Barbara Derecktor Donahue,The Dancing Spirit

           I am Barbara, The Dancing Spirit of RI.I have been a dancer all my life since the age of 4.My childhood muses were Anna Pavlova & Isadora Duncan .I received my BFA in Dance from SUNY Purchase. After college  I danced in several  modern dance companies, in NYC and Colorado. I married Mark in the 8o's.. I danced while raising our three children, in Tiverton, RI.,          My Modern Dance Company was The Tanagra  Movement Theatre. We performed all over RI.
       After my 3^rd child and only daughter was born I shifted my focus to teaching kids so I could teach her the best of me . In the first Dancing Spirit Studio I taught Ballet, Modern Dance, Pilates & Creative Movement for children and adults

       Ten years ago,  I was going to stop dancing. I took a Belly Dance class on a whim . The teacher , could move in beautiful ways I could not, but she had a hard time getting class across the floor. I knew I had classical training she did not but I could see that she knew  something about movement that I didn’t.  I like so many became obsessed, on a path of discovery about the dance and myself. I have learned and shared so much amazing body, mind and spirit information through the study and practice of Belly Dance. Some day I will write a book. Maybe this is the beginning of the book

         One thing I have noticed since I opened the Belly Dance Book is how 2 dance worlds -Ballet/ Modern/ Jazz etc and Middle Eastern Oriental Belly Dance are separated .Together they are beautiful but they are separated by knowledge and exposure to each other. It is a dream mission of mine to connect the two worlds. I teach Ballet, Pilates and Belly Dance . I wish my students could take all  my classes so they could have the whole body. mind movement experience

          Many of my Belly Dance students have been “ non dance” students , a challenge and has taught me much. Many students come to class, not for dance training but for fun. They are surprised when they discover Belly Dance takes work and practice .   Some students come searching for a life changing experience.Belly Dance can be very life changing . Why?

         To learn how to execute the movements of Belly Dance students must have strong posture. Posture is a learned thing. It is attached to health, self esteem , habits , life practices and body awareness . My class begins with many positive posture images. .Here are some - Bubble gum on back of head,crown on head,third eye open,pole thru head, down thru feet connecting heaven and earth,chin up,long neck,open heart,head lights up,longest line from chest to hips,belly in to spine,tail dropped long,feet relaxed,smile

          We live in a very complex . Sometimes I feel my escape & salvation, for me and my students, is the practice & rhythms of the dance. When you move through a space connected by happy posture, walking to simple rhythms, it brings you to yourself and connects you to others . It is the nicest thing.          

           The vocabulary and practice of Belly Dance is a beautiful dance form but it  also has many  healingbenefits. It can be wonderful for children K – 12, adults, dance studios, college dance depts as well as for people with handicaps , cancer patients and for the elderly.I did not know that when I began.

         When I was 4, in my first creative dance class in NYC,at The jean Erdman school the teacher, Penny Shaw, gave us a pencil and piece of paper. She said “. Draw a design ”, but didn’t say what it was for. Like it was yesterday, I remember covering the paper with many, many lines. After a few minutes she said, “ Dance your design”. I started crying because I couldn’t follow my design. Maybe my life dance journey design was to learn a dance that can connect everyone.

Sincerely Barbara , The Dancing Spirit www.thedancingspirit.com

401 338 9905 cell  , 401 624 4289 home      Barb@thedancingspirit.com