Interview with a Bellydancer: Patti Beaman

Thanks to Patti Beaman of Dayanisma and Blue Moon Dance Company for agreeing to participate in our "Interview with a Bellydancer" series!

From Lisa:  Patti is in Dayanisma with me and owns World in Motion Dance (WIM).  She opened WIM to create a space for the local bellydance community to come together for learning dance, sharing knowledge, supporting each other and having fun.  Her generosity of spirit and action is well known to her troupe members and our dance community.  She is a wonderful friend and an inspiration to us all.  We love you!!!

City and State: Cary, NC

Anything you want included about family, non-Bellydance job, other interests:

My family is all involved in dance: both of my daughters (Sara and Emily Beaman) are performers and instructors, and my husband (Brian Beaman)is a musician and a member of a local Middle Eastern band (The Lost Nomads). I don’t really have a non-bellydance job in that I own  World In Motion Dance, Movement & MusicCenter where I teach and which is Dayanisma’s home studio. My other interests include reading, walking, baking, cooking, word games and puzzles,  learning how to play doumbek, cuddling with my dog, Rosie,  and spending as much time as possible with my new grandson, Davy.

Patti and Davy

Interview Questions: Choose 5 (or more J) Couldn’t decide which ones to answer so I did them all ;-)

If you had superpowers, what would they be?

The ability to heal physical, mental and emotional conditions and injuries.

If I opened your refrigerator right now, what would I find?

Lots of fruit and veggies; lemonade; eggs; cupcakes (left over from my dog Rosie’s birthday!); goat’s milk yogurt, orange juice; condiments; lactaid milk; and various and sundry left overs. (Hmm, maybe I should go check to which of those leftovers are still edible!)

What is your favorite genre of books? 

That is so hard to pin down! Historical fiction, biography, fantasy, science fiction, non-fiction- I love them all. My favorite type of book is one from which I learn something new or something I want to investigate further.

Patti spinning at Down East Bellydance and Drum Festival 2014

If you were in a horror movie, what would be chasing you? 

Hmm, another tough question. I am not a horror movie fan so I don’t really know the tropes very well.  Maybe an ultra-conservative, neo-Nazi , religious zealot, bigot who hates animals and wants our country to become a theocracy?

What is your proudest Bellydance moment?

The grand opening of World In Motion.

What is your proudest non-Bellydance moment?

Whenever my children exhibit love, compassion, acceptance, and the courage to stand up for what they believe in.

What is the last gift you gave someone?

 I gave my daughter a gift certificate for a massage.

Classic, modern, or movement dialect and why?

I love them all- must I choose? If so, then I would say Dawn Ruckert’s movement dialect with baskets because it incorporates all 3 styles.

Channeling Elvis at TribalCon 2014

What is your best advice to student dancers?

Practice, practice, practice and then practice some more. Be gentle with yourself, especially at first. Don’t compare yourself to other students, your teacher or your belly dance idol- every body is different, every mind learns differently, everyone processes things at a different pace- it is not a competition or a race. Take classes from different teachers in different genres inside and outside of belly dance, and cross-train to increase strength and flexibility. Most importantly, have fun and dance with joy!

What is something most people don’t know about you?

I was present at an exorcism once.  A genuine, honest-to-goodness exorcism.  Really disturbing, scary, weird and fascinating all at the same time.

Thanks Patti!