The Shimmies have already been entertaining this year

- see our photos in the 2012 Photo Calendar
and keep up with our projected appearances at our gig page

L-R: Kathi, Sharon, Bernadette and Becky at Longmead in January

Sunday 25th March

Shimmy outing!
The Shimmies will be going to Silk Route at the Bedford Pub in Balham to see their first teacher, Melissa Abraham, and her students perform.

Always a great outing and a lovely atmosphere!

The Shimmies spent the last few months of 2011 at several charity events
- check out our photos and stories from last year in our 2011 photo calendar

We had great fun dancing for the Banstead's Alzheimer's Society Tuesday Club Christmas do
- click here to see our photos!

On Tuesday the 5 day world record breaking non-stop dance marathon ‘Free2Dance’ kicked off to raise awareness of the situation in Burma.
On Thursday, Charlotte Desorgher and her Hipsinc students led a four hour bellydance slot which including a bellydance flashmob.

Shimmy Sister Sharon put in an appearance and writes:

"Thursday lunchtime, armed with shiny leopard-print hipscarf I headed off to The Scoop to join in the Bellydance session.
The weather was a bit grey and damp reminding me of the time some of us nearly got drenched during the Big Dance in Trafalgar Square.
This time although there was some light rain it had had stopped by the time I had got to London Bridge. At The Scoop I collected my headphones and joined the other dancers, it felt slightly strange dancing around to Arabic pop music which the audience couldn’t hear. Some dancers were in full on cabaret style, which certainly brightened things up, while others like me had just added a hip belt. (Note to self: Next time opt for different footwear as dancing in slingbacks isn’t a good idea!)

Just before 1:00pm we all joined Charlotte on stage to perform her specially choreographed routine and then dispersed to try and get bystanders to join in.
I couldn’t stay for long as I had to get back to the day job but it was fun to take part and a great excuse to escape from the computer".

For further information see http://www.free2dance.com and for the flashmob choreography see http://www.hipsinc.com/Special.html

Dare we mention the C word...?

Yes we've been having requests for appearances at Christmas parties in the area!

Every year the Shimmies have either appeared at a local event or got the residents of Homes around the area bopping to the more upbeat of our numbers.

"This is the first time in years I've seen my mother smile - thank you!"

Last year we choreographed a simple set of bellydance moves to "All I want for Christmas", perfect for audience participation so if you've got a party to
organise and fancy something a little bit different why not hire the Shimmies to spread some Christmas jiggle and cheer?!

We can bring along hipscarves and feather boas for you to borrow, just count in about an extra 30 minutes to do a warm-up and learn
'All I want for Christmas' to work off some of those mince pies!

" Just wanted to say that I have had so MANY positive comments from my friends about your performance
at my party ... you were a real hit with everyone, so thank you all very much! "

Oh and you can still see some footage of us dancing at Sutton's Christmas Celebrations on youtube here

Sunday 1st October

The Shimmy Sisters supported the Zumbathon for Charity at Epsom Racecourse

Click here to read all about it and see our photos. To visit the Zumbathon website and see more photos click here

"Just a brief note to say a big THANK YOU for warming up the Zumbathon on Saturday.
You all looked lovely, very stylish and full of vibrancy"- Jen

The Shimmies invited Razia to host a intensive workshop on Graceful Arms and Hands

29th September 2011

The Shimmies just had to get in one more workshop with Razia, before she takes a planned year off dancing in 2012. So we invited her to teach an intensive workshop on Graceful Hands & Arms - a feature which distinguishes Razia's performances. Razia emphasised the importance of intention, constant energy and full muscle use in all our arm and hand movements. We picked up lots of useful tips and tactics - click here to read the workshop write-up by Bernadette.

Jill's 5k run for Cancer Research – Sunday 26 June 2011

Jill writes:

Karen and I chose the hottest day of the year to Race for Life on Epsom Downs; an experience not to be repeated if we can help it! There was a wonderful atmosphere and a sea of Shimmy Pink greeted us when we drop up onto the Downs to start the race. The Hipsinc girls performed for the crowds and then a Slimming World lady conducted a warm up (?!) in the searing heat. Unfortunately, the event was running very late and we were kept waiting in the baking sun for an extra 20 minutes, performing Mexican waves but, finally, the countdown came and we staggered up the first of many hills and down the other side.

I really don’t know how I kept going as I don’t do heat at all!! Karen was a little star and did her best to encourage, motivate and bully me round the course and up and down the hills. It was a tough challenge but we made it in 36 minutes! We are now going to train up on the Downs so we are better prepared for next year. It’s all in a good cause and we have raised well over £500 for Cancer Research.

Why not come and join us next year?!

To raise some lolly for Cancer Research please give generously! The link is:

http://www.raceforlife.org/support-race-for-life/sponsor-a-friend.aspx

From hairbrush to airbrush and beyond ...

Sharon writes:

"A Shimmy Sister never knowingly passes up the opportunity to dress up and pose around in front of a camera, which is why Jill and I recently spent an afternoon at The Face photographic studio in the Kings Road. As a rule we can scrub up quite well, especially when performing, but a little light airbrushing took things to a whole new level and we were both pretty impressed with the results.

We really enjoyed the afternoon and would like to extend a big thank you to the team especially Sera G our make-up artist who convinced us to go with the false eyelashes (it made such a difference and we are both now converts), Raf the photographer and
Natalia for finishing the photos so beautifully."

The make up artist’s name is Sera G website: www.sera-g.com mobile : 07885 590581 email : sera@sera-g.com - she also gives lessons

click to see all the photos

Weekend of 11th and 12th June

A busy weekend for the Shimmies performing in the blazing sun at the St Helier Festival on the Saturday
and braving the wind and rain to dance for the old folks at the Age Concern tea in Ewell on the Sunday
- check out all the photos!

Saturday 4th June

The Shimmies loved performing at the Shortstepperz Show in Sutton

We really enjoyed performing at this fantastic show organised by Natalie - Jill has written about it in our Calendar
and we did get a couple of backstage photos - click to read more

Here we are unmade-up backstage before the dress rehearsal

Saturday 21st May

Bernadette, Sarah and Jill (in photo left) and with Kathi (centre photo right) in their fab circle skirts premiered 'Disko' at the Memory Lane Cafe
- see our calendar to read more

Saturday 16th April

Sutton's Got Talent

The Shimmies opened the show!

The Shimmy Sisters were asked to open the proceedings at the Sutton's Got Talent Show as part of the 'Dana's Walk to the Stars' appeal.
Dana and her family are hoping to raise £60,000 to pay for life-changing Cerebral Palsy treatment in the USA which
will hopefully allow Dana to walk independently for the first time in her life.
The events around the St Nicholas Centre in Sutton helped raise £1700!!

click here to read the story in the local Guardian newspaper



To donate please visit: www.justgiving.com/danaswalktothestars

CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR PHOTOS

Private Lesson – 7th April

This year, for the first time ever in the UK, Aziza had, on 7th April, a limited number of private lessons available to people already booked into her workshops.
Bernadette was one of the very lucky few who were able to take advantage of the offer.

“I couldn’t pass up the opportunity of a one-to-one with Aziza – even though it meant cancelling other arrangements at short notice. Thanks to having had private lessons with Razia, I wasn’t nervous at the prospect of coming under close scrutiny from (arguably) the World Number 1 belly dancer – just thrilled, and determined to enjoy the precious hour to the full.

Aziza asked me what I wanted to work on. Where to start?! I thought that I’d get the most benefit by focusing on a few things, which I could then take away and work on. So we concentrated on developing graceful movements, particularly hands & arms; and on using them to interpret the nuances in a 45-second piece of taxim. Aziza encouraged me to film her dancing the sequence, so I now have a useful aide-memoire for my practice.

In spite of her international status, Aziza is the complete opposite of a diva: unassuming, generous and enthusiastic – I was amused at how excited she got when I managed to do something I hadn’t been able to before (not as excited as me, though!). She’s due in the UK again in September 2012. If she offers private lessons again then, I’ll be first in the queue.”

Advanced Aziza Technique workshop – 9th April

Semera, Sharon & Bernadette attended the 2-hour Aziza Advanced Technique workshop on 9th April.

“The advance publicity had promised that Aziza would work us hard – and she wasn’t kidding!

After an energetic warm-up, Aziza focused on improving isolation, particularly hip lifts, belly pops & oumis – nothing too challenging there, except that we then had to maintain the isolations while moving around in specified patterns. There followed a couple of deceptively easy combinations. No problem. Now add the isolations…..

Then Aziza showed us how to do two of her signature moves: the tailspin and the float, both broken down in clear, comprehensible detail into their component parts. And she passed on a helpful method of visualising the barrel turn, involving the 4 points of the compass.

We were spared the 20-minute shimmy, but she did finish off (or finish us off!) with a 10-minute one, complete with all the isolations we’d already worked on. We came away with plenty to think about, and lots of things to practice. Including Aziza’s two mantras for 2011:
1. Determined Practice – yes, we will, honest.
2. I am a dancer, and I live a dancer’s lifestyle. Definitely. But chocolate’s still OK, isn’t it?”

Shimmy Sister turns Swimmy Sister!

Swimathon 2011
Kathi is attempting to swim 2.5k non-stop (that's 1.6 miles in old money!) to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care

You may have seen Kathi shimmying away in her mermaid outfit
... but did you know this smiley sister turns into a shark in the swimming pool?!

‘This Christmas I was given a present of swimming lessons which were fab (cheers Mum and Alan for the gift and Virgin Active instructor Fiona for not laughing excessively at me). Then recently I had bad news from my old wheelchair-bound French friend Aline who lives in Paris: she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She has always been such an inspiration to me with her continued fortitude and good humour with the raw deal life has dealt her. She is going through such a hard time with it at the moment and I felt so impotent and even angry at how little I could do to relieve her suffering and support her. When I saw the article about the Swimathon campaign in the Epsom Guardian in February it jumped right off the page and called to me.
There was something I could get up and do to help in a small way: rally round and raise money and awareness for the fantastic work the Marie Curie nurses do.

We all know or know of someone who has been affected by cancer, give even a little of your money and let's help ease the lives of those affected.

To support Kathi's efforts and donate money to this fabulous cause visit the Swimathon website :

Click here to sponsor Kathi!!!

or click on the photos to read more about the Swimathon and the work of the Marie Curie foundation.

LATEST:

Kathi did her swim and raised in excess of £1300
"Many thanks to all who contributed and for your good wishes X X X"

Born to Shimmy – 10th April 2011

All seven Shimmies went to Croydon’s Fairfield Halls on Sunday 10th April
to see Hipsinc’s (www.bellydanceclasses.co.uk) annual show.
It’s mainly a showcase for Hipsinc’s students & teachers, but this year with the added attraction of Aziza headlining.

There was a range of styles and student levels on display. For some students it was their first public performance, we all still remember how scary our first time was, and we thought they rose to the challenge well. We found Itziar quite delightful to watch, and we think she has a great future.

But of course there was one star performer who was head, hips & shoulders above all the other dancers: the amazing Aziza. She gets better & better, each of her performances surpasses the one before. She closed both the first & second halves. Her first number was a homage to Egyptian Golden Age music & style, featuring some of Samia Gamal’s signature moves. Aziza wore a black & white bedlah with a floaty skirt – in keeping with the romantic feel of the piece & ideal for showing off all those Samia arabesques. For the second set she changed into a silver bedlah with lilac skirt and danced a “modern mix” which showcased her full range. And of course she finished with a fabulous drum solo in which complex isolations were layered over shimmies registering over 10 on the Richter scale.

What a talent, what a performer, what an inspiration she is!

‘The Dance Options studio in Cheam is massive and the class was extremely popular; not surprising given Lilia’s popularity. She is currently working on a Turkish version of Strictly and flies back to the UK to give Zumba classes once a week! What a girl.

The class was energetic so do remember to take plenty of water. Lilia is tiny so it was difficult to see her in the throng but we were promised she would have a staging area next week and she was careful to swap the rows round so people at the back had an opportunity to move forward during the evening. Lilia taught the short routines in sections – salsa, rumba, African steps, etc – so it was bite-size; this made it very manageable and also gave small breaks to take water on board between sections. It was a high energy, cardio workout with some fabulous music and great fun. Lilia did say at the beginning that we had to remember to smile as that was the whole point of the workout. Most of the ladies were grinning from ear to ear – though it could have been grimaces.

My overall rating of the class was excellent! Do not be put off by the moves being somewhat tricky to manage if you are not a dancer. If you are looking for a good workout with a fun element, this is for you.’

A SHIMMY EYE VIEW
Private Lessons with Razia

Bernadette writes:

I first met Razia in the summer of 2008, when she substituted for the teacher of the regular class I used to attend then. I was immediately struck by both her obvious talent and her skilful, sympathetic teaching methods. I asked about classes, but at that time she wasn’t teaching regularly, so the only option was to take private lessons. That’s quite a big decision, as of course one-to-ones cost a lot more than shared classes, so the benefits need to be substantial. Though in fact I didn’t have to think very hard about having private lessons with Razia, I could tell straight away that she could offer something over & above anything else available to me.

Having private lessons requires more input from the student than attending classes or workshops. Not just for the obvious reason that the student is the sole focus of attention (so no skulking in the corner!), but also because she needs to have some idea what she wants to work on. In my case, I’d always been aware that my upper body is much less flexible - and much less responsive to commands sent down by my brain – than my lower body. So in the initial lesson, and in all subsequent ones, we’ve given that area the most attention, whilst not neglecting hips, pelvis, arms etc. The one-to-one allows Razia to diagnose the reasons for any weaknesses (sometimes they’re physiological, sometimes just sloppiness or bad habits) and show me how to address them. Certainly there’s an intensity to these lessons – she watches me like a hawk, I’ve no chance of getting away with anything! But she doesn’t make me feel inadequate if I struggle with a move, instead I get helpful tips tailor-made to my specific needs. And best of all there’s lots of lightness and laughter, we have lots of fun and I always leave feeling energised and wanting to dance.

I believe the improvement in my dance is visible, and other people have confirmed my impression. My moves feel crisper, my arms and hands more elegant, and my posture is significantly more upright than before I started learning with Razia. So if anyone wants specific, individual help with any aspect of her dance, I recommend saving up and signing up for a lesson with Razia. If a private lesson isn’t for you, Razia does now teach regular classes and occasional workshops. Full details are on her website: www.raziadance.com

Here are Bernadette and Razia having a bop at Mangal restaurant in Epsom
Razia dances 2 sets (around 9 & 9.45pm) in Mangal Turkish restaurant in Derby Square Epsom most Saturdays, unless she's out of London.
To find out when she's next appearing click on www.raziadance.com, Calendar.
The food's great too!