Dance yourself open, Dance as if you've torn the bandage off, Dance in the middle of your storm
Dance your happiness, Dance as if no one is looking, Dance for yourself and for everyone
Barbara
The Dancing Spirit
The Dancing Spirit Studio, 1759 Main Rd, Tiverton RI
National Dance Week 2008
Bali Spirit & American Style Belly Dance in Tiverton
Bali Below
Bali links - www.iarasamra.artshost.com,.www.1001natt.com,www.samrasexpressions.com
www.batukarumountainretreat.com
Next hosting of world famous dance artists.
July 19th and 20th workshop & show
World Famous Dancer, Educator, Performer of Oriental Dance
MOROCCO www.casbahdance.org is coming to Tiverton!!!!
with Tarik www.tariksultan.com
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La Camelia - Oct 2007 V
Dear Barbara,
I wanted to mention how beautiful your dancing is! I watched the entire video
on your website and was so totally enchanted. Trust me, I rarely watch such
presentations in their entirety! Not because I don't enjoy them but because I
see so many in the course of a week. Yours, however, was compelling because your
own modern and balletic backgrounds and training are so totally evident! I
especially loved the portion where only the drumming was your accompaniment.
Those beautiful hands of yours, the tremendous depth of your "feeling" The
Dance........well, thank you for the performance, dear lady! If ever we do a
website page where we feature some of the events, I may be returning to ask you
for the use of at least a portion (with links to your site, of course).
Beautiful, mesmerizing, magical.....your students are lucky to be taught by such
a Master!
Patricia A. Goulding, R.D.E., M.Ed. ,Executive Director, National Dance Week
http://www.nationaldanceweek.org
Email:
director@nationaldanceweek.org
V.... Dancing at India..... V Sept 2007
email Barb@thedancingspirit.com
Proud member of www.nationaldanceweek.org
June 2007 Backyard Studio below
Below - National Dance Week Celebration April 2007
In the studio, in the street, on the beach
Read Barb's article in www.newtimesnaturally.com - pge 25
Dance expresses the inevitable, fundamental emotions and fully conscious moments of life
Below - The Phillipine Valentine's Banquet, Venus Demilo, Feb 2007
Belly Dance refers to many styles of Middle Eastern Dance. Known also as Oriental, Cabaret, Egyptian,Turkish, Lebanese, Greek, American Tribal Style Belly Dance & Belly Dance fusion it is a dance shared by many countries and by people of all ages. There are many different Belly dance Dance styles which are or can be influenced by Flamenco, Zambra , Indian, Rom / Gypsy, Modern/ Jazz & Ballet.
Beginning in the 50's American Dancers developed a style called American Belly Dance which features beautiful veil techniques. American Belly Dancers of which I am one,LOVE to dance with the veil.
Belly Dance is a much loved but also still misunderstood dance form quickly evolving all over the U.S. and the world today.
Learning to Belly Dance is like learning a new body language. Classes introduce students to the music and to the colorful culture.
One of the first exercises students learn is walking and feeling the different rhythms. It is easy, hard and fun all at the same time. If you can walk to the beat, you can dance to the beat.
Many of the movements of Belly Dance are circular and have to do with controlling subtle muscles in the torso and hips that are unfamiliar to many people. At first it is a challenge to move in a circular, rhythmical way but once you loosen up it is lot's of fun! Every student and performer moves in their own expressive way.
Belly Dance has it's roots in folk and community dance. All ages, body types and levels of experience are welcome. Beginners learn in a supportive, non competitive environment. Experienced dancers deepen their practice. Everyone of all ages and levels can enjoy dance together.
Barb's classes are fun, challenging, interesting and educational. She fuses her lifetime of modern/ ballet/ pilates/ creative movement & Roth Dance with the language of Belly Dance.
Click here to read "Barb's Bio Blog"
Watch video below in yellow to see " skirt/ veil/ fan dancing"
Barbara is available for special performances, workshops ,private lessons & parties
Workshops for private parties or schools include a 2 hr ABD movement vocabulary class, 1/2 hour intro talk
& info handouts/ with hip scarves & veils
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The Dancing Spirit Studio 1761 Main Rd Tiverton RI
Local Belly Dance Report
Students are saying.............
" My posture is improving"
" I am learning how to move in ways I never knew I could"
" I am feeling new muscles I never knew I had"
" I am sitting up straight at my desk"
I am walking taller"
I am making new friends"
" I look forward to my class every week"
"I love dancing to the drum"
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Teachers,Students of the dance please send comments to Barb here - Barb@thedancingspirit.com
New Section of Videos
Click here - Hear special Intro to a performance about Barb's dancing by her brother Tom & reading of poem" The Dancer"
by K Gibran
Click here - 3 Part solo w skirt/ veil/ fan & drum solo to
Click here - 2005 Ageless Group Choreography
Dancers from 11 - 67
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" Singing out Against Hunger weekend" , Evelyn's Restaurant - Sept 2006
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*** If you have a group who wants to try Belly Dance for the first time - call me!
2006 Quotes from recent performances
" Hi Barbara,
I was so glad that you were able to come and dance. Everyone had a great time! it was so good to see even my mother
( 81) and mother in law( 84) up , dancing , having fun. It really made the party special. What a wonderful example for
Katie ( the graduate) to see mature women really enjoying themselves ( some brave men too) celebrating with dance
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" Barb is a joy to behold when she is dancing. She exudes pure joy, dancing her lyrical modern style fused with
her passion for Middle Eastern Dance. Weather she is teaching, performing or showing her latest choreographic
ideas she is joy in motion, infectious and radiant. Her smile sends sparkles of joy in every direction.
Watching her dance everyone feels moved to smile and walks away feeling lighter, more alive and blessed to
have shared her deep, dancing soulful energy .........................
From East Booth Bay, Maine
www.spiritwear.ws , www.inanna.ws
A note about this dance form.
Unlike formalized classroom and performance dance such as ballet, modern , jazz , tap etc this dance form is different
because it's roots are in Middle Eastern family celebrations where everyone dances together. In the Middle East
musicians play a tabla or dumbek drum and most people are familiar with the rhythms. When there is a wedding,
engagements, births, graduations in the Middle East there is music and dancing. The movements shared by
everyone are the basic movements of this dance form. The dance has evolved over time into many different styles. Today
Belly Dance is being enjoyed , learned and shared all over the world thanks to the many American dancers and teachers who fell in love
with Middle Eastern Dance. I am one of them. Come join the American Belly Dance club with me!!!!!!
The left photo is me in my studio - the right is The St James Convent in Tiverton on The Sakonnet River
ABOVE - Roger Williams University Global Festival - Nov. 2005
History of the Dance
Raqs Sharqi , Middle Eastern or Oriental Dance also known as Belly Dance is a joyous dance
expression of emotions which interpret musical rhythms. It is the most well known dance of the
Middle East.
Danced by women , men, children and grandparents, from North Africa to Northern Turkey,
from Greece to Saudi Arabia. Raqs Sharqi is versatile, elastic - a living art, continually evolving
incorporating elements of other dance forms with ease.
This dance predates both Islam and Christianity. Some of the dance movements have been
connected with 5,000 yr old birth rituals. No one knows exactly where it started or what its origins
are though most scholars believe it originated in Egypt. The steps are mostly unnamed, yet the
dance has persisted and flourished through overwhelming odds.
When introduced to America at the World's Fair in 1893, Raqs Sharqi was marketed as
" belly dance" the most salacious possible of the French " danse du ventre" or dance of the
stomach. This was the Victorian Era when women wore corsets and exposed ankles were
risque. Imagine the uproar exposed midriffs. The show was enclosed in a tent advertised as
too shocking for women, only appropriate for men's viewing. The show was a success but the
dance's reputation was slandered.
Fortunately this undeserved image is finally but still slowly changing thanks to dancers, scholars
and audiences world wide who cherish this beautiful and challenging dance art.
The dance is composed of isolations and articulations including circles, undulations,
figure 8's & snake like motions using hands, arms, shoulders, torso - back/ front, abdomen ,
hips and feet.
Also incorporated are shimmies of the shoulders and hips. Accents to the music are magnified
with various body parts throughout the dance. It is a dance of the people, of expression and feeling
from" the inside out" rather than of high leg extensions or of high leaps across a stage. However
as the dance slowly transitioned from living room and dance hall to the theatre
stage it adopted techniques from other dance forms , flashy costumes, more traveling steps
and larger, grand movements than are typically found in the home version where it began.
The dance is classically an abstract visual representation of
the music, which includes its emotional timbre. Improvisation and " feeling" for the music are highly
valued. The dancer represents the musical ornaments and extended improvisations of the musicians
with his or her interpretation and personal expression. As the dancer listens to the musicians, the musicians
in turn watch and play to the movements of the dancer - reinterpreting and embellishing the dancers
movement. The result is a high level collaboration between the auditory, the visual and the emotional.
CLICK HERE for party pictures
click here For Narrows 2005 Show & Photos
More Topaz Tribe Photos by Omar Bradley
click here to see 19 PURE dancers who came to RI
www. PUREDANCE.org - May 14th, 2005 were here
Belly Dance Benefits
Like anything else in life - you get out of it what you put into it. Belly dancing is a
good stress reducer, energy increaser, strength improver, muscle toner and helps
with coordination if practiced regularly. It has been said that it heals, strengthens
and balances the body, mind and spirit all at once. Belly dancing can also burn as
many calories as walking or riding a bike and like those activities you will be in better
shape if you practice 2 or 3 times a week.
Belly dance is a low impact aerobic exercise - plus it's fun , sensual and you
get to work out in skirts and hip scarves
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What they say about her dancing ....
"Dear Barb,
your dancing touches my heart and soul. It is a gift from your
heart to everyone who has the privilege to see you perform. It is a gift to the
universe....."
Jane Sanford, Belfast, Maine
"Barb, You are an inspiration.To watch you dance makes a person realize
they should pursue their passions.Thanks for being part of " Singing out against
hunger", Evelyn's and being in our life".
Jane Bitto,Portsmouth, RI
" Dear Barbara, Just a note to reiterate a good time had by all. Your
performance was very well done. You give belly dancing a respectful and artful
form.The audience now understands the time and discipline it takes
to perform this dance.
" Margerate Turpeck, Little Compton, RI
"Barbara, You're extraordinary and have always touched me deeply
with your dance. I get teary when I see you shimmy".
Brenda Brock, Portsmouth RI.
" Barb, This art form you have explored with such passion has
expanded your heart and soul in such an incredible way. You are an incredible
spirit who casts love and grace over everyone you touch."
Lee forbes, Tiverton RI
" I love that you are in my life barb! I felt similarly at your
festival in July. It was amazing!"
Lara, Soul sister Dancer from Boston
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Click here to see more photos
2003
By coming to visit my website - you have begun an adventure to a new and beautiful world of Belly Dance Never in my wildest day dreams could I have envisioned my dance life now. Never did I imagine being the exotic and magical dancing woman of the next event.( Surely not in my 40's!!) Never did I imagine sharing picturesof myself dancing everywhere on a huge website like this one. And never did I imagine that I would be dancing, teaching and performing now more than ever . Belly dancers dance forever!
One of my favorite students, Norma, is 68. She is amazing! She has followed me from class to class, location to location and she looks and moves better than ever
I've stumbled into a dance world that I really never knew existed until 6 years ago and in this new dance world all the rules are completely different except for one - you have to work hard to be really good.
My dance devotion was always Ballet and Modern dance and branches developed from those two dance forms. Ballet and modern dance are both about extensions out from the body, control, lightness, traveling through space and in general having not much direct contact or interaction with the audience. In belly dance the performer can be in avery small area of space, the dance is very internal ,following closely the curves and circles of the body and audience contact is warm , dramatic at times, friendly and very direct. Belly dance is a folk dance of the people - for the people - with the people.
As I write these words this dance form is evolving very quickly ." Middle Eastern Dance" known as " Belly Dance" in this country is quickly becoming a new household word .Women are looking for a new way to feel about their bodies and want a new way to express themselves.
This dance is ,healthy, sensual, colorful, transformational and educational . The benefits physically ( waking up your internal muscles) ,spiritually( belly dance is fun , makes you think & smile) and intellectually ( the reading & learning is amazing) are too many to count.
The reading and research about this dance alone is incredible. There is much to be learned about the world through the discovery and study of Belly dance
Great Performers and Teachers who have been my teachers & inspirations
Katherine Carbone of Newport
Katia of Boston www.katiaofboston.com , a great lady of the dance
Delilah and Sirocco of Seattle www.visionarydance.com - a wild, fiery spirit
Zahara of Warwick www.anatoliimports.com - knows everyone and everything about RI Belly dance
Maja of Florida www.girlofthenile.com - a great tribal force
Samara www.samaradance.com - a beautiful teacher, dancer, spirit of this dance
Elena Lantini, www.elenalantini.com - a force
Anahid Sofian, www.anahidsofian.com - a force
Amira Mor, www.amiramor.com - a rule breaker and huge dance spirit
Shamira, www.shamiradance.com - great performer/ teacher
Morroco, www.morocco.com - known as Aunt Rocky, says it all
Dalia Carella www.daliacarellea.com - a beautiful, passionate fusion dancer
Lorraine Lafatta of Boston www.lorrainelafatta.com - a visionary
Dunya of Cape Cod www.dunya.com - a modern, spiritual Belly dancer
Kaeshi of PURE www.pure.org - A Belly Dance Super Star of Belly Queen
Aida Nor www.Aidanor.com - Egyptian dancer/ teacher
Hadia www.hadia.com of Canada
Eva Cernick www.evacernick.com
Mohammed www.mohammed.com
Tito www.tito.com
Jehan www.jehan.com
www.shira.net - World Belly Dance INFO
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Quick Time Movie Or Windows Media
Mac or Windows........CLICK TO WATCH
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Click BOXes below
for more info
Pictures Many Past Events
Newspaper Articles Live Performance Videos
Ilustrious Family Members
Robert E Derecktor World renown boat builder - Encyclopedia of Yacht Designers
E Paul Derecktor - www.derecktorshipyards.com
Mark S Donahue - Project Manager for Gemini Yacht www.derecktorshipyards.com
Thomas E Derecktor - www.tracrac.com
Adam S Donahue - west coast rep www.tracrac.com for GM
Deborah Derecktor - Exquisite chocolatier www.powerchocolates.com
Lizzy Derecktor - Innana www.iannana.com & www.spiritwear.ws
Entry, Nov 28th 2005
------Istanbul Turkey Story 2005