We recently had Bahaia from Austin join us in the studio. Surprisingly, we found out that before becoming a belly dancer, she was a competitive Scottish Highland dancer and that her love for it waned because there was no room for expression in the dance. Something that also came up several times was the … Continue reading Bahaia was once a beginner belly dancer
How did we get Michael Ibrahim and the National Arab Orchestra (NAO) into Texas? Michael recently joined us from Detroit along with Karen’s cousin, Julie Scott, Former Executive Director of The Youth Orchestra of San Antonio, to talk about this incredible story. Rest assured, we are looking at even bigger ways to instruct dancers … Continue reading Michael Ibrahim and the National Arab Orchestra in Texas
Close friends and a common love for belly dance. Debbie Smith and Karen Barbee discuss culture, dance, and the transformative effects of falling in love with both the art and science of belly dance. We are so pleased Debbie came in from Arkansas to San Antonio for this “performahearsal weekend” with her fellow Project … Continue reading Belly Dance and Friendship | Interview with Debbie Smith
Virtuoso violinist, Georges Lammam from San Francisco, first met Karen in the late 80’s. Coming to San Antonio for a “performahearsal weekend”, both Georges and Project Band member Debbie Smith from Arkansas joined us as we talk about knowing each other for all these years. We also explored how belly dancers helped bring Middle … Continue reading Virtuoso violinist Georges Lammam | Live Music and Belly Dance
Belly Dance Costumes: How The Right Costume Enhances The Performance Two of Karen’s students joined us in the studio to talk about the intriguing world of belly dance costumes. Everyone can agree that when a costume looks good, it allows the dancer to feel free, beautiful, and strong as they step on the stage. We … Continue reading Belly Dance Costumes | How The Right Costume Enhances The Performance