August 2018 – Annissa Dance

Back to School

It is the time of year where children are getting ready for another school year if they haven’t already started. This summer flew by so quickly, but we had great weather for the most part. I for one enjoy the cooler evenings and the smell of fall with the leaves changing colors. Time to get back to routines and planning.

My music search has been fruitful, and I have found a song to use for my Beginner’s class. Now to start creating combos to make up the choreography. Registration for Beginners opens on Friday, August 31 at www.decaregina.ca. Classes run on Mondays from Sep 17 – Nov 9 7:30-8:30 pm at the Glencairn Recreation Centre. Check out my class page for more details.

Tuesday, August 28 is the last summer class for Fundamentals. Please register online. Last chance to purchase a 10-class pass for $80. Fees will be going up in the fall as we move to a brand-new studio.

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Beginners, Fundamentals

Summer is almost over

We’ve had some beautiful weather this summer and I hope you’ve had a chance to get out and enjoy some sunshine. Only two more weeks until September is upon us with ‘back to school’ bustle and schedules becoming filled with other activities. It is also time to get back to belly dance class.

Fundamentals – Please register online for Tuesday’s class (Aug 21), I need at least a couple more people to hold the class. We only have two more classes in this summer session and then will take a two-week break. Stay tuned for possible new day and location which is in the works.

Beginners – The Fall 2018 Leisure Guide is now available online. Beginner classes run on Mondays from Sep 17 – Nov 9 7:30-8:30 pm at the Glencairn Recreation Centre (See page 67 for class details). Registration opens Aug 31 at www.decaregina.ca.

Fundamentals

No Classes This Week

Belly Dance Fundamentals class is cancelled for August 14, 2018.

I can’t believe the summer is almost over and there’s only a few more weeks until we change to regular hours again. Enjoy the scorching weather while you can, there will be snow before you know it.

If you haven’t already, sign up for my weekly newsletter where you will be reminded of upcoming classes and other news.

Beginners, Choreography, Fundamentals, Music

Music with Lyrics

Last month I wrote about the criteria I use to select music for class choreography. One aspect I forgot to mention was lyrics. I generally prefer instrumental songs but sometimes I come across a piece that really appeals to me with lyrics. This happened during my recent music search for my beginner’s class. I had acquired the song, Al Ragel by Ramy Sabry, after taking a workshop in the spring. The instructor used it for some drills and I really enjoyed it. The Arabic pop song fit all the criteria I seek for my beginners’ class – short (2:51), Middle Eastern, has a repeating pattern, and isn’t too fast. Pop songs generally have lyrics, and this one was no exception. Unfortunately for me, they were in Arabic.

If you plan to perform or use a song with lyrics for choreography in class, make sure you know what they are singing about. As I don’t speak Arabic, Google was my first stop. I looked at several options that were available, but about three quarters of the way down the page was an article from The National which caught my eye. Titled ‘Patriarchal pop: the latest sexist trend in Arabic pop music’, the author opens the article with a walk through some of Al Ragel’s lyrics and then on to other similar works that all seem to follow a similar misogynistic pattern. I encourage you to read the article as it very interesting and eye opening. Based on the lyrics, Al Ragel is not the sort of song I want to promote so I will not be creating a choreography to it. So the search continues…

Classes

Fundamentals – Please register online for Tuesday’s class. We will continue working with travelling foot patterns and chest isolations.

Beginners – The Fall 2018 Leisure Guide is now available online. Beginner classes run from Sep 17 – Nov 19 7:30-8:30 pm at the Glencairn Recreation Centre (See page 67 for class details). Registration opens Aug 31 at www.decaregina.ca.