Monday, January 11, 2010




womens island retreat art dance creativity yoga womens island retreat art dance creativity yoga For a decade now, Gillian and I have been putting together annual retreats for women. Some of my sweetest, most soulful, most transformative moments of the last decade have happened in these wonderful groups of women! This year, we are both feeling a need to blossom into the world bigger, better, more, and juicier... so we are really excited to be crafting five retreat weekends, soulful getaways for feminine creativity, recharging, healing, and fun. They will be held at Arbutus Retreats, Gillian's beautiful island sanctuary, and will focus on journalling, art, yoga, dance, meditation, creating rituals of self care & embracing the sacred in daily life. Join our retreat mailing list if you'd like to know more. Upcoming dates for our weekend retreats are March 20, 21, and 22, May 29, 30, and 31, July 23, 24, and 25, September 24, 25, and 26. Each season on the island has its own magic and beauty; the mists and frogsong of March, the soft air and wild roses of May, swimming tides and long deep twilights of July, September's tall grasses and garden harvests. We hope you can join us for one of these magical weekends!womens island retreat art dance creativity yoga womens island retreat art dance creativity yoga womens island retreat art dance creativity yoga

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Happy New Year from the Bellydance Blog

What are your dance dreams for 2010?
Your first solo performance?
Time to start your own troupe?
Start teaching?
Get back to classes?
Explore another dance discipline?
Go on a dance retreat or tour?
Learn to sew your own costumes?
Master the finger cymbals?
Create your own choreography?
Throw monthly dance parties for your dance community?
or.....
We want to know! Share your dance dreams and goals here!

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Belly Dancers of the Golden Age: Naemet Mokhtar

I can't find any biographical info on this beautiful dancer, so please let me know if you can enlighten us! I found the first clip posted on facebook by a dance friend - wait for the singularly amazing backbend ... and please don't try it yourself! The second clip is Tamra Henna - for fun you can compare it to Naima Akif's posted last time...

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Daily Belly Dance Wisdom


What is the key
To untie the knot of the mind's suffering?

Benevolent thought, sound,
And movement.

Hafiz

Friday, December 4, 2009

Daily Belly Dance Wisdom


Why
Abstain from love
When like the beautiful snow goose
Someday your soul
Will leave this summer
Camp?

Hafiz

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Daily Belly Dance Wisdom


THIS SKY

This

Sky

Where we live

Is no place to lose your wings

So love, love,

Love.

Hafiz

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Daily Belly Dance Wisdom


It Felt Love

How
Did the rose
Ever open its heart

And give to this world
All its
Beauty?

It felt the encouragement of light
Against its
Being.

Otherwise,
We all remain

Too

Frightened.


Hafiz

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Daily Belly Dance Wisdom


Now is the time for the world to know
That every thought and action is sacred.

This is the time
For you to deeply compute the impossibility

That there is anything
But Grace.

Hafiz

Monday, November 30, 2009

Daily Belly Dance Wisdom

You carry all the ingredients
To turn your existence into joy,

Mix them, mix
them!

Hafiz