Marisa Wright » General

Bellydance Egyptian Style – The Baladi

Marisa Wright — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 22:21:25 +0000

This is a simply amazing set of 2 DVD’s by Ranya Renee. If you want to understand Baladi, this set is an absolute must-have! When I say “understand” Baladi, that’s exactly what I mean. This isn’t a belly dance technique class or a choreography DVD – it’s a detailed examination of the essence of baladi. [...]

How to Teach Belly Dance : Shemiran Ibrahim

Marisa Wright — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 02:53:44 +0000

I hesitated about including a review of Shemiran Ibrahim’s How to Teach Belly Dance here. Not because it’s not worthy, but because it’s far more than a simple DVD. It does contain 2 DVD’s with 4 hours’ running time, but they’re only one part of the package. The course also includes a Teacher’s Manual, Student [...]

How to Shorten Isis Wings

Marisa Wright — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 02:59:19 +0000

Professional Isis Wings are enormous – they’re meant to be! I’m only 5 ft 2 inches (160 cm), but even I can handle full-size wings. It simply comes down to practice. Traditional Isis Wings, like the ones in the photo on the right, were designed to be held throughout the dance. In traditional choreography, it [...]

Professional vs Student Belly Dancers

Marisa Wright — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 08:45:52 +0000

This video clip is a cautionary tale which will strike a chord with many professional bellydancers. It’s a cringeworthy “interview” with a woman who thinks she can bellydance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuE9DEw_V3o Unfortunately it’s not a rare occurrence! I think some bellydance teachers are their own worst enemies sometimes, because they place such an emphasis on building self-esteem [...]

Quick and Easy Belly Dance Bra

Thea — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:31:47 +0000

Recently, I had to make a costume in a hurry for a performance. The director decided we should all wear green, and I didn’t have a green outfit! I didn’t have time to sew on beads and sequins so I had to take some shortcuts, and you can see the result in the photo on [...]

How to Make Godets (Chiffon Inserts)

Thea — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 06:23:26 +0000

Adding a chiffon insert (godet) to your belly dance skirt doesn’t look difficult – but personally, it’s one of my least favorite things! I had come across godets before as a flamenco dancer, but in flamenco they’re usually made of the same type of material as the rest of the dress. The principle is similar, [...]

Best Pointe Shoes for Beginners

Marisa Wright — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 08:17:53 +0000

Best Pointe Shoes for Beginners

I’m often asked what are the best pointe shoes for beginners. I wish there was an easy answer, and I’m sure every ballet school in the country feels the same! Unfortunately, the best pointe shoe for any beginner has more to do with the shape of her foot than her dance experience, so there’s no [...]

Pointe Shoes Online – Find the perfect pointe at discount prices

how to solve Sudoku

Marisa Wright — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 05:26:56 +0000

Once you’ve got the knack, most Sudoku puzzles are easy to solve – given enough time. In this article I’m going to look at the basic steps…

How to Solve Cryptic Crosswords

Marisa Wright — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 08:17:37 +0000

If you enjoy puzzles, chances are you’ve tried a cryptic crossword occasionally – and given up, because you didn’t know where to start. Even when you can check the answers, you may not understand where they came from! But cryptic clues can be…

Suitable careers for introverts

Marisa Wright — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 05:02:55 +0000

Introverted personalities are often assumed to be loners – people who don’t like the company of others, and are therefore happiest in jobs where they can work alone. This is a complete misunderstanding of introversion!

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