with the Caravan Dance Collective and the Caravan Soul Collective International dancers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITas45W458A

part one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qEWPn1BJiw

part two

wow, what do you think??!!!

2^nd part of the journey

Wildlife and plants…

I love seeing other countries, cultures, and the tribal dance variations, and I also love seeing the different wildlife and native plants. I was so fortunate to stay at the Banksia Farm in Mt. Barker, when I was teaching the dancers for those few days.

It is a B&B that is known for it’s 11 acres of the native plant, the Banksia, which is an amazingly diverse plant, with wildly exotic blooms and pods. Not only are the grounds are great walking tour to see this plant, but also to see lots of wildlife. The birds themselves were numerous, with loud calls throughout the day, as they flew in flocks around the grounds, the bush, and the pond.

I awoke every morning to the shrills and calls of the white-tailed black parrots, the ducks, the other assorted parrots, the guineas, and other birds I have no idea what they were, but there were lots of them! I saw the Blue Wren, the Honey sucker,  along with the guana lizard ( a monitor), an ibis, several hawks and crows, tons of cows and sheep with the assorted goats, a gorgeous baby donkey, and others.

And of course the variations on the eucalyptus and gum trees were outstanding, the bark alone diverse in its striped and peeling nature was a visual treat, as always.

And Kevin, the banksia expert, gave me the informative lecture on the banksia, which are just so cool!

and now, on to a weekend in Denmark with Becky and a full on two days of dancing and a hafla….

Hey dancers,

I have had two spots come open for our

17th annual Breitenbush women’s tribal bellydance retreat! April 23-25, 2010

This has been sold out since September, but unfortunate circumstances have had two women need to give up their much coveted spots. do come and join us!

Info in the link below…

http://www.gypsycaravan.us/workshops.php

**with Paulette Rees Denis and Gypsy Caravan, innovators of Tribal Belly Dance!
With very special guest instructors –
**Samantha Riggs from Boom Boom Bollywood!
teaching Temple Bollywood and Bhangra
and
**Lynea Gillen, back again with her fabulous African Tribal and Yoga for Bellydancers!
Be ready to sweat and groove, dance and laugh.

Honor yourself with the power of your dance and the power of your words. In our vibrant circle of women, you will dance own dance within the communal and improvisational structure of Tribal Bellydance and the fusion beyond.
All levels are welcome for the weekend although some experience of belly dance is necessary.
The weekend will include Paulette’s invigorating tribal style belly dance instruction, workout, and journaling sessions;
along with Lynea’s Yoga for bellydancers and her hot blend of African Tribal dance.
This year we are thrilled to have Samantha Riggs joining us-get ready for high energy Bhangra, and meditative Temple Bollywood.
This is a fabulous blend for our weekend of dance and writing–add luscious outdoor hot tubbing, steamy saunas, great vegetarian meals, some down time, and the peacefulness of the mountains, and our circle of dancing women just gets stronger and more remarkable every year! This is for dancers please, some experience necessary.

Visit 29-Day Giving Challenge at: http://www.29gifts.org

Another thing I can do is pass on information that I find useful, informative, inspiring,for you and our One More Thing ideas!
So do your thing and be fantabulous!

Hilary, Amanda, Carol, and Karen

Carol, Hilary, Amanda, Paulette, and Karen

For our three day CS3 intensive, we were joined by Carol, from Gypsy Caravan, and Karen from the Caravan Dance Collective. They were there to dance with us, partake in the fun and the work, and refine and reinforce their own dance. It is so nice to see when dancers can let go of their egos, and just do more work on their technique. We are never done, are we? It is humbling, yet always encouraging for dancers to not always be the teacher. Since Carol and Karen are teaching many of the Caravan classes, they really do enjoy letting go of that persona to work on themselves, besides sharing in the intriguing dance discussions that we get into!

I, too, always look for learning opportunities for myself, as it is refreshing to uncover something new, to study a different approach to dance, or something all together different, which I am always doing. Yet it always brings me full circle back to my teachings. As I strive to be the best teacher I can be, which keeps me always on my toes. In turn, that makes my job of helping the student be the best dancer (or writer, or teacher) that they can be. I also continuously learn from my students, so there is that circle too.

It is an exciting occupation, teaching, and I am so glad that I realized years ago that was what I wanted to do. It is challenging and rewarding, grueling sometimes, joyous most times. Having been doing this for how many years now? about eighteen or so…I love the format I have found that works, both for the students to find delight in themselves and their dance, for the performers who have pursued that side of the dance, and for the dancers who have grown up to be teachers also.

I am glad that I went on to create the Gypsy Caravan Collective Soul certification programs, and the Teacher Training intensives, to share, and pass on this dance and the skills that go along with it, as it really revolves around all of life, not just dance. That is why this dance is a lifestyle for me. Supportive, creative, encouraging, all encompassing, hard, fun, and it makes the world go round! Besides, I get to laugh alot!

Crazy Amanda and Hilary

My One More Thing idea today is not about helping someone else out, or doing that extra something for the earth that we are trying to keep happy. It is about you.

Sometimes, do you ever feel that you can’t do that one more thing? You are tired, cranky, overloaded, whatever. Well, how about you do one more thing just for yourself! Taking care of ourselves will help us do that thing we want or need to accomplish, that thing that will ultimately make us feel better. How often do you put yourself and your personal needs on the back burner?

I had a phone call today from a woman with several children who just wanted to get to a dance class and do something for herself.  How hard it can sometimes be to just get out the door to go after what you desire. But when you do take that time to do it, you feel so much better. Yes? And then you can do that other “thing” you need or want to do. And then you feel even more fabulous and remarkable!

I have a hard time with this myself, always busy, always trying to get my projects done, because I love what I do! But we all need that down time. so…

So, what can you do that will make you feel better? Take a bubble bath with candles lit, read a book, do some spinning, journal, take a walk, take yourself out to dinner, go to that dance class?

Here is a site I found today because of my internet friend, Laura Neff, (More In You) who always has such wonderful words of advice.

Tut’s adventurers club

Mike Dooley is the founder and writer and adventurer of this site.  Notes from the Universe offers insightful words, that maybe you need to hear today. Or just a little push to keep you on your path. He writings touched me, so I wanted to share his site with you.

When he was searching for what he needed and wanted to do to keep going, one of the things he wrote, “I’d keep doing the one thing that filled me with the greatest sense of accomplishment and purpose-write about the truths I most needed to embrace to change my life.”

Check him out if you have time, but take time for yourself now! I am, just as soon as I get this posted…

Be fantabulous!

I always try to get some lovely little goodies available at a special price every month for you! See below for two specials from my Caravan Souk for the month of November…

enjoy, and thanks for your patronage…

November Souk Specials

Hoodie Special 1. Ready for winter? November Souk Special…

Gildan hoodie- with pockets, zip front, fuller cut, normally $42.00

This month, only $36.00 plus S&H…

50% cotton, 50% poly, snuggly and soft and warm!

Black–sizes small to extra large

Maroon- sizes small to extra large

through November 30th…

BUY NOW

DVD Special 2.  Buy any 2 Tribal Technique DVDS and get 20% off your purchase!

BUY NOW

How do you get inspired? the ongoing topic…

A way for me to get inspired is by reading what other people do, what they think and write, it’s as if they were a mirror, or not, and gives me a time to reflect on myself and what I am doing and what I’ve set out to do… Derek Silvers, an ex-circus man turned musician then ingenious entrepeneur, the former owner of the amazingly successful CD Baby, keeps things moving for me…

HIs blog topic yesterday was…”What do you hate not doing?”

http://sivers.org/hatenot

Derek writes: We’ve all asked ourselves, “What do I really love?” or “What makes me happy?” I’ve wrestled when the emotion-based answers conflict with expectations. (I’m a musician, but I love working alone. Does that mean I should be a producer instead of performer? I’m an entrepreneur but I hate doing business deals. Does that mean I’m more of a CTO than CEO?) Last week I thought of it a different way, that I like better:

What do you hate NOT doing? (What makes you feel icky, irritated, annoyed or off-track if you don’t do it enough?) .

..and I thought this was just a super positive way to look at what I am, am not doing. So…

*I don’t like not moving my body every day, wether it be dancing, doing my personal workout, throwing hay to the goats, gardening…I am a pysical person, I need to move my body or I get super restless.

*I don’t like not reading every day. I must read, it does something to my psyche, me brain, my thought processes.

*I don’t like not writing every day. It helps to clear my mind, gets my ideas down on paper, gets my work done so that I can move forward on to the next project or idea or chapter.

*I don’t like not feeling connected, to myself, my family, my animals—every day. When I get too busy, it takes its  toll on my personal well-being, and my connection to my immediate community. Although good family and friends understand and accept those times of extreme busy-ness, no apologies necessary, it does not make me feel good. So there….do check out Derek’s blog…

How about you?

Can you approach your intentions and inspirations from that angle? Or think about what you want to do in terms of what you hate not doing? Bring it on!

~~~~~~~And down to my reading…

~~the $64.00 Tomato, by William Alexander Hilarious, made my howl out loud, which I love to do when I ‘m reading…

~~Tribes: We Need You To Lead Us, by Seth Goldin Here is something to get your brain cranked up!

~~Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything. by  Elizabeth Gilbert the ever popular book and author these days, and I still love it, and her! The writing is so authentic and soul-searching.

Here is a lovely clip from the TED conference with Elizabeth speaking about creative genius, what do you think?

Elizabeth Gilbert

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Patty, myself, Lai, Angela, Brenda, Natasha, Darby, Sherry

I have just finished up the round of six days of all-day dance intensives—Collective Soul Level One and Teacher Training Level One here around Portland. Plus regular dance classes all week and a mini-performance at the farmer’s market! It is nice to have a break in this over 100 degree heatwave we are having! whew… The dancers were all troopers in the heat, the long days and nights dancing and discussing tribal bellydance and beyond—we sightsee’d, I got to cook for them a few times, and we had an informal dance session with live music. They played with my goats and chickens and dogs and we walked around the farm.They danced and then got tested. It takes a while to get the dance and the knowledge in the bones and muscles and brains of the body. Not everyone passes the certification tests right away. We all worked hard and I am honored to be able to dance with such fine women who share the love of tribal bellydance! Congratulations goes to Sherry, Darby, and Angela for getting certified in CS1 this round!

Then we continued right into Teacher Training with Darby, Sherry,  Angela, and Merina (certified last year in CS1) and danced through the next three days.

Getting down to the nitty gritty technique of each move, the nuances, the music, the rhythms, the zils, there is so much involved in becoming a great dance teacher, combining business and art. We talked about a lot of it!  So great to share with all of us, we learn from each other. And we danced some more… and then we tested again! Congrats to Darby and Sherry for passing this round of tests!

I am thrilled to pass on, to share, to teach, coach, advise the dancers who wish to carry this tradition on, the ones who want to learn from the roots, and help them acheive their dance goals. I look forward to continuing to work and dance with these lovely ladies, and I wish them well on their new paths!

…loud zaghareets all around!