Don't forget the answer the question I have for YOU at the end of this interview for a chance to win some terribly cute fingerless gloves by the sensational
Haunani says...
How do you define “Belly Dance”?
I see it as an ancient feminine dance associated with birthing. This dance, like most forms of ancient dance, has evolved with the times. It now has many different braches of the dance forms such as tribal fusion belly dance or cabaret.
How & when did you first encounter belly dancing?
Honestly, my first intriguing factor was at Ross’s Dress for Less when I was looking through some of their fitness DVDs and videos. I wanted to get fit and belly dance seemed like a fun and motivating way to do it.
How long have you been dancing (professionally/teaching)?
I started cabaret style belly dance in 2003. That same year I switched it up and began studying tribal fusion belly dance. Where did you grow up and where do you live now?
I grew up on the Windward side of O’ahu. I currently live in Kailua.
Where is the most interesting place that belly dance has taken you?
Hmmm…I think I’m still waiting for that.
Who were some of your mentors/teachers/inspirations along the way?
Well, I definitely view Kalae (artistic director of Shakti Dance Movement) as a great mentor. She gives me great inspiration, however all of the gals of Shakti Dance Movement are very inspiring and the best dance partners eva! I do find much inspiration from all members of the Indigo (Rachel, Mardi, and ZOE!), Kami Liddle, Zafira, and TribalTique.
What valuable advice would you like to pass on to novice dancers?
Practice! It produces a strong dancer, makes you more comfortable in the dance, and it really shows on stage. Also, facial expressions are important to work on too such as smiling, smirking and eye contact.
What is the most unusual experience you have had belly dancing?
I did read Kalae’s questionnaire, and I really don’t think that anything can top that experience. Right in the middle of our performance our host stops us from dancing because he finds out it’s Tara’s birthday and demands all his male friends give her a lap dance! Way crazy! So funny!
Do you have any other special talents/skills/occupations besides (or that compliment) your belly dancing?
I have a 3-month-old baby. She is my world. When I do have time for myself, I like to do crafts (sew and crochet).
Why do you love belly dancing?
Dancing has become a passion for me over the years. The movements are fun and so beneficial for your body and soul. The costumes are fabulous and fun too! I loved even being a pregnant belly dancer; it made belly dancing for me that much more meaningful.
What is your favorite music to dance to? Why? Any favorite bands/groups/artists?
I like the drums; it makes you wanna move. Beats Antique and Raquey and the Caveman are fun to dance to.
Favorite Colors?
I’m attracted to earthy shades of color: greens, blues, browns, plum.
Favorite Quotes (regarding dance or life):
“Everything we do, we do for love. The beauty of love is that in giving it away, you are left with more than you had before”. –David Simon
What is it like being a belly dancer in Hawaii? Do people wonder why you aren’t dancing hula (lol)? Are you able to find an audience for this kind of dance where you live or do you need to travel to find (or create) opportunities to perform? What kind of events/venues have you performed at?
I love being a belly dancer in Hawaii. I think tribal style is a unique dance form and it stands out and really makes an impression on audiences. Of course since we live in Hawaii, people do compare hula to belly dance. There are similarities like certain hip movements. The type of dance we do is always evolving and Shakti Dance Movement is always evolving too. I think we’re always trying to be innovative with the choreography and consuming. Costuming is a huge part of our dance because it adds so much interest and sometimes emphasizes certain dance moves. I do think that there is a wide range of audience for the type of dance we do…I think other dancers appreciate what we do because they can relate to us as dancers. I think that other [cabaret] belly dancers for sure relate to our dance. Other audiences are people interested in art or fashion, and the club scene…but not “pop” type of clubs more underground clubs/music. We do travel to California (SF Bay area) to perform and learn and get inspiration. The tribal style of belly dance is huge in that area. There are many dance festivals popping up across the US. The largest one being Tribal Fest held in Sebastopol, CA. I have performed with Shakti at many different venues, most of the venues were at nightclubs and community events. We have put on a few productions of our own, showcasing dancers we sponsored to the islands to teach and perform.
You did study Tahitian style dance before you discovered belly dance. What similarities or differences do you see in these two dance forms? Do you ever combine them in your choreographies?
The similarities are mainly the hip movements such as “figure eights”, “hip bumps”, and “umi”. Those types of hip movements are almost always in the choreographies we do.
How long have you been dancing with the Shakti Dance Movement tribal fusion dance company? How did you discover this company and did it take any special training to become a part of it?
Since 2004. I found Kalae’s class at the local dance studio. She used to teach on Sundays and it worked with my schedule so I started taking her class. Found that it was a great workout so I stuck with it. I saw her troupe, at the time, perform and thought it was amazing. So I asked her if I could dance with them. I guess she thought I was good enough and started teaching me choreography to a beautiful Indian (Odissi) inspired piece. I’ve been dedicated to the dance ever since. Joining Shakti Dance Movement has created some beautiful friendships in my life.
You have studied with many well-known instructors, how were you able to come by these experiences? Do you regularly travel to access training from these instructors?
Being a part of Shakti has broadened my belly dance horizons and I have been introduced to many different amazing dancers…not just belly dance. We do regularly travel to Tribal Fest ever year to take classes and gain inspirations.
When you are performing are you usually performing choreographed dances or improvised dances? Or perhaps a combination of the two (if you are combining, how so?)
Most of our performances are choreographed by either Kalae or Natalie. If I ever do improv it’s usually a small solo section incorporated in our choreographed dance.
I see it as an ancient feminine dance associated with birthing. This dance, like most forms of ancient dance, has evolved with the times. It now has many different braches of the dance forms such as tribal fusion belly dance or cabaret.
How & when did you first encounter belly dancing?
Honestly, my first intriguing factor was at Ross’s Dress for Less when I was looking through some of their fitness DVDs and videos. I wanted to get fit and belly dance seemed like a fun and motivating way to do it.
How long have you been dancing (professionally/teaching)?
I started cabaret style belly dance in 2003. That same year I switched it up and began studying tribal fusion belly dance. Where did you grow up and where do you live now?
I grew up on the Windward side of O’ahu. I currently live in Kailua.
Where is the most interesting place that belly dance has taken you?
Hmmm…I think I’m still waiting for that.
Who were some of your mentors/teachers/inspirations along the way?
Well, I definitely view Kalae (artistic director of Shakti Dance Movement) as a great mentor. She gives me great inspiration, however all of the gals of Shakti Dance Movement are very inspiring and the best dance partners eva! I do find much inspiration from all members of the Indigo (Rachel, Mardi, and ZOE!), Kami Liddle, Zafira, and TribalTique.
What valuable advice would you like to pass on to novice dancers?
Practice! It produces a strong dancer, makes you more comfortable in the dance, and it really shows on stage. Also, facial expressions are important to work on too such as smiling, smirking and eye contact.
What is the most unusual experience you have had belly dancing?
I did read Kalae’s questionnaire, and I really don’t think that anything can top that experience. Right in the middle of our performance our host stops us from dancing because he finds out it’s Tara’s birthday and demands all his male friends give her a lap dance! Way crazy! So funny!
Do you have any other special talents/skills/occupations besides (or that compliment) your belly dancing?
I have a 3-month-old baby. She is my world. When I do have time for myself, I like to do crafts (sew and crochet).
Why do you love belly dancing?
Dancing has become a passion for me over the years. The movements are fun and so beneficial for your body and soul. The costumes are fabulous and fun too! I loved even being a pregnant belly dancer; it made belly dancing for me that much more meaningful.
What is your favorite music to dance to? Why? Any favorite bands/groups/artists?
I like the drums; it makes you wanna move. Beats Antique and Raquey and the Caveman are fun to dance to.
Favorite Colors?
I’m attracted to earthy shades of color: greens, blues, browns, plum.
Favorite Quotes (regarding dance or life):
“Everything we do, we do for love. The beauty of love is that in giving it away, you are left with more than you had before”. –David Simon
What is it like being a belly dancer in Hawaii? Do people wonder why you aren’t dancing hula (lol)? Are you able to find an audience for this kind of dance where you live or do you need to travel to find (or create) opportunities to perform? What kind of events/venues have you performed at?
I love being a belly dancer in Hawaii. I think tribal style is a unique dance form and it stands out and really makes an impression on audiences. Of course since we live in Hawaii, people do compare hula to belly dance. There are similarities like certain hip movements. The type of dance we do is always evolving and Shakti Dance Movement is always evolving too. I think we’re always trying to be innovative with the choreography and consuming. Costuming is a huge part of our dance because it adds so much interest and sometimes emphasizes certain dance moves. I do think that there is a wide range of audience for the type of dance we do…I think other dancers appreciate what we do because they can relate to us as dancers. I think that other [cabaret] belly dancers for sure relate to our dance. Other audiences are people interested in art or fashion, and the club scene…but not “pop” type of clubs more underground clubs/music. We do travel to California (SF Bay area) to perform and learn and get inspiration. The tribal style of belly dance is huge in that area. There are many dance festivals popping up across the US. The largest one being Tribal Fest held in Sebastopol, CA. I have performed with Shakti at many different venues, most of the venues were at nightclubs and community events. We have put on a few productions of our own, showcasing dancers we sponsored to the islands to teach and perform.
You did study Tahitian style dance before you discovered belly dance. What similarities or differences do you see in these two dance forms? Do you ever combine them in your choreographies?
The similarities are mainly the hip movements such as “figure eights”, “hip bumps”, and “umi”. Those types of hip movements are almost always in the choreographies we do.
How long have you been dancing with the Shakti Dance Movement tribal fusion dance company? How did you discover this company and did it take any special training to become a part of it?
Since 2004. I found Kalae’s class at the local dance studio. She used to teach on Sundays and it worked with my schedule so I started taking her class. Found that it was a great workout so I stuck with it. I saw her troupe, at the time, perform and thought it was amazing. So I asked her if I could dance with them. I guess she thought I was good enough and started teaching me choreography to a beautiful Indian (Odissi) inspired piece. I’ve been dedicated to the dance ever since. Joining Shakti Dance Movement has created some beautiful friendships in my life.
You have studied with many well-known instructors, how were you able to come by these experiences? Do you regularly travel to access training from these instructors?
Being a part of Shakti has broadened my belly dance horizons and I have been introduced to many different amazing dancers…not just belly dance. We do regularly travel to Tribal Fest ever year to take classes and gain inspirations.
When you are performing are you usually performing choreographed dances or improvised dances? Or perhaps a combination of the two (if you are combining, how so?)
Most of our performances are choreographed by either Kalae or Natalie. If I ever do improv it’s usually a small solo section incorporated in our choreographed dance.
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