tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.comments2009-01-27T12:08:51.354-07:00Leyla Najmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11228647826307146708noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.post-35998844409684107692009-01-27T12:08:00.000-07:002009-01-27T12:08:00.000-07:00Thank you Sara......the word needs to get out that not all dancers have to look the same, be the same and dance the same. Were are a diverse melting pot of beautiful women!!Leyla Najmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11228647826307146708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.post-9820777912773730192009-01-27T10:55:00.000-07:002009-01-27T10:55:00.000-07:00I agree 100%- not all teachers are for everyone and everyone who learns under someone eventually must move on- this is something as a martial art teacher I desperately try to explain to my students(which tends to fall on deaf ears- I suppose for the area I live in that is because there are no other teachers here for them to go to). I tell people even to get as many different books and DVD plus have a teacher too also gives you a greater variety of knowledge no matter what fitness or dance workout or routine you are doing. It's hard for a beginner to understand that one day they will not need a teacher as a crutch to dance or perform. I am disgusted with most trainer and a good amount of dance teachers now of days-they are literally that cruel-as you spoke of with the one student being critizied for having curves....trainer and teachers are a part of this society that creates harmful disallusion about body image- how many trainers or teachers do you know that are Plus Size? I have only seen one in my area- and that's ME! I'm loving it that I am curvy and big-and 99% of my students are big....I think trainers and teachers need to come out of the dark age and realize that students are not 90 pd athletes that are going to make their jobs easier- I tell people the first thing- if your trainer or teacher makes rude comments and refuses to teach you-they are the blind leading the blind and the only thing they are good at teaching is how to look like a playboy bunny- leave them immediately because you will only learn how to hate yourself and worship your teacher or trainers bodies- because that is exactly what that teacher or trainer wants you to do.....<BR/><BR/>Namaste.<BR/>Rev. Sara Dingess, B.Msc.Rev.Sara Dingess,B.Msc.http://www.konaemcenter.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.post-77632061163452890482009-01-26T22:41:00.000-07:002009-01-26T22:41:00.000-07:00Nadira.........You always have added wisdom.........thank you!!!<BR/><BR/>LeylaLeyla Najmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11228647826307146708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.post-68787399737479232112009-01-26T14:05:00.000-07:002009-01-26T14:05:00.000-07:00I think that another thing that contributes to signature moves is what you really like doing. There are some movements that we really love: they make us feel beautiful/clever/cute/cheeky, doing them feels good physically, or we associate them with something or someone that makes us happy.<BR/> <BR/>When you do those movements, that love pours through you and animates your dance. That is when you are your best, most authentic dancer-self, and you share that love with your audience, whether you mean to or not.<BR/><BR/>So even if you don't do those movements very often, and even if lots of other dancers do them, people will still consider them your signatures because they create such powerful, memorable moments.<BR/><BR/>- Nadira JamalJesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00936615877083055952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.post-47709278337772776312008-11-01T21:21:00.000-06:002008-11-01T21:21:00.000-06:00I am a total beginner , I am learning. Your are a very good teacher explaining step by step.<BR/>Your classes on video are excelent.<BR/>GracieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.post-78928779411821083662008-10-29T14:49:00.000-06:002008-10-29T14:49:00.000-06:00I love our classes Leyla! Just fyi. :DErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09696346825896644361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.post-26943098619531547962008-08-09T10:18:00.000-06:002008-08-09T10:18:00.000-06:00I find your articles extremely thought provoking, and "rubberpstamp" the idea that Arabic dance is a philosophy of it's own.<BR/>Thanks for sharing these idaes.<BR/>AmandaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.post-55391239208364927632008-08-06T08:31:00.000-06:002008-08-06T08:31:00.000-06:00Hi, <BR/><BR/>I'm going to try drilling these tonight, working them out sitting at my desk isn't as much fun. Thank you for the suggestions.Evenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.post-44011180733556531392008-04-18T04:16:00.000-06:002008-04-18T04:16:00.000-06:00Thank you Leyla.<BR/>It is hard to talk to God but even harder to "be still" and listen. I believe in the shedding of an old self and the coming into the new. Again, thank you for sharing such a profound part of your life.<BR/><BR/>Samiah AlahmAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.post-39996997260547582852008-04-11T11:40:00.000-06:002008-04-11T11:40:00.000-06:00Leyla, <BR/>I really enjoyed reading your story and surely got a laugh out of it as well. The War Bonnet looks and sounds a spectacular horse . The funny thing is that I think I would have used the same word .lol ..Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543707966988649486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.post-84863008920513358922008-04-11T08:59:00.000-06:002008-04-11T08:59:00.000-06:00There's probably a lesson for dance in that. Be true to yourself and to your relationship with the audience, and to hell with what's fashionable with other dancers.<BR/><BR/>If you had chosen your call based on what he cowboys would have approved of, would it have had the same conviction (and been as effective) as shoo?Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00936615877083055952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.post-51004247291417199382008-04-08T15:12:00.000-06:002008-04-08T15:12:00.000-06:00Hello Leyla<BR/>As a dance teacher for the past 18 years i feel related in every single word on your post ; its incredible how many teachers work their soul out to relate with the student and not be respected by that at all until they become the teacher. I remember when i was a student for 20 years i attended with the same dance teacher and the same dance school even though i was teaching i kept going to her classes and on every single summer of my youth i remember taking workshops out of the country with several dance professionals and in any moment I lost respect on my Dance Teacher back home or as I remember my Lifeteacher She sacrificed many things to teach me a class every single weekday or weekend instead of sitting around and knitting or going out with her family and husband on any given day she gave me class rain or shine she always had the time and health to teach me we students took or take it for granted we dont value time or life by itself sometimes as students timed lived is time forgotten ,but as teachers time lived its everything .<BR/>As said the way we are raised in our homes is the way look at the world and in many cases we get serious lessons for that. We have to teach many students that dance is not only about moving up down side to side in 5,6,7,8 its growth its knowledge its good manners its etiquete its common sense its....many aspects were taught to me by my dance teacher. She was an excellent instructor a dedicated one, an impecable mother, an outstanding wife an unforgetable example of a woman she was like my mom. Even when she was out of the school and in a store she never forgot what she does for a living and whos eyes are on her, many children many teens and many adults relied on her for guidence on life on dance. Good manners, work hard every day on your career even if you have your degree on your wall you still are learnig from life day by day - i remember she said to me when i opened my own school- Sometimes youll end up with students that want to learn as fast as they can because they need to be someone fast, teach as you know theyll end up in a wrong direction, dance is fun teaching is work or work is fun dancing is work youll find out later oh! - she kept on saying - if youre a good teacher youll get some students that later on reach higher than you and try to step on you but thats only a lesson for us teachers to learn and im not telling you what that leson is youll find out that on your own... those wer some of the words of wisdom my Dance Teacher said to me and in many ways i got the message i learned the lessons and still living them day by day after many years in the dance teacher world. Leyla youre not alone many teachers live those star watching moments, i call it healing time.<BR/>Only a good teacher gets it ; and a good teacher is never afraid to teach it all!Marthanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.post-30030450552365973662008-03-27T22:46:00.000-06:002008-03-27T22:46:00.000-06:00My only dream is for you to be happy.Daniel Latrimurtihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16462532738844676469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.post-47648274580919709692008-02-25T14:39:00.000-07:002008-02-25T14:39:00.000-07:00I teach different types of fitness classes- including oriental dance. Yes, I do take moves from all styles and teachers and combine them together to make a routine or choreography. As long as a teacher acknowledges those who came before them- I feel there is no need to feel guilty or paranoid about using moves that one sees or has been taught to teach a class. Certain dance styles and fitness classes are traditional- they have traditional and cultural moves and they are almost impossible to copyright nowadays. It was diffult for me at first, as a new teacher and trainer to get comfortable about using other peoples moves along with things that I had learned and was taught. I soon just gave up on guilt and realized that I was honouring my past teachers and experiences in showing new students what I loved about dance and fitness.sensei saranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.post-24744359080494929082008-02-21T10:36:00.000-07:002008-02-21T10:36:00.000-07:00I am still new to belly dancing but I have fallen in love with it. From my experience's in the audience during the introduction of a song when the dancer comes out no one is watching her dance they are all watching is her face to see whether or not she is pretty, her body to see if she is in shape and then her costume. In my opinion unless you are a well endowed stick uneducated audience members are not going to like what they see but that is society's problem it has nothing to do with the dancer. But as the song goes on and they see the love that the dancer has for what she is doing they will fall in love with it too. When you are around a happy person it makes you happy so if they see a happy dancer they are going to get excited. The audience also doesn't know the routine so if you keep a smile it doesn't matter if you make a mistake they will never know. Personally for me it is enjoyable to see a plump dancer doing what she loves just as much if not more then a skinny one. The bigger you are the bigger the moves are and the bigger the moves the easier to appreciate how complicated the moves are. With the different styles that are coming out I agree it is a bit scary. I am a traditionalist and I love the cabaret style of dance and the sparkly costumes but I see that what these dancers love. This is what there passion is. We may have come to different styles but we all came from the same fabric.<BR/><BR/>Thank you,<BR/>Amanda HinesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.post-23194129732457382692008-02-19T12:46:00.000-07:002008-02-19T12:46:00.000-07:00Leyla is a well spoken deliverer of a message we all know about and have experienced in one way or another. Yes, beautiful gets more but I heard a very wise bellydance teacher say something that hit me. "The difference between a good belly dancer and a great belly dancer, is in the eyes." She meant the love of the dance that shows and eye contact to the audience, proving that we are bold, beautiful and powerful representatives of an ancient dance form. I am a size 14 and dance in different costume. When told "you shouldn't wear that" I was struck but I stuck to my choice. I made them see me, not my body size when I performed, and it showed. I looked into their eyes, held them and made them see.<BR/>Thank you <BR/>Samiah AhlamAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.post-11179821379199971812008-01-20T05:51:00.000-07:002008-01-20T05:51:00.000-07:00I am, to this society, heavy. I guarantee people look at my as a belly dancer and so -no way- because I have a stomach. Do I care- NO! I love what I do- I have wonderful students- and I know I am improving my health every day that I practice. I will never fit the image of this world- and yes, you literally have to de-program yourself when it comes to image. Honestly- the most antagonism I get is from other fitness trainers- but hey, they look like buffed men- I look like Shakira- lots of yummy curves- so what can I say! I changed my attitude about this when I whatched a turkish bellydancer say-" When performing this move- if you are skinny, you are going to have to work really hard to get your audience to see this movement- you need to be curvery to see this movement!"- I almost passed out!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289111835286948102.post-32856448255462294692007-12-11T21:43:00.000-07:002007-12-11T21:43:00.000-07:00Leyla,<BR/>These are some powerful thoughts. Thanks for sharing your feelings and concerns about "making it". It certainly creates a very big difference when it comes from someone like you whom I think that has made it over and over in so many ways (the attitude, the teaching, the style, the commitment, etc.)<BR/>On the other hand it is interesting to hear what struggles an instructor goes through with their students which I may never know as I try so hard to stay away from that aspect of teaching, but I know what I went through with instructors or instructor wanna-bes when I left New Mexico. I definitely was wrong when I thought that the grass was greener on the other side.<BR/>It is very encouraging to read this blog now that I decided to make it on my own in the "old style" whether or not there is a belly dancing Renaissance.<BR/>NilayAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com