These girls did it! I think this quote says a lot about following your dreams, or not…and these girls took the plunge to take time to study and do what they needed and wanted to do to achieve some sort of life and dance goal. Pretty awesome, eh?

Collective Soul Level ONe

Brandy, (OR), Tracy (CA), Kat (WA), Cayte and Sarah (UK)

Collective Soul Level Two gals!

Darby, (OR), Deirdre (UK), Sherry (FL), Sienna and Dee (AUSTRALIA)

Actually Darby and Sherry were the grads! the other gals did a refresher course…good to do…

Collective Soul Level Three and me!

Sherry, Sienna, Dee, Deirdre, and me!

Dee at the Cultivator

And Dee finished her Teacher Training Level One while here too! talk about intensives…she danced on for three intensives and then some…

I am a proud mama, let me tell you.

Tribal Bellydance Intensives with Paulette of Gypsy Caravan, around the globe–

Want to go to Bali and dance? I can’t wait!
Bali, in January 2011!!
Workshops with Paulette, Cinzia of Les Soeurs Tribales, plus yoga and Balinese dance–Jan 10/11th
and Collective Soul Level 1 January 12/13/14
contact: cinziadicioccio@gmail.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Paulette In Western Australia, January, February 2011

Workshops plus Collective Soul and Teacher Training!

contact Becky
ziva@omninet.net.au

~~~~~~~~~~
JUST ADDED!
April 2011–Collective Soul Certification Intensives, Levels One and Two, and Teacher Training One, and Two…
around Paulette’s farm, Portland and Clatskanie, OR
Please email ASAP to let Paulette know of interest!
dance@gypsycaravan.us

Collective Soul Level One–
Teacher Training Level One–
Collective Soul Level Two–
Teacher Training Level One–
Around Portland and Paulette’s farm!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What a journey this has been, the last few weeks in Australia. I have had the opportunity to meet and dance with some beautiful women, who have undertook intensive study with me. Congratulations to them for getting their certification, both in Collective Soul Level One and Teacher Training Level One. And not without a few giggles!

Collective Soul Level One grads...

Back row: Kelly, Colleen, myself, Shanne, Kate, Julie, and Dee

Front row: Margart, Heidi, and Becky

Heidi, Becky, and Dee did the course as a refresher, to get ready for the next intensive that immediatly followed, Collective Soul Level 2, testing today!

Lately I’ve been discussing how the dance is empowering to the women, on so many levels. Appropriately on Chris Guillebeau’s blog today, he writes:

Empowerment, as I think of it, is all about the beautiful principle of transferring knowledge and helping people consider possibilities that previously seemed out of reach.

This was a perfect read for today:

http://chrisguillebeau.com/3×5/the-small-man-builds-cages-for-everyone/

Fulfilling, rewarding, with sweat, tears, and joy… we reach for what we desire, experience our own journey along the way, and listen and share with the other’s we are joined with. Trust and community building: that is beautiful. I am constantly awed and rewarded by the women I dance with.

Thank you gals for giving me you trust, your time, and your dance! andhere is to the next step on your dance path.

Celebration!

Good work Teacher Trainees: Becky, Christine, and Sienna (photos to follow!)

I love being on the road, and teaching  our dance sisters around the globe. I feel like I’m pulling a thread that is bringing so many of us closer to each other as well as to ourselves, through our dance. I usually take Collective Soul and Teacher Training on the road, so I’m excited to be having it at home again this July, in Portland, and in my little town of Clatskanie! I get to share my farm and my home dancers with these women from other places, so we all get to experience each other, and they get to take classes here with my dancers. We have dancers coming from the UK, Florida, Canada, and several from right here in Portland.

After taking my courses this June in Philadelphia, one of my certified CS1 and TT1 dancers  wrote me with exciting and inspiring news:

“Since leaving the workshop I have been overwhelmed with new purpose and drive to succeed. I have quit my job and decided to teach, dance, vend, and do henna as my primary income. It has been a long time coming to this realization. I have known this is what I wanted to do for a while but hadn’t had the confidence until now. I have had many inspirations and hope I can be an inspiration to others to follow their dreams and make their passion their reality.”

That just makes my work so meaningful and fills me with even great aspirations as well.

I look forward to sharing my home dance space with those coming, and then I take it on the road again this fall, to Milwaukee, England, and Italy, then to Australia in February, and I hope Bali next summer! I hope you can join me on the quest for deeper roots and meaning in our tribal bellydance. I want you all to dance with me and each other!

I am so excited about my summer teaching and touring schedule. Please email me if you have any questions, or for an application for my intensive. The Gypsy Caravan web pages has much information about these intensives. Hope to see you there!

ANNOUNCING Summer 2009 DATES!

**Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
June 9-11, 2009–Collective Soul Level One—
June 12, 15, 16, 2009–Teacher Training Level One,
Contact Rima rimomdancestonight@gmail.com
Plus workshops June 13, 14 contact Vikki geela@tribalbellies.com
*************
**In and around Portland, Oregon-
July 23, 24, 25, 2009–Collective Soul Level One
July 26, 27, 28–Teacher Training Level One
July 31, August 1, 2–Collective Soul Level Two
It’s a country and city dance adventure and more!
contact Paulette
dance@gypsycaravan.us
see gypsycaravan.us for schedule and itinerary

*****************
Paulette in Milwaukee, WI!
September 2009
Collective Soul Level One, Two and Three!
Sept 11, 12, 13- Collective Soul 1
Sept 14, 15, 16- Teacher Training 1
Sept 17, 18, 19 – Collective Soul 2
Sept 20, 21,22- Collective Soul 3
contact Amanda
doctordeltazeta@yahoo.com
*************
Collective Soul Level One and Two in England,

CS Level One in Aylesbury, England
October 14, 15, 16th, 2009
plus…Tribe Vibe Festival, Oct 17, 18
contact Steffi
barefootsteffi@hotmail.com

Collective Soul Level Two in Kent, England
October 20-22, 2009
contact Louisa
louisathomsen@btinternet.com

********

ANNOUNCING NEW DATES!
Are you interested in attending Collective Soul Certification Level One,

Teacher Training Level One,
and Collective Soul Level Two

in Portland July/August 2009?

July 23, 24, 25–Collective Soul Level One
July 26, 27, 28–Teacher Training Level One
July 31, August 1, 2–Collective Soul Level Two

contact Paulette

dance@gypsycaravan.us

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

**testimonial from Cherie in England

The Collective Soul Experience
Collective Soul was a 3 day course with Paulette Rees-Denis founder of Gypsy Caravan. I found the whole experience a total joy – a dancing highlight of 2007.
Following introductions and conversations about our bellydance experiences and values we began with tribal technique, drilling and practice. The second day we studied rhythms , drum beats, and zill patterns. We attempted to dance while playing the zills, a skill rarely found in the UK it seems.
On the third day we were introduced to other members of Gypsy Caravan and were lucky enough to dance to live music.
As the group was small we received personal tuition throughout. Such an intense dance experience can often bring various emotions to the surface and this was no exception, Paulette was extremely patient and understanding while continuing to encourage and push everyone to their full potential. Paulette, Gina, Jen and the band blew me away with an inspirational performance which gave us a taste of the possibilities for tribal bellydance. None of us had forgotten the course ended with a ‘test’ or ‘assessment’ as we preferred to call it in which Paulette was keen to retain the high Gypsy Caravan – Collective Soul standard.
Most workshops provide you with technique and experience but rarely do you and one that truly unites a group of dancers from far and wide in such a positive way. Paulette emphasized the importance of integrity as a dancer and respect for fellow dancers, something we could all benefit from. I would recommend Collective Soul to anyone who is prepared to be challenged in a
supportive atmosphere.
Cherie in England