What a weekend- phew!!!

wow....

its been non stop ever since I arrived in Edinburgh.

I spent all day friday completing the script for Hannah for the show on sunday ( i know i know- my own fault for leaving it so damn late!!!)- then I performed on friday night. That was a tough show- but then it always is- the 1st time with CD again after being too used to having a band backing me up! That and my back having decided it would punish me for making it sit for so long in airports, planes and in front of the comupter!!! grr and ouch!

Saturday morning, I taught a FREE complete beginners workshopat macdonald library- which had about 30 people in it (I have to say there were quite a few who were NOT beginners!) but we had a lot of fun and laughs and it really was a nice vibe. Its amazing how this dance form has the power to really touch women from all walks of life. i love it.

My 'fancy footwork' was sold out on sat afternoon- and the 3 hours of walking and exploring foot patterns and freeing up how we use our feet in bellydance really seemed to appeal to a lot of people. They were dancing some pretty mean drum solo's by the end of it all anyway!!!

Sat night- back in Morocco. The restaurant that is, not the country! Getting a chance to practise my arabic on some Egyptians who came in and also some Syrians. It was a lovely night, very busy with a relaxed amosphere. Alys brought 15 girls in from Perth and they were the best audience a performer could hope for- thanks girls- looking fwd to that masterclass next time!!!!!

Sunday (after another 2 hours finishing planning for the show at night!) i had 2 workshops. I usually dont teach choreography... but i decided to break my rule- and i really enjoyed it. A baladi/table piece that was cheeky and fun. Wish we had had 3 hours for it instead of 2 though.......

The alchemy workshop was the one that surprised me- and the girls in the class too. I was holding back the tears by the end of 2 hours, as were a few girls in the class......... lets just say we spent 2 hours getting in touch with all the different aspects of bellydance including the spiritual side! I dont do 'new agey' type things usually- but this one really worked........ the difference in peoples dancing by the end was phenomenal- iike I said- it produced tears! Thanks for sharing the love girls!!!

In fact- it even helped me at night- i felt much calmer when i performed in the Bellydance Banquet last night that I do normally at these types of events... and i felt really connected with the audience.
I had some wonderful feedback from one dancer who told me she just realised lst night that when she watches me dance, she watches my face more than the moves or rest of me! I was really chuffed with that compliment since thats how i feel when i am watching a dancer i really admire!

So wonderful when i feel i have learned as much from teaching a workshop as my students did from being in it!!!!!

Oh- if anyone is reading this from elsewhere in the UK and are interested- I lan on being home in UK for the whole of September (for Ramadan, when all Bellydancing is Banned in Cairo because it is considered to be 'Haram' ie forbidden by Allah) so if you are interested in hosting workshops in your area on the topics i mentioned above, or any others... then please feel free to contact me asap since I'd love to dance and teach in new places too!

anyway- back to work now after all the excitement of last night- I have a week full of private classes... its nice getting the time to catch up one to one with some lovely dancers....

looking forward to the workshops in Dundee and Glasgow this weekend too!