Drama How It Zaps Creativity And Success

Drama occurs all around us. We don't think of ourselves as a drama queen or king. "isn't that a movie?" isn't that a neighbor, co-worker, friend, or in-law? For artists, drama contributes to their creative production. There is a darker side. One we don't want to admit to. At least not easily.

We add drama in order to make life or situations more interesting. Artists like to do this when their creativity is blocked. Drama adds fizz to imagination. We also create drama when we're bored or need to shelter our feelings.

Drama, thought of as a serious narrative for fiction, can also be serious emotional muck that zaps both creativity and success. Like quicksand, we don't know you're in it until you can't move your legs.

A friend, let’s name her Jane, phones and pulls you in with her BMW (bitch, moan and whine). She curls your ear about life not going according to her plan. You have just become stuck in her drama. You pat your foot and think about what else you could be doing. The critic justifies staying with: "She’s your friend. She listens to your BMW." Afterwards, your energy sags.

Drama is easier to see in other people, it is harder to see the muck we create for ourselves. Here is a process that will assist your awareness and propel you forward:

Step 1: Recognize when the drama is appearing or when it did appear. Do you drag yourself out of bed? That’s drama. Do you moan and groan about something? That’s drama. Our inner critic has a natural ability to ignite drama when you don't want to do something. Did you give an excuse for something? That’s drama. We're you late because you weren't sure you wanted to go? Drama! Excessive emotion is drama.

Step 2: Acknowledge the event as unnecessary. When you acknowledge it as unnecessary and you are in a dramatic moment, the shift begins.

Step 3: Identify what part, or whole, is "just" your part? Weed out the other players. See only your part. Decide: Are you going to continue or change it?

Step 4: Begin the transformation. Write or carefully think through what occurred. If you see the drama unfolding before you, and it includes other players, stop, don't continue just to save face. Once you decide to transform it, declare it out loud three times.

Let me share with you one of my changing events...

My fought my own thoughts as I moved down the isles. "Yes, I need these? No, I don't really need this?" Justifying with the great price. I stared at items without seeing as my thoughts fought. "Should I or shouldn't I." At the checkout counter, I couldn't let go of the items so the cashier could price and bag them. Slowly I let go.

When it came time to pay, I stopped, looked at her, and explained that I changed my mind. I apologized, slightly embarrassed. Not so surprised but delighted from my explanation, she said thank you, she learned something to. I said, "Me too."

I sat on the mall bench in disbelief for quite some time. It was one of those memorable moments. One I still remember very clearly today. It took time to process what occurred but I did see that my spending process changed significantly. It was one of my shifts in seeing my drama.

Step 5: Make a conscious choice to let it go.

Step 6: Take action. Talk with someone about it -- a friend, clergy, or coach. Just do it. If you prefer to write your way through the process, do it. Process it lovingly. For when you see the drama as if it’s a television soap opera "an out of body view" this particular drama behavior ends.

Step 7: Repeat this phrase three times: "And this has passed. I now move forward in joy and success."

Enjoy the less dramatic you and watch your new success unfold.

Your Assignment, If You Choose To Take This On

Make a list, 1-10. Close your eyes and revisit the last 24 hours. See where the drama occurred? What was your contribution? Was the drama getting the kids to go to bed? Did you procrastinate on something and then create drama to get you started? Write down even the smallest memory. Even the appearances you're not sure of. Choose one. Start with Step 1.

(c) Copyright 2005, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.



October 29, 2009
By Catherine Franz
Catherine Franz, is a syndicated marketing columnist, radio host, International speaker, and master business coach. http://www.abundancecenter.com Also available in audio.

Stage Drama

Dancing and Your Feet

If you have ever been to a dance performance, you have probably been among the many in the crowd who have wondered, "How do they do that?" A lot of what dancers are able to do is with the help of their feet. Taking a look at a dancer's feet may cause you to gasp in horror however. Dancers who are professionals and amateurs are subject to crippling foot problems.

Because of the physical and artistic nature of this sport, dancers often have many problems with their feet. Whether the dancer does tap, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary/modern, ballet, or pointe, all forms of dance are hard on the feet. Unfortunately as well, the shoes worn by dancers do not support or protect the feet.

Dancers may suffer from bunions, warts, fungal toe nails, heel pain, bursitis, plantar fasciitis, hammertoes, ingrown toe nails, and much more. What they will suffer for their art! Female ballet dancers in particular have many issues because of pointe shoes, the shoes worn to help a dancer "stand" on their toes. The common misconception is that pointe shoes are made of wood. Perhaps back in Degas's time pointe shoes were made of wood, but not so today. Most pointe shoes are constructed from cardboard/burlap, massive amounts of glue, and satin.

So what can you do if you are a dancer? First and foremost, take care of your feet. When you are in pain, do not ignore the pain. Your feet are trying to tell you something is not right. Redness, swelling, and irritation are all initial symptoms. Blisters and sores around the knuckles of your feet is also an indication of a problem. Taping and bandaging your feet in problem areas will help relieve some of the blistering and soreness you are experiencing.

Wear shoes that are designed to support your feet. That may sound like a difficult task, but there are dance shoes that are easier on your feet. One brand, Gaynor Minden, has revolutionized pointe shoes by using foam, elastomerics, and impact-absorbing materials. Gaynor Minden pointe shoes have received a seal of approval by the American Podiatric Medical Association. Special orthitics, specific to dance shoes are also available

Dancers with flat feet or high arches need to be particularly careful when selecting dance shoes, making sure that they do not add any further damage or harm. When dancing, make sure that you are always standing with all parts of your foot on the ground (both sides of the foot, equal weight on heel and ball, etc), and when coming down from jumps/leaps/allegro movement, that you roll through your foot toe-ball-heel into a plie. Without your feet, you cannot dance!



October 28, 2009
By Tina Boucher

http://www.centralctfootcare.com. Visit our website and our blog, http://www.centralctfootcare.blogspot.com for more information on dancer foot care.

Dance Steps

Watch Comedy for Stress Relief

With today's fast paced life style many people are dealing with more stress than ever. Factor in the raising cost of gas and slowing of the economy and it is clear to see a population that is stressed out. Growing data indicates that a good belly laugh may be the best way to battle stress. So go to the local comedy club or check out the free comedy clips on line for some stress relief.

Laughter's benefit on your health is no joke, and provide both long term and short term benefits. When you laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body.

Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain. A good laugh cools down your stress response and increases your heart rate and blood pressure. A good, relaxed feeling, and lower stress rates are the result. Laughter can also ease digestion and stimulate circulation, which helps reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.

Long term benefits include an improved immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can impact your body by bringing more stress into your system and decrease your immunity. In contrast, positive thoughts actually release neuropathies that help fight stress and potentially more serious illnesses. One study, of people with cancer who watched humorous videos showed less stress. and an increase in a particular cell activity that's beneficial in fighting diseases such as HIV and cancer. Research increasingly shows that laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers.

Laughter can also help make difficult situations a little bit easier. One study of nurses who work in emergency rooms found that nurses who use humor in dealing with their patients and co-workers experience greater job satisfaction. They also experienced feelings of personal accomplishment more than do those who do not laugh during their shifts.

The data is in that laughter is good for you, and it is a lot of fun too. So get that funny movie or go to the comedy club or watch stand up comedy online to enjoy the positive effects of humor on your body and mind.



October 26, 2009
By Mark Doyle
Mark Doyle is a professional comic, and public speaker, he's owned a comedy club and now owns one of the top stand up comedy site's http://killercomedyonline.com Offers free stand up comedy videos from the funniest comedy club headliners working today. With hours of free stand up comedy and funny gifts it is a great site for some laughs! Check it out.

Comedy Show

The Internet – a Great Place to Find Guitar Lessons

If you are interested in learning how to play the guitar the easy, convenient way and in the quickest time possible, then it is advisable to turn to the Internet for help. At present there are thousands of high-quality, dedicated online resources that have been especially designed to meet the needs and requirements of existing and prospective guitar players worldwide, so everyone who wishes to learn more about playing the guitar can find and access a wide range of invaluable guitar playing tips, video tutorials and lessons simply through a few clicks of the mouse. However, in order to have the guarantee that you will only be provided with quality information and online guitar lessons that really produce significant results, it is very important to separate the efficient, properly designed and administered websites from the rest and only stick with the ones that are reliable and can help you improve your guitar playing in the minimum of time, with the least of effort and most important, for less money.

With so many guitar lessons out there (both free and paid), the task of finding the best ones (and more important, the ones that are most appropriate to you) can be very difficult. The best approach to this problem is to do a quick research on the specialized online resources with a good reputation and choose the websites that provide the guitar lessons which best suit your needs and requirements. Before choosing the lessons of a certain online tutorial-providing website over the lessons of another, it is recommendable to ask for the advice of your friends or other persons in whom you trust in order to find out whether those particular guitar lessons are efficient or not. Checking the testimonial sections and blogs of online guitar lesson websites is another way to determine the actual quality of the guitar lessons, tips and tutorials they provide.

By choosing to use only the lessons and tips of the major, highly reputed online guitar lesson-providing websites, you will ensure that you will be able to learn to play the guitar in an exciting, efficient and simple manner and that your efforts of learning how to play the guitar will pay off in the least of time. Especially if you are a complete novice at playing the guitar (and aren’t yet capable of evaluating the quality and efficiency of online guitar lessons you may come across), it is very important to stick with the ones offered by the best guitar learning online resources. By doing this, you will avoid wasting time and money with guitar lessons that don’t produce the expected results.

Once you have found the online guitar lesson-providing websites that are right for you, all you have to do is choose the lessons, tips and guitar-playing video tutorials that match your levels of skill and experience and start practicing in order to improve your playing. In case you are a beginner, it is also recommendable for you to decide over what you are interested in learning first or what guitar techniques you wish to master. For instance, if you want to become a pro at playing electric guitar, using acoustic guitar lessons would in most cases be a waste of time, considering that the guitar techniques used for playing the electric guitar are very different from those used to play the acoustic guitar.

Furthermore, it is very important to establish a list of priorities of the things you want to learn and take guitar playing one step at a time. As an example, rushing in at learning advanced guitar playing techniques such as guitar tapping or harmonic picking without knowing the basics behind guitar playing (the basic chords, the most extensively utilized guitar scales) are very likely to get you nowhere.

Another important thing to take in consideration is the genre of music you are interested in learning to play. For instance, online guitar lessons which concentrate on teaching playing rock guitar are very different from those which concentrate on teaching playing jazz guitar. To obtain the best results, it is therefore crucial to decide exactly what you want to learn and also establish a list of learning priorities. After doing this, with the help of quality guitar lessons provided by a reliable, dedicated guitar lessons website, and with a little ambition and practice you will be able to play the guitar like a pro in no time!



October 23, 2009
By Groshan Fabiola
For more information about online guitar lesson or even about guitar lesson your can check on this website http://www.guitar5day.com for more guitar related subjects.

Guitar Lessons

Magic Has Been Entertaining Audiences For Years

Performing is about your presentation and how you perform in front of an audience, this is what counts your timing and you need to add humor, this is important because you need to distract the audience when performing magic. Get on stage and perform the worst that can happen is that people will laugh and your trick doesn't work out the way you feel it should have. If people laugh just remind yourself that this is part of your performance and continue with the trick. Call yourself a professional and people will assume that you do this full time and have no other source of income. If you are, or consider yourself to be, a magician, are you an amateur, professional or semi-professional.

When performing your magic in front of people or an audience it is possible to misdirect well enough to create the proper illusion, the trick might not work the way you want but the people watching will not know. You can control the audience with a wide range of techniques.

If you change your routine for each performance you may find that you loose the angles you need to perform the illusion, so you have to be very careful about viewing angles. You can mystify the audience by doing magic and leave them mesmerized. The result to the audience is having the belief that some amazing thing just happened. Make sure when you complete the trick that the audience cannot examine anything after the trick has been shown, and so there's the problem and worry of having to hide your tricks as soon as you finish each one.

When performing street magic it is usually street magic when you do it for a small group of people, in a bar or in your home or office. Buying close-up tricks or magic tricks for the street for your own personal use is one thing, but if you are buying them to perform on the street and become a profession street magician you will need to practice your craft. Some of the great magicians like David Blaine, stunned audiences with his exceptional skill of street magic. Doing street magic is sometimes known as naked magic, doing street magic doesn't have props or stage hands it the basics of magic with maximum effect. The magician will use everyday objects to mystify the people on the street and keep them guessing on how he did it.

If you are doing tricks with cards practice in front of a mirror as fast or as slow as you can, trying to get a feel of how you move the cards in order to perfect the illusion. Many card magicians will perform some typical card tricks, and you can use the same cards to create the illusion that you have mental powers and use the cards to predict certain situations.

A variety of coin vanishing tricks are prevalent the world over. Some of the most popular coin tricks are the vanishing coin, eggcup and the broken pencil trick.

Everyone is familiar with the famous words of a magician, when children hear Hocus-pocus, abracadabra they become amazed and mystified with the man or women in the black tuxedo.



October 22, 2009
By David Fishman
David Marc Fishman is the owner of Bornasuperstar site. The online auditions at http://www.bornasuperstar.com. The power of postive thinking at http://www.the1truesecret.com

Street Magic

Acting Confidently

Acting confidently can go a long way to teach us how to feel and be more confident. If you practice acting confident for at least part of your day every day, you will notice a difference in a month.

How does a confident person stand, sit, and walk? How do they look at a person? A confident person will look you directly in the eyes, won't they? How do they speak? They don't use a small voice, do they? A confident person is not afraid to ask for things, or to speak with strangers.

If you have somewhere to go like a job interview or on a date, take a few minutes before you go to daydream how a confident person would do it. Do you have a role model? Perhaps there is someone in the movies or life that you wish you were more like. How would they handle the situation? Have fun in the privacy of your home play-acting.

Sometimes you can rehearse situations with a friend to help you with your confidence. This is great for becoming comfortable with job interviews or dealing with customers. Practice and familiarity makes us feel confident.

If you would like to become good at job interviews, you could also apply for many jobs, even ones you don't want. At first you may feel nervous, but your purpose is not to get a job, it is to get more comfortable and better at impressing others favorably. The more interviews you do, the less they intimidate you and the more confident you will be. With practice, before long, you will be very successful at getting job offers.

A great deal of how we appear to others consists of how we appear to ourselves. When we are nervous or not confident in ourselves, it often causes others to have less faith in us as well. If we believe we are beautiful, others will see our beauty. If we believe we are valuable to them, others will see our value. Always remind yourself of your qualities and the good you have to offer.



October 22, 2009
By CD Mohatta
Social network users, go to http://www.wishafriend.com/ac/ for myspace comments and http://www.wishafriend.com/graphics/ for myspace graphics. If you love glitter graphics go to http://www.wishafriend.com/glitter/ for over 4000 glitters and send them to your friends and your profile.

Acting Lesson

The Best Way To Learn Latin Dance Lessons And Ballroom Dance Lessons Grand Rapids

Have you ever admired the way ballroom and Latin dancers move while on the dance floor? They always exhibit such graceful movements, stepping and swaying in perfect time with their partners, every movement a study in sensuality. Many people who see Latin and ballroom being performed feel the urge to learn how to dance themselves.

The problem they encounter, however, is where to go to learn Latin dance lessons and ballroom dance lessons Grand Rapids. In order to be able to dance Latin or ballroom dance properly, you will need proper lessons taught by competent instructors. This is where the Arthur Murray School of dance comes in. There, you will be able to learn Latin dance lessons and ballroom dance lessons Grand Rapids that are taught by excellent instructors. In no time, you will find yourself mastering the basic of Latin and ballroom dance, and ready to strut your stuff on the dance floor.

The first thing you will learn when you start to learn Latin dance lessons and ballroom dance lessons Grand Rapids is how to control different parts of your body independently. Often, you will find the need to move a certain part of your body while keeping the rest of your body absolutely still. In order to achieve, this you will need great control over your body and its different parts. When you learn Latin dance lessons and ballroom dance lessons Grand Rapids, you will first be taught how to do this.

Once you have mastered the basics of that, you will begin to learn how to get your body to do exactly what you want it to. Both Latin and ballroom dance make great use of hip movements, and this is one of the things you will have to master when you learn Latin dance lessons and ballroom dance lessons Grand Rapids. In no time, you will find yourself extremely comfortable with the form of dance you chose to learn and unafraid to ask someone you meet at a social event to dance with you.

This is one of the greatest advantages of learning to dance besides simply indulging your interest in dancing. Choosing to learn Latin dance lessons and ballroom dance lessons Grand Rapids will provide you with an extremely useful tool that you can make use of during social events.

If you find someone at an event whom you are interested in, a great way to get to know that person is to simply ask him or her to dance with you. The way in which a person dances will tell you a great deal about that person’s character. You will be able to tell if they are shy, outgoing, exuberant, or calm and steady.

Latin and ballroom dancing are great forms of dance to learn, and they can also be very useful in social situations. In order to learn how to do either properly, however, you need to learn Latin dance lessons and ballroom dance lessons Grand Rapids first.

October 21, 2009
By Vikram Kuamr
If you live in the Grand Rapids area and wish to learn how to dance, then why not head down to the Arthur Murray dance school and Learn Latin Dance Lessons and Ballroom dance lessons Grand Rapids ?

Dance Lesson

The Church Choir

Church Choir: A church within a church, made up of many of the church's finest leaders ... the most likely place where a majority will bond together in friendship and unity, as they bond with the Lord.

In strengthening it's members, the entire church is strengthened. And, as they become one in heart, soul, and purpose ... God has promised His Spirit indwelling.

The entire direction of a church can be changed through its' choir.

Dear Choir Members,

I want to write to you about the special abilities that the Holy Spirit gives to each of you, for I don't want any misunderstanding about them.

You will remember that before you became choir members, you stayed at home during choir practice (watching TV). Not one of you were singing a single note. But now you are a meeting people who claim to sing messages from the Spirit of God. How can you know whether they are singing for God or whether they are fakes? Here is the test: no one singing by the power of the Spirit of God can curse Jesus, and no one can sing, "Jesus is Lord," and really mean it, unless the Holy Spirit is helping him.

Now God gives us many kinds of special abilities, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service to God, but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are many ways in which God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work in and through all of us who are His. The Holy Spirit displays God's power through each of us as a means of helping the entire choir.

To some the Spirit gives the ability to sing soprano; others may be especially good at second or alto, and this is His gift from the same Spirit. To some He gives a special solo talent, and to others the power to harmonize. He gives powers for singing tenor, and to others the power to sing bass. He gives someone else the power to select and direct our music - that it is really the Spirit of God who is singing. Still another person is able to operate our sound system, while others are given the gift of playing musical instruments. It is the same and only Holy Spirit who gives us all these gifts and powers, deciding which each one of us should have.

The choir has many parts, but the many parts make up only one choir when they are all put together. So it is with the "choir" of Christ. Each of us is part of the one choir of Christ. Some of us are sopranos or seconds, some are altos, some are tenors and some are bass. But the Holy Spirit has fitted us all together into one choir. We have been chosen into Christ's choir by the one Spirit, and have all been given the same Holy Spirit.

Yes, the choir has many parts, not just one part. If the alto says, "I am not a part of the choir because I am not a soloist," that does not make him any less a part of the choir. And what would you think if you heard a youth say, "I am not a part of the choir because the choir loft is running out of room?" Would that make him any less a part of the choir? Suppose the whole choir was a director, then who would sing? Or if the whole choir just sang, who would play the instruments?
But that isn't the way God made us. He has many parts for the choir and has put each part just where He wants it. What a strange thing it would be if it only had one part! So He has made many parts, but still there is one choir.

The alto can never say to the soprano, "I don't need you." The choir can never say to the director, "I don't need you." And some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary. If one part suffers, all parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

Now here is what I'm trying to say: all of you together are one choir of Christ and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.

Sincerely,
X
Paul

(Written by Paul, Chosen by God to be Jesus Christ's missionary, and from brother Sosthenes. To: All Choir Members everywhere - whoever calls upon the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and theirs. I Co. 12, Living Bible, adapted for choir.)

© By Joyce C. Lock
http://my.homewithgod.com/blessingsandlessons/
http://www.aspecialplace.net/ChristianityMadeSimple/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations-originalwritings/
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/heavenlyinspirations-intro.htm
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.



October 20, 2009
By Joyce C. Lock
In addition to being a published author and poet, Joyce C. Lock created the religion column, "Christianity Made Simple" for Peru Daily Tribune, continues to write inspirational articles for area newspapers, and shares further in online and e-mail ministries.

Choir

Learn The Types Of Ballroom Dancing

So you want to learn ballroom dancing. You know that being a good professional dancer, you can earn a good income and may even one day become a celebrity.

Dancing well can have many other benefits too. Do you know that dancing can give you good poise and lends you an air of elegance? Dancing can even correct your bad posture and make you look taller, strengthens your cardiovascular health, tone your muscles, improve your flexibility and yes, even losing weight! If your lover is your dance partner, you can even strengthen your bonding and love.

There are many dance styles you can choose to learn, however, the most elegant type of dancing is ballroom dancing. Ballroom dancing has many genre and these include the cha cha, the jive, rhumba, foxtrot, samba, waltz, tango and salsa just to name a few.

There are many ballroom dancing forms and I will briefly describe some of the more popular ones here.

Ballroom dancing is considered a formal and elegant form of social dancing. The word "ball" is derived from the Latin word "ballare" which simply means dance. Ballroom dancing is usually performed by a couple where usually the male dancer leads and the female dancer follows the steps.

There are two main styles of ballroom dancing which are the international style and the American style. The Rumba, Mambo, Cha Cha, Waltz, Foxtrot and Salsa dances are some of the most popular types of ballroom dancing enjoyed being enjoyed all over the world..

Salsa is a dance for Salsa music created by the Spanish speaking people from the Caribbean. Salsa dancing is a fine elegant mixture of African and European dance influences through the music and dance fusions that are the roots of Salsa. Salsa dancing is closely related to "dirty dancing".

Salsa is usually a couple partner dance although there are also solo forms, line dancing (suelta), and Rueda de Casino where groups of couples exchange partners in a circle. The Salsa dance can also be improvised or performed with a set routine.

The Rumba style of ballroom dancing is sometimes known as the Latin Waltz. The American Rumba is a variation of a slow rhythmed Cuban dance called the "Son" that was brought to the United States in the 1920s. The Rumba is danced on the spot, rather than all over the dance floor, with hip and other body movements in a slow, quick, quick beat.

The Modern Waltz style of ballroom dancing comes from the Austria Waltzen styles of ballroom dancing popular in Austria and Germany in the early 1900s. The Boston Waltz became popular in the United States in 1834 and is a slower version of the Viennese Waltz. Today, the Waltz still remains as a slow type of ballroom dancing and the slower tempo has allowed the Waltz to have more figures, dips and steps added to it.

The Foxtrot is a form of ballroom dancing chereographed by Harry Fox in 1914 in New York City. The Foxtrot involves moving the back leg in a smooth action, although there are many versionss of the Foxtrot. The original Foxtrot was faster and not as smooth and stylish as some of the variations danced today. However, the faster Foxtrot style of ballroom dancing is still taught in many modern ballroom dancing studios and danced in many modern ballrooms.

The Cha Cha was originally called the Cha Cha Cha because its main tempo movement is based on a triple step. The Cha Cha style of ballroom dancing originated in the Cuban Mambo and became popular in the United States in the 1950s. The Cha Cha triple step is danced in between two rock beat movements. This dance form is perhaps the most popular ballroom dance style in the world.

The early tango was known as tango criollo. Today, there are many tango dance styles, including Argentine Tango, Uruguayan Tango, Ballroom tango, American and International tango styles, Finnish tango and vintage tangos. What many tango dancers consider to be the authentic tango is that closest to that originally danced in Argentina and Uruguay athough other forms of tango have developed into more mature dances in their own right.

The Jive is a dance style in 4/4 tempo that was originated in the United States from African-Americans in the early 1940s. It is a lively and uninhibited variation of the Jitterbug, a form of Swing dance.

Jive is one of the five International Latin dances. In competition it is danced at a speed of 44 bars per minute, although in other cases this is reduced to between 32 and 40 bars per minute. Many of the jive's basic patterns are similar to these of the East Coast Swing with the major difference of highly syncopated rhythm of the Triple Steps (Chasses), which use straight eighths in ECS and hard swing in Jive. That is why the jive is closely related to lindy hop and jitterbug ballroom dance form.



October 19, 2009
By Chris Chew
Chris Chew is the author of a music education site at Learn songwriting and Learn Ballroom Dancing

Ballroom Dancing

Belly Dancing Are You Serious Are You Curious

We have all seen a Belly Dancer at some point in our life; even if just a photo or a clip in a movie. Can you for a second go back to that moment? Do you remember anything about your thought? Do you recall having a quick judgement?

You certainly are not alone. It seems to be the natural response for many to quickly think of Belly Dancing as something mysterious and forbidden, and seeing a Belly Dancer for the first time is definitely very thought-provoking.

A Middle Eastern Dancer in costume is the epitome of provocative; with her intense makeup, the beautiful fabrics, the beads and coins and make sounds that stir your soul... She seems to be telling a story using the skilled movements of her body and the music helps you feel what the story is about. But watching her you feel as if there is something else, and you don't know what it is, right? She seems to have a secret right there- behind her eyes. Does she have a secret?

Belly Dancing is about "Woman". Belly Dancing is about expression and creativity; it is about entertainment; it is social; it is mysterious and ignites a sense of wonderment...

Who becomes a Belly Dancer? There is not one "kind of woman". Belly Dancing is for any one; any age; any body type; any background. Please do not allow yourself to feel any different about this one point. Do you love to dance? Do you want to dance? Then-Let's Dance!

If you have ever been curious, then forget any thoughts you may have had in the past about Belly Dancing, and forget about what anyone else will think. Look in the phone book under dancing- schools, instructors, classes... and call them up and ask about Belly Dancing.

Pretty sure there is no one in your area to teach? Just look in to it- she may be closer than you think. If you have never given it much thought, you just may not have noticed. (She could be living right next door to you...)

Are you thinking that it's impossible for you to move your body like that? Well, thats normal, but this where a teacher and classes will benefit you- to make the seemingly impossible become real. You will start at the beginning and learn basic belly dancing movements. Then you learn more movements; and then you start learning to put the moves together into combinations. And pretty soon your body is waking up and you begin expressing yourself with the music, with your own unique style and grace.

Sometimes it is true there is no one in the area to teach Belly Dancing. Not to worry... there are still many resources available. There are videos on YouTube and other media sites. There's the local library. There are bookstores that carry DVD's and Music. There is even a TV show now: Shimmy.

If you really want to try this, it can be done. Find a friend and get an instructional Belly Dance Video for Beginners and do it together. It will make you feel great and the physical benefit of Belly Dancing is incredible. Belly Dancing is a fantastic way to lose some weight, get into shape, or to just feel good.

Try Belly Dancing. Do something for Your Self. Move from Curious Thought to Serious Fun!



October 16, 2009
By Jeannie Salgy
If you are curious about Belly Dancing, please visit http://www.thebellydancemovement.com

Belly Dancing

Use Your Talents or Lose Them

All of us have talents that we were born with. The only problem is that most of us aren’t using the talents and gifts that we do have. There are talents that require more development to accomplish purpose and find destiny.

Parents can detect talents in their children from a young age. However, if those talents are not nurtured at that age, then the child may not recognize it when they get to adulthood. Many talented people who have no one to inspire and encourage them will just wither and become part of the social culture of failures.

Talents that are evoked and recognized stand to bring out a new person who has a zest for life. However, it takes a specially trained coach or mentor to get a talented individual to see themselves using their talents for the greater good.

Talents are used to form partnerships, ventures and fulfilled visions. It is through talents and gifts that people dream big dreams. Never forsake the talent that you have. It might just be the very thing you can use to uplift someone or let them see things in a new perspective.

Some people have the gift of encouraging, writing, administrative duties, mentoring, coaching, giving, and doing business. Whatever your talents and gifts, you can use them to make money and get you into places that you would not have dreamed possible.

People die without using their talents. There are so many wasted talents that are buried in the cemetery. Will you be counted among those? If you use your talents wisely, then you will be saved from such disconcerting thoughts and will not lose out on your chance to make a contribution to society before your time comes. You might not want to fall in that category of wasting your talents, but it is possible, if you don’t make a move now.

So the next step for you is to identify your talents. Use the help of a mentor or coach if you are unable to do it on your own. A coach will sit down with you and brainstorm with you. You will be asked, “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” Be honest with your answer so you can move to the next step. You may also be asked, “What do you enjoy doing the most?” If you have a hobby maybe or something that makes your heart sing with joy, then you have a winner talent. The fact that you love something enough to do it without getting paid for it is a talent that can lead you through doors that would seem impossible without your talent.

The coach will help you to make a list of things that you are skilled in doing. You will be able to assess how comfortable you are with each and the one that excites you the most and that you can effectively accomplish on your own, is the one that will be your primary focus. Your next step is to improve that talent. It may take going to classes, doing part time jobs using the talent or practicing on your own.

Start using your talents, do not be afraid if it takes time to develop them, but you are the master of your talents and will be accountable to the one who gave them to you.



October 15, 2009
By Sharon Capehart
Whether from her home office in Dallas, Texas, or traveling around the country, SHARON CAPEHART, the Empress of Empowerment, makes it her mission to "wake up" women everywhere to the incredible potential they have long forgotten they possess. She is the author of "The Power 2 Be You!," creator of "A Woman's Path to Success" as well publisher of the FREE Power Up! ezine. Sharon's breakthrough "Path To Success" series helps women build a solid foundation for success as Sharon herself guides them on a journey to a life filled with excitement and personal power! "A Woman's Path To Success" is available now at www.positivelywomen.com.
Sharon Capehart, Empress of Empowerment, is an Author, Coach, Speaker and Entrepreneur. Sharon will help you build a solid foundation of confidence, cultivate a success-oriented mindset, and walk with you on your journey to a life filled with Passion, Excitement and Personal Power. For more information please visit www.positivelywomen.com.

Dance Contest

Five Beginning Guitar Lesson Tips

There is a veritable barrage of online resources for guitarists: how to select an instrument, how to care for it, chord charts for songs and sheet music along with lessons for various guitar techniques and styles. Some of these websites have useful information; others are merely teases trying to sell the site visitor some sort of guitar-related product or service. There are a number of online “lesson” sites, including beginning guitar lessons.

Perhaps some of these web resources will be of value to the beginner. Certainly, you can learn a little about the instrument and its various components.

You can learn how to tune a guitar and a few of the basic chords, so that the fret board doesn’t feel totally alien to you. If you are shopping for an instrument, you can learn enough about them to ask informed questions at the music shop.

Even for this purpose, it helps to seek consultation from a professional who is not in the guitar sales business. You may not be sure what sort of guitar you want to purchase: steel strings or gut strings.

For a beginning guitar lesson, the difference won’t matter much. However, as you progress, the type of instrument you’re playing will be very important to you. Guitar teachers are excellent, unbiased resources for information on instruments.

* There is no substitute for a real, live guitar teacher and weekly or biweekly lessons, especially for beginning guitar lessons. Getting started with proper form is critical. You need to learn how to use your hands from a professional, not from an MTV video.

* Professional guitar teachers will give you a beginning guitar lesson that you will understand because you will be able to ask questions. There are no stupid questions when you are first starting out, with any new skill. There are no questions at all with an online lesson format.

* A schedule of personal beginning guitar lessons will force you to PRACTICE. Practicing is the key to progressing with your skill and it is also the key to persevering. Everyone has days when they don’t want to practice. If you have an upcoming lesson that you’ll want to be ready for, you’ll have an important reason to practice – to avoid embarrassment.

* Consider renting an instrument until you have had enough beginning guitar lessons to know what you want in an instrument’s design. Some guitar necks may be too wide for your hands. Steel strings can be hard on your fingers when you’re starting out; even gut strings are going to leave you with sore fingers.

* Measure your progress on a personal basis. If you’ve conquered a chord or a passage that seemed impossible two weeks ago, you win. You should take steady pleasure in steady progress and ignore what others are able to do. You’ll get there soon enough.



October 14, 2009
By Gloria Porter
Gloria Porter writes on a variety of music topics. She is a contributing author at 4-Music-Info. For more of her work go to: http://4-music-info.com

Guitar Lessons

Piano Lessons – Ways to Expertise

Taking up a piano lesson either online or offline requires a little additional effort initially to understand the musical notes present in the piano lessons provided. If it is online, the challenge of self-learning is higher. The good old traditional method of teacher-student discussing the piano lessons is always the advantageous one. Here are the few tips for you to understand the piano lessons more distinctly.

To start with, mastering the piano lessons requires self-motivation and lot of interest. Apart from this, one must accept the fact that learning an art or musical instrument, and piano lessons in this matter, take their own sweet time to help you reach mastery. So this goes without saying that the person undergoing the piano lessons should have loads of patience and perseverance, as each mistake have their own stepping stones in making you learn. Start with the easy notes and very gradually take up the higher piano lessons. Never advance to the next level before you are confident that you did a good job with the current piano lesson. Fine tuned learning approach in each stage of the piano lesson makes you a decent pianist. Practice is the key and answer to all failed attempts. Always keep your expectation levels low such that you don’t get dejected when the piano lesson doesn’t turn out to be as hoped for.

Previously the piano lessons are to be memorized until you can make it a habit to follow the steps while playing. This is not very hard to do and just demands little of planning your piano lessons accordingly. It will be interesting and fun to learn if you love your piano lessons. Always think of what you should achieve by completing your piano lessons rather than considering the hurdles. As a first step, organize your piano lessons in an easy to store and retrieve manner. Having a visualization of a keyboard when you learn your piano lessons will be very competent to understand the notes. The fun and usual way of memorizing is to add your own meanings and acronyms to remember the important piano lessons or the keys while playing the piano. For example, the primary chords in the key of D are D Major, G Major, and A Major. This can be recalled easily by remembering it as “Dga, Dga Drum” or “beat”. This can be very useful for the beginners to stay surefooted about the piano lessons.

Apart from these, other steps leading to expertise the piano lessons are make your own way of creative ways to remember and recollect the key points easily. The help of the piano lesson teacher can be sort for this. But in the case of self-learning, this will be a guide you can refer to. Filter and memorize the piano lessons in a specific order, which will avoid ambiguity. The above mentioned are few tips are for the beginners or for anyone who wish to master piano lessons with confidence and passion.



October 12, 2009
By Dror Kartas
Dror Kartas is an owner of the site piano lessons, but, primary, he is a piano teacher. Look what you can learn at http://purelessons.com

What You Need To Know To Become A Dancer

You admire dancers. The way they move and spin. Their grasp of rhythm. Their grace. You’ve been taking dance classes for as long as you can remember. Now, you want to take it to the next level and become a professional dancer.

There are many things a professional dancer can do and it all depends which type of dance you specialize in. You can become a performance ballet dancer and go to auditions to land parts. You can join a dance group. You can take up popular dance and be in music videos. And these are just a few examples.

Here is more information on what you need to know to become a dancer.

Choose a focus. Which kinds of dance do you like the best? You can either choose to be a specialist or a generalist. If your sole purpose is to be a belly dancer, or a ballet dancer, for example, then there is no need for you to learn jazz or hip hop dancing. However, if you want to be in musicals, you may need to learn some general skills.

Set goals. This is an important step for any career. Here is where you define exactly what kind of dancer you want to be and what it will take to get there. Be as specific as possible when setting these goals. Goals are your roadmap. If you don’t bother to do this, you run the danger of not achieving your dream.

Take classes. In the beginning, the most important thing you can do is learn new skills and get in shape. Dancers have toned, flexible bodies. This one trait is common no matter which type of dance you decide to pursue. Take as many classes as you want. The more skills you learn, the better.

Practice makes perfect. Even when you aren’t taking classes, make sure you practice each day. Practice your moves as long as you can, for at least an hour. (Or more if you have the time). Even if you can’t squeeze in an hour of practice time, do something each day. A big part of this business is going to auditions and getting parts. You’ll have an advantage if you practice as much as possible.

Perform and audition. As mentioned, a big part of this business is to go to auditions and land parts. But, there is also another aspect. You can certainly take it upon yourself to get business. For example, if you are a belly dancer, you would go through the same process bands do to land a gig in a restaurant or club. And, if it has been a while between jobs, don’t let your performance skills get rusty. Find reasons to get up in front of people. You don’t want to let your stage presence skills get rusty.

Go to school. If you are truly serious about performing dance for a living, you may want to attend a performing arts high school and/or university. This is not a necessary step for success, but the opportunities you will have while in school can be very helpful. Teachers no doubt have connections and you will be presented with plenty of opportunities to perform and hone your craft.



October 9, 2009
By David Fishman
David Marc Fishman has started http://bornasuperstar.com. Talented performers who fall into one of these categories, singers, musicians,bands,magicians,comedians and unique performers will submit a video, and the public will vote to deteremine the winner.

Dance School

How to Select the Right Entertainment to Ensure that Your Next Special Event Rocks

Choosing the right kind of entertainment or combinations of entertainments for your event will pose a lot of amusing predicaments before you. If the budget is hefty the predicament grows as you are now presented with more choices. Should you hire a DJ to make the dance program a truly memorable one or should you arrange for poker games so that the guests enjoy every moment of wining and losing stakes? Or would the audience prefer soft blue songs? Would the comedy show be a hit if it is paired with fortune telling? Or should the fire eaters be allowed to take on the stage after the dances are over? Should the event be open with a magic show? These are the types of issues you will face when choosing the right entertainment for your event.

You should keep in mind the type of guests that will come to the special event. Will the entertainment items go down well with them? If it’s a young and challenge loving audience they will love watching and participating in inflatable games where players will be pitted against each other to test the various skills of the competition. If there are kids accompanied by their parents they would revel in playing inflatable games. Kids would also enjoy the magic shows. Younger audiences would prefer the music to be hard and fast. A rap artist can capture their attention. Female guests would love the idea of a fortune teller, especially telling them about the future of their relationships.

Mature adults and seniors would prefer slow dance numbers and soulful music. The karaoke should play slow and soft numbers for them and the DJ should have knowledge of the songs. They would also like a game of poker. They will also love performances with the piano, violin, and saxophone. Brainy and intelligent people would appreciate the idea of a quiz show. And everybody would love the stand-up comedian if he is good enough. Again here there is a choice, whether to hire a top notch established comedian or try a rising stand-up comedian. Humorous motivational speakers are a hit in many events. They motivate and keep the audience in splits.

Some guests prefer belly dancing, snake charmers, waiters dressed in a particular way, a hypnotism show, look alikes/impersonators, etc. The sportive types wouldn’t prefer sitting and watching. They would like to try their hands at various fun sports such as: human table football, gladiator pole joust, sitting on a mechanical rodeo bull etc. The best of all choices is: hire a celebrity to show up at your event and be assured that it’s going to be a memorable one for everyone

You need to have a fair amount of knowledge of the composition of your guest list based on their age, gender, tastes, and preferences. Of course they are your employees and you can make a good guess of the entertainment items that they would like. Roughly the rules described above apply to the guests. The final choice however can be made depending on the type of budget you have.

The bottom line is: in all this the help rendered by special event companies would go a long way in making your event a rocking one. But your ideas are what matter most. A combination of the two would ensure that the guests remember the event for years to come or may be a lifetime for the amusing entertaining shows.



October 7, 2009
By Gardner Wilkinson
Picnic Entertainment :- We offer an extensive variety of inflatable activity items, catering, carnival games and rental equipment for every type of special and picnic event entertainment. Call now (847) 566-3006.

How to Start Learning Magic Tricks

Learning magic tricks is similar to learning something new in school. You don’t expect to learn things right away but with the right attitude and discipline, you will be able to become better at it in the long term.

The first thing you have to do is figure out why you want to learn magic. Chances are, you are not doing this for the money because there is not that much you can get from it except if you become very famous like David Copperfield or David Blaine.

For some, they simply wanted to follow the footsteps of their favorite magicians which they saw as they were growing up. Whatever your reason is, that is up to you.

Before you start learning magic tricks, you have to learn its history. Magic has been used for hundreds of years. Technology has helped make it bigger than it has ever been but in order to understand it, you have to learn how and why it works. From there, you will learn the various techniques and get an idea what you want to specialize in.

Once you have figured that out, it is time to learn the basics. There are books about magic tricks as well as tutorials which you can view online. Study them and then see if you can do the same thing until you are able to do these on your own.

Since almost every magic needs some sort of tools to make it work, you have to buy some by visiting your local magic store or purchase these items online. When you are able to master the simple tricks, you can now move on to the more challenging ones.

Whenever you practice doing some tricks, be sure to have a friend or a family member watch how you do it. Their feedback is very important so you will know if what you are doing is right. It also wouldn’t hurt to record yourself with a video camera then play it back later.

You are the only one who can tell if you are ready to put on a magic show or not. If you think it is time, sign up and be one of the many who will be part of the amateur magic show. Remember that you only have a limited time on stage so choose the best magic trick you know and give it your all.

Be sure to keep eye contact with the audience because you are expected to entertain them. If ever you make a mistake, just apologize and move on.

Once you finish your act, decide if you want to continue performing magic tricks or move on. Some people are already content with doing something just once while others are motivated to learn other magic tricks and pursue this as a long term career. You can even teach people how to do this so you are able to impart some knowledge to those who are also fascinated.

Will learning magic tricks easy? No but you can improve your skill each time you try. Sometimes you learn more by making a few mistakes on the way so that when you are up on stage, this mistake does not happen and you are able to get the recognition from the audience.

Magic Trick Tips

There are various magic trick tips that will help you learn magic faster. With a number of magic tricks to learn, you must also have to know some of the important principles behind most magic tricks. Among the principles involved in doing magic tricks is sleight of hand.

Sleight of hand is actually a technique used in magic where a magician makes use of certain hand movements to manipulate objects such as coins and cards. Sleight of hand is a technique that magicians and performers use in order to produce a certain effect. Sleight of hand is that technique where the magician tries to show an audience something and lets them see it in a certain way. It is like trying to force upon a spectator to see a certain object in effect that will lead them to believe that it is so.

But the fact of the matter is that it may not actually be how the spectator actually sees it. It can be quite confusing but learning more about sleight of hand would help you further understand about the process.

There are seven different methods used for sleight of hand magic tricks. They usually require lots of practice before a person can be effective enough in using them. Palming is one of the most common of sleight of hand methods. It refers to the action of trying to seemingly have an object in an apparently empty hand. Steal is another sleight of hand method wherein a performer tries to obtain a needed object secretly.

Another sleight of hand method used in magic is ditching. It is a method used to try and secretly get rid of an object that the performer doesn't need. Loading is another sleight of hand technique that is used to move an object secretly to where the magician wants it to be. Simulation is another sleight of hand technique that magicians use to give the audience the impressions that something has happened when in fact, nothing has.

Another popular sleight of hand tool that magicians often use is misdirection. It is a series of actions that lead the audience to look the other way while the magician tries to do a secret move. Misdirection allows magicians to hide what he is doing that might obviously give away the trick to the audience. Switching is another sleight of hand principle that is used to exchange an object secretly in place of another.

Doing sleight of hand magic tricks takes a lot of practice since hand and body movements are often employed to generate a certain effect. The different techniques can provide the basis to how magic tricks can be performed. Most sleight of hand tricks are utilized in close-up magic although they may also work as well from a distance or above the stage.

Although most sleight of hand principles are being used for magic, there are other people who try to use it in order to deceive. A lot of sleight of hand techniques can be used by some people to cheat at gambling games where the techniques can be performed quite differently than how magicians usually do it.

That is why sleight of hand techniques also brings with them a negative association that is borne out of the use of such skills for doing bad things.

Steve Cownley
More tips and trick ideas
http://allsortsofbits.comoj.com/



October 6, 2009
By Steve Cownley
Wide experience on many things and just publish information for fun.Experienced Salesperson and marketeer, both internet and non on-line. Web designer, very knowledgeable on PC and pc related issues, both hardware and software. Parent, driver and blogger.
http://allsortsofbits.comoj.com/

Join A Choir

It has become very popular in recent years to join a choir. It seems that the only prerequisite is the ability to be able to sing in tune. It would of course be helpful to be able to read music also.

When we hear the word choir we often think of different images. We can see in our mind's eye magnificent church choirs singing complex choral pieces but we can also see a picture of ordinary people who get together to make music and just have fun.

There have been a number of movies released in recent years which tell the story of a group of people who got together to sing and formed a choir. We think also of wonderful Welsh choirs, Russian choirs and childrens' choirs.

The history of human music is very complex. Over millenniums, the human voice has been musically used to express different feelings and ideas. After my research I have come to understand that singing is probably the oldest musical form. Originally, music from the voice was most likely influenced by birdsong and by the sounds of other animals communicating. Music has transcended history -- the fall of Rome, the baths of England, wars, kings and queens, and ever-evolving cultural societies.

Pope Gregory the Great is credited with standarizing musical notation. Although evidence of music first appeared in the West at the beginning of the Christian era, there is some proof that music had already reached an advanced form in the East, thirty-five centuries B.C. The people of Mesopotamia (currently in Iraq) played on a variety of instruments which were later found in excavations.

In Egyptian tombs, as far back as 2700 B.C, paintings on the walls depicted groups of musical performers including singers. As Eastern civilizations evolved, they always included human music. Although there is plenty of documentation about this music, there is no record of what the Egyptians may have sung. The very best that historians have been able to accomplish is to reconstitute a few of their melodic scales.

There were also ancient Hebrew choirs, although very little specific information exists about these. There is more information about early Greek choral music, handed down by philosophers who believed in their aesthetic and ethical value. I found that the overwhelming abundance of information surrounding the origins of choral music seems to be taken from the European Middle ages.

Church music still seems to be one of the most popular types of music that are sung by choirs. Even a small church often has a group of like minded members, both male
and female, combining their voices to make music. Most choirs will have one of their members who take on the role of choirmaster or leader. This person usually has a good knowledge of music and can teach the choir members to sing in 4 parts.

These usually include tenor, soprano, alto, baritone and bass. Membership of a choir does not have to be formal but those choristers who join are asked to undertake coming to rehearsals and to take part in performances from time to time. The ideal choir is one in which the members' voices blend together to give a beautifully modulated sound and in which individual voices cannot be identified.

Folk music and gospel music have always been a popular choice they seem to include bright and rousing melodies. Choristers quickly become accustomed to performing in public, often before large numbers of people. How does one feel when one sings in a choir? It seems that one's spirit is elevated to a different level than the humdrum activities that we usually pursue.

It has been said that alpha waves and other energy levels in the brain are activated by the singing. Personalities and self centered behaviour have no place in a choir which by definition is a group of people who sing together for a common cause.

Liturgical music is based on glorifying the Almighty and one frequently hears the word Hallelujah sung. This means Praise The Lord. Some of the most beautiful music ever composed over the centuries have been songs of praise. This music is non-denominational and can be sung by all peoples.

To sing well involves using lungs and having good posture. This allows the sound to be expressed properly by the body. Singers have known for many years that a visit to the chiropractor can help them enormously by re-aligning their spine and allowing the lungs to fully expand. Little wonder that world famous singers have their own personal chiropractor who travels with them on tour and makes sure that their spines are correctly aligned so as to allow them to maximise the singing potential.



October 5, 2009
By Dr David Black
Dr David Black is an Australian chiropractor in private practice. After 25 years as a pharmacist, he went back to study in 1980 as a mature aged student and has now practiced chiropractic for 25 years. He is passionate about patient education and giving people the tools to help themselves. Dr Black believes that everyone can enjoy better health and that spinal health and fitness is a key start in this journey. His website at http://blackchiropractic.com.au has many articles and chiropractic resources.