Welcome Winter! How Other Cultures Celebrate The Winter Solstice and their Winter Holiday

For a twist on the holiday season, take a look at how other cultures around the world celebrate winter, especially the Winter Solstice which is the First Day of Winter or the longest “night” of the year followed by each day bringing less darkness and a little more light. This year it was Tuesday, December 21, 2021.

Yalda is the Persian Winter Solstice tradition where friends and family gather to eat, drink and read poetry. They eat red fruits like Watermelon and Pomegranate which signifies “the crimson glow of new life which lies ahead.”

Inti Raymi or “sun festival” in the Quechua language is a Peruvian tradition. It’s still celebrated today in Peru and is also a celebration of “longer days” ahead. A significant part of the festival is to light a new fire and extinguish all existing flames.

Saturnalia was the ancient Roman festival celebration that began on December 17th and was celebrated through December 23rd in honor of the agricultural god, Saturn and took place at The Temple of Saturn. It is still recognized in some rural parts of Italy. Along with festivities of food, drink and dance, Saturnalia is a festival of light beginning on the longest day of the year with the abundant presence of candles symbolizing light ahead and the quest for knowledge and truth.

Dongzhi is a Chinese celebration that means "the arrival of winter" and is traced back to the ancient philosophy of Yin and Yang, where the first day of the cold and dark winter contrasts with the beginning of longer days with more light. Positive energy flows once again and the natural balance of life takes place. Dumplings are traditionally eaten or in Southen China Tangyuan (rice cake) symbolizing “reunion”. It’s a happy time for family gatherings and some people even make a pilgrimage to an ancient temple to worship.

St. Lucia Day is a Norse holiday celebrated in Sweden, Norway. The memory is of St. Lucia, who as a young girl, Lucy, used to secretly bring food to persecuted people in Rome. She would wear candles on her head so she could carry everything in her arms. On this day fires are burned to symbolize light and to ward off spirits during the longest and darkest night of the year. Children continue the tradition of dressing up in white robes with a red sash around their waist. Crowned wreaths are made from Lingonberry branches, which are evergreen, to symbolize new life in winter and ginger cookies are handed out and carols are sung!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Argentine Tango * COVID * Sweden's The "Lagom" Way

Photo-Journalist Claudia Nye’s curiousity about how Sweden is handling COVID with no lockdown, and her desire to continue dancing Argentine Tango, brought her to Sweden to create this interesting documentary about Sweden's "Lagom Way" (a Swedish and Norwegian word meaning "just the right amount") or more familiar to us "in moderation." Hope you enjoy watching. 45 minute Indie Short Film: COVID, TANGO AND THE LAGOM WAY. Your comments are welcome.

Learning How To Practice: A Four-Part Series

Part 4: Students Who Practice See Results!

Practicing is a creative activity worth mastering.  When it's done right, it's fun and it makes you feel good. This blog series is adapted from musician Tom Heany's book First Learn to Practice.

In Part 1 we introduced “6 Tips To Get You Started Practicing.”

In Part 2 we explored “Concepts And Ideas To Help You Practice.”

In Part 3 we discussed "Tools To Help You Practice."

Today in Part 4 we hear from two students who practice and see results!

Sheila W. (Belly Dance Student): My 50th birthday promise to myself was to try new things and continue growing so I signed up for Belly Dance classes at Josie's school. Josie, Nahara (our teacher) and the other students were welcoming, kind and completely non-judgmental. The classes are fun! Initially each new movement and dance step felt strange and awkward, but I found myself loving the dance and wanting to teach my body to move as gracefully and beautifully as Nahara demonstrated. I have learned that each graceful dance step consists of multiple isolated movements; isolating each movement and practicing it slowly makes all the difference in being able to do that dance step. Nahara introduces the steps and breaks them down for us in class, but to really lock the step into my muscle memory, I realized that I have to isolate the movements and practice them slowly at home. The easiest way to find time to practice at home is to incorporate practice time into something that is already a part of my daily routine. I work out almost every morning and I now spend 5 to 15 minutes of that time practicing isolated belly dance moves. Doing this has made all the difference in my ability to keep improving and has made each successive class much more enjoyable!

Danielle B. (Salsa Student): “Last January, my friends and I decided to sign up for Salsa lessons. I love to dance, but I was hesitant at first because I didn’t think I had the hips or the skill to learn Salsa. Well, after my first class with Josie, I was absolutely hooked! Week after week, Josie taught us the basics and then slowly incorporated more advanced skills as the classes progressed. Now I am in the Advanced Beginner class with Eddie Q. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. I feel so comfortable. After my 10-class card ended I signed up for more! I’ve never listened to more Salsa music in my life! I find myself practicing the shines and routines we learn in class in my room every day. I’ll never forget the day we learned double turns. I initially found this skill very challenging, but was determined to master it. So every day I practiced a few double turns in front of my mirror and it really made a difference in class! Practicing at home makes me look forward to my Salsa classes each week, and every week I see new results. Tuesday nights have a whole new meaning for me! Not only is Salsa a fantastic workout, it’s a fun and easy way to get yourself moving. Salsa has definitely given me the confidence to step outside of my comfort zone and try new things. And it’s true what they say.... it’s a lifestyle!”

Learning How To Practice: A Four-Part Series

PART 3: Tools You Need To Practice (What Do I Need?)

Practicing is a creative activity worth mastering.  When it's done right, it's fun and it makes you feel good.

In Part 1 we introduced 6 tips to get you started practicing: Be Comfortable, Be Honest, Be Optimistic, Be Persistent, Be Consistent, Go Slow.

In Part 2 we explored concepts and ideas to help you practice.  In Part 3 we discuss "Tools To Help You Practice."   This blog series is adapted from musician Tom Heany's book First Learn to Practice.

1. Metronome.  A metronome is a device that keeps regular beats (or ticks) to help you maintain the beat or tempo of a song.  It was originally invented to help musicians keep a steady beat so that when they increased the speed of the music it still sounded even.  Many people cannot hear the underlying beat or tempo of music, especially when listening to a song with singing and multiple instruments in the background.  You can download a metronome app or purchase a digital metronome in a music store or online.  Using the metronome alone will help you develop rhythm and good timing, starting slow of course, and gradually increasing speed.  Slow and steady is most important to perfect a move.  Another good practice if you have trouble hearing the steady beat in a song is to listen to a song on one device, tap the pulse with your hand, then find the tempo with your metronome device.  This is a challenging exercise and one that will surely help you find the steady beat of the music.

2. Barre Notes.  There are many free downloadable apps available but my favorite is Barre Notes.  It plays any song in your phone’s music library and allows you to slow down or speed up any song.  It’s an invaluable tool in your practice.

3. Video Pix.  There are many free downloadable apps to also slow down videos, and VideoPix is my favorite.  It allows you to watch a video from your photo library at a slower speed, enabling you to learn a movement easier by watching it at a slower pace.

4. Music & Video Library.  Keep an accessible library of music and videos (on your phone or computer) that are useful for your practice.  Refer to your own videos from class, private lessons or youtube.  Make sure you have a clear goal in mind when using your music and videos.  For example, today I’m going to use Song A to practice one move or a short series of moves from Video A.  Less is more!  Then once you feel ready to take your practice to the next level, start videotaping yourself.  This might seem uncomfortable at first, but as you start to see an improvement in your dancing, you’ll continue to use this as an effective tool in your practice.

5. “Goal” Notebook.  To measure your success write down your goal for the week and try to attain it.  It could be practicing one move for 5 minutes each day or practicing a short series of moves (mini routine) with the goal of completing the routine by the end of the week. 

6. Designated Practice Space.  Remember in Part 1 we discussed being comfortable and finding a designated practice area in your home that is suitable for your dance practice.  If you’re not happy with the space you’ve chosen you can always change it.

7. Mirror.  Being able to watch your movement is very helpful if you’re dancing by yourself.  Not as necessary if you’re dancing with a partner.  To perfect a move, a mirror is an essential tool.  A small stand-up mirror ($10) will work if you have limited space and funds.  It doesn’t have to be permanently affixed to a wall.  You can also purchase from Lite Mirror (made of mylar) www.litemirror.com which is both portable and lightweight.  This mirror can either remain on its rolling stand, be reversed when you’re not using it, and use the other side to hang a poster.  Or you can mount the actual mirror to a wall.

8. Comfortable Clothing & Shoes (or Bare Feet).  Depending on which dance moves you’re  practicing, give yourself the freedom to move by setting aside comfortable yoga pants or knock-around clothes and shoes.  It only takes a few minutes to change and you’ll be much more comfortable!  Comfort is key!

9. Smile.  Bring forth a positive attitude with a smile and enjoy your practice.  Keeping a smile on your face improves your general mood and reduces stress.  Give yourself time, set goals, smile and enjoy the journey!