Summer scorcher

I had just about finished a huge blog entry on my iPad, sitting in Richmond park, London in the sun. However, the pad overheated and deleted everything I had done. 

So the long and short of it is....

It's HOT.

And I am not in Cairo. 

It is an amazing feeling to be able to sit in a park. Dressed for the weather, and not get a shred of hassle.

Almost as amazing as watching the deer wander around me. 

Last weekends workshops in Kent and Cambridge went really well. I enjoyed them. I had some really positive feedback too. The one I liked best, was that my workshops do for dance what charity is supposed to do for poverty;

You know the saying "it is better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish"? Well, my philosophy in teaching dance is all about empowering a dancer to be able to interpret the music herself and put her own dance together. Not to rely on someone else's choreography or steps. It was so wonderful to hear that one of my students used exactly this expression to describe my teaching style. I was chuffed to bits. it meant my message was getting across! It is a little foolish of me perhaps- teaching students how to do it all without relying on a teacher. To have her own style and not imitating her teacher. I guess if i continue with this I could eventually put myself out of a job! I just know that by then, I will surrounded by fabulous dancers who can entertain me! Bring it on. 

Tomorrow I am heading up to Hartlepool to do some more 'enabling'. I am looking forward to it. A new city for me to teach in and meet new people in. The venue I will be performing in is a boat, so it will be home from home from the Pharaohs in Cairo! 

Then I'm off to Edinburgh, the homelands, to do a week of family and friends catch up which I am already panicking about now because I am sure I won't get the time to see everyone I want to! 

Then it's down to Derby and Oxford. 

A busy 10 days ahead.....

But great..

Before I lie back and snooze in the sunshine I have to add that one of the most beautiful things I have done this week has been 3 sessions of skill swops. 

This week I have had a massage (thanks Sophie Ball), an Iraqi dance lesson (thanks Shahla) and a yoga lesson (thanks Hannah), all in return for a private class each. It has felt such a lovely way to do business. Ok, so I don't have the actual money coming in... But I receive a lot in its place and it made for a very positive, caring, sharing atmosphere for the whole week. I've gone a bit hippy haven't I? It's true though... I enjoyed teaching those classes so much. A very different vibe! Of course, I am always grateful for the cash paying students too. I have to be able to top up my Oyster card somehow! Now- I wonder what I should ask the universe next for in return for a private class..... Ok 'asking the universe' for stuff is too new agey for me. I'll rewrite that .... 

I wonder what I should next write on Facebook that would like in return for a private class! 

That's more real! Any ideas? Open to suggestions..... (Keep it clean!!!) :-)