UPDATE:  I received this book last Wednesday through Amazon and finished it by Saturday.  It's a nice historical-fiction type of light romance.  I definitely recommend it as a lovely little book to take along on your summer vacation for dancers and non-dancers.  I have read Looking for Little Egypt and I appreciate that the author has incorporated what info we do have about the dancers at the Chicago World's Fair.  There are a couple of aspects that I myself would change about the story, but I don't want to give anything away about the book. If I find an online bookclub discussing this, I will share it with you.  Enjoy!

It's always exciting when a new bellydance-related book or movie comes out!  They are few and far between.  Dancers are always hopeful that this dance form is depicted in a good light. 

Now up for review, The Belly Dancer by DeAnna Cameron.  It will be released on July 7, so order your copy now.  You need something new to read at the beach or pool, right?  I'm looking forward to reading it myself.  Right now it's only $10.98 through Amazon and is also available for the Kindle (my husband LOVES his Kindle!!!!)

The author's site is http://www.deannacameron.com/. Earlier today, DeAnna posted on Bhuz that she has a few complimentary bookmarks up for grabs.  Contact DeAnna for a bookmark, while supplies last (provide your name and address). 

Let me know what you think of the book!

*Update* - Feb. 27, 2010 - I have changed the links to the newer version of this system.  It should be compatible with iPhone and iTouch.

When I perform at private parties such as birthdays and wedding showers, I like to bring my own sound system.  Recently I purchased the Harman Kardon Go + Play High-Performance Portable Loudspeaker System with Dock for iPod (Newest Model) for such occasions and tried it out a couple weeks ago.  Success!  I already knew from using it at home that the sound quality was excellent, but this is why it worked so well for a small-space performance:

1) It has a remote!  I was able to start my music and adjust the volume before I even entered the room.  You don't need line-of-sight for this remote.  It's small enough that next time I might construct a little pouch in my costume to have it ready in case I need to adjust the volume during my performance.  Oh, and the remote is stored in a handy little pocket in the back of the system itself.

2) You can use batteries to power this system.  This is such a great feature for those times when there isn't an outlet in the immediate performance area or when the element of surprise is part of the event and fussing over a cord would be a hindrance.

3) If needed, you can plug in a CD player.  While this system is built for use with an iPod or other MP3 player, you could use this with an auxiliary CD player if necessary. 

4) The sound quality is excellent!  The speakers really deliver, even at top volume.

5) At the time of posting this, the price is only $209.  This really is reasonable for such a quality piece of equipment.  A few months ago it was almost $400.  I managed to snatch one up when the price dipped to $150. 

Any drawbacks?  The only thing I've noticed so far is that sometimes the positioning of the iPod itself is a bit touchy.  If using it in a stationary setting, such as an exercise class or at home, it shouldn't be a problem.  Since I was transporting it and handing it over to someone to put in place for me, I wedged a little slip of cardboard in to better secure the iPod, just in case.

I'm looking forward to using this for the classes I'm planning to teach (very soon!)  I have heard great comments from others who use this system for their belly dance classes.

Music that "moves" you is absolutely essential for bellydance,  perhaps even more so than other dance forms.  Oriental (belly) dancers seek to become the music. If an observer were wearing earplugs, the music would should still be seen through the movements.

When I perform in restaurants, guests often ask me about the music I use.  Some even want to take home my CD, they are so inspired!  I regularly update "Kiyaana's Picks" on my site BellydanceDownloads.com.  I have included links for either (legally) downloading the songs or purchasing the albums that feature the songs.  If you have any specific question about the music I use, don't hesitate to ask.

For downloading bellydance music, my absolute favorite vendor is eMusic.com.  You can get 25 free tracks.  Seriously!   Here's my short list for the dance albums they have and also my long list (over 300 albums!).  If you'd rather buy an album, you can't go wrong with ordering from Scheherezade Imports or Bellydance.com.  

Enjoy the music!

A few summers ago I couldn't move my left arm without excruciating pain.  (I prefer waiting it out, trying home remedies, homeopathic methods, etc. to going to a medical doctor.)  My self-diagnosis was tendonitis in my elbow and, along with a trip to the local health store, I ordered the book Pain Free: A Revolutionary Method for Stopping Chronic Pain.  Reviews I found online were very positive and the author's realignment approach made sense to me.  As soon as I received the book (next-day shipping!) I read the first couple of chapters and then went to the section on elbows, wrists, and hands.  Because of the pain, I doubted that I could do some of the exercises, but I was able to do them with no problem. ( My favorite was the Supine Groin Stretch at the end on p.72.)  My arm felt so much better after one day of following the routine!  I kept it up every day, as recommended.

Since that time I have consulted this book for mild hip, then knee pain (it helped!) and also for my husband's shoulder pain.  While the exercises themselves have been very useful, I especially appreciate that the author, Peter Egoscue, reminds us throughout the book that we are out of alignment and eventually in pain because we don't MOVE enough.  Keeping up your range of motion and flexibility just makes sense.

Keep moving and feel good!