Interveiw with a Bellydancer: Mareike Beiersdorf

We are excited to be getting back to Dayanisma's Interview with a Bellydancer Series!  For this installment, I was delighted to interview Mareike Beiersdorf, an ATS (R) dancer from Germany!

Name: Mareike Beiersdorf

Mareike discovered the joy of dance in a young age and spent several years as member of a jazz and showdance troupe. The strength, femininity and pride of ATS (R) has captivated her since 2009. Tribal Bellydance proved to be an ideal vessel for expressing her artistic ambitions. Now she runs a FatChanceBellyDance Sister Studio in Offenbach, GER. She regularly travels to San Francisco to learn directly at the source of FCBD teachers and bridge the US and European ATS (R) scene.

Troupe: Cibelle Dance Collective 

Location: Offenbach / Germany

Other interests:

"I think during my life I have always had one hobby that I was somehow obsessed with. As a teenager it was volunteering for the red cross and right now it`s dancing. I can`t call it a hobby anymore. Seriously I can not imagine life without dancing.

I have been dancing since I was a kid, but never as much as right now, and I love it. If I would have more time I definitely would learn Spanish, that's a dream I´m having since a view years. I would love to speak Spanish. Also play guitar and sing, and hopefully would get better."

If you had superpowers, what would they be?

"Diving or flying, because it changes your perspective which is a very good thing."

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

Not much I have to do grocery shopping: Sheep yogurt, soy milk, apples, cucumber, homemade pesto (with dried tomatoes from a dance trip to Roma)

What is your proudest Bellydance moment?

"Can I change this into happiest? I´m very happy that the ATS dance scene in my area is growing. When I started dancing I had to drive 1,5 hours to take classes. We had no ATS dance classes in Offenbach/Frankfurt which is a fairly big city. I started teaching 4 years ago and I´m happy to see the scene growing slowly but steadily!"

What is your proudest non-Bellydance moment?

"I got a scholarship for a 6 month long Leadership-training in Education for Sustainable Development. When I saw the announcement I thought I will never make into the training, but I wanted it and so I applied. During this 6 month I met some very important friends."

Classic, modern, or movement dialect and why?

"For me it`s not one or the other. It´s a question I would never ask myself this way. Thinking of a performance it would be a music that needs to be interpreted, a feeling I want to transport, and an aesthetic I would like to create. Whatever movement I need to do this is right. For my soloist dances this might also be fusing with other dance styles."

What is your best advice to student dancers?

"Enjoy, stretch your boundaries and release."

Thanks Mareike!

If you would like to be interviewed, contact Lisa Allred at hhbellydance@gmail.com!

You Make Me Feel Like Dancing

One of the things that folks ask us about a lot is: what music do we like and use for our practices and performances? So here is a compilation of some of our favorites. Of course, at the top of the list is our very own CD, Dayanimsa Beauty in Unity. You absolutely can’t go wrong with this fabulous album!

After you’ve finished checking out this sampling of our favorites, be sure to let us know which tunes are your practice and performance go-tos!

     

          

                                                                                                                                                                                                

Dayanisma's Blog: Behind the Bindi

Photo credit: Carrie Meyer

Hello! 

Welcome to Dayanisma’s blog, Behind the Bindi.

My name is Dawn Ruckert, creative director of Dayanisma, an ATS® dance troupe. Several years ago, because of my passion for ATS® and group improvisation, I created this troupe to share our art with the world. 

I wanted to challenge myself and others by creating a professional troupe whose goals were to be not only skillful and amazing dancers, but also to share my tenets for life and dance: respect, love, support, and growth. In this journey, I am currently joined by seven amazing ladies: Lisa Allred, MJ Wu, Patti Beaman, Natalie Lavorato, Karen Hoover, Sharon Walker and Teresa Kesselman.

Dayanisma has performed across the country for countless audiences, including those at TribalCon, ATS® Homecoming, Tribal Fest, and Tribal Union. This fall, we are honored and excited to perform at NEATS Camp and the Black Forest Tribal Fest in Germany . We also host the annual event, ATS® ATTACKS, every August.

Both on and off stage, we strive to be “Ambassadors of Dance.” This means acting in a professional manner, supporting fellow dancers of all levels, being kind and supportive, and, most importantly, representing the troupe in a way where people find us fun, approachable, and focused on creating a supportive dance community for future generations.

The purpose of this blog, in step with our mission of being Ambassadors of Dance, is to educate and inform our fans by sharing informative and inspirational articles, and also to help you laugh and love this wonderful thing we call dance.

Many blessing and love,

Dawn

You can find more information about Dayanisma performances, classes, workshops and more at:

https://www.facebook.com/DayanismaTroupe/?fref=ts

http://www.dawnruckertbellydance.com/