Wikipedia.com, a rather unreliable source in most cases, defines dance is: "a performance art form consisting of purposefully selected sequences of human movement. This movement has aesthetic and symbolic value."
I have always loved dancing. In fact, dancing a is a huge part of my culture. From a young age, Iranian families encourage their kids to dance. Even the more conservative families usually encourage their kids to dance in their own private events. From a very young age, Iranians (boys or girls, but especially girls) become acquainted with the rhythms of the music and moving their bodies to it. I was one of those kids. I wasn't a particularly "skilled" dancer. Some girls were gifted by it, but I wasn't ever especially complemented on my dancing...but I loved it.
This feeling of love for dancing did not leave me as I grew up. I danced in family and friends "mehmoonis" or gatherings, I danced in clubs in NYC (clubbing is so awesome), I even took bellydancing classes while I was in Iran and Zumba classes while here in the U.S. I was so in love with dancing that I made my fiance at the time to memorize a dance move I really liked (from youtube) to do in our wedding day. He wasn't much into actual dance classes and we were trying to stay in a budget for our wedding so we just learned it on our way! It was spectacular by the way. There I was definitely complimented on my dancing. In fact, I even got my bridesmaids to do a number with us...we danced to the song "Happy" by Pharrell. I choreographed all the moves and everything. We had such a blast!
Right after my wedding, I moved to Northern California. There, I attended a dance rehearsal--the biggest Iranian one that Niosha Dance Academy (namesake of owner and director) holds every year. I was ready to take classes there when I found out the classes are all held in San Jose which is way too far from me and at the time I didn't even own a car. So that was out...until my sister introduced me to Miriam Peretz's dance classes that she holds in Berkeley every Fall and Spring. I was ecstatic! My sister offered to take classes with me and we did for a while until she stopped coming and I continued going. I wasn't a very studious dance student from the very beginning but as I progressed and started really learning some moves, I was more and more into it until I looked forward to Monday afternoons and when the opportunity presented itself to stay in Iran close to my husband (I very much missed him at that time), I refused because I wanted to continue dancing with Miriam. I'm glad I did because this summer, we moved to LA.
I'm truly grateful for the life I have created and am continuing to create with my husband here..it is the true stability that I had longed for so long. There are things about SF Bay Area that I really miss but missing Miriam Peretz's fusion of Ballet, Persian, and Flamenco dance classes is the worst. In fact, I am traveling to the East Bay tonight and will be there for a week. In this way, I will have a chance to attend her class on Monday! I am truly looking forward to dancing with her again and telling her about how studious I really have become...I'm taking Ballet 1! You can't get more studious than this...oh yes you can...next semester, I plan to take Ballet 2 & Flamenco 1. What's more, Miriam Peretz dances all over the world. In particular, every year, she holds a Dance Immersion program in Yalava, Turkey in the summer. I'm doing everything in my power including sending my energy towards it, to travel with her next year, Summer of 2017 to participate in her Immersion program. When I dance with her, I find that I have finally found the true meaning of dance, the divine dance. For me, it's a form of creativity and meditation all together: the Dance of Oneness.
I have always loved dancing. In fact, dancing a is a huge part of my culture. From a young age, Iranian families encourage their kids to dance. Even the more conservative families usually encourage their kids to dance in their own private events. From a very young age, Iranians (boys or girls, but especially girls) become acquainted with the rhythms of the music and moving their bodies to it. I was one of those kids. I wasn't a particularly "skilled" dancer. Some girls were gifted by it, but I wasn't ever especially complemented on my dancing...but I loved it.
This feeling of love for dancing did not leave me as I grew up. I danced in family and friends "mehmoonis" or gatherings, I danced in clubs in NYC (clubbing is so awesome), I even took bellydancing classes while I was in Iran and Zumba classes while here in the U.S. I was so in love with dancing that I made my fiance at the time to memorize a dance move I really liked (from youtube) to do in our wedding day. He wasn't much into actual dance classes and we were trying to stay in a budget for our wedding so we just learned it on our way! It was spectacular by the way. There I was definitely complimented on my dancing. In fact, I even got my bridesmaids to do a number with us...we danced to the song "Happy" by Pharrell. I choreographed all the moves and everything. We had such a blast!
Right after my wedding, I moved to Northern California. There, I attended a dance rehearsal--the biggest Iranian one that Niosha Dance Academy (namesake of owner and director) holds every year. I was ready to take classes there when I found out the classes are all held in San Jose which is way too far from me and at the time I didn't even own a car. So that was out...until my sister introduced me to Miriam Peretz's dance classes that she holds in Berkeley every Fall and Spring. I was ecstatic! My sister offered to take classes with me and we did for a while until she stopped coming and I continued going. I wasn't a very studious dance student from the very beginning but as I progressed and started really learning some moves, I was more and more into it until I looked forward to Monday afternoons and when the opportunity presented itself to stay in Iran close to my husband (I very much missed him at that time), I refused because I wanted to continue dancing with Miriam. I'm glad I did because this summer, we moved to LA.
I'm truly grateful for the life I have created and am continuing to create with my husband here..it is the true stability that I had longed for so long. There are things about SF Bay Area that I really miss but missing Miriam Peretz's fusion of Ballet, Persian, and Flamenco dance classes is the worst. In fact, I am traveling to the East Bay tonight and will be there for a week. In this way, I will have a chance to attend her class on Monday! I am truly looking forward to dancing with her again and telling her about how studious I really have become...I'm taking Ballet 1! You can't get more studious than this...oh yes you can...next semester, I plan to take Ballet 2 & Flamenco 1. What's more, Miriam Peretz dances all over the world. In particular, every year, she holds a Dance Immersion program in Yalava, Turkey in the summer. I'm doing everything in my power including sending my energy towards it, to travel with her next year, Summer of 2017 to participate in her Immersion program. When I dance with her, I find that I have finally found the true meaning of dance, the divine dance. For me, it's a form of creativity and meditation all together: the Dance of Oneness.
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