Journal

I had a wonderful conversation yesterday with a friend and dancer who has been a figure in the Houston dance community for many years. She took me on a trip down memory lane that had me missing the old days of being a new dancer at Sirrom School of Dance, doing my first student troupe shows and finally getting onstage for my very first solo performance.

Those were beautiful days and I have many fond memories of all my dance mamas who held my hand and supported me in those early years.

I’ve had a video of my very first solo performance on video tape for about 20 years… and I recently digitized it, but decided I could never imagine sharing it with anyone.

But all that reminiscing has made me nostalgic.

So here it is. My very first solo performance ever… to a live Greek band in Houston at a restaurant called “Opas”. The restaurant is long gone, but this amazing band is the same band I was performing with at Alexander the Great just a few years ago.

While I wouldn’t say this performance is anything to write home about, it was a transformative moment in my life. The insane nervousness and fear I felt before going on that stage melted away as I danced with those magical musicians. This moment made me decide that belly dance was the place for me.

And I’ve never looked back.

An enormous thank you to my Mama Thalia for putting me on stage that night. (It was a risky move and I cannot thank her enough!) Thank you to Tassos and the band for nurturing me as a dancer through 15 amazing years.

This is where the magic began.

Ok… here goes nothing. (Eek!)

Enjoy!

The 2022 Zill Challenge is happening soon – and it’s going to be even bigger and better than the last! ​

Are you ready to banish finger cymbal confusion and overwhelm and learn how to confidently play multiple tones, count zill patterns, and pair together the dance and your cymbals seamlessly?

Last year 500 dancers from 23 countries came together for The Zill Challenge – 10 days of fabulous finger cymbal learning, community and fun! The 2022 Zill Challenge begins on May 23rd, and you are invited to the party.

What to expect when you join: ​

✓ 10 days of short and sweet finger cymbal tutorials delivered to your inbox. ​

✓ 10 days of live broadcasts inside our exclusive Facebook community to answer questions, share inspiration, giveaway prizes and cheer you on. ​

✓ All while having a crazy amount of fun with hundreds of other zillstars from all over the world! ​ ​

The party begins on May 23rd.

Join us at http://TheZillChallenge.com​ ​ ​

Can’t wait to make music with you soon! ​

PS. Not sure you have the time or the talent to take on the challenge? I promise that you do! It takes only about 15 minutes a day and is totally FREE to join, so you have nothing to lose! Check it out!​

One of the easiest ways to measure improvement in your finger cymbal playing is by clocking yourself with a metronome. And while speed is definitely not everything when it comes to good zill skills, it is definitely one of the easiest things to measure. (And if you are anything like me, you might just love a concrete personal challenge! 🤓)

Today’s drill is a very simple concept, yet the benefits you will reap by adding it to your finger cymbal practice are HUGE! So join me for this straight-forward and highly effective drill and see what it can do for your zilling.

And one you’ve practiced that, check out this fun riff I taught on social media last week. First learn it. Then play it.

(Are you following me on social yet? If not, please join me @SahiraBellyDances on both Facebook and Instagram. I share fun stuff like this all the time.)

Are you ready to check out new pair of finger cymbals with me?

It’s time for a ZILL REVIEW!

I am the owner of a shiny new set of Turkish Delights in Silver from Saroyan Mastercrafts. I didn’t even take them out of the bag until I could put together this video for you!

Let’s unbox them together and then check out how I put in the elastics, test the various sounds and rock out with them. I’ll give you my thoughts about this set of zills and you can make an educated decision as to whether or not you’d like to add them to your collection. 🤩

Find your own pair here: SahiraBellyDances.com/Saroyan-TurkishDelight

Do you have a pair of finger cymbals that you would like me to review? Post below and let me know!

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A huge thank you to the amazing Miss Thea for the use of her incredible music in this video. Check her out at missthea.bandcamp.com 

This is one of those songs that the first time I ever heard it, I knew I had to dance to it.

So I put it on my practice playlist and three weeks later put it on the stage here.

Enjoy this special performance video from The Austin Migrations Festival 2022.

“We will escape away.

The words of the people never do good.

They said our love was at the worst time.

But when was love meant for a certain time?

A fire that ignites light inside the heart

We found in our distance from others

a Paradise enough just for us.”

-Ghanna Tekfenna by Mahmoud El Esseily

One of my favorite tools for drilling with my finger cymbals is definitely the metronome.

I used to have this black box that I’d plug into the wall every time I practice, but I have since upgraded to a fancy digital version that lives on my phone. Either way, a metronome is the best way to not only measure your progress with finger cymbal patterns and speed, but a great way to keep you honest with your tempo and help you internalize the beat – which is hugely beneficial for both your zilling and your dance!

In today’s video, I want to share with you a simple, yet foundational finger cymbal pattern that I use all the time – the 16th note run. You are going to learn to count it like the musician you are and then play it with a metronome to help you keep steady time as you practice. I will show you how to use that cute little dude in the pointy hat and fit this 16th note patten into his incessant clicking. 😂

Then we move! You are invited to mark time with your body, move your arms, or bust a move… whatever you are inspired to do!

Are you ready?

Let’s dive in.

Now that you’ve mastered use of the metronome, I invite you to use it to clock your max speed with the 16th note run while playing cleanly and evenly. Once you’ve done that, track your result in your belly dance notebook and post below to tell me how you did! I can’t wait to hear from you.

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Are you ready to take your zill skills to the next level? Join me for my FREE ZIllStar Finger Cymbal Jumpstart to learn what you need to get started on your path to zillstardom today. SahiraBellyDances.com/ZillStar

Have you ever tried to create your own dance choreography?

How did it go?

If you are like many dancers, the choreography creation process can quickly and easily become an effort in frustration. I’ve been there and I get it.

Many years ago I attempted to create my first dance choreography and I’ve gotta tell you that after three months of trying and about 20 seconds of actual choreography created, I gave up.

Fast forward about 20 years and I have since refined the creation process and have made over 100 different dynamic choreographies for myself and my students. I would love to share that process with you!

➡️ Join me for my FREE masterclass ⬅️

5 Choreography Creation Secrets… that will demystify the process and allow you to confidently create choreography.

Three dates to choose from:

April 5th @ 7pm CST

April 6th @ 12pm CST

April 11th @ 8pm CST

Snag your spot today at SahiraBellyDances.com/masterclass

Hey there fabulous dancer! Would you like to learn how to create your own unique and dynamic dance choreography?

There are many aspects of the music that you can use when creating choreography. Tempo and melody are two of the most popular.

In this video I am going to walk you though how to utilize both the tempo and the melody when creating choreography.

⓵ Dancing to the Tempo

When you choreograph and dance to the tempo you are simply making sure that your movements are happening as fast or as slow as the music is going. It’s the simplest way to choreograph and one of the most common ways we dance to music. Choreographing to the tempo runs the risk of looking detached from the music if you are not mindful, though – so always listen to the music!

⓶ Dancing to the Melody

When you choreograph to the melody you are using the primary instrument or voice and allowing that to move your body. This method tends to create slower and smoother movements, but not always! Dancing to the melody is a great way to draw out this line to your audience.

The best choreography utilizes a combination of these approaches, as well as movement to the rhythm and countermelody too!

Want a side by side comparison of how tempo and melody can be used in your dance? Check out this video I made on social media doing just that!

Facebook

Instagram

While you are there be sure to like the video and follow me!

But what I want to know from YOU is – what do you tend to dance to the most? Tempo? Melody? Something else? Post below and let your voice be heard!

Have you ever tried to create your own choreography?

If you are like most dancers, at some point in your studies you’ve gotten the idea that creating a choreography for yourself would be so very awesome. I mean, while learning someone else’s dance is fun and educational, there is nothing quite like making YOUR OWN dance that reflects your style and personality, right?

If only it were so easy.

I tried creating my first choeography around one year into my belly dance journey. I had learned two chroeographies from my teachers and had so much fun dancing them with the other people in my class, but I was itching to put something together to music I loved with my favorite movements. (If you’re curious, it was a Madonna song! 😆)

So I put on the song and tried to dance to it. I tried over and over and over.

And after three months (and about 20 seconds of choreography finished), I gave up!

There are many different ways to approach creating choreography, and a sucessful choreographer has more than one approach in their pocket. Part of the problem I experienced in my first choreographic adventure was that I approached the whole thing only ONE way – a method I now affectionately call “The Spaghetti Method”.

In today’s video I am going to give you a breakdown of this method and actually walk with you through the process step by step. You’ll experience how to use this fun and creative method in the most enjoyable and effective way to help you get moving to create your own unique and dynamic choreography. I’ll also share with you a couple of reasons why this approach needs to be supported by other choreographic methods in order to create fabulous choreographies in the long run.

I never did finish that Madonna choreography, but the Spaghetti Method would become the foundation for the over one hundred choreographies I have created since then. It’s a wonderful and playful way to get your next choreography started. So dive in and learn it with me here.

There are so many beautiful movements in the belly dance repertoire, but there are a few that are so iconic to the form that they are considered “must-haves” in every belly dancer’s vocabulary.

The Hip Circle definitely makes that list!

Join me for today’s tutorial and learn to create this fundamental belly dance move in your body safely and beautifully. And you’ll not only learn it one way, but THREE DIFFERENT ways! 🤩

You’ll be given the technique from the ground up and finish the class with a fabulous little combination utilizing all three variations of the movement.

Are you ready for this? Let’s Belly Dance!

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Are you ready to jumpstart your practice and discover movement, creativity and joy through the ancient art of belly dance?

Join me for the FREE Belly Dance Jumpstart program at SahiraBellyDances.com/Jumpstart

I can’t wait to share the dance floor with you there!

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A huge THANK YOU to the amazing Miss Thea for the use of her music in this video. You can find this song – “4D Recollection” on her Bandcamp store at missthea.bandcamp.com