Join Us at the Denver International Festival

Bella Diva at the II Denver International Festival

BELLA DIVA & DENVER COMING TOGETHER TO EXPERIENCE CULTURES FROM AROUND THE WORLD!

Join us on the II Denver International Festival

When? 

Sat. August 5th, from 10 AM – 8 PM

Where?

Civic Center Park

The Mile High City is home to more than two million Denverites, representing hundreds of countries and cultures from around the world. The Denver International Festival is a celebration of the best traditional food, music, and art from our own backyard. Come dance, eat, drink and play in the heart of Denver at Civic Center Park.

II Denver International FestivalJoin us for the 2nd annual Denver International Festival on Saturday, August 5th from 10 AM – 8 PM. This FREE community event will feature 30+ restaurants and food trucks, vendors, beer garden, live music and dance performances, DJs, and live interactive art. This family-friendly festival will also feature cultural displays, games, health and wellness activities, and a kids’ village.

The Denver International Festival will not only be the city’s largest celebration of global art, music, and food but is also giving back to less fortunate communities in our own backyard and around the world. The annual benefit concert during the festival will raise money and awareness for a different non-profit organization each year. This year, they have partnered with Youth on Record.

Youth on Record’s vision is for youth to discover how their voice and value can create a better world. Their programs empower teens in some of Denver’s most vulnerable communities to make life choices that positively impact their future by teaching them to develop the coping tools, inspiration, and wherewithal to succeed in today’s world and to become leaders of their community.

Bella Diva Dance will have two performance sets at 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM.

Bella Diva Dance to perform at the Denver International Festival 2017

A Cultural Celebration You Don’t Want to Miss

We are super excited to participate in this wonderful event in Denver. This is one more chance we have to share the beauty of cultural richness through dance. You know we’ll put everything we have into our performances, just for you. Come join us on this amazing celebration!

Characteristics of a Great Dance Teacher

Dance styles for kids

A dancer cannot be properly formed if not through the guidance of a dance teacher.
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What are the traits of those who are meant to inspire, shape, and nurture future great dancers?

Traits Of An Outstanding Dance Teacher

Superb dancers usually have wonderful, dedicated teachers to thank for their growth and accomplishments, but what makes a dance teacher so great? The list of qualities can vary from dancer to dancer, depending on their needs and expectations.
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Here are some of the traits that we can find in someone that makes a great dance teacher.

Has A Passion For Dance

For the teacher, dance might not be what their life revolves around, yet they have such passion for it that it comes across in everything they do. They not only love dancing, but they love to share that with others.

Characteristics of a great dance teacherHas Great Respect and Aptitude For Teaching

Great teachers believe in the value of passing knowledge onto others. They’re eager to put their best foot forward when it comes to teaching and are constantly looking for ways to perfect their craft so they can offer their students a great learning experience.

Is Supportive, Motivational, and Respectful

A great dance teacher knows how to be sensitive to the needs of their students and find ways to encourage them to go after what they want while they root for them and guide them through the process. These leaders know how to embrace your individuality and recognize your humanity. They expect you and motivate you to work hard; they recognize that you’re not perfect and respect the process you’re going through because they’ve been through it themselves.
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Bella Diva Teaching StaffOur Amazing Teachers Are Waiting For You

Great teachers are gems. We know that because we have worked with them and they work with you. Our amazing staff at Bella Diva Dance is made of wonderful teachers that are eager to share their passion with you. They might all specialize in different types of dance, but their love of their craft is what they all have in common. Come join a class with one of these great pros!

The Perks of Being a Dancer

The Perks of Being a Dancer

Learning any type of dance is challenging and fun at the same time. With all that hard work comes a lot of benefits of being a dancer that go beyond the physical aspects.

You’re Lucky to Be A Dancer, and Here’s Why

Dancers Win Health and Confidence

Yes, there more benefits beyond the physical ones, but why not recognize them, too? Dancing does help keep you fit and healthy.
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It has great benefits for your overall health, not just the aesthetics. It’s great for your lungs and heart, makes you stronger and more flexible, boosts your self-esteem, and has many other benefits.
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Dancing Makes Your SmarterDancing Improves Mental Acuity

Dancing exercises our cognitive processes, which basically means that dancing makes you smarter. This is especially beneficial as we age, as it reduces our chances of developing dementia.

You Gain Life Skills

Dancing might be fun, but that does not mean it’s easy, even if you have the skills. Dancing requires hard work, discipline, determination, commitment, communication skills, and passion; builds resilience; and teaches you the ability to manage and respond to criticism. It also boosts your creative thinking and helps you become resourceful.
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All those skills are very valuable in everyday situations.

Positive body imageConstant Growth

There’s always something else to learn, another goal to accomplish. Becoming a dancer is not a static process; it’s a journey, just as life is. Dancing teaches you that you’re never done learning, not matter how old, and it also reminds you to appreciate how far you’ve come.

Dancing Brings Unity

You’ll create great memories on the dance floor. The people you dance with become an extension of your family, but the unity that dancing brings goes beyond the four walls of a dance studio. Dancing is part of a great historical tradition that tells the story of the roots and the culture of different communities all around the globe, and it helps us appreciate the beauty that lies in the differences and similarities between people. That’s why we teach World Dance classes at Bella Diva DanceCome join our family.

Proper Alignment for Dancers

Proper Alignment for Dancers

Most styles of dance require great posture to produce good quality movement. To create beautiful dance moves, proper body alignment is key.

Graceful Posture Improves Your Dance Technique

The word posture comes from the Latin verb ponere, which means “to put or place.” The general concept of human posture refers to the “carriage of the body as a whole, the attitude of the body, or the position of the limbs (the arms and legs).”

Source: Wikipedia

As a dancer, having proper body alignment allows you to be able to move freely and even reduces the risk of injury. Did you ever feel annoyed at someone that kept telling you to stand up straight? They might have been thinking just about aesthetics when they told you that, but the intention was in the right place. The thing with bad posture is that it puts a lot of strain on muscles and joints, which can lead to injury. So, in life and in dance, proper body alignment is essential.

The Benefits of Good Posture

Not only does proper body alignment help to strengthen dancer’s muscles. Having good posture also means that your body will require the least amount of muscle activity to stay in an upright position, and it provides many other health benefits.

It allows us to be active with more energy, less stress and fatigue
It allows the musclo-skeletal system to hold the body parts in place
It allows space for your vital organs to function at optimal efficiency
It allows you to breathe more efficiently
It promotes efficient functioning of the nervous system

Source: laurastanyer.blogspot.com

 

Neutral Spine or AlignmentRenu gupta teaching associate

Postural muscles are those in charge of putting in the work to keep you in an upright position. All these muscles run up the front and back of your body and maintain neutral alignment by working against the pull of gravity. The goal is to keep your balance while standing still or moving.

Strong Abs Are Key to Better Posture

Did you know that the “six-pack” is the most superficial of the four layers in the abdominal wall? Each layer is responsible for different types of motion. However, when they move as a whole is when they’re the most effective. This is why it’s important to remember to keep your core tight during dance class, but also in general, as having a tight core will help your balance.

Yoga can help improve core strength, and Belly Dance is great for building strength and improving your posture. At Bella Diva Dance, we love to share dance with you in a way that is not only beneficial to your health but expands your cultural knowledge as well. Give us a call and learn more about our classes.

Bella Diva Dance and Michelle Obama at TOGETHER in Colorado

BDD at togetHer in Colorado

TOGETHER: The Women’s Foundation of Colorado’s Celebration Featuring a Conversation with Former First Lady Michelle Obama

BDD at togetHer in ColoradoCome TOGETHER with The Women’s Foundation of Colorado for an evening featuring a conversation with the former first lady, Michelle Obama. Join fellow community members to celebrate 30 years as the only community foundation in the state focused on women and girls.
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This event will raise funds to power their research, public policy advocacy, and grantmaking that TOGETHER propel Colorado women and girls from promise to prosperity.

This event is non-partisan and non-political.
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Michelle Obama will appear in a live conversation format, with WFCO President and CEO Lauren Casteel moderating.

“Mrs. Obama has inspired many girls with her story and her fierce commitment to creating access to education for girls,” Casteel said.
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“We are thrilled that she is joining us.”

The value of each ticket is $125. Your ticket purchase price that exceeds $125, less fees and taxes, is a charitable contribution to WFCO, and is therefore tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Don’t Miss the Original Flash Mob By Bella Diva Dance

BDD at togetHer in ColoradoBella Diva Dance has the honor of performing an original flash mob choreography, created by Caitlin Brozna-Smith and curated by the Athena Project, to introduce the former first lady to the stage. The dance was inspired by the idea of women raising each other up, supporting one another through life and looking past the exteriors of our different religions, ethnicity, sexual orientations, and life experiences to celebrate what human elements bring us TOGETHER.

Details:
Tuesday, July 25th
Doors at 4:00 PM
Program starts at 5:30 PM

Pepsi Center
1000 Chopper Circle
Denver, Colorado 80204
P: 303.405.1100 / Box Office: 303.405.1111 option 0

Find your tickets here

A Summer Jam-Packed with World Dance Events

We could not be happier to be able to share all these great dance events with you. We are lucky to have you as our audience. Don’t miss any of our amazing performances this summer.

Improve Your Child’s Confidence Through Dance

Kids Bollywood

Confidence is important, and it is something that should be built since childhood. Dancing can play a key role in developing your child’s self-confidence.

How Dance Can Boost Children’s Self-Esteem

By now, you are fully aware of the countless physical benefits of dancing – we like to emphasize that. However, dance can have a greater impact beyond just the physical plane. It can be essential to your child’s successful development as a confident human being. Here are some of the ways in which dance can build up a child’s self-esteem.

Provides a Natural Boost of Energy

As any other physical activity, dancing releases endorphins, and endorphins make you happy.

Thirty minutes of moderate aerobic exercise is enough to release the beta-endorphins that increase feelings of well-being, and to lower levels of cortisol, the hormone associated with stress and anxiety. 

Source: Livestrong

Generates a Sense of Accomplishment

In dance, children must learn new skills in almost every class session. As they master these skills, a sense of accomplishment overtakes them.
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kids world danceInspires Children to Achieve Their Goals

As a consequence of that sense of accomplishment, children develop a determination to keep going, push through their limitations, and learn more and more.

Creates Opportunities for Praise

Even though it might be scary for them to step into the spotlight, being on stage from a young age helps them become comfortable in front of an audience and promotes appreciation for attention rather than fear. This can directly translate into their adult life, making them more confident in situations where they might find themselves under pressure, like a job interview or an important presentation.
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Promotes Self-Acceptance and Acceptance of Others

At dance classes, children become part of a community where other children have the same goals. This encourages them to interact with others and also creates an atmosphere of acceptance for themselves and other kids.
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Not Your Average Kids’ Dance Class

At our Kids’ World Dance classes in Colorado, your children will not only gain self-esteem, but they will have an opportunity to explore different cultures and traditions from around the world. Get them off the couch and immersed in the world of dance. Give us a call to find out more.

Why Cardio Training Is Important for Dancers

The Importance of Hydration For Dancers

People tend to think that dancers have strong cardiovascular endurance.

However, this is not always the case. Cardio training is crucial to enhancing your dance ability and fitness.

The Benefits of Cardiovascular Endurance for Dancers

Cardio respiratory training is an essential part of the physical training of a dancer. You need stamina to get through a choreography, especially if you’re dancing a very energetic style of dance, but cardio training is also important because it allows you to maintain proper technique throughout, which makes you less prone to injury.

The Cardiovascular System

Cardiovascular endurance depends on the ability of the heart and lungs to deliver oxygen to where it is needed and to continue for long periods of time under stress.

Source: Laura Stanyer

Most styles of dance have sequences of movement followed by pauses. These intermittent periods of activity work mostly on your anaerobic system, but they don’t really develop your aerobic capacity, which is what improves your cardio endurance.

Aerobic ExercisesAnaerobic Exercise

This type of exercise is intense but doesn’t last long. When this happens, the demand for oxygen is sudden and the heart is unable to pump enough of it to the working muscles in that short period of time.

Anaerobic exercises are high intensity but short duration, such as sprinting and certain styles of dancing like centre work in ballet.

Aerobic Exercise

During aerobic exercises, there’s usually enough oxygen to sustain the current level of activity without having to resort to other energy sources like glycogen. This type of exercise is lower intensity and can be sustained for longer periods of time, such as jogging, swimming, and cycling.

Aerobic ExercisesAerobic Dance Styles

When your cardiovascular endurance improves, so does your dance ability and fitness, which make you a better dancer. You can do cross-training if you’re not getting enough cardio workout out of your dance class or you can try other styles like African dance, samba, or contemporary, which work both the aerobic and anaerobic systems. You’ll burn fat, build lean muscle, and improve your cardio all at once. Not bad, right?

The Story Behind Bollywood Dancing

Bollywood Dancing

Bollywood dancing has gained popularity over the years and has become an international sensation. These dance numbers are full of energy, elaborate dance moves, extravagant costumes, and lively music.

All About Bollywood Dance

The stars of Bollywood movies are their intricately choreographed dance numbers along with their masterful original soundtracks. Over the years, Bollywood productions have managed to develop its very own style of dance and music that has become internationally recognized and praised for their uniqueness.

In fact, Bollywood has become so internationally ubiquitous that it now has it’s own entry in the Oxford English Dictionary!

Source: Rhythm India

What Is Bollywood?

The term “Bollywood” came to be by merging two names: Bombay (now referred to as Mumbai) and Hollywood. Bollywood is the largest film industry in India —and also the world— based on the amount of films they’ve produced and the number of tickets that are sold there every year.
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The term also refers to the art and culture around these productions.
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Bollywood is not the only film center in South Asia; there’s also Lollywood in Lahore and Tollywood in Andhra Pradesh.
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However, Bollywood is a term so popular that it is used to refer to the entire South Asian film culture as a whole.

Bollywood has Classical Indian Dance FoundationsTraditional Dance Foundations

In the beginning of the Bollywood film era, the dance numbers were based solely on Indian classical dances and folk dances. You would see a lot of influence from classical dances such as Bharat Natyam and Kathak. After the 60s, Bollywood dance started to go through an evolution process. Choreographers started to manage larger groups of dancers. Over the years, the style of dance started to change as it became influenced by other styles like the Cabaret style and Disco in the 70s, and Western styles of dance after the 80s. Today, Bollywood dance is a fusion of many styles of dance, but it keeps its classical foundations.

Costume Pizzazz

The wonderfully elaborate costumes that are used for Bollywood dancing are one of the main elements of this style. There are usually bells (Ghunghroo) around the ankles which emphasize the dancer’s timing and footwork, and there’s also a lot of jewelry involved like a choker, a necklace, or a headpiece. These headpieces are supposed to have a sun on the right side and a moon on the left side.

“Traditional dances are very much about the gods and deities, and the sun and the moon reflect that. They are a thank you, or a tribute to them.”

Source: BBC

bollyx workout dance classIf you’re drawn to this culturally rich type of dance, stop by Bella Diva Dance and join one of our BollyX classes. We embody the infectious energy, expression, and movement of Bollywood and aim to expand the reach of fitness to more people worldwide.

Bella Diva Dance at the 31st Annual Colorado Black Arts Festival

BBD Colorado Black Arts Festival Parade

Join Us at the 31st Annual Colorado Black Arts Festival

Annual Colorado Black Arts FestivalWhen? Saturday, July 8th 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Bella Diva is excited to once again celebrate the Annual Colorado Black Arts Festival Boogaloo Celebration Parade. Exciting dance teams, drill teams, community built floats, costumed characters, specialty classic cars, local dignitaries, and special guests will excite the crowds of all ages. We will be parading from 22nd and Downing Street up to 20th and York Street. Review stands will be located on 22nd and York Street with exceptional views of all performances not to be missed.

Art in Motion - Colorado Black Arts Festival ParadeYou Can’t Miss “Art in Motion”

The Colorado Black Arts Festival is excited to present the best of visual and performing arts to celebrate its 31st annual festival on July 7-9, 2017 in historic Denver City Park West. This year’s festival theme, “Art in Motion,” reflects the wonderful artistic contributions African-Americans have contributed to American culture.With nearly 60,000 visitors over the three day event, the Colorado Black Arts Festival is an incredible opportunity to sell products or services, engage festivalgoers, and promote your business or organization. The Watu Sakoni (People’s Marketplace) is a highly anticipated part of the festival where visitors can get unique finds from as far away as Africa to handcrafted items made by local artisans and vendors. Visual artists showcase an array of works to an audience who appreciate art centered on the African diaspora. Non-profits and special exhibitors round out the offerings to visitors.

Go to our Facebook event page and mark it on your calendar. Saturday, July 8th, is a day you will not want to miss.

Stay Tuned For More Bella Diva Dance Events This Summer

Bella Diva Dance will bring all the fun and excitement of world dance to you this summer. We’re super excited to share this with the Denver community. Have you checked our upcoming events yet?

Annual Colorado Black Arts Festival

Intuitive Eating For Dancers

Intuitive Eating for Dancers

“Diet” is a common word for dancers. This is why most dancers have had some type of issue related to their eating habits. “Diet” is a term that needs to vanish as we start to approach food in a much healthier way.

Your Body Knows What It Needs

Intuitive Eating is an approach that teaches you how to create a healthy relationship with your food, mind, and body–where you ultimately become the expert of your own body.

Source: Evelyn Tribole

Smart Food ChoicesThe idea of Intuitive Eating is to make peace with food and actually feed our bodies what they need when they need it. This approach is all about body awareness. Although it may sound simple, it’s actually a rather complex task because we tend to rely on external cues to provide fuel for our bodies. However, it is not impossible.

Principles of Intuitive Eating

  1. Reject the Diet Mentality: No more crazy fad diets or diet books. All that does is put your body under unnecessary stress.
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  2. Honor Your Hunger: Hunger means your body needs to fuel to continue with its tasks. Don’t keep your body from getting what it needs; just make sure you make good food choices at every meal.
  3. Make Peace with Food: Food is not the enemy. The right foods have all kinds of powerful ingredients that keep you healthy. Avoiding processed foods is always a good idea. It’s OK to indulge from time to time, but embrace real food on a regular basis.
  4. Challenge the Food Police: Challenge your mind and get rid of those negative thoughts that induce guilt.
  5. Respect Your Fullness: Your body is smart. Once you’re full, just stop eating.
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  6. Discover the Satisfaction Factor: Food is meant to nourish our bodies, but it’s also a pleasurable experience. Take time to enjoy the food you’re eating.
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    This will also change how you see food.
  7. Honor Your Feelings Without Using Food: Learn to identify if you’re physically hungry or just using food to cope with your emotions.
  8. Respect Your Body: Understand that all bodies are different and embrace yours no matter what.
  9. Exercise – Feel the Difference: Even if you’re not a pro dancer, you work out by taking dance classes on a regular basis. Choose a dance style that motivates you and never approach a dance class as revenge on your body for not eating properly over the weekend. Enjoy dance and the benefits that come with it.
  10. Honor Your Health with Gentle Nutrition: Make smart food choices and provide your body with proper nutrients.

As a dancer, you are used to listening to your body to generate movement that reflects your thoughts and feelings. Now it’s just a matter of translating that into the way you approach food and developing the ability to respond to inner body cues, but most importantly, trusting yourself to make the right calls.