Archive for the ‘Arts And Entertainment’ Category

• Dance Videos are Educational, Fun, and Great Exercise

  Date: 2010.05.10 | Category: Arts And Entertainment | Response: 0

  
  The world seems to be divided into dancers and non-dancers. To the chagrin of women everywhere, men often simply declare that they don’t dance. These guys don’t understand that men who do dance have a secret weapon in their dating arsenal. Let’s face it: women are enamored with men who enjoy dancing.

  Aside from the gender divide, there are people who seem to have a natural sense of rhythm and people who don’t. We’ve all witnessed people on the dance floor who can’t seem to keep time with the music, or who cause us to look away when they begin their “signature move.” Shudder.

  There are any number of reasons why people can’t or don’t dance. Many times, they’re just not used to expressing themselves through movement. They may be disconnected with their bodies, and have never experienced the joy and satisfaction of feeling the beat and moving to its rhythm. They might be self-conscious and want to avoid drawing attention to themselves because they fear being ridiculed. Or perhaps they simply don’t know how to dance.

  Learn to Dance without Fear

  For those who can’t or don’t dance, dance videos can open up a wonderful new universe of self-expression – without the fear. For example, a person can buy a dance DVD and learn to dance in the comfort of his or her own home, away from prying eyes. A couple can practice together in the living room, either in conjunction with lessons or instead of lessons. Over time, non-dancers will realize that dancing is nothing to be feared; the only objective is to enjoy themselves.

  There are an amazing number of dance videos available on the market today. Whether you’re looking for a hip hop dance video, a ballet video, a line dance video, or a ballroom dance DVD, you’ll find a variety of dance videos to suit your taste.

  Expand Your Horizons

  For those who already love to dance, dance videos can serve as an introduction to a greater variety of dances. For example, maybe you’ve always harbored a secret desire to learn clogging, or want to express your sensuality through belly dancing. Perhaps you want to feel the Latin heat, and are ready to learn flamenco or salsa. Or you may want to go retro and learn to swing dance or to do the Lindy hop.

  If you love dancing, you’ll find that dance videos open up a whole new universe of delight. You don’t have to wait for a class, or if you’re in a class, dance videos can help you practice between classes.

  Dancing is Great Exercise

  If you want to get into or stay in shape, dancing can provide cardio benefits, as well as improve your balance and increase your stamina. Who wants to log in time on a treadmill when you can move your body to the beat? Learning to hula dance will provide a workout to muscles you never knew you had, while hip hop will get your heart rate up. In addition to dance videos, you can also find videos and DVDs that use dance as a mechanism to achieve fitness. For example, there are dance videos that use Motown moves or rock tunes as part of a specific fitness routine.

  Whatever your relationship to dance, there’s no doubt that dance videos can kick it up a notch. Just remember that dance is all about expressing yourself through movement and that the bottom line is to enjoy yourself.

• How to Have Fun With Adult Dance Lessons

  Date: 2010.04.03 | Category: Arts And Entertainment | Response: 0

  
  Dancing has long been regarded as a great way to stay in shape, meet new people and relax and have fun. If you don’t feel like you can learn to dance, you’re just plain wrong. Anyone can learn to move their feet to the beat and follow the rhythm. There are plenty of classes for deaf and hard of hearing students. As an adult beginner, you might not reach a professional level. But learning enough to be able to go out and have a good time isn’t tough, especially if you’ve got somebody to give you a hand.

  Once you find a studio or instructor that will teach you, there are some tips you can take into the class with you. These tips will help you get the most out of the experience. Most likely the classes won’t be cheap, and you owe it to yourself to get what you can from it.

  1. Attend your classes regularly. This is pretty simple, but you’d be surprised by how many people sign up for and pay for dance classes and then don’t attend. They lose interest, get bored or get discouraged. Don’t let this happen to you. You’ve already made the decision to take the class, but if you don’t attend you’re just throwing your hard earned money away. Unless you’re filthy rich, you don’t want to flush your money down the drain.

  2. Be patient. You’re not going to be performing on any shows or jumping into competitions anytime soon, so there’s no reason to rush things. Set yourself some goals with your dancing just as you would anything else and then be patient about attaining them.

  3. Wear comfortable clothes that allow you to freely move. You want to dress nicely but you don’t want to wear clothing that is going to restrict your movement. This is especially important with the shoes that you choose to wear. Wear leather soled shoes that won’t make your feet hurt.

  4. Dance with many partners. Don’t just find one person in the class that you’re comfortable with and stick with them. By choosing as many partners as you can, you’ll not only increase your experience and become a better dancer, but you’ll make more friends that way too.

  5. Stay focused. We all have a lot of distractions and stress in our daily lives. Stay focused on your class and let it be something that you look forward to. Think of it as a way to alleviate your stress and enjoy yourself. Use dance as a form of meditation and you will and get a little break from the stresses of daily life.

  Adult dance lessons can be very beneficial. Lessons will provide benefits by way of good health as well as meeting new people. Find yourself a class to join. Follow some of these tips and you’ll have a great time.

• Belly Dancing Props – Dancing With Veils, Wings and Swords30

  Date: 2010.03.30 | Category: Arts And Entertainment | Response: 0

  
  As you progress in belly dancing, the major challenge is mastering all the different props.

  Please don’t be tempted to start using props too soon. I see too many belly dancers resorting to veils, Isis wings, swords and sticks to distract attention from their less-than-perfect dance technique. That may con the general public, but many performances take place in front of other dancers – and rest assured, we’re not fooled!

  It’s hard enough for an experienced belly dancer to control two things at once – her body plus a wayward veil or sharp sword – so it’s no wonder that a novice dancer will “drop the ball” on one or the other. And because the prop is in front of her eyes, the prop is likely to win! So do be patient, and don’t be in a rush to start dancing with props.

  When you are ready, there will come a point where you can’t go on using the school’s equipment and will need to buy your own, and the costs can quickly mount up. A good belly dance sword will cost at least $100, for instance.

  Before you start buying props, make sure you understand what you’re looking for. For instance, you need to know what size zills or veil will work for you. Isis Wings come in many sizes – professional ones are huge, but if you dance in a troupe, you need them smaller or you will never fit on the stage!

  A good way to measure for a veil is this: take a long piece of material. Stand up with your arms by your sides. Drape the material over your shoulders and let it hang over your arms. You want your veil to hang about a foot (30 cm) beyond your fingertips on each side. Mark the material with a pin at that point on each side. Now remove the material and measure from pin to pin – that’s how long your veil should be!

  Some bellydance schools will have second-hand props, so it’s worth asking. You may also find second-hand items on eBay, but I’ve had some disappointments that way – frayed Isis wings and water-stained veils. If you’re considering buying second-hand, study the photographs very carefully. If you can’t get a good view of the item from all angles, don’t risk it.

  New items on eBay are a much better bet, and generally cheaper than you’ll find in your local stores. Check the seller’s feedback rating – it can’t be faked, so it’s a good indicator of whether the seller is reliable or not. Make sure you search for all items available to your location, not just items on your local site – you can miss out on a lot of bargains otherwise.

  If you’re not sure how to search properly on eBay, a better alternative is to use an eBay partner site which specializes in belly dance costumes and props.

  These sites are run by individuals, not directly by eBay. They’re paid a small commission for every item sold through the site. The commission is paid from the seller’s fees, not by you – so it doesn’t cost any extra to buy through these sites, and it’s much quicker than having to do all the searches yourself. A bonus is that they’re often run as a belly dance community site, so you are supporting your sister dancers as well! My own site is a good example.

  Props can be frustrating to learn but make an exciting show once they’re mastered, so it’s worth making the effort!

• Belly Dance Costumes – Tips and Tricks to Make Your Own

  Date: 2010.03.07 | Category: Arts And Entertainment | Response: 0

  
  Marisa Wright asked:
  
  
  
  
  Belly dancing is the Next Big Thing in women’s exercise, and no wonder. It’s gentle on the body, beneficial for the female physique, great fun and easy to learn.
  
  In fact, it’s so easy to learn that many women who started learning “just for fun” suddenly find themselves joining a dance troupe and performing on stage!
  
  At this point, what started out as an inexpensive hobby can quickly cost you a fortune, if you’re not careful. If you live in the US, Europe or Australasia, professional costumes in your local shops are probably priced in the hundreds of dollars. That’s hard to justify for an amateur, but what else can you do?
  
  One option is to shop online. I have a belly dance store on my own website (see below) where you can see what kinds of prices are on offer from overseas suppliers for belly dance costumes and accessories. It’s possible to save a lot of money, but even so, the cost still mounts up.
  
  The other solution is to make it yourself. If you are not good at sewing, that can sound daunting – but it needn’t be as bad as it sounds.
  
  The first thing to remember is that costumes are all about theatre, and theatre is all about illusion. Your everyday clothes have to be neatly sewn and finished with properly flattened darts and no raw edges. But f you always dance on a stage, your costume need only be well-finished enough to fool the eye from a distance. If you dance in a cabaret, closer to the audience, then the outside of your costume must look perfect – but who cares if the stitches on the inside aren’t quite straight?
  
  You’d be surprised how many ordinary garments can be turned into belly dance costumes. Summer midriff tops that tie under the bust can be given some bling by edging them with sequins (you can buy sequin trim ready-made in long strips three or four sequins wide). Even an ordinary cotton top, dyed black, can look impressive with some beading sewn on! Another good trick is to cover and old bra with stretchy velvet or glittery lycra fabric – it only has to be tacked on! You can cover the bra straps with the same material, or use the sequin trim, or braiding.
  
  Look out for sales at inexpensive jewellery or accessory shops. You may find cheap necklaces or bracelets that you can break up and use the stones to decorate bras or belts. If you’re a regular customer, you might even persuade them to give you any broken or damaged pieces for free.
  
  Skirts are more difficult to fake, if you dance Egyptian or Turkish style and want a modern, hip-hugging style. A good option is stretch velvet, which doesn’t need hemming or darts, and is forgiving if you make a mistake while cutting or sewing! You can also create an effective look with a hip scarf and one or two veils: tie the hip scarf securely around your hips, then swathe the veil(s) around your legs like a skirt, pulling it up under the hip scarf so the scarf is holding the veil in place. Try to arrange the excess veil into two “plumes”, one on each hip.
  
  “Faking” costumes can be fun, so give it a try!
  
  

• Dancing With the Stars – 4.3 – The First to Go is.

  Date: 2010.03.03 | Category: Arts And Entertainment | Response: 0

  
  It appears to be anybody’s game for Dancing with the Stars season four. Although there were many assumptions and speculations on who would get axed first, the results of the first elimination were deemed to be shocking.

  Surprisingly, Dancing with the Stars sent home Paulina Porizkova and dance partner Alec Mazo. Despite the couple’s mediocre performance, not to mention Porizkova’s sophistication and graceful execution of her dance routine, they were voted off on the first results show, which aired Tuesday, March 27, 2007. And although the couple trained extensively, their dance act just was not enough to fascinate the interest of the voters of Dancing with the Stars.

  Porizkova, a 41-year old Czech supermodel turned actress, escalated to fame when she graced the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 1984 and 1985. She also made appearances on Vogue, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Self, Cosmopolitan and Glamour. As an actress, she worked in films like Her Alibi, Knots, and Roommates to name a few. In addition, she has also written several books. As for Mazo, he is known as a professional ballroom dancer. This Russian-born dancer is presently based in San Francisco and has been part of Dancing with the Stars since its premier season. Prior to his stint on the show, he studied at UC Berkeley and acquired a degree in cognitive science. As a professional dancer, he won the Emerald Ball Latin Amateur Champion, and landed first place in the 2001 International Grand Ball in San Francisco, and the 2001 Holiday Ball in Las Vegas, Nevada.

  Among the participants, many anticipated that Clyde Drexler, Billy Ray Cyrus, or Leeza Gibbons would be the first to exit the popular celebrity competition, based on their not so remarkable performance. Given this, it is very intriguing to imagine the outcome of the coming eliminations.