Incense makes the FRONT PAGE!!!

You can read the full article here: http://westhawaiitoday.com/sections/news/local-news/program-empowers-teen-girls-through-belly-dance-art.html#.UFeMxsYdRRA.facebook

Paperblanks posts about Incense

Follow this link to see the article that Paperblanks posted about Incense:

http://blog.paperblanks.com/2012/08/art-journaling-empowerment/

CONTEST!!!

Want to know how to win a free Stephanie Bolton painting?

It's pretty simple...

1. Take a Photo/Video of yourself with a Stephanie Bolton Painting

can be one you own or in a public place... if you live in Hawaii you can try: 

Annie's Island Fresh Burgers in Kainaliu 

Kohala Coast Fine Art in Waikoloa

Holualoa Gallery in Holualoa

Mauna Lea Manor in Holualoa

The Kona Coffee & Tea Company across from the Marina

Pikake Beads in Kailua-Kona town

or even at a friend's house

...don't live in Hawaii? A magazine or print out image of a painting counts too!

2. Post that photo/video of you with the painting on the wall of my Artist Page on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Artist-Stephanie-Bolton/244610634387

be sure you are on my Artist page & not my personal page

It should say "Artist Stephanie Bolton" & you may have to "like" the page if you haven't already in order to post something on my wall... BUT of course you already like my page- I mean, who doesn't right?

3. You have till July 5, 2012 to accumulate "Likes" and the photo/video with the most "likes" wins

To increase your chances of getting "liked" the most- you can do three things

1. make sure your photo is hilarious, interesting, beautiful, cool, unique, weird to get attention

2. Share the photo from my wall so people in your feed see it too

3. Blatantly BEG your facebook friends/ blog friends to "Like" your photo on my wall

Hey- it never hurts to ask for what you want, right?

One lady did it yesterday & already has 20 "Likes"

So have fun.

Can't wait to see what you post!

Aloha!

Walls that Speak

 This has been a wild ride of a year for me.  I got to the last page in my planner- the last week & it ended with the Student Salon of my year long after school youth mentoring dance program: Incense.  Our first full length show & the last activity of their program.  I flipped to the front of this same planner and realized that the first week began with the week of my SEEDs teacher training!  I bought this planner right before embarking off to Santa Fe to learn from Myra Krien how to create a rite of passage for teen girls with bellydance as the medium.

I held that book in my hand and was overcome with the realization that this was a full year of my life- my recorded journey of the first year of Incense.  I felt really victorious in the fact that I actually followed through... not everyone who goes through the training actually starts a program and sees it through... it is very hard work with a lot of obstacles.  And certainly for someone like me, who often starts projects that I never finish regardless of the good intentions I may have... I couldn't help but beam with with pride: I was holding a serious accomplishment in my hands.

My Studio Wall Before

 So I ripped the book a part and wallpapered my studio wall with it.  I know, I am kind of taking "if these walls could speak..." to an extreme and some people might hate how it turned out- but I LOVE it.  And not only is it beautiful, colorful, full of life, and memories... every time I am teaching a dance class or practicing a new choreography and feeling like I'll never get through it... I can look at that wall and remember how I got to the end of a long race once before & I know I'll relive the joy of that year & it will give me hope to push through.

My Studio Wall After

My Studio Wall After

 I'm sharing this because I surprised myself and I know there are other people out there who are not sure if they can complete the task they have set before themselves.... let this be a reminder:

Someday is not a day of the week

I hope you will GO FOR IT!

It's time for our end of year student salon!

So excited for the girls to perform in their first full length show.

If you are in the area- we would love to have your support ;-)

Come cheer on the girls & make LOTS OF NOISE- hoping to generate a really awesome audience for these beautiful young ladies as they share everything they learned this year in Incense.

Show will take place on Sunday June 3, 2012

from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm at The Donkey Mill Art Center in Keahou Mauka

This is a family friendly event with teen performers - I really think other teens would enjoy seeing these girls dance- so invite any teens that you know!

Just $5 at the door - your donation helps to fund both Incense & The Donkey Mill's education of the Arts for our Big Island youth.

Sure to be lots of fun with wonderful music and beautiful dancing.

Any questions?  You can call 854-1270 or email mauna.lea.studios@gmail.com

Share our Facebook invitation with your FB buddies: http://www.facebook.com/events/309432779135839/

I love having my own space to myself... my own little quirky slice of earth where I'm allowed to just do whatever I please.

student talks about Incense

Belly Dancers Christmas: After a few months we were getting ready for our first performance *The Christmas Parade* As early 

Christmas gifts our awesome instructor got us a few key parts of our costume; our bells, our tops, and a pretty flower to go on our heads.

While it was slightly scary to start off, our first thing as a group turned out to be a lot of fun! We danced the entire parade (which was a big accomplishment for a couple of us)

Another awesome thing we've gotten to do other then learning to dance, creating our costumes, and really performing has been meeting interesting people. We get to meet so many different people ranging from seamstress to people who's jobs are to know about sex!

I've never had so much fun with a program, we get to express our selves as well as say what we really feel. I mean how many other programs let you talk about the amazingness of food while we write how we think in a journal? Our teacher/mentor/all around cool person to talk to Stephanie is really nice and takes some of our more odd comments in stride. I've had so much fun it kind of bums me out that I won't be able to do this again next year. All in all, this is a wicked experience that I plan on telling everyone about.

-Kitana, Incense 2011-12, age 15

Back to the Big City I go!

February 3, 2012 - The Gypsy Night Market

from 5:30 pm till 10:00 pm

Live Music

Free Event

Come and get a henna tattoo or portrait painted by yours truly!

Enjoy the artwork of several talented artists...

Nilma Hunter

Reverie by Alessandra Jann-Jordan

She Grooves Photography

Lydia VonScollon

Glitter Gypsy

&

Me!

See up to date details here:

http://www.facebook.com/events/308543219185138/

I will be in for a wild weekend.

Meeting up with Fifi Mustglow who will turn me into her own work of art

having my first class with the marvelous Rachel Brice

Gypsy Night Market the evening

next day more Rachel Brice mayhem 

that evening the Martha Graham Dance Company performs ;-)

Next day even MORE Rachel Brice mayhem

and finally a RACHEL BRICE SHOW

where I will be dancing with lots of lovely friends:

Charmed & Dangerous

http://www.facebook.com/events/220139668071978/

& you can come see the show!

It is open to the public

Sunday, Feb. 5th
The Venue
1144 Bethel St., Honolulu, HI 96813
Doors open at 7:30 show starts promptly at 8pm.
Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door, tickets are available at: http://rachelbrice808show.eventbrite.com/

Don’t miss this incredible evening of performance art featuring world renowned dancer, the lovely Rachel Brice!

Additional Performances by:
Shakti Dance Movement
Madam X
Rhythm Renegades
Willow Chang
Garden Nile Belly Dance Troupe
Phoenix Dance Project
Devi Dance CompanyAnd more! Including special outer island quests!Like Stephanie Bolton & Brittany Wilson of
The Big Island's Nouveau Gypsy

Special Musical talents by:
StreetLight Cadence
DJ Emuin