My Bellydance Story

Performing with Troupe Sulukule 2006

There has been a lot of reflection going around lately, and I have been contemplating what roll dance has played, and will continue to play, in my life.

It's a long story....Let's start in late elementary - middle school and early high school

I was not comfortable with myself for a very long time as I was growing up. It's not a sob story...my parents are both amazingly supportive and loving individuals, and I had great friends...but rather an unpleasantly common story of growing up as a woman in our culture.

I was slightly chubby. (or, at least I thought I was)

I was painfully shy (still am, actually)...and my mother told me that my shyness made people think I was stuck up (which was probably correct), and this caused me to withdraw even more.

Triboriginal Pre-performance 2006

I was uncomfortable with girls my age, and I was picked on  because I was smart and cared about how well I did in school. I loved to learn, but hadn't yet learned to love myself.

I looked at magazines filled with young women who were impossibly beautiful, and didn't understand why I couldn't look like that, no matter how much I starved myself.

So, clumsy, shy, quiet, and depressed, I continued to grow and try my best to find a place for myself. In high school, I started my first long term relationship...it was not good, and for three years I struggled with self image, depression, self harm, and an emotionally abusive boyfriend.

Me: Opening for Raquy 2009

I went to college, and things started to change. I became more comfortable with who I was. I fell in love for the first time, and got engaged. I made friends who would become lifelong companions, and I did well in school...but I was still quietly unhappy whenever I was alone. Though I was by no means overweight or disfigured, I still saw an ugly woman when I looked in the mirror.

In 2002, one year before I graduated college, my fiance and I broke up.....and I broke.

Solo Performance 2010

It was a dark time for me. In outward appearance, things were fine, but inside, I was heart broken, lost, depressed, confused, and quietly miserable.

A friend of mine convinced me to try a belly dance class with her.

I went. I had always been curious about belly dance, and I'd never done anything quite like it. I needed to do something that was for me, and it seemed like a good place to start.

Jaidra and Brandy with Wasted Wine 2011

My teacher was twice my size...and the control that she had over her body, the way her face lit up when she danced, the impressive movement of her hips...was mesmerizing.

There was a 70 something year old grandmother in the class, wrinkled and white haired, and she was so beautiful, confident, and healthy. Watching her dance made me realize that I could do this.

All ages, all shapes and sizes, all colors of skin...and the moves looked different on everyone, but they were all beautiful.

I found that when I was concentrating on making my hips move up and down in time to the beat, or circling my chest while holding the rest of my body still, that the concerns and the darkness in my mind retreated.

I grew stronger, developed more muscle control, and as I practiced, the moves and isolations that had seemed so difficult began to take shape in my own body.

And, then I moved away...and moved again.

With my students 2011..It's now my  joy to share what I love

In 2006, I moved to Athens, GA. I was in another difficult place, and I had stepped away from bellydance over a period of about a year. The boy that I was dating was bad for me, and I knew it. I knew I needed to find my way again...so I looked for a bellydance class. I found Christy Fricks, someone who was to later become an incredible influence in my life, as a teacher, mentor, and friend. She welcomed me in to her beginner and intermediate class, and when she founded her troupe, she included me. My first public performance occurred that year, and as a member of Troupe Sulukule, I began to find my voice as a dancer, surrounded by strong women, and to explore the dance community and all that it had to offer.

Me with Evelyn and Brandy 2013

My story continues in this vein. Sometimes I lose my way. Sometimes things get dark, and I make mistakes, or mistakes find me...sometimes, life just hurts, and I look in the mirror and wonder who I am. Dance helps. I find myself when I dance. I am able to accept my flaws, enjoy my abilities, and push myself to become "more" while being OK with where I am now.

Belly dance has changed my life. 

I have met so many amazing women (and men) through dance...I have seen people overcome so much. Loss, major health problems, chronic diseases, depression, divorce, self image and self esteem issues...my story isn't unique. Belly dance heals. It heals me over and over again, every day.

I am a bellydancer

I dance because I have found myself in the movement.
I dance to express joy and share passion or sorrow.
I dance to push myself beyond the boundaries of what I ever thought I could do.
I dance empowered as a woman, to love who I am.
I dance with sisters, and with friends.
I dance because to dance is to become one with the universe.
To dance is to be whole.

Brandy and Jaidra of Discordia Arts with Fire Fans

To dance is to dream.

Bring A Friend, Free Bellydance Class Day!

Jaidra and Brandy of Discordia Arts: Sword Duet at Ren Faire

I'm having a special promo class the first week in February. Bring a friend, and BOTH of your classes are free. Check out more information here, and like the Discordia Arts Facebook page while you're there to keep up with our performance and class schedule.

Now, your first class with me is always free, so this promo is mostly for my current students, but if you're reading this early, you can get 2 free classes by coming in for your first class ahead of time and then bringing a friend on Bring A Friend Day. Bellydance has changed my life, and I love to teach it...come give it a try and maybe you'll love it to!

Jaidra with some of  her students at the 2013 Discordia Arts Spring Student Showcase

Discordia Arts Fire Dance Promo Video

Lots of Dancing!!

The last two weekends have been my favorite kind: chock full of Bellydance! And, it doesn't show signs of stopping.

First, on Friday evening, Feb 22, Discordia Arts and our dear friend Teejei, joined Wasted Wine on stage at the Handlebar in Greenville, SC. We had a fantastic evening full of beautiful, unique music, and we debuted a brand new theatrical fusion bellydance piece as living music boxes! I didn't get any pictures of the event, since I was a bit busy, but the photograph below was posted on Facebook by Fete Greenville

 

Jaidra Performs to Fall Upon Me with Wasted Wine at the Handlebar

Saturday night brought even more beautiful dancing, as I took to the stage along with a variety of Greenville's finest bellydancers and students at an informal hafla hosted by Nadira. Community events are always a ton of fun. It is exciting to get to see the range of styles and talents that Greenville boasts.

Following last weekend, we had a week full of practices, dress rehearsal, and planning to get ready for last night's show. Discordia Arts presented our Spring Student Showcase and Hafla. My students, Brandy's students, and many of our friends showed up and danced their hearts out. We were blessed to be joined by talented musicians from as far away as Columbia, Atlanta, and Asheville in addition to local drummer, Marcus, and the incomparable Robert Gowan.
Hopefully, I will have photos to share soon. Last night was amazing. The last few weeks of dancing, music, fellowship, hard training, and community has really reminded me why I dance. Love and Shimmies!

Bellydance Show with Jaidra

Join me for an evening of Belly dance at Grapeleaf Mediterranean Restaurant. 816 S Main St in Downtown Greenville on Tuesday, Jan 29th. I will dance mini sets from 6:30 - 7:30 in a variety of styles. Bring the whole family to try some great food and enjoy some dance!

New Bellydance Classes for 2013 - Greenville, SC

Equilibrium Zen Gym is moving to a new location, 207 E Antrim Dr, Greenville SC, with more spaces for classes, and I am celebrating with them by offering 2 new classes. Classes are still on Wednesday evening and will begin on Jan 16th.

Bellydance Basics - Wed 6:30-7:30pm 

Description:

Bellydance is an expressive art form based on ancient women’s dances from North Africa, and the Middle East. What we know of as Bellydance today takes on a variety of styles and goes by a variety of names, but the basis of Bellydance is rooted in body isolation and movements centered in the torso of the body. In this class we will focus on technique, alignment, and posture as we breakdown the basics forms, movements, and travelling steps that form the foundation for many different styles of bellydance. Each class will begin with a warm up that will include stretch and strengthen exercises designed with the bellydancer in mind, followed by a breakdown of several basic isolations and usually a travelling step which will be put together into a simple dance combination. Class will close with short cool down stretch series. 

Intermediate Bellydance - Wed 7:30-8:30pm

 Description:

This intermediate class will be presented in 8 week sessions that will have different focuses. Each 8 week class will build on skills learned in bellydance basics. 

The first session will start Jan 16 and ending the second week of March.

This 8 week session will focus on learning a skirt dance. The piece we will learn is an original choreography by Jaidra that combines basic bellydance isolations and travelling moves with an emphasis on spins, turns and flourish with a 25 yard skirt.

There will be a performance opportunity in March for members of this class that wish to perform, but performance is not required. Students who wish to perform must be willing to purchase or borrow specific costume items such as a black choli and a 25 yard skirt. 

Permission of the instructor or 16 weeks of bellydance basics are required before joining this class.

I am so excited to start classes in this new space! As always, your first class with me is free. After that, 10$ each for a 6,8, or 10 class card or 15$ per class drop-in. 

 

Upcoming Shows Oct, Nov 2012

Jaidra will be performing as part of Discordia Arts with Wasted Wine at the Velo Fellow on Oct 31. Be on the lookout for something different!

Next, look out for Wasted Wine and Discordia Arts with Los Meesfits at Little Kings Shuffle Club in Athens, GA on Nov 3. Discordia Arts are breaking out the theatrical dance spectacular for your viewing pleasure.

A short break will be followed by an appearance at the Handlebar as part of Outsider Arts' Holiday Market on Nov 17.

Favorite Nature Photos

I hike as often as work, gigs, and life allow me to, and I love to take pictures of what I see. Here are a few recent favorites.

A Nature Silk

This one has a home already (I painted it for my Father)

 I started with this beautiful garden spider on a background of white oak leaves.

 Then I added a ruby throated hummingbird. I took some liberties with the vine: kind of a cross between bignonia and jessamine, but I think it's beautiful.

 The far left side finished up with a dragonfly on a background of sycamore leaves and water oak leaves as a final framing piece, since I wasn't going to paint the full size of the silk. I used water and jaquard green label silk dye directly on the fabric with water to move the dye.

Finished nature silk painting

I finished with a mottled background in 4 washed of dark blue. The pictures don't do the silk justice, but I think that it turned out lovely. I am always in love with and inspired by nature.