Since these are two brand-new workshops, I wanted to give y'all a little more background - and remind ya that both my workshops sold out well before the festival last year!

On Thursday evening (aptly before "Motif" - details on that will be announced later), I will be teaching "Journey to the Underworld" - Class Description:When's the last time you broke down your own facades and explored the truth of what lays bare underneath? Are you brave enough to look and become stronger as a dancer for it? Being a part of the bellydance community for any length of time affects us in so many ways, many below the surface that can influence how we look and feel about ourselves and others. In this dynamic and unusual workshop, we will explore through exercises and movement combinations the mythic concept of the Descent and Encounter in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Indian cultures. This is a safe and supportive opportunity to challenge yourself mentally and physically, while discovering who you are or wish to be as a dancer. Warning: This is not a "woo-woo" or "new-agey" class, but it will ask you to push your boundaries.

Summary: This ain't your typical workshop, and I don't expect it will be attractive to many newbies. Rather, this is geared to the intermediate/advanced dancer who has been involved in the community/performing/etc for a few years (or many). This will be both a physically and emotionally demanding workshop which challenge your self-perceptions and placement in the community - and in turn aid you in becoming a stronger, more confident dancer. This is purposely a small-size workshop with less than 20 spaces available for more interpersonal work. If you're searching to define your style, to become more present on stage, to set up a better regiment for yourself that approaches you wholly, or perhaps tired of the "community struggle" and how it sucks the life out of you - this workshop is for you.


Saturday evening: "Adventures in Steampunk!" Class description: Class Description:
Steampunk is considered by many to be a subdivision of the Gothic Culture, or it's crazy next-door neighbor - regardless, it's an exciting and inspiring genre, blending Neo-Victorian, Science Fiction, and Fantasy that offers a lot of opportunity in the realm of bellydance fusion. But once again, it's not about just having the look, but capturing the feel and quality of Steampunk in your movement and presentation. Students will explore several scenarios/personas through from fabulous, fast, and fun to super sultry and sassy mini-choreographies infused with the essence of Steampunk, while learning about concept, music, and fashion behind this genre as well.

Summary - Want to mix the future and the past? Want that classic feel, strong persona on stage, and have fun without being cheesy? Oh, and want to have a ton of fun doing it? Those of you who have taken Nouveau Noir dance and know how much fun that workshop is - this one tops it! We'll cover history, both fact and fiction, the same time we're exploring Steampunk personas through fun, fast, and fabulous combinations that you won't see anywhere else! Imagine that, actually getting history/background while learning how and why to do it! ;))