Time flys, almost as beautifully as birds...

How wonderful is growing old? For my 60th birthday party in November of 2009, I was able to try bellydancing in public at my birthday party. It was a BLAST, and a photo taken at the end of the party, of me beaming, with turban still on head, documents the joy that accompanied that day. The following March, a week after my dear Mother-In-Law passed away, I was able to bellydance with my friends at her retirement center as a tribute to her life. So sad, so much fun. So bittersweet. That woman's spirit was continually dancing.

But at that point, I had become energized to be a BELLYDANCER. At the end of the month, my class danced at Serpent's Muse, Cues & Tatoos, and the video tape shows my rawness, my lack of experience, but also, my unadulterated joy of dance. An unexpected trip in May to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, to dance with Valizan at his Sheikh! Shake! Sheikh! for the weekend, confirmed my inexperience, but also fueled my passion for bellydance to a greater degree. And what amazing, new, friends!

I had no idea that classes would include so many public performances: Tribal Regale at the Mirkwood Cafe the following June, Ucanto's amazing sets at MedFest in July, a sweet trio with Robyn Beamer and Leslie German at Kalia Restaurant on the 25th of July. All that followed by an outdoor performance for Totally Tribal Hafla on September 18th, to include my first bellydance solo. Weird. But wonderful.

This photo above is from Bellies for Breasts, a benefit for the Susan G Komen for the Cure, held at Vino Bella in Snoqualmie, October 25th. My first duet with Nancy Brown, my instructor...where I litteraly hit the floor! It was also the first time I danced without a turban (at Nancy's request) which made for a strange new look. But it was criminally fun. Two days ago, my class danced at the Hafla al-Medeena in Woodenville, and our class is scheduled to perform at the monthly Alauda in West Seattle on the 21st of December. Excited? Do birds fly?

So, did I think dancing publically would be part of my foray into bellydancing? Not at first. But now the answer is an undeniable YES! And this is my wonderful reason:

A new student came up to me after a Level 1 class and told me how excited she had been seeing us dance at Kalia's Restaurant. She knew then she wanted to be part of our class. That was the payoff. Sharing the joy of dance with those looking to find it. Guess that means as long as I have my breath, I will dance!

So, dance, birdies. Dance and take wing!