May the Positive Energy of the Universe
Surround you, Flow through you, and bring
Peace to your mind,
Love to your heart,
and Calm to your spirit
Monday, December 30, 2013
Sunday, December 29, 2013
WORKSHOP::: Awaken the Goddess (Saturday, Jan 25)
Awaken the Goddess Workshop:
Saturday, January 25
3-5pm
(Beginner level)
- Activate your Chakras
- Focus on restorative techniques, alignment, and flow
- Discover Balance, Fluidity, and Awaken the Goddess
- Connect, renew your spirit, and increase circulation for better overall health.
Bring an open mind and open heart
Bring a journal and a pencil, and a yoga mat
$20 Early Registration (register by January 20)
$30 Drop in
or 2 credits on your Class Card
Email for additional information.
www.facebook.com/bellydanceneworleans
http://bellydancefusion.blogspot.com
Shimmy Shop Workshop:
Saturday, February 8
3-5pm
(Intermediate Level- You must have taken at least 6 Basic level Belly Dance classes to register and know the following basic moves: Shoulder and hip shimmies, wrist circles, hip circles, 3 point turn, camels, belly rolls, and egyptian walk
This Belly Dance workshop will focus on layering moves, traveling, and turning.
- Explore shimmies... layering them, traveling with them, incorporating them to undulating moves
- Drill 3/4 steps, traveling hip snaps and layered shimmies
- Learn footwork and turns, including arm movements and flutters
Be ready to shimmy, shake, undulate! Challenge your mind and your body.
Bring a towel and lots of water!
It's a Fusion Hafla:
Saturday, March 29
3-5pm
(Open Level)
This fun Dancing Workshop will allow you to explore rhythm and flow and your body!
You will start with an introduction to different dance forms including Latin, African, and Belly Dancing to allow our minds and bodies to relax and invite movement and flow.
We will explore Belly Dance traveling steps and basic sequences, group belly dance and flow.
This Open level workshop is great for everyone from beginners to advanced dancers!
It's a great opportunity to JUST DANCE and let go while learning Basic Latin and Belly Dance~
No dance experience necessary.
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6 week belly dance session starts January 16!
Thursdays at 7pm
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Saturday, December 28, 2013
Belly Dance Goddess Hour (by karla marie)
Ask me about Prenatal Restorative Sessions (email km@karlamariefineart.com) including Belly Dance and yoga techniques. private sessions can be held in home or at studio.
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BELLY DANCING AND PREPARING FOR CHILD BIRTH
I always told my students in class how wonderful belly dancing was during pregnancy. Although I hadn't put it to the test. I understand child birth because I have had 3 children but never understood my body until I started to belly dance. I just knew the movements from class and the constant intense work on our lower abdominal and back muscles as well as our pelvic floor muscles had to be of huge benefit during pregnancy and labor. During pregnancy the work on balance and understanding the shifts in your center of gravity as well as increasing circulation and flexibility during class proved to be of great benefit. After a delivery with an epidural for my first son, and a c-section for my second son, I was able to experience a completely natural, drug free labor and delivery for my 3rd son. I attribute this, in large part, to the work I did in class (belly dancing and yoga) and of course my doula, Addy Meisenheimer and my husband and the confidence I had in knowing my body. I found this article and wanted to share a bit of it with my lovelies as many of you are expecting babies. I was blessed to be able to teach my belly dancing class the entire pregnancy up until 1 week before delivering at 37 weeks and I reaped the benefits of this during my labor and delivery. What a wonderful experience it was.... I have been offering prenatal restorative private sessions including belly dancing and yoga techniques for expecting moms for a couple of years and it is one of my favorite offerings. A special time for mom and baby and a unique experience to me as a guest in this moment to allow them to rest, restore, relax, and connect.
"Childbirth must be prepared for. Dormant muscles must be built up little by little, step by step. All it takes is a little work, which certainly would never harm the mother or the unborn child. Strengthening the muscles also helps in carrying the child through pregnancy and greatly reduces stretch marks on the abdomen.
Training classes, such as Education for Childbirth courses given at one of the major hospitals in New York City, try to accomplish in a few short months or weeks what should have been started in childhood: namely the shaping-up of pelvic muscles used in pregnancy and childbirth and to regain shape and muscle tone after birth.
The first lesson in the Exercise Review Sheet of that hospital says: "Concentration Exercises -- Object: to learn muscular control of muscle groups. Particular attention is paid to strong contraction and absolute relaxation of the rest of the body."
The technique of Oriental dancing is one of contractions and releases while all other muscles not involved in the movemen are relaxed.
Class 2 goes on: "Stand with knees easy, feet parallel and with the weight of the body well over the arches of your feet. Rock your pelvis upward, Tighten slowly your buttocks and lower abdominal muscles. . . Lying on your back, with legs bent, press back firmly on floor, contracting abdominal muscles at the same time -- release."
This is a position assumed in almost every Oriental dance at one point or another, where the head reaches the floor from a backbend and the body relaxes untill the spine rests on the floor. The knees are sharply bent and the feet outside of and close to the thighs. Slow rhythmic breathing is followed by fast shallow breathing, acceleration of which increases with contractions, producing a variety of abdominal movements.
One of the women, who attended classes of this sort, was the wife of a prominent lawyer of Turkish background and mother of twins. She told me that one of the movements her obstetrician stressed was a rippling movement of the abdomen, the old Arabic "belly roll" - what we now refer to as the "camel".
It was explained that the upper part of the wave, as her doctor termed the movement, was to be done between the contractions of the womb, and the lower part of the wave, or bearing down, was to be done as the womb contracted. This would aid the mother considerably in expelling the baby with minimal wear and tear on all the internal organs and muscles involved. Fighting the contractions through fear and preoccupation with the thought of pain would only tense the muscles and tear them rather than allow them to stretch gently during the uterine contractions and relaxations.
The rolling movement itself is no child's play to learn, for when done wrong it only serves to stetch the stomach muscles. The lower spine, pelvis, diaphragm and abdomen are involved. This is extremely difficult to describe in writing & must be demonstrated, explained step by step, felt gradually muscle by muscle.
Each little muscle must be found and developed in turn, before the whole can be manipulated to the extent that each split second can be perfectly controlled. Rather than sharpness and angularity, there must be a smooth, circular, undulating motion."
excerpt from Shimmy Goddess
happy new year lovelies
_/|\_ namaste dear belly dancing lovelies,
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
may it be filled with love, light, and happy shimmies~
Updates and full information for 2014 will be posted regularly on Facebook page and Blog,
Along with daily inspiration and belly dance/yoga related news!
- "LIKE" the facebook page (www.facebook.com/bellydanceneworleans)
- "FOLLOW" the blog (http://bellydancefusion.blogspot.com)
Very excited about offering sessions and workshops as well as private (individual/group) lessons and restorative sessions in 2014!
- First 6 week Belly Dance Intensive starts Thursday, January 16
- Every Thursday from January 16-February 20 (7pm-8pm)
- Registration deadline: Saturday, January 11
- One Day workshops on: Saturday, January 25, Saturday, February 8*, Saturday, March 29 (3-5pm)
- Saturday, February 8 is an INTERMEDIATE level workshop, must have attended at least 6 beginner/open level classes)
Space is Limited.
To Register or For more information:
email karla marie km@karlamariefineart.com
Class Cards Available:
(4, 6, 10, 20 classes)
- Cards DO NOT EXPIRE
- Cards can be SHARED
- Cards can be used for ANY and ALL classes/workshops offered by Karla Marie at any location where classes are offered.
LOVE, LIGHT, AND HAPPY SHIMMIES
_/|\_
Karla Marie
"Dancing is not just getting up painlessly, like a leaf blown on the wind;
dancing is when you tear your heart out and rise out of your body to hang suspended between the worlds." -Rumi
dancing is when you tear your heart out and rise out of your body to hang suspended between the worlds." -Rumi
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Monday, December 16, 2013
Join me tomorrow!!
To Belly dance! Why? Because you love yourself, wanna detoxify and de-stress, and do something fun and push yourself out of your comfort zone! Where? Swan River Yoga. Right on Canal St. Past Jeff Davis on 2940 canal St. What time?? 7:30!!! Join me!!!! Drop ins $14 For more info email: km@karlamariefineart.com Last Class of 2013
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Last Shimmy of 2013
TUESDAY!!!!!
join us at Swan River Yoga
2940 Canal St. NOLA
7:30pm-8:30pm
for the last shimmy of 2013!!!!
Drop ins and new students ALWAYS welcome!!!
--
"Dancing is not just getting up painlessly, like a leaf blown on the wind;
dancing is when you tear your heart out and rise out of your body to hang suspended between the worlds." -Rumi
Karla Marie Cochran
"Dancing is not just getting up painlessly, like a leaf blown on the wind;
dancing is when you tear your heart out and rise out of your body to hang suspended between the worlds." -Rumi
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Monday, December 2, 2013
only 3 classes left!
Just 3 classes left in 2013!!!
--
"Dancing is not just getting up painlessly, like a leaf blown on the wind;
dancing is when you tear your heart out and rise out of your body to hang suspended between the worlds." -Rumi
Tuesday, December 3
Tuesday, December 10
Tuesday, December 17
Join us @Swan River Yoga Mandir (2940 Canal St.)
7:30pm-8:30pm
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2014 belly dancing schedule and details coming soon...
Plan on a 6-8 week Belly Dance Intensive starting in January & 3 awesome workshops:
- Awaken the Goddess
- Shimmy til you drop
- Belly Dancing Gypsy
Karla Marie Cochran
"Dancing is not just getting up painlessly, like a leaf blown on the wind;
dancing is when you tear your heart out and rise out of your body to hang suspended between the worlds." -Rumi