“We ought to dance with rapture that we might be alive…
and part of the living, incarnate cosmos.”

~D.H. Lawrence~

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Last night I stayed up late so that I could watch my DVR’d episodes of So You Think You Can Dance.  This is going to be an amazing season!  All of the dancers were so good, but ultimately I agreed with the judges’ choices for who should be going home.

The reason I wasn’t watching last night’s episode in real time is because I was attending a SIFF screening of Afghan Star, a documentary about the Afghan version of “American Idol”.  The trailer says, “After 30 years of war and Taliban rule, Afghan pop Idol is taking the nation by storm… but this is more than just a TV show. In Afghanistan you risk your life to sing.”  For many years, music and dance were outlawed in Afghanistan, but even though the laws have been lifted, there is still conflict about whether these things should be done.  At one point, one of the female contestants (there were actually 2!) dances a little bit on stage while singing her song, and afterwards she has to fear for her life.

Watching this documentary, I was struck by how very lucky we are in the West to be able to freely express ourselves through music and dance.  We take these freedoms for granted sometimes, I think.  However, I could see how the people in the film came alive by participating in the ”Afghan Star” event, either as a spectator or a participant.  The TV show’s producer said that during the period that music and dance were outlawed, Afghanistan was like an empty house with the lights off.  Hopefully the fragile tolerance that has developed for musical expression will be extended to dance as well.

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Mark your calendars!  The 5th Season of So You Think You Can Dance starts on May 21 on Fox.  Last year they added Bollywood dancing to the repertoire.  I wonder what surprises are in store this season?

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It is certainly possible to dance without music, but I think that most people would agree it plays a pretty vital role. Just for the fun of it, we thought about starting a list of songs that are specifically about dance or dancers. I thought this was going to be a fun little project (”little” being the operative word) What was I thinking?
I decided to start with a search on songs titled “Ballerina”, and I was blown away by the sheer number of songs that I found, and I have by no means done an exhaustive search. So, I created a list and sorted the songs by alphabetically by genre. Because there were more songs than I expected, so far the list only contains songs that are simply titled “Ballerina”. Variations on ballerina like “Pretty Ballerina” or “Sad Ballerina” will be tackled next. Can you guess how many “Ballerina” songs are out there? Find out by visiting our Ballerina Songs page.
Let me know if there are any glaring omissions.

What are YOUR favorite Dance/Dancer related songs?

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Ballet is not technique but a way of expression that comes more closely to the inner language of man than any other.

~George Borodin~

Dance is its own language, right? So when it comes to dance, are words necessary? I think the answer is yes and no. I love when dance can take you, either as a performer or a spectator, to an emotional place that is hard to describe, but practically we do need to have a way to talk about dance, and that requires a certain vocabulary. Have you ever tried to write down a choreography either for yourself to remember later or to share
with someone with no standardized vocabulary to describe the moves used? Those who have studied bellydance understand this challenge well. However, other dance forms like ballet do have a vocabulary, as many of you well know.
The ABT website has a Ballet Dictionary page that Shannon brought to my attention. It’s a great resource, and so I wanted to share it all with you. You can find it here:
ABT Ballet Dictionary

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Yup, that’s right. We have more stuff to give away! Up for grabs is a super sweet Capezio night light with a beautiful picture of a ballerina on it. To enter to win, simply leave a comment about why you love ballet or dance in general.

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Keep reading for your chance to win a $25 Gift Certificate!

It’s that time of year when people think about making resolutions for the New Year. Auditions are starting for this year’s summer programs. People are getting ready for the competition seasons. I love this time of year because it’s another beginning. So, I want to know, in terms of dance, what are your plans for the year? What are your goals? It could be as simple as going to a dance class regularly once a week, or it could be winning first place in a competition or getting accepted to the Summer Program of your choice.
Post your response there as a comment, and you will be entered to win a drawing for a $25 gift certificate.
I’ll start first (except I won’t enter myself in the drawing). This year my goal is to create and upload a series of 10 short instructional bellydance videos on YouTube.
Ok, your turn!

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The only constant is change, right? Here’s to a year with a lot of positive change!

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For the first time ever, here comes The African Belly Dance, a belly dance murder mystery. The African Belly Dance is the one and only belly dance murder mystery anywhere in the world! This is the hottest thing from the New York belly dance scene right now, and a must read for belly dancers! The African Belly Dance is a murder mystery featuring Santina Cole, an Italian-American belly dancer from Newark, New Jersey. Santina was raised in a blue-collar family with deep Catholic roots, and, much to her family’s chagrin, becomes a belly dancer who performs at Arabic clubs in Manhattan and later nightclubs overseas. When Santina gets a belly dance gig in West Africa, a murder occurs at the nightclub Santina belly dances at and she helps find the killer.

Here’s what folks are saying about The African Belly Dance:

Sandra Catena’s imagination dances across the pages of her first novel which is full of mystery, intrigue and insight about belly dancing as an art and the sometimes shadowy world that uses belly dancers for it’s own nefarious purposes.
Pam Flynn and Alice Waldman, Owners of Shakti Yoga in Staten Island, NY

After reading The African Belly Dance, I was excited. This is a book about women standing tall. I contacted the author, Sandra Catena, because I wanted her as a guest on my radio talk show, to share insights of her book regarding women’s empowerment. Through the central character, we take her version of the hero’s journey, a deep lesson of the soul. Brilliant belly dancer, Santina Cole, under a fraudulent contract to dance in West Africa, finds her life held in the balance by powerful, negative male violence. Using the intelligence of her body, and the strength garnered through years of dance, she finds her way to freedom and karmic resolution. This book is a ride and a half! A must read for women everywhere there is inequity against them. That is everywhere!
Karen Lewis, Host of Al Lewis Lives! WBAI 99.5 FM

The African Belly Dance by Sandra Catena is an intriguing murder mystery that leaves you wanting more. This page-turner is both witty and suspenseful. You are pulled into the world of belly dancing by the seductive moves and exotic music. Get ready to go on an adventurous journey that you will never forget.
Rhonda Beaman

Sandra Catena has created a new fiction genre with her blend of murder mystery and dance. The African Belly Dance takes the reader on a dramatic international adventure with Santina Cole, a strong and talented woman who is hot, hilarious and no one to mess with. Along the way Santina tells the story of the life she left behind as well as giving us a look into the world of belly dance and the club scene on two continents. With a sharp eye for detail, a keen ear for dialogue, and her own warm and funny but no nonsense style, Catena has given us a fun, fast-paced and addictive read with a heroine whose further exploits will be eagerly anticipated.
Ellen DeRiso

The African Belly Dance is now available to everyone anywhere. You can purchase The African Belly Dance on my web site www.bigapplebellydance.org under “shopping” for $19.95. You can download the e-book or order a hard copy, which will be mailed to your home (shipping additional). We accept PayPal, so ordering is easy and convenient!

My name is Sandra Catena and I am the author of The African Belly Dance. I’ve been belly dancing since 1975. My passion for belly dance brought me to performing on stages in New York City, Europe, Canada and West Africa. Today I train professional and amateur belly dancers in Manhattan as well as produce and perform in belly dance concerts in New York City. The African Belly Dance is my first novel and I want to share it with you.

Sincerely,

Sandra Catena
www.bigapplebellydance.org

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Do you like to be appreciated on your birthday? At Centerstage, we think birthdays are really special. If you do, too, please sign up for our Birthday Club (and don’t worry - we won’t share your information).

Click here for the Birthday sign-up form.

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