Ballroom Dancing, Spirituality, and...
My 4 month Relocation Anniversary
by Laura Fan on 08/23/14
Today marks the 4 month anniversary of my leaving California. I took a red eye flight on 4/23 & landed in Raleigh NC on 4/24.Many have asked - Why would you leave California for Raleigh?
I always gave the same answer - a Divine Message sent me here.
On March 11, when I was visiting my parents in Hong Kong, after a beautiful morning skype spiritual group practice, I went on my day to my acupuncturist visit. I was lying on the table, with needles all over my body including my temple & my crown, and a big message came at that moment. This is time I could examine the next place I need to be.
I didn't know what to make of it. Since I practice Open Heart Meditation, and I always tried to follow my heart.
I was totally open to wherever the Higher Guidance would lead me to. I ended up feeling that SE of USA would be the right area. Immediately I thought of Virginia Beach or Florida. I have friends there & some of my roots in my dancing development were planted there.
But no...Heart didn't feel either place was right. I was still on the table with all the needles in me but since my geography was poor, I had to wait till I get home to check the map! :)
After I was able to see the Google map, I felt my options one by one. When it came to NC, my heart felt open, expansive & free!
I thought to myself "of course!" Asheville NC is the central hub of all the USA Padmacahaya Institute. This is the global institute where I studied Open Heart Meditation and Reiki Tummo healing. I am currently enrolled in their Master Yoga program.
I started to connect with various dance studios & university dance teams to see if I could land a job before I relocate (although my heart indicated I really need not line up a job before I relocate!)
By chance, I was connecting with an NCSU student who's in charge of the University Dance team. He asked me where I was relocating to. I mentioned Asheville & then realized NCSU and all the university dance teams that I was connecting with are based in Raleigh.
I started to send out my dance bios to several Triangle Area studios. All expressed interest. But the owner, Melanie Dale, of A Step To Gold immediately asked me to call her. We had several video skype sessions. The rest was history.
I booked my ticket to Raleigh before Melanie & I had final agreement, showing that I did trust my heart.
The most interesting story after my decision was my housing situation. I was being bounced around 3 times between mid March & the time I landed in RDU. All housing fell through. While I was boarding my red eye flight, I wasn't sure if I should reserve a hotel room. Heart said I didn't to stay in a hotel. I was in disbelief, but decided I should follow my heart.
When I landed, Melanie drove me around to check out apartments. The one apartment I didn't want to visit (as I already saw it on craigslist when I was in California), was the very one I signed the lease that day at 5pm! They had the perfect apartment for me, 3 minutes drive from A Step to Gold, and the best part? I could move in that evening!
I ended up shopping at Walmart until 2am (as Melanie was so efficient that she booked me private lessons already the day I landed & put me to work in the evening! :))
Everything was lined up perfectly. I had a blast for the past 4 months at ASTG. Very grateful for the ASTG community and Melanie's help.
Check out the video of a compilation of my class scenes here in the Triangle Area of North Carolina!
I would also like to invite everyone for a rare opportunity to experience this heart based living. We have a major Secrets of Natural Walking workshop on October 27, 2014 in Asheville, NC. Our grand master Irman from Padmacahaya will be present in the workshop, along with 30+ certified Walking instructors. This is a 1 day workshop. $150. It is transformation with countless physical health benefits. This will also open the pathway for your heart connection to the Divine. You'll be surprised how improper we've been walking and the illnesses and pain the improper walking have caused us.
Registration: Registration:http://wncheart.com/?page_id=309
Ah...Finally - I like this!!
by Laura Fan on 08/14/14
Despite the fact that I admire the enormous and extraordinary talents of many of the WDSF dancers, professionals or amateurs, I find the body line connection disturbing - too much hip pushing & exaggerated shapes. I'd often question, during the viewing of the dance videos, especially in the Swing dances - Where's the swing?
Recently, I came across a few clips of this couple and I just couldn't take my eyes off of them. I LOVE their dancing. There's fluidity, flow & musical. There's the beautiful shapes- Huge shapes. But the the biggest draw of my attention was the harmony of their partnership, their body action & body line connection. They are not the highest ranked couple, Yet. Still fresh & young. Cannot imagine just how far they could go from here!
I believe one of their main coaches is Fabio Selmi. I've always loved Fabio's dancing. He never neglects the principles of pure dancing while developing the new sporty, extraordinary shaping way of dancing.
Enjoy these 2 clips. I hope soon we'll have great dance coaches in the USA who can help the USA dancers develop the proper skills & techniques to implement this style.
R.I.P. Robin Williams - There's Hope & There's Help
by Laura Fan on 08/12/14
He made us laugh, he made us cry. That's what a
great actor would bring out in us. I'm not a Robin Williams' fan, but I
deeply admired his ingenious performance and talents. I am still in
shock to hear the news of his untimely death. It got
me into deeper contemplation of inner demons, the naughty parts we all
have. Some may have resorted to alcohol, some to narcotics, and
probably many unthinkable addictions in attempt to escape from reality.
Sometimes, these inner demons seem greater than life! Some may resort to
religions & prayers to ask for Divine help. The truth is, there's
hope and there's help.
I'd like to introduce a simple way for everyone to try. To open our spiritual heart (not heart chakra, not physical heart) which is the connection to that True Source of Love & Light, the Source of our Real Self, and to receive help from our own Creator.
I have been offering free Public intros to Open Heart Meditation & Reiki Tummon Healing on Saturday afternoons. In a time like now, it's more important than ever to enjoy inner peace and joy, and be grateful for the gifts we have received in life.
For those of you who would like to join me this Saturday in Raleigh, please msg me. I'll hold a session 3p-4:30p (location to be disclosed via private msg). For those you who cannot join in person, I'll hold a skype session on Sunday 8/17 12p-2p EST. Please msg me & I'll give you my Skype Id.
Feet, Floor, Feel, Flight
by Laura Fan on 07/23/14
A great lecture by William Pino. Too many teachers emphasize "footwork" to merely mean the foot placement on the floor or pick on Toe Heel, Heel Toe, etc. I was delighted to have come across this lecture on Feet Action & the relationship with the floor. William Pino is arguably one of the fastest, dynamic and artistic dancers and a ballroom legend. In this lecture, he thoroughly entertained and provided the most thought provoking materials. I especially liked the way he used the tap shoes to demonstrate the effects of proper usage of the feet and the improper way of using them :) As he stated at the end, in order to achieve great dancing, we must research, practice & try. I shall do just that and work on my feet! Enjoy!
Fabio Selmi WDSF Congress - Verticality & Headweight - Create Proper Shape
by Laura Fan on 07/20/14
The current trend of huge shapes has been getting a bit out of control. Maestro Fabio Selmi dedicated the following Camp topic to skillfully lead everyone back to the basics & let the Master of Big Shape Mirko Gozzoli demonstrate the proper way of creating Shape using head weight. That vertical balance cannot be compromised. I also appreciated that at the beginning, Fabio discussed the 2 centers as I myself am a big proponent of emphasizing the 2nd center (top center). This is the idea that Kamil Szpindowski has been advocating for a long time and I've adopted as my own in my approaching to teaching students in proper leading & following.
Enjoy his congress lecture & the wonderful demos by Mirko & Edita!
