Oh, Tuesday!

Salutes to the Sun

My yoga class this morning was not quite like this:

Foggy Morning Rides with Ray Charles

Okay, I know I started this blog to put up mainly dance inspiring videos, but what can you do, it’s taking on a life of its own. I woke up this morning and jumped on my bike to ride from the Mission to China Beach. I beat Google’s prediction of a 39 minute ride arriving 6 minutes under.

A divine little ride it was. As I pulled out of the mission and stopped at the light on Market and Sanchez, I actually reached back to turn on my bike light due to the heavy fog in which I found myself. The light turned green and off I went only to follow behind a guy who had just turned onto the street with a small radio faintly blasting "I've got a woman." It brought a 7am smile right to my face. I did my best to stay right behind him, but there are moments that I question my old clunky bike's weight and loud gear shifting. We swung a left onto Waller Street while Mr. Charles told us how she gave him money, right up Pierce Street and he relayed how she was good to him, left on Haight Street and he delighted in the fact that she was still saving her loving just for him...

He finally got ahead of me -- bike guy, not Charles -- but I caught up with him again in the mist that surrounded the bike path of the Panhandle, only to go our separate ways once we hit Golden Gate Park. A beautiful early morning ride that brought me to lovely little China Beach.

Mis Dhamas

My ladies in Spain. Love these girls. Love the time I danced with them and was part of the company and can't wait to dance with them again in the future. This video won me over and I can watch it again and again and again. Enjoy.

You can check them out here and here

Video starts at 1:10.

We can see the the ocean from here!

You all know I'm really into the ocean. I'm not sure I can live in a city without the ocean again. I am lucky enough to have an amazing group of friends from all walks of life that jump into the freezing sea with me at least once a week. We swim around with the dolphins and harbor seals and circle up once we reach our destination and give thanks to our mama ocean. A bit on the cheesy side I must admit, but there have been days where, no matter the lack of sleep, the grey weather, the low temperature of the bay waters, the intensity of the midweek hangover - that morning swim washes it all away and reminds me what its all about. Its a moment to forget all about yourself and everyone's hangups and let it all drift away. I always end my swim with a few minutes of floating: Golden Gate as the backdrop.



But we each need to find our own inspiration, sometimes its not easy. Maybe I have to find my own inspiration.

Kami turned me onto this band. It hasn't left my pandora station since.

Wax Tailor

Que Sera - Wax Tailor

This gets to be video number one for a multitude of reasons:
1) I've been obsessed with Wax Tailor for a few years now which results in:
2) All my recent choreographed pieces are to his songs (when I actually choreograph vs. improvise...)
3) Que Sera - quite possibly the best motto in life
4) Ehem, amazing last name if I do say so myself (we can't all be amazing spellers now can we)

The Beginning

Because there is always a beginning. Sometimes it can be a bit wishy washy. But not here. The start is time stamped by our friend the internet.

I've had a dance journal for years. It holds my notes from classes, workshops and the very occasional documented reaction to my own dancing and performances. A while back, like many dancers I'm sure, I started marking some of my favorite and inspirational YouTube videos online, both belly dance, other dance, and music. Well, some smart little blogger out there went and started organizing her internet obsessions (we'll call it research here) and I like it. So, what does any good simian, I mean belly dancer, do when they see something shinny that they like? Monkey see...

Consider this an archival project of bite-sized movements that make my brain, or heart, tic. Here we go...