Good Monday Peeps...

Hello All!!

I hope all is well with you guys... I'm doing good, really good actually.

Something is happening to me. I don't know exactly what but it's positive. I think I'm going through some sort of metamorphosis...some type of change...for the good...

I don't know when it started but I think I know who or what triggered it... But I'm still trying to figure it out and letting it ride..



Well as I told you a few posts ago, I was called by a booking agent of a bar in NYC to perform. I haven't set an actual date yet because I have to deal with getting a full band to accompany me and that will likely cost alot of money. Ugh!

I have a performance coming up May 24. I will debut my new song "Rise" and sing a flamenco tango song accompanied by guitarist/friend/teacher Marija. We will be performing at a showcase in Maryland. Again, I'm nervous for a number of reasons. One, I'm SINGING! Two, I still don't have all the lyrics for "Rise"!!!! Third, it will be the first time I'll be singing a flamenco tango piece in front of a somewhat large crowd! I definitely need some positive energy!

Last night, I met up with some people and we had a great spiritual discussion. I never felt so comfortable at ease as I did when we discussed various aspects of spirituality. As a matter of fact there are only two times when I feel at peace. One, when I am involved in a spiritual discussion with open people. Two, when I'm creating or performing my music. And I did both of these at the same time last night!!!

As stated earlier, I met up with some people last night and we discussed various aspects of spirituality and unity. Just so happens one of the girls plays the harp and is a beautiful singer! I was just in awe listening to her play the harp and sing. I'ver never seen a live harp player and I got an amazing treat last night. She sang spiritual songs on the harp as she sang. The other girl is also a beautiful singer and plays the piano. The other woman writes children books and she recited many passages from her books. AMAZING!

I am usually timid when it comes to performing and singing. I know that probably sounds odd. None of my friends know I sing and perform. Only you guys and those who've seen me perform know. I've deliberatly performed in places where I know none of my friends would go or I've told them I'm playing the piano and someone else is singing and the performance is private.

I know it's odd! I still am not confidant in my voice since I just started a few years ago. I know I have a good voice and boy it's BIG! As a matter of fact, I was practicing some vocal exercises and singing last saturday in my apartment in the kitchen. I live on a busy street. I live on the top floor of my apartment on the 5th floor. I thought it was odd that people across the street were looking up in my direction. I figured there was something in the sky or something. Anyhow, as I was singing, a neighbor knocked on my door. She said that she didn't know I could sing. I apologize and said I'm sorry if I was too loud since we live right next door to each other. However, she said she was outside across the street! She said all those people were up looking at my window listening to my voice! SHOCKED!!!! I was so SHOCKED!. I knew my voice was big and I've been told that by my teachers but I didn't realize how big my voice is! I mean, this was on a busy saturday afternoon, on a busy street and I'm on the 5th floor of my building! Wow! That is big! ....But my confidance is not that big...I need to control it better...

Anyhow, I stepped out of my shyness last night. I could not hold it inside me since I was in such a beautiful environment. I perfomed "Before You Break My Heart.." They all asked for a copy of my song! I was shocked! Those who have heard that song without knowing it was me have asked for a copy cuz they love it so much! My soul just melts when I see the genuine joy for the song I WROTE!

What took the cake was that they all just loved my voice. Two of the women there are really amazing musicians and they seriously critiqued my voice and simply enjoyed my voice. Wow... And I wasn't singing in my big heavy low voice where I am most comfortable in..Wow..

Anyhow, I played "Rise" on the piano for them and they also simply loved the song! They loved it so much that they want me to perform this Thursday at a celebration and artist showcase! I actually had two of the women/musicans sing "Rise" and it sounded exquisite... The key I wrote "Rise" requires a softer higher voice and their voices just floated on top of the notes... Beautiful....

It was so beautiful to hear other people sing my songs. So they are singing my song as I accompany them on the piano this Thursday night!

I have to mention that although they loved "Rise" they all thought it would sound better in a lower key. PERFECT! I've been thinking that cuz my voice would sound so much better in that key. I didn't change the key of it because I thought I would not do the song justice if I was accomodating the song to my voice. I thought the song should guide what voice should sing on it. However, since others mentioned the same thing I've been thinking about, I will definitely change it. Thank you!!! Now I'll be able to sing my song! I just need to figure out how to transpose it to the lower key....

Anyhow, I left last night on a major high...... They all were just humming "Before You Break My Heart.." and "Rise" as they went about doing their things...not realizing they were humming my songs... The one girl couldn't stop playing the melodies on her harp...and it was just exquisite...she didn't even realize she was doing it.. ! I had to fight back tears....wow...

Saturday when I met with Chris, I played another melody I've had sitting for the past 2 years. I never extended it but it always stuck with me. He said it was a bonafide hit song! Definitely not his style of music but he recognizes a hit, and to him 3 of my songs, including the unfinished melody I played were hits just waiting to be played on the radio or wherever else...

It's funny cuz that melody I played sounds like it would be something on Broadway or something...

Maybe they won't ever be hits but i'm glad people are appreciating my creativity, my music....me

Oh well...Anyhow, now I'm back at work for the day....clicking on my computer and sneaking in this LONG blog post!!! Sorry! :)

Oh, my bellydance teacher is officially submitting my name to teach Bellydance Basics Technique at the dance studio she teaches....it is a prestigious dance studio so I'm psyched and nervous and excited..... I never asked her but she's been pushing me and the studio made a request and she is submitting my name! yay!

Oh, I'm still thinking of ideas for the bellydance competition in San Diego, CA in September. I think I finally picked out the music. I already had music and choreography but since I'm doing another competition I have to change it a bit. They require the performance to be at least twice as long as what I originally planned! So I have to find music to extend on what I have. Finally found it! Now I gotta rehearse, rehearse, rehearse!

Anyhow, this has been a super LONG post! Thank you for reading and keeping up with me! I hope all is cool with you guys!

I'll be back later on this week...

Oh here's Kylie Minogue. I am in love with this song! I wanna write a song like this. Me and Chris have been working together on this song called "Slide." It is definitely more of an electronica beat song...sounds really cool....it kinda sounds like it could be used in a car commercial...hehehe..nothing wrong with that!

Anyhow, gotta go bye!!!

AVIANA

P.S. Kylie Minogue with "All I See"
P.S.S. Pics found: http://aselclub.deviantart.com/, istockphoto, corbis

Concha Buika...

Hi All,

I hope all is well with you guys. I've been going through so motions lately. It all started February 13. I won't go in details.

Anyhow, I wanted to bring to your attention an amazing new singer from Spain named Concha Buika.

She is my current passion. She is just phenomenal. She came to DC in October and I didn't go see her cuz I didn't have any money. Her music is amazing. I'm so mad that I slept on her. My friend, Gen introduced her music to me. Awesome!

Concha Buika mixes Flamenco with Funk and Jazz. I can't stop playing her music over and over.

Check her out... :)

AVIANA

P.S. Concha Buika with " Mi Nina Lola"

Quick Update...

Bonjour Mes Amis!!


I hope all is well with you guys...


Well here's a quick update...



I got a call yesterday from a booking agent in NYC and they want me to perform at their bar sometime in the summer!

Yay!!!! I don't really know how they got my info but they based their decision on a couple of snippets they heard of my songs. Isn't that cool?!!

I know it's not madison square garden but it's awesome for me right now!

Wow!

I know it's probably some dive bar but it's cool that they heard my music and called me to perform..in NYC! hehehe...

Oh by the way, I'm gearing up for the showcase at the end of May where I will debut my new song "Rise" and sing a flamenco tangos piece. I'm nervous for both songs because Rise does not have lyrics yet!!!! And the flamenco piece is hard...

Anyhow...I'm nervous regardless...

Oh by the way, Chris and I are planning on going to the recording studio and re-work what I've done so far with "Rise." It's exciting cuz it will be my first time at a recording studio!

hehe...

Oh here's a band out of Vancouver, Canada. They are called Bella Canto. The video on the side is them performing somewhere or I think it's their official video. Check them out.

Anyhow, won't stay for too long....have nice weekend!

AVIANA

P.S. Bella Canto with "Come Back To Me"

Suhaila Salimpour...

Hi,

I hope all is well. You guys know that I study belly dance. I study under the Suhaila Salimpour format. I am Level 1 Certifed Suhaila Salimpour Belly Dancer. My teacher here in DC also studies under Suhaila. Suhaila is a phenomenal woman. She is the most sought after Belly Dancer in the world. Her mother, Jamila Salimpour is the mother of Tribal Bellydance, which is the particular style I perform. Suhaila teaches belly dance technique that she and her mother developed.

Anyhow, Suhaila, just sent her students a newsletter. I wanted to post it on here so that people could be more knowledgeable about Suhaila Salimpour, her life, and belly dance. The video showcases the incomparable Suhaila Salimpour.

Anyhow here it is.
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March/April 2008 Editorial by Suhaila Salimpour

I left my hotel room and walked to the nightclub for rehearsal that day. I learned quickly that this was not such a great idea since I had a line of cars follow me with male voices yelling what I was sure were vulgar innuendos. What did I expect? I was in Lebanon, and women did not just walk places. I had a momentary lapse of insanity by thinking that since my hotel was just a few blocks away from the club, I would walk and enjoy the sunny day. Ha!

I arrived at the club right on time. Of course this meant that I waited around for at least two hours for the band to show up. Setting a time for something meant allowing a two-hour window for arrival. How silly of me to assume that being punctual would show my commitment to the job. Instead, I looked out of place standing around while the manager and staff cleaned up from the night before. Even when the band did show up, it took another 45 minutes for them to drink coffee and recap their personal lives before even strolling onto the stage (with coffee cup still in hand from the third refill) to slowly set up and do what appeared to be a sound check.

I carried a large bag/purse with “stuff” to occupy myself during these cultural moments. I had a book, my journal, nail polish, and tweezers (of course with a compact mirror). . . all the “must haves” of a traveling belly dancer. Depending on the circumstances, I would whip out an appropriate tool. On this particular day, my choice was my journal as my mind and heart were filled with inspiration moments I wanted to remember.

As I was writing, my manager walked over and grabbed my hand to inspect my nails, wincing at the lack of manicure and color. Embarrassed, I started making excuses immediately; I knew better than to show up at a rehearsal without looking “put together”. He was kind and didn’t say anything, but I knew my attire didn’t meet his approval. Wearing jeans and a sweater with clogs, I wasn’t dressed like the other dancers during the day; they chose outfits like Olivia Newton John wore in the last scene of Grease -- tight spandex pants, red pumps, tight white shirt with plunging neckline, full stage make-up and hair, and, of course, perfect nails.

I was most embarrassed by the fact that I knew better. As a working dancer in the Middle East, you are still “at work” even when you are hanging out with friends or at a rehearsal. You maintain a certain appearance to assure the managers, owners, band and staff that you are a star at any time of the day. They don’t want to think of you as “normal”, and it almost seems that the way you appear off the stage is more important than how you appear on the stage – as you must exude “celebrity” at all times. Being on stage was easy for me since I understood that I was being watched and judged as a dancer, and I had such beautiful costumes to showcase my work. Being on show off stage required more of an adjustment. I came from more of an artistic upbringing where greater value was placed on how you were developing as an artist rather than what you were wearing or driving.

So, after my manager walked away, I sheepishly returned to my journal, writing even more furiously than before. The first page was just “I want . . . I want. . . I want. . .” over and over again. Then I finally spit it out. . . “a safe place for dancers to grow and explore”. There! I said it! At that moment it was clear to me what my future would hold. Growing up with my mother’s training and school, I guess I took her training for granted, assuming that everyone around the world trained and developed like I had. So, I realized that if I could survive this time in my life I knew that I could inspire others with a format and environment under which I had grown.

But, it is invaluable to create an atmosphere where students can experiment and grow, learning to become artists without being judged by the car they drive or by who has the richest friends. When we can leave the superficial elements outside the studio, that is when we begin to have a supportive, creative environment for students, teachers and artists-in-the making.

I was excited (and a bit scared) to finally take the plunge and open my own studio. I had rented space here and there, but finally having my own studio offered me the opportunity to really infuse that space with the creative and positive energy I wanted. My goal was never to open a studio so I could teach all the classes myself; my goal was to have a studio in which students could also explore being teachers themselves in a supportive and structured program: to learn to teach, to develop communication skills and to learn about group dynamics. Although I can teach all my own classes and workshops, I feel that giving my interested students an opportunity to grow as teachers is a gift for them; an opportunity for them to learn, grow, and make a name for themselves with an audience that feels safe with me.

Currently, I have seven instructors in my school with whom I work on a weekly basis, and I feel very confident that they are truly learning something about themselves. I have numerous students in my certification program who are exploring and learning as teachers and artists. A lot of energy and focus is required to maintain this type of learning environment, and several times I have asked myself, “Is it worth it?” And, every time I have responded, “Yes, it is worth it.” It is worth it to have a studio where students can grow, where teachers can learn their craft, and where artists can experiment. It is most definitely worth it.
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P.S. Suhaila Salimpour

Eva Yerbabuena..

Eva Yerbabuena

She is my flamenco idol...

Please watch this video...her footwork is unfathomable...

Please take note at the 3:40 mark...speechless...

I will visit your blogs this weekend...I apologize for being lazy with the posts.. :(

AVIANA

P.S. Eva Yerbabuena por segurilla

STRESSED.....

STRESSED......