Tag Archives: gratitude

Upcoming Events in Halyma’s world!

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Life is getting busy!  And that’s fabulous!

Sometimes I like to sit and make lists of all of the events, workshops, classes, and shows I have in my calendar for the next while, just to get my head wrapped around it all and sort of my timing.I’ll be performing in a few charity shows, as well as  baking cupcakes! I’ll be teaching along with a colleague of amazing status how to out together fabulous belly dance costumes! And I’ll be promoting my eco friendly products, in the hopes of spreading some awareness and joy!

I hope that if you are in Ottawa during the next few weeks that you’ll be able to come out to paricipate in some of these fun activities! Be sure to say HI!

March 21/22, 2009: TAV Creations/Eco-TAV at the Ottawa Go Green Expo

New products along with the growingly popular Eco-TAV Napkins and Pouches!

pouch-napkin promo shot

March 29, 2009 Featuring two charity events!  

s52492299268_9978The first will be in the afternoon and I’ll be participating as a baker at the first annual Ottawa CupCake Camp. They are hoping that over 2000 cupcakes will be there for the tasting!

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In the evening, I’ll be part of a group of creative souls raising money for another at the Mercury Lounge in  Ottawa….Halyma performs at:pARTicipate! A Benefit for Hollis Hawthorne.  


Saturday, April 4, 2009: Randala and Halyma’s Costuming Extravaganza or How to Costume the Belly Dance Goddess in You!  Check out our Promo video!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76p5KVdgIIQ]


April 18, 2009 – Another double header!  

Not only am I, TAV Creations /Eco-TAV, in the Ottawa Eco-Stewardship Fair during the day, but that evening I will have students performing as part of an eclectic  charity  ” Belly dance” show at the Glebe Community centre! It promises to be a great show with a wide variety of performances demonstrating the evolution of belly dance!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F3BmhnLA90&feature=channel_page]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbmCKyptN5Y]

Am I pretty? Costuming post…

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I was a guest blogger on DanceAdvantage.net:

contributor
Guest Post: Am I Pretty? Exploring How Costumes Can Make The Dancer

The following is a guest post by Halyma [aka Tracey, designer, TAV
Creations]. She is a belly dancer and costumer, however, she offers
pointers and considerations on costuming, color, and expressing
oneself through their own creations …

Go to Dance Advantage’s blog  to read it!

Dancers’ Bazaar: Almost 10 years of shopping fun!

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Just a view of the hall...
Just a view of the hall...

The Dancers’ Bazaar has been an event that I have been organizing since June 1999. It began with 7 tables in the community centre that I teach at in the Byward market, expanding to two room, then moving to a larger, and larger hall for the first 5 years or so.

Since I cannot make costumes for everyone, and I knew of teachers who were importing and making pieces themselves, it made sense to bring us all together and let the students and pros see everything in one place!  And so it began.  I have seen many of my friends and colleagues give it a go in one form or another, from selling hip scarves to jewelry to cleaning out their closets!

It is one of those projects that I do because I see the benefit of it to our belly dance community. It helps me feel l can be a part of something larger, which is important when self employed in my cozy home studio during the day!

The events I organize are always done with the intention of creating a “win-win” [ I apologize for the cliche] situation, and I learn a lot through producing them. I won’t get into all of that right now, but maybe a future post will share my learning!

This time around, on February 22nd, we’ll have new vendors coming in from all over the area, as well as many of our favorite exhibitors. I am pleased that there are so many new faces to show their wares – and many non-belly dance products coming to light for our shopping pleasure!

Chocolate is a big thing these days at markets, and a new vendor will be coming with specialty chocolates. Hoping the kids who frequent the Bazaar will not get too much in their little hands!

This one will help me warm up a bit more to the development of my Eco-TAV line – sharing this concept with those in my main community face to face will help get the word out of their existence!

 

Eco-Tav Food Napkins and Pouches! Saving the planet, One Napkin at a Time!
Eco-Tav Food Napkins and Pouches! Saving the planet, One Napkin at a Time!

 

 

While I could rave on and on about how fabulous the  Dancers’ Bazaar is, I am thinking that you’ll just have to come see it yourself to enjoy the community atmosphere, social aspect, shopping frenzy and belly dance spirit in action!

Come join us for the afternoon! 260 McArthur, Doors open from 12 noon to 4 p.m.!img_4517img_4515img_4514img_4513

Dancers’ Newsletter Extra Feature – Guest post 2

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I am so gratefull to have received the first two of many more guest posts to come! Please welcome Aspa as she shares her journey into belly dance!

We Are All Dancers

By Aspa

I was never a woman who was comfortable with her body. As we know, there are a lot of social influences that affect women’s perceptions of their bodies. Being academically inclined, I had the additional challenge of always thinking of myself as a brain with legs. When I turned 40, my life changed drastically because of external circumstances I could not control. It was at this point that belly dancing came into my life.

There was so much change already, so much that was new. I think I had to challenge every limiting thought I had ever had about myself — including about my body and my relationship to it. My body was more than just a carrier for my brain, after all.

So I took a class. And to my amazement, I learned to move my hips — in front of other people no less! Flash forward in time, and I am showing my cousins how to do the camel at Christmas dinner!

When friends or colleagues ask me about belly dancing , I always tell them how important it has been to building my confidence and my self-esteem. I always tell them, too, how wonderful it is to see women of all ages and body types expressing themselves and their femininity through this form. More and more, too, I am growing to enjoy the sense of community I see — belly dancing brings together women from all walks of life to celebrate the beauty of movement and the strength to be found in that.

Ever being in the pursuit of knowledge (not everything in my life changed!), I have also come to appreciate learning about different cultures through belly dancing — it is truly cross-cultural. I have been fascinated by how belly dancing persists as a form not only across cultures but across time because it adapts to context. We can see this with the newer styles of belly dancing, which are very much adapted to contemporary times. This ability to adapt is what keeps belly dancing so alive and so vital as a form of expression.

I still consider myself a beginner belly dancer. But one thing I never say any more is that I am not a dancer. Because I am! I learned that I could be graceful and sensual in my movements, and that we are all dancers. The limiting thoughts I once had about my body are gone now. I have gone from “I can’t possibly do that” to “I can do that — with patience and with practice.” And a touch of bravery.

Belly dancing came into my life in a time of crisis. The crisis passed, but the dancing stayed, and for that, I am grateful. Through belly dancing, we honour our uniqueness and our strength, our ability to endure just as surely as the form itself has endured the centuries.

Aspa is a student of Zena’s at Dance with Alana Studios.

The End of one decade, Beginning of the next Era

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No, I am not going to talk about the amazing moment in history that occurred yesterday in the land of our southern neighbors.

Well, maybe for a brief moment, just to give a tip of the hat to the US of A in congrats for what looks to be the beginning of a new Era in their political and emotional journey.

Here is hoping their changes are swift and painless and reflect well on the rest of the world as well!

 

ON His Big DAY!
ON His Big DAY!

 

 

Selfishly I also want to explore my own journey on this planet, this time around if I go with that reincarnation possibilities.

Today marks the end of 40 years for me.

And I am gonna celebrate for sure.

I am the youngest of my family, and am fortunate enough to speak to them all somewhat regularly. I have 8 amazing nieces and nephews that I am blessed with the chance to see on Facebook and in person to get to know them! My mom and her hubby are also within a short distance – and she’s on Facebook now too so I get poked often enough 🙂

I have a wonderful [ understatement of the year] husband who supports me in every way possible. Emotionally, he is my rock. Business wise, he is my tech guy, consultant, first line of brainstorming for new ideas. Lifewise, he is my best friend. I luv ya honey!

 

From our 10 year anniversary party Feb.2008
From our 10 year anniversary party Feb.2008

 

 

We have our little dog Boing to keep us company and make us laugh – and she does that often between the moments of insanity.

I have many, many friendships of all depths and levels of which I can only begin to extoll the virtues! Some are here and I see them multiple times a week, some are far away and I only touch base with them once ayear or less, but we have touched each other’s lives and hold a place in each other’s hearts.
And some are new, and developing acquaintances that may stay at this level or may blossom into close friendships, and that’s nice too!

I am part of a dance community that is supportive, talented and amazing – so very happy with that aspect of my life. May of these women are also part of my friendship circle!

 

At the Bay, Bayshore!
At the Bay, Bayshore!

And I love my many jobs – I get to be creative, hands on and ethereally! I get to dance, make pretty things, and try to save the planet with my endeavors.

 

I guess this is more of a thank you note to everyone around me for the many years of support, friendship, love, adoration, fangril and fanboy behavior you have all sent my way! [ Obviously kidding on those last few quips, kids!]

So, thank you all for the well wishes, laughter, and your presence in my life at this time.

I know that my new era and Barack’s are filled with promise and hope of even more greatness and potential for us and those who we touch!  Wow, that sounded a bit arrogant, but I’ll leave it in with the caveat that the potential and greatness comes from those around us as well as within ourselves.  Working together is what makes it all happen!

Blessed  be~


On self-employment, revelations, observations

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I have been having a fun week.  Fun in the sarcastic, OMG, what else would the universe like to send me. But, intermingled within moments of clarity, FUN!, in the, wow, what a great person! or, what a gorgeous day for a walk! or what, you are giving away muffins on the street corner? [ This happened in front of a little cafe in centretown as the end of the day was fast approaching, so rather than throw out their last dozen pastries, they sent out a guy with a trya, and gave them to passers-by! See, what FUN!]

I choose to take on sewing work based on how “fun” it sounds. Well, most of the time.  I also choose to take on larger jobs that I know will give me a bit of challenge, but I’ll make some cash and get really rolling on that savings plan/emergency fund/ holiday bonus.

I choose dance gigs based on what kind of energy I get from the person booking, what kind of return I’ll get on the investment of time and energy [ they are not all paid, some are promos, some are volunteer/charity, some are paid handsomely].

And then I make work for myself.  I am at the beginning stages of developing a small line of products [ more about this gradually will be revealed as I feel it is the right time to do so!].  I am working on planning two events for this fall/winter, that have both offered up new challenges.  Even though both the Dancers’ Bazaar and the Ottawa Centre Class Party are events that I have organized for years now, and have been at the same locations for 5 years – Bazar, and 2 parties – OCCP, both threw little loops of fun at me this fall.

I know that things change, and we must learn to adapt in order to keep growing as people, but geez!  And if you subscribe to the power of mind over matter, am I creating these realities myself?  Was I bored?  Did I feel it was too easy?  If so, I need to get a grip on my reality and smack it around a bit!  

Fortunately, I do honestly believe that “the Universe always takes care of me” deep within my core being.  But. unfortunately, another of my core beliefs has been that you have to work to achieve things – if it comes too easily, you don’t “deserve” it.  Maybe I am creating my own reality, with it’s bumps and lumps, to keep me thinking that I am working hard enough to overcome these challenges in order to get what I deserve!

Again, if so, some smacking around is due!  Won’t that be FUN ?!?

I am looking forward to these events and whatever they bring to my life, along with the many projects I have in the works – for my own business line, for my clients, for my students.

I am blessed with a fabulous husband, a lot of really great friends – really great friends – and enthusiastic students who always remind me of the joy of learning!  And teachers who come in all shapes and sizes, who remind me of the way I want to be/act/exist, and those who remind me of how I do not want to be/act/exist.

Thanks to you all for the roles you play in this fun life of mine!

And thanks to me, for being the fruity character that i have become, with a lot of help along the way, and here’s hoping the Fun continues for a long time!

Tracey at Patty Boland's - New Year's eve 2007/2008
Tracey at Patty Boland