Why Student Showcases Are So Important For Community & Confidence Building

Join the Best World Dance Studio in Denver

Why Student Showcases Are So Important For Community & Confidence Building

Student showcases are a wonderful way for families and friends of the dancers to come together and encourages feelings of mutual support and pride. Performing can be a wonderful experience, but at the same time, it can be scary! Our commitment at Bella Diva Dance is to ensure that the experience is as rewarding as possible with a special team mentality. Every experience (good and bad!) will teach us something, and patience, encouragement, and support on all sides are important. Practice makes perfect, and performing isn’t any different. The more one does it, the more relaxed one will become on stage or in front of other people. Everyone will always feel nervous or get “butterflies” in their stomach before going on, but her/his performance will eventually become more relaxed and confident. Ultimately, the confidence you gain from performing will spill over into other areas of your life… sometimes in ways that you don’t even realize!

Dancers build lasting memories and friendships with one another. Maybe it’s the work or long hours together, or maybe it’s because you’ve each given so much of yourself, but it always happens. Wherever you go, when you spot that other dancer in the room (and you will), you’ll know you have something in common. That shared experience is part of a rich history of tradition and innovation that unites dancers all over the world. And, because dance is tied deeply to the roots of our communities and cultures, dance builds awareness and appreciation of the differences and similarities between people. This makes you a better citizen of the world.

 

Bella Diva Semi-Annual Student Showcase

Bella Diva World Dance School is proud to present our Semi-Annual Student Showcase Saturday, June 10th, 2017, at the DL Parsons Theatre in Northglenn.

We are thrilled to showcase over 75 of our students who will be performing choreographies from their weekly group classes, including Belly Dance, Brazilian Samba, Indian Bollywood, BollyX, Hot Hula, Polynesian, Afro-Caribe, Bharat Natyam, Latin Ballroom, and our Kids’ World Dance & Bollywood classes!!

Doors will be open at 6:30 PM and showtime is at 7:00 PM. Refreshments and snacks will be sold in the lobby during intermission.

Special Guest Artists include Tim Merz and Booth Dance, Rafi’ah & The Sirens Orientale, and Georgia Michelle & Students.

Tickets:

$15.00 at the studio or through the website

$20.00 at the door

(Kids 10 and under & Seniors over 65 are $10.00)

300 tickets are available. It will sell out. Reserve your tickets today.

Come out to support these world dancers!

Belly Dance Classes in ColoradoJoin the Best World Dance Studio in Denver

Bella Diva Dance School is located at the Glendale Center on E. Mississippi Ave and Birch St, near Colorado Blvd. We offer a wide diversity of dance classes: Belly Dance, Samba, Yoga, Bollywood, BollyX, Hot Hula Fitness, Bharat Natyam, Middle Eastern Drumming, Afro-Caribe, and Kids’ World Dance. Our instructors are all highly qualified, certified and experienced and will guide you through the learning process. Wait no more; start dancing today!

Dancing Health Benefits

Dancing, as a whole, has many health benefits for all ages. Researchers have found that dancing reduces the feeling of stress, increases energy levels, improves muscle tone, and can even improve an individual’s coordination. It can also lead to lower risks of heart disease, decrease blood pressure, and assist people in managing their weight.

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Dancing has many other physical and mental benefits for the participant. The physical benefits of dance include an increased body awareness, cardiovascular endurance, muscle toning, and even bone strength. You may have noticed from watching those dancing television shows that dancers have a certain way of moving all the time. This is because dancers generally have great body awareness. They are used to having control over their bodies, and they know what their bodies can do.

Dancing classes that include aerobics will generally involve quick-paced movements that are designed to get the heart rate up. This increase in heart rate over a period of time leads to greater cardiovascular endurance. An example is Latin dance, which requires the use of many muscle groups at once.

Often, the arms are up in the air, the hips and core are twisting, and the legs and feet are moving fast all at the same time. All of this constant movement leads to a more toned and slimmed muscle tone.

Lastly, like walking or jogging, dancing is a weight-bearing activity that will help maintain bone density.

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Mental benefits from dance include memory improvement, increased self-esteem, and stress relief. Memorizing steps and being able to recall them from week to week is a great way to improve memory. With the various choices for exercise and physical activity, dancing is quickly becoming a favorite for the crowd.

The benefits that it has for both the body and the mind make it a great choice for anyone who is looking for a fun way to bring activity to their lives.

How To: The Ballerina Bun

As dancers, sometimes we want to have a hairstyle that will keep our hair away from our face and movements during practice. Here are all the steps and tips you need to know to sculpt a ballerina bun right before class.

ballerina bun

Step 1: Start by spritzing your hair with a little water. If your hair is freshly washed and silky smooth, then you can give a texturizing spray a try to give the hair some hold and make it easier to style.

Step 2: Use a comb or brush to pull hair into a ponytail. The perfect height is at the crown of the head.
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You should be able to see the top of the bun when you’re facing the mirror straight on. This creates a diagonal upward swoop, giving the illusion of a longer neck. Secure with elastic.

Step 3: Twist the ponytail into a rope and begin pinning around the elastic until you reach the end of your ponytail. To get a true ballerina bun, U-shaped pins are the way to go — they hold more hair and are easier to use than traditional bobby pins. Tuck loose ends under the bun and use a pin to secure.

Step 4: Finish off with a light-to-medium hold hairspray. If you wish to add some shine to your hair, then also use a glossy shine spray. This will give you cinnamon bun-like highlighted hair.
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If you have very thick hair, then try the two-piece bun method so you don’t end up with a loose bun. To do this, divide the ponytail into two sections. Start the twisting and pinning process with one section and leave the other section hanging down. Once you twist and pin halfway around the elastic, start the process with the other section, continuing the twisting and pinning pattern until all the loose ends have been tucked under and secured.
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The Benefits of Proper Breathing Techniques

Yoga Stretches

Learning proper breathing techniques for dancers is just as important as practicing and perfecting your moves.

The truth is that the right amount of oxygen will enhance your performance. Although we may be aware of these, here are some common mistakes dancers often make that prevent them from breathing efficiently:

  • High anxiety levels: Controlled breathing helps to relieve tension dancers may be carrying. This can relax muscles and loosen movements. Dancers who are stressed are more prone to injuries. Practicing breathing exercises will help dancers to move more fluidly and give a better performance, all while preventing physical harm.
  • Only focused on hold in the stomach and having the shoulders back: It is best to try to focus on your diaphragm by focusing on expanding your ribcage. A proper breathing technique includes heavy utilization of diaphragmatic breathing.
  • Lack of awareness of their breathing patterns: For many dancers, the highly technical complexity of the art makes it easy to forget to breathe. Instead, pace your breath to the tempo. This exercise will help prevent stiffness and tension when performing and make your dance appear smooth and effortless.
  • Tight muscles – like the abdominals, chest, and neck – that restrict the diaphragm from doing its work: Your diaphragm isn’t just for breathing – it also plays huge role in postural stability. If you don’t use your diaphragm properly, you’re missing out on a whole world of stability challenges and choreographic possibilities.

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There are a couple of easy exercises you can use to get accustomed to this practice. We suggest that students lay with their backs on the floor with their palms on the lower abdomen. Take deep breaths to the count of four and watch your hands rise. Exhale and focus on tightening the abdominal muscles.

Another option is to practice a few easy yoga poses, like upward salutes and forward folds, while inhaling as you raise your arms up and exhaling as you bend forward to touch your toes.

Once you start to focus on properly breathing, you will instantly experience the benefits, such as improved posture, less stress while dancing, and getting rid of various musculoskeletal aches and pains.

The Evolution of Bollywood Dance

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The term “Bollywood” was created by combining two names: Bombay (the city now called Mumbai) and Hollywood. Bollywood, based in Mumbai, is India’s – and the world’s – largest film industry in terms of the number of films produced, as well as the number of tickets sold each year. With the success of Bollywood films, the dance has taken the world by storm and has now come into the global spotlight. Stars like Madonna, Shakira, and Britney Spears have incorporated the Bollywood style of dance or music into their songs, videos, and stage shows.

The highlight of any Bollywood movie is the elaborate dance sequences and original soundtracks. Over the years, Bollywood movies have developed their own signature style of song and dance, which combines the rich texture of India’s many classical and folk dances with elements of jazz, hip hop, Arabic, and Latin forms.

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The style of dancing in earlier Bollywood films was based on Indian classical dance or folk dances from various parts of India. In the late 50s & 60s, group dances began to evolve in Bollywood as films and choreographers started managing larger groups of dancers with influences from folk dances. Then came the era of color films, and by then, Indian cinema was blessed with great dancers whose their outstanding energy and performance mesmerized the audiences and took dance to the next level.

Bollywood dance began to change in the 70s. The cabaret style of dance became more mainstream and was implemented in many movies. Later on, cabaret was replaced by disco, which was a worldwide phenomenon at the time. After experimenting with classical, folk, cabaret, and disco styles of dance came an era which introduced a free movement style of dance. Since the 1980s, Bollywood dancing has been heavily influenced by Western dance styles.

Nishta dance style

Currently, Bollywood dance is still influenced by Western culture, perhaps even more so today than when it began. Elements include the use of frequent costume and location changes during dances, as well as the use of hip hop dance moves. The evolution of Bollywood dance is a process that is entirely Indian yet cross-cultural at the same time.

RIO COMES TO COLORADO! Samba Workshops April 21-25, 2016

SAMBA WORKSHOPS WITH RODRIGO MARQUES & VANESSA NASCIMENTO
April 21st-April 25th, 2016

Bella Diva Dance & Luciana da Silva Samba Dancer are proud to present master teachers, Rodrigo Marques & Vanessa Nascimento, straight from the streets of Rio de Janeiro!

Prepare yourself for an intensive training in Samba No Pé (Rio de Janeiro style), Samba de Gafieiria (partner dance) and Malandro (male samba style). This is an opportunity for you to learn from the source and increase your Samba vocabulary.

Rodrigo Marques

Originally from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Mr. Marques began his dance training in youth social programs in Rio de Janeiro. He received training from several great names of the Samba de Gafieira in Rio de Janeiro such as Alvaro Reys, Rachel Mesquita, Carlos Bolacha, and Carlinhos de Jesus. Marques started dancing professionally at age 15.

He presented his early work in Rio de Janeiro at numerous dance spaces and founded Gafieira Brasil, an annual event that is constituted by a series of workshops and Gafieira Competition, which allow four choreographers and twenty-four dancers to present the most traditional and contemporary styles of Samba de Gafieira. Rodrigo is recognized internationally in Brazilian dances like Samba No Pé, Samba de Gafieira and Malandro (male style of Samba.) He has been granted several awards for his choreographic work with the most traditional Samba schools in Rio de Janeiro.

Vanessa Nascimento

has been dancing since childhood and is one of the most important dance teachers in Rio de Janeiro. She works at Casa de Dança Carlinhos de Jesus in Rio and has been a main dancer partner of Carlinhos de Jesus. She has travel internationally to perform and teach dance styles like Samba no pé and Samba de Gafieira. Her samba dance style is contagious and inspiring.image2

SAMBA NO PÉ and MALANDRO ( all levels )

Sunday April 24th 
6pm to 8pm
Bella Diva Dance
4309 E. Mississippi Ave.
Glendale, CO. 80246
Register here

ADDITIONAL WORKSHOPS:
Register here for Boulder Workshops

SAMBA NO PÉ ( all levels )

Thursday April 21st
6pm to 7pm
Pre Eminence Hall – 3213 Walnut St, Boulder 80301
$20 ( $35 if you attend 2 )
You may see Rodrigo & Vanessa at Chegando Lá after class
Laughing Goat

MALANDRO (this workshop is for men and women alike, all levels )

Friday April 22nd
6pm to 7pm
Pre Eminence Hall – 3213 Walnut St, Boulder 80301
$20 ( 35 if you are attending 2 )
Join Rodrigo & Vanessa at San Julien after class.

FREE Samba class by Luciana da Silva at 8pm

SAMBA DE GAFIEIRA ( Beginners and up )

Saturday April 23rd
2pm to 4pm
Avalon – 6185 Arapahoe, Boulder 80303
$35 per peson ( partner not necessary )

SAMBA NO PÉ and MALANDRO ( all levels ) image4

Sunday April 24th
6pm to 8pm
Bella Divas $ ( see https://www.facebook.com/BellaDivaDance/)

SAMBA NO PÉ LAST CHANCE ( all levels )

Monday April 25th ( Replacing Luciana’s class )
6:30pm to 7:30pm
Flamenco Denver – 1934 S Broadway 80210
$20 ( 35 if you are attending 2 )

For more information call: 719-200-6054
email:[email protected]
www.lucianadasilva.org

YOU WON’T NEED TO GO TO RIO TO EXPERIENCE SAMBA, RIO IS COMING TO YOU!

REGISTER TODAY

Dance 101: Samba basic steps and moves

Samba is a dance of joy, of vibration and pure color.

bella diva dance carnivaleSamba has been Rio de Janiero’s gift to the world. Brazilians are warm-blooded people full of energy and big smiles, and so is their dance, Samba is no exception to the magic. The Carnaval of Rio is the biggest samba event in the world, reproduced in many other places. This dance is now taught all around the world and many get to enjoy the pure energy of dancing Samba. Here are some basic steps and moves of Samba.

 

Basic Samba moves to get started

Feet: weight transfer

One of the important things is to follow the beat of the music. The basic feet movement involves transferring your weight from one foot to the other one on the beat. Keeping your knees slightly bent, with a toe-heel movement, keep the movement counting “one, two, three, four”.

Hip movement

Hip movement is key! As you move your feet, add a hip movement. When transferring the weight to the right, swing your hip to the right. Then do the same to the left. Make sure to engage your abs to keep in balance and get a core workout.

Arms to the sides

Move your arms opposite to your legs and swing them naturally and relaxed to the sides. Keep them waist high. Remember, the important thing is to keep the beat and smile!

samba squad
Learn Samba in Denver

Samba Classes at Bella Diva Dance

We offer Samba lessons for Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced students in Denver. We have our Samba No Pe class and an Intermediate/Advanced Samba Technique and Choreography class.  Our classes are thoroughly planned series in which we cover all basic samba foot patterns and sequences, body movements and different styles. Our prices:

4 week month series = $52
5 week month series = $65
$15 Drop-in rate (if spots are available)

 

Learn Samba today!  Read more about basic tips for women who want to be healthy and how world dance lessons are a great way to stay healthy.

Happy Holidays from Bella Diva Dance!

Our Favorite Christmas Traditions

The anticipation built up throughout the year makes us enjoy these traditions so much. In the end, it’s all about spending time with your loved ones and what better way than with one of these traditions:

  1. Pick your Christmas Tree from the Farm Tree with your family. Once it’s decorated, sit in the dark with all the tree lights on just to admire it.
  2. Make a playlist of your favorite Christmas songs in Youtube and sing along with your kids or family.
  3. Jump into the car one night and go look around for all the lovely Christmas decoration and lights.
  4. Start a fire in the chimney and drink some hot cocoa, cuddling in the couch.
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  5. Plan a favorite Holiday-movie marathon and don’t forget more hot cocoa.
  6. Bake and decorate Christmas sugar cookies, get creative and make your own design.
  7. Collect old toys in good conditions and donate them to a charity organization.
  8. Read Christmas themed books with your kids and cultivate the reading habit in them.
  9. Play Christmas games at the family holiday dinner party. You can include anything from Christmas movies trivia, to guessing Christmas songs by humming them or playing charades to guess your favorite Christmas characters.
  10. Help a family that is struggling. Help them with things they’re short on (diapers, perishables) and gift cards for Target or Home Depot. Your whole family can participate, the more the merrier!
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    Christmas heart.

Dear family, friends, and students of Bella Diva Dance,

Warmest Greetings of the Season

and Best Wishes for

Happiness in the New Year

with Holiday Cheer!

“Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” – Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the United States

Much love and dancing, 

The Bella Diva Dance Team

Happy Holidays

World Dances: Origins of Samba

samba instructors

The cradle of samba can be found in Brazil, no doubt about it.

Modern samba is said to be born in Rio de Janeiro, more specifically. But the origins of this dance go further back in time and across the Atlantic Ocean to the place where much of South Americans and the Caribbeans owe their roots to: Africa. The slave trading era, during 1600-1888, not only brought new inhabitants to America but their traditions and customs, as well. The word “samba” is thought to be derived from the Kimbundu (Angolan) term semba, which referred to an invitation to dance. West African slaves were forced to leave their home countries in Africa to come live in a new continent, with foreign and unknown traditions to them. Even though they were also forced to become Christians, they kept practicing their religious traditions. The worship of their gods was done through dance and song. So, they managed to have parties where they camouflaged their ceremonies, as these, of course, were prohibited. Slavery was abolished in Brazil in 1888, and after decades of struggle to keep their traditions, the original dances and music were now combined with other rhythms and instruments. Many samba rhythms can be found in Candomble, an African religion, which is also practised in Brazil.

samba squad

Samba as a Popular World Dance

Some of the earliest records of samba trace it back to before 1914, when it was originally called “maxixe”. There are French records from the 1920s, that include instructions on how to dance it. It is said that samba, as we know it, was formed around that time. Samba was first introduced to US in movies, such as Flying Down to Rio, with Fred Astaire. The World’s Fair in 1939, in New York, was the stage for samba as it made a memorable impression on Americans. Samba is well-know as the the Carnaval of Rio in Rio de Janeiro’s official dance and it continues to impress and amaze spectators all around the world.

Samba at Bella Diva Dance

We offer Samba lessons for Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced students. We have our Samba No Pe class and an Intermediate/Advanced Samba Technique and Choreography class.  Our classes are thoroughly planned series in which we cover all basic samba foot patterns and sequences, body movements and different styles. Our prices:

4 week month series = $52
5 week month series = $65
$15 Drop-in rate (if spots are available)

samba squad

JOIN US FOR WORLD DANCE CLASSES IN DENVER

Bella Diva Dance’s  new studio is located in the Glendale Center on E. Mississippi Ave and Birch St, near Colorado Blvd.  We offer you: Belly Dance, Samba, Yoga, Bollywood, Hot Hula Fitness, Afro-Caribe and Kids’ World Dance. Contact Caitlin for more information about classes: 303.359.9414 or email us at [email protected].

 

Happy Holidays from Bella Diva Dance!

Dear family, friends, and students of Bella Diva Dance,

 

Warmest Greetings of the Season

and Best Wishes for

Happiness in the New Year

with Holiday Cheer!

 

The studio will be closed for winter break from Monday, December 22nd – Saturday, January 3rd, 2015. All classes will resume Sunday, January 4th, and we look forward to dancing with you in the New Year!

 

Much love and dancing,

 

The Bella Diva Dance Team

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JOIN US FOR WORLD DANCE CLASSES IN DENVER

Bella Diva Dance’s  new studio is located in the Glendale Center on E. Mississippi Ave and Birch St, near Colorado Blvd.  We offer you: Belly Dance, Samba, Yoga, Bollywood, Hot Hula Fitness, Afro-Caribe and Kids’ World Dance. Contact Caitlin for more information about classes: 303.359.9414 or email us at [email protected].