As we enter the hottest days of summer, the weather has given us a reprieve here in South Carolina with a series of spectacular thunderstorms… but that doesn’t stop me from dancing.

The circus, Columbia Alternacirque, is gearing up to put on a reprise of our summer production, A Midsummer Night’s Cirque, on July 23rd… and on the morning of the 24th, Natalie Brown and I head to Atlanta, Georgia, to teach the first running of our joint intensive, The Devil in the Details. On Saturday we are teaching two low-key workshops: Mine, a workshop on hair and makeup for dark fusion dance, and Natalie’s a workshop on flattering and appropriate costuming for fusion performance.  Then, we get all dolled up and perform along side some of the Southeast’s best belly dancers.  Then, on Sunday, we teach our pairing of my “Pops, Locks, and Tick Tocks” and Natalie’s “Elegant Extension and Poses.”  To register for this weekend of dancing, head on over to Beledi Boutique.

Weekly classes are ongoing:  Wednesday nights I’m teaching Suhaila Salimpour format bellydance at the Old Mill in Lexington, and on Thursdays I’m teaching my mash-up of old and new belly dance at Gyrotonic Vista in downtown Columbia.  More information on my classes page.

And during the days, working on new solos, preparing for the Level 3 weeklong workshop in Berkeley, California, with Suhaila, and trying to keep cool in the summer heat…

Ahh… yes… It’s all confirmed. My regular weekly classes in Columbia, SC, start NEXT WEEK! Both classes are open to ALL LEVELS, and we begin on May 12, 2010.  All levels really means all levels: I challenge those who need to be challenged, and give material to less-experienced dancers so that they can build a strong foundation for safe and life-long movement.

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Belly Dance Drills and Technique. Wednesdays, 8:15pm-9:30pm

Join us at the Old Mill in Lexington we’ll be drilling, working, and learning hardcore technique in a fun and supportive environment. $15 drop-in, $125 for a ten class card.

Lexington Old Mill, First Floor at the Center for Dance Education
711 East Main Street
Lexington, SC

So you want to be a belly dancer? Core Bellydance Fundamentals. Thursdays, 8:15pm – 9:15pm

We’re kickin’ it old school at the beautiful Gyrotonic Vista Studio and learning the fundamentals of belly dance. With a focus on safe execution of movement and muscular isolation, this class offers challenging yet accessible material for dancers of all skill levels. And I mean that – all skill levels! Bring your finger cymbals. $15 drop-in, $125 for a ten-class card.

Gyrotonic Vista
911 Lady St., Suite H
Columbia, SC

I just have to preface this post with a thought:  I’m a California girl. And by California, I don’t mean Southern California. I mean Northern California: cold Pacific Ocean waters, the fog rolling in over the hills in the evening, the San Francisco skyline at night, Yosemite National Park, redwood forests, vineyards, forward-thinking creative type people everywhere, beautiful hot Mediterranean summers, snowy white Sierra Nevada winters….

And this California girl is moving to the heart of the American South: hot humid summers, woody swamps, vestiges of the Civil War (this will be my first time living in a former Confederate State), sweet tea, southern drawls, and much more conservative politics.  I never ever imagined I would end up in The South, let alone South Carolina, but Columbia called to me, and I’m moving.  I’ll be bringing a little bit of California with me… and some of that includes belly dance!

Ahh, yes… Soon I will be teaching regular weekly classes, but this time in my new home of Columbia, SC! Both classes are open to ALL LEVELS, and we begin on May 12, 2010.

Belly Dance Drills and Technique. Wednesdays, 8:15pm-9:30pm

Join us at the Old Mill in Lexington we’ll be drilling, working, and learning hardcore technique in a fun and supportive environment. $15 drop-in, $125 for a ten class card.

Lexington Old Mill, First Floor at the Center for Dance Education
711 East Main Street
Lexington, SC

So you want to be a belly dancer? Thursdays, Time TBD

We’re kickin’ it old school at Gyrotonic Vista Studio and learning the fundamentals of belly dance. With a focus on safe execution of movement and muscular isolation, this class offers challenging yet accessible material for dancers of all skill levels. And I mean that – all skill levels! $15 drop-in, $125 for a ten-class card.

Gyrotonic Vista
911 Lady St., Suite H
Columbia, SC

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Spring has finally sprung here in the Washington, DC, area of the United States, and it’s beautiful and sunny… perfect weather for travel and for moving!

Last month was grey and rainy, but it took me to some amazing places.  Gothla US in Pomona, California, was successful and is always a great joy to participate in the production of this annual event.  Nearly everyone I have talked to about it tell me that it feels more like home than most festivals… all of the dark misfit dancers together in one place.  After that, I headed east to Switzerland, not only to teach two workshops, but also to visit a dear friend of mine who, with her husband, two cats, and child-on-the-way, moved to the land of chocolate and cheese several years ago.  My several days there were filled with walks, cheese, and relaxation.  From there, I took the train through the Alps and into Milan, Italy, where I taught three workshops and performed at Gothla.it.  What a fantastic weekend!  The sponsors, Silvia and her crew, took amazing care of both me and fellow instructor Morgana, and I met so many amazing dancers and people.  One of the things I love about my job is that I, the little girl who didn’t have many friends growing up, now have friends and contacts all around the world!  What a trip, yeah?

From there I drove down to my future home, Columbia, South Carolina, for the Columbia Alternacirque outdoor season opener.  The opening night wasn’t without challenges: a new backdrop, new lights, a taller stage, and near gale-force winds which threatened to blow away not only the backdrop but the stage to which we had tied it…. not to mention that it threatened to blow out all of the spectacular fire props!  But, we did it, even if we were freezing cold in the wind and 40°F temperatures.  My visit to Columbia also resulted in signing a lease on a rental home with my best friend and partner in crime/dance/adventure, Natalie Brown.  We will have a small dance studio in the new place, available for private lessons and group lessons for up to 4 people at a time.  It will be my first-ever in-home studio!

Back up in the DC area, I had my intensive, which we had to postpone because of low registration… so… those of you who keep asking for an intensive with me: What can I do next time to make sure that it’s easier for you to register?  Location, price, time of year?  Let me know.  Without you, I am nothing, dear students!

What’s on the horizon?  Moving, of course…and a few other events that you might want to know about…  in New Orleans, Charlottesville, Virginia.; Louisville, Kentucky.; Washington DC; Barcelona, Spain; Oahu, Hawaii; and Las Vegas, Nevada.  Check it all out here…..

For now… I hope to see some of you soon, somewhere on my travels. Happy spring!

I’m wrapping up an amazing, intense, and inspiring weekend at one of my favorite dance festivals: TribalCon.  TribalCon seems to attract a certain kind of dancer: one that is thoughtful, intelligent, and conscientious.  Not that these dancers don’t attend other festivals, but when an event begins with Professor Donna Mejia giving a lecture on hyper-sexuality in Western culture, the overall tone for the rest of the weekend is greatly different than others.

Next up – Gothla US, which is one of my OTHER favorite events of the year.  While I brought out an old-school-meets-new-school belly dance performance at TribalCon, my Xenomorph from Belly Horror will be returning to the stage again at Gothla next weekend.  I love presenting so many different styles of dance that reflect the many different aspects of my personality.

After Gothla, I head to Europe – Switzerland and Italy.  I have never been to Switzerland, and I’m so excited!  Friends of mine will be taking me to thermal baths, which my tired dancer/traveler body will greatly enjoy.

When I return home, at the end of March, I will travel down to my new home, Columbia, South Carolina, to rehearse with Delirium Tribal Belly Dance Company and Columbia Alternacirque for the outdoor season opener, “Masquerade”.

Full details on all of my upcoming events are on my website here.  Hope to see you on one of my travels!

Just announced! Two shows at the Palace of Wonders this week – 1210 H St NE, Washington, DC.

Thursday, January 14th, 10pm.
Danse Du Ventre! Featuring Anisa, Laura Adrienne, Mavi, and me – Asharah! $10 cover.

Saturday, January 16th, 10pm.
Peekaboo! NYC’s Best Burlesque Meets DC’s Best Bellydancers!  $10 cover.

For more information on either event, visit www.palaceofwonders.com.  Hope to see you there!

“You must have the devil in you to succeed in the arts.” –Voltaire

We are excited to announce a special collaborative intensive, “The Devil in the Details,” created and taught by Asharah and Natalie Brown. We are currently booking for 2010 and 2011.

If you would like more information, or are interested in sponsoring us in your city, please contact us at either alternacirque@gmail.com or asharah@asharah.com

My new (and last!) session of classes at Saffron Dance starts MONDAY! Yup… This is my last full session of classes in the DC area before I move to South Carolina!

Monday: Suhaila Salimpour format drills @ 7:15pm.
Based on the Suhaila Salimpour belly dance format, this is a class for dancers of all levels and styles!  The exercises in this class will improve your strength, technique, poise, balance, and confidence!

Thursday: Modern Tribal 2 and 3 @ 6:15pm and 7:15pm, respectively.
Based on American Tribal Style and Jamila Salimpour’s bellydance format, these classes provide a strong foundation in tribal style.  In Tribal 3, we work with finger cymbals and Asharah’s signature modern and contemporary movements.

Register TODAY at www.saffrondance.com

The Washington Times has some beautiful photograph’s of Saturday night’s show up on their website, and nearly a full-page feature in their print edition.

See the rest of the images here!

Greetings dancers and friends!  I hope the holidays are going well for you and your families.

Just a few notes of some upcoming events and special offerings…

Performance this Saturday in Washington, DC

This Saturday is the Spice of Life holiday gala performance featuring Saffron Dance students and faculty. My students will be performing my choreography to Maduro’s song “Situational Mythos”, and I will be performing solo.  This is a show you don’t want to miss!  Two shows: 5 pm and 8 pm.  Tickets are $25.00 in advance or $30.00 at the door.  Visit the Saffron Dance website for tickets and more information.

Video private lessons and critiques!

For those of you who aren’t in the DC area, or who might have missed one of my workshops, I am now offering video private lessons (via Skype – a free webcam service) and performance critique.  Video private lessons are priced per hour and are meant to bring out the best in YOU as a dancer and performer while refining your technique, expression, and alignment.  When I teach private lessons, I draw on my background as a competitive figure skater when I worked one-on-one with my own coaches, and I hope to bring that same level of mentoring and guidance to my students that my coaches did for me when I was younger.

Performance critiques are priced by the length of the performance, and they include feedback on the following criteria:

•Technique (including control, fluidity, traveling movements, etc.)
•Musicality (Expression of the music’s style, character, rhythm)
•Expression (physical, emotional, intellectual involvement)
•Music selection and editing (flow, cohesiveness)
•Costuming (fit, style, construction, fit with music and theme of piece)
•Appropriateness of performance for venue and type of show
•Presentation (use of space, concept, etc.)
•Use of props (if applicable)
•Finger cymbals (if applicable)

If you’re interested in either setting up video private lessons or a performance critique, send me an e-mail or reply to this post.

Hope all is well and that you’re having a lovely holiday season!