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Sensory Bellydance - Somatic Approaches to Improve the Dancer's Experience from the Inside Out Article by Keti Sharif, Dec 2024 A Somatic approach to Bellydance movement focuses on enhancing awareness of the body’s internal sensations and fostering a deeper connection between mind and body. This approach contrasts with more externally-focused techniques, which might emphasise the performance of specific movements or adherence to prescribed forms. Instead, Somatic practices invite dancers to explore how movement feels from the inside out, improving the quality of movement by promoting fluidity, ease, and mindfulness. Bellydancing, with its sensual, free-form nature, is a highly Somatic dance practice, and can create a beautifully sensory experience for the dancer. Its blend of hypnotic rhythm and flow, contrasting accents and curves, and emotional content, easily lends it self to the Somatic space. Bellydancing in all its wonderfully diverse forms, celebrates the body with heightene...
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The Return of Egyptian Dance Students

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Hi everyone, as you know online classes are becoming more popular around the world as many countries have experienced covid lockdowns and temporary studio closures. I ran events, festivals and classes in Egypt for many years, but of course like many others, am still waiting until its the right time to recommence. For now, we have online options for dancers to study various cultural dance arts with live Egyptian music & percussion. One of the courses I offer is A-Z Bellydance. Recently, many of my former Egyptian students (from Cairo, Luxor, Alexandria, Fayoum, Red Sea) and new students from Egypt, are taking A-Z Bellydance classes. I was curious as to why they were interested in taking classes when they already know how to Bellydance... a social norm in Egypt!  Here's a short 4 minute chat about why they are doing bellydance classes.  Listen here: http://ketisharif.com/music/egyptiandancestudents.mp3 Warm wishes, Keti
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How to Bellydance with More Ease

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Dear dancers,  in this video I talk about the role of the autonomic nervous system in movement, and offer simple tips on how to bellydance with more fluidity & ease, to feel more relaxed and responsive.  If you like this easeful way of dancing, you can see more of it in my Somatic work and A-Z Bellydance courses at www.ketisharif.com Click the video below to watch now!
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10 Things Bellydancers Can Enjoy in Lockdown

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Dear Bellydancers in covid-19 lockdown, here are 10 things you can do that can be fun and productive! 1. GET MUSICAL: Sort Out Your Music Playlists Group your lists into various playlists - these could be grouped as: rhythms, orchestral compositions, taqsim, drum solos, folkloric music, pop, and a variety of cultural or regional styles & genres. And then make some teaching, performance or simply favourites or easy listening lists. 2. GLAMOURIZE YOUR  COSTUME WARDROBE : Organise, Mend or Update Costumes Organise all your costumes and accessories, plus the fabric and decorations you’ve been collecting for years! Mend any costumes that need fixing and consider making some updates to existing costumes or hip scarves. 3. BUILD A VIDEO WATCH-LIST: Keep a Video File of Great Bellydance Videos Simply copy and paste youtube or vimeo urls into a word document, with a bit of info about your favourite dancers and their clips. If you sort these into groups, you’ll have a great refere...
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Teaching Bellydance - Physical Limitations and Pregnancy

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Focus and Flow - How to Bring Creative Action to Artistic Projects

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Hi dancers, do you have a project or awesome idea that you've been contemplating for some time? Does it seem to stop and start, with a wavering kind of energy... and even though the logistics of the process seem do-able, something prevents you from getting past the finish line? I know what that feels like. Successful projects can be a real balancing act. They need a spirit of fun and play to make you want to stick with them. Yet the step-by-step process is essential of you want to get it completed. So, why do we see so many 'abandoned ideas' and how can we integrate the polarities of "exploration" and "action". My June blog is in the form of a very short audio. I too am in the process of working through a timeline of practical steps required to finish some dance projects, and am familiar with the process of navigating between focus and flow. I also know what getting too caught up with either polarity can do... and its usually detrimental to reac...
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Bellydance - The Difference Between Structure and Form

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Photo of Nesrin at Musical Heart of Egypt Event Dear dancers, this blog ended up being an audio file; an ad-lib talk about structure and form, and how they apply to dancing. Understanding the difference between the two can be key to the some of the big decisions we make about the foundation of our art and how it can shape other qualities, such as aesthetic, interpretation and personal style. Best wishes, Keti http://ketisharif.com/StructureandForm.mp3
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The truth about taking online dance classes – dealing with the distraction trap!

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Today, if you can't get to a regular dance class due to time or distance, you can easily study dance online. Students often ask, "Are online dance classes easier?" Put simply, the answer is no. It’s true that online courses offer greater flexibility, allowing you to learn in your own time and space, but that doesn’t change the amount of work and practice you need to put in. You still have the same amount of work—just without the formal classroom setting. As with many dancers who sign up for online study, I also had challenges when I first started as a student in digital courses. In fact, I even had a great course sit on my laptop for a year until I viewed it! I became aware that various distractions were the major blocks to learning, and worked out ways to overcome it, and ended up being able to study successfully. From then on, online learning became a pleasurable experience, and something I looked forward to in my week. It offered opportunities I would never...
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