Melika's Adventures In Belly Dance

Wow...what an awesome last two classes before summer break.  I have to say, I have the most fabulous students!!!  It was great having all the guests attend the "bring a friend night" - although I didn't give them any breaks just because they were guests (of course). Afterward, my senior girls wanted me to come have dinner with them at Boston Pizza, which just opened up beside the studio (most excellent!).  We had a really nice dinner full of fun conversation.  Then someone came up beside me, and I thought it was my husbands dinner (I had ordered him some dinner and was going to take it to him - what a good wife I am!).  It wasn't his order. It was a waitress...with a giant tray of Edible Arrangements.  It is VERY hard to make me speechless (seriously, ask anyone who knows me - hard to shut me up).  Then they smirked and handed me a card.  OMG I was so taken aback!!! I really hadn't expected that - which is why surprises like that are so fantastic! The card w

Well, tonight is the night.  The last class of this session for my beginner and intermediate classes before the summer break.  I'm finding myself feeling a bit down.  I know it's a little strange, but I'm going to miss my Friday nights with my girls.  I know it's just for the summer (and my husband will be happy as we can go up to the lake a lot during the summer), but no matter what kind of week I've had, I always know seeing my girls will boost my spirits and make me smile. Even when I'm totally torturing them with endless shimmies or undulations (which btw we're doing a lot of tonight so brace yourselves ladies), they bring an unbelievably fun energy to the room, and I'll miss that over the summer. On the plus side - I KNOW we shall have loads of fun and giggles (and shimmies...oh yes, we WILL have shimmies) tonight in my classes.   Audrey, Holly and Melika (yes, black wig!) backstage at the Mucking Farvelous show - June 11, 2011 That being sai

I tell ya...there is nothing cooler for a teacher than seeing your students perform for the very first time, on a stage, with ear-to-ear grins on their faces and having the time of their lives!!! My girls from Soul Connexion (the studio I teach at) did a short 2:45 choreography I made for them in the Soul Connexion Studios year end student recital.  All but one had never been on a stage in their lives - and they did me proud! (my girls being cheeky - how can you NOT love them!) I could NOT stop grinning (and crying) as they lifted those boobs up, smiled at the audience, and had the time of their lives, even though they were terrified.  I didn't realize till afterward how many of them had "conquered a fear" just by being onstage - that was so cool!!! They didn't LOOK nervous - but yeah, apparently most were ;-) The best part of the day for me was the surprise awaiting one of my students - Margaret Giers (yes honey, I'm putting your name in my blog - love y