Welcoming A New Little Dancer

My beautiful girl - born March 22nd 11:06am 7lb 1oz

Chantelle Eliana

PS: Life has changed dramatically... and it will be a while before it settles into any kind of routine. If you are interested in contributing to The Tribal Way with a guest post, please contact me at thetribalway@gmail.com

Belly Dance Costumes Gone Wrong

Belly dancers can be very creative, crafty people. The possibilities for self-expression through colour, texture and accessories are infinite. There are many extremely talented people in our midst, including Gwen Heckeroth of Flying Skirts, Molly Kuhl of Kuhl Jewels, Christina of Sihaya Designs and my friend Tiffany of Sareen Dream.

However, sometimes imagination can take people a little farther than it should. Either the costume becomes completely immodest, aesthetically chaotic, or it's just poor quality - not words we want to be associated with our beloved dance! These costume disasters may not support Belly Dance in the way you or I might like it to be portrayed, but they can give us a good laugh! ;) Thanks to the Ugly Costume Goddess Blog for the pics! Most were from ebay or etsy, tagged 'Belly Dance' (if you can believe it).

Whats your favourite? I have to say mine is the Yetti Dancer. Just imagine all that fake fur swaying... ;)

* Of course, please take this with an open mind - there are places in this world for many types of clothing, and the people who made and wear these items are just human - we've all had our fashion faux pas moments, and I don't mean to offend. :)

We Make Our Habits; Our Habits Make Us

We choose our habits - consciously or subconsciously - and over time, they make us. Look at your life, your routine. What are the things you do every day? Your daily rituals, good or bad, automatic or forced, tell a lot about you and your future. Imagine someone who comes home from work and grabs fast food for dinner, ice cream and chips for snacks and turns on the TV for hours everyday. They may have never consciously decided that would be the best use of their time and resources each day, but it has become a habit nonetheless. I'm sure we can all name many possible problems and diseases they may have to look forward to. Likewise, someone who starts their day with an organic fruit smoothie and a run will in turn be rewarded with more energy, health, stamina, a stronger heart - the list goes on.  Have you heard the saying 'We reap what we sow?' It's very simple, and very true.

We make our habits; our habits make us.

When we are learning to dance in class, practicing at home or drilling with a video, we have choices to make about our habits. Will we warm-up and cool down to keep our muscles safe and healthy? Will we focus on our posture or let our butts out and our arms flop? Will we practice and ask questions until we get a move just right, or will we get the hang of a move just well enough before we move on, anxious to know more moves? I think in developing our habits, it's important to emphasize quality over quantity. At the beginning we may be anxious to move up and learn as many moves as possible - but if we do that and end up performing one day with no smile, horrible posture and weak arms, what have we really gained?! Sometimes we need to remember to slow down and focus on improving our skill. I don't know about you, but I really need to concentrate on this more. We have to imagine the dancer we want to become, and decide on and implement the best habits we can to make that a reality.

We form our habits - in life, in health, and in dance. Then our habits form us - for better or worse.

Just some food for thought.  ;)

Dance Flash Cards - My Gift to You!

Last June I showed you guys a great way to mix up your practice and keep you focused: Dance Move Flash Cards. Click >HERE< to check out the post for a reminder, or see picture below.

Now some fancy pants artists out there might be able to write their moves out in calligraphy or use graphics or something else like that, but as for me, I just grabbed a font from the net and kept it pretty simple.  So I decided it would only be fair if I shared it with you!! I have 3 PDF files, one for each level, with each move on it in the font shown above. All you have to do is print it, cut out the labels and fix them onto cards. Here's a preview:



As I said, I have one page each for Level One, Two and Three. I am providing these free of charge. Unfortunately I do not know a way to have these right on my blog in a format that will print easily, so you have to email me and request it.

Email thetribalway@gmail.com and let me know which Level Pages you want and what email address to send the files to, and I will respond as quickly as I can with the attachments. Enjoy!

Tribal and Gypsy Inspired Decor

Be prepared to dream and drool.

Rich textiles, heavy fabrics, ornate decor, chandeliers and drapes and pillows and lanterns and knick knacks and jewelry and antiques and everything you need to be inspired to create your own little haven. :)

Delicious Duets

Ah, duets. I think I'm in love. They are just the most beautiful thing to watch, and such a joy to be learning about in my level three class. Solos can be breathtaking and groups can be fun, but I think duets are my favourite at the moment. Such a connection can be present between the dancers that real magic happens. I feel it when I learn a new partner pass in class, and I see it when I watch dynamic performances of duets in videos. There is so much more eye contact between the two dancers, and the ATS mindmeld becomes crucial and awe inspiring to watch or be a part of.

Here are some beautiful duets for your enjoyment ~

(Duet begins at 3:20)

Photo of the Week

This is from Persephone Dance Company's facebook page

So beautiful! Check out all those colours and textures!