On making a DVD - Oriental Choreography with Khalida

Hello dear all,

In this post I'd like to share with you a bit of the process behind creating my latest DVD, 'Oriental Choreography with Khalida', in the form of a mini photo journal.

The finished result. See www.khalidadance.com/DVD

After teaching choreography workshop in Denmark this January, the participants (and hostess) remarked that it would be nice to have more time to practice each section of a rather complex choreography.

This sparked the idea to create a 'combination-based choreography DVD' - where the full choreography is split up into combinations, which are taught separately and then combined chronologically into a full choreo at the end.

Preparations include splitting up the dance into evenly-sized parts, each about 2-4 x 8 'beats', depending on where the music repeats.

For this particular piece the choreography structure looks like this:

AB-CDCD-E-FGHG-I

• A and B are 2 parts of an intro, which could be danced with or without a veil, or skipped completely
• CDCD is a section where 2 musical phrases/combinations repeat(the 'Shakira' and the 'Arabesque' combo in the DVD), once on the left side, and once on the right.
• E is a 30-second taxeem
• FGHG is a section where a transition/combination (F) is followed by a 'chorus' (G), then a bridge (H), and then the 'chorus' (G) repeats again.
• I is the finale

After the structure was set, all that was left to be done was to divide each section into repeating logical teaching sequences.

The DVD/Choreographical teaching structure

Theory-to-practice
With the theory completed, it was time for... dance practice. Much, much dance practice. With each section stepped and 'danced out' separately, with and without music, with and without instruction, with and without countng, and 'singing' the steps.

Paillettes and Veil - A post-practice still life composition.

Practical preparations
The morning of the DVD shoot was spent preparing filming makeup (enough, but not too much, with thanks to home-brewed coffee and natural light) and can-hold-a-full-day-hair-do (aka a wrap-snap n' go-bun for teaching, and a hopefully curly ponytail for performance) preparations!

Filming look - Lipstick to be added later

Recording Process
Recordings happened at my dance friend and student Sandra's beautiful home studio, where we were able to complete the full filming in one day (with plenty of takes) after a short warmup-session and rehearsal.

Camera and Studio setup - And also the top half of my face

Data Transfer
All of the filmed material was then carefully transferred to the main computer, and from there to a tiny USB drive (see below), which I was able to take home with me for editing the day after the shoot. Fast!

The Wonders of technology

Editing
The next step: Editification! Which means putting all the filmed clips in order, creating transitions, cutting away 'empty spaces', and adding titles or subtitles where needed.

This is one of my favorite parts of the process, as long as the software (in this case just plain WMM) is not too capricious, and providing I take time for 'movement breaks' (aka shaking out my limbs and head) regularly.

Editing - with my head in the woods.

Transfer to DVD
After all editing is completed, it's time for the DVD-ification. For this step (ie adding a main menu and basic chaptering, and creating an .iso file that can be burned to DVD) I use Pinnacle software.

This program tests my patience, quite literally, as the program likes to crash whenever I click too fast, so on DVD-ification day I tend to forego coffee in favour of tea. Patience.
Usually I create a PAL and NTSC version of a DVD, just in case.

Rendering... Tea... And Patience.

Testing and design/packaging
If rendering is succesful, I burn the first test-DVD. And after that, I test the test-DVD :) I usually create a cover design for the DVD beforehand, using Adobe Photoshop CS3, and I use simple paper sleeves for easy (light) transport.

The first Test-DVD. It worked!

Web shop, Gumroad upload and Packaging
After the official DVD-launch is done, I update the DVD web shop, start the upload to Gumroad for the downloadable/streaming version and send out the pre-ordered copies. For small batches of DVDs I've found a padded envelope works best.

The first batch of pre-ordered DVDs. N. 1 gets a sticker-heart!

Bonus packaging and Shipment
As a final step, after another good night's sleep, I get to preparing the rest of the DVD orders. All my DVDs (including the pre-ordered ones) are lovingly swaddled in a sea of colourful flyers for events, and then shipped to their (worldwide) destinations.

DVDs and flyer designs. I do like colours, and also fonts.

End result and sneak preview
So.. that's it. This is how the 'Oriental Choreography' DVD was born/created :)

To see the result in short form, check out the following youtube mini version:

If you'd like to order a copy, too, go here:

• DVD version: www.khalidadance.com/DVDs
• Downloadable/streaming version: http://gum.co/orientalchoreo

Hope you'll enjoy!

xx Khalida
www.khalidadance.com
www.inspirationnation.de

PS: A little bonus to go with the new 'oriental choreo' DVD I've created a .pdf Document with Choreography Notes, for those who like to work with them. Enjoy!

BellyDance Essentials Technique series now also available on DVD!

Hello dear all,

I have just now finished transferring the technique portion of my downloadable online class series 'BellyDance Essentials - A 10-week technique class series' to DVD format, especially for those of you who have asked about a physical version of my technique-focused classes and/or workshops in the past few years.

The Full 10-part BellyDance Essentials Series -woo!

It contains tons of material to kick-start your BD technique practice for the new year, plus ideas for drills, stretches, layering combos and technique explanations as inspiration for fellow teachers.

This DVD series is now available as a set of 10 discs (with +- 45-75 minutes of material per DVD/class) via the DVD store on www.khalidadance.com/DVDs

Shipping for this series is free when you order the complete set (all orders over 50,- Euros are shipped free of charge worldwide), but you can also buy each BellyDance Essentials technique DVD separately.

Each BellyDance Essentials DVD/downloadable class contains a posture section, a dance warmup, an upper- and/or lower body technique portion, a section on arms and hands technique, a shimmy drill, a traveling step combo, and a cooldown/stretch.

For a content overview per BDEssentials DVD check out the following list:

• DVD1: Belly Dance Basics, Hip slides, circles and twists, Shimmies: basic hip shimmy technique and drill, dance walk and transitions, walking with hip circles
• DVD2: Wrist circles, Hip figure eights and variations, Shimmy: Egyptian shimmy, Traveling step: arabesques, Combination: traveling figure 8s, Bonus: shimmy drill with layering.
• DVD3: Working the shoulders, Hip drop variations and one-hip accents, Shimmies: shoulder shimmy technique and drill, Traveling step: Step-hip, hip-step and variations, Bonus drill: Shoulder shimmies and traveling hip accents.
• DVD4: Hands & arms: one-sided arm pathways, Technique: double hip accents and variations, Shimmies: choochoo/traveling shimmy, Traveling step: Grapevine and basic front/back step, Bonus drill: Layering accents.
• DVD5: Hands & arms: Basic arm pathways, Technique: All about the abs - core muscles, belly rolls and camels/undulations, Shimmies: freeze/shiver, Traveling step: Chassé and 3-step turn. 
• DVD6: Hands & arms: Snake arm variations, Technique: Upper body isolations and accents, Shimmies: 3/4 shimmy down, Traveling step: Hip down travels.
• DVD7: Hands & arms: Framing, Technique: Pelvic locks, squares and omis, Shimmies: 3/4 shimmy up, Traveling step: Step-cross and variations.
• DVD8: Hands & arms: Natural arm pathways, Technique: 1-sided hip accents, Traveling step: Smooth transitions, Shimmies: bounce/earthquake.
• DVD9: Hands & arms: Hand undulations Technique: One-sided sharp hip accents, Traveling step: Traveling with hip and pelvic accents, Shimmies: Layering traveling steps with shimmies.
• DVD10: Warmup, 1-hour of Dance Jam (a mix of all technique sessions, traveling steps and shimmies to music), Cooldown.

I'm excited to finally share these DVDs with you all, it has taken me a while to get around to transferring them to DVD format, but I think it is nice to have this content available in physical form.

Even though the recording quality of these classes is a bit more basic than the newer DVDs it has a special value, as my future technique-focused DVDs will contain different topics than these.

You can order them now at www.khalidadance.com/DVDs and www.khalidadance.com/online-classes!

Wishing you a lovely week/weekend,

xx Khalida
www.khalidadance.com
www.inspirationnation.de


PS: In an attempt to optimize my dance-notes administration for the future, and as a special bonus for everyone who has ever taken a workshop/class with me - or even just anyone looking for some new class/workshop content inspiration - I have started transferring my workshop notes from the past year to downloadable .pdf format documents, and I am sharing them for free on my 'other' site, over at www.inspirationnation.de/notes

www.inspirationnation.de/notes - Workshop Notes as .pdf

Feel free to check them out and/or share the link, more notes will be added soon!

x K.
www.khalidadance.com
www.inspirationnation.de

Numbers and moments

While looking back and counting the days (as one does during tax return season) I just found out that by the end of this year I will have taught 125 workshops in 5 years. That makes an average of about 250 hours of dance, or 15 000 minutes, which makes 900 000 seconds :)
 
Multiply that by the number of dancers I've been able to share these seconds with, and you get millions of moments, filled with shared laughter, movement, dancing, learning, teaching, breathing, but also experimentation, inspiration, perspiration, and joy <3

Post-teaching 'glow' ^^

A huge thank you you to all who I have been lucky enough to share these moments with, to all the students I have met (and will still meet) and to all the dancers/host(esse)s who I have been lucky enough to work with (and for) during the past 5 years. Without your trust, love and effort these moments would have not been possible.

I am ready for some more :)
 
Also: Dear Ana Danst, that 125th workshop will be yours in Eindhoven this November, so we will have to build in a collective happy dance during my veil workshop at some point :D <3

Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart. (and hips!)

The next moments of dance will be happening here: http://khalidadance.com/schedule

Life is better with double veils

Edited to add: Get yourself a FREE 30-minute downloadable double veil class via this link: www.gumroad.com/l/dveil/kdanceonline or at the KDanceOnline FB Group. For adding at-home dance moments :)

xx Khalida
www.khalidadance.com

How I got pain-free - part 3: A DVD

Hello again :)

Almost a full year after writing about my adventures in self-help health care via How I got pain-free - part 1 and How I got pain-free - part 2, it feels like it is high time for an update.

Since discovering (and being part of the pilot version of) Monika Volkmar's awesome Dance Stronger program last July-August, my life as a dancer (and human!) has changed for the better.

Finally pain-free, even still today(!), I have continued searching for ways to maintain my newfound healthier way of moving, dancing and training. To integrate new body awareness into my daily life and even expand it, I started experimenting with different new (to me!) physical activities over time.

These were things I had always wanted to, but was somehow unable (or afraid) to try earlier, and things I had even given up on ever learning how to do. They included:

• re-taking up inline skating (much more fun with better balance, who knew!)
• at-home kettlebell training (since learning how to do a proper TGU via Monika's Dance Stronger I dove into Pavel Tsatsouline's 'Simple and Sinister' program, an excellent kettle bell training book, very highly recommended)
• regular woodland walking and even some running (with my boo, Mr E, in our beautiful Eschweiler Wald)
• signing up for modern dance/jazz (weekly classes by my favorite ballet teacher Constanze Janssen in Aachen, DE)

Since last November I've also started studying Korean martial arts, aka Tae Kwon Do, at Sportschule Chae, with our fantastic Master Großmeister Chae Seung-Eun.

Enjoying this entirely too much :D #husbandflinging #matkissing #hosinsul #selfdefence #TKD #taekwondo #belttest #armbar #yellowgreen #gürtelprüfung

A video posted by khalidadance (@khalidadance) on Jun 18, 2016 at 2:19pm PDT

I have also made a promise to myself at the beginning of this year to continue to deepen my (belly) dance studies intensively, which has taken me to the Netherlands in June to take up Sadie's Raqs Flow program, as well as to Plakiás, Crete (Greece) in May, for a week long of private studies with one of my favorite mentors and absolute heroes in dance and life, Boženka.

Grandmaster of Dance, Boženka

(I talk about my experiences in Crete in this Podcast interview by Annett Bone)


So, what to do with all this newfound knowledge and experience?


I have pondered this for quite a while, and ultimately what would make me happiest, is to share all I have learned in these eye-opening, physically adventurous and experience-rich months, with as many people as possible.

My original plan was to write yet another epically long blog post *ahem* :) But as the topic itself is more about embodying, moving and EXPERIENCING change, I decided I might as well go 'deeper' and attempt to pour all of my learnings and experiences into an 'active style' DVD form.

Chapter 1: Awareness and relaxation

This new DVD (and downloadable/streaming class) is a gathering of all the valuable things I have learned in the past year(s), and I have done my best to highlight those exercises, movements and concepts that have brought me the most palpable and immediate change.

I have also attempted to incorporate my own experiences in applying these concepts into my personal dance training, as well as into private classes and workshops with students willing to experiment with movement and awareness with me. What you'll find in this DVD is what came out of all of that. :)

Healthy Movement - Deeper Dance - Drills and Conditioning

Below you can find a short preview video, as well as a listing of all of the chapters I've included, plus links to inspirations and resources for those who want to dive deeper into the material.


Video preview:

Healthy Movement for Deeper Dance - Drills and Conditioning with Khalida

Where to find it:

• DVD version: www.khalidadance.com/DVDs
• Downloadable/Streaming version: https://gum.co/drills

Chapters:

Healthy Movement for Deeper Dance - Drills and Conditioning with Khalida

Part 1: Relaxation and Awareness
- Breathing exercises
- Floor relaxation
- Releasing the upper body, arms, neck, head, legs, and hips
- Tips for deepening upper body movement
- Dance drill for smooth and '3D' upper body and arms

 Part 2: Martial arts-inspired Warmup
- Light cardio
- Footwork warmup
- Breathing for recovery
- Deeper stretches for hips and legs
- Anti-stress and diaphragm strenghening exercise (TKD style punching mini-tutorial)
- Shimmy drill for stronger shimmies with relaxed upper body layering

Part 3: Movement pattern progressions
- Movement sequence and strenghtening patterns
- One-legged and double-legged hip movements drill

Part 4: Feet, Ankles and 'Cogs' release
- Pre-test
- Releasing the feet, ankles and lower legs
- Hip hinge and squat technique
- Re-test
- AiM 'Cogs' in all 3 planes of motion - Dance warmup version
- Rounded movements drill


Resource list

Related/ Recommended books, articles, websites, blogs, instructors, DVDs, people, and programs:

Part 1: 

• Anatomy of breathing - A wonderfully thorough resource on all things breath
• The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook - Revised 3rd edition, highly recommended
• Stop chasing pain - Excellent, excellent blog by Dr Perry Nickleston - Pining for the book!

Part 2:

• Sportschule Chae
• Boženka's World

Part 3:  

• Monika Volkmar's Dance Stronger life-changing program, pre-warmup and core activation
• Dr Mark Chengs awesome Rehab-Prehab program (both highly recommended!)

Part 4:

• Becoming a supple leopard - Dr. Kelly Starrett - Great self-care book for healthier movement in feet, ankles, hips and legs - Also check out the Mobility WOD Youtube channel
• Finding Centre - Anatomy in Motion by Gary Ward. Also check out the book What the Foot!

That feeling of completion :) <3

I hope the resources and contents of this blog post will bring you much joy, movement, and positive changes and experciences, as they have done for me.

Dance on, move freely.

xxx Khalida
www.khalidadance.com 

Tips for shimmy practice

This is a blog post inspired by a question by Laura of UK/Ireland after working with the Shimmy Sessions DVD's, as well as by an amazing 'deep' 3/4 shimmy technique practice breakdown shared by Boženka during her Training Weekend in Würselen, DE last weekend.

Enjoy!


Tips for practising your shimmies at different speeds 

• It depends a bit on the specific kind of shimmy you are practising, but in general doing the movements at a slower speed and focusing on evenness in tempo and range of movement (left and right leg) helps to make your body (and mind!) feel more comfortable with the movement. Practising it faster every now and then is definitely also helpful to challenge shimmy dexterity, but if you notice that the shimmy goes 'rogue' then slowing the pace down until you 'refind' it during practise makes the training session most efficient.

• It is also good to keep in mind that while doing the movement slowly you can go for maximum range of movement, but when speeding up the movement becomes smaller. So for the faster practice try to focus on precision and tempo, but with a smaller range, rather than compromising the movement quality in order to keep the movement 'big'.

• To practise shimmies at different speeds you can try them without music from super slow to gradually faster and faster, then slower again, trying to keep the rhythm 'even' at different speeds. Then you might find that some 'speeds' (fast or slow!) might be easier than others, which is good to know for 'target practice'.

• When I train and/or teach 3/4 shimmies (up or down) myself, I practise slow first, then medium speed, then faster movements with breaks in between sets/steps. After a while, if the shimmy technique/sequence starts to feel easier and 'controlled' in tempo, we go for faster movements without breaks, like the build-up in the shimmysessions and shimmies DVDs/ Online Classes

• If the faster speed of a DVD/Online class/practice session is a bit too much right now you can always go for half that speed for instance, while still following the musics general down beat, this way you can follow along with me/the instructor/yourself to the music, but at a more comfortable tempo until the shimmy becomes easier (which it will, eventually! it just takes time, patience and conscious practice) 

• When I practise the 'regular' shimmies (eg egyptian shimmies and hip shimmies) I usually combine it with other tasks around the house eg folding laundry, ironing, making breakfast, brushing teeth.. that are not too mentally demanding and can be done 'upright'  This way I get some bonus practice in, which is always beneficial.

• Focusing on engaging your glutes slightly and lifting the back of your ribs to free up movement also helps to relax the hips and legs, which makes the shimmy feel less like 'work', which is the ultimate goal.

• Also remember that medium speed shimmies are usually fast enough to match most music, so having an 'even' shimmy will give you more than being able to 'warp speed' it.

• Keeping your core engaged deeply (pelvic floor, glutes, lower belly) while shimmying helps to concentrate the movement and conserve 'shimmy energy'. Deep breathing, focusing extra on the exhalation also helps to keep the shimmy relaxed even at higher speeds.

• Making sure to warmup well, and to stretch and relax your musles (and mind) before and after the training session helps tons towards having a 'high quality' shimmy practice session.

• In very short my answer would be: Yes, definitely keep practising at slower speed, but also try to go even slower, AND speed it up to beyond your comfortable speed every now and then to challenge yourself and to see if the shimmy is becoming easier/more comfortable over time.

Bonus tip: Sometimes, when a practice session feels especially uncomfortable, it can be a sign that you are learning/improving/changing your movement, even though you don't have the 'benefits' of it yet right away. I've noticed at times that about 2 days after a 'difficult' practice session my movements have made a 'quality jump' - so this is something to experiment with as well.


Good luck and happy shimmying!!

xxx K.
www.khalidadance.com 


PS: For those interested in shimmy-specific online classes and DVDs, check out the respective links!


ETA: You can download this Shimmy Tips blog post in handy .pfd format via this link.

‘Practice Plan’ examples

These are a few tips for using your DVD collection most effectively, and examples of how you could plan your home/studio practice sessions using your DVDs and/or Online Classes over the course of a month (or several months), depending on how much time you have  each week :)

Get a printable (.pdf) version of this blog post here.

General Tips:

• Think of what your ‘main focus’ will be for your practice month (or season) - then you can substitute those for the topics I use in the examples.
• In this particular example I reckon with 3 practice sessions per week, of about 1-2 hours each. If you have more DVDs than I mention in the example, or less time, you can spread out the contents of each week over a couple of weeks instead, thus ‘stretching’ the Practice Plan a bit.
• If you have more days where you can practice in a week than 3, but shorter time for sessions than 1-2 hours, you can tease apart the sessions from the example and split them up in shorter bouts.
• Do make sure you do a warmup - practice - cooldown ‘sandwich’ each time your do a session - it will make your practice much more effective than trying to do as much ‘material ‘ as possible in one week/month.
• You can mix the examples with other DVDs you own that cover similar topics (for instance other shimmy/arms DVDs, or certain props)
  
  

The Actual Practice Plan

Note: This practice structure is inspired by Monika Volkmar’s ‘Dance Stronger’ program, which I was lucky enough to be part of last year.
 It employs repeating blocks of material in a week while interleaving the contents 2 by 2, which maximises efficiency of practice.   

I highly recommend the DS program for anyone interested in learning to ‘move well’, getting to know their body a bit better, and becoming stronger in a safe way while practicing movement to boot! See www.dancestronger.com for more info.

• Week 1: Focus on 1 or 2 Topics/DVDs, with an emphasis on the first Topic/DVD
• Week 2: Same Topics/DVDs as in week 1, with an emphasis on the second Topic/DVD
• Week 3: Focus on 1 or 2 new Topics/DVDs, with an emphasis on the first Topic/DVD
• Week 4: Same Topics/DVDs as in week 3, with an emphasis on the second Topic/DVD

Examples

Example 1: If you have all 4 ShimmySessionDVDs/Online Classes (4 videos, 1-1,25 hours each), and the full AllAbout Arms DVD/Online Class series (4 videos of 30-45 minutes in total) you could structure your ‘Practice Month’ like this, with each week having 3 separate 1,5-2 hour practice sessions:

• Week 1: Arms1 +ShimmySession1; Arms2 + ShimmySession2; Arms1 + ShimmySession1
• Week 2: Arms2 +ShimmySession2; Arms1 + ShimmySession1; Arms2 + ShimmySession2
• Week 3: Arms3 +ShimmySession3; Arms4 + ShimmySession4; Arms3 + ShimmySession3
• Week 4: Arms4 +ShimmySession4; Arms3 + ShimmySession3; Arms4 + ShimmySession4

(You can swap ShimmySession 4 with the 20-minute Shimmy Drill from the Shimmies with Khalida DVD optionally if you own it, and you can substitute any of the AllAboutArms classes with different Arms DVDs you own)

Example 2: If you have less time per session, would like to focus mostly on Arms yet still do some Shimmies, and/or if you’d like to sneak in a different DVD/Class/Prop here and there:

• Week 1: Arms1 ; ShimmySession1; Arms2 (+ optional bonus DVD)
• Week 2: Arms2; ShimmySession2; Arms1+2
• Week 3: Arms3 ; ShimmySession3; Arms4 (+ optional bonus DVD)
• Week 4: Arms4; ShimmySession4; Arms3+4

OR

• Week 1: Arms1 ; ShimmySession1; Arms1
• Week 2: Arms2 (+ optional bonus DVD); ShimmySession2; Arms2
• Week 3: Arms3; ShimmySession3; Arms3
• Week 4: Arms4 (+ optional bonus DVD); ShimmySession4; Arms4

Example 3: If you have the Props DVDs/OnlineClasses, with contain 3 x 30 minutes of class (beginner - intermediate - advanced) for each prop, then focus on one prop per month (veil, fanveils, zills or isis wings) , and fill in the weeks of that month like so:

• Week 1: Beginner prop class (30 min) - 1-3 times that week
• Week 2: Intermediate prop class (30 min) - 1-3 times that week
• Week 3: Advanced prop class (30 min) - 1-3 times that week
• Week 4: All 3 prop classes (beginner - intermediate - advanced) - each class at least once that week

Example 4: If you have the BellydanceEssentials Online series (or some of the BDEssentialsOnline classes) you can use them as designed (one class per week) - either mixed in with your regular practice schedule/DVDs or on their own.

• Week 1: BDE1 (without props part); optional other DVD/Online class; BDE1 complete
• Week 2: BDE2 (without props part); optional other DVD/Online class; BDE2 complete
• Week 3: BDE3 (without props part); optional other DVD/Online class; BDE3 complete
• Week 4: BDE4 (without props part); optional other DVD/Online class; BDE4 complete
• Etc.. (adding more weeks depending on which BDE videos of the 10-week series you own)

Variation notes:

• If you have less time than 1,5 hour per session you can also just focus on one topic (eg Arms, Shimmies or Props) per month and then switch, using slightly shorter sessions each week than in example 1.
• You can mix any of the topics (Arms with Props, Props with Shimmies, or Arms, Props and Shimmies together, BDEssentials, other DVDs you own), but it is most effective to pick and focus on max 1-2 topics per month.

Warmup-Cooldown tips:

• If you have a foam roller at home you can use the warmup/cooldown bonus videos as a pre-warmup and post-cooldown respectively: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4N-Oew36J5GV7g5QowD8RK9vmIZ4Zqhs
• The ‘shimmies with Khalida’ DVD/download has 2 separate warmup and 2 cooldown sessions, a ‘moving’ and a ‘stretching’ one each, focusing mostly on the legs
• The ‘Isis Wings with Khalida DVD’/Download focuses the warmups and cooldowns mostly on the upper body
• Same goes for the ShimmySession series (mostly lower body focus) and All About Arms series (mostly upper body focus)
• The ‘BDEssentialsOnline’ classes have a built-in short warmup and cooldown session per class video, and so do the Props videos.
• Overtime you can mix and match the exercises that help you most to create your own warmup/cooldown routine(s)

Note: As you might have noticed, preparing your body for (and helping it recover from) practice and structuring practice sessions for optimal efficiency are topics that are very dear to me :) 

As I have mentioned before I will be recording a brand new DVD/Online Class mini series very soon (this summer) called ‘Dance Conditioning and Drills’, focusing on exercises that help increase effectiveness of your practice sessions, ways to structure your own movement preparations and warmups, and strategies for more mindfulness in movement, and then applying these to dance drills. 

I highly recommend this new DVD/Online class series if you are looking for ways to be more ‘present’ in your body in daily life as well. 

I will be posting more information on this in the blog at www.khalidadance.blogspot.com, in the KDanceOnline FB group and in my newsletter (signup form:http://eepurl.com/tu4H1) soon.


That’s it, I think. If you have any questions, let me know :)


xx Khalida Bech
www.khalidadance.com

PS: I've added this blog post as a document to the KDanceOnline FB group for easier reference. Feel free to share!

Arms, Shimmies and Props on DVD

The All About Arms, ShimmySessions and JustTheProps downloadable class series are now also available in DVD-format via info@khalidadance.com or www.khalidadance.com/DVD

A preview of the 'All About Arms' DVD/online class series:

All available Khalida DVDs:

To order please email me at info@khalidadance.com with which DVD(s) you’d like, your preferred payment method (Paypal or bank transfer) and your shipping address.


All About Arms (2 DVDs – 1,5 hours each)

• DVD 1: Arms, Wrists and Hands techniques
• DVD 2: Combinations, Variations and Expression

Price: 10 Euro per DVD, 20 Euros for the set (2 DVDs)

Shimmy Sessions (4 DVDs – 1-1,25 hours each)

• DVD1 – Basic Shimmies (Egyptian and Hip Shimmy, African Shimmy)
• DVD2 – 3/4 Shimmy ‘up’ (plus Choochoo, Twist- and Shoulder Shimmy)
• DVD3 – 3/4 Shimmy ‘down’ (plus ‘Freeze’, ‘Earthquake’ and Belly Flutter)
• DVD4 – ShimmyJam! (Mix of all Shimmies plus extra layering drills)

Just the Props DVDs (3 DVDs – 1,5 hours each)

• DVD1 – Silk Veil (Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Veil class)
• DVD2 – Fanveils (Basic, Intermediate and advanced Fanveil class)
• DVD3 – Zills/Finger Cymbals (Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Zills class)

Price: 8 Euro per DVD, 15 Euros for 2 DVDs, and 5 Euro extra for each additional DVD of these 2 series (The ShimmySessions and Just the Props DVDs can be mixed and matched individually as you wish)

Shimmies and Isis Wings with Khalida (2 DVDs – 1,5-2 hours each plus bonus material)

• DVD 1 Shimmies with Khalida
• DVD 2 Isis Wings with Khalida

Price: 16 Euro per DVD, 26 Euro for both DVDs

Shipping costs for all DVDs are 1,45 Euros for Germany and 3,70 Euro for EU/Worldwide per padded envelope (each holds about 7 DVDs) – I will send you a shipping estimate per email before your order is final

Payments can be done via Paypal (info@khalidadance.com) or Bank Transfer (IBAN/BIC-SWIFT)

To order any DVDs simply email me at info@khalidadance.com


Happy dancing!

xx Khalida
www.khalidadance.com

PS: You can also get these DVDs 'live' from me at any of the upcoming events at www.khalidadance.com/schedule or get the downloadable/streamable version of these DVDs on the Online Classes page.

New foam rolling video: Cooldown/upper body relaxation routine

Hello hello :)

I'm happy to report I've just uploaded a free 6-minute foam rolling bonus video cooldown as an addition to the ShimmySessions and Shimmypack downloadable classes from the Online classes with Khalida page.

The video below is part of my personal post-dance training routine, which I've created in the process of finding ways to become, dance (and stay!) pain-free during the past few years.

Here it is:

Cooldown Foam Roller Routine - Khalida 

This video features some my favorite foam rolling cooldown exercises, including a combination of 3-D breathing inspired by the Dance Stronger program and a few simple but effective exercises to relax your upper back, gently release your hip flexors and reset your posture, all at once.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Foam rolling cool down/upper body release

Filmed at Sandra van Frankfoort-Mamentus beautifully 'zen' home studio <3

ETA: For a bit of extra zen-ness, complement this routine with practising the art of.. Letting go.

Happy rolling,

xx Khalida
www.khalidadance.com


PS: Also check out the pre-warmup video mini-series using basic foam rolling techniques at http://khalidadance.blogspot.de/2015/08/how-i-roll-khalidas-pre-warmup-rolling.html