On Friday 4th April I danced with some of the ladies at a seniors expo - "Living Longer Healthier and Stronger", at the Maitland Town Hall. All sorts of services were on display from yoga and belly dance to healthfunds, financial institutions and the fire brigade.

Today I was awarded certification to teach Shemiran Ibrahim's "Belly Dancing frim the Heart" method to beginner and continuing beginner students. As mentioned in a previous post, I attended the course in January which was held at Amera's Palace in Newtown. It was a weekend intensive course with prior studying of the handbook and two DVDs. There was myself and three other aspiring belly dance teachers - a good number for such an intensive course. We had lots of discussion and a bit of dancing. After the course, we then had our assignment to do for our assessment.

The method is quite a structured approach to technique and the movements of belly dance with an emphasis on improvisation and personal expression through the dance. I have been teaching the curriculum this term and it seems to be going well. The main bennefit to beginners that I can see, is the retention of information and the ability to access (and perform) all the movements they have learned. It creates quite a good filing system...

Of course, I still teach it my own way - it is the basic structure that underlies the class and term that I am using. There is plenty of room for making this teaching method your own...

So all is going well and I am still loving the teaching.

I have to say that I am really enjoying my new children's belly dance class. The class is filled with life and enthusiasm, exuberance and colour! It is so lovely to channel this enthusiasm through belly dance and to see them dance with such energy and passion.

At the very first class, one of the girls was even asking about our first performance! Such a difference to the adults where the mere word performance strikes fear in the beginners heart. And rightly so. It is a huge thing for an adult (especially one who has never performed anything in their life) to put themselves out there and perform belly dance. So I am really enjoying the difference between teaching adults and children - One is not better than the other, just different with a different sets of challenges for the students as well as the teacher!

Welcome to my Blog. I intend to share my thoughts and document my belly dance teaching journey, as well as other belly dance tidbits I come across!

I teach classes in Maitland and Cessnock and this year for the first time I will be holding a dedicated children's belly dance class - My daughter is so keen. My teaching journey began a little over a year ago and I surprised myself by how much I really love to teach belly dance! I find it a great privelege to bring belly dance into womens lives.

I am always seeking more belly dance and teaching knowledge so this Australia Day long weekend I went on an intensive Belly Dance Teacher Training course. It was a great course that focussed on a structured beginners curriculum and how to teach it. Also how to teach, why to teach and where to teach from- not meaning which hall to hire, but finding that truthful place inside yourself to teach from. Plenty of food for thought. Anyway... still have the assessment to do...