March 19, 21, 25, and 26

3/19
5 min wartm up
arms overhead
forward folds
shimmy
zill drill
beledi 15 min w/
camel
spins

3/21
5 min warm up--shimmies
zill drill
beledi 15 min w/
camel
spins
beledi for 10 min
3 min ea of
3.3.7
3.5.5.
3.3.5
15 min improv practice
5 min cool down
forward fold
lunges
side stretch

3/25
5 min warm up
forward fold
squats
shimmies
3 min ea of
up hip
down hip
3/4 on the up
3/4 on the down
5 min cool down
forward fold
lunges

3.26
5 min warm up--forward fold, knee bends, shimmy
15 min improv practice
spins
shimmies
arm undulations
chest circles
5 min cool down
 forward fold
lunges


Notes: got a nasty head cold that lingered for two weeks, so I did the best that i could. Short sessions can be as helpful as long sessions. Sadly have to build up stamina again--regardless I am ready to dive back in!

March 10, March 14, March 15, March 17th

March 10th
class with Bevin
5 min warm up
5min ea of
umis f-b
umis b-f
step touch
cross open
umi layered over grapevice
hip on down
hip on up 3/4 on up
3/4 on down
10 min cool down--forward and side stretches

3/14
5 min shimmy drill
5 min ea:
3/4 up
3/4 down
10 min improv to prep for performance
10 min cool down, forward bends, child's pose, cat cow

3/15
5 min warm up
15 min choreo review
5 min cool down--forward folds

3/17
zill drill
15 min
beledi with
hips drops
3 pt spin
forward touch
back touch
up hip on standing on one leg

Mar 8th

3/4 Shimmy Prep with Ashley Lopez
3 min loose shimmy
3 min up drill
3 min 3/4 shimmy up hip
3 minreleve
3 min up hip on relieve
3 min down hip
3 min down ip 3/4
3 min down hip 3/4 on relieve
1 min shimmy, raising one foot off the ground
1 min shimmy raising other foot off the ground
5 min cool down of my own-- forward bends, side stretch, childs pose

Mar. 3rd &5th

Class with Bevin
warm-up 10min forward folds, squats, glute squeezes on floor
10 min hand warm up
10 min floreos
10 min arm drills
5 min coil drill
10 min shimmy drill
10 min cool down--forward stretches, side stretches

warm-up 5 min
15 min on 4/4 shimmy
10 min arabic drill
5 min floreos
10 min cool down--forward folds

Feb 5th
10 min warm up--glute squeezes, 4/4 shimmy drill
2 min up hip
2 min down hip
2 min double down
2 min 3/4 on up
5 min cooldown--forward fold, side stretch

Feb. 28
zill practice
10min 3
10 min 3-3-7
10min 3-5-5
10 min 3-1-3-1-3
5 min drilling them in sequence

Daily Dose
1 min each of:
down hip
double down
up hip
3/4 on up
chest lifts + drops
chest circles

Feb 23rd,24th, and 26th

Feb. 23
Zoe Jakes Flow Drills


Feb. 24
10 min warm up
up hip
down hip
coil
snake arms
hip slides
3/4 shimmy
body wave
cool down

10 min warm up
3/4 shimmy
--donwn
--up
--both travelling
snake arms
mayas
body wave
cool down

yoga
warrior
tree
traingle
chair
twisting in chair
sun salutation

notes:
hip expander
twists
glutes drills on floor, leaning back on arms or lying down


Feb. 26th
6 min warm-up, forward folds, down dog
5 min shimmy drill
3 min each of
3/4 down
3/4 up

2 min
spins (2, 4, 8st increaming and decreasing)

drill 2 min
undulate d-2-u over 3/4 shimmy on u
double downs to r (4 steps)
undulate d-2-u 3/4 shimmy on u
double down to l (4 steps)
10 min cool down
cat cow
forward fold
down down

Notes:
Made my own drill with moves that I really want to improve. Makes a little box so I'm travelling around my practice space a bit.

Feb 19th, 21st, and 23rd

Feb 19th
Raq Routine #2 with Ashley Lopez
10 min warm-up--squats & releve
drills, 5 min
3 pt turn and paddle
ronde-dejambe bacl then arabic forward

2nd combo: 10 min drill at increasing speed
up hip
circle
drop kick roll-up
roll down
drop-drop-up
1/2 turn with chest lift (hip r-l)
1/2 turn forward
sjoulder shimmy
pelvic pop
maya x2

cool down (3 min)
lunges and figure 4

Notes: LOVE this combo. Ashley is great at creating innovative, engaging combos that are challenging, yet fun.

Feb 21
warm-up5 min
forward bends
toe/heel touches
shimmy

Practice Ismaouni choreo with Leilah
drill 3min each:
down hip
mayas
grapevine
arabic
choo-choo shimmy
improv to sections

cool-down 5 min
sun salutation
runners lunge
bridge

Feb 22rd
Lower Body Conditioning with Ashley
warm-up
on the up 10 min
3/4 shimmy on the up 3 min
levels 2 min
combo with level change: 5 min
cool down

Feb.15th and 16th

Feb 15th
Yoga-hour and a half
sun salutations
leg stretches
bridge

Hip practice with RB again!

(Getting easier, yay!)

Feb 16th
1/2 of Zoe Jakes Flow Drills
4/4 hips with arms
umis layers with arms
3/4 shimmy practice
balance practice
crunches
hip circles
chest circles over 4/4 hips
mayas
taqseems

Feb 10., Feb 12, Feb 14th

Mon, Feb 10.
Class with Bevin
15 min warm up
5min ea of
down hip
up hip
hip squares
chest squares 
4/4 shimmy
releve
15 min cool down

20 min stretching
10 min down hip
5 min cool down

Wednesday Feb. 12
Hip practice with RB
15 min warm up
down ip review
up hip review
comboheel-toe-toe with arms raising x4
hips up x4
double hips x8
down hip forwardx2
down hip backx2
cross open hit to left
cross open hitto right
repeat!many times!
did the fast one a few times with a smaller level change

Friday Feb 14
30min
10 min shimmy drill
2min arm stretches
3 min balance practice
10 min
combo drill from Hip practice
3 min
maya
maya layered over grapevine
2 min cool down stretches

Notes:
giving the same amount of energetic omph to hip movement makes for bigger and juicier movements. i've been favoring my right hip for too long..

Feb 7th and 8th

2.7.13
ATS practice
1st class with Colette on DO
warm-up:8 min

taxeem, hand floreo and reverse turn, and presents four fast moves: Arabic, Shimmy Step, Egyptian and Choo-choo - See more at: http://daturaonline.com/beginning-ats-class-1#sthash.F1sxPGL4.dpuf

taxeem, hand floreo and reverse turn, and presents four fast moves: Arabic, Shimmy Step, Egyptian and Choo-choo - See more at: http://daturaonline.com/beginning-ats-class-1#sthash.F1sxPGL4.dpuf

 taxeem:3 mion
hand floreo:3 min
Arabic:3 min
Egyptian
SHimmy Step: 3 min
CHoochoo: 3 min
3 zills practice: 5 min
5 min cooldown

Daily Doses
2min ea:
up hip
down hip
3/4 on up
3/4 on down
 hip squares
alternating omis
chest circles


2.8.14
Yoga practice hour and a half
sun salutation
triangle
eagle pose
balance practice

Notes:
Had some folks over for ATS review. ATS is way more fun with a group.

taxeem, hand floreo and reverse turn, and presents four fast moves: Arabic, Shimmy Step, Egyptian and Choo-choo - See more at: http://daturaonline.com/beginning-ats-class-1#sthash.F1sxPGL4.dpuftaxee

taxeem, hand floreo and reverse turn, and presents four fast moves: Arabic, Shimmy Step, Egyptian and Choo-choo - See more at: http://daturaonline.com/beginning-ats-class-1#sthash.F1sxPGL4.dpuf

taxeem, hand floreo and reverse turn, and presents four fast moves: Arabic, Shimmy Step, Egyptian and Choo-choo - See more at: http://daturaonline.com/beginning-ats-class-1#sthash.F1sxPGL4.dpuf

taxeem, hand floreo and reverse turn, and presents four fast moves: Arabic, Shimmy Step, Egyptian and Choo-choo - See more at: http://daturaonline.com/beginning-ats-class-1#sthash.F1sxPGL4.dpuf

taxeem, hand floreo and reverse turn, and presents four fast moves: Arabic, Shimmy Step, Egyptian and Choo-choo - See more at: http://daturaonline.com/beginning-ats-class-1#sthash.F1sxPGL4.dpuf

taxeem, hand floreo and reverse turn, and presents four fast moves: Arabic, Shimmy Step, Egyptian and Choo-choo - See more at: http://daturaonline.com/beginning-ats-class-1#sthash.F1sxPGL4.dpuf

Feb. 5th

2/5/14
Hip Work and Level Changes w/ RB from DO
15 min warm up
down ip review
up hip review
combo
heel-toe-toe with arms raising x4
hips up x4
double hips x8
down hip forwardx2
down hip backx2
cross open hit to left
cross open hit
to right
repeat!
many times!
did the fast one a few times with a smaller level change

6 min zil review--2 min ea.
3
3.3.7
3.5.5
3.1.3.1.3

Notes:
The combo was easier to do this time around; I'm planning on doing this one regularly in preparation for Cultivation. Tring to get the oney-and-a-twoey hip bumps is difficult, but I will keep at it! *determined*

Feb 3rd. Practice-Class with Bevin

Class with Bevin
hr 1
10 min warm up
3 min each:
arm undulations
chest squares
chest circles
hip locks
mayas
taqsims
umis
hip drops right
hip drops left
layer chest square over maya
jamila drill- r hip up chest up left hip up chest down
5 min each:
review of Egyptian (ATS)
Hips bumps
5 min cool down

hr 2
straight to dance--no warm up
3 min each of:
hip locks
chest circles
mayas
taqsims
up hip
down hip
double downs
waggle shimmy
corkscrew (coil)
jamila drill- r hip up chest up left hip up chest down
combo: 3 chest circles with an chest rotation
5 min each:
review of Egyptian (ATS)
Hip bumps
ghawazee step
double bump
10 min cool down, hip opener streaches, folding over

Notes:
Happy to drill! Saturdays show went really well and I am looking forward to a solo performance coming up soon.

1.27.14
2 hours of class with Sarah Jezebel Wood

1st hour
warm-up:10 min
drills 3 min each
squares
umis
hip slides
mayas
taqsims
tummy undulation u2d
tummy undulation d2u
cooldown-5 min

2nd hour
choreo review
(no warm -up, everyone started warm from 1st class)
45 minutes reviewing combos from choreo
10 min learning formation
5 hours

1.29.14
5 min warm-up
3 min each of
down hip
up hip
double down
3/4 on the up
10 min cool down

1.30.14
2 hr rehearsal
Notes: all this rehearsing has left me feeling way less anxious than usual about tomorrows performance. Elmer says "Maybe you should be anxious about not being anxious!" Feh.
cool down at home: Neck and Shoulder practice from YFW

1.31.14
10 min zil drills 3-3-3; 3-3-7; 3-3-5; and 3-1-3-1-3
Hip Work and Level Changes from DO
15 min warm up
down ip review
up hip review
combo: many times!
did the fast one a few times with a smaller level change

I really like this video, I have found down and up hip practice tedious and frustrating--I feel like I've plateaued in skill level, and keep hoping for a breakthorough. My hipwork remains okay.


Notes on past month:
Keeping track of practice hit a button I didn't know I had. I feel guilty when I'm not practicing and anxious while I'm practicing. Trying to practice self-care, and will hopefully be setting up practice times with friends next month so I am less anxious. I believe that this is all good for me--that uncomfortable feeling is growth.

1/23/14
pinball#2 daily dose with RB
8min warm up
1 min down hip
1 min up hip
1 min 3/4 on the up
1 min 3/4 on the down
1 min chest circle while travelling
10 min drill pinball#2
3 min cooldown

2 hours rehearsal
drilling a Bevin combo for Circus Wheel
touch left (arms up)
touch right (arms down)
1/2 egyptian
crossover turn over left
chest lift x2

+marks for song.

1/25/14
pinball#2 daily dose with RB
8min warm up
1 min down hip
1 min up hip
1 min 3/4 on the up
1 min 3/4 on the down
1 min chest circle while travelling
10 min drill pinball#2
3 min cooldown

30 min reviewing choreo for Egypt Trip, Circus Wheel, and Cherambe

1/26/14
3 hours rehearsal
practicing the whole show with the live musicians and costume changes

Notes:
All this rehearsing with folks whose company I enjoy puts me in a productive, happy way. December was a tough month for me, and jumping back into the thick of it was a bit painful, but I'm happy to be rehearsing all the time. Already setting up projects and practice times for after this Saturday. Community is the best.

1/22/13
10 min warm up--gentle arm movements, hip circles, forward bends
10 min shimmy drill
5 min hip work on up
5 min hipwork on down
5 min umi practice from Sarah's class
10 min improv practice
10 min cool down--cat cow, forward bends, bridge

Notes: working with hips a lot. I spent the first 3 years as a bellydance student obsessed with armwork and getting them to look scary and gooey and tribal. I am closer to the arms I want, but my hips got neglected along the way. On the agenda, side bends to stretch hips out (lunge, forward fold, hands in prayer position and twist)

1/20/2013
2 hrs of class with Sarah Jezebel Wood!
1st class
10min warm up
15 min drills slow hip squares x4, quick hip squaresx2, then 2 umis
5min drill tucking lower belly while stepping forward (lower belly on r foot)
5 min drill tucking lower belly while stepping forward (lower belly on left foot)
10min drill belly undulation down to up, then up to down while walking forward and backward
5 min one legged 4/4 shimmy drills
10 min down up/up hip alternating drill travelling
10 min  drill
10 min cool down

2nd hour
20 min warm up
15 min drill combo: 3/4 shimmy on up, 3/4 shimmy on down hip for 2, pivot bump forward for 4, (coin drop hip on right side (forward, back forward, back) (coin drop hip on right side (forward, back forward, back)
20min drilling horizontal figure 8s front to back and back to front, with accompanying mardi arms (pushing and pulling)
20 min drilling combo with "cascading" (canon groups)
belly up to down with arms hips da da da
head shoulder hips (3), head chest hips
10 min cooldown

Notes:
Sarah has great hip drills that challenge me, but not so much that I get frustrated. Also her choreos are bomb as hell. <3

1/12 rehearsal

1/13 1 hr class with bevin
maya/ taxsim drill
snake arms

1/14
5 min shimmy drill
5 min ups
5 min downs
10 min improv practice
sacrum practice from yfw

1/15
2hr rehearsal w/ Aria
choreo, spins

1/16
rehearsal w/ Bevin

1/18
10min warm up
10 min zill
5 min double downs
5 min snake arms
5 min ups
5 min 3/4 shimmy on down
2 min shimmy
20 min reviewing choreo for tomorrow
cooldown practice for neck and shoulders from yfw

1/19
2 hour rehearsal with Bevin (20min warm up/stretching)
10min warmup at home (chest circles, neck stretches, folding over),
10 min shimmy practice -- 1/2 "lazy" oblique shimmies and 1/2 knee shimmy
5 min up hip drill
10 min choreo review for Charambe (combo consisting of sidewinder, mayas and taqseems)
cooldown: forward bending practice from YFW

Notes:
Throwing in improv practice and zill drills really helps my mood and motivation. Also I made a threee song shimmy drill playlist that really helps. Next week: layering abdominal undulations and getting started on refreshing ATS.

1/5
2 hrs of rehearsal--hipwork on the down, turns, level changes
15 min of zil practice (usual 4 patterns)

1/6
1 hr--class with Sarah Jezebel Wood
drills: mayas (10min), taxsims(10min), slow relaxed shimmies(10min)

1/8
15 min of zill practice
1.5 hrs RB's Slow and Sinous Phrases practice
cool-down-forward bed practice from YFW

1/9
rehearsal 2 hrs

1/11
5 min shimmy warm-up/5min hip circle drill
5min hips on up
5min hips on down
3min double downs
3min
3/4 shimmy on the up
10min improv practice
15min choreo review for rehearsal tomorrow
25min cool down-extension practice

Notes:
Tough week--winter has got me down! Regular practice helps, I am going to attempt more yoga practices. Improv is still delicious and my comfort zone--glad for it. Saturday practice was basically daily dose with a great big helping of improv for fun. So necessary.

Next week: more zilwork and starting ATS review

Okay! Back in the saddle after the holidays, plus playing catch-up with entries.

12/18

15min warmup
1.5 hours of floorwork with Zabel--lots of sitty core stuff, spins on the floor (butt, not knee), some improv
15 min cooldown

12/20
1 hour of Zoe Jakes floor drills (up through the 3/4 shimmy drill)- so 4/4 hip practice with arms, one-legged figure 8s
15 min cooldown--rando Yoga from YFW

12/22
2 hours rehearsal with Urban Nomad. Mostly staging stuff and drilling a little choreo bit.

....holidays....

12/31
2 hours of class with Sarah Jezebel Wood--arm drills, grapevine layering with umis, hipwork drills

1/1
15 min warmup
RB's Sinous and Smoky Phrases
25min reviewing choreo
10min cooldown

1/3
entire flow drills with Zoe Jakes on DO
15 zill practice 3-3-3; 3-3-7 (longa); 3-5-5(military; 1-2-3-1-1-2-3-1-1-2-3(beledi)
25 min cooldown --extension practice from YFW

Notes:
Lots of catching up to do on stamina, choreo remains tough, clacking on the 1 in the beledi zil pattern is fun.