AMOON plays Lady Windermere's Caffeinated Art and Literature Salon

It's been a while I posted a blog entry, which is really just down to being snowed under, in work, with dance/training/yoga, general organisational duties and also trying to balance all that with relation/friend-ships. Talk about multi-tasking. I wish I could say that I was literally being snowed under (in) but unfortunately Dublin did not see any proper snow thus far. Proper, knee-deep (or more) snow would mean I could work from home more regularly, without feeling guilty/worried that some (out of sync, bored) co-workers may complain about it being unfair, rather than actually getting their head down to work themselves. Instead of waisting the day in the office with unnecessary waffle. This in turn would also have the welcome, soothing effect of not encountering any hassle with Dublin public transport or experiencing frustration over the way I have been driving for over ten years now, yet still do not own my own car because I am too sensible about money matters.

But alas, in work again today after "taking the liberty" to work from home yesterday. Did I mention, it really (!) sucks to travel on public transport, especially Dublin public transport. Anyway, I made it in and to console myself I thought I may write a brief blog entry, firstly, to let off "some steam" about how the concept of working from home should be a generally accepted rule and secondly, to announce:

A wonderful music event this evening in the Back Loft in Dublin under the header of
AMOON plays Lady Windermere's Caffeinated Art and Literature Salon
'The Back Loft', La Catedral Studios , 7-11 St. Augustine St, Dublin, Ireland
Now I am already extremely excited about AMOON playing, because the music he makes is unique, and dreamy and generally just deadly to see live. But even better, they asked us to dance with them on the night!

Since it was quite short notice, and due to the afore mentioned fact of "being snowed under", I will just pull out a quick solo to "War Bird" by AMOON and my wonderful friend Nadia Gativa will do a solo too.
But rest assured that is only the start of something even greater, and promises future collaborations between Dublin based musicians and dancers. Which is just brilliant, 'nuf said.

So despite being poorly myself, and blaming it on the Arctic conditions reigning Dublin, I will nonetheless be there to admire Amoon's tunes, and so should you!

Support your local musicians, dancers and artists of all backgrounds! With those desperate times and the economic hardships endured since the bailout, art continues to sustain each one of us.

So support the local talents, and come check out Amoon tonight. For more info see https://www.facebook.com/events/258622874193890/

Oh, and definitely do not forget to come along to Goulash Disko at The Twisted Pepper tomorrow night, see https://www.facebook.com/events/183135128447719/. You will have the opportunity to check out the Serbia based electro royalty Shazalakazoo and the lovely Junonia Bellydancemble dancers perform a few numbers too! See my events page for info  http://www.jasbellyfusion.com/upcoming_and_past_events.html.

Yay! To a not so gloomy, fun (music/dance) filled wintry December month!

See you there.

JVS/ Junonia Bellydancemble


For information on weekly classes and workshops/events 2012 please consult www.jasbellyfusion.com

Below video was a very spontaneous improv to AMOON on the day. Other vids are up on my Youtube Channel appearing under Jasmiini27.

Goulash Disko presents Shazalakazoo! 16 December 2011- Your last opportunity to burn the dance floor Balkan Beats style before March 2012

On 16 December, Goulash Disko are back for their last event of 2011 which sees world/electro music royalty Shazalakazoo from Serbia bring Balkan beats to Dublin town and Junonia Bellydancemble once again burn the dance floor of The Twisted Pepper on Dublin's Abbey Street/ Dublin 1.

Do not miss this fun packed event, with DJs Iva and Shrem once more rocking the venue with their great choice Balkan and various other electro tunes. As this will be the last Goulash Disko before March 2012, you are not to miss it and pre-party the new year with us.

Doors open at 10 30 pm, tickets will be 12 Euro at the door or 10 Euro with a flyer posted by Goulash Disko on facebook, check out their facebook event page at https://www.facebook.com/events/183135128447719/ and http://www.jasbellyfusion.com/upcoming_and_past_events.html for more info, and details to be announced soon.

See you there, jiggly shimmies and happy smileys!

Jasmin Victoria/ Junonia Bellydancemble

Flyer design by Iva Kvacic


Check out for sample of Shazalakazoo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6tlvJ-6154

Goulash Disko Movember Edition

If you regularly indulge in dancing your butt off with friends, if you are passionate about music and enjoy Balkan beats in particular, then Goulash Disko will guarantee to make you burn the dance floor with your fellow dancemaniacs. Goulash Disko started out as a monthly music event held in The Twisted Pepper, a very sought after Dublin City Centre venue which is handily located on Middle Abbey Street just off O'Connell Street. Not only is the venue a great choice, as you can conveniently commute to it by bus, LUAS or simply walk there, but the concept of Goulash Disko is rather unique and has taken Dublin nightlife by storm.

Goulash Disko has become legendary for bringing to Dublin the characteristic beats of the Balkans, something which was unheard of in the capital before. The initiative has proven to be a great success and has since February 2011 become a staple in Dublin fair city's Friday night entertainment, allowing dance and music enthusiasts to let their hair down after a (too) long week in work/ college and to meet the like-minded.

Junonia Bellydancemble regularly participate at this great event and our performances on 27 May, 8 July and 4 MOvember have provided us with amazing experiences that will stick with us for a long time yet. Goulash Disko(s) to date are associated with lovely memories, doing what we love "dancing" the most, whilst being surrounded by very talented musicians, fellow dancers (Fafa) and generally, lovely, happy, dancing people.

For instance, I vividly remember the beats that engulfed The Twisted Pepper, being skillfully delivered by the really likeable, equally talented Gypsy Hill musicians at the May Goulash Disko. Gypsy Hill is a collaboration betwen DJ Kobayashi and Herbert Newbert and the live band like to present authentic Balkan, Gypsy, Swing, Mediterranean sounds sprinkled with electronic beats. They even asked us to spontaneously dance to their live beats, which was tremendous fun ! It was a great  privilege to share the stage with such talented musicians. This time around, on the 4th of MOvember, Saint John the Gambler, a well known Dublin alternative folk act rocked the walls of The Twisted Pepper and you should not miss the opportunity to see this performer live if you have a chance. Very enjoyable and hugely talented indeed!

The MOvember edition of Goulash Disko on 4 MOvember saw the dancers of Junonina Bellydancemble sprout lovely, curly MO's (evidence below) and dance two fabulously fun numbers in order to help support the Movember cause. I greatly respect Goulash Disko for wanting to promote this honourable cause. It is extremely important to further raise awareness around men's health issues in the Republic and across Europe (and the world). With prostate cancer representing the number one male cancer, it is vitally important to increase knowledge about the MOvember cause, and help raise funds which can in turn help research, education and suvivorship in men in specific and the population at large. If you need any more information on the initiative, consult http://ie.movember.com/about. Even if this year it may be too late to register your willingness to sprout your MO, definitely join and do it next year!

The MOvember edition of Goulash Disko was great fun, and again the fabulous Yabe Chan entertained the crowd with fab beats all night. Oh, and don't forget to check out Na G Shrem who entertained previously at Goulash Diskos in July for example, and also plays great beats and much craic.

We cannot wait for the next Goulash Disko to hit Dublin town soon, sooner, soonest! Do not miss it, great entertainment to be guaranteed at that. Goulash Disko are hosting the Serbian act Shazalakazoo in December at another memorable event to enter Dublin's nightlife calendar!

Stay tuned in on Junonia's performances at http://www.jasbellyfusion.com/ and check out Goulash Disko on facebook.

Jiggly shimmies, and happy smileys


Junonina Bellydancemble/ JVS
Photo courtesy by Carol Hevia (below), remaining images by Magda Kozlowska
Junonia Bellydancemble Trip performed to Gjallarhorn- Kokkovirsi

Goulash Disko Movember edition 4 November 2011 at the Twisted Pepper, Lower Abbey Street!

Junonina Bellydancemble will be performing two numbers (one solo, one ATS improv) at the Movember edition of the wonderful Goulash Disko on 4 November 2011 and we cannot wait to burn the dance floor with everyone afterwards!!


This event will be fun, Balkan Beats packed as usual.  Irish band St JOHN THE GAMBLER will play 
their unique fusion of Alternative Gypsy Celtic Industrial Tango Blues Folk Pirate Country Miriachi Fusion Indie
Rock, NO SIKIRIKI, and regulars Iva & Shrem, as well as Junonia will do what they do best, play and dance!


We cannot wait to see you at this fabulous Balkan Beats event that rocks the socks off Dublin town on a monthly basis!


Tickets at the door will be 15 Euro, and 10 Euro if you sign up for the guestlist. Also, as all funds will go towards the Movember cause, the best moustache will be also rewarded by an awesome Balkan goodies pack on the night!

 https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=265982190107372 and http://jasbellyfusion.com/upcoming_and_past_events.html for more info.
The funds raised at this event will all go to
http://ie.movember.com/
Dance on, and a gory Halloween to everyone!

New class-passes introduced on 16 August 2011 a success

The newly introduced class pass system for both my beginner and intermediate classes has proven a success. See http://jasbellyfusion.com/class_pass_system.html for info on the system and class times.

Improver Modern Fusion Bellydance in the Dublin Holistic Centre, South William Street, Dublin 2

First class drop-in option 17 Euro
4 class-pass    65   Euro
8 class-pass   130 Euro

-------------


Beginner Modern Fusion Bellydance in Studio 99, South Circular Road, Dublin 8

 First class drop-in option 13 Euro
4 class-pass   50 Euro
8 class-pass   100 Euro

Payable in cash, by paypal or online bank transfer, contact jasmiini3@gmail.com for more info.

Thanks and see you in class!

Celebrating the body in dance 7 August 2011- Present and future

After an eventful last few days in the Northern Vikinglands, and a rather worrying onset of post-bliss/holiday blues, I have decided the only thing to cheer me up at this point is to recall the wonderful event Junonia Bellydancemble organised recently. More info about the Ensemble at http://jasbellyfusion.com/junonia_fusion_bellydancemble.html.

Two weekends ago, on 7 August 2011, Junonia Fusion Bellydancemble hosted their first dance event. The aim was to unite local dancers and musicians in the joy and passion for the arts. The dance event took place in The Church Cellar Bar and hosted performers from many different dance styles, ranging from modern and traditional bellydance, Tribal Fusion to American Tribal Style (ATS), Modern Contemporary Dance and Tango.

Importantly, this event was designed as a platform for dancers and dance enthusiasts to share their love of dance (and music). However, another explicit goal of the night was to foster awareness of the work of Bodywhys, the National Eating disorders association of Ireland. As a voluntary association, the organisation currently works hard to provide support services for around 200,000 individuals affected by eating disorders across the Republic.The incentive to raise awareness (and funds) for Bodywhys was dear to me, and the intersection between dance (and the creation of a positive body image through dance) and the work of Bodywhys.

In addition to offering support services, such as online and phone support for people affected by eating disorders, their families and friends, Bodywhys also organise physical group therapy sessions in Dublin, Carlow and Cavan amongst others. Another crucial campaign, personally, is the Bodywhys "Be body positive" campaign which supports and invites youth across Ireland to help creating a more positive understanding and perception of the body in general. To find out more about the campaign please refer to http://www.bodywhys.ie/getInvolved/be-body-positive/. Bodywhys will profit from any type of support, be it volunteering efforts and your efforts to raise awareness on eating disorders and the importance of being positive about your body, nation-wide.

I really do hope that the event helped to further the cause and promote awareness firstly around the crucial work Bodywhys do, and secondly, crucially, about the central role of dance in the creation of a positive body image. My motto to "dance yourself body positive" certainly correspond to the "be body positive" campaign of Bodywhys, in my mind. I would certainly hope that many more individuals will consider dance as an outlet, a way of catharsis in the future, to chanel emotions constructively via dance rather than destructively via resorting to eating disorders and body dismorphia.

In today's capitalist society, where (artifical consumerist) needs and (flawed) perceptions and standards of how we are meant to behave and look are created on a daily basis, it becomes all the more pivotal to go back to the source. And to listen deeply to the voice within yourself, and trust your instincts and your body, and work with it rather than against it. In my humble opinion, dance is one of the ways to do exactly that. Alongside with painting, it is certainly one of the most powerful means of expression I have ever encountered. Even better, you are not required to purchases tool and gadgets, the "tool", your friend, your body, is right there! Without music and dance, there is no life. Sound and movement is like breathing, and dum spiro, spero.

I am hopeful that Celebrating the body in dance, the first edition of a sequence of events to follow, gave the audience and artists alike a grasp of how powerful (and beautiful) movement really is and how deeply you can tune into (and feel) your body when moving consciously and with respect for your body.

We had some wonderful performers on the night. Junonia Bellydancemble dancers did a wonderful job of presenting three great (and rather different, refreshing) numbers. I am very grateful to have devoted dancers to work with. Also, Laura M.Dunne did a beautiful job at representing the wonderful art of ATS, and The Zoryanna (Tribal Fusion) stunned everyone with their sword number. Then there was Stephanie representing the very origins of Modern Bellydance, presenting a traditional Egyptian piece. to  "Ala Warag Il Foull" by Fatme Serhan. In the song, the singer is asking her lover to bed her on Jasmine-blossoms and pamper her. She tells him "I have nothing, but this bangle on my arm. Let's sell it and you can stay with me." Stephanie did a great job of story-telling, and "selling" of her jewellery to allow her lover to stay with her! In keeping with the belldancers, my friend Nadia Gativa amazed the audience with her solo to a song by Dead can Dance.

Then there was Laurie Schneider, representing Expandance. She involved the audience in inviting them to pick a random number from 1-10 (and therefore a specific song associated) with it, which she would improvise to. Her rendition of the song was heartwarming, and a wonderful example of how touching improvisation (which comes from the heart) can be.

And Kristian and Julian from Tangofiesta took everyone's breath away with their two Tango numbers. Such amazing chemistry, such amazing performers! We were very honoured to have them!

Last but certainly not least, the live drumming enriched the night so much, and I want to thank Andy and Dave Mooney and Thom for playing for us, as well as DJ Yabe Chan for sorting the music on the night and the after-show Balkan beats.

Finally, this event won't be the last. It was a wonderful kick off to a sequence of events and collaborations planned for Junonia Bellydancemble in the future so stay tuned for more info at http://jasbellyfusion.com/celebrating_the_body_in_dance.html.

Yours in dance,

Jasmin
Here a sample of photos depicting Junonia Bellydancemble. For more photos of the other performers please see http://jasbellyfusion.com/photos.html

Junonia Bellydancemble performing to "Heartbeats" by The Knife.
Photo courtesy by James O'Farrell at http://damienjamesofarrell.com/

Junonia Bellydancemble performing to "Heartbeats" by The Knife.
Photo courtesy by James O'Farrell at http://damienjamesofarrell.com/

Junonia Bellydancemble performing to "Dope Crunk" by Beats Antique.
Photo courtesy by James O'Farrell at http://damienjamesofarrell.com/

Junonia Bellydancemble performing to Amoon live drumming.
Photo courtesy by James O'Farrell at http://damienjamesofarrell.com/

Junonia Bellydancemble performing to Amoon live drumming.
Photo courtesy by James O'Farrell at http://damienjamesofarrell.com/

Don't stop the dance in Space 54 on 28 August 2011

As one of the dance facilitators of “Don’t stop the dance”, I will be teaching an introductory session to the mesmerizing art of tribal fusion and modern belly dance.

The workshop will familiarise you with some of the basics of modern belly dance. You will learn the pivotal importance of a thorough and safe warm-up before embarking on a dance routine. The session will also allow you to work on some technique and drills, such as hip work (singles/ ¾), vertical hip figure 8s and many more. Muscular isolation drills will make you more aware of the core muscle groups used in modern belly dance. We will then embark on learning a few combos as cornerstones for a refreshing and vibrant modern belly dance choreography to Heartbeats by The Knife. We will repeat those combos amply to give you a chance to internalize the moves, and take some away with you for inspiration.  Finally we will do a gentle cool down to lock the new found knowledge in our bodies.

This session will be greatly beneficial to anyone curious about the art of modern and tribal fusion belly dance. I will not only seek to give you a brief summary on the history of the dance form, but you will also learn some of the basic belly dance core moves. The workshops will allow you to put learned technique into perspective by way of a choreography and promises to be a great workout to boost your energy and enthusiasm.

For more information on my approach to teaching, please check out www.jasbellyfusion.com and follow my belly twitters on http://twitter.com/#!/Jasmiini3.

Also, check out http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=131373740286269 for info on Don't stop the dance workshops!

Looking forward to seeing you on 28 August!

Jasmin

Belly Twitters

Dear dancers,

 

I have finally given in to the peeps pressure and set up a Twitter account.

 

For those of you who have one and are online a lot, it would be a great way to get class updates on the day, and info ref. workshops/ dance events etc, so do please follow me if you would!

http://twitter.com/#!/Jasmiini3.

 

Yours in dance,

 

Jasmin

Teaching as a measure of self transformation

When I started teaching Modern Belly Dance at the beginning of 2011, I realised it was going to be an enormous task, and entail a huge responsibility which would push (and require) me to continously learn, improve my knowledge and find new ways of making knowledge accessible to students new to the art form.

Eight months on, I still love teaching dance! Teaching provides a refreshing balance to my mundane, extremely busy office job. It makes me feel alive, like dancing in general. So while at times I feel pressurised with the triple demands of work, volunteering for NGOs and dancing, I know that teaching was the right step in my further progress as a dancer. It not only helps me to change, transform, and continuously improve my teaching methods as well as my own dancing, but I sincerely hope that my approach to teaching empowers students and makes them grow as much as I feel I do.

I have so much to learn still, and I am so grateful I have been able and continue to learn from amazing mentors in the field, Wendy Marlatt, Sam Emanuelle, Suhaila Salimpour to name but a few. Incredibly talented, creative, disciplined, yet ever so modest and generous individuals.

In the near future, events like Celebrating the body in dance which is a showcase taking place on
7 August in the Church Bar, Dublin 1 and workshops (see below) keep me on my toes.

Celebrating the body in dance is the first showcase of what is envisaged to become a sequence of dance events to promote collaboration across various dance styles in Dublin. With a multi-disciplinary background in dance, I am hoping that it will bring dancers of different styles together to learn from one another. Also the event is meant to celebrate what the body is able to achieve and create, as our tool, but also, as our friend. The mini showcase thus aims to promote positive body and self awareness. In such a vein, we have selected Bodywhys as the beneficiary of our first event on Sunday. Both my co-organiser and friend Nadia Gativa and I are hoping for a good turn out and for performers and audience to dance the night away. For more infos on the event see https://www.facebook.com/jasmin.victoria.dance#!/event.php?eid=188820901182293
and my website http://jasbellyfusion.com/upcoming_and_past_events.html

Meanwhile, on a personal front, I am still searching for a vacancy and occupation in my field, and am continously pondering how lovely it would be to just go off to travel for a year, and then enroll in a dance academy full-time. If only I was a millionaire, this would be a done deal already.

Hope to see you all at Celebrating the body in dance this Sunday and future workshops.

Jasmin

Flyer courtesy by Natalie Dwyer, Photo by Nadia Gativa

Modern Fusion Masterclasses in Cork on 20 August from 2- 6 pm!

I am very excited to announce that Hip Circles Bellydance will host me for two Modern Fusion Choreography Master Classes in Cork, Ireland!

Come join me on Saturday the 20th of August at the The Montfort College of Performing Arts at the Thompson House, on McCurtain Street, Cork City Centre.

This class will suit all levels of experience.
Investment: 45eur (4 hour class, a bargain!)

**************************​************
Early-Bird for 40eur if paid by 10 August 2011

 

For more info please see https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=219168138125478 and contact Graziela Calis at hipcirclesbellydance@gmail​.com for bookings.

Also, visit my website at http://www.jasbellyfusion.com/ for more info on weekly classes and workshops.

 

 

******** PART ONE: TECHNIQUE SKILLS ********

Warm-up (Strengthening and flexibility exercises, accessing muscles needed for belly dance isolations and warming up to safely execute technique. We will emphasize the necessity to warm up thoroughly by introducing a set of strengthening and flexibility exercises that are easily adaptable to your own practice)

* Fluid arm transitions and mesmerizing arms
* Precise isolations (head, shoulders, chest, pelvis- distinction between hard and soft contractions)
* Walking with reverse belly roll and learning travelling patterns (step cross)
* Travelling steps layering smooth contractions on top
* Turns (spotting technique practice and stylisation)
* Smooth transitions between turns (coming down to floor safely)
* Safe backbend technique
* Introduction of combos to prepare students for Dope Crunk choreo.

This set will teach students how to safely execute selected belly dance technique. An understanding of safe technique will promote the skilful and clear use of a variety of belly dance moves for choreographic purposes. For starters, various concepts, such as precise isolations, fluid undulations and transitions, turns technique and quick (yet, safe) floor transitions as well as back bending technique will be introduced. A thorough understanding of these notions will prepare students for the modern fusion belly dance choreography session to follow. It will give students an opportunity to learn and/or perfect their existing belly dance isolations and moves, asking questions about executing them safely and preserving clarity in movement. It will also provide dancers with vital technical pointers in order to promote muscle control and heighten presentational skills.


***** PART TWO: CHOREOGRAPHY SKILLS ******
(to Dope Crunk by Beats Antique)

* Musical Analysis (mood of the song, emotions invoked/belly dance repertory it inspires)
* Counting and choreographic skills
* Choreographic combo drills (learn them individually and then put them together)
* Drilling choreography in a group set up (groups present it to one another)
* Whole group performing the coreo (taping)

This set will take technical concepts and choreographic combos introduced in the general skills class to the next level, by putting those skills into the context of a 4-minute long choreography to Dope Crunk by Beats Antique, one of the leading bands in the Tribal Fusion world. Study items will include musical analysis and choreographic skills. We will learn the modern belly dance choreography thoroughly by breaking it down into digestible components (combos). Students will thus sharpen their memorising skills by repeating individual combos and then executing them in the correct sequence. We will eventually drill the whole choreography, taking care to respect group synchronicity and then present the finished piece to our fellow dancers. At the end of the second class the whole group will be able to perform the Dope Crunk piece together and have fun with it, putting their own emotional twist on it.

Finally, a gentle cool down will stretch out and soothe the body and the mind after training.

 

I am really looking forward to this and cannot wait to meet the Cork dancers and dancers from across Ireland to join me for these classes!

 

Jasmin

 

 

Suhaila Salimpour Intensive Brighton 14-17 July 2011

A belated, yet still extremely excited post outlining my thoughts on attending Suhaila Salimpour´s Intensive in Brighton from 14-17 July 2011. I want to thank Hilde Canoodt for organizing this wonderful event and providing European students and lovers of the Salimpour format with the opportunity to study with a legend. After meeting Suhaila, I remember her as wonderful teacher who believes in tough love and brings out the best in everyone by pushing her students in a positive and very healthy way. I love her format, and truly, the ideas and intention behind her approach to teaching. Studying with Suhaila was such a privilege and really reinforced my conviction that preparing for her certification is the right way to go.

Her technique is based on a muscular approach to mastering belly dance, regardless of what stylization you settle with eventually due to personal preference (be it traditional, modern belly dance, Tribal Fusion).
I really appreciate the way the format brings out individual discipline and students really work hard to achieve the tasks Suhaila is giving them (us). The whole weekend was full of (sweaty) wholesome training, devotion, pieces of valuable historical information on American style belly dance and yet more buckets of sweat. I loved it!

I particularly enjoyed the way Suhaila started the weekend with an introduction to the Jamila Salimpour format. Her mother Jamila is the "grandmother" of modern belly dance and we really owe her a lot. Learning about her through her daughter is a grand privilege. It beats reading up on the history of the dance via internet channels and it is wonderful to be able to learn directly from the source. The rest of the weekend was dedicated to Suhaila´s format, and both her and her two assistants did such an amazing job. I was largely familiar with drills because of my personal training (via her online classes) but the extra pieces of advice were so invaluable and I cannot wait to progress and dedicate myself more to the study of her format.

And really, I wish Suhaila could be coming to (and staying in Dublin) to promote the art form in this city. To have her around as a mentor must be incredible, and make you grow so much as a dancer.

I hope to attend one of her Intensives and study with her in her California based studio soon.

Thanks for a wonderful weekend, so much passion and knowledge you passed on to us at this event.

For more infos on upcoming events I am attending see http://jasbellyfusion.com/upcoming_and_past_events.html

Jasmin

Layercake Belly Bliss Class 30 July

This Saturday 30 July, I taught a modern belly dance layering class in the Dublin Holistic Centre.

I generally really enjoy teaching dance and passing my knowledge of modern belly dance on to my students. This goes for my regular weekly classes, and also for workshops which give me the opportunity to dedicate even more time to a specific theme. I am so happy I was joined by a select dedicated students of mine for this layering class. Thanks so much for coming! Your enthusiasm and support keeps me going.

However, at times, and at the moment in particular, I am finding Dublin a tough place to be when it come to passion and dedication to dance. I am imagining dance hubs like San Francisco (Tribal Fusion), New York and London and automatically, I visualize crowds of dedicated students and a level of commitment which is not generally that common in Dublin. I am hoping that with time, I and my friends in (Modern Belly) dance will be able to promote the dance form, and knowledge as well as passion of modern belly dance in the city. Because dedication and regular attendance in students makes it so much easier to teach and keeps any teacher extremely motivated to keep sharing!

Here is to more classes, workshops and more Dublin belly dancers in the future.
Check out http://jasbellyfusion.com/upcoming_and_past_events.html
for more info on future events.


Jasmin

Free Taster Beginner Belly Bliss 30 July

This Saturday 30 July 2011, I taught a free beginner taster class in the beautiful Dublin Holistic Centre studios in Dublin 2. It was an amazing session, and I want to thank all the participants for attending this class. Here is to more belly dancers to join and enrich the Dublin dance community with their enthusiasm and spirit in the future!


For those of you interested in regular classes, please visit the below website for more information.


http://jasbellyfusion.com/class_info.html


Improvers Modern Fusion Belly Dance  

Wednesdays from 6 45 pm until 8 45 pm
Dublin Holistic Centre, South William Street, Dublin 2

Beginner Modern Fusion Belly Dance

Tuesdays from 5 30 until 7 pm

Studio 99, South Circular Road, Dublin 8

Do not hesitate to contact me for more info.


There will be changes to the class set up in the near future which I will keep you posted about. 

Drop-in for the moment is available at 13 Euro for the beginner and 17 Euro for the Wednesday class, but I am thinking of introducing class passes (5 and 10 classes) to avoid dealing with payments every week.


Thanks for your attendance and support.
Jasmin

Recap on 2010

The year 2010 was generally a good one for me, albeit local doomsters painting the (Irish) world pitch black and hopeless. The year was full of dance, an essential part of my life without which (alongside with music, art and languages) I do not think I would manage as well as I do. Dance sustains me and eases the aspects in my life that still need working on (the job situation, relationships, myself and a general tendency to shy away from resolving difficult situations). I met wonderful people, travelling to dance workshops/events, twice to Amsterdam to events hosted by the wonderful Tjarda and Renate from The Uzume, and twice in Ireland. Travelling up to Belfast I had another great opportunity to study with Samantha Emanuel, and down to Cork, with Olivia Kissel who was one of the first dance teachers from abroad whose tribal workshops I took about five or six years ago.

Dance also taught me a lot this year- a lot was negative, finding that you can solely rely on yourself in a (dance) world which is often not as loyal as it would appear to the external spectator. Realising that finding like-minded individuals who you can trust and work with for a long time, is very seldom. Realising that what matters most is to rely on yourself and to be happy with the decisions you take and the things you intend to achieve in order to attain balance and happiness in your life. And cutting out negative factors, which includes negative people. All these realisations were positive and have helped me grow as a person, or so I hope.

I am really looking forward to 2011 and to doing all those things that I have postponed for too long, training harder, being more confident in myself and my talents and following my own path, regardless (of opinions).
Teaching classes is one way of challenging myself, and to take the responsibility of sharing what I learnt from my tribal fusion belly dance teachers over the last few years, Wendy Marlatt and Sam Emanuel being two of the most significant. It is also a progression of what my parents introduced  into my life when I was a little girl starting ballet classes at age 5 1/2. Dance will always accompany me in one shape or the other much like music gets me through the day and lifts my mood, and painting allows me to dive into another world.

Here is to 2011- May it be a year full of joy, productivity, dance and positivity!
Be true to yourself and the to the people around you is the motto that will accompany me this year, hoping it will give me more insight and enrich my life with balance and better decision taking.

Rock on New Year!