Film Overview

Topics Covered:

DANCING TO LIVE MUSIC

- Dancers these days just don’t seem to have as many opportunities to dance to live music and are out of their comfort zone when performing with a band. In this section we interview both dancers and musicians to get practical advice about preparation, etiquette, and survival techniques.

CREATIVITY AND INSPIRATION

- In this section we interview dancers about how they fill their creative wells and continue to stay motivated to create new dances. Concrete exercises and habits are suggested while potential blockages and bad habits are discussed.

YOUR PROFESSIONAL IMAGE

- Belly dance photographer Michael Baxter gives is advice about how to get great photos. Professional beauty consultant and belly dancer, Adriana, gives us a make-up lesson.

*BONUS* SURVIVAL ARABIC FOR DANCERS – Leyla Lanty gives us a micro Arabic lesson. You will be able to identify several of the commonly used words in Arabic songs.

FEATURED DANCERS

Nanna Candelaria, Sandra, Amira Ariana, Sabriye Tekbilek, Zari, Shoshanna, Adriana, Bahaia, Luna,

FEATURED MUSICIANS

Kaweh, Tim Bolling, Doug Adamz, Al 'Azifoon, Flowers of the Nile, Mary Ellen Donald

FEATURED EXPERTS

Michael Baxter (photography), Leyla Lanty (Arabic)

ABOUT THE SERIES

"...information that every performer and instructor should have."

What makes a captivating dancer? A captivating dancer knows how to draw in the audience and takes them on an emotional journey with every movement and expression. A captivating dancer shows us a different way of listening to the music without overpowering it and teaches us that there is beauty in even the simplest movements. A captivating dancer knows how to build drama and set up those "wow" moments.

Unfortunately, most dancers simply focus on the mechanics of their movements and don't train themselves in the art of performing. Many dancers mistakenly think that performance skills cannot be learned and feel frustrated that it does not come naturally.

Having sharp isolations and cute combinations are a result of training your muscles, but incorporating stage presence, emotion and musical awareness into your dance require training of a totally different kind. The exercises in this DVD are uniquely designed to help you become a better performer and to push your dance presentation to the next level.

ABOUT THE TEACHER

Michelle Joyce is a professional belly dancer who has performed for audiences around the globe. She has won several awards including 2004 People's Choice Belly Dancer and 2006 East Coast Classic Belly Dance Competition Champion.

Michelle also has a Master's in Counseling, and draws on that knowledge to incorporate techniques to help dancers improve stage presence and to increase relaxation levels.