Salomé-mania!

I found this interesting article today on one of my favourite blogs Japonisme; the article courtesan sidebar: Salomé-mania! takes up a part of our heritage of the image of oriental dancers…

One of my favourite inspirations; dancer Cléo de Mérode.

Mardi Love’s Voodoo Lily

Gorgeous dancer, choreographer and costumer Mardi Love has opened her own little Etsy-shop Mardi Love’s Voodoo Lily where she sells “Accoutrements for Dancers, Dreamers, and the Perpetually Adorned”. I simply love her necklaces and especially this blue darling which you can buy in her shop…

Soon enough I am planning on opening my own little Etsy-shop – stay tuned!

Donna Mejia!!

Last weekend a dream of mine came true and I also experienced a turning point in my own dance; I was in lovely Brighton, UK, to attend Donna Mejia’s (http://www.donnabodyvision.com/)  four workshops:

“Warming up Wisely & Clarifying Technique: The Art of Refinement and Physical Integrity”

“Beyond Stationary Practice: Near Eastern/Electronica Fusion in Full-Blown Motion”

“How Do You DO That!?”: Donna Mejia’s Curves, Slides, Waves and Hits”

“CROSS TRAINING FOR FUSION DANCERS: Silvestre Technique with Donna Mejia”

 

On Friday evening I attended the dance show including Donna as well as many very talented UK dancers in oriental fusion styles. Donna herself delivered two stunning solos. She has such presence, musicality and shine and I am just in love with her style and personality!!
On the Saturday and Sunday Donna taught her wonderful workshops which gave me a whole load of drills, aspects and combos. I really valued the workshop about warm-up and technique as I discovered new and very useful ways of toning, training and keeping the body safe and correct for dance. My big discovery though was the wonderful modern dance art of Brazilian Silvestre technique which incorporates the elements of nature; earth, fire, water and air. Very beautiful in mind and in movement I found this style which is based in the gestures and mythology of the dances of the Candomblé religion. Donna describes it on her homepage as an esoteric, codified system of contemporary dance technique. Very inspirational, fascination and very, very beutiful and powerful!! I feel so very privileged to have been able to study under Donna Mejia and I am greatly thankful to her for giving me a whole new way of looking at my dance and at life. Thank you, Donna!!