Events
February 28: Oxford Bellydance Workshops
11:30 – 1 & 1:30 – 3
Jericho Community Centre, 33a Canal St, Oxford
Two workshops; both suitable for experienced beginners through professional level dancers.
VEIL & TURNS/SPINS — 11:20-1:00
Learn veil dynamics and how to dance so the veil doesn’t dance you! Move into turns with grace, ease–and zing! Veils will be available to borrow and Helena will have some beautiful hand-dyed silk creations to sell, ranging from 19.00 to 150.00.
TRAVELING SHIMMIES — 1:30-3:00
A selection of walking shimmies and accented walks. If you attended Heléna’s shimmy workshop last year this will be a good refresher with some new material as well.
One workshop: 18.00 on the day or 16.00 in advance
Two workshops: 30.00 on the day or 26.00 in advance.
Cheques can be made payable to Hafla Entertainment and may be posted to Caitlyn, 20 North Hinksey La, Oxford OX2 0LX.
Preregistration is recommended as space is limited!
Questions? Email Info@HaflaEntertainment.com
April 24: 3/4 Shimmie and Jewel Workshops
11:30 – 1:30 & 1:30 – 3:30
Dance Street Studio, Kittery, ME
All levels welcome!
3/4 SHIMMIES — 11:30-1:30
We’ll break down 8 variations of the 3/4 shimmie — including some original patterns of Heléna’s! — and find where the essential movement is generated to master each one.
JEWELS — 1:30-3:30
The jewel is both a dynamic set-up or transition move in Raqs Sharqi, as well as a moment of punctuation, and also a deliciously fun way to strengthen core muscles in the folkloric tradition. Geared for all levels of experience as we will start with exploring the depth and subtlety of basic moves and then layer into more complex ones as we cover both Oriental and folkloric versions.
Before 4/17: $25/workshop; $40 for both
After 4/17: $35/workshop; $50 for both
Preregistration is recommended as space is limited!
Contact: ginabelladella@yahoo.com or (207) 439-1161
May 5 & 6 — Performances in Dahab, Egypt
May 14 — Asante Sana
6-10 p.m. at the U.U. Church in Belfast
Heléna performs flamenco-belly fusion and American style belly dance at this event welcoming home Adam and Bella Stone, counselors of Camp Forest from their four-month trip to Peru, and Beverly Stone, director of Expanding Opportunities from her three month trip to Kenya. All proceeds of Asante Sana will benefit The Joseph Waweru Home School, a project of Expanding Opportunities, a 501c3 non-profit organization.
May 28 — Belfast Farmer’s Market
Front Street, Belfast, ME — 9-1
Heléna performs at the Belfast Farmer’s Market, celebrating another growing season with the farmers of Maine. BUY LOCAL!!! SUPPORT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD FARMERS (and feed yourself REAL food)!!!!
June 3 — FLAMENCO: the Blues of Andalusia
6 PM @ the Rockland Public Library – FREE & in conjunction with its Arts series
• An exploration of Andalusian culture, especially Gitano (settled Rom — ‘Gypsies” — of Spain) culture through its dance and music, as well as its connection to the Turkish Rom style of dance. Although specifically regional in their forms, the feelings extend well beyond borders. Like the blues, flamenco tells a story of struggle against dominant and oppressive powers. This presentation will include both performance and lecture, demonstrating and discussing the “duende” — or force of ‘possession’ — which drives this dance form, as well as touch upon the related Turkish Rom style of music and dance.
June 4 — Belfast Arts Walk
Encouraging dancing in the streets(!), Heléna will be performing periodically between 5:30 – 8, along with various poets and musicians; all the galleries will be open!
June 12 — performing in a Belly Dance Show with Michelle Joyce!
One Longfellow Square, Portland, ME
I will be joining Samuel James, Ramblin’ Red, Jaiyana Tribal, and the brand new Apparatus Dance Theater — trapeze artists — as well as our own lovely Ayeperi!
July 10 — performing @ the annual Flamingo Festival w/ LyLa!
noon – 12:30 on the green, Southwest Harbor, Maine
Benefiting Harbor House Community Service Agency
July 16 — Belfast Arts Walk — FIRE performance with Shana Bloomstein!
Heléna & Shana will be playing with fire periodically between 5:30 – 8 across the street from Rollie’s. Enjoy the other street entertainment and wander the galleries.
August 6 & 7 — 5th Annual WOMEN’S WORKS: an Evening of Original Works
7pm @ the Belfast Dance Studio
In celebration of our 5th year in this collaboration of women dancers, both local and NYC-based, we’re performing where our artistic director, Shana, started: the Belfast Dance Studio. Solo and group performances by Shana Bloomstein, Jesse Phillips-Fein, Katenia Keller, Joan Proudman, Bethany Louises, Hanna DeHoff, Lisa Newcombe (Shana’s first teacher and owner of BDS), and Heléna Melone.
Aug 19 — Advanced Belly Dance Workshop, 6-8PM
Aug 21 — private function at Bay View, Northport
Aug 22 — Middle Eastern (4:30-6:30) and Flamenco (6:45-8:45) workshops @ Swing ‘n Sway Dance, Rockland, ME
Aug 27 — Belfast Arts Walk
Encouraging dancing in the streets(!), Heléna will be performing periodically between 5:30 – 8, along with various poets and musicians; all the galleries will be open!
Sept 4 — performing at post-workshop hafla with Leila of Cairo
St. Johnsbury, VT (?) — location to be confirmed
Sept 5 — private function at Bay View, Northport
Sept 10 — Belfast Farmer’s Market
Front Street, Belfast, ME — 9-1
Heléna performs at the Belfast Farmer’s Market, celebrating another growing season with the farmers of Maine. BUY LOCAL!!! SUPPORT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD FARMERS (and feed yourself REAL food)!!!!
Sept 12 — private function at Three Tides, Belfast
Oct 1 — Belfast Arts Walk — FIRE with Shana Bloomstein
More fire-dancing in the streets between 5:30 – 8 across from Rollie’s! Enjoy the penultimate night of celebrating Belfast’s Art life.
Nov 8 — MAPHERD Conference, Rockland, ME
Teaching physical education teachers how to bring dance and movement into their curriculum.
‘ Dancing from the Core’ — 1:30-2:30.
‘Isolation Drills for Core Strength’ — 2:45-3:45.