Paulette Rees-Denis's Blog, page 49
March 27, 2013
My juice fast and you!
What is my spring cleaning fast teaching me?
image from the online mag: Body, Mind, Green,
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/
So I started a liquid fast on Monday, just with the thought of at least one day, if not three. These next few weeks are action packed for me so I did not think I could go longer than 3 days, but I knew I had to clean out my body. It has been feeling a little extra round on the outside and stagnant on the inside, and I’ve got some very full months of travel and writing and dance and fun coming up, with all these new projects coming on, (that I will be sharing soon!), plus the biz course I’m taking, and the guitar pickin’I’m doing…
I have had to keep myself a little extra busy to keep my mind off of being hungry. And then drink a cup of tea or drink another smoothie- ohhh like, beet, carrot, and celery! Yum…good stuff…
And this fast has really made me realize just how spoiled some of us are, to have a constant source of food, almost anything we desire, right at our finger tips. We can be gluttons for instant gratification, whether that be food, jewelry, even fast internet service…Do you know what I mean?
Think about the people and the animals going hungry locally and worldwide? It is making me think a lot about others outside of myself and my world, and what I can do to help. I don’t have those answers yet, but I know one way I do give back to the world is by helping feed the animals. I do little things like clicking on Freekibble.com (thanks Karen for turning me onto this) everyday to help feed dogs and cats… and what a great adventurous young girl who started this company up. Really inspirational!
Check it out and sign up…
I also donate to places like the local Humane Society, and some bigger organizations to help with saving animals lives, whether they be homeless pets or wild creatures who are being killed out of extinction. Sometimes it feels like not enough, but I also feel good about donating back to the world in whatever way I can.
How about you? How do you give back?
To me so much of what it comes down to is taking care of myself, first, so I can do my best and most creative work, feel great in my body, know that I look my best, because all of that is empowering. Then I can give back. In my Tribal Bliss on-line course this week, the theme is Empower, and using dance, words, and more to get that power back into ourselves. In my line of work, my purpose is to give you creative folk the tools to be the best dancers you can be, to give you information you may want, to share the wealth of fabulousness out there for us to partake in, so you can be the most fabulousness yourselves! Make your life what you want it to be and pass it around.
One of the offerings I have for you are my Gypsy Caravan Tribal Intensives- Collective Soul and Teacher Training courses, plus my other online courses, are just a few of my offerings to you, with more coming at you this summer and fall. (such a tease!)
What have you told me after one of these courses?
C.L. from the UK, writes to me:
Emotionally, Collective Soul Level One 1 did touch me on a really deep level – I started to see and to feel the true power and connection of tribal and had a hunger – no a need – to explore further. Since then this dance has seen me through so many difficult times. I think that subconsciously I have sought out that depth and power within my own dance relationships and that the sheer level of communication with my tribal sisters does wonders in providing that emotional connection.
Finding Gypsy Caravan really did feel like ‘coming home’ for me. I feel a much greater sense of contentment within my dance; the training really helped me to reflect and focus upon WHY I dance and what I want from it – and upon what to do to develop it further. I felt like I had a much better knowledge of my ‘dance self’.
And yes, I rediscovered the joy in dance!
I love Paulette’s teaching style – she is exacting but supportive (and fun!), breaks things down so well, is so generous with her wealth of knowledge and experience and always encourages you to go just that little bit further than you think you can! I also love the small group nature of the training – it feels like Paulette really starts to understand you as a dancer so that she can really support your development.
Thank you C.L. for sharing those thoughtful and inspired words. Makes me just all tingly…
So new Fall dates for
Collective Soul and Teacher Training Level One in Portland
this year will be October 4th- 8th, 2013
More info coming at you soon about registration…
In the meantime you can read more about these courses and what they will do for you, on this site, here…
http://www.paulettereesdenis.com/soul.php
~~~~~~~~~~~
So back to my fast… I’m on Day 3, and feeling pretty superpowered, yesterday was tough, but I am proud that I did not succumb to food temptations! I worked out, and today I am getting a massage… not a luxury, a necessity for my well being…
Remember, when you feel good, you can change the world, by being the best you can be…
Got some feedback? Doing a fast? How do you take care of yourself? And then, how do you help others?
Power is in the giving! (go ahead and tweet that…)
You can leave comments on my facebook site
https://www.facebook.com/tribalbellydancing
**Oh, and next week I will have guest blogger, Kerrie Blazek!!!! She is a Pleasure Catalyst + Life Strategist
www.KerrieBlazek.com
and thanks for being here…
**If you like this post, pass it on, and make sure to sign up for our monthly enewsletter, Caravan Trails, by clicking subscribe at the top of my website…
March 24, 2013
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Should I stay or Should I go?
Remember the catchy song by the Clash?
I always wanted to run a wine bar, so I did. It was fabulous, it was a money sucker, I closed it. But I loved it, and never worked so hard in my life. And I am glad I did it, and I would do it again, it was an invaluable life road for me, and for Jeff, I taught people about food and wine, how to cook, how to enjoy amazing vegetarian food, how to have a good time. I loved it, and I did it. Move on…next…
Closing my wine bar/veggie cafe, moving, relocating, changing, shifting, losing, gaining…it all was part of me finding my way again, my way back, but really, my way forward…to what I know is my calling in life, my life’s work, my heart and soul and passion, and what I’m freaking good at too…
And that is being the guide, the journey-woman, the tribal hostess…my love of teaching dance, of sharing the love, of passing on the tools and the words needed, the wisdom of the years, the spirit of creativity, the encouragement of yes you can…
here’s that Clash song, in case you want to sing along!
youtube.com/watch?v=sIXLHtg2Btk
My job, my heart’s work is to initiate, to innovate, to inspirate (that is a new word!), to educate, maybe to irritate a little too!
To get you to dive in deep, and dig out deeper, to resuscitate, to enrich, to join up your body with the mind and the spirit with the dance, the soul with the love… to find the words, to pass on the stories, to honor the wise, to relish in the youth, and to just be dang okay with it all, really, to know that we are enough, to know when it is enough, to let go and dance without judgement and glaring self-discrimination–
(as my dancers are experiencing in my new Tribal Bliss online class! (Next session starts June 16th! http://paulettereesdenis.com/item_description.php?IID=158)
What about taking that next step? Delightful Rachelle Mee-Chapman, a spiritual and artful soul at Magpie Girl, writes about going or staying,
“Stay too long past the expiration date — with a person, in a place, amongst a tribe–and dysfunction sets it.”
http://www.magpie-girl.com/20130323/church-of-art-maybe-its-time/
Are you an active participant in your life? Do you go after what you want? Friends? A social life? Tea and Cookies write about taking that First Step!
http://www.teaandcookiesblog.com/2013/03/taking-the-first-step.html
People say to me, quite often, that they want to be Paulette when they grow up! That is an incredible compliment, but…Even women older than me say it… what is it that attracts them to my life? I always laugh and say, now why would you want to have my life?
Because I make it look so charmed. I make my life look easy!
And sometimes it is, because I love what I do, and sometimes it is freakin’ hard. But I go after what I want. I try not to settle for things that aren’t working. I quit things that I don’t need. I give away things I don’t want. I love to pass things on, like costumes, books, stuff that needs to have a new life.
I make changes, a lot. I also make mistakes, lose things that I wish I hadn’t, like some friends, money, time… (actually, you can’t lose time!) but that doesn’t ever stop me from moving forward… Should I stay or should I go?
I love being a creative entrepreneur, I love creating. That is my life’s work, I find so much to share, to learn, to teach. I participate in my life. I skip along, I dig it into the ground, I stop and take a look around, I grab it and run…whatever it takes, to live a full life, I am not a victim, I take full responsibility. If I don’t like something, I don’t blame anyone else, I change it, I participate.
Mastin Kipp talks about the Power of Choice, on the Daily love
http://thedailylove.com/how-to-take-your-power-of-choice-back/
Now it is your turn! You don’t want to be me. You want to be you… who are you? What do you want? What can you go after today? And where do you want to stay? Tomorrow/ next month? Next year? Listen to yourself…
bake cookies for a neighbor
write a real letter
make a phone call
revise that resume
talk a walk
eat slowly
buy that online dance class (!)
write in your journal, write a novel
connect…
And see what you want, take a little baby step, or a giant leap…but do it… life is grand, I’m happy when you are happy, I’m happy when I’m happy, pass it on… makes the whole world a better place!
And let me know!
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday… thanks for being here!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 20, 2013
Healthy Eating: Turn the Music Up, Your Body Knows All the Right Moves
Hey my friends. today I want to introduce you to one my new friends, and a motivated gal who is way into helping you get lean and mean and healthy and even more fabulous than you already are!
Meet Shamra Byrne!
Healthy Eating: Turn the Music Up, Your Body Knows All the Right Moves
You know when you put on your favorite song and your hips just start to move? Or when you’re dancing and your body finds the rhythm of the music without you even having to think? As a dancer, I’m sure you’ve felt it before – that crazy way your mind relaxes as your body takes over.
Dancers are some of the people most in tune with their bodies, the way they feel and move, their curves and contours. They trust their bodies more than most and recognize the supreme intelligence that exists within them. When the music is playing, the body is a temple.
However, once the music stops, many dancers stop honoring their bodies. They eat chemicalized, artificial foods, consume more sugar than their bodies can process, ingest foods that promote an allergenic response, and more. I know I used to! I completely forgot to treat my body as the temple it truly is.
As a dancer, what you do off the dance floor might be even more important than what you do on the dance floor! Your body is your tool. It is the instrument through which you express yourself. If you don’t treat your body well off the dance floor, there is no way it is going to be able to serve you on the dance floor. Eating healthy is critical to improving not only the way your body looks and feels, but also the way it is able to perform.
Just like the way your body knows how to move when you dance, your body also knows what to eat. If you take the time to check in with it before meals, it will tell you exactly how much it wants to eat. When you pay attention to the sensations and feelings you have after a meal, you will gradually begin to learn what energizes your body and what weakens it.
What foods work best for your body depend on your age, unique genetic makeup, taste preferences, ethnic background and more. Although the diet industry might tell you differently, there is no one meal plan that works for everyone. One person might be able to eat more meat than another, require more raw foods or not respond well to nightshades while a second person will have a completely different response.
Nonetheless, figuring out what foods energize and strengthen your body is not difficult. In fact, people such as dancers who are highly attuned to their body’s sensations are in the perfect position to begin exploring which foods are healthy for them. This is because they are already highly aware of what their bodies need to function at their best.
Regardless of what you are currently eating, where your weight is or the current state of your health, you can begin tuning into your body and asking her what she needs today. Have no doubt, once you start opening space for her to speak with you, she will, loud and clear!
As a springboard for you to start from, I would suggest dedicating most of your plate to unprocessed, whole foods. Here are my favorites:
Fresh fruits and veggies. Vegetables are just like a best friend. Seriously. Just like my ladies help lift me up when I’m feeling down, tell me I’m beautiful and make me feel sexy, eating vegetables as the bulk of my meals make me feel happier, lighter, and more attractive. They give you that beautiful beta-carotene glow, improve your complexion, bring light and clearness to your eyes, and so much more. Fruits are similar. We don’t hang out as often – mostly because my body tells me it doesn’t like too much sugar – but we still enjoy getting together every now and then.
Healthy fats. Coconut oil, ghee, olive oil, fish oil, avocado, and other healthy fats are the sexy-makers in my life. They keep my skin dewey, my hair shiny, and my mood uplifted. Don’t be afraid to eat healthy fats! It is a misconception that fat makes you fat. In fact, you must eat fat to lose fat.
Pastured or grass fed meats. Growing up on a ranch in South Dakota, I don’t think I would ever be able to give up my carnivorous ways. And that’s ok. Meat has gotten a bad rap lately, but if you can find the right meat, it’s actually good for you. I would recommend looking for organic and pastured or grass-fed meats. This means that the animal was fed its natural diet, allowed to roam around in the open, was not given hormones or antibiotics, and lived the stress-free life it was supposed to live.
Whole grains. Low-carb diets are all the rage right now, but the truth is, our bodies were designed to function with glucose (produced from carbs) as a fuel source. Where we need to be careful is the fact that most people equate carbohydrates with wheat and wheat produces a highly allergenic response in many people due to a protein known as gluten which is notoriously hard to digest. Instead of wheat, choose grains like millet, brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, and oats.
Legumes, nuts and seeds. Legumes, nuts and seeds also get some appreciation. These aren’t foods I eat frequently, mainly because there are other foods that are more energizing for my body, but they are still wonderful sources of nutrition.
Try experimenting with these foods and see how your body responds when you eat them. Turn the figurative music up in your meals, listen to your body, and let her tell you how to move. Your eating habits are a dance, perhaps a new one where you’re still learning the choreography, but nonetheless, once you get settled in the rhythm, you will move effortlessly through all the shakes and shimmies.
Shamra Byrne is a weight loss + emotional eating expert and founder of
Natural Nutrition Health Coaching in Portland, Oregon. She encourages
women to take an honest, heart-driven approach to health and weight
loss which allows them to have a more tangible, messy, and free
relationship with their bodies and their lives. By helping women
awaken the inherent wisdom of their bodies, they are able to release
deeply ingrained emotional eating habits and excess weight without
dieting, deprivation, or giving up chocolate.
https://www.facebook.com/femininepowerhealth
Thanks Shamra, for visiting us today… great info… any you my friends, comment on Facebook here
https://www.facebook.com/tribalbellydancing
or email me at dance@gypsycaravan.us
Thanks for being here…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 18, 2013
Hey my amazing blog readers, a question for you!
Good Monday to you!
You all know how much I love to write and network and share juicy tidbits and stories with you, the Tribal Hostess that I am! I am working on many new projects for the upcoming months (can’t wait to share!), and get some things updated and rockin’ even more on my website (here), the monthly enewsletter (Caravan Trails-and you can subscribe at the top of the website, with our new fab guest editor-Deirdre MacDonald Clitheroe), and this here weekly blog, Taking Tribal Global, for you…hoping to make navigation a bit easier around the website.
But mostly, I really want to know what you want!
What would you like to read about? What burning questions do you have for me–about Tribal Bellydance, my online classes, my Tribal Certification intensives-Collective Soul and Teacher Training, Gypsy Caravan and my workshops with my instructors, my Dance Coaching, Writing for Dancers, or WHAT?
Email me you questions and thoughts about what you would like me to write about for you. I would love that!
I want to feature more guest bloggers for you, and I’ve got a great guest this Wednesday, a nutrition coach-Shamra Byrne, to share some pearls of wisdom for you! And I’ve got several more glorious women entrpreneurs lined up to write some posts for you too.. How about you? Any of you want to be a featured guest blogger?
Please email me, dance@gypsycaravan.us, don’t be shy! We would love to network and share the wealth of information and experiences that come from dancing, wellness, and life!
One of the main problems I’m having with this blog, is that you can’t leave a comment here. Why? Because I was getting over 200 spam comments every day, yes every day. And it about made me jump off a bridge, trying to find your goodness amongst the spam. So I had to end that. And now I’m looking for a solution. Your voice is important to me, and I love to hear your reactions and comments…Hoping I can get that fixed in the next few days. Meanwhile, you can respond back on my Facebook site!
https://www.facebook.com/tribalbellydancing
or email me at dance@gypsycaravan.us
Alright, you enjoy your day, and I’m back to the drawing board with my green smoothie, before the morning workout!
Many thanks for being here, and let me know what you want!
loves….
and I took these photos of the amazing jellyfish at an Aquarium in Mexico… aren’t they just beautiful?
March 17, 2013
Sunday Dance to Word-Authenticity, Tribal Bliss, and Guest Blogger, Shamra Byrne
Sunday Dance to Word-Authenticity
What does being Authentic mean to you? It’s a big word going around a lot these days, and for good reason.
I enjoy looking up words on line… words are fun to play with… Here are a few examples for the word Authentic, or authenticity.
Wiikipedia:
Authenticity refers to the truthfulness of origins, attributions, commitments, sincerity, devotion, and intentions.
Miriam-Webster:
not false or imitation : real, actual
worthy of acceptance
true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character
Thesarus.com
Definition:
real, genuine
Synonyms:
accurate, actual, authoritative, bona fide, certain, convincing, credible, creditable, dependable, factual, faithful, for real, legit, legitimate, official, original, pure, reliable, sure, true, trustworthy, trusty, twenty-four carat, valid, veritable
Notes:
genuine means not fake or counterfeit – or sincerely felt or expressed, while authentic means conforming to fact and therefore worthy of belief and trust
In much the same way as I call Tribal bellydance organic, being authentic feels to me to be organic, finding my true nature from inside, with out the aid of outside input! It feels good, natural, true.
When I am being authentic, I can move with trust, intention, mindfulness. I feel connected, with my inner being as well as my physical body. I don’t need to judge myself, nor do I need to put limitations on myself, if I trust myself. Autonomy…there’s another good word (maybe next week!).
How do you feel authentic? What makes you you? Come on, peeps, give it up…journal a bit, write about it, and share it with me… send me an email, (dance@gypstcaravan.us) and I would love to share what you write here on my blot…
**********
couple of notes! YES, you can still sign up for
Tribal Bliss, A Dance and Vision Online course
a movement journey …
With Paulette Rees-Denis and Lynea Gillen…
Register all week, you won’t miss out…
I’m so excited that many of you are signing up for my E-course, Tribal Bliss–Dance and Vision! We’ve got an amazing group ready to roll today… plus we’ve added a private Facebook group page so you all can do the work together and network… I am the Tribal Hostess, afteralll!
And Thank you in advance for your adventurous body, heart, and soul! woo hoo…
What is Tribal Bliss?
A four week e-course, starting SUNDAY, March 17, 2013!
to read more about it and to register go:
http://paulettereesdenis.com/item_description.php?IID=158
This is a course for you if you want to dance, write, sparkle, move, stretch, shake it out, write again, shine, dig in, breathe, create, and move some more…
Let’s power it up!
~~~~~~~~AND This week I feature our guest Nutrition Coach, Shamra Byrne!
Shamra Byrne is a weight loss + emotional eating expert and founder of
Natural Nutrition Health Coaching in Portland, Oregon. She encourages
women to take an honest, heart-driven approach to health and weight
loss which allows them to have a more tangible, messy, and free
relationship with their bodies and their lives. By helping women
awaken the inherent wisdom of their bodies, they are able to release
deeply ingrained emotional eating habits and excess weight without
dieting, deprivation, or giving up chocolate.
~~~~~~~~~She’ll be coming at you Wednesday!
Thanks for being here, enjoy your word, your writing, and your sweet self!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 15, 2013
Friday What I’m Loving
What feeds your soul? What kicks you up when you are feeling lethargic, low, downtrodden? What do you do when you feel alone, maybe even having a solo pity party? I’ve been there, often, and it takes a push sometimes, to get me back up. Although, it is not always a bad place to be, you know.
To be blue, down, tired, means time to take care, or way more care of myself. It means time to pay attention and see what is going on. It could mean something as simple as time for a nap, or something drastic like time to quit that dang job that is pulling you down and making you break out in a rash.
Last week I spent the day with girlfriends, having a spa day, complete with foot soak, facial, steamy fabulous saunas and a massage, along with lots of girl talk and laughs and time to let things go. Plus a night out hearing great music always helps. Now that was rejuvenating! and deliciously decadent…
Other things get me going… being outside is way on top of my list…I really miss my farm for that being out in the country time. My land was so sacred and quiet and peaceful and beautiful…still breaks my heart to not be there, but now, I take my dogs for walks everyday, and with spring time coming, gardening feeds me too—getting down and dirty! It is necessary to know what feeds one’s soul, one’s body, one’s mind, and I give myself a daily dose, or at least I give it a good try! Dance and movement, oh yea… reading and writing… uh huh… meditation and singing…and connection, either with loved ones, or myself…
how about you?
People rock my world, and now that I am in Marie Forleo’s B-School, holy crap, I am surrounded by the most brilliant and amazing entrepreneurs, creating the juiciest life’s for themsleves and for all those that they touch…talk about feeding one’s soul!
and here are a few others for you to check out…
~~~~Amanda Palmer: the art of asking…on TED, she blows me away…
http://www.ted.com/talks/amanda_palmer_the_art_of_asking.html
~~~~Poem for the World
http://www.peacelovefree.com/2013/03/11/poem-for-the-world/
by Jeanette LeBlanc…
~~~~My new all encompassing body, mind, and soul journey that I’m writing to share with you this summer…ohhhh so anxious to share!
~~~~
In my dancing sister Karen’s side yard!
~~~~
This site!
http://www.abeautifulmess.com/
they are delightful sisters and have lots to share!~~~
Tribal Bliss, A Dance and Vision Online course
a movement journey …
With Paulette Rees-Denis and Lynea Gillen…
A four week e-course, starting the SUNDAY, March 17, 2013!
I’m so excited that many of you are signing up for my E-course, Tribal Bliss–Dance and Vision! Making my work so much fun and making me so happy to be able to share this with you…
Thank you for your adventurous body, heart, and soul!
…Starts this Sunday, March 17th!
Tribal Bliss, A Dance and Vision Online course
a movement journey …
With Paulette Rees-Denis and Lynea Gillen…
A four week e-course, starting the SUNDAY, March 17, 2013!
to register go to
http://paulettereesdenis.com/item_description.php?IID=158
This is a course for you if you want to dance, write, sparkle, move, stretch, shake it out, write again, shine, dig in, breathe, create, and move some more…
~~~~and with that… go feed yourself, something, anything that makes you be the remarkable person that you are… and pass the love sauce…
Thanks for being here…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 11, 2013
passion…
**When you watch an old Johnny Cash TV show rerun, and you weep because of his compassionate humanness or the caliber of his not yet famous guests….
*When you sobbed watching 4 men sing another man’s song on stage, touched by each one’s passion and reverence for another man’s talents…
Loretta, by Townes Van Zandt: John Prine, Elvis Costello, Lyle Lovett, Ray LaMontagne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vbdg4NxvRU
*When you watch a young music star (Beck) cover a music hero’s song (David Bowie) with brilliance and belief in the power of song and creativity and everyone’s got something to share from the heart…
*When you go to the most amazing concert of your life, and scream with aliveness all the way through…
(Dwight Yoakum or Lyle Lovett or …)
*When you are touched by the desire of your students, and their growth and abilities, because they go after what they want, and you can help guide…and they step it up and reach for the stars…
* when you see a dance performance that rips your heart out…
*you read a book that makes you do flips in the street (Anais Nin’s Diairies or Henry Miller’s The Rosy Crucifixion, a trilogy consisting of Sexus, Plexus, and Nexus)
* you eat a meal that has your senses working overtime with orgasmic revelations in the power of taste…
* you saw the most outstanding architecture in a foreign city…
* you girlfriend got her Master’s Degree
* your boyfriend quit his job to pursue his writing
*you shockingly had the best sex you’ve ever had
* you see someone speak from their heart…Brene Brown on TED
http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html
or Elizabeth Gilbert on your elusive creative genius
http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html
*or what about that piece YOU wrote, or that dance YOU did, or that song YOU sang…how freaking cool is that?
What is that?
You reached in and felt it, you got it, you saw it, you acknowledged it, you supported it, you chased it, you want it, you can have it, you deserve it, you can create it, you own it…what is it?
Passion…
what is yours?
share it with me…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
and speaking about passion…I am excited to share my space here, coming up next week, with Shamra Byrnes, as my guest blogger, who is over the top excited about the nutrional health coaching work she is doing, and she is delighted to share some insights with you dancers. To see her in action is healing of itself!
Shamra Byrne is a weight loss + emotional eating expert and founder of Natural Nutrition Health Coaching in Portland, Oregon. She encourages women to take an honest, heart-driven approach to health and weight loss which allows them to have a more tangible, messy, and free relationship with their bodies and their lives. By helping women awaken the inherent wisdom of their bodies, they are able to release deeply ingrained emotional eating habits and excess weight without
dieting, deprivation, or giving up chocolate.
https://www.facebook.com/femininepowerhealth
March 10, 2013
Dance to Word-an adventure for you…
For months, images and words have danced in my head. From my body to the page, from my over zealous and usually overthinking brain, they swirl into and through my body, and work themselves out through my fingers, either through a delicious sparkly pen onto my journal of the day pages, or the little square buttons for the computer screen notebook.
Mostly my dance is now done alone, in my home, as I don’t have weekly classes anymore, having taken the traveling road so often a consistent homefront class is not viable, my choice. So I either dance around the kitchen while cooking, or workout in my office, letting the juices flow when my muse inspires me. My thoughts run wild with me after doing my yoga, Zumba, Ripped, classes at the gym. Movement is the catalyst. The always-feel-good-when-I’m-done thing that keeps me in shape and inspired.
Is that why we dance? One of the main reasons for sure. Because it just fucking feels great! And keeps me clear, body, mind and spirit. You?
Did you see the YouTube video of the 88 year old woman and her dance! Ha…watch til the end. It is a great giggle….I am right there with her. You can watch it on my FB page. Just scroll down until you see her! worth a look see… https://www.facebook.com/tribalbellydancing
**Want to take an advneture? How about today, you create a different playlist of music, all kinds of music, that you love to dance to–45 minutes worth….mix it up, with or without vocals, slow, fast, what ever moves you and your spirit. But something you don’t normally use.
And then dance alone, in your home or your studio, or out in the woods! Have a blast, dance like noone is watching, have at it. Then sit down with your journal and write for 30 minutes or however long works for you, on how you feel after dancing, and whatever comes to your glorious self Really!
Try it… Then let me know…
~~~~~~~~~~~and if you loved that, then you are going to love my new E-Course
A four week e-course, coming to you March 17th! Registration opens up on Wednesday, March 14th...
Tribal Bliss — Dance and Vision … a movement journey With Paulette Rees-Denis and Lynea Gillen…
A four week e-course, using your body, your mind, and your spirit!
starting March 17, 2013! Every Sunday for four weeks, you get us in your inbox!
**Registration opens up on Wednesday, March 14th...
http://paulettereesdenis.com/item_description.php?IID=158
**to read more about it go here http://www.paulettereesdenis.com/events.php
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
**Thanks for being here, and enjoy your Sunday…I’m off to my Accountability Group Gathering, to work on all those dreams and visions I’ve got coming up for you… (tease….)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 28, 2013
my article from, From The Hip Magazine…
Teaching, Dancing, and Entrepreneurship!
Some say I am a creative entrepreneur, others call it a lifestyle entrepreneur. I consider myself a possibilitarian. No matter, I have worked for myself in many forms for the past 30 + years—managing myself in my younger San Francisco days as a photographer, as a musician in rock bands, a masseuse; to the Portland nights of directing an award winning dance troupe (Gypsy Caravan Dance Company), running a dance studio and the Tribal Quest festival, developing a Tribal Bellydance Certification program, touring the world as a teacher and performer, and author of Tribal Vision: A Celebration of Life Through Tribal Belly Dance. Whew…I could add crazy obsessive stuff to that list—tarot reader, goat farmer, a vegetarian wine bar owner, and a guitar strumming glamper on the side—because love to experience what the world has to offer, and what I have to offer back.
I have several degrees—Associate’s in Business and Promotion, Bachelor’s in Photography, Master’s in Writing and Publishing, with several other outrageous credentials thrown in. All of those passions and papers have come in incredibly useful.
The point is, besides all the business stuff, I had to and wanted to, and still do want, to be an artist—a creative soul, to give, to share, to be of service, to spread the love. No one else could do it for me.
What can I tell you about running a dance business? I will ask you, “What do you REALLY want to do? Dance, teach, perform? And why? For yourself? For others? What does it do for you? How does it make you feel?”
I am the first to say, cliché as it may be, follow your gut and your dreams. Be your own artist, create something unique and individual, learn how to be that creative soul, to reach into your core and follow your spark. Be vibrant.
It takes trust. Take time to journal about it, research, study, answer your questions, make picture boards, write your goals, you still need to listen to your heart. Then dive in with gusto when you find what you really want.
It is easy to get caught up in the moment, in the desires of those around you. Are you a leader or a follower? We need followers, just as much as we need leaders—we all complete the circle. You can define your role, your strengths and weaknesses, your deepest and truest desires. If a follower you are, then honor it, take pride in it and step it up. Be a dreamer, and follow your course.
Are you a leader? To run a dance business, an to be a maker, a dancer, you have to have a fire, to learn how, to keep it going, to be authentic and real. Mostly, and simply, it has to make you happy. Yes, happy, down to your toes.
Profitable is a good thing too if you need to make a living from it. You don’t really want to continue if it doesn’t make you happy, pay the bills, feel fulfilled, well nourished, and creative. Do you?
I have run through the entire processes of being super fiery to intense burnout, rich with rewards, then monetarily busted. I have been incredibly lonely, astoundingly loved, heart broken, mistake-ridden, and creatively on top of the world. I have found happiness, and also lost it.
With age and practice, and out of desperation and need, I have come to a place of major self-care, meditation, and re-passioned, learning even more about my own desires, and finally, what I can do to be of service. It is not all about me. It is about what I have to offer, to share, to give. This is rich happiness.
You must want it to run with it all, to weather all the storms, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. To honor the time to listen to your heart and soul, as well as acknowledge those around you, who are there to support you, or in some cases, maybe not.
Because to continue to create and run your own business takes personal guts, the ability and the need to do it on your own, to be able to learn how, then have the time to commit, with the sincerest passion to follow only your own footsteps and be the best you can be. You and your dreams are worth it.
There are now so many ways to get guidance, perhaps, from a guru of sorts, someone who will guide you how to be your own artist. In my early creatively formative years, I did not have Internet access, the ability to acquire so much great wisdom that is accessible today. I happily forged my own path with gusto.
I love where my adventures have taken me, the roads I have traveled, the brilliant people I have met. I am still rewarded daily from so many of you. I am incredibly proud of my work, and still humbled by the gates it has opened. But even more so, I am awed by the dancers and artists who have studied with me, stayed with me, or moved on, and the paths they have forged. There is nothing short of a mother’s pride that lies there. That continues to feed my soul and heart. That so rocks my world.
And that is why I continue to do what I do, through the changes, the highs and lows, the gains and losses.
I encourage you to be true, to dance from your heart, to feel the beauty of your art, find out what you have to give. You make our world exciting and glittery and full of wonder, and a better place to live in.
Tell me what you do…send me a message or answer on facebook… and thanks for being here…
Paulette Rees-Denis, the innovator of Tribal Style Bellydance, is an internationally acclaimed teacher and performer, with Gypsy Caravan Dance Company. She gives private coaching sessions and classes; blogs about dance, art, and life; loves wine, glamping, and guitar strumming; and follows her heart around the world.
and Stephanie Sandmeyer, the owner of the mag, says…
If you’ve been meaning to check out the newest issue, it is available for $10, or you can purchase a subscription for only $35 and receive a complimentary copy of the Fall issue plus a discount to News from the Hip showcases! http://www.newsfromthehip.com/subscribe.html
February 27, 2013
Tribal Bliss, coming March 17th!
Registration starts March 14th, save the dates!
Tribal Bliss — Dance and Vision
… a movement journey
With Paulette Rees-Denis and Lynea Gillen…
A four week e-course, starting March 17, 2013! Every Sunday for four weeks, you get us in your inbox!
Tribal Dance Vision—Dance And Vision…
Oh yeah! We are so excited to share this, finally able to take it out of our dance studio and pass it on through the internet to you.
This is a course for you if you want to dance, write, sparkle, move, stretch, shake it out, write again, shine, dig in, breathe, create, and move some more…
We want you to feel delicious in your body, to be vibrant and healthy and full of vitality. To have some time for yourself, to lavish yourself with empowerment, to experiment with your dance, to feel blissful in your body and to release your mind, soul, and body! By combining our backgrounds of Tribal Bellydance, African Dance, writing, yoga, healing, therapy, trance and meditation, we bring you this new course, first time online, to play with and enjoy over the next four weeks, and to continue on your journey, wherever that leads you. We have taught these ideas separately and together over the past 25 years, and we both just love teaching together. We have seen the need for this type of combined movement and writing classes as we have ventured on the path, the desire to get out of our head and into our bodies more, to write and move and enjoy and release—tension, aches, thoughts, emotions, whatever you need to let go of- then invite in desires and dreams, and to purely enjoy your body and the way you feel like moving.
Lynea and Paulette’s newest collaboration, Tribal Bliss—Dance and Vision, has attracted quite a following. Combining their creative and playful teaching styles, they open students’ hips and hearts with traditional yoga poses and dancing warmups, then, with the support of infectious dance music, take them on a joyful exploration. As one of their student’s states, ”This class is the most fun I have had since dancing in the living room as a teenager!”
What you get with this course is a downloadable set of worksheets in PDF formats, weekly writing exercises and body prompts, some short video clips of dance and yoga warmups, MP3s of songs, meditations and visualizations, and direction from both of us on the theme of the week. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?
What you need to have at the ready is your journal and some favorite writing utensils- pens, colored pencils, crayons, etc; your computer, a timer/alarm clock, preferably a private space to dance, stretch, and move, a quiet space to meditate, and some time to dedicate to your practice. This time could be 15 minutes a day, or a few times a week, your choice.
For these four weeks we will dance
with the ideas of:
Bliss
Empower
Sooth
Wish
What do you think? You ready for a movement journey? We would love you to join us.
Sign up starts March 14th, so be ready as the course starts on the March 17th!
Cost of this course is just $48.00. Yes, you read right! Four weeks with all of that goodness, since this is the first time we are offering it. The price will raise a bit as we continue…
Watch this space for when it is time to sign up! will let you know… just save the dates …
Please include your name and email address. We will email you back a confirmation, and then will email you on the first day with you work for week one. We will include some music downloads, but you may want to peruse your personal collection and purchase other songs to dance to. We will also include a recommendation list of music and books, blogs, website, etc. for you to check out at your leisure.
Alrighty then… get yourself registered and we will see you online.
~~~~~~~~~~~
A bit more info about us!
Paulette Rees-Denis is the innovator and instigator of Tribal Bellydance. She has been teaching this Gypsy Caravan style of dance for 25 years with performance and workshops around the globe. Tribal Vision: A Celebration of Life Through Tribal Belly Dance, her book, was released in 2008. She received her Master’s in Writing and Publishing as a 50th birthday wish to herself, in 2007. With her knowledge of dance, writing, and the body, she brings a sense of laughing joy, creative passion and that burning fire of aliveness to her dance and her teachings… www.paulettereesdenis.com
Lynea Gillen is a lifelong educator dedicated to the development of human spirit. Her dance passion started as a young girl when she created fairy dances under an ancient maple tree in her back yard. She has over 30 years of dance training in modern, jazz, African dance and Belly dance. She has studied yoga for over 30 years and has been teaching for 15 years. She brings a holistic, lyrical and compassionate touch to her yoga and dance teaching.
go to Vimeo to watch some of Paulette and Gypsy Caravan’s Talking Tribal Vlogs with Paulette and Lynea:
