This is a long-overdue note of thanks to many people.  First, I’d like to thank Sidonia Om Dunia for hosting 11, ELEVEN, workshop instructors the first weekend of November, to celebrate her long and distinguished career as a Belly Dancer and Instructor.  As the mother of two young children, I figure that weekend is the closest I will get to something like Rakassah for at least ten years.

Next, I’d like to thank my September and October dance students.  Thanks to them, I was able to take five workshops, not the one or two I can traditionally afford.  I took Troupe Dynamics from Alwiyah, Double Veils from Aneena, Layering Movement with Music from Nabeela, Stage Presence from Sian, and Dancing to Drums from Alwiyah and Roy.  More about those to come in another blog.

Finally, I’d like to thank some special students:  Beverly and Barbara Lee for their mother’s beautiful black, silk coverup, that goes so well with my new “fire dance” (and feels so good against my skin); and Sharon and Beverly for their kind words about my newest dance, which took me outside of my comfort zone on many different levels.  I hadn’t worked with even one veil for at least 10 years, and my newest dance incorporates three veils.  My fire dance is a stage dance, and I prefer to interact with my audience.  A “loose” choreographer, I was forced to be much more strict with a dance incorporating two songs and three veils!