Raks Habibi UK Belly Dance

2011

A belated Happy New Year! Isn't January flying by???

I've been trying to fix my links page which (I had been reliably informed) as the links were not working. Having been extensively tested, they should be working now, it only took 1 hour to figure out what i've done wrong. It turned out it was very very very simple,seriously I shouldn't be allowed near technology!!

I digress...................

I believe that I last updated this blog in August?? I must admit that I'm incredibly lazy when it comes writing this and I have been tremendously busy!

Ashburnham was fantastic!! All the ladies were amazing and I was so so proud of them all.... They danced beautifully. We have a number performances in 2011 that we are looking forward to. Especially at Christmas time, where we shall be performing in the fabulous Sea Gypsies Christmas Show!!

Classes also started again on January 10th and boy was it good to get back dancing after the Christmas excesses!!! I have been teaching additional private classes over the winter months which has been a lot of fun.

I also auditioned for (and was accepted on!!) master teachers Hossam and Serena Ramzy's 'Advanced Dancers' Course. I started this month and for which I am currently learning to read and to truly listen to music, I have been working on the homework assignments set for the last couple of weeks (even as I type this I'm working on them, thank God that I'm woman and can multitask!!!). It is such an honour to be studying with Hossam and Serena!! So, it's all very exciting....

I'm also looking forward the the 'Dance Queens of the Nile' show at the Bloomsbury theatre, London on the 5th Feb. The wonderful Galit Mersand will also be bringing her Bellylicious show on a UK tour!! I very much hope to see this :)

I had some sad times as well, I lost my beloved cat Murphy in November. He had had liver disease for seven years and had very bravely fought it for a long time. We all miss the GInger Ninja and it's very odd without him.

Overall, though I think 2011 I going to be a fantastic year and I hope it is for you too!

Much Love

Sara xx

A Year??? Time flies...

I can't believe that it's been nearly a year since I last blogged properly :S I've been trés busy and generally trying to keep out of trouble!

I'm absolutely delighted as we are going to be performing at the Brownbread Horse Sanctuary, Ashburnham on the 12th September. Raks Habibi will be performing two dances - A very spectacular veil dance and a more traditional dance. I shall also be performing a solo or two! It will be a fabulous day out. If you come along and come say Hi if you see us....

Raks Habibi continues to grow in strength and numbers, we have seen a lot of new faces (a very warm welcome to all). Our next dance that we shall be working on is a 'Bay City Shimmy' by Phil Thornton. It's a fantastic tribal number and a looks to be quite fun and we shall then be working on our first full 'Belly Burlesque' number! I'm very excited about this as give me a chance to unleash my naughty side and do a risqué choreography. I'm torn between two songs at the moment, I just can't decide but will keep you posted when I do.

We also have a photo shoot lined up thanks to the lovely Elloise. It will take place in the next few months which gives some of us (i.e. me) time to lose some pounds!

Lastly,

I've decided to stop using the mahirimah@rakshabibi.co.uk email address as I get far to much SPAM and people have been sending emails to that address and I have not been getting them. If you wish to contact us please email;

mail@rakshabibi.co.uk or saraimoon28@yahoo.co.uk

I've also now put my mobile number on the website. However, i'm in the middle of changing over phones (I now have a whizzy iphone 4 !!!) and i'm having trouble accessing my messages. This should be resolved by next week.

I hope you all have a wonderful week and bank holiday.

Sara xxx

CLASS CANCELLATION

Due to the bad weather conditions this Mondays class (11th Jan) has been cancelled. We will re-start 18th Jan weather permitting.

Mxx

Ps HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The one in which I'm now a very happily married woman

And, dear reader, I married him. Not Mr Darcy (for all those lost in Austen) but Mr Stokes, my partner in crime for 13 odd years and the love of my life. It was a fantastic and beautiful day, much enjoyed by everyone. We went on honeymoon to Turkey and I even belly danced on a boat in the middle of the Aegean!!

As you can imagine I have been a bit busy planning the wedding and settling to married life. I also have a promotion in my day job and have been handling the implementation of a entirely new computer system and new practices. So I have been very quiet on here.

The classes are going from strength to strength and I am having the best time teaching. I'm off to a fab workshop soon and have numerous performances coming up, which is something to look forward too :)

I still have photos to upload on here (I'm a cancerian, it takes us a while to do anything!) and I promise I will.

Anyway, I've got to go as the computer is about to run out of power!

Mxxx

Congratulations Aya!!!

Just a quick blog to congratulate Raks Habibi's Aya and her fiance Ihab on their forthcoming wedding this week! Mabruk to you both and on behalf of all the ladies, May I wish you very long and happy life together : )

Mahirimah xxx

Ps I now have a beautiful sparkly brand new courtesy of Mayaan from www.brightonorient.com.....photo's coming soon!

We've gone green!

I really have to apologise, I have been very lapse in updating the website and blog recently..... I blame organizing my August wedding , being promoted at work, teaching private lessons + workshops and I have been concentrating on teaching my wonderful ladies! Yes I'm a multi-tasker (you truly would not guess what I do outside the belly dancing world!).

You may have noticed that the website is slightly different.

It's summer, very nearly my birthday and I fancied a bit of a change...... so we've gone green!

Galit Mersand's workshop at the end of April was fabulous. I throughly enjoyed every minute of it and learnt an awful lot. I have also been dancing at my favourite event, the Brownbread Horse Sanctuary Open day, Where I met my old friends the Iceni. It was wonderful to see the ladies again.

The Raks Habibi ladies are currently working on a beautiful and sassy veil dance. We will be working on a tribal number next.

Which reminds me.......

Phil Thornton has a fantastic tribal album out called Nexus Tribal. I can't recommend it highly enough it is fantastic. I also found out what a small world it is as Phil is the uncle of a old school friend of mine.... I never knew!

You can buy the CD from Jenny at Whitewaves Crafts in Sackville Rd, Bexhill or from Phil's website. I have put a link on the 'Links' page.

Jenny can also order some rather nice tribally bits as well!

I think that's it at the moment........... apart from my friend Kerri and I are taking part in the Race for Life next week, so wish us luck!

Mahirimah xxx

At last Spring is Here!

At last after the dull, cold months of winter; spring is finally here!! A time of renewal and rebirth as we emerge from the darkness. This is quite profound for me so i'll quit while i'm ahead. As you can probably tell i'm a little bit full of the joys of the season!

I had a wonderful time at Hossam and Serena Ramzy's workshop in London on the 4th of April. Six hours of dancing! We learnt a lovely choreography to the song 'Ohlulu'. I'm looking forward to the next workshop in London at the end of the month with the fabulous Galit Mersand.

The class is having a Easter break but will be back with a new choreography the week after. We will be moving into the larger 'Cotton Room' from next week. I have to say what fun it is too teach you all. I really do enjoy seeing you progress each week!

I have some very exciting news as well...... I'm getting married! We are in the planning stages at the moment but hope for it to be this year. Plus in summer it will be a big birthday for me, I shall be 30... eeek. I'm not sure wether to be depressed or not!

Happy Easter

Mahirimah xx

March!

Hello and welcome to the March entry for bibi blog!

Firstly, I would like to apologise for the lack of updates.

It's been a busy time for me recently and there are grand plans afoot for the Summer....... more of that in a later blog.

We have now settled into our new venue at St Peter's. A big welcome to all the new ladies who have joined us!

I have been fortunate enough to go to two excellent workshops recently. In January I attended Amira Mor's two hour workshop and in Feb I went to the wonderful Galit Mersand's 'Magic of the Tabla' with live drumming from Tim Garside. Both workshops were very good fun and very informative.

It doesn't stop there... I'm off to Galit's 'Butterfly Effect' veil workshop next week and to a Hossam and Serena Ramzy workshop in April - both of which i am very much looking forward to. I am also working on new choreographies for class!

Finally - Herstmonceux Hafla is taking place this saturday in Herstmonceux Village Hall. Starting from 7pm. Unfortunately, i am unable to attend but I would like to wish every one good luck - especially Karen and all the ladies!

Mahirimah x

I'm taking part in the 'Race for Life' event in Hastings in June. It's a fantastic event to raise money for Cancer Research UK. If you would like to sponsor me please visit

http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/saraplatten

Thank you!!

Cancelled class and new Venue!!!!

Hi y'all

I'm really sorry but I've had to cancel tonight's class due to the snow.

I am really concerned with everyone's safety getting to class. Having skidded my car today only going 5mph and also nearly slipping over several times, I feel it is better to be safe than sorry.

Class will resume next week, same date and time BUT a new venue!!!

It is a lovely new venue, The Bell Room, St Peters Community Centre, Church Street, Old Town, Bexhill. It is opposite St Peters and St Pauls Church. The best place to park is in the Manor Barn Car park and then walk towards the Old Bell pub and up towards the church.

I would just like to say a massive thank you to the Conservative Club for housing us for the last year and a bit.

Mahirimah x

Happy New Year!

Aloha!

Raks Habibi are back for the new term (classes started today). I hope you all had a wonderful Xmas and New Year and have not eaten too many chocs like me.......

I would also just like to thank everyone who has taken the time to look at the New Website and has given me feedback on it. Thanks especially Janet, Nikki, Sam, Jan, Kerri and Em.
I am adding to it bit by bit and I promise I will get some new pictures up soon!

If you are a member of Raks Habibi, there is a little page especially for you XX

Belly Dance News

The lovely Alison of the Sea Gypsies belly dance is hosting a two hour workshop with the world class belly dancer Amira Mor on 31/01/09, at the Hailsham Dance Studio. The workhop runs from 1pm-3pm and costs £25.

Places are limited so please contact alison.amehar@tiscali.co.uk a.s.a.p to book your place or for more information.

Mahirimah X

Welcome to the new and improved Raks Habibi UK website

Welcome to the new and improved website for Raks Habibi UK!

Having decided that the site needed a bit of updating and after having a few problems with uploading the old site, i've been sitting at the PC working away for a couple of months and here is the result.

We have a few new gadgety things going on here including;

Guest Book, Blog, Contact form, Mailing list and more...................

(I had to to resist the temptation to put in a forum!)

Please feel free to leave us a message in the Guest Book page telling us what you think of the new layout and design. Personally, I'm rather proud of it as I think it looks fab plus it has the added bonus of giving me yet another place to blog! Please bare with us as some pages are still being worked on.

I will try to keep you abreast of the Belly Dance events across 1066 County and any Raks Habibi UK happenings.

Happy Dancing!

Mahirimah x

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