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  • Long lost episode. Shades of Time with Laura and Mondo. A last minute decision take a quick trip to South Padre, Tx gave Karen Barbee the opportunity to interview Shades Of Time.

    Shades of Time is one of the bands who plays for Karen's Project Band dance curriculum.

    Check out more about Karen Barbee and Karavan Studio:

    Baby Boomer Belly Dancer vodcast: http://vodcast.karavansa.com/

    Damn The Torpedoes blog: https://blog.karavansa.com/

    Karavan Studio with online and live belly dance options: http://karavansa.com/

    Your free trial of Karavan Online: https://freetrial.karavansa.com/

    Get Karen's Top 20 Philosophies eBook: https://signup.karavansa.com

    Find out about Karen's Karavan Online Masterclass: https://masterclass.karavansa.com/

    https://www.facebook.com/KaravanStudio/

    https://twitter.com/karavansa

    https://www.youtube.com/karenbarbee

    https://www.instagram.com/bellydancem...

    =======================================

    Host and Producer:

    Gylon Jackson | VOD|POD Media | [email protected]

  • A quick trip to South Padre, Texas, yields a great interview with founders of the band... Shades of Time.

    This is a long lost episode. Enjoy.

    Check out more about Karen Barbee and Karavan Studio:

    Baby Boomer Belly Dancer vodcast: http://vodcast.karavansa.com/

    Damn The Torpedoes blog: https://blog.karavansa.com/

    Karavan Studio with online and live belly dance options: http://karavansa.com/

    Your free trial of Karavan Online: https://freetrial.karavansa.com/

    Get Karen's Top 20 Philosophies eBook: https://signup.karavansa.com

    Find out about Karen's Karavan Online Masterclass: https://masterclass.karavansa.com/

    https://www.facebook.com/KaravanStudio/

    https://twitter.com/karavansa

    https://www.youtube.com/karenbarbee

    https://www.instagram.com/bellydancem...

    =======================================

    Host and Producer:

    Gylon Jackson | VOD|POD Media | [email protected]

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  • This is the 25h anniversary of GBDAC. Janet Lease has been with Karen for all 25 years of Give Belly Dance A Change. Enjoy the podcast as these two dancers take a shimmy and a figure eight down the memory lane of GBDAC.

    With over 40 years in her chosen craft of belly dancing, Karavan Studio owner and professional belly dancer, Karen Barbee Adkisson, has been teaching students the art of belly dance techniques for more than 30 years and is dedicated to keeping live music performances as part of this artful cultural dance.

    Join us as Karen's inquisitive mind and unique perspective on a wide array of topics inspire, educate, and even entertain your sensibilities... because everything comes back to belly dance.

    .

    .

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    Check out more about Karen Barbee and Karavan Studio:

    Baby Boomer Belly Dancer vodcast: http://vodcast.karavansa.com/

    Damn The Torpedoes blog: https://blog.karavansa.com/

    Karavan Studio with online and live belly dance options: http://karavansa.com/

    Your free trial of Karavan Online: https://freetrial.karavansa.com/

    Get Karen's Top 20 Philosophies eBook: https://signup.karavansa.com

    Find out about Karen's Karavan Online Masterclass: https://masterclass.karavansa.com/

    https://www.facebook.com/KaravanStudio/

    https://twitter.com/karavansa

    https://www.youtube.com/karenbarbee

    https://www.instagram.com/bellydancem...

    =======================================

    Host and Producer:

    Gylon Jackson | VOD|POD Media | [email protected]

    Marketing Automation and Co-Producer:

    Kathy Swanson | Integrated Marketing Werx | [email protected]

  • Karen says hello and goodbye to two of her dancers. Shevon and Cameron are leaving the Karavan Studio family for new adventures outside of Texas. Listen to the latest podcast here or you can watch the podcast (VODCAST) on Facebook or Youtube.

    https://www.facebook.com/KaravanStudiofs

  • 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 importance of having a guide; someone with more experience or knowledge who can lead you into a richer belly dance experience.

    During this episode of the Baby Boomer Belly Dancer, we talk about:

    00:00 How Bahaia got into belly dancing at the age of 15

    07:07 First solo belly dance performance in Austin

    07:55 When Bahaia came onto Karen's radar

    12:45 Great training from early instructors and making connections

    15:31 Bringing in a dancer from Greece to Austin and doing events/workshops

    20:31 Having enthusiasm and skills from outside of the dance world

    21:30 The rise of the Austin Belly Dance Convention

    23:24 Karen's CD release of "Mystery and Mastery" at the convention

    24:42 Taking a "back seat" to strong, definitive instructors

    26:07 Dancing at The Sands in Houston before 9-11

    28:40 The "real deal" vs fantasy... friendships and music

    31:07 Being a third generation "camper" and fun hosting belly dance camps

    36:36 Everyone was coming down to San Antonio to take Karen's classes...

    38:07 Belly dancing to live music and "How do I get in on that?" with Project Band

    40:58 When the National Arab Orchestra (NAO) Takht Ensemble came to San Antonio

    44:10 Having a different mindset and soaking in every bit of the music

    49:50 Collaborating to have belly dancers on stage with the NAO for the first time

    50:20 Bahaia's new project with belly dancers performing to new original compositions

    57:16 Who is Bahaia's "hero' in the belly dance community?

    58:59 Greatest pet peeve(s) and greatest benefits of the belly dance industry

    Bottom Line: Just do things and get out there; knowing that getting recognition as a dancer and teacher can bring out the snarky in some folks.

  • We invited Debbie Smith back as our inaugural remote guest to talk with Karen about the nuances of belly dancing to live Arabic music without looking contrived.

    A dear friend and Project Band member, Debbie is one of the few American belly dancers who knows Arabic and translates the words from the music as part of her process.

    During this episode of the Baby Boomer Belly Dancer, we talk about:

    00:00 Inaugural remote guest podcast with Debbie Smith

    00:56 GBDAC2021 and what comes first... mastery or mystery?

    03:02 Expression and sincerity in a dancer's performance

    07:27 The opposite of effort...

    09:32 Letting the music tell you what to do

    11:35 Ways to increase your improv skills outside of class

    14:25 What can look ingenuine

    16:28 Looking for depth and reasons to do certain expressions

    21:35 The process of taking in the music and putting it out in the form of movement

    24:24 Dancers looking to deepen expression

    25:56 Using translations to know how to feel about the music

    34:02 When Westerners are mouthing the words to a song

    36:12 Mapping a song out

    Ultimately, context is everything!

  • Over the last decade, Karen has been making it possible for people to learn and appreciate the art of belly dance wherever they are in the world through the power of technology.

    Join us for a behind the scenes conversation with Kathy Swanson (The Marketing Maverick behind the marketing automation, Karavan Online, and everything digital) and videographer Gylon Jackson (The Tech Guru with all the toys and gadgets).

    We explore Karen's journey, how she "didn't feel a thing" in her business when the pandemic hit the dance studio industry, and how dancing to live music (even remotely) has evolved with Project Band.

    During this episode of the Baby Boomer Belly Dancer, we talk about:

    00:00 Wow! Kathy and Gylon are on this side of the studio

    00:25 The evolution of the technology of Karavan Studio over more than a decade

    01:34 How Gylon came on board with "Belly Dance Fun" and the video equipment

    04:33 How Kathy met Karen -- with more than "pretty spreadsheets" ; )

    06:38 How many times the website design and platform have been redesigned

    08:03 Evolving the belly dance journey with someone who loves the live music experience

    09:31 Realizing the possibility that anyone on (or off) planet can access learning how to belly dance on any level with Karen because of the technology

    10:33 Sharing Karen's love of improvisation and live music

    11:03 The evolution of content and creating a foundation -- beyond "YouTube learning"

    12:51 Learning from a guide versus idolizing instructors as a dabbler

    16:18 Moving forward, keeping up, and always changing with industry and technology

    16:37 Kathy's "why-to" book and the value of focus in the face of choices

    18:30 Guest instructors are students of Karen Barbee -- even with different styles

    19:50 Karen's favorite part of the technology

    21:37 Why when everything tanked last year with COVID, Karen didn't feel a thing

    23:02 Choosing to dance to live music for a live streamed event during a pandemic

    23:48 When we almost got arrested because of murky City of San Antonio ordinances

    25:31 In the face of adversity comes innovation -- and the dancers loved it

    27:37 Making it easy for dancers to schedule and show up for private lessons

    28:07 Having things already online and not having to educate the dancers

    28:50 GBDAC2020 -- figuring out what were we going to do, Project Band dancers, and live music

    30:11 Pulling off GBDAC202020 remotely and live across the country

    38:20 Now dancing remotely to live music is not a big deal and we do it regularly

    40:14 Now Project Band is open to people wherever they are on the planet

    40:49 Changing expectations during a pandemic -- clear plexiglass is not the same

    42:32 GBDAC2021 is looking good for October 1-3 in San Antonio and how we will do it

    44:22 The Road to GBDAC2021 and creating content for our audience before and during the event

    47:51 The tools for online marketing now are amazing, integrated, and more affordable

    48:40 Letting technology and automation help you be more creative and do the (im)possible

    51:15 A belly dancer with her own music on cassette and CD... and now on Spotify and iTunes

    52:53 Self-publishing a coloring book of Sara's drawings and Karen's philosophy topics

    53:45 The things Gylon and Kathy wish Karen would do

    56:48 Ranting on belly dancing... the birth of the Baby Boomer Belly Dancer video podcast

    58:17 A great idea for YouTube -- do you think Karen should do it?

    1:03:42 Being ahead of our time and the amazing tech at the UTSA Buena Vista Theater for GBDAC

    Kathy thinks Karen should have a Patreon channel. What do you think?

    In the meantime, on Amazon you can get a copy of Karen's coloring book "Kolor Your Perspective" illustrated by Sarah Jouett Martinez.

    You can also get Kathy's why-to book "Automation Works" on Amazon.

    You can also contact Gylon at VOD|POD Media [email protected].

  • 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 on how to work with live music and giving them the opportunity to do it.

    During this episode of the Baby Boomer Belly Dancer, we talk about:

    00:00 The incredible story begins with Project Band and adding instruments

    02:35 Finding a nay player on YouTube -- Michael Ibrahim, NAO Founder and Conductor

    04:48 Connecting through Naser Musa and flying dancers to Minneapolis to see Michael

    05:44 Going to Detroit to see the NAO Takht Ensemble

    06:10 Tying in to San Antonio's Dream Week with the Youth Orchestra of San Antonio

    10:24 Planning the concert at Incarnate Word and pulling in the Lebanese community

    11:46 Creating a sold out concert and an excitement for more

    13:40 Live Arab music -- Texas singers and musicians are coming out of the woodwork

    14:54 In less than a year, having the full orchestra at Trinity University

    15:11 Attracting support from Houston and playing there to another sold out crowd

    18:21 Using concerts as a catalyst to bring communities together

    19:45 Why Michael founded the National Arab Orchestra -- a purpose of culture

    23:16 The NAO's Building Bridges through Music program and "starting with ourselves"

    24:50 The pandemic afforded the NAO the opportunity to build a virtual community

    26:06 How excited Karen was when she joined the NAO Board

    27:55 Collaboration, education, and kids learning the music to pass along tradition

    30:00 Keeping the inspiring energy of live music at the forefront -- makes us human

    32:02 Having dancers on stage with the Takht Ensemble in January of 2020

    33:03 Folding dance into the music and elevating the tone of the cultural conversation

    35:50 Cultural dissemination vs cultural appropriation

    43:31 Belly dance is a huge window opportunity to curiosity and conversations

    46:59 The arts as a window into culture and why people do what they do

    47:40 Teaching dancers how to listen to the music and improvisation

    55:01 The NAO Takht Ensemble and Karavan Studio's weekend showcase in October 2021

    "When you want to get to know someone, you invite them over for dinner; that's how life works." - Michael Ibrahim

    While we had some technical difficulties, they didn't hold us back from this great conversation with Michael and Julie.

  • 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 Band members and our musicians.

    During this episode of the Baby Boomer Belly Dancer, we talk about:

    00:00 This could take a while... how long Debbie has been studying belly dance

    02:30 When Debbie and Karen met at Mirage

    04:02 Hearing the music and following the breadcrumbs to experience the culture

    09:48 Meeting her first musician in Austin and developing cultural habits

    13:34 Realizing that the main thing she loved about dancing was the music

    16:27 The energy of the whole band, how people react to it, and feeling it

    19:47 When Judy invited Debbie to come to Karen's classes in San Antonio

    20:49 How Debbie decided to get her degree in Middle Eastern Studies

    24:35 Meeting Georges Lammam for the first time

    27:02 When Karen and Debbie took classes together at UT Austin

    29:05 Moving to San Francisco and meeting Amina who produced live music events

    30:56 Performing in local showcases and going to workshops

    33:12 Sincerity and dancing -- freely following and going deep into what you love

    35:30 Learning how to speak Arabic and Persian at UC Berkeley extension classes

    37:34 Starting to go to Egypt because of VHS tapes

    43:32 Becoming an Arts Administrator for a non-profit dance studio

    46:03 Joining a Palestinian Debke troupe... from MIT

    47:50 Producing her first annual Arab Cultural Festival to elevate Arab artists

    49:53 Working at the Dance Mission Theater and the Arab Cultural Center

    52:04 Panel of musicians at the Arab American National Museum in Detroit

    54:04 Decision to move to Egypt and advocating artists and musicians

    55:22 Being taken seriously and not having dance and professional life intersect

    57:07 Finding the perfect job in Egypt and how her Arabic got even better

    1:04:48 Debbie is not a former dancer... since Project Band is infinitely fungible for any level

    Debbie's thesis was about the aesthetic values of Arabic music, including improvisation and the sacred repetition of shapes, and how oriental dance movements were perfectly suited to express the subtleties of the music. You can see why Karen and Debbie get along so well!

  • 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 Eastern music to the western ear.

    During this episode of the Baby Boomer Belly Dancer, we talk about:

    00:00 What is a "performahearsal weekend"?

    01:19 Georges' journey before meeting Karen in Houston

    08:37 We met at Cleopatra's ... and 11 years later...

    10:08 Oh, and the first International Conference on Middle Eastern Dance in 1997

    12:44 And we haven't lost Georges since

    13:40 Live music and belly dance improvisation re-emergance in 2012

    14:17 Meeting cool musicians through Georges

    17:36 Working with dancers - workshops and the resonating improv experience

    18:30 Appreciating Middle Eastern music and touching the heart

    22:34 Hitting the wall with recorded music and expanding with live music

    23:01 Young musicians interested in this music... especially through the pandemic

    24:25 Performing in the room and the exchange of energy vs. plexiglass

    25:43 Looking for tiny nuances of the dancer on Zoom

    26:30 Being hungry to perform to live music in San Francisco - hidden gems

    30:45 Highlights of touring in the U.S.

    32:38 Loving the music enough to enjoy even a little Latin dance club

    33:44 Playing for Syrian refugees on an island in Greece

    35:11 Original compositions -- "Dancing Bear" will be on stage in October

    37:20 And we listen to Georges improvise a quick violin piece

    Once again, Georges will be amongst the incredible musicians performing at Karavan's 25th annual "Give Belly Dance A Chance" weekend... the last of its kind.

  • Joining the conversation is Project Band student Victoria Cruz who has a Master's degree in Dance Movement Therapy.

    We talked about introducing new behaviors and removing habitual behaviors using movement, especially in belly dance improvisation.

    During this episode of the Baby Boomer Belly Dancer, we talk about:

    00:00 Our guest, Victoria Kinsey Cruz

    02:15 Before it was Project Band...

    03:45 What exactly is Dance Movement Therapy?

    05:52 Movement spectrums and how we show up in movement patterns

    10:04 Use of movement as a therapy tool

    11:30 Self-regulation and music as an organizing factor

    15:17 Gaining access to better relationships and cognitive function

    17:47 Willingness to try new things when you want accolades from the audience

    20:05 Seeing courage, taking risks, and giving yourself space vs control

    27:02 Mindset about the audience

    29:04 Where each person is at and how to encourage small shifts

    33:35 Navigating life through mirroring belly dance movements

    40:49 Belly dancing with other Project Banders

    47:00 The deep work and how small changes are profound and long-lasting

    53:16 Another COVID silver lining

    Bottom Line: Project Band is deep self-reflective work... and much cheaper than therapy!

  • 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 even talk about some embarrassing costume fails (Karen has like at least 135 of them!)

    During this episode of the Baby Boomer Belly Dancer, we talk about:

    00:00 Margret and Shevon's belly dance costume journeys

    02:41 How important costumes are and looking the part

    07:32 Matching your costume to different styles of dancing

    10:22 Technical precision, soulful innovation, and cultural respect

    12:25 What works for you and your body and the way you feel at that time

    13:54 Our current "go-to" costumes

    17:20 Our first costumes

    22:10 Where we get most of our costumes

    24:25 Our favorite costumes - ready-made, making now, and custom-made

    28:44 The most outlandish costumes we have seen over the years

    33:57 Keeping the costumes interesting (for yourself and others)

    35:26 Costume mishaps and how to prevent them

    42:40 Being attracted to belly dance because of the beauty of the costumes

    For the most part, it all comes down to having the right bra.

  • We take a walk down memory lane as two of Karen's siblings, Barbara and Herb, discuss Karen's early years and journey as a belly dancer, performer, and business owner.

    Explore a truly vulnerable and intimate view of Karen's sibling dynamics and why there is no rivalry amongst her siblings.

    During this episode of the Baby Boomer Belly Dancer, we talk about:

    00:00 Meet two of Karen's siblings -- Barbara and Herb

    01:39 We find out when Herb has actually belly danced

    04:49 Where it all started with Barbara learning hula and belly dancing

    10:37 When Barbara started teaching and Karen started taking belly dance

    13:47 When Herb started doing karate

    17:40 How they all fit into the family and how live music played a part

    22:20 When Karen stepped out of her comfort zone

    25:15 It's funny what you remember about what people say

    28:26 Being the "baby of the family"

    31:26 The dynamics of two sisters and loving every minute of it

    34:13 How Mom and Dad felt about Karen's dancing and business

    41:36 Why Herb was bullied in high school and ended up loving karate classes

    46:40 "Don't chase the rank, chase the skill" -- what makes a great instructor

    49:20 Being excellent vs. mediocre -- when people are compromising

    51:57 Improvisation -- what it takes to prepare for the unexpected

    53:35 Creating mastery through repetition

    When you understand Karen's family history, you truly see how her talent, expertise, and belly dancing philosophies have emerged over the years.

    We can't wait to have Mary join in on an upcoming episode to tell her part of the story.

  • If you haven't heard, San Antonio was gripped with snow and low temperatures not seen in decades, days worth of power outages, as well as neighbors and communities coming together to help each other out all across Texas.

    Join Karen and two of her students as they talk about how, when things get tough, you improvise to keep moving forward. Texas had a tough week. Take a moment, sit back, relax and laugh a little as we talk belly dance and how most everyone in Texas had to improvise to stay sane.

    During this episode of the Baby Boomer Belly Dancer, we talk about:

    00:00 Improvising (aka surviving) this last week with guests Margret and Lisa

    01:40 Where were you when you realized things were going to get weird?

    10:00 When did you know this was getting real?

    13:27 So, we had to improvise!

    14:10 What the improvisor truly needs

    15:00 How we survived

    16:40 Coming back into the studio and "squiggling"

    21:30 Revving up for the new semester and Project Band

    22:30 The last of its kind -- our 25th GBDAC anniversary

    23:32 You never know what life is going to throw at you

    25:10 Finding something positive that will work in the face of adversity

    26:32 Headspace and being able to flip focus

    30:20 Imagination, intuition, and improvisation

    32:11 Patterns, trends, commonalities, and what happens on the other side

    33:40 Being more prepared and how Project Band helps us make those tweaks

    39:00 Life is improve -- since everything is in constant change

    Let's just say that belly dancing to live music and learning how to improvise through the Project Band experience helps each of us navigate through the bumps in life.

    How do you improvise when things become interesting?

  • Thank you Debbie Smith for this week's amazing topic based upon the Harvard Business Review article "Why Asking for Advice Is More Effective Than Asking for Feedback".

    Which one do you usually ask for?

    Listen to Karen's perspective on the upsides and downsides of both feedback and advice.

    During this episode of the Baby Boomer Belly Dancer, we talk about:

    00:25 Karen's focus and why this article was intriguing

    01:20 "Please ask questions, because I have probably thought about it"

    02:30 Asking for feedback vs advice

    05:15 Looking backwards and looking forwards

    08:11 Intentional focus and getting more of what you are paying attention to

    11:13 How Project Band and live music fits in when improvising to improvisation

    13:40 What went well and getting more specific about what was "cool"

    15:50 Delivering advice and the value of preliminary Project Band meetings

    17:40 The kinds of advice Karen has received

    20:00 Considerations for looking for advice, support, and validation

    24:29 When does an opinion become advice?

    27:05 When people give too much feedback... what is really going on?

    35:40 Formal and informal advice... go for the learning

    38:06 Project Band... as a means for growth

    42:10 Karen's own growth on taking advice and feedback

    Find out what Karen is drinking during this podcast as the weather gets surprisingly cold here in San Antonio.

    What feedback or advice would you like to give on what topics we chat about next?

  • How many belly dance workshops are too many? Karen sits down with Cindy and Carmita to discuss the ins and outs of live and virtual workshops.

    We are also excited about going to Yaa Halla, Y'all in July and that the National Arab Orchestra is part of our annual "Give Belly Dance a Chance" (GBDAC) performance weekend in October.

    During this episode of the Baby Boomer Belly Dancer, we talk about:

    00:00 Let's meet Cindy and Carmita

    01:16 Workshops defined in the belly dance world

    02:46 How Karen started her workshop journey and then teaching workshops

    06:50 Cindy, the "Workshop Junkie"

    08:39 Standard workshop weekend format and how it has changed with the shows

    10:49 Carmita's first workshop as a new belly dancer

    12:03 The benefits of one instructor vs a variety of expert styles

    13:11 When there were now too many workshops, how could they compete?

    16:29 Navigating the smorgasbord - live and online workshops

    22:11 Learning with different levels of students - live and virtually

    26:58 Let's talk about retention, investing in workshops, and focus

    31:10 Perspectives of instructors vs sponsors

    32:21 Self-identifying -- years of experience and natural talent

    35:40 The experience -- assimilation, discipline, and intention

    37:45 The spectrum of workshop experiences -- what do you take away?

    43:11 Headspace of a learner and how Project Band propels you

    46:29 Upcoming live and virtual workshops

    49:04 The additional benefits of the workshop experience

    50:59 Finding depth and feeling moved

    Guess how many live workshops Carmita has done compared to how many virtual ones throughout the world in the last four years -- it's more than just one ; )

  • All of us had to pivot in 2020 and COVID-19 really screwed up in-person learning for dance studios as well as live music.

    Karen and two of her students, Lisa and Suzanne, took some time to discuss the joy and the challenges of online vs. in-person belly dance lessons and performances.

    Bottom line, Karen's focus, dedication, and passion remains all about the live music component of belly dance.

    During this episode of the Baby Boomer Belly Dancer, we talk about:

    00:00 What is a "baby boomer" - with Karen, Suzanne, and Lisa

    00:31 Comparing online vs live in the class and performance

    00:46 This is the future... and now Karavan Online is over 10 years old

    02:43 The "struggle" to learn online and camera angles

    04:23 Suzanne's and Lisa's experience with online workshops

    08:01 Practicing versus performing -- the power of anonymity

    10:36 Let's talk virtual performing - where are the nuances?

    13:43 Cutting edge - dancing to live music in Houston with Project Band

    16:17 Participating remotely online from around the U.S. (and world)

    17:05 No substitute for performing in front of a live audience

    18:00 Seeing things from a different perspective

    21:50 Preparing for a production and your headspace

    24:23 The energy and expectation - no strength without resistance

    27:00 Instantaneous, immediate, and back and forth audience feedback

    29:11 Where is the "on switch"?

    30:23 Love of live music - imperfection is part of the fun - so go for it

    34:57 Coming out of being locked down and being a COVID hermit

    36:58 We were having fun; we weren't even "Breaking the Law"

    39:33 How it all worked out in Houston with the virtual performances

    41:01 How it all changed Project Band forever and now the world is watching

    42:44 What's changed and what will remain the same

    46:20 Sincere presentation of improv vs playing the script

    As for dancing in the face of a pandemic.... well, people were having f****** fun!

    We are still working out the kinks and may need a better way for Gylon to throw a comment or two out from the booth.

  • People talk about how I am so "lucky" to have started out at such an early age as the key to what has made me a successful belly dancer and studio owner.

    Yet there are so many things that have been key to my longevity.

    During this episode of the Baby Boomer Belly Dancer, we talk about:

    1:38 How this is cathartic like musically relevant interpretation

    3:55 The High School reunion effect

    6:10 The other side of "lucky"

    7:39 The subconscious reinforcement of the audience

    9:56 Becoming aware and deliberately replacing habits

    11:12 What "eats my brain"

    15:12 Emulating a deeper understanding of the music

    16:41 Key to staying interested - going deeper into the culture, music, and dance

    18:48 The object of Project Band games like "improvised torso syllablization"

    21:30 Belly dancing to rock 'n roll music

    24:18 Compliments, competitiveness, and another chance

    30:17 The parallel tracks of being a nightclub performer and a studio owner

    31:56 Letting go and changing while you are in it

    34:17 Winning with Project Band and the opportunity to perform to live music

    38:27 The lost art of dancing to live music

    39:40 The art, science, and philosophy of belly dance

    41:11 Extrapolating improvisation

    46:05 Depth and finding musicians that help you go wider

    48:14 Living the dream

    51:31 Thinking about the future of this podcast and improvisation

    Yes, I did drop the "B" word and there are still some hiccups in the production; but we are working through it.

  • I'm Karen Barbee Adkisson, The Baby Boomer Belly Dancer.

    I've been in a dance studio since five years of age; and once upon a time, I worked in the corporate world in information systems for 12 years then finally quit to belly dance full time in 1996.

    Welcome to my journey! During this episode you can find out:

    00:00 I'm Karen Barbee, The Baby Boomer Belly Dancer

    01:19 When I quit the corporate world

    03:00 My first belly dance job at 16

    03:57 First started teaching belly dance at 18... thanks to my sister

    05:19 The bumpy birth of Karavan Studio and being a studio owner

    10:22 Success is being invited to the workshop circuit... even overseas

    10:54 Public speaking, improvisation to live music, and growth spurts

    15:15 How to become a better artist? Dig into the culture and community

    17:30 When the National Arab Orchestra came to San Antonio

    19:17 Bringing live music and belly dancing together every year

    21:57 Bringing fluency to your dance form and appreciation of live music

    26:06 The secret to what keeps all of us interested after all these years

    29:37 Being a drilling maniac and how it helps your brain

    Yep I said that and that oh yeah and THAT. There are moments that I sound like I'm talking to myself 🤪... ask Gylon why his mic was not on (thought he was a tech guru).

    With that said, excuse the dust, we are working out the kinks. Enjoy.