Queen of the Ball

Gasp! I love this picture of Bri workin' her Cottilion ball gown. The ball was last Saturday! She looks like a real princess. What do you think?

The Vision That is Amelia

I am blown away by how much everyone has improved. I am particularly mezmerized by Amelia's ability to make it look so easy, so graceful and so beautiful...

Zeebah Times Two

Sara and Amelia are a model lesson in quiet beauty and enviable grace...Really, really Zeebah! 

Gorgeous Kenzie

It must hurt to look this good... 

Mayor's Diversity Conference

We danced at the Diversity Conference. It was a great opportunity to minggle with a students from schools from the Lansing Area. We attended workshops about many topics regarding minorities. There were a variety of entertainment acts including a poetry group named Enigma. Here is Zeebah lookin' fierce at the beginning of Orientale No. 3 

Mayor Virg Bernero

The Mayor of Lansing hosted the conference. He invited us to fight against intolerance with actions. He told us to look forward to the counter Neo-Nazi activities that will be hosted in Lansing Eastern. 

Preperformance Giggles

Caitlin, Anna and Sarah O, relieve a bit of the preperformance gitters in a fit of laughter. 

Dream a little dream

Tiffany daydreams before the perfomance. Will they like us? Will we be too nervous? 

Our Audience

Man, the Lansing Center was packed with students from all over the Lansing Area. This was a tough audience. Sarah and Jamie sat in the front row to get ready to cheer for us. 

The Scorpion

Anna, Kenzie, Alex, Sarah O, Caitlin, Tiffany, Pilar and Amelia are deadly with that sting. 

Dress Rehearsal

Monday, we will be dancing for the Mayor. We are beginning to feel like bellydancers. Each movement feels more natural, and better looking and more fun...Shuck, we're just gettin' started. 

Healing Dance

...Look up to the moon and sacred mountains of the sky

Listen to the songs of sacred land

Feel the healing wind of sea

Step into the vibrations of energizing songs of sun.

Let's dance beyond rhythm of sorrow

Lift our legs and hands in praise of life.

Dance to the wind of drums for the rejuvenation of souls.

Exerpt, Chidi A. Okoye (Nigerian artist)

Isn't She Lovely

 

Ouch!

Anna and Jamie feeling the burn. 

Stretch that Belly

Caitlyn, Alex and Sarah O stretching before dress rehersal. 

Garnet Kepler

Garnet Kepler, Anna's teacher and choreographer for the Habibi Dancers came to do a workshop with us today. It was very exciting and we learned many things. The Habibi Dancers is a mid-Michigan based dance company specializing in Middle Eastern and related dance. The company is well-known for its annual concerts and its appearances at local events, summer art and ethnic festivals, and fairs. The company grew out of a performing dance group sponsored by Lansing Community College and was incorporated as an independent nonprofit dance company in 1983.
The Habibi Dancers is dedicated to studying and performing the dances of the Middle East and related forms from North Africa through central Asia. Offering Michigan audiences unique presentations of authentically costumed folkloric and classical dances from Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia, Syria, the Arabian Peninsula, Persia and Morocco, the Habibi Dancers has enriched the local ethnic dance scene. Styles and choreographies are learned from foreign born and American teachers, and imported dance videos also provide an invaluable resource unavailable a decade ago. Garnet's stage name is Yasmina Amal. 

Breaking it all Down

Garnet was kind enough to break down all the moves of our current dance. In this picture, she is taking us thru the warm ups. (Amelia,Anna, Caitlin, Tiffany, Kenzie, Sara O's arm, Pilar, Jamie, Alex and Bri) 

The Ultimate Shimmy

Today we learned that there are a gazillion types of shimmies. In this picture, Garnet is working one of many to the amazement of Pilar, Sara O and Caitlin. 

Learning...

Garnet showed us her books, CDs and Workshop notebooks that she has collected for the last 20 years. It made us realize how much more we will need to get to her level. 

Posing with the Pro

At the end of our workshop, we were able to pose for pictures with Garnet. We were all very happy have learned so many different new moves. Left to right: Bri, Pilar, Alex, Jamie, Garnet, Anna, and Amelia. Some of the dancers had to leave early so they couldn't stay for pictures. 

Habibi Dancers

Here is a pictue of the Habibi Dancers. They dance on Fridays at Aladdin's. I really like the colors of their costumes 

Yasmina Amal

Here is a picture of Garnet looking fierce as Yamina Amal. Even though costumes enhance the dancer's moves, Garnet wowed us all without the use of a fancy costume. 

Yasmina in Pink

Here is another gorgeous picture of garnet in a really cool pink number