Best Oriental Dans Videos on Youtube - 2010

(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on November 18, 2010. The links in this article were extracted then)

A couple years ago, I wrote an article that featured four Oriental Dans videos as found on Youtube.com. An update is in order. For this particular article, the list has been expanded to fourteen. These videos span a greater range of what is happening in Oriental Dans today. Some well known performers are featured and some who are as yet obscure. I have included one video that celebrates the folk dance in its most native form- among the everyday people- and one that is entirely for fun. The videos themselves are linked to out of respect for those who own them.

The first one was posted by MarimarBd. It is called "Urban Gypsy- Evolution Tribal Fusion Belly Dance". It is described as cirque du flame and fire fusion. Brace yourself. This is the best fire dance I have ever seen. A plethora of props are used and it is performed to live music. Belly Dance Super Star Zoe Jakes is in the troupe. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7GkLHDXB-U

Second on the list is another offer from MarimarBd. This one features two Belly Dance Super Stars veterans performing in sync. It is titled "Kami Liddle & Sabrina - Tribal Fusion Belly Dance". A more apt description might be human liquid gold. Kami Liddle and Sabrina are two of the most fluid dancers in Oriental Dans today. In this stunning display, they fuse the deliberate, earthy movements of Tribal Fusion with those poses we associate with Thailand and the Far East in an unforgettable routine. The costumes are fantastic and the sound of a bird's flapping wings at the beginning adds something uplifting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11pRd5jvnD4

The third video was posted for our enjoyment by daughteroftheworm. Much of the description is not in English. It is labeled "Kayra Danza Oriental/Bellydance". This is a more traditional dance. The bedlah (traditional belly dance costume) is lovely for Kayra's skin and she has long flowing hair. Her movements are smooth and confident. the performance itself seems to have been recorded at Bellyfest Fuengirola 2007. This is skillfully danced. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhGMx3upq14

Fourth is a post by samirafloripa. There is almost no information with this video. It is called "Karina Iman". This is a full belly dance troupe in bedlahs that bring to mind wood sprites dancing on a spring morning. These girls are very well synchronized and a true pleasure to watch. This is excellent choreography. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qHTPfH5w2U

Moving on to the more celebratory mood of traditional cabaret, bellydancestars gives us one of the longest titled videos on our list: "Belly Dance.bds. One of the Best Dancers (World Belly Dance)". The name is a mouthful and the dance itself is equally exuberant. Gimatdinova Lilia dances her heart out to a fast-paced mix of various traditional songs. This woman is not shy and she is very light on her feet in a challenging routine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEcdUxj0xmk

Sadie gives us one of the most dynamic drum solo performances ever recorded. Omundodainternet shares with us the last half of an extraordinary dance from 2008. Sadie exhibits an amazing amount of control, skill, and grace. The audience is one of the most vocal I've heard. To say that this is impressive is an understatement. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FzDXvYAKEA

For our seventh video, we return to MarimarBd and Kami Liddle. Called "Kami Liddle- Evolution Tribal Fusion Belly Dance", this is a seductive offering in redish lighting and intriguing costume. Kami demonstrates more of her polished, controlled style in an evironment worthy of a Belly Dance Super Star. This is the Tribal Fusion style of Oriental Dans at its best. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF4dEYdEnkA

Carolina Nericcio of FatChanceBellyDance invented a new form of Orential Dans that is the ultimate form of fusion. This dance is based on belly dance but borrows heavily from other folk traditions as well, including flamenco. She called this new form American Tribal Style (ATS). It is because of her invention that we now have Tribal Fusion. The former is the mother of the latter. Therefore, the dance troupe FatChanceBellyDance- based in Chicago- is now a legend among Oriental Dans enthusiasts. For that reason, I here include a video posted by FatChanceBellyDance itself. This is that legendary troupe performing an authentic ATS dance at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco as part of the 2008 WestWave Dance Festival. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IezoTI31Dls

The next two videos are performed to the same music. The first is a rehearsal session (that goes perfectly) and is posted for us by cherchezlafemmedance. It is titled "Sherri Tribal Fusion Bellydance". It is without doubt one of the best examples of the mechanical ticking or stuttering that has recently been introduced to Oriental Dans via hip-hop. This cries out to be watched repeatedly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPEtjLbzT4A

Lest some think that Oriental Dans is only for the female gender, let me introduce you to Jonathan Contreras via this video offered to us by ImpactVideoProd. This was recorded at a talent show and demonstrates that, while the moves do seem tailored to the female physique, often it is the male who is better at technique. Jonathan shows us that belly dance can indeed be masculine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GlaWUqcauc

Currently in the U.S., Tribal Fusion is the most popular form of Oriental Dans as the videos available on youtube.com attest to. It is a very interesting form because it seems to have no limits. DeathKitten has given us a seminal performance in a very recent video that is dated 2010. In this video, we have Maureen O'Donnell dancing to original music by Stereognosis called "Sumerian Breakbeat". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ4qFTIhors

Kiaroskuro has posted another fine example of stuttering the muscles in a video titled "Asharah at Spring Caravan- May 2009. This is also an excellent example of the fact that, unlike traditional belly dance forms, Tribal Fusion can be performed to any kind of music- even the game geek sounds that finish this routine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0LPlISOoSo

Now we are down to our final two videos. This one, put up for viewing by naimayazbek, celebrates the true nature of Oriental Dans. She captures Middle Eastern in the streets, at weddings, festivals, etc. dancing for the fun of it. No list of Oriental Dans videos would be complete without this one. The children are especially precious. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLLIyBQkZhc

Lastly, here is one just for fun. U2 opened the gates to the opening date of their now legendary Zoo TV Tour in 1992 and were surprised to see a woman walk in wearing a full bedlah. She had seen the music video for "Mysterious Ways" which featured belly dancing and decided it would be fun to go to the concert in her costume. Even better for the band, she was indeed a professional dancer. They asked her to join them onstage and perform during "Mysterious Ways" on that night. She did- and on every night of the American leg thereafter. When U2 were preparing for the European leg, however, she could not continue with them on account of prior obligations. Morleigh Steinberg, who later became The Edge's wife, was also a professional dancer, but knew nothing of belly dance. She took a crash course and continued the performances throughout the rest of the tour. It is Morleigh who was immortalized as the "Mysterious Ways" belly dancer on the official VHS of the "Zoo TV Tour- Live In Sydney" and it is Morleigh who continues to choreograph the Oriental Dans images and lighting that accompanies each live performance of that song to this day. What of Christina, the original dancer who inspired the concept in the first place? Here she is in one of the American leg performances of "Mysterious Ways" in a rare video originally aired on TV at that time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQjadX3O8Ko

Best Oriental Dans Videos on Youtube - 2008

(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on June 29, 2008. Links to videos were extracted then)

Here I share with you four of the videos oriental dans as found on Youtube.com. Out of respect to their original posters, I am providing links only. Feel free to comment on your thoughts concerning these videos or share your own favorites.

This first link takes you to vintage Tribal Fusion. It is Rachel Brice, Kami Liddle, and Kajira Djoumahna at Kajira's 1st Maui Intensive in 2005. It is among the best Tribal Fusion performances I've seen. Relish each movement- subtle and dramatic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6qKYTDFfGA

This is Kami Liddle again- post Bellydance Superstars Tours. This is at Tribal Fest (2008). Ms. Liddle's dancing is not as precise as Ms. Brice's, though I would feign to use the word sloppy. The best part about this video is Ms. Liddle's new look. The black hair- versus the blonde- and the costume is just sexy: tribal without being overdone. With the hair and the smile, she looks like a 1930s movie star here. The music is also delightful. Being Arabic, tribal ambient, and almost classic oriental dans music all at once. There is even a movie soundtrack moment in the middle and at one point I get slightly Duran Duran vibes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPnVIW2d5vc

This link is Egyptian dance par excellance. Bellydance Superstars Tour veteran Sonya delivers a most beautiful and graceful performance in her native Chicago worthy of watching repeatedly. Notice the unique floating capabilities of her veil and the lovely way she throws it away. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx2MxOVp1Rk

This is a child, maybe five? It may be that her name is Tarabana. There is really no information given for this clip. But the girl is amazing! To be so young and have such a grasp of the dance-wow! Drum solo magic. It appears that this may first have appeared on television somewhere. You have to see this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2mxyr_mkvI

Some Recent Guest Blog Spots

Jan Marquart offered me a chance to guest blog on her blog for writers. So I chose to write about "Four Simple Ways to Find Fresh Writing Ideas". You can read the result at the links below:

Free The Pen, a Blog for Writers

Write On!

About the Author Network Blog

Thank you, Jan, for extending this opportunity and I look forward to working with you in the future!

Adam Zagajewski's "Another Beauty"

(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on April 21, 2011)

This is a uniquely written book that will echo in your consciousness for some time and readily welcome repeated readings.

It's difficult to catagorize this work. It reads like several genres at once. It has the lofty, heady, thought-provoking euphoria of poetry. It is compiled like a collection of quotes or vignettes. Time is not linear in this book. No, the memories recounted herein are written exactly as the flashes of meandering imagist thoughts that memories really are, colored as deeply by emotion and perception as by fact. Ultimately, this is a memoir of the Polish poet's years as a university student in Krakow in the 1960's and '70s.

Zagajewski grew up in Gliwice, next door to an empty, silent, and not yet fully acknowledged Auschwitz. He fully describes the ghetto of Krakow's Kazimierz District- he calls it "the graveyard quarter"- , once the home of the city's Jews who had been systematically murdered by the Nazis and which by then was almost empty and open to the elements and whatever weeds wanted to grow in the cracks of the floors.

He labors under the expectations of an ever-watchful Soviet state. He dwells much on how he managed to teeter on the fence between cooperation with totalitarianism and resistance to it. The colors of this book are dark- grays, browns, blacks, with an occasional wisp of indifferently blue sky. Most of his memories are of winter and heavy, reeking furs. But it is plain he very much loved Krakow. Perhaps his youth is accountable, but he seems to manage a happiness there that evades the rest of the poor and struggling population. It was anathema to throw anything away, even if it had broken, because there might be a time- and often was- when finding some way to force the broken piece to work was necessary for survival. People patched their clothes and bragged about how many decades they wore them. Elevators existed but were seldom operational. Zagajewski paints for us the vivid recollections of youth in a world of old, beaten, disillusioned, or deeply compromised souls- some of whom seemed to have had their souls completely stolen or killed outright. He shows us a people, including himself, who remained religious and frequented the churches and cathedrals as more than tourists. This, it seems, was coldly tolerated by a wearying regime. In fact, places of worship become havens of art as the book progresses, at least in his mind.

He talks about music a great deal. He dwells mostly on classical music and its masters, but he does open a window to the jazz bands that would frequent Krakow in the winter, and brought a completely foriegn but vital breath to the place. He also loves birds, particularly the contrast between swallows and blackbirds.

Woven throughout are excursions into the present: into beautiful, erotic Paris and very briefly to Houston, Texas, U.S.A.. These are the cities Zagajewski splits his time between now. His discussions of Paris are almost mythical in their fantasy. It stands in sharp contrast to the misery of Krakow, which is softened only by his youth and the dominant question of his life:

How to reconcile poetry and philosophy? (Interestingly, in an age when Freud was revered as a god, he did a master's thesis in defense of introspection under a professor who regarded Freud as a fraud of the worst kind. The unusual insight that shows impresses me.)

This book is a necessary read for anyone who loves poetry, is interested in history, remembers what it was like to live in the terrible shadow of the Cold War, and who loves life- the joys and the sorrows. I can't imagine a better book to have spent National Poetry Month 2011 with.

Learn more about Adam Zagajewski.

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"Emerald Hills" by Artemis Blithe

(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on October 23, 2013)

Artemis Blithe is a poet currently living in Eastern Kentucky, U.S.A., but he is far from the stereotypical Appalachian poet. Blithe's work falls squarely into the realm of performance poetry. His book "Emerald Hills" is available through lulu.com.

Blithe's poems are written in a flow-of-thought prose style, so it is difficult to sense the rhythms that one hears when he reads. His grammar is at times intentionally askew. The odd misspelled word is thrown in. He writes with an almost overbearing megalomania that clearly draws from Walt Whitman. In fact, he could be a modern version of Whitman. Blithe rages all over the pages, declares general superiority, and champions a return to living in harmony with the earth. His statements are just as absolute, his declarations just as forceful, as Whitman's ever were.

But the power of the words and lines is greatly diminished in the medium of print. His is a poetry not meant to read. It is meant to be heard, to be delivered in a bombastic whirlwind of dramatic rapping, to be punctuated by audience participation in the form of applause and spontaneous shouts of agreement as if it were a sermon delivered by a hiccupping old regular Baptist or Pentecostal preacher. Maybe that is what Blithe is: a preacher of his own unique faith. But if he is a leader, the path he intends to lead us on is not well-defined. It is the path of an angry soul who is still searching himself. Was that perhaps true of Whitman in the day?

As a book of poetry in print, "Emerald Hills" does not work. But should you have a chance to hear Blithe read, then the mess of the print will make sense and ignite with hard-hitting gunpowder. Artemis Blithe proves himself a solid descendant of the Beat generation and of that universally acknowledged father of American poetry Walt Whitman.

Artemis Blithe's Facebook page.

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Spoken Word Review: Michael C. Ford's "Look Each Other in the Ears"

(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on June 29, 2014)

"Look Each Other In The Ears" is the latest Spoken Word offering by Grammy-nominated poet Michael C. Ford. At 74 years old, Ford has had a long, thrilling career as a poet and all that experience comes to bear on this album.

Ford often reminisces about the by-gone days of Los Angeles and that makes his poetry very location-specific. Not having ever been to L.A. made it difficult to conjure the images he clearly means to draw upon. But the spirit of the poems is clear. These are dark meditations on the negative aspects of "progress" and suburban squalor. Ford certainly has the deep-seated anger and discontent common to contemporary poets. We are taken along through the L.A. of his youth and its deterioration through time in a way that is both very straight-forward and layered with multiple meanings. He rails against the loss of orange groves and the building of cookie-cutter housing developments, the growing disrespect for the arts and poetry in particular, and against his own profession as a Spoken Word artist. In one poem, he goes on a trip to Mars to escape modern American life only to find Mars has its own version which causes him to de-evolve - an interesting commentary on how Ford sees the world. My favorite line on the album is in the fourth track, "I Don't Wanna Go (Said The Suicide)":

"We stand on the bridge with John Berryman; but we relinquish our inclination to jump and it has nothing to do with religion; it is simply, as we grow older we discover there's not that much left to kill!"

The second half continues with the themes of environmental destruction and general decay but takes on a decidedly more political element. The eighth track, "(Autobiography of) An American Bomb", is unsettling but not as jarring as the Christmas jingle turned into "Halliburton's cashing in" in the next track, "Wartime Carol (Bringing The War Back Home)". The final track, "Float Of Drive (Triple Bypass)" seems to attempt to transcend the grimy negativity of the rest of the album by introducing rain. Rain makes music wherever it falls, no matter how miserable the surroundings. This is an effective metaphor for poets. As the track progresses, however, we feel that transcendence ultimately fails until we come to the final word: "over". This is pronounced in such a way as to suggest that, finally, Ford is over it all.

All this darkness is well counter-balanced by the music on the album. This music was mainly made by the surviving members of The Doors - John Densmore, Robby Krieger, and Ray Manzarek. In fact, it is one of the last recordings made by Ray Manzarek prior to his death on May 20, 2013. To support Ford's clear, enunciated performance, these men went back to their jazz roots. They were accompanied on various tracks by a full list of musicians and vocalists. Most notable of these were those who wrote the choruses and bridges: Tommy Jordan of the band Geggy Tah with Harlan Steinberger. There is even a moment of delicious scatting. The result is a light, airy, funky vibe that carries the heaviness of the lyrics perfectly.

All in all, this is a highly relevant, if slightly harrowing, album that will age very well, I think - like fine wine. There is unlikely to be a more accurate expression of the times we are currently living in. It has been an honor to listen to and review this CD (which is also available as an mp3 download).

Learn more about Michael C. Ford.

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Rachel A. Ormsby's "Learning to Dance in the Rain: A Parent's Guide to Neuroblastoma Diagnosis, Treatment, and Beyond"

(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on June 4, 2014)

Rachel A. Ormsby, "Learning to Dance in the Rain: A Parent's Guide to Neuroblastoma Diagnosis, Treatment, and Beyond" (DancingintherainNB, 2013) 180 pages, nonfiction, $9.99 USD.

Yes, the title is unwieldy, but descriptive. Yes, it is not easy to read if one has been through childhood cancer as I have. Unlike the Ormsbys, I did not get through it with my nephew's life. So when I was asked to review this book, I agreed without hesitation but took nearly three months to read it. It wasn't Rachel's fault. Her writing is simple, easy-to-read, clear. It just brought back memories that are still extremely painful four years later. So why did I stick to it? Why am I reviewing it?

Because I believe in this book.

Rachel A. Ormsby tells the story of her family's years long battle with Neuroblastoma, a form of childhood cancer. You grow to love Nathan, fight the fight with him, watch him grow. You also learn how Nathan's life-threatening illness effected his little sister, his parents, his community. You see how various people and organisations pulled together to help in any way they could, from mowing the lawn, to giving Dad time off from the U.S. Air Force often on short notice, to sitting with Nathan in hospital, to providing support for little Kate.

But it is more than a memoir. As its title suggests, it is also a basic guide for parents who find themselves suddenly thrown into the overwhelming, harrowing world of childhood cancer. More often than not, parents have never even considered the possibility that a child can get cancer - let alone their precious child - and no one is ever the same again. It's a lot to adjust to. And the adjusting continues throughout. There are no breaks, no breathers, and life will never, ever be "normal" again. The cardinal rule of childhood cancer: "Cry as often as you need to; but never where your child will know of it. Never let anyone else cry in front of your child, either. Even when the child is sent home on hospice and all avenues are exhausted, you still smile and you still believe in hope - for your child's sake." If that sounds grim, I'm sorry, but that is the reality of childhood cancer.

What Rachel offers with this book is a measure of sanity. Literally overnight in most cases, parents find themselves living out of suitcases in hospitals with rigid rules and having to learn a whole new, until then completely foreign and unthinkable, vocabulary. By the time the journey ends - whichever way it ends - they will be able to read lab results like a technician and round-table talk with a team of doctors like a pro. But at first, it's all confusing, overwhelming, and too much to process. There were four of us: my grandmother, my mom, my sister, and I. It took all four of us to recall the whole of what doctors said to us because there was so much information to remember. Rachel condenses the most important bits in an easy-to-read format to help you remember and anchor yourself.

She discusses some of the rules and protocols some hospitals may have concerning your child's care and hospital living. She provides a glossary of basic terms and acronyms that must become part of your everyday vocabulary. She explains some of the tests, treatments, and options you may have for your child. She outlines some of the long term and permanent side effects and how to cope with them. Most valuably, she offers practical suggestions for making the entire unbearable mess a little easier. I especially liked the suggestion of keeping a journal to help you keep track of tests, side effects, medications, schedules, and even things your child says or does that you may forget later (and trust me, you will never want to forget anything, even the bad stuff). The most helpful sections of the book, I think, are the provided spaces for making notes that apply what you've read to your child's unique circumstances and the chapter listing various organisations that have been founded with the goal of making childhood cancer just a little easier, a little happier, if only for a moment. Included are parents' support groups, wish fulfilling organisations, patient advocacy groups for mediating with insurance companies, and groups which organise periodical gifts for your child and any siblings.

Rachel's guide is a labor of love that fills a real gap in medical literature at this point. It is by no means all inclusive, nor claims to be. It is a very basic guide at best since childhood cancers are highly individualised, but it can be a true help to parents who are reeling in the first shock-and-awe of being ripped from "normal life" and thrown irrevocably down the rabbit hole of horror that is childhood cancer. Rachel has done a great service with this book as a guide to parents, but also as a means to raise awareness regarding childhood cancer among those still blissfully living "normally". Because in this case, what you don't know can hurt you.

To learn more visit: http://www.dancingintherainnb.com/

About Rachel A. Ormsby

Buy the book on Amazon.

Offered free to parents of children with Neuroblastoma.

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How to Successfully Cope with a Chronic Illness

(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on July 5, 2008)

Having a chronic illness of any sort is one of the most challenging situations to cope with. Especially is this so if one is young or inclined to be active. So how can a person successfully cope with a chronic illness?

First of all, *knowledge is power*. Educate yourself about your illness. Ask your team of doctors specific questions (you'll find they appreciate this and you will receive better care as a result). Ask them for any and all material they have that discusses your illness. Go to your local library and scour its shelves. You may find it helpful to talk with others with the same illness. Much information can be found on the internet. However, a word of caution is called for when searching on the internet: make sure the information is from a credible source. The more you know about your health issue, the more involved in managing it you can become. You will know what to expect and will be better equipped to handle it. Knowledge also does much to keep your viewpoint positive.

That is the second step: *try to be positive*. It is okay to grieve the loss of your health. It may even be healthy to do so. However, it is imperative not to allow yourself to be swallowed up by longing for the "good ol' days." Too much of such nostalgia could easily develope into self-pity and self-pity can actually exert a most negative impact on your long-term physical health. A positive attitude is vital to successfully living with a chronic health problem. One thing that will help you to maintain a positive attitude is to keep a balanced view of the medical world. Doctors know a great deal and following their advice is usually advisable. But they don't know everything. If the diagnosis is glum, so what? You still have a chance, however small, to beat the odds- and people sometimes do. But you won't beat those odds if you don't try. Also, make sure your living conditions are clean and cheerful. This can do much to improve the spirit. Research shows that access to a window makes a great difference in a patient's well being. If you can go outside, do so as often as possible. Have friends over often and go to them if you can. And yes, it is perfectly okay to laugh at an illness and at oneself. In fact, a ready sense of humor is your best ally. All of this can make all the difference in your viewpoint.

Thirdly, *set realistic goals*. It is important to "listen" to your body. Particularly is this so if you are going through the initial adjustments after a recent diagnosis. It is important to feel out your limits carefully, perhaps with the help of a caring family member, friend, and your team of doctors. It is also equally important to continue to adjust as limits change over time. Once you know your limits, stay within them. You will accomplish nothing by working against them. Instead, work through or around them. Some physical activity is necessary to promote healing, stabilization, and mental well being. Realistic goals that work within, around, and through your limits can accomplish much good in this regard. You may well be pleasantly surprised by the variety and complexity of activities you can perform with patience, a little time, and a keen awareness of what your body is "telling" you. Your friends and family may be surprised, too!

Fourth, *learn to deal with the reactions of others*. Let's face it: people who do not yet have chronic illnesses of their own or a family member with a chronic illness are not always going to exhibit sensitivity. Not that they are callous to your situation- not at all! It is simply that, being still blessed with good health, they cannot fully understand what it feels like not to have it. So when ones make a thoughtless remark or otherwise do something inconsiderate, how can you handle it? It may be possible in most circumstances to ignore the comment. After all, they more than likely did not mean it as it sounded. They probably didn't realize the hurt or offense it could cause. In some cases, you could anticipate an awkward moment and head it off by bringing it up. "Would you like to know why I'm in a wheelchair?" or "I think it's only fair to warn you: sometimes I can't control my arms and legs so I might kick you if you stand there." Laugh it off with them. Do everything you can to put them at ease with a smile and your sense of humor (remember that from before?). Personally, I keep the viewpoint that I want such ones to remain innocent of what it's really like to be in my shoes as long as possible - I can enjoy that innocence as something refreshing, even if ignorance on their part is sometimes painful to me. I feel joy for them precisely because they don't understand. Think how beautiful such an existence is! By cultivating a positive point of view regarding people's reactions and reacting positively to them, before you know it you may find that some people even forget that you have a chronic illness!

Lastly, *don't quit!* By focusing on others instead of yourself, you will cope with a chronic illness successfully. You could volunteer (within your limits) in your community. Or you could help others in smaller ways. Share a happy story with someone and a smile with another. Play a game with a child, perhaps "I Spy" or "Guess the Object". Invite a friend or two over at a time for coffee and a sandwich - hospitality need not be complicated or beyond your abilities. Think simple and pleasant. As someone with a chronic illness, you now have a most special gift to share that others may not have: empathy.

By remembering these five things, you can successfully live with a chronic illness!

Why Oriental Dans is Healthy and Great for Weight Loss

(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on June 27, 2011)

Oriental Dans is more commonly known as Bellydance. It's origins are obscure and may reach back almost to Eve herself. It is believed, however, that it began as a way for the women of a harem to entertain each other and as a natural way to prepare for childbirth. The latter is the reason why it was traditional to perform while pregnant. It is known that the dance has always been performed at weddings. In "Thousand and One Nights", these wedding performances were usually done by the bride herself upon being presented to the groom and showcased in 6 or 7 different gowns and this constituted the ceremony. In the Middle East today, Oriental Dans is the common dance on the street (except in those areas which are strongholds of religious extremists) - as common as any dancing we might see as we go about our business.

And it has numerous health benefits. For about 15 years or so there has been an increase all over the world of bellydance as a form of exercise for weight loss and well-being. Why is that?

Oriental Dans works with a person's muscles, not against them. Especially is this true for the feminine body, but there are many male dancers out there who benefit as well. This is an exercise regimen that is low impact and less likely to result in injury. Also, there are forms that match almost any ability and learning level. It keeps the joints fluid and flexible (arthritis patients, here's your routine!). It promotes better balance and can include strength training without the person feeling like they are strength training. Most importantly, it focuses on a positive self-image.

What do I mean by that? While most exercise programs focus on the end result - the perfectly fit and skinny body that every woman and man is "supposed" to have - Oriental Dans is about enjoying the journey. A person forgets that fitness and weight loss are the goals. Instead, these becomes happy side-effects of regularly doing something the person enjoys. In other words, this is truly fun! The fact that there are professional bellydancers of literally all shapes and sizes re-shifts the perspective: it's not what you look like, it's about how you feel. Do you feel thin? You are. Do you feel beautiful? You are. Do you feel graceful, energetic, sensual, alive? You are. Do you feel funny, glamourous, and joyful? You are. Because all of those qualities shine through in the dance and suddenly no one cares that you've got 20, 40, or 100 pounds to lose.

And before you know it, it's gone. I know. Over a period of a year, Oriental Dans has helped me go from 200 pounds to 169 pounds- and dropping.

But besides weight loss and overall fitness, the dance is especially ideal for moms-to-be. If a person is pregnant, some moves must be avoided or modified for the baby's safety, i.e. no deep, sharp hip drops and careful with the 90 degree angle backbends favored in the Tribal Fusion form of the dance. It is, therefore, probably a good idea to practice it within a class and after consulting a doctor under those circumstances. However, it has been noted that Oriental Dans helps to strengthen the mother's abdominals for childbirth and promote the overall well-being of the womb, etc. Also, the gentle rocking of hip circles and shimmies helps the baby to be positioned properly for the big day. In view of this, there are many classes that cater primarily to pregnant women.

So the next time you are wowed by a bellydancer, remember all of the health benefits associated with practising this most ancient art form.

(Sketch is part of a series of sketches by Sabne Raznik called "the Salome Series" and is currently available at Raging Rapid Art Gallery.)

Sally Van Doren's "Sex at Noon Taxes: Poems"

(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on July 21, 2008)

Sally Van Doren, Sex At Noon Taxes: Poems,(Louisiana State University Press, 2008) 70 pages, poetry, $17.95 U.S. Winner of the 2007 Walt Whitman Award given by the Academy of American Poets.

Sally Van Doren presents a unique collection of poems that play with words, grammar, double entendres, and poetic devices freely and joyfully. The title Sex At Noon Taxes is a palindrome and the title of a painting by Ed Ruscha. It proves a most fitting title.

Van Doren loves nothing more than wordplay- and very little of it is subtle. In a typewritten interview included with the book Van Doren reveals that her father would correct their grammar as they discussed their respective days around the dinner table. He was a true stickler who delighted in proper English. Although she happily admits her use of that grammar is anything but strict, those evenings left their mark. Consider the poem Preposition:

The before took us right up to
the after, even though under
meant we should not try over,
from being stronger than to,

up shying from its ascent
in the face of down. I held
on to you and beside you
I became with and about.

In our around, the near/far
could turn away and toward,
within the without. By my above
and your below, the wheres and

whens retreated, leaving time
and space stranded, in off, on out.

This could be an account of those dinnertime discussions punctuated with corrections. It could be about the complexities of relationships. It could also be merely a game of playing with these words and grammatical phrases themselves. In any case, it makes for fun reading, don't you think? I especially enjoyed the image of "up shying from its ascent/ in the face of down." Van Doren clearly has an ear finely tuned to language and its peculiars.

This is also a poetry of deep emotional substance even in the midst of play. Sited is outstanding in this regard:

He was here then, back
when I was there; you
were with me; you weren't,

the then being before the
beginning of the unlife,
the not-thereness having
not yet taken hold of his

hand. The trust in his
estate was in its undoing,
the disassembled vehicle
of non-necessariness.

Many mounds of here
landed on his whereness;
we hoard them.

Such longing in this poem! The pain of separation, of neither party being where they were when they were together, is searing here. There is a straining against the nothingness, the emptiness, the wondering of what was and could have been. Absence is the center of this poem, even as it continues to play with wording and syntax. In fact, the play in this instance very much emphasizes the gaping hole that is grief. One is left feeling as if one were free-falling perpetually through an endless space that has no bottom, which is the very essence of the feeling of ultimate loss.

There is also another way in which the title is fitting. Van Doren displays something akin to obsession regarding visual art throughout the collection. An example in one poem equates the complexities of romantic love to various colors splashed randomly on a canvass. Even where there is not direct reference to painting or other forms of visual art, she demonstrates a skill in using words to create striking images in one's mind.

Van Doren's work here is athletic in its use of language, passionate in its use of imagery, and sensitive to the nuances of human experience. Not bad for a debut collection at all.

Learn more about Sally Van Doren.

Buy Sex At Noon Taxes on Amazon.

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