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Edit profile Title From the Classroom to the Stage
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Contact Us Three short years ago, I never could • Fitness
Contributors have dreamed that a henna tattoo
would turn me into a belly dancer. Now
Latest gigs & classes! here I am, three years later, preparing
for my fourth show: not only am I
:: sherene returning to the stage with more
:: Janete Mahaila confidence than ever, but I am excited
to share my performance with friends
:: Aahsan
and family.
:: Zoe
:: Leila Dal For years I've celebrated summer with
:: Rena henna tattoos, but had never had much
:: Elektra occasion to appreciate this art in the
:: Nirah context of its cultural origins. However,
:: Gia in 2003 I attended a traditional, female Aututmn Ward's student recital, Fall 2005.
only, Moroccan henna party (albeit in a Photo: Sal Denaro
:: Sherine Hatoun
very non-traditional location on Atlantic
List your gigs, classes! Avenue in Brooklyn), and saw what
turned out to be a life-changing Middle
Regular Features: Eastern dance performance by the
* Ask Aunt Rocky woman who would eventually become
* Alyra's Advice my teacher: Autumn Ward. Autumn's
* Gia Al Qamar's dancing was unlike anything I had ever
Tales from the Urban seen – she moved in a way that seemed
Desert impossible yet effortless, perfectly
* Training Notes by matching the music.
Melissa
Months later, I pulled out the
Editorial Staff: information Autumn had given me about
her classes and decided to give it a try.
Editor-in-Chief: While I am long past the point of
Blanca making New Year's resolutions (a
Senior tradition I was never good at anyway), I
Correspondent: like to kick off each new year by trying Rakkasah 2004
Sarah Skinner something new. Thinking that belly
Publisher: dance might be a fun new way to get
Neon some exercise, I attended my first class
WorldDance New York just after January 1, 2004.

After only a few weeks, I realized that I had stumbled onto something much more
meaningful than an interesting workout. With every class I gained a greater
appreciation of the beauty of this dance form, and looked increasingly forward to the
company of my classmates. From basic techniques, Autumn easily moves her
students into learning simple choreographies. Simple choreographies give way to
more complex choreographies, and Autumn eventually adapts some of these
choreographies for stage performance by multiple dancers. With each class,
excitement builds. It's not only fun, but thrilling, to reach a point when you can see
how those singular moves you learn are tied together with the music and each other
into beautiful flowing expression. You feel the growing anticipation of what the entire
dance will look like; then, like magic, you are performing it! When I'm in my dance
class I feel such a wonderful connection to the music, the other dancers, the
traditions, and to the past and exciting future of my own journey in dance.

Most fortunate is that I've found such an exceptional teacher and choreographer.
Although Autumn creates a relaxed and supportive classroom environment, her
classes are technically demanding, and she has pushed me to be self-reliant and
take ownership of the dance. While she inspires dancers with her compassionate

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The Hip Circle:: online bellydance magazine, belly dance discussion and community 6/15/06 7:45 AM

approach, she's given me the greatest confidence in myself by making sure I didn't
start performing without the knowledge and skills I needed to strive for my personal
best. Each performance I feel a growing confidence and feel less nervous. I find
myself more interested in sharing this beautiful dance form with my friends than
worrying about my stage fright.

I love the dances that I am performing this year, and have really benefited from
learning so much about the choreographic process. In Autumn's class, it's fascinating
to experience a dance coming together from the very beginning stages through the
moves, the combinations, the transitions between them, and finally the full piece.
Even from my earliest performance as a member of Autumn's beginner class, I
could easily hear the subtleties of the complex music. Thanks to her choreographic
choices everything about the movements she chooses just goes perfectly. From my
first performance just two years ago when I was a beginning dancer – somewhat
frightened by the idea of dancing in front of an audience – to now, being in Autumn's
classes and shows has taught me so much about dance and about myself. Each new
dance I learn is a bit trickier, with more challenging transitions, and more intricate
staging.

This June, I'll be performing for the fourth time as a belly dancer. Something I never
thought I'd say back on that day when I was surrounded by women enjoying the
luxury of a henna tattoo. I'm more excited than ever about this recital. The group
numbers are the most gorgeous I've been involved in and with a number of students
performing solos as well its bound to be a fun and enchanting evening!

Autumn's recital, Autumn Raqs 2006, is on June 4th, with two showings, at 5:00 and
7:30. Tickets are $15, available at www.AutumnWard.com, and advance purchase is
strongly recommended. At Teatro La Tea, 107 Suffolk St., Lower East Side. This is a
75-seat theater with riser seating and theatrical lighting. Autumn has been creating
theatrical performance opportunities for her students since 2000, and this is her
seventh large-scale student recital.

Jill Lewis Kelly

Post a new comment to this article .

Comments
Divyana
I am speechless to say the least. I have read about Autumn and have checked out her
website. I am thinkig very hard about my direction in middle eastern and fusion dance.
I want to perforem in choreographed shows in theaters myself. I have had my own
dance groups in the past but Middle Eastern is a new path in my dance career. I have
been in practice and study now for 6 years. I think I myself willstart taking her classes.
Thank you so much for this beautiful warm article about Autumn she is wonderful!!

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