My blog has moved home.

Dear friends and fellow bloggers

My blog has moved to a new address

http://beatriceflowers.wordpress.com/

See you over there! :)

Still rubbish@Bloggery

Ok, so maybe I am not cut out for this blogging stuff and my podcast has become a rare event...Sorry girls and boys! I have heaps of stuff to tell but have been off trotting the globe and have had little time to get my blog on and the last couple of weeks has been filled with much procrastinating and sleeping a lot because Narcolepsy and British Winter really don''t mix.
I shall return shortly with some exciting news and I promise you another podcast!

Elephants and Dancing in Kuala Lumpur

Elephants & Dancing in Kuala Lumpur

I’m in Kuala Lumpur. I was invited here to teach and perform by an awesome lady called Nanci Traynor who teaches Tribal Belly Dance and yoga.

I taught 3 workshops on Sunday at KLPAC the theme I used for my workshops 

was Movie Sirens of the Silent film era.

Nanci performs every Wednesday at Palate Palette so I have been joining her to perform while I am here and last night I went to her Yoga and Tribal Belly Dance classes. She taught an awesome Samba piece

as well which was loads of fun.

Dancing again tonight with some Iranian DJ’s then this Saturday we are putting on a show upstairs at Palette Palais followed by a dub-step  DJ and a party.

On Sunday, I will be hung-over no doubt, but I will also be travelling out to visit the Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary. For those of you who don’t know… I am a little crazy about elephants... that is an understatement... there probably isn't a word for how much I love efalumps... put it this way, If given the choice between saving the human race or elephants, I am not ashamed to say that elephants would win every time!  

(but then I am someone who, several years ago, posted ‘I am renouncing my species’ as my myspace status, haha

I contacted the sanctuary’s main supporter who goes by the name of ‘the elephant man’ and he gave me a list of supplies that are needed there.

Then before I left for KL, I ran an event called Ele-Dance Hafla to raise money for the orphaned elephants at Kuala Gandah. We raised a very small amount but nearly enough to help fund some of the much needed item donations that are needed however my support for the Sanctuary is ongoing so you

So this is where I ask you to help me to help them to continue there amazing work to preserve and protect this awesome species.

I have created 3 pages on my website, with info about the sanctuary and

you can read all about Selandang and Sanum, two of the ickle elephants who were rescued and taken in by the sanctuary.

Please have a look at the ele-pages on my website and donate as little or as much as you can! The hard work of the team at KG simply cannot continue without our support!

http://www.nottinghamtribalbellydance.com/ntb_kuala_gandah.html

http://www.nottinghamtribalbellydance.com/ntb_kuala_gandah_elephants.html

http://www.nottinghamtribalbellydance.com/ntb_kuala_gandah_donate.html

Some of the ele-dance links don’t appear to be be working properly but this I cannot fix until I am back in UK. Please be patient, links will be fixed when I get back to UK at the end of May.

Have a look at this super cute video of  Selandang (Miss Tripod) Selandang (Miss Tripod) very pleased and walking with her new prosthetic leg :) 

Music/Art by August Hoerr

Music:    August Hoerr on Soundcloud 

Website: www.augusthoerr.com

I met August Hoerr a few years ago with Olivia Kissel, a lady who has been a huge inspiration to me in my dance studies. He played the piano accordion during her workshops in Holland which was amazing and I spent a little time chatting to him about music. He is a sweet person who has a lot of time for people.  I just wanted to share these links cos I think his music is rather awesome! He is also an amazing painter.. the kind that puts me so much to shame that I should probably throw away all my crayons ;)  ... anyway, Enjoy!

Working on some new music

I am working on some instrumental tracks for Tribal Belly Dance.
This is the first one. a work in progress but I like it so I wanted to share it :)
link:  Santoor - Tribal Infinity

Support the Bhopa Tribe of Rajasthan

During my visit to Pushkar in Rajasthan, India, I met Sumitra and her father. I spent a lot of time with them and Kistur taught me to play the Ravanhatta., a bowed stringed instrument which is hand made from a coconut shell and bamboo. Sumitra and her father sang for me every day after my lesson and I met the rest of their lovely family as well.
Kistur was born Bhopa, a tribe local to the Rajasthan area of India, The Bhopa are the clan of Musicians who played for the Maharajas. With the disappearance of the Maharajas, the Bhopa survive by playing and making instruments for tourists.

I have remained in contact with Kistur and my new found little Indian sister Sumitra. Spending time with them was a great inspiration to me and I am proud to be able to share with you their story.

You can support the Bhopa Tribe by buying this CD and DVD!!!

Traditional Songs of Rajasthan
Songs from the Bhopa Tribe of Rajasthan
£10 + £1.25  p&p (UK postage)
Postage outside the UK costs more
please contact me if you want this posting outside the UK

Bhopa; The Art of Survival: (pictures coming soon) A lovely film all about the Bhopa tribe and their history and music. Kistur shows us how he makes a Ravanhatta from beginning to end and we meet other family members who tell us stories about their lives and their struggle
for survival in a modern world.  [DosVelas Pictures, 2007]
£12  + £1.25 p&p  (UK only at the moment, sorry)

Both CD and DVD (special offer)  £18
+ £1.25 p&p UK (postage)
Postage outside the UK costs more
please contact me if you want this posting outside the UK

All proceeds go to support the Bhopa tribe to preserve this ancient art.
Please send paypal payments to bduk.tv@hotmail.com
Include the title(s) of the product you wish to purchase along with
your name and address when you make the payment.

if you have any questions feel free to contact me by email bduk.tv@hotmail.com

Namaste

It's been a while!

Hello strangers

Long time no speakers!

So....I survived India. It was an incredible experience!

I learned a lot and I met some wonderful people and made some friends with a few people who I know I will be keeping in touch with and intend to share much more time with in the future. Sarah and Txell,  two gorgeous ladies from Spain who kept me endlessly entertained and also encouraged me to practice when I was really feeling more like burying my head in the sand.

Beautiful Marta, who I spent a lot of time with when everyone else had buggered off elsewhere, she is an infinite source of light and a real inspiration. I spent a little bit of time with all of the girls on the Odissi course and I grew very fond of all of them, I guess after a month or so of dancing together every day, it starts to feel like a family. We all looked out for each other and gave each other support. This is getting all emotional so I won't go on about how much I love everyone, haha

The other people that I shared a lot of time with were Sumitra and her father Kistur and their family who are Bhopa, a tribe of gypsies in Rajasthan. Kistur is a musician, plays a Ravan-hattha which he makes himself by hand and sells to foreign visitors. He was kind enough to share his time with me to teach me to play the Ravantah. Sumitra is like a 13 year old Indian version of me...a feisty monkey with a very cheeky smile and she has such a beautiful singing voice, she sings with her father and they perform for tourists but it is getting more and more difficult for them to make a living from this way of life. The story of the Bhopa tribe is featured in a film 'Bhopa: The Art of Survival'

I am going to be selling copies of this DVD and also a CD of their music, to help support the Bhopa and protect their heritage. Please buy a copy!