​Conclusion...
Ancient cultures were not wrong to take full advantage of what this amazing flower can offer to us. Not only is Lavender Essential Oil great for relaxation, it is also a proven antidepressant, nervous system tonic and even has antiseptic properties. The humble Lavender Essential oil has certainly proven it has many uses around the house and has certainly earned it's place in my bathroom cupboard. 

For those of you who have never taken a dance class before, or even danced before...you may be thinking to yourself - Well...whats so good about it? Why might dance be better for you/your children than Air Cadets, Cooking Class, Gymnastics, Soccer etc. Well, honestly I could talk for a few days. However I will leave you with a little blog post to ponder on..

In my experience of dance it does so much more than give you dance steps. Over time you suddenly discover that a whole dance staircase of life has been built! In my earlier years, I was honestly afraid to dance, even with my friends, afraid to allow people to see ME. Vulnerable. When I started Bellydancing, it freed me, shaped me, defined me, undefined me, instilled self acceptance & confidence, inspired, empowered. It has also taken me to places that I would never have been able to go and experience without dance - internally and externally.

Not like in a Military kinda way, but in a soft loving and nurturing way - dancing has given me a greater understanding of discipline, problem solving, socialisation, self trust, self love, confidence, team importance. Dance has given me the ultimate gift of accepting vulnerability, accepting myself. 

Dance provides these experiences because dance is creative. 
-What does creative mean? What does getting creative do?

Creativity is: Love, inspiring, change, adaption, transitioning, vulnerability, promotes change and growth, creates 'something' from 'nothing', educes emotion, open mindedness, allows/accepts emotion & public display of emotion, forming yourself into a physical 'thing'. Creativity is love, love is life and life is a Dance. 
​This is where dance becomes even more exciting! Dance is literally a gateway to self knowledge. As you dance, you present yourself. You are presenting the emotion you feel to a particular piece of music. Whether you have an audience or not, you are conveying yourself.  You are allowing yourself and onlookers to witness your personality, witness you. This is very empowering.
So dance does not only offer great fitness, heath and life skills, it also offers a gateway to self-discovery and knowing yourself on deeper level. And of course this is very important for great quality of life and success in life. 

And..this of course is why I teach dance. I wish to share this will everyone!

If you liked what you read, feel free to share with your loved ones for a thought provoking read as well. 

With love, 
Marta x

 So I had just moved to Perth and I thought I would jump on Facebook to see what groovy Bellydance events were happening to get amongst. I was scrolling through some events and some details for ‘Journey Along the Silk Road’ popped up. I saw the awesome pics and fell in love, I had heard of the Bellyqueens before, and I put them in my little ‘sometime in the future’ section of mind... So when I saw that Michelle Ridesdale was bringing them to Australia I got so excited! I had to be apart of it. When I realised it wasn’t just workshops it was also the opportunity to learn their choreographies and be apart of their dance production I knew then I had to be a part of it. SO COOL.

I had already missed one practice but that didn’t hinder my experience. We used Google sheets to share all the info on which cast member was doing what, what to wear for costuming and also had access to all the tutorial videos for each dance. I started learning the choreographies as soon as I gained access to them.  This was such a different experience for me and many other Perth dancers. We are all used to being in the studio and learning technique and chories in a very hands on format. Although it took some time to adjust, I found it very good. I was able to whip my laptop or phone at any time I had a spare moment....at home, out in the park, waiting in a line somewhere. It also allowed me to study the movements at my own pace. But of course, getting into the studio at the end of the week and realising many of the cast had different views of the choreo became a funny challenge.

So then came the time for the Bellyqueens to arrive and I think we were all blown away by the amazing weekend of workshops. After the workshops, it came the time for the week long residency. Every day 9AM-6PM we were practicing the chores, sewing little odds and ends, ensuring everything was ready for the big shows!

I worked so hard to learn some of the pieces and also the persona which we had to take on within the performances but I did not get all the ones I wanted. However, for the peices I did get into, I practiced so hard every day. So hard infact that, eventually my old back injury hard flared up and I wasn’t able to practice any more. I had to make a hard decision – keep dancing but risk injuring my back permanently or step back and let myself heal. Hopefully to perform in the very last show.

So, of course I wanted desperately to keep dancing with the aid of frequent massages, drugs and trips to the physio but I made a very mature choice (announced by some of my dance sisters) to rest my back and just enjoy the production from a seated position. I still practiced the dances in my mind and watched all the rehearsals. The Bellyqueens were very supportive and understanding. I applaud them for this. As well as my fellow Perth cast, as this would have been a distraction to learn new positions or have one body out of the performance, not to mention all the other added wonderful stresses a show like this creates. Although on opening night in Subiaco, everyone  was so fantastic!
I sat in the audience transfixed. Such a fantastic experience to have been backstage and engrossed in all the learning and the immense download of information and FUN. But also to witness this incredible production unfold on stage. Very amazing.
After a few days of rest my back was a little better and I was able to perform in the very last show in Mandurah. Fantastic atmosphere! I am so blessed that the Bellyqueens & the Perth cast were happy for me to join in for the last show. Anyone considering sponsoring the Bellyqueens or being apart of The Journey Along the Silk Road should not delay and book now, its an amazing experience which I will keep forever.

BIG shout out to the Bellyqueens, Michelle Ridsdale, Moya Harvey, Grace Chen (friend and travel buddy), as well as all the Perth Cast for being so welcoming! YOU ROCK!

<3 Marta x

If you enjoyed reading this, please give a like or comment.

There are many different styles of Bellydance, they are very similar due to the close proximity of regions within the Middle East. Yet, quite different because of the specific region it originated in and the cultures and traditions of those individual people.
Bellydance styles: Turkish, Egyptian, Palestinian, Kahligi, Baladi, Shamadam, Iranian, Moroccan, Saudi, Vintage, American Tribal Style, Fusion.

There is a lot of debate as to where styles originated and what defines a style in our modern day. But the thing is, Bellydance is always evolving, because that is the true nature of the dance - it is a feminine dance, with feminine energy. We all know the feminine nature is subject to change. It has the wonderful leniency to change because women who dance this particular style often dabble in other styles of Bellydance which cross the different styles and become a fusion. This is also evident when a dancer who has other forms of dance training use this to form their own individual style. Which is fantastic as Bellydance is an expression of your true self.

Now I will explain the different styles of Bellydance:

Well I hope this gives you a better understanding of some of the Bellydance styles that are well practiced right here in Australia!

What is your favourite style of Bellydance?
Or did you learn something new from this article?
Share your thoughts in the comments!

I hope you enjoyed reading!

With love,
Marta

There are many outdated misconceptions held by the general public which hinder the true essence of what it means to hire a Bellydancer to entertain at your next event.

It might be frustrating trying to grasp this notion, as BellyDancers appear very similar to those Striptease Artists with shinny boobs and great emphasise on those lovely hips! But we are just simply not in the same category.

BUT, all is not lost! Allow me clear this up for you, Bellydance is an ancient art form welcome for all to enjoy from wee little cubs, to the elderly men and women. We perform at family celebrations, festivals, etc. We are the colourful, beautiful flower that lightens your event. A Bellydancer not only dances and shakes her hips. She opens her soul through dance, surrenders to the music. and provides a stunning performance which will dazzle you with unfathomable intricacies, control and grace. Her dance is a gift her audience.  
You will receive a quality performance which can last anywhere between 10-25mins with 1-2 sets. Your Bellydancer will wear a stunning professional costume and engage with the audience with fun dance moves, being in close proximity and even create an all inclusive atmosphere by getting the audience to get up and dance too!

Okay, I think I get it.
So...when can I hire a Bellydancer?
*With all of Marta's Bellydance performances,
you are also welcome to combine a lesson with the show

Birthday Celebrations - young and old
Restaurants
Engagement Parties
Weddings
Anniversaries
Kitchen tea's, bridal showers, henna nights
Hens nights
Corporate functions, Conventions,
Festivals
Christmas and New Years Parties
Children's Parties
Events with an exotic, Oriental, Arabian theme

What about tipping?
Tipping is traditional, but optional. Members of the audience can display their appreciation by offering tips during a performance. Tips can be placed in the performers hand, arm bands, and belt. However do not try to touch her anywhere else or for too long. The performer has the right to end a show at any time if she feels as though she is not being respected. Tips are very welcome, but of course they are not expected.

Best wishes planning your next event!
To find out more details about Marta's performances please visit the "HIRE" tab.

With love,
- Marta

A local Photographer in my home town, Maryborough Qld, conducted a series of stories told by young Australians for the ABC called 'I am 18'.
I felt obliged to share my passion and hopefully, create awareness and inspire some young Australians. Here is a little piece of me, hope you enjoy.

The way I see it, it seems in our small community in the Fraser Coast, especially Maryborough, there aren't many opportunities to grab. 
But if you're ready and eager to find/create your own and work for it, then there are plenty. 
Setting up my business was quite enjoyable and everything seemed like it was meant to be. I picked a name for my dance school Fraser Coast BellyDance, registered an ABN, sourced a place to hold my classes, bought insurance and off I went (as well as eleven years of dancing to build the knowledge allowing me to create a dance school). 
My experiences and my mother and father have taught me to never give up. Life is a process.  If you want it, you can achieve it.
Secret is you just need the passion. Also, don't let the bastards grind you down.
Most important things to me right now is learning: growing and expanding my knowledge of all the things I'm passionate about and find new things to become passionate about. 
Travel. I want to explore and find out just how the world is, being part of the new generation of adults, and realising how the world is, in some cases, terrifying.
I do my part every day to 'be the change I want to see in the world' but it feels like its not enough sometimes. I think about it a lot and it doesn't seem like others do.  It's such a burden.  It feels like I literally carry the weight of the earth's problems on my shoulders! 

There is so much that I could say but I don't know where to start.
Advice to others my age would be to find what you love and do it for the rest of your life! 
Photo: Adam Marlow

You can find other stories from Australians here:
https://open.abc.net.au/explore/83684

An article from 2014,
By Robyne Currel,
Fraser Coast QLD
http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/news/glittering-festival-has-belly-dancer-inspired/2350924/