alessandraraqs.blogspot.com
Sequins and Shimmies: Interview with Suzanna
http://alessandraraqs.blogspot.com/2016/05/interview-with-suzanna.html
My Book: Developing Your Dance. Monday, May 2, 2016. Photo Credit: Picture Groove (Sarah Lyons). To learn more about Suzanna, you can visit her website. You can also purchase tickets. To the next Belly Dance Off, which is being held in Seattle on Sunday, May 22nd. Suzanna and I met at a coffee shop on a rainy Sunday afternoon in Seattle. As Suzanna sat down at the table, she mentioned that she was feeling nervous, and I couldn't help but think, how adorable. I had always been a dancer, studying ballet, j...
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Sequins and Shimmies: Aging and Belly Dance
http://alessandraraqs.blogspot.com/2015/10/aging-and-belly-dance.html
My Book: Developing Your Dance. Thursday, October 1, 2015. Aging and Belly Dance. Back when I first started this blog, I wrote a post about why I love belly dance. To this day, it's continued to be one of the most popular posts on this site. However, I was reflecting on this topic recently, and realized there is another big reason why I love belly dance that wasn't included in that original post. The reason is this: belly dance is open to women (and men) of all. This is why I love belly dance. As I g...
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Sequins and Shimmies: October 2016
http://alessandraraqs.blogspot.com/2016_10_01_archive.html
My Book: Developing Your Dance. Monday, October 3, 2016. Happy 5-Year Anniversary Sequins and Shimmies! With all the hustle and bustle of moving and traveling over this last summer, I missed the exact mark when it happened, but summer of 2016 marked my 5-year anniversary of writing this blog. Wow, five years flew by like that! Egypt's Newest Music Style: Mahragan. Aging and Belly Dance. Designing Costumes with Azya' Michelle. Study Materials for New Dancers. Stars of Dance Spotlight: Mahmoud Reda. Variou...
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Sequins and Shimmies: Interviewee Info
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My Book: Developing Your Dance. Hello and thank you for your consideration of being interviewed for my blog, Sequins and Shimmies! Please note that at this time, being an interviewee is by invitation only. If you have been contacted regarding being interviewed, please read the information below to better understand the interview process. Interviews can be conducted either in person or over the phone. Interviews are setup for a mutually agreed-upon date and time. While linking back to and sharing your int...
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Sequins and Shimmies: November 2016
http://alessandraraqs.blogspot.com/2016_11_01_archive.html
My Book: Developing Your Dance. Friday, November 4, 2016. Star Power: The Lovely and Talented Loretta. I've decided to devote this month's post to my current belly dance crush: the lovely and talented Loretta. Flawless technique, long lines, crisp accents, artful musicality, magnetic stage-presence, flowing combinations, and lithe flexibility, all topped up with just the right amount of sexiness. In short, she's pretty much everything I've ever wanted in a belly dance performance. And last but not least,...
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Sequins and Shimmies: August 2016
http://alessandraraqs.blogspot.com/2016_08_01_archive.html
My Book: Developing Your Dance. Monday, August 1, 2016. Last month I had the opportunity to attend Aziza's. In Montreal, Canada. The camp was taught by, of course, Aziza, in conjunction with the lovely Mercedes Nieto. Let's get one thing straight right off the bat: despite being called Dream camp. Lake Raymond, the backdrop for Dreamcamp. A shared dormitory room at Dreamcamp. Dreamcamp wine, served nightly. A typical day at Dreamcamp went something like this: optional morning workout, breakfast, two and ...
alessandraraqs.blogspot.com
Sequins and Shimmies: September 2016
http://alessandraraqs.blogspot.com/2016_09_01_archive.html
My Book: Developing Your Dance. Tuesday, September 20, 2016. Beauty Abounds: Austria and Switzerland. During the month of August I was blessed to be able to spend three weeks in Austria and Switzerland. Strolling through castles, meandering through charming villages, and reveling in all the beauty; it was an amazing time to say the least. Here are a few pictorial highlights of my travels. Lauterbrunnen Valley, Switzerland. Altenburg Cathedral, Austria. Belvedere Palace, Vienna, Austria. There is a new un...
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Sequins and Shimmies: Beauty Abounds: Austria & Switzerland
http://alessandraraqs.blogspot.com/2016/09/beauty-abounds-austria-switzerland.html
My Book: Developing Your Dance. Tuesday, September 20, 2016. Beauty Abounds: Austria and Switzerland. During the month of August I was blessed to be able to spend three weeks in Austria and Switzerland. Strolling through castles, meandering through charming villages, and reveling in all the beauty; it was an amazing time to say the least. Here are a few pictorial highlights of my travels. Lauterbrunnen Valley, Switzerland. Altenburg Cathedral, Austria. Belvedere Palace, Vienna, Austria. There is a new un...
alessandraraqs.blogspot.com
Sequins and Shimmies: Glow Baby, Glow
http://alessandraraqs.blogspot.com/2017/01/glow-baby-glow.html
My Book: Developing Your Dance. Wednesday, January 4, 2017. Glow Baby, Glow. I know 2016 was a rough one for a lot of people. The heartbreaking results of the U.S. elections aside, I feel like I was one of the lucky few to have a pretty good year. It was busy, but blessed. But regardless of how 2016 treated you, we are now moving on and into 2017. Hello new year! Don't you just love that new year smell? Ripe with new beginnings, and fresh with energy and intention. I know I do. Driving in the car? Ready ...
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Sequins and Shimmies: Sobering Snapshot of Present Day Egypt
http://alessandraraqs.blogspot.com/2015/06/sobering-snapshot-of-present-day-egypt.html
My Book: Developing Your Dance. Monday, June 15, 2015. Sobering Snapshot of Present Day Egypt. Frequently, I get the sense that belly dancers think of Egypt as the "motherland"; a romanticized and revered locale where it all started. But is this rose-colored Western lens really accurate? For belly dancers outside of Egypt, how much do we actually know about current day Egypt? I recently attended a panelist discussion hosted by Humanities Washington. Segment, Egyptian Tomb Raiders. Also up in record numbe...