What's in store for you in 2010?  I haven't been one to make a big list of resolutions on January 1st, but in the past couple of years I've started making mental note of some goals for my dancing. "In the next year I want to . . ." is where I started. 365 days is plenty of time to make progress!

For 2009, I decided to expand my knowlege of folkloric Middle Eastern dances, seek out opportunities for performing with live music, and begin teaching regularly.  Everything fell into place in January 2009 to take Journey Through Egypt 1 and 2 with Sahra Saeeda, helping me with my first goal.  (If you have the chance to take these workshops with her, DO IT.  Sahra is amazing and the information she shares is inspiring.)  Then in March and again this past September, the owner at Laziza brought in a wonderful band for the haflas I hosted and the dancers were given the opportunity to dance with them.  Dancing to the classics with the live music all around us was an amazing experience!  I was then invited in October to dance with a band at a private party.  The opportunities for goal #2 had practically fallen in my lap.  After SharQui™ training in April followed by AFAA certification in May, I took on a couple of regular bellydance teaching jobs and have been having a great time with them.

With those experiences in mind, I'm excited about selecting my dance goals for 2010.  I've started learning to dance with a Shamadan (candelabra balanced on your head) and would like to become proficient in it by this summer, if not sooner.  That takes care of one goal, I'll have to get back to you on the rest!