Directions in Dance

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!

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 reference

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

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

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

Bellydance is getting more complex.  In just a few short decades, the artistic expression of an art with age-old cultural roots and ethos, has changed dramatically, reflecting the rapidly moving undercurrents of our new world. Movements are faster, choreographies are tighter and there seems to be an unspoken pressure on dancers to meet a certain criteria - one that would leave some of the world’s most famous Golden Era bellydancers lacking in the technical arena. Yes, times have changed and although the dance has evolved and branched out into new theatrical realms, bellydancers around the world have  been  expressing  concerns about a pervasive sense of dissatisfaction, resulting in the type of frustration and internal conflict that can gradually erode one’s sense of artistic worth and self esteem.  We know that bellydance is not an exacting art, and that traditionally, enjoyment, sensuality and self-expression were at its core.  So how do you, as a dancer, maintain your artisti