Come try out my Bellydance Level 1 at Windfall Dance Studio! It’s Tuesdays, 7:45-8:45-
Hope to see you there!! 
The best journal of Middle Eastern Dance that is sadly no longer publishing, has put all of the best articles from 1992-2002 online! Mine was chosen for this special archive. Enjoy!
My cousin, Ann Marie “Ree” Drummond, in Oklahoma has her own cooking show on the Food Network, and it is premiering next Saturday, August 27th at 11:30am EST! I am so proud of her, she has worked so hard to get to this point, and I am glad that more people will get to see her, and get to know more about Oklahoma :) Her food is fabulous, and she is very funny! In our family, she was always the clown, everybody loved her, and she was always able to bring people together with her squirky sense of humor! I can’t wait to see her show every Saturday now
Check out her blog site below! She has won several awards for it, and now has a few cookbooks out!
For the show info on the Food Network, click here:
Pioneer Woman on The Food Network
Go, Ree Ree!!!! 
Hi Friends! I am trying to go to the Amani Oriental Dance Festival in Beirut, Lebanon this October 25-29, 2011! The whole trip will cost about $3,000, and for your sponsorship I will put up ads on my website for your business. I have been wanting to visit beautiful Lebanon since the first festival in 2006, and I want to go while things are calm over there. Please help me achieve my dream!!!!
Here is the link for the festival: Amani Oriental Festival
To donate, just use this PayPal button!
Thanks so much!!!
Katya
**The workshops have been postponed to sometime in the next year, BUT the show is still happening!!! October 12 at the Buskirk Chumley Theater!
Here is the final schedule! We have had to move the date back a week this year to accomodate the Club Bellydance concert with the Bellydance Superstars on October 12th! I hope that all participants can come to the show, it is on the Wednesday after the workshops with Mohamed and Leila, and will be at the historical Buskirk-Chumley Theater in beautiful downtown Bloomington at the peak of our Fall leaf season!
Classes will take place at:
Windfall Dance Studio
1101 N. Dunn St.
Bloomington, IN 47408
Saturday, October 8th: Classical Raqs Sharqi
10am-Noon: Baladi Taqsim with Leila Gamal
This class will explore the dynamics of this rhythmic style of earthy taqsim, ending with a small drum solo. Leila will discuss musicality, and apply the concepts of how to build your improvisational dance within the musical framework. No zills or veils required.
Class is $40
1:30-3:30pm: Classical Egyptian, Umm Kulthum with Mohamed Shahin
Mohamed has chosen the piece, “Ansaak” by famous Egyptian singer, Umm Kulthum, for his Oriental choreography this year. This is a classical piece of music done in the modern style of raqs sharqi, as seen by dancers Dina and Randa Kamel. The song title means, “Forget You”, but as in, “how can I forget you?” This is a quintessential Egyptian love song for dancers.
Class is $60
Sunday, October 9th: Middle Eastern Folkloric
10am-Noon: Moroccan Shikhat
This is a style of folkdance from Morocco that is done to an urban style of music called, “griha”. Traditionally, the “female sheiks”, or “shikhat”, are hired for weddings to teach the bride how she is expected to move on her wedding night, and therefore the movements are exaggerated and are not meant for professional bellydance. It is a a form of dance distinct from traditional bellydance, and is for all levels and ages of dance. Leila says dancers leave the class feeling energized, but peaceful, not exhausted.
Class is $40
1:30-3:30pm Khaleeji
This style of dance is from the Arabian Gulf, and is known for its shoulder shimmies, head tosses, and swinging hair, as well as the beautiful jeweled dresses of the women who dance it. Mohamed will present a Khaleeji choreography set to a popular song from Dubai. If you have a khaleeji dress, bring it; this dance can be learned with or without the dress, however.
Class is $60
Register Online with PayPal
The venue for Mosaic IV will be the Buskirk-Chumley Theatre on October 12th with Mohamed Shahin and Katya Faris, and the Bellydance Superstars! They are doing a different kind of tour this fall as an off-shoot of their regular platform of 14 dancers; they are bringing 4 dancers to Bloomington to share a concert with us! We will do the first half of the show, and they will do the second half. SAVE THE DATE!!!
There will be dance workshops when they are here, so stay posted and I will get you more details!
Mosaic IV/”Club Bellydance” Dancers will be: Mohamed Shahin, Katya Faris, Leila Gamal, Ashley Donaldon, Kathryn Derloshon, Lindsay Martinez; Bellydance Superstars: Sabah, Petite Jamila, Moria and Stephanya .
For the registration flyer, click here:
Weekend Schedule:
Friday, August 5th: Classes taught at Windfall Dance Studio, 1101 N. Dunn St., Bloomington, IN 47408
5:30-7pm-All Levels
- Wedding Chochek – Balkan Fusion Fun! Circle dance steps with Belly Dance for a fun, easy –to –learn community dance. Set to great Gypsy Brass Wedding Music, this is a great party dance! Last taught at Morocco’s winter weeklong in New York, January 2009.
7:30-9:30-Intermediate to Advanced
- Mediterranean Goddess – An evocative Tchiftetelli using Isadora Duncan’s principles of Universal Dance. Reach into your soul and rise to new heights of emotion and expression! Layered movements, unusual combinations. Last taught in NYC, sponsored by Kaeshi Chai.
Saturday, June 6th-Two Day Keti Sharif A-Z Slam!
1-6pm- Pre-Certification with Paola Blanton
Keti Sharif A to Z Program First Day
(These workshops do not guarantee certification, but are necessary for the evaluations that each student must take with Keti Sharif on their own via the internet, or in person.)
As a certified instructor of Keti Sharif’s A to Z Bellydance, I teach the Original and Advanced versions for dancers seeking a solid foundation for Oriental dance. I offer choreographic strategies using the system, so that dancers can immediately put their new knowledge to use. There is a special course option for those interested in teaching, offering solid, proven pedagogical strategies for using A to Z as a teaching tool and curriculum base. Learn more about the A to Z program by visiting www.ketisharif.com, my website www.paolablanton.com, or my Facebook blog for regular updates.
Sunday, June 7th-
1-6pm-Pre-Certification with Paola Blanton
Keti Sharif A to Z Program 2nd Day
_________________________________________________________________________________
PayPal Registration
I have the great pleasure to announce that the Bellydance Superstars have selected me to sponsor them for the Indiana show for their Fall 2011 tour! They are doing a different kind of format where they partner up with a local sponsor who puts together a 45 minute set for their show, then they do the second 45 minute set. I will be partnering up with Mohamed Shahin again for our Mosaic IV, and we will be doing his choreographies! Also, Leila Gamal and Salaam will be involved. This is the dream of a lifetime, and will also be a part of my Master’s Thesis Project in Ethnomusicology at IU, of which I will be graduating in May 2012.
The date will be sometime in October, between the 1st and the 12th. Once it is confirmed, I will have the posters, fliers and registration forms available! Stay tuned!!
That’s right, Paola Blanton of Brazil (www.paolablanton.com) will be here the week of August 1st to teach two of her workshops during the week, then the Keti Sharif A-Z Slam (www.ketisharif.com), which will enable students to be evaluated by Keti’s judges online for certification! Here are the workshops that we are offering from Paola’s repetoire:
- Mediterranean Goddess – An evocative Tchiftetelli using Isadora Duncan’s principles of Universal Dance. Reach into your soul and rise to new heights of emotion and expression! Layered movements, unusual combinations. Last taught in NYC, sponsored by Kaeshi Chai. (Intermediate-Advanced level dancers)
- Wedding Chochek – Balkan Fusion Fun! Circle dance steps with Belly Dance for a fun, easy –to –learn community dance. Set to great Gypsy Brass Wedding Music, this is a great party dance! Last taught at Morocco’s winter weeklong in New York, January 2009. (All levels of dancers)
We will be posting the Keti Sharif info very soon!!! Stay posted!!!