Fall/Winter season 2016-2017 - A thank you post.

I would like to say a heartfelt 'thank you' to all the the lovely hosts/hostesses, instructors, dance friends, taekwondoins and co-teachers/performers I have been lucky enough to dance/train/work with during the past fall and winter season.

Huge hugs and gratitude also to all participants of the events/workshops and shows I was part of/participated in and/or danced/taught at, I am immensely thankful for your continuing support.

Thank you <3

Below are a few pictures of the past fall/winter 2016-2017 events. I had a lovely time at each of these dance (and martial arts!) occasions, and I am looking forward very much to making more good memories at future and upcoming ones.

Enjoy!

October 2016 - Jewel of Yorkshire Festival in Saltaire, UK
http://khalidadance.blogspot.de/2016/10/jewel-of-yorkshire-festival-thank-you-uk.html

Airport arrivals - with Marta Korzun, Queenie and myself

I think this was the footwork workshop?

Veil work workshop

Pops, Locks, Shimmies, and Undulations

Fancy Feet!

October 2016 - Euro Mulimpia in Cologne, DE
www.mulimpia.eu

The first edition of Euro Mulimpia in Cologne, DE

Honoured to be part of Sportschule Chae's Demo Team!

Master Seun-Eung Chae and our amazing TKD teammates <3

October 2016 - Workshop and Masterclass for Al-Nilam Bellydance in Breda, NL
www.alnilamoriental.wordpress.com

Workshop 'Raqs Sharki123' and Choreo Masterclass in Breda

October 2016 - Celebrating Dance Festival in Torquay, UK
http://khalidadance.blogspot.de/2016/11/celebrating-dance-2016-thank-you.html

Workshop group piccies at Celebrating Dance

with John and Afra <3

Roomie Sophie Armoza, getting ready for the show :)

Bae, my traveling bear friend <3

November 2016 - Ana's Oriental Night Out in Eindhoven, NL
www.anadanst.nl

A princess dressing room. So. Much. Pink!

Veil workshop ladies

Top team! Posing with Rachid, Maya and Ana after the show

Video's of my performances at Ana's event:

January 2017 - Technique Training Workshop in Laurensberg, DE
www.gruen-weiss-aachen.de

Dancing with the GW ladies - Always a pleasure!

 
January 2017 - Workshop Weekend in Holbaek, DK
www.holbaek-mavedans.dk

The lovely Anna Barner Sarp <3

Holbaek Workshops Weekend, Denmark

January 2017 - Open day at Ballettschule Renoldi in Aachen, DE
www.ballettschule-renoldi.de

BD, Ballet, and Modern/Jazz - My 3 dance passions <3

January 2017 - Live (Tabla) Music Immersion Day with Guy Schalom in Würselen, DE
www.khalidadance.com/livemusic

Mr Guy Schalom in action :) Embodiment of the rhythms.

Group pictures, all the thumbs up for LTMIDwGS!

February 2017 - DVD recording session at Sandra van Frankfoort's beautiful studio in Stein, NL

Miss Sandra in Taiji-Mode: She'll be teaching at Movespiration!

February 2017 - Elis Pinheiro at Ana Danst in Eindhoven, NL
www.anadanst.nl

With lovely Elis, Sylenna and Ana in Eindhoven, NL

Whew :) So that's a wrap-up of a lovely and varied dance and movement season.
Thank you all again. <3

For a list of the events still to come in 2017-2018, check out the event schedule page here: www.khalidadance.com/schedule

More dates will be added soon!

xx K.
www.khalidadance.com
www.inspirationnation.de

Celebrating Dance 2016 - Thank you!

I've written so many words today, it appears I've run clean out :)

I had an amazing time at Celebration Dance in Torquay, UK last weekend, so I will let the pictures below do most of the talking.

A repost from my FB Page:

"A huge thank you to Afra Al Kahira, John Fauley Hancock and Nikki Livermore for all their hard work behind the scenes, it was an honor and pleasure to have been part of this fantastic edition. Thank you! Big big hugs also to roomie Sophie Armoza and all of the fabulous co-teachers and performers, and huge hugs to the entire CD team, the dancers and workshop delegates, in short, to everyone who made this weekend such a magically heartwarming and joyful one. Thank you."


A big shout-out again to the organisational dream team of CD, and to all of the delegates, helpers, performers, and co-teachers that were part of this fantastic 16th(!) edition.

It was an amazing experience, and I am very happy and proud to have been part of it.

A few impressions of the weekend:

Travel with a Purpose

Propelling my way to the UK

Gorgeous skies on my way to CD

'Double isolations' and 'Fan veils technique' workshops - I had such a blast!
(The drum solo choreo workshop ladies are there too, in spirit - oooh..)

Roommate Sophie in a Halloween-ish Mood

Posing after the show with Afra and John

Traveling home with my new bear-y friend 'Bae', made with love by Afra

Edited to add: I've received so many heartwarming messages and emails after the show and classes, and also over the past few days. It's been so heartening, and it is giving me wings to invest myself in dance and life in the future with even more gusto than before. 

Thank you very much <3

Until next time,

xx Khalida
www.khalidadance.com


PS: See my next upcoming events in Germany and abroad at www.khalidadance.com/schedule

Inspiration and Movement - InspirationNation

Hi there :)

Soo... Some very exciting new developments are happening at the moment @ casa Khalida.

I have just launched a new website, called InspirationNation - This is where I will be sharing my latest movement experiences and biggest inspirations, in dance, life, and martial arts, and hopefully help inspire movement improvement for dancers and non-dancers alike.

InspirationNation.de

Over time I will be sharing more updates, articles, blog posts (check out the Movespiration blog too) and most importantly, information on a new and upcoming movement and dance(-ish) event on the InspirationNation website.

Peddle and float - strength and grace <3

See the official website here: http://www.inspirationnation.de

Check out the blog here: http://movespiration.blogspot.de

Twitter page: https://twitter.com/Inspi_Nation

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/movespirationnation

Event page: ... coming up. :)


More updates to follow ... SOON!

xx K.

www.khalidadance.com - www.inspirationnation.de

Jewel of Yorkshire festival - Thank you, UK!

I'm still overflowing with impressions of JOY - Jewel of Yorkshire festival last weekend.

The event is run with heaps of heart by Mandy and Chris, and it has been a staple of the UK dance world for many years. A soulful, dancer-friendly festival in an elegant location (check out gorgeous Victoria Hall in the Heritage Site of Saltaire) It is one of my absolute favorite events to be part of.

This was the fourth time for me to visit JOY, and this year it was extra special, as I got to co-travel and share the festival experiences with miss Queenie of Belgium, and I was happy to reconnect with dance friends and colleagues from near and far (like Ahmed Fekry of Germany, Ozgen of UK, and the beautiful Marta Korzun of Ukraine/Russia) whom I had not seen in 7-8 years. The (dance) world still is small, and time does fly :)

I had an amazing time at the workshops, got to meet and re-meet fabulous participants, performers and co-teachers, and the show on Saturday (sadly I did not make it to the Friday showcase) was absolutely fantastic. Honored to have been part of it. Gush gush gush.

Below a few pictures of the JOY weekend 2016

Friday evening - arrivals

At Leeds airport with Marta and Queenie

Saturday - Workshops

Marta's workshop on Saturday - Glad I got a last minute spot!

Our Fabulous footwork workshop on Saturday

Same picture, from a different angle :)

Veil technique and combos workshop on Saturday <3

Saturday - Show

Backstage with Marta and Queenie

Onstage, with veil - Picture by Ian Cartlidge

Sunday - Workshops

Last-minute captures of Victoria Hall... Alpacas, clouds, and lions

Sunday workshop - pops, locks, shimmies and undulations <3

Sunday - Journey home

Post-dance munchies - Always time for noms!

Homebound.. Sunset at Leeds airport

Boarding completed - Ready for takeoff

A huge thank you to everyone who was part of this amazing edition, and to Mandy and Chris for making it all possilbe. Until next time!


xx Khalida
www.khalidadance.com

See my other upcoming events at www.khalidadance.com/schedule

Outside, where the magic lies. Find the green.

About one year ago I made an important change.

After re-discovering my home area Eschweiler from an inliner-view last summer, and in trying to hold on as long as possible to the memories of green, green Skye in September, I decided I needed, urgently, to 'go outside' more - or at least once a week - and actively search for the green around me.

And in that year I found something I thought I had lost..  My sense of self.

Apparently my Self.. likes to be outside. Picture by the amazing Elster

Even though it had been years since working in an office full time, I still sensed lately that something had been 'missing'. Getting outside felt deeply counter-intuitive at first. After all, as an entrepreneur/dancer/professional/person, I am supposed to be dancing, training, working, reading, learning, or at least doing something 'productive' with my free time, whenever I have some, yes?

Actually, no.

As dancers, and as humans, we NEED to get outside, and we need regular movement. Actual people movement, that is. And movement variety at that. So not just training, crosstraining, working out, drilling, or even freestyling and/or 'relaxation' once or twice (or thrice) a week. We need to walk, run, climb, hang, carry, crawl, swim, roll around, and above all, get outside.

Our bodies crave it. Our brains light up when we do. Our senses need all that input from going outside, being outside, and moving about. Amidst all this, we relax. And as our body moves, while the mind is restful, creativity soars. Whatever we search, see, hear and do.. Dictates what we will perceive. Find the green.

So how to go about all that? Slowly, at first.

Find some green.

Try going there once.

Then, another time.

At first once a week.

Then maybe twice.

First walk, then run.

Then walk or run again.

Every now and then maybe, ride a bike (with helmet please!)

And after that.. walk some more.

To nearby places you used to go to by car.

Whenever the mood strikes, and you can, go.

When you can't go outside, look out a window, find the green.


Find the green.

Eat outside, if weather permits

Read outside, if you can find a space

When meeting friends, go for a walk

On a holiday.. plan for the green.

Hike, bike, jump, run, swim, or walk.

Walk some more

Then maybe run, or bike.

Or climb. Or crawl.

And while you do, sense. See, hear, smell, feel, listen.

Try it.

Try it today. And tomorrow.

Find the green.


Pictures of our tiny (but beautiful) Eschweiler wald:

And that was just last spring, summer, and fall. 
I can't wait to re-find it in winter.


See you soon too, I hope.

xx Khalida

PS: See the updated (dance) website with more pictures from our outdoor shoot:
www.khalidadance.com

And check out www.inspirationnation.de/forest for more of my 'find the green' photos.


PSPS: What I'm reading right now: The secret life of trees. 

And another great read (blog post) on going outside: Biomechanist Katy Bowman's Exercise less.


Now that your eyes (and mind) are primed.. Find the green.