Here's the HipMix interview, nicely done by Christina:
Recovery After a Total Hip Replacement: One Belly Dancer's Story
- Anthea / Kawakib
(end of post)
Monday, November 21, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Getting my Dance on!
The last couple of weekends were filled with Belly Dance! I'm so enjoying getting my costumes out and planning performances again...
One Saturday evening I went to Richmond to a friend's (and fellow teacher) student recital and shared my Layali pop number. That's really my first out-of-town solo in a couple of years (and the first since my THR) - it felt great seeing and dancing for old friends again!
The next day I instigated a Drum & Dance Hafla - outside - to take advantage of the last nice Fall weather. Thank goodness it was sunny and in the mid-50's. We set up in the downtown park for some tribal improv, drumming, and a few special solos by friends.
The next weekend I hosted a bellydance party at Aladin, one of the few remaining local Middle Eastern restaurants. Aladin was actually the last place I worked as a soloist before my degenerated hip joint ended that for me. I'll never forget driving home after my last performance there when I realized I could no longer continue.
Anyway, now in happier times, Aladin no longer has Oriental Dancers perform there regularly; they've decided to accommodate sports fans and hookah fans. So at this time, Fredericksburg has NO regular dancing - and just a few years ago, there were three places to dance!
During the Hafla, the other patrons enjoyed our dancing when they weren't watching football (with the sound turned down).
It's really good to be able to enjoy these events by DANCING again, and not just watching. I feel renewed as a dancer!
by Anthea (Kawakib)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 |
| dancing at Zafira Daima's show (A. Savedge photo) |
The next day I instigated a Drum & Dance Hafla - outside - to take advantage of the last nice Fall weather. Thank goodness it was sunny and in the mid-50's. We set up in the downtown park for some tribal improv, drumming, and a few special solos by friends.
 |
| (l-r) J.Bob, Pixie, Pat, Galiyah, Uzume join me at Hurkamp Park! |
Anyway, now in happier times, Aladin no longer has Oriental Dancers perform there regularly; they've decided to accommodate sports fans and hookah fans. So at this time, Fredericksburg has NO regular dancing - and just a few years ago, there were three places to dance!
During the Hafla, the other patrons enjoyed our dancing when they weren't watching football (with the sound turned down).
 |
| I LOVE bellydance parties! |
It's really good to be able to enjoy these events by DANCING again, and not just watching. I feel renewed as a dancer!
by Anthea (Kawakib)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
shimmy shimmy shake!
I've got to say I love being able to post such postive reports about dancing again :)
I had an urge to replace the "how to shimmy" clip that went missing, so yesterday I put some makeup on and whipped this quick clip out. I think you'd never know I had a hip replacement, right? So it's all good. Yay!
I also am looking forward to HipMix.net's interview in the next few weeks, which will put the THR + bellydancing issue on blast. Bellydancers who've had hip replacements, come out come out where you are!
Kawakib's Shimmy Tech - 3/4 and Regular Shimmies
by Anthea (Kawakib)
I had an urge to replace the "how to shimmy" clip that went missing, so yesterday I put some makeup on and whipped this quick clip out. I think you'd never know I had a hip replacement, right? So it's all good. Yay!
I also am looking forward to HipMix.net's interview in the next few weeks, which will put the THR + bellydancing issue on blast. Bellydancers who've had hip replacements, come out come out where you are!
Kawakib's Shimmy Tech - 3/4 and Regular Shimmies
by Anthea (Kawakib)
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Don't be afraid to bellydance- it won't hurt you like it hurt me.
I've noticed that sometimes my students look a little freaked out when I mention my hip surgery.
Here's the thing: we professionals wear ourselves out by constant use in performance, teaching, rehearsing; preparing class material, etc. Not only is our physical load much more extreme than student hobbyists, but we often continue our activities when we should be recuperating from injuries - how can you keep a dance job if you miss work while you tend an injury? You won't, not without a contract.
So there's no comparison - don't be afraid to bellydance because your teacher's had hip surgery!
Here's how my hip is doing - almost back to pre-surgery strength, and it works so much better than it did just prior to my THR! Bellydancing in October 2011
Meanwhile, my first belly dance teacher's had her THR and is recovering at home. I expect we'll hear of more and more bellydancers having replacement surgeries, now that we're taking our first steps out of the closet!
by Anthea (Kawakib)
Here's the thing: we professionals wear ourselves out by constant use in performance, teaching, rehearsing; preparing class material, etc. Not only is our physical load much more extreme than student hobbyists, but we often continue our activities when we should be recuperating from injuries - how can you keep a dance job if you miss work while you tend an injury? You won't, not without a contract.
So there's no comparison - don't be afraid to bellydance because your teacher's had hip surgery!
Here's how my hip is doing - almost back to pre-surgery strength, and it works so much better than it did just prior to my THR! Bellydancing in October 2011
 |
| Photo from bellydance show this past weekend |
Meanwhile, my first belly dance teacher's had her THR and is recovering at home. I expect we'll hear of more and more bellydancers having replacement surgeries, now that we're taking our first steps out of the closet!
by Anthea (Kawakib)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)