year ahead.

Once I pick my theme for the year, I always pick what my goals are going to be that support that theme (as well as goals that align back to my overall core values, which remain consistent year to year). Thus for 2019, my main goals are:

Participate in and complete the Love Sweat Fitness 5-Day Detox and 21-Day Challenge.
Vacation with Ketanga Fitness for a fitness retreat in Barbados, followed by a week exploring the island of the Dominican Republic.
Join Bozenka for her belly dance retreat on the island of Crete in September.
Try out water-skiing for the first time
Compete in the La Dance Orientale belly dance competition
Try the Daily OM 21-Day Goddess Workout
Take a tap dance class
Join Th e Community run by Maxie McCoy
Stay at the Orondo Earth House B&B

Overall, I want to focus on optimizing wellness, prioritizing self-care, exploring my passions, and just generally having fun.

2019, I'm ready, let's do this!

Photo by Eric Green

Good Riddance 2018

noreply@blogger.com (Alessandra) — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 19:48:00 +0000

The last post of the year I always like to do a little year in review summary. And well, for this year, I think the title of this post says it all. This past year was an incredibly challenging and difficult year for me and I'm more than happy and ready to say good f*cking riddance to 2018.

To just jump right to it, 2018 saw the end of my marriage and 11-year relationship. Separating in this manner brought along with it a host of other problems; the loss of my beloved maltipoo, a highly stressful financial situation with trying to sell my house in a faltering Seattle housing market, a less than amicable divorce with my ex due to an inability to agree on division of assets, and of course just the general sadness and depression over losing a long-time partner, friend, and confidant.

Twenty-eighteen was also the year that the job I once found a considerable amount of joy in satisfaction in took a turn for being incredibly stressful and unfulfilling.

And even when it wasn't the big things, 2018 seemed to be the year where things just went wrong on all levels, whether it was getting a speeding ticket or locking myself out of the house to the tune of $300 to get back in.

You know when people say, wow, didn't this year just fly by? I know, there's been many years where I've said it myself. But not this year. I feel like I've been living in this year forever.

All the stress and sadness has definitely taken it's toll on my mental, physical, and emotional health. So I am more than ready to say goodbye to this year. I'm ready for a reset and a new start on so many levels. I'm ready for an energy shift and to start operating at a happier, more positive and higher vibrational level. I'm ready to bury this year and leave it behind me.

Twenty-nineteen, you can't be here soon enough. I'm ready, let's do this.