Nostalgia

Am working on the Newsletter for September (omg! where did time go?) and looking forward to all the events coming up while looking back on how it all began, I suddenly started feeling a bit nostalgic..

About ten years ago around this time I was looking for a new hobby.. Something new to do, preferably involving dance or music, so I started browsing the internet, and I stumbled upon www.bellydance.nl, the website of my very first teachers. Little did I know I was about to lose my heart :)

I know ten years is not much in any field of art, but it is still always nice to take some time to reflect on 'all the things'.. This dance form has brought me so much joy, and I've met such beautiful people over the years, sharing the same passion, that it's hard for me to imagine how my life would look without it. Making dances brings me joy, and learning, practicing and teaching makes me deeply happy. Who knew? That very first class I taught I almost died in fear ;)

I was asked to write some articles about my experiences and discoveries in the land of dance for Yamila's Newsletter Dévoilée, a belly dance magazine that I've helped edit myself in my younger dance years, and on this blog I will share the English versions of those articles with you :)

But first of all, I would like to officially thank my very first teachers for introducing me to middle eastern dance about ten years ago.. Miss Myriam, for sharing her knowledge so generously and inspiring me to keep learning as much as I can about this art form, and her sister Yamila, for showing me the way to professionalism and teaching me how to teach ♥

Thank you.

with Miss Myriam (left) @ Yamilas festival 2012 in Heerlen, NL

with Yamila (below) @ Yamila's festival 2012 in Heerlen, NL