Dance to Health

An Extract from Sacred Dance by Dzagbe Cudjoe

2009-09-21T09:56:00.000-07:00

Dance is clearly one of the earliest forms of worship. Cave art from early prehistoric times onwards bears witness to the power of the dance. Such paintings and engravings occur worldwide. In the western part of Arnhem Land in Australia a cave painting shows two men playing instruments to accompany the dance. A rock shelter at Cogul near Lenda in Catolonia, Spain portrays a group of nine women. They are wearing knee length skirts and are dancing round a small naked male figure. The State of Madhya Pradash in India has abundant rock art depicting dancers and musicians. The caves in Tassili Algeria have paintings of female dancers and the Etruscans in 500 BC depicted dancing in wall frescoes.

Certain dances mimic animals or are aimed to ensure that something happens. For example hunters in ancient times are shown in cave paintings dancing wearing animal skins and masks. We can safely assume that this was to ensure good hunting. Dances miming the gathering of the harvest must also be of ancient origin. As time has passed such dances have become folk dance rather than sacred dance.

Sacred Dance is often preceded by elaborate secret preparations such as bathing, avoidance of certain foods and drinks and from sexual intercourse. There may be periods of intense prayer and the taking of trance inducing substances.

One of the best documented european sacred dances is that connected to the cult of the Greek god Dionysus. The rituals in his honor included orgies, the sacrifice of animals, excessive wine-drinking and trance dancing which continued until the dancers collapsed with exhaustion.

Judaism had no problem with dance being connected to worship. Psalm 150 for example:- "Praise ye the Lord... Praise him with the timbrel and dance". King David is said to have whirled before the Ark of the Covenant. In the Talmud dancing is described as being the principal function of angels.

Dance was part of the service in the early Christian church. It took place in the choir and was led by the bishop. Today there are Christian churches who are reintroducing dance sometimes in a very self-conscious style.

Sacred Dance can in itself be therapeutic.

The Shakers, who were an offshoot of the Quakers were brought to America from England in 1774 by Ann Lee. A vision had told her that sexual intercourse was the source of mankinds's troubles. She established a closed community which practised self-sufficiency and communal ownership of all possessions. The Shakers had a deep understanding of the aesthetic of simplicity which showed itself in all aspects of their lives.

Shaker dances were held in the evening. Men and women entered the hall separately. They marched in on tip-toe and formed two rows facing each other about five feet apart.Men were on the right with the women on the left. The Chief Elder stood in the middle and gave a five minute address. He concluded by saying "Go forth, old men, young men and maidens and worship God with all your might in the dance". Men and women did not intermingle. There were pauses to see if anyone had received "a gift". Then two of the sisters would start whirling like tops with their eyes shut. They continued whirling for about 15 minutes when they stopped suddenly and sat down again.

There are no longer any viable Shaker communities and the dances have therefore died out. A certain number of their hymns, however, continue to be sung in various other churches.

An ancient Sacred Dance tradition continues to this day in Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE PLEASE GO TO http://www.dance-to-health-help-your-special-needs-child.com/sacred-dance.html

6 DANCE MOVEMENT LESSON PLANS http://www.lulu.com/content/5417774

DVD DANCE IN OUR FOOTSTEPShttp://www.lulu.com/content/5418026

DANCE TO HEALTH http://www.lulu.com/content/5417355

CALLING ALL DRUMMERS AND FLUTE PLAYERS http://www.lulu.com/content/5631546

AN APPROACH TO AFRICAN RHYTHM BY SETH CUDJOE http://www.lulu.com/content/5427533

Girl Cheerleaders Look Out! The Boys have entered the scene

2009-08-31T10:00:00.000-07:00

Extracted from Martin Wainwrights' article in The Guardian 17-08-09

Until very recently dancing was not considered to be an occupation or pastime for red blooded English males. How times have changed. Not only are young boys dancing they have entered the previously female world of cheerleading. It's rather been forgotten that the original American cheerleaders were men. http://www.dance-to-health-help-your-special-needs-child.com/cheerleading.html

The first all male cheerleaders team in Europe has recently been formed in the UK. They call themselves the Peewee Boys and have just won their first major trophy at the International Cheer Championships.

The boys in the under 10's team have to put up with a certain amount of teasing. A number of members play football and rugby in the under nine's league.

The idea of an all boys cheerleading team is the brainchild of Ian Rodley aged 25. Entry to the Peewees is free. Their Patron is DAZL - Dance Action Zone Leeds. Rodley maintains that there are only four other all boy teams in the world. The others being in the USA, Thailand and Japan.

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Six Dance Movement Lessons http://www.lulu.com/content/5417774
Dance to Health http://www.lulu.com/content/5417355

DVD Dance in Our Footsteps http://www.lulu.com/content/5418026
A fun DVD introduction to African dance
African dance is the perfect antidote to stress and that down-in-the-dumps feeling. Give yourself a tonic which leaves your mind, body and spirit feeling refreshed and invigorated. Dance to the exhilarating rhythms of Africa.

The Sardana - a very special Catalonian Dance

2009-08-02T07:35:00.000-07:00

The sardana (plural sardanas) is a circle dance associated with the Catalan region of Spain. The people of Catalonia occupy the northeastern corner of Spain spilling over the Pyrenees into French Roussillon. There are two main versions of this dance. The original version was the sardana curta (the short sardana). The modern and more popular version is the sardana llarga (the long sardana). The origin of this dance is unknown though it has been popular since the 16th century. Similar Iberian and Meditarranean circle dances exist but the music for this dance has its own unique patterns. It is a non-performance dance which does not require high levels of fitness. On the occasion I witnessed it I watched in amazement as an elderly genteman, who had been sitting on a newspaper placed on a step, laid his crutch aside and struggled to his feet. He then joined the circle closest to him Other circles had dancers who looked as if they were in their eighties.These older participants were enjoying a relaxing activity which helped their general health. The circles moved at the speed and with the energy levels of the majority of their participants. Some circles had predominately younger dancers and their circles moved with a lively energy. The circles can be entirely of people of the same sex, mixed or with couples only. It is considered bad manners to join a circle made up entirely of couples. When a circle becomes too large, more circles are formed. No special costume is needed, normal day wear is usual. Quite a few dancers were wearing the traditional rope espadrilles. When I first arrived to watch the dance there were just three dancers present. They put their bags and outer clothing in a pile and then formed a circle around the pile. As time went on the number and size of the circles increased. At its' height there were perhaps between 150 and 200 people taking part. People participating join hands together and with them held at shoulder height they dance with very small, precise steps, slowly round and round moving in a clockwise direction. The music for the sardana (also called sardana) is played by a cobla - a wind band. Four of the instruments the tenora, tible, flabiol and tambori are typically Catalan. Some sardanas have sung versions but these are not usually played for dancing. Many Catalans consider the regime to be distinct from Spain and there has been an independence movement for more than 150 years.The spanish dictator General Franco ruled Spain from the late 1940's to 1975. He considered the Catalan desire for independence and their national pride to be arrogant and insolent. Franco enforced crippling laws in a vain attemt to crush the traditions and language of the Catalans. Speaking Catalan was forbidden as was the sardana. Under the Franco dictatorship Catalan was excluded from state education and all other official use. To reverse this decline since 1983 there are laws which attempt to enforce, to protect and encourage the use of Catalan. This is the reason why the sardana is considered by the people of Catalonia to be a powerful symbol of national unity and identity which unites people from different walks of life and different circumstances. To read FREE EXTRACTS of "Dance to Health - Help Your Special Needs Child Through Inspirational Dance"CLICK HERE

Dance to Health is devoted to all aspects of Dance and especially Dance and Movement Therapy for Children with Learning and/or Physical Problems.The emphasis is on the health, creative and spiritual aspects of dance as a therapy.

Politics and its' Influence on Popular Dance in Africa

2009-07-13T09:22:00.000-07:00

I thought that this article might be of interest to those of you who are interested in how politics can be represented through dance.

The Standard on Line Nairobi, Kenya

Dance groups with crime-oriented names

Published on 27/03/2009
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Musical chairs in production houses

By Matilda Nzioki

Most of the dance groups have names ranging from FBI to Al-Kaeda. Others are called CIA and many other names of agencies. Almost every other youngster dance group that is formed gives the impression that the names are borrowed from criminals and crime busters. Nearly all the groups are formed in the club, where the youngsters get together for the Sunday afternoon Jam Session. This has somehow brewed beef, with every group calling on the other to be original when picking a stage name. Some of the groups include:

Al-Kaeda

Its translation is ‘The Base’, and it is an International Sunni Islamist extremist movement whose characteristic techniques include suicide attacks and simultaneous bombings of different targets. Activities ascribed to it may involve members of the movement, who have taken a pledge of loyalty to Osama bin Laden. It has been labelled as a terrorist organisation by the UN Security Council among other organisations.

Al-Kaeda
Number of members: Five boys, all campus students. Currently Redsan’s dancers, and have danced for musicians Collo, Risasi, DNG and Megatone in the past.

Genre: Can dance to all types of music.

Formed in: 2005

Pulse: Why that name?

A: It was given to us back in high school, after an electrifying performance and the MC said that we had brought terror in the house, then our mates started calling us Al-Kaeda. At the time, we were known as ‘Pioneer’.

P: Do you think that stage name can affect your business?

A: It actually has, in a lot of instances. Although our name has a ‘K’ instead of a ‘Q’ we decided to keep the name Pioneer that we use for corporate shows and Al-Kaeda for young people and high school students as it appeals more to them.

P: What’s with every group coming up calling themselves such kind of names?

A: We were the first dance group out of high school to make it in the industry and actually we won a CHAT Award. We are also the only ones who are on the "wrong side of the law", so they must have figured by being "law enforcers" they will get inspiration to conquer us, just like all the US intelligence groups are targeting Al-Qaeda. But they can’t find us; the same way Osama hasn’t been caught!
Secret Service

Other groups whose majority of members are in boarding high schools include GSU, CIA, SWAT, CSI and CID. The latter is made up of three girls, and the three letters apparently stand for the initials of their names.

Definitions from Wikipedia

Secret Service: In reality it is called the United States Secret Service and it is a United States federal government law enforcement agency responsible for investigation of major fraud and ensuring the safety of national VIPs such as the president.

Locally: Number of members: Six. Four boys and two girls, all of them students at the university and aged between 20-22

Genre: Ragga and Hip-hop.

Formed in: 2008

Pulse: Why that name?

FBI
SS: All the dance groups in secondary schools seemed to be coming up with these sorts of names, so we called ourselves that to mock them, and the name stuck.

P: Are your moves related to crime and law enforcement?

SS: Yes, mostly. We have some dance moves that seem like one is shooting, or even cocking a gun.

P: How come all these names are from the west, especially the US?

SS: Probably because there are no such intelligence agencies locally. The only local one must be Kwekwe, which we had actually considered, but thought it might bring trouble with the government and also leave us stigmatised. These agencies attract people because they appear deadly on TV programmes.

LAPD

In reality it stands for Los Angeles Police Department.

Number of Members: Five college boys aged between 20-23

Genre: All, hata Bhangra.

Formed in: 2008

Pulse: Why the name LAPD?

LAPD: Our name stands for Legal Army of Prime Dancers. We are soldiers who battle on the dance floor. LAPD is a known initial, but we have modified ours to mean a different thing, because we know we can get sued.

P: Do you think the choice of your name can affect your business seeing that these names are somehow associated with immaturity?
LAPD

LAPD: We believe that many people have learnt not to judge a performer by the name.

P: FBI is claiming that everyone with such kind of names has followed in their footsteps. What’s your take on that?

LAPD: They may have started before us as a group, but we were dancing solo, way before they cleared high school. We later formed a group to harness our talent. They had a larger fan base too because when people are in high school, there’s some sort of solidarity.

FBI

In reality it is the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) which is the primary unit in the United States Department of Justice, serving as both a federal criminal investigative body and a domestic intelligence agency.

Number of members: Ten, all college boys aged between 17-21.

Genre: They dance to any and every genre of music.

Formed in: 2006

Pulse: Why the name FBI.

FBI: Our name simply stands for Fans Based Insiders, and we do not compare ourselves to the one in the US, as we have nothing to do with each other.

P: Why do you think there are all these dance groups with these names?

FBI: It was Al-Kaeda group and us who pioneered these kind of names, as we were formed in 2006. We believe the rest come up with these kinds of names thinking they will make it like we did.
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African Dance DVD Dance in Our Footsteps http://www.lulu.com/content/5418026
CD CALLING ALL DRUMMERS AND FLUTE PLAYERS http://www.lulu.com/content/5631546
AN APPROACH TO AFRICAN RHYTHM BY SETH CUDJOE http://www.lulu.com/content/5427533
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CONTACT IMPROVISATION: A DANCE OF EQUALITY

2009-07-11T09:14:00.001-07:00

Bruce of Berkeley California writes:-

"At the age of 17, I broke my neck while diving, which resulted in paralysis affecting my body from my chest down. While on a March for Peace in Central America, I learned about contact improvisation and discovered through it that people with and without disabilities could dance together equally. Contact improvisation allows someone disabled to become so engaged in the contact and balance with another dancer, that the sensation supersedes the superficial image. Even though I have limited voluntary movement throughout my body, I can create coordinated movement, using the sensation in my body and skeleton.

The focus of the dance is on the conversation of body movement between two people. Each person listens through that person's own body to the other dancer's movement. As well, each person is responsible for his or her own safety in the dance and trusts that the other will always be in the present moment, listening.

For me, it's important to create motion and dance that naturally emerges from a disabled person's body. I encourage people with disabilities to find their own personal expressions of movement from their own bodies rather than imitating dance styles like ballet or ballroom dancing and movements that come from non-disabled bodies. When persons with disabilities try to perform in contemporary dance styles typically performed by the non-disabled, audiences judge them as making a nice effort. However, when persons with disabilities create dances which present the authentic movement of their own bodies they will find that the audience will appreciate them as true artists."

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Can dance help in the reduction of Childhood Obesity?

2009-07-04T08:45:00.000-07:00

Childhood obesity is already a very serious and disturbing problem in the United States of America and many parts of Europe where obesity in general is increasing.The problem looks set to spread to other parts of the world as their standard of living improves.A diet with a high fat, sugar and salt intake and a sedentary lifestyle have all been major contributing factors in childhood obesity. As a result children are getting Type 2 diabetes and other illnesses usually associated with middle age. We have a generation of children who may well die before their parents.

It seems that the present generation is no longer keen on traditional competitive team games. Modern technology has led to children wanting to entertain themselves and to be personally in charge of the activity. Television and computer games loom large in their lives.

Overweight and obese children need to follow a strict weight loss regime and take increased exercise to help burn up the calories. The difficulty is that children who have a problem with their weight don't enjoy the changes in their eating habits and are unenthusiastic about exercise. Cajoling, bribery, and threats do not work. The trick is to find an activity which burns calories but is not necessarily immediately seen as exercise. It also needs to be interesting and fun. This is where dance comes into its' own as a calorie burning aerobic form of exercise.

Dance, partially due to television shows, is now the "in" way to exercise. Increasing numbers of people are using dance workouts as a way of exercising. You don't need to be a great dancer to enjoy the health benefits of dancing. The main purpose is to enjoy moving to music and music plays a large role in young peoples lives these days

Dancing can be a really good Mind-Body-Spirit workout. Physical activity in general keeps body and brain healthy by increasing the amounts of brain chemicals that encourage nerve cells to grow. Dance helps people of all ages and physical limitations to get and stay in shape. There is chair and wheelchair dancing for people (including children) who have mobility difficulties.

The benefits of dancing are the same as other low-impact weight bearing activities such as walking fast, cycling or aerobics. This form of exercise also strengthens bones and muscles without stressing the joints. It tones the whole body and improves posture and balance. There is an increase in stamina and flexibility and a reduction in stress and tension which are often a problem for overweight children.

There are numerous forms of dance which may appeal to children and which could help in the battle against childhood obesity

Hip Hop and Capoeira are two dance forms which children may find appealing. Capoeira is a Brazilian hybrid dance and martial art. Cardio Capoeira is very challenging indeed. An exercise session involves heavy sparring (i.e dancing ) that can be done either solo or with a partner. It involves a lot of kicking, spinning and cartwheels. In this workout the buttocks, quadriceps and hamstrings are really exercised due to the multiple repetitions of a deep side-to-side lunge which links one capoeira movement to the next.

Cardio Salsa is a low-impact but high intensity workout combining precise, fast-paced Latin choreography - merengue, mambo, cha-cha, samba - with traditional aerobic dance steps (such as the grapevine), repeated lunges, and arm raises. The great advantage of this exercise programme is that what is learned can be practised on the dance floor. Knowing the steps and being able to move to complex rhythms is likely to increase self-confidence and poise.

Masala Bhangra , is a challenging workout, based on the traditional folk dance of India. It involves a choreographed series of hops, foot stomping and hip gyrations accompanied by hip-hop influenced bhangra music and live drumming. Most moves are performed while vigorously shaking the arms at 45 degree angles to the side of the body and doing multiple, rapid-fire shoulder raises. This form of dance workout results in firm arms and sculpted shoulders. The same sort of classes are also known as Bhangra Aerobics.

There is now a dance form which is proving highly popular with people in general and is proving to be a great hit with children. The video game Dance Dance Revolution (D.D.R) is made by Konami of Japan where it was located in arcades in that country.It is now more usually played on Sony's Playstation 2 and Microsoft's box game consoles.
There are a number of other games such as Red Octanes's In the Groove, Pump It Up, Exceed, Dance Along and Para Para Paradise.

The video game Dance Dance Revolution and other such games may be a means of helping children loose weight. As a song plays (and all sorts of music is suitable) arrows pointing forward, back, left and right, appear on the screen in various sequences and combinations. The players must step on the matching arrows on a mat on the floor. Players can dance by themselves, with a partner or in competition

Some states in the U.S are already using it as a regular part of their physical education curriculum. Dance Dance Revolution offers excercise without children having to possess the skills demanded by sport and games. As a result it appeals to children across the board.

A study was carried out last year in Rochester, Minn. an area which has a particularly severe problem with childhood obesity. The research team from the Mayo Clinic found that children playing Dance Dance Revolution used significantly more energy than children watching television and playing traditional video games. D.D.R does meet standards for aerobic fitness by raising the heart rate sufficiently for the required period of time.

In Redmond, Oregon In the Groove was installed in third and fourth grade classrooms for a five-month study. The most "at risk" students were chosen to become "Groove Masters", mentors to other children. Some of the results from the study included:-

1. Absenteeism dropped by more than 50%

2. 85% of the mentors grew in social skills

3. 94% of the students who took part showed increases in leadership skills and confidence, which increased self-esteem and improved academic performance.

4. 4th grade students who took part in the study improved their mile run by 13.8%

5.Students became more enthusiastic about sports, fitness and dance,

The games were shown to give a good aerobic workout and to assist in weight loss, a very important factor in the battle against childhood obesity.

Dr Debra Liebermann of the Dept. of Communications, at UC Santa Barbara calls this video activity "exergaming". She described Dance Dance Revolution as a game, a social activity, a dance and performance platform, a workout and weight loss tool, and a classroom and workplace activity. She lists a number of reasons for its appeal:- the games challenges, the music, the joy of movement, the work out, and social interactions.

There are versions that allow aerobic instructors to work with a group.

Dr Liebermann's conclusions regarding these games was that they "make a very positive contribution to player's stress management, weight management, fitness and health".

This is perhaps a form of dance which will be acceptable to overweight children in that it is a fun happening which they will be happy to take part in.

Parents do take medical advice before putting your overweight child on a diet and exercise programme.

If children are not immediately attracted to a specific kind of dance - experiment. There's a dance out there for everyone. Have fun finding it!

"Dance to Health" http://www.lulu.com/content/5417355

"Dance in Our Footsteps" is a down loadable DVD Dance Video It offers a demonstration of the featured dances. It is not intended as a conventional instructional product. Enjoy yourself while experiencing the de-stressing and exhilarating effects of African dance. Try and copy the dancers if you wish or just use their movements and the music to inspire you to create your own authentic, original dance. But most importantly have fun and if possible have a party at the same time.http://www.lulu.com/content/5418026

Calling All Musicians is a CD which features the musical accompaniment to the DVD "Dance in Our Footsteps." It is to enable Drummers and Flautists to practice without playing the DVD. . Musicians in general will also find it helpful in learning the dance rhythms. Dancers can create their own choreography to the music.
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An Approach to African Rhythm by Seth Cudjoe http://www.lulu.com/content/5427533

Farewell Michael Jackson

2009-06-30T01:29:00.000-07:00

It is still very difficult for me to accept that Michael Jackson has left us for ever. We will never know how his music might have developed.I was hoping that future work would reflect his feelings and experiences of the past ten years.

I still cannot reconcile the image of a young brown skinned, snub nosed Michael Jackson sporting an afro with his appearance at the time of his death. He underwent numerous and major transformations in his facial appearance. How much this was due to natural causes and how much due to the surgeon's knife is, in the end, of little or no importance where his performance is concerned. In a curious way his changing appearance and his style of dressing went successfully hand in hand.

Personally I have the impression that although over the years his appearance changed from boy to androgynous looking individual Michael Jackson never made the vital step from child to man in certain aspects of his life.This is a feeling which many other people have too. Perhaps it was the unselfconscious expression of "the child within" which lead in part to what many considered to be inappropriate behavior. Who knows if the expression of the "child within" prevented the star from understanding on an emotional level how adults are expected to behave towards children.

What never changed throughout his career was his wonderful, invigorating, unique energy which radiated love and an understanding of the power of music and dance to transform and influence the individual and ultimately the world.

Michael Jackson single handedly transformed the pop video with his combination of song and highly original dance. I don't know how much of the mind blowing choreography was due to him but he was a brilliant dancer - light on his feet, acrobatic, with good elevation, always aware of his position in space and with elegant "line". His seamless integration of song and dance, always right from the start, projected one unique aspect of himself - the ability to express unconditional love.

He was influenced by earlier Black performers but he added his own uniqueness to all he did. Michael Jackson went from being a "Black" performer to being recognized universally as the "King of Pop". By the time he died his appearance reflected no particular race. His appearance in the end was a symbol of fragile humanity which transcended race. Did he attempt to incorporate all races into himself, thereby becoming a "Universal Human Being".

Michael's musical generosity carried over into other aspects of life. He was keenly aware of the less fortunate and lent his name and resources to causes at a time when they were still intensely unpopular as in the case of support for anything connected with AIDS. There is also his work for children world wide. He was acquitted on all counts at his trail for child abuse.It is totally inconceivable to me that anyone operating on the energies which Michael Jackson operated on could sexually abuse a child. He was clearly disingenuous, childish, and foolish in certain aspects of his relationships with children but a pedophile - I think not..

On many aspects of Michael Jackson's life we can only speculate agree or disagree. What cannot be denied is that with his death we have said farewell to a uniquely generous entertainer lauded and loved world wide.

Wheelchair Dancers are as Talented as Able-Bodied Dancers

2009-06-27T08:36:00.000-07:00

Wheelchair dancing or adaptive dancing as it is also called is growing rapidly in popularity and has been in existence for more than twenty years. There are many different forms. Sometimes it's a matter of two people doing their own spontaneous "thing". If the man is a wheelchair user his partner may sit on his lap and they dance seated. Then there is also line dancing when everyone executes pre-arranged moves or there is partner dancing with one or both participants in wheelchairs

Ballroom dancing is yet another form. Even such dances as the waltz, foxtrot and rumba are possible.

Wheelchair dancing is an international competitive sport involving athletes with a physical disability that affects the lower limbs. There are classes for "combi -style" (standing) partner or duo-dance with two wheelchairs. There are also formation dances for four, six or eight competitors.

Traditional wheelchair dancing involves moving the wheelchair across the dance floor, while wheelchair tap dancing concentrates on the movements of the legs while in a seated position. People who have movement in their feet can tap dance wearing tap shoes. Those with no foot movement can clap their hands instead wearing gloves with taps attached.

Those dancers who have movement in their arms and legs but not enough strength to dance standing upright can do so seated on a chair or lying on the floor. Almost everyone with mobility disablities can do some form of dance.

Many groups exist to encourage people with disablities to dance. One such is Third St. Ensemble Co. Performers range in age from eight to twenty-three and include children from diverse backgrounds and with many different problems. Wheelchair dance usually is a part of their performances and all company members are skilled in dance chairs.

Another such programme is a community based programme at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. To quote "This program is for children ages seven years and up with mobility challenges whose primary mode of transportation is the wheelchair. The focus of the class is the development of a variety of locomotor, rhythmic and creative skills using enjoyable dance experiences. Children have the opportunity to explore a variety of dance forms such as ballet, jazz dance, and creative dance and to gain confidence through performances and workshops."

Very exciting developments are taking place in the world of wheelchair dance. In a project called Feileacan (Gaelic for "butterfly") a mixture of able-bodied dancers and the avatars controlled by children in wheelchairs create dance that combines complex machine interfaces and virtual-reality computer graphic tools.

These particular developments, wonderful as they are, will not form the basis for any further discussion of wheelchair dancing.

There are young people who are highly competitive and highly physical who will be attracted to dance as sport. There are others who want and are in a position to go to a class and learn regular Ballroom, Line dances etc.

Dance classes of any kind can be highly therapeutic but they do require that participants strive to attain certain specific standards of movement and technique. This can itself create tensions and anxieties for the person

. Dance therapy is different in that there is total acceptance, encouragement and no criticism. As a dance and movement therapist I am in favour of using inspirational or "free" dance as it is also known..

I constantly emphasize that my dance and movement therapy experiences have been with children who have very profound physical, emotional or learning difficulties. In some cases the children had all three.

Our sessions were limited to one hour once a week during term time.The children in wheelchairs were totallly integrated with those who did not have mobility problems. None of the children in wheelchairs were capable of manouvering them on their own. In fact, some of the children had no controlled movement. The children did not have special chairs for dancing. The chairs had to be manouvered by helpers. Depending on the weight of the child and the design of the wheelchair this could be very tiring indeed. But no matter the difficulties, fun was had by all!

If the dance therapy session at home consists of just you and your child then you won't have the opportunity to interact with a number of other wheelchair users. It will be a threesome of you, your child and the chair. Of course, any number of people can dance and interact with the wheelchair dancer.

As with any dance attention should be paid to choice of music and the dance itself needs to reflect the ryhthm and mood of the piece. The chair can be wheeled so that there are sudden punctuation stops, turns that are sharp, gentle, slow or fast, changes of direction at various speeds, changes of height by tilting the chair.

The wheelchair dancer needs to be encouraged to move as much as possible interpreting the music. Changes of facial expression are important especially in children who are not normally very communicative.

Adaptations of line and square dances are often easily undertaken or you can create you own. To start you off here is a simple little circle dance for approximately six wheelchair dancers.

1. The wheelchairs are positioned in a large circle at equal distances from each other.

2. Then the chairs are pushed clockwise around the circle until each person is back in his or her original position. The person pushing can skip, gallop etc.

3. Repeat same move counter-clockwise.

4. Facing forward the dancers are pushed to the centre of the circle. Stop. If possible the children then hold hands with the person on either side of them.

5. Repeat steps 1 and 2 in the centre of the circle.

6. Dancers are pulled out of the centre circle facing backwards until they reach their original positions as in Step 1.

7. Tilt chairs onto the rear wheels, then turn the chair to the left and drop it onto all four wheels.

8. Repeat move 7 to the right.

9. Repeat moves 1 to 8. You can count the steps, make sounds, or sing etc. while doing this dance.

I hope this sparks your imagination!

"Dance to Health - Help Your Special Needs Child Through Inspirational Dance" http://www.lulu.com/content/5417355
http://www.dance-to-health-help-your-special-needs-child.com

R.I.P Michael Jackson

2009-06-26T00:49:00.000-07:00

The King of Pop is dead. This unique, multi-talented entertainer was received on the Other Side with joyous song and dance. Michael Jackson is experiencing a sense of peace which eluded him on earth.

I am feeling a very deep sense of shock at the moment. When I have achieved a feeling of acceptance that he is no longer with us I will write an appreciation of the late, great Michael Jackson.

Dance to Health: Let's Dance!

2009-06-23T08:15:00.000-07:00

Dance to Health: Let's Dance!

Quotes from People who Love Dance

2009-06-23T05:47:00.000-07:00

Borobodur Temple, Java, Indonesia

Dancing in all its forms cannot be excluded from the curriculum of all noble education; dancing with the feet, with ideas, with words, and, need I add that one must also be able to dance with the pen? ~Friedrich Nietzsche

Dance is the only art of which we ourselves are the stuff of which it is made. ~Ted Shawn, Time, 25 July 1955

Dancers are instruments, like a piano the choreographer plays. ~George Balanchine

There are short-cuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them. ~Vicki Baum

To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. ~Agnes De Mille

Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels. ~Faith Whittlesey

Dancing with the feet is one thing, but dancing with the heart is another. ~Author Unknown

Dance till the stars come down from the rafters
Dance, Dance, Dance till you drop.
~W.H. Auden

It is of course possible to dance a prayer. ~Glade Byron Addams

In a dancer, there is a reverence for such forgotten things as the miracle of the small beautiful bones and their delicate strength. ~Martha Graham

It takes an athlete to dance, but an artist to be a dancer. ~Shanna LaFleur

I don't want people who want to dance, I want people who have to dance. ~George Balanchine

Dancing can reveal all the mystery that music conceals. ~Charles Baudelaire

Dance first. Think later. It's the natural order. ~Samuel Beckett

Stifling an urge to dance is bad for your health - it rusts your spirit and your hips. ~Adabella Radici

I am a dancer. I believe that we learn by practice. Whether it means to learn to dance by practicing dancing or to learn to live by practicing living.... In each it is the performance of a dedicated precise set of acts, physical or intellectual, from which comes shape of achievement, a sense of one's being, a satisfaction of spirit. One becomes in some area an athlete of God. ~Martha Graham, c.1953

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Manual Dance to Health by Dzagbe Cudjoe http://www.lulu.com/content/5417355
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Let's Dance!

2009-06-18T05:06:00.001-07:00

Let's dance in the streets and squares of the world at this time of global turbulence and gloom! Let us all take strength and hope from dancing in a group of strangers who may end up as friends.

Rudolf Laban in his book "A Life for Dance" writes "In dancing we are able to express relationships in which awareness of self and others is enhanced. The feeling of joy which dance can give helps us to harmonize ourselves and gain an increased sense of belonging."

Dance has always mirrored the prevailing social conditions. In earlier times dance played an important role in public and working life. Laban further writes "Dance has had at all times a profound connection with the working habits of the periods in which they arose or were created".

Dance can have great political significance. The Sardana is a circle dance associated with the Catalan region of Spain. It is a non-performance dance which does not require high levels of fitness. The circles can be entirely of people of the same sex, mixed or with couples only. When a circle becomes too large, more circles are formed. Normal day wear is usual. The dictator General Franco forbade the speaking of Catalan and the dancing of the sardana. For this reason the people of Catalonia consider the sardana to be a powerful symbol of Catalan unity and identity which unites people from different walks of life and different circumstances.
I am not suggesting anything which requires elaborate choreography, costumes or music.

What I have in mind are simple circle dances. If there are a number of people in the circle who know the dance and everyone dances holding hands people will pick up the dance without any difficulty. No one can be excluded from joining in.

The circle is the symbol of eternity, of the wheel of life turning. Just as doom and gloom are both infectious and contagious so too are a positive, optimistic outlook. Holding hands, moving in unison with others in the open air to uplifting music will all help to induce a feeling of relaxation, upliftment and fun. Everyone is invited to become part of an ever changing circle as people come and go. It only requires a number of professionals who know the dance for it to become an informal community Dance and Movement session.

The dance would need to be "free" dance, that is dance not associated with any particular style.It could consist of simple walking steps, (to accommodate all ages) changes or direction, and turns for example. Perhaps with some downward movements to symbolize the financial situation having reached rock bottom and the only way is up and hand movements based on the use of the computer. The dances would need to employ "free" dance that is dance not associated with any particular style. Would we by doing this be creating the folk dances of the future?

Let's circle dance in the streets and squares in memory of Rudolf Laban to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his death. He had a deep understanding of the place and meaning of dance both for individuals and the community. He composed innumerable dance pageants, movement choirs and other large scale works. I'm sure that he would thoroughly approve of people dancing in the streets to express optimism for the future of the world.

Would this be an idea applicable to the London 20012 Olympic Games?.

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Enjoy an Extract from the DVD "Dance in Our Footsteps"

2009-06-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

This DVD Dance Video offers a demonstration of the featured dances. It is not intended as a conventional instructional product. Enjoy yourself while experiencing the de-stressing and exhilarating effects of African dance. Try and copy the dancers if you wish or just use their movements and the music to inspire you to create your own authentic, original dance. But most importantly have fun and if possible have a party at the same time.

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Come and See Flamenco Dancing in Andalucia, Spain

2009-06-09T03:35:00.000-07:00

May and June are wonderful months to visit Andalusia if you want to see dancing. This is the period when "Feria" (the Spring Fairs) are held. It is a time of eating, drinking, riding in carriages and dancing.

The vast majority of women and children wear the traditional flounced Flamenco dresses and decorate their hair with combs and flowers.They look stunning. Everyone dances with totally unselfconscious enjoyment. It is beautiful to watch parents and grandparents enthusiastically encouraging children as young as two years old to dance. Older women often stand by approvingly as their husbands dance with a young woman to help her improve her technique.

"Feria" is a time when it is obvious to all what a deep and ever evolving hold dance has in this part of the world.

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Dance and Education Need to Move Hand in Hand

2009-04-22T05:27:00.001-07:00

In our increasingly complex and disturbed world it is clear that new methods are called for if we are to produce educated, well balanced young people who can take their rightful place as adults in society.

Dance and education is a partnership which is finding a growing number of advocates. An understanding and appreciation of the possibilities of this combination is now necessary for teachers who are not in the dance and physical education fields. All teachers need to be aware of the possibilities of this approach.

Dr Judith Lynne Hanna of the University of Maryland is both a dancer and an anthropologist whose research has taken her around the world. In her acknowledgments she wrote "To my friends in Africa, especially Nigeria and Uganda, thank you for opening my eyes to the potential of dance as a medium of education for young and old alike. It was here that I first witnessed dance education, dance in education, and the relationship of dance to other aspects of life."

Her book "Partnering Dance and Education (Human Kinetics 1999) lays out her far-reaching ideas and convictions on the subject of dance and its importance in the future of education. The book is clearly written with educators and dancers in mind and the examples are mainly of the system in the United States. But this is a book that anyone who has an interest in the subject will find illuminating.

She writes "Our approach is to integrate dance into other academic classes, another approach is to offer problem-centered curricula using dance as one way of knowing, teaching, and learning." "In dance education as is the case with most educational practices, rigorous empirical research has not been undertaken on cause-and-effect relationship between certain dance education practices and student outcomes. Few resources have been available for research in dance education and even fewer for systematic assessment."

Here in point form are Dr Lynne Hanna's main points with regard to Dance Education:-

1. Dance education aids the development of kinesthetic intelligence.
2. Dance education creates opportunities for self-expression and communication within the constraints of the medium of the body.
3. Dance, whether representational, thematic or abstract, is a repository of civilization that changes through time.
4. Dance education teaches the values and skills of creativity, problem solving, risk taking, making judgements in the absence of rules, and higher-order thinking skills.
5. Dance provides an opportunity for students to recognize that there are multiple solutions to problems.
6. The study of dance fosters an individuals ability to better interpret interpersonal nonverbal communication.
7. Dance education provides a strong base from which to analyze and make informed judgements about corporeal images.
8. Learning the dances of other cultures helps students to develop an understanding and respect for them.
9. Through stimulating all the senses, dance goes beyond verbal language in engaging dancers and promoting the development of multi sensory beings.
10. Dance provides options to destructive alternatives in a world that is unpredictable and unsafe for children. It can empower the disempowered and disenfranchised.
11. Dance education prepares people for careers in dance and other fields, such as clinical psychology, chiropractor, anthropologist.
12.Dance enhances an individuals lifelong quality of life.
13. Participation in dance benefits our communities economically.
14. Dance education helps students develop physical fitness, appreciation of the body, concern for sound health practices and effective stress management approaches. Dance shares many of the health benefits of other athletics.

"Partnering Dance and Education" is a clearly written book which demands concentration but the reader will be well rewarded.

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Big, Beautiful Ballet Dancers

2009-04-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

Is this really ballet? I asked myself after watching video clips of the Cuban dance company Danza Voluminosa (Voluminous Dance) most of whose dancers range in age from 23 to 41 and all of them weigh more than 200 pounds. This group was formed in 1996 by Juan Miguel Mas, now its' director and choreographer. He says he is redefining the aesthetics of beauty and raising the awareness of heavy set people. "Although we are obese and dance, we are against obesity. We are always trying to lose weight" said Mr Ma who himself weighs 300 pounds. This statement has caused outrage in certain obese quarters who claim that the statement is self deprecating. To me that is not the case. Surely it's possible to be self-confident and enjoy the beauty of ones very large body while still realizing that health wise it might be better to lose weight.

What I am about to write is not a criticism of Danza Voluminose or any other company with greatly overweight dancers.The number of such groups is growing.

Another dance troupe Big Dance was founded in 1993 in Victoria, BC, Canada with 10 large dancers and the choreographer Lynda Raino.They were well received by audiences but now the number of dancers is declining. Raino has spotted many large women in her area but few in their 20's and 30's who are willing to dance. She says "That's a shame because young women will have decades to enjoy the art form. By about age 50 women are more comfortable in their bodies, and would more readily come out to a class, but they are starting to stiffen up. Knees start to go, as do backs and hips. People should start young, especially if they want to perform."

Helen Rezanowich is program assistant in women's studies at the University of Victoria. "I tried going to a big dance class but it was all too much in my face. I was not ready to look at it, at that point. Even watching teeny tiny women leaving the class before mine was hard. And the dance room is lined with mirrors. I didn't want to admit I was that big. Now I'm 51 and much more comfortable with my body size."

The Big Ballet was founded in 1994 by the choreographer Evgeny Panfilov. The company's aim is to change the conception of large dancers grace and agility. He also wanted to prove that untrained beginners could reach professional standards.

The lower weight threshold has been raised to over 238 pounds. Any dancer falling below this weight is offered the opportunity to regain the extra pounds with the advice of a nutritionist. If they do not want to do this they must give up their place to another larger dancer."They must be eating and eating and eating " said Natalia Liensky the companies director.The troupe consists of sixteen large women aged between 19 and 28 who have not undergone professional dance training and six regular-sized male dancers. They all have day jobs and include doctors, nurses and engineers.The dancers perform in tutus and on point and do pirouttes and plies. The dancers can even manage to do the splits. In some performances female dancers are lifted by male dancers - although it takes four men to get one woman into the air.

In an unusual move the Russian government of Vladamir Putin demanded that the Bolshoi Ballet re-instate a dancer dismissed for allegedly being too heavy and hard for a partner to lift

Marina Wolf Ahmad is the director and founder of Big Moves one of the few organisations in the world dedicated to getting all body types into dance classes and onto the stage. Marina states "There's a need to offer healing, supportive space for these women to get back into dance, and there's a need to start working toward supportive youth programs that train the dance teachers to be accepting of all sizes that come through their classes - right now, dance is not psychologically accessible to most people. Big Moves will take all shapes, all sizes as long as you come to rehearsals, get better and are really dedicated to dancing. Not just fat people - all sizes". Big Move companies have been set up in many parts of the US.

China now has a professional dance troupe called "The Overweight Troupe". The company consists of ten women and four men. They weight from 16stone to 35 stone. The entry requirement is that the dancers weight more than 100 kilos (220lbs or 15.7 stone). The groups founder weighed 11 stone (154 lbs or 70kilos) at the age of eleven.

I truly believe that everyone should dance but I do have a problem with obese dancers performing classical ballet. This is a form of dance where it is well near impossible for a woman who takes up this dance form in adulthood to excel. They are unlikely to be able to manage the challenges of technique. While both dancers and audience may enjoy humorous interpretations of classical ballets this is not enough. They need to have the same level of technique as any other performer. In addition ballet as a style is about defying gravity with lightness and ease.

All dance looks best when the choreography, music, the costuming and most importantly the dancers physique complement each other. Obese women look especially beautiful when performing dances such as those from the Middle East and some forms of African dance for example. In these styles extra large hips and breasts emphasize the earth connection of the dance and its feel for fertility and life as a whole. A skinny woman doing "belly dancing" does not show the dance off to its' best advantage. I well remember a Middle Eastern dance workshop attended by one obese young woman. She moved with a grace and expressiveness which was accentuated by her ample curves. She outshone us all.

An ever larger proportion of the population is aware of the health hazards of obesity which is rapidly increasing in many parts of the world. Obesity is defined as being 20% or more of your ideal weight.Childhood obesity is a major cause of abnormal growth acceleration. Girls who are obese often start menstruating early and go through the menopause early. This problem in boys can lead to both early and delayed puberty. Gynecomastia (excessive development of the male breasts) is another common problem.

In adulthood obesity is a root cause of a number of forms of ill health such as heart disease, stoke, diabetes mellitus, gallbladder disease, high blood pressure and cancer. Gout and in women reproductive abnormalities are common, as is osteoarthritis of the knees and spine in both sexes. Every extra pound which a person gains puts four times the stress on their knees.

What is quite clear is that most of these groups of extremely overweight dancers practise discrimination. A dancer looses weight and he or she is out of the troupe in the same way as in some companies a dancer who is putting on weight is asked to leave - both represent extreme views.

It clearly is not helping dancers health wise to encourage them to put on weight again after they have lost weight through experiencing the health giving effects of dance.The human body clearly was not designed to carry large amounts of excess weight for a lifetime and remain healthy.

Both the anorexic and size zero body and that of massively overweight dancers are not sending out a picture of a long term healthy body. There needs to be a happy medium. I am utterly delighted that overweight dancers are proving that they can be agile, graceful, sensitive and aesthetically pleasing performers who give their audiences great pleasure.In many cases dance has brought feelings of self-worth and confidence to those who formerly lacked these qualities.

I am in total agreement with Marina Wolf Ahmad whose aim is to make dance all inclusive and everyone dances together.I have not had the pleasure of seeing any of the aforementioned groups perform live. For this reason it would be wrong for me to make any comments regarding the repertoire or technique of any of the companies. All my remarks have been of a general nature and not specifically aimed at any company in particular. Let us always allow dance to help us to transform peoples' attitudes and beliefs!

I implore obese dancers who are losing weight to fore go dancing with the company, but to continue dancing classes and losing weight. This is the path to long term health and fitness. Does anyone know of obese people who have reached a Ripe Old Age?

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FREE CHAPTERS FROM DANCE TO HEALTH HELP YOUR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD THROUGH IMPROVISATIONAL DANCE

2009-04-17T06:25:00.000-07:00

FORWARD

This book is about "How to..." but it's not about making money, the number one theme of most e-books. It 's about improving the Health and Wellbeing of your special needs child through Dance.

This manual is absolutely unique. It really is the only one of its kind! It is written to encourage and to help the parents and carers of children with special needs to set up their own Dance Movement therapy groups. No other professional Dance Movement therapist has suggested that this is possible.

Yes, I know - there are books on Dance Movement for the use of teachers in schools. But this is often using dance only to reinforce lesson work. This is a good thing but I offer MUCH more. It is also true that increasing numbers of dance schools welcome the child with special needs. Again this is a good thing but what is practiced is not necessarily Dance Movement Therapy. The dancing is usually geared towards the able-bodied ;majority with little or no adaptations for the child with special needs. The special needs children strive to reach often unobtainable standards. THIS DOES NOT ENCOURAGE THE CHILDREN TO ENJOY DANCE. My method is fun and totally in involves everyone in a relaxed atmosphere. This increases the children's feelings of self-worth and confidence to try new things. It is also good exercise which increases lung capacity, flexibility and improves posture.

Following my suggestions you can unlock the fountain of natural, joyous, spontaneous dance within your child. Movement which comes from deep within a person is a true expression of themselves. These movements truly express the person who is dancing and are never, ever ugly. Such dance strengthens the Mind,Body,Spirit connection. You will get to learn new things about your child and to deepen the bonds between you. You will be helping your child to realize his or her full potential. This manual has been written because I believe from the bottom of my heart that the parents of children with special needs can be taught to help their child through Dance Movement therapy.

Dance Movement therapy is gaining acceptance in general, but in many parts of the world is unobtainable, and in others expensive and hard to find. My suggestions can be made relevant to any culture in the world.

I hope that this manual will give you the confidence and know-how to start your own Dance Movement Therapy group.

STEP 1

HOW PARENTS CAN HELP THEIR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD USING DANCE MOVEMENT THERAPY

Now that I've told you something about myself I want to get right back to the purpose of this manual. I've already stated with total conviction that I think parents can become Dance Movement teachers to their children with special needs.
Why do I believe this?
Let me ask you some questions first:-

Do you desperately want to help your child who has special needs?

Are you looking for a method to calm/stimulate him or her?

Are you looking for a method to have a very deep level of communication with him or her?

Are you looking for ways to have fun and explore the potential of your child?

Are you looking for ways to help your child to integrate socially?

Are you looking for a way to improve your child's posture and co-ordination?

Are you looking for ways to give your child confidence and a feeling of self-worth?

If your answer to these questions is "Yes" then this manual is most definitely for you!

I really want to reassure you that you do NOT need to be a professionally trained dancer to be a successful Dance Movement Therapist. It is important though that you find enjoyment in dance. What is essential is to be able to recognize and understand the power of dance movement. To go from movement to dance is a smaller step than you might imagine. AND I intend to give you lots of tips as to how to do this.

Nearly all of us, even the most profoundly disabled, are often capable of a level of dance. You can dance using only your fingers and/or toes. All of us have an inbuilt ability to dance though clearly some people have greater talent than others.

ONE WORD OF WARNING! DO NOT EVER MANIPULATE A CHILD INTO A POSITION. These are not physiotherapy sessions, nor gymnastic sessions, nor formal dance lessons. These sessions are about self-expression through Dance Movement.

Also please be clear that Dance Movement Therapy is not necessarily going to be a cure in the medical sense but it can bring bout both physical and psychological improvement.

I implore you not to be frightened and put off by the idea of dance. You can move! I'll show you how to turn simple everyday movement into dance. Dance Movement Therapy is a wide ranging term and it can even lead into very physical games. Great emphasis is being laid on the fact that parents are capable of conducting Dance Movement sessions with their children who have special needs. This really is true in the main.
You will take to Dance Movement therapy like a duck to water if:-

You are open to new ideas

You have confidence in yourself

You are sociable and outgoing

You are intuitive

You enjoy music

You enjoy physical activity

You do not expect results overnight

IF

You are very introverted

Other peoples opinions are paramount in your life

You are unable to be yourself

You have difficulty communicating your thoughts and feelings

You are uncomfortable with physical contact

You are very conservative in your outlook

You have difficulty being spontaneous

then you may find things a little more difficult at the beginning. Just because someone is not immediately brilliant at something does not mean that the person is not deriving benefit from what they are doing. -You will receive great personal benefit from the sessions.

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HAVE A PARTY AND LEARN TO "DANCE IN OUR FOOTSTEPS" LIKE A TRUE SON OR DAUGHTER FROM THE AFRICAN CONTINENT.

2009-04-17T05:30:00.000-07:00

Teach yourself Three Ghanaian Dances in this fun introduction to African Dance

African Dance is the perfect antidote to stress and that down-in-the-dumps feeling. Give yourself a tonic which leaves your Mind, Body and Spirit feeling refreshed and invigorated. Dance to the exhilirating rhythms of Africa. Nuna and Charlie are both beginners. If they can get the hang of it so can you. Have fun!

The instructors in the video teach at the Centre for National Culture, Tamale Ghana where the video was filmed.

Invite your friends round and learn the dances together! In a relaxed party-moood it's much easier to overcome any feelings of shyness or inhibitions about dance.Poor co-ordination can be overcome and so can two left feet. You don't need any dancing experience to successfullly "Dance in Our Footsteps". Nor do you have to be any particular shape, size or age. Let the music take over and you will have an enjoyable, relaxing time which will leave you feeling refreshed, de-stressed and uplifted. Your cares and worries will have been forgotten.

Dance is now recognized as an effective form of excercise. It can be a really excellent Mind-Body-and-Spirit workout. Dance is the key to keeping ones body and brain healthy as we age. Bones and muscles are strengthened without stressing the joints. Cardio-vascular efficiency is improved. Dance tones the whole body and improves posture and balance. It also greatly assists people both in losing and maintaining their weight which in turn helps in preventing diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, osteoporosis, gallbladder disease, depression and some forms of cancer.

A person weighing 147 lbs loses 3.5 calories per minute. Therefore 45 minutes dancing would burn up 157 calories which is equivalent to about half a chocolate bar.

However, a word of caution. If you answer "yes" to any of the following questions please seek medical advice before using this video:-

Do you have a heart condition and your doctor recommended that you consult before undertaking an exercise program?

Do you have chest pains when you do physical activity?

In the past month have you suffered chest pains while not doing physical activity?

Do you suffer from dizziness and balance problems?

Do you have bone or joint problems made worse by changes of physical activity levels?

Are you taking prescription drugs for blood pressure or a heart condition?

Any other reasons (such as pregnancy) which make you wonder if this physical activity might not be good for you?

I am a Dance and Movement Therapist and Cultural Anthropologist who has lived and worked in England, Ghana and Nigeria.

I really hope you enjoy "Dance in Our Footsteps".

P.S To help the party along you can download some ghanaian receipes for free.

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May Day Dances

2009-04-14T06:38:00.000-07:00

Maypole dances occur as part of May Day celebrations in many parts of the world. Traditions associated with this day include young people spending the last night of April out in the open and away from the town. They returned before sunrise bringing flowering branches to decorate the village buildings.

May Day was known as Beltane in Celtic times. It is a pagan rite celebrating the arrival of spring. In Medieval and Tudor times May Day was a holiday with great merry-making. A young girl was chosen as May Queen often with a May King. They represented fertility. They were crowned with hawthorn and may blossoms and they both presided over the festivities which included eating, drinking, games, "mummers" (plays) and of course dancing.

The celebration of May Day was banned by the English parliament in 1644 as immoral but was re-instated after the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660.

The maypole tradition appears in most Germanic countries, and in areas bordering them, as well as in countries invaded by Germanic tribes after the fall of the Roman Empire (such as Spain, France and Italy). However the tradition enjoys the greatest popularity in Germany, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, Great Britain, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Finland , and Sweden. Today maypole dances http://www.dance-to-health-help-your-special-needs-child.com/folk-dances.html) do not involve the general public in the United States today. But maypole dances very similar to those in the U.K are an important part of many High School dances as part of May Day Celebrations.

In England, Morris and other local folk dances took place around a tree, most commonly a hawthorn that had been cut down, stripped of its bark and brought into the center of the village In the sixteenth century maypoles were a genuine symbol of community. They were often the focus of rivalry between villagers who would steal one another's poles.

After the pole was installed it was wound round with garlands and sometimes painted. These were the early ribbon-less maypoles. By the twentieth century maypole dancing with ribbon plaiting was well established.

Some poles have fixed ribbons, others have one or two revolving rings with ribbons attached to them. The dancers hold the end of the ribbon with their outer hand while the inner hand, nearest the pole directs the ribbon from further up. The dancers skip or gallop around each other making a woven pattern along the length of the pole, which is then reversed so that the ribbons can be unwound again. Between eight and twenty dancers are said to be the best number. Both sexes can take part.

I remember doing such a dance as a child. We were dressed in Greek style tunics in a hideous shade of green and we danced barefoot. I can still recall the feeling of pleasure as I looked up and saw the patterns we had formed around the pole with the coloured ribbons.

There are a number of well-known ribbon-plaiting dances such as the Grand Chain. In this dance partners face each other and weave in and out on the beat. In the Barber's Pole the girls make a complete revolution around the pole while the boys stand still and vice versa. These dances make a plait against the pole.

There are other dances which form a plait away from the pole. In Gypsy's Tent, girls dance once around their partner, moving on to each subsequent boy until a "tent" is formed with the ribbons. Spiders Web forms a web around the pole. Jacob's Ladder makes two "ladders" down the pole and Pyramid is a variation of this, forming four ladders.

Younger children usually dance around the pole without using ribbons. It should be perfectly feasible to create a version for children who have special needs including wheelchair users.

There is no specific music for maypole dancing. Traditionally, in England these dances were led by Morris Dancers. They played the tunes they knew. Each village had its own dance(s) with regional variations. Any genre of English folk music or Morris tune is suitable. Also suitable is Celtic/Irish folk music, anything with a fiddle, pipe, tabor, accordion or concertina. Jigs are good for fast walking or skipping steps. Marches and reels are suitable for walking steps. Waltzes suit more elegant types of walking. Also appropriate are traditional Appalachian/Bluegrass instrumental music or even music from the Tudor/Elizabethan age. The recommended tempo is about 110 beats per minute.

About forty villages in the U.K today still have a permanent maypole used to celebrate may day.

Susan Kramer (http://www.bellaonline.com) gives details of two maypole dances. One using polka steps and the other skipping. No dance or musical experience is necessary. Her instructions are very simple and clear.
Waverly Fitzgerald (http://www.schooloftheseasons.com)has some lovely ideas for mayday gifts. She suggests giving packets of seeds symbolizing qualities she felt would enhance the lives of the recipients and then leaving them on doorsteps with a label wishing the person "Happy May Day". She also sends homemade cards created by making collages of pictures from flower catalogs and gardening magazines. Floral scented soaps and bubble baths are also suggested as appropriate gifts.

MAYPOLE LINKS

For Musicians looking for Sheet Music that would be Appropriate for Maypole Dancing, see the following website
http://www.ucolick.org/~sla/morris/abclib.html

To see Online Video Footage of Maypole Dancing, visit the following website and search "maypole"
http://www.bu.edu/dbin/dance/
and
http://searchforvideo.com/entertainment/dance/maypole-dance/51k-27aor2007

For Historic Images of Maypole dancing visit:
http://www.lyndonirwin.com/maypole.html

For Kits to Make your Own Maypole visit:
http://www.maypoles.com/

For a Variety of Topics Relating to Maypoles visit:
http://mrm.trunkles.net/Maypole.html:

A Unique African Dance DVD

2009-04-10T03:44:00.000-07:00

African Dance is the perfect antidote to stress and that down-in-the-dumps feeling. Give yourself a tonic which leaves your Mind, Body and Spirit feeling refreshed and invigorated. Dance to the exhilarating rhythms of Africa. Nuna and Charlie are both beginners. If they can get the hang of it so can you. Have fun!

The instructors in the video teach at the Centre for National Culture, Tamale Ghana where the video was filmed.

Invite your friends round and learn the dances together! In a relaxed party-mood it's much easier to overcome any feelings of shyness or inhibitions about dance.Poor co-ordination can be overcome and so can two left feet. You don't need any dancing experience to successfully "Dance in Our Footsteps". Nor do you have to be any particular shape, size or age. Let the music take over and you will have an enjoyable, relaxing time which will leave you feeling refreshed, de-stressed and uplifted. Your cares and worries will have been forgotten.

Dance is now recognized as an effective form of exercise. It can be a really excellent Mind-Body-and-Spirit workout. Dance is the key to keeping ones body and brain healthy as we age. Bones and muscles are strengthened without stressing the joints. Cardio-vascular efficiency is improved. Dance tones the whole body and improves posture and balance. It also greatly assists people both in losing and maintaining their weight which in turn helps in preventing diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, osteoporosis, gallbladder disease, depression and some forms of cancer.

A person weighing 147 lbs loses 3.5 calories per minute. Therefore 45 minutes dancing would burn up 157 calories which is equivalent to about half a chocolate bar.

However, a word of caution. If you answer "yes" to any of the following questions please seek medical advice before using this video:-

Do you have a heart condition and your doctor recommended that you consult before undertaking an exercise program?

Do you have chest pains when you do physical activity?

In the past month have you suffered chest pains while not doing physical activity?

Do you suffer from dizziness and balance problems?

Do you have bone or joint problems made worse by changes of physical activity levels?

Are you taking prescription drugs for blood pressure or a heart condition?

Any other reasons (such as pregnancy) which make you wonder if this physical activity might not be good for you?

I am a Dance and Movement Therapist and Cultural Anthropologist who has lived and worked in England, Ghana and Nigeria.

I really hope you enjoy "Dance in Our Footsteps".

P.S To help the party along you can download some Ghanaian recipes for free.

"Dance in Our Footsteps" can be purchased from:-

Click here to buy my DVDs
or
http://www.lulu.com/content/5418026
You may enjoy my book of children's stories "Tales My Ghanaian Grandmother Told Me" by Dzagbe Cudjoe available through Amazon.com
http://www.squidoo.com/DonnetteDavisSMMarketing

Liturgical Dance

2009-04-10T03:01:00.000-07:00

Liturgical dance is being increasingly re-introduced into services of Christian worship. Behind the choreography is the belief that the dance must be a heartfelt expression of faith and prayer. It is a physical expression of worship.Young people especially need to see a connection between body, movement and spirit. The aim is not to dazzle audiences but to deepen their religious experience,to make dance a prayer. However, the dance must not become such a personal expression that it means nothing in particular to the rest of the congregation.

Liturgical dance can include Folk dance, modern dance, jazz, interpretive dance, spontaneous dance, and circle dance to name a few. There are many starting points for the choreography . For example a song which has "danceability" and allows the word to be interpreted as movement. The dancers could also move to the music and see what emerges. Facial expression is also important. Sign language can be used as a basis to create dance moves. Some Christian church groups have been inspired to create dance by the exercises of St.Ignatius Loyola.

The dance can express many aspects of worship. Praise where the dancers are offering thanksgiving. Worship when intimacy between the performers would be expressed through reverent, yielding movements.There are celebratory dances and those expressing the fight against evil which would be forceful, bold and full of confidence. Expressing travail and trouble would suggest movements conveying reaching out to God for help, guidance, direction and relief.

Simplicity and humility are characteristics which are emphasized. Liturgical choreographers have to carefully integrate their choreography into rites that have been established for generations. All works have to be created with the peculiarities of each sanctuary's architecture. Sometimes obstacles such as stairs have to be taken into account. Sometimes the altar is in the middle of the dancing space and must be worked into the choreography.

Dance might accompany the entrance of the clergy and choir into the church, might replace the sermon, serve as a meditation or accompany an ancient prayer.

Christian women's groups are at the forefront of introducing liturgical dance. Interpreting scripture through movement can in fact be done by anyone, anywhere. Neither physical ability or experience with dance are required. Dancers need to work together for a significant period of time before dancing in the actual service. This develops rapport between dancers in both faith and movement. If there are great differences in technical ability then the choreography must be levelled at the least experienced to preserve integrity of movement and its meaning.

Some groups only dance for their own congregations while others tour to other places of worship.There are congregations who are involving the youth in dance, fitness and nutrition education. Christian based dance schools impart character development, self-discipline, self-control and self-esteem. The students are taught in a positive atmosphere with strong dance technique. Some dance ensembles have women's groups, young adults and children's groups.

Many videos, articles and books exist with instructional material for liturgical dance.

What liturgical dancers wear is not a costume. It is a garment of praise, symbolic and meaningful in design, colors and fabrics .Modesty is the key. There is much advice on the type of undergarments, the depth of necklines and the appropriate length of dresses and skirts.

The International Christian Dance Fellowship is an ecumenical fellowship that links individuals and organizations involved in dance and movement ministries around the world.

http://www.dance-to-health-help-your-special-needs-child.com
http://www.dance-in-our-footsteps.com
http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Donnette

Dance Can Be An Effective Tool in the Fight Against Childhood Obesity

2009-04-08T07:46:00.000-07:00

Childhood obesity is already a very serious and disturbing problem in the United States of America and many parts of Europe where obesity in general is increasing.The problem looks set to spread to other parts of the world as their standard of living improves.A diet with a high fat, sugar and salt intake and a sedentary lifestyle have all been major contributing factors in childhood obesity. As a result children are getting Type 2 diabetes and other illnesses usually associated with middle age. We have a generation of children who may well die before their parents.

It seems that the present generation is no longer keen on traditional competitive team games. Modern technology has led to children wanting to entertain themselves and to be personally in charge of the activity. Television and computer games loom large in their lives.

Overweight and obese children need to follow a strict weight loss regime and take increased exercise to help burn up the calories. The difficulty is that children who have a problem with their weight don't enjoy the changes in their eating habits and are unenthusiastic about exercise. Cajoling, bribery, and threats do not work. The trick is to find an activity which burns calories but is not necessarily immediately seen as exercise. It also needs to be interesting and fun. This is where dance comes into its' own as a calorie burning aerobic form of exercise.

Dance, partially due to television shows, is now the "in" way to exercise. Increasing numbers of people are using dance workouts as a way of exercising. You don't need to be a great dancer to enjoy the health benefits of dancing. The main purpose is to enjoy moving to music and music plays a large role in young peoples lives these days

Dancing can be a really good Mind-Body-Spirit workout. Physical activity in general keeps body and brain healthy by increasing the amounts of brain chemicals that encourage nerve cells to grow. Dance helps people of all ages and physical limitations to get and stay in shape. There is chair and wheelchair dancing for people (including children) who have mobility difficulties.

The benefits of dancing are the same as other low-impact weight bearing activities such as walking fast, cycling or aerobics. This form of exercise also strengthens bones and muscles without stressing the joints. It tones the whole body and improves posture and balance. There is an increase in stamina and flexibility and a reduction in stress and tension which are often a problem for overweight children.

There are numerous forms of dance which may appeal to children and which could help in the battle against childhood obesity

Hip Hop and Capoeira are two dance forms which children may find appealing. Capoeira is a Brazilian hybrid dance and martial art. Cardio Capoeira is very challenging indeed. An exercise session involves heavy sparring (i.e dancing ) that can be done either solo or with a partner. It involves a lot of kicking, spinning and cartwheels. In this workout the buttocks, quadriceps and hamstrings are really exercised due to the multiple repetitions of a deep side-to-side lunge which links one capoeira movement to the next.

Cardio Salsa is a low-impact but high intensity workout combining prcise, fast-paced Latin choreography - merengue, mambo, cha-cha, samba - with traditional aerobic dance steps (such as the grapevine), repeated lunges, and arm raises. The great advantage of this exercise programme is that what is learned can be practised on the dance floor. Knowing the steps and being able to move to complex rhythms is likely to increase self-confidence and poise.

Masala Bhangra , is a challenging workout, based on the traditional folk dance of India. It involves a choreographed series of hops, foot stomping and hip gyrations accompanied by hip-hop influenced bhangra music and live drumming. Most moves are performed while vigorously shaking the arms at 45 degree angles to the side of the body and doing multiple, rapid-fire shoulder raises. This form of dance workout results in firm arms and sculpted shoulders. The same sort of classes are also known as Bhangra Aerobics.

There is now a dance form which is proving highly popular with people in general and is proving to be a great hit with children. The video game Dance Dance Revolution (D.D.R) is made by Konami of Japan where it was located in arcades in that country.It is now more usually played on Sony's Playstation 2 and Microsoft's box game consoles.
There are a number of other games such as Red Octanes's In the Groove, Pump It Up, Exceed, Dance Along and Para Para Paradise.

The video game Dance Dance Revolution and other such games may be a means of helping children loose weight. As a song plays (and all sorts of music is suitable) arrows pointing forward, back, left and right, appear on the screen in various sequences and combinations. The players must step on the matching arrows on a mat on the floor. Players can dance by themselves, with a partner or in competition

Some states in the U.S are already using it as a regular part of their physical education curriculum. Dance Dance Revolution offers excercise without children having to possess the skills demanded by sport and games. As a result it appeals to children across the board.

A study was carried out last year in Rochester, Minn. an area which has a particularly severe problem with childhood obesity. The research team from the Mayo Clinic found that children playing Dance Dance Revolution used significantly more energy than children watching television and playing traditional video games. D.D.R does meet standards for aerobic fitness by raising the heart rate sufficiently for the required period of time.

In Redmond, Oregon In the Groove was installed in third and fourth grade classrooms for a five-month study. The most "at risk" students were chosen to become "Groove Masters", mentors to other children. Some of the results from the study included:-

1. Absenteeism dropped by more than 50%

2. 85% of the mentors grew in social skills

3. 94% of the students who took part showed increases in leadership skills and confidence, which increased self-esteem and improved academic performance.

4. 4th grade students who took part in the study improved their mile run by 13.8%

5.Students became more enthusiastic about sports, fitness and dance,

The games were shown to give a good aerobic workout and to assist in weight loss, a very important factor in the battle against childhood obesity.

Dr Debra Liebermann of the Dept. of Communications, at UC Santa Barbara calls this video activity "exergaming". She described Dance Dance Revolution as a game, a social activity, a dance and performance platform, a workout and weight loss tool, and a classroom and workplace activity. She lists a number of reasons for its appeal:- the games challenges, the music, the joy of movement, the work out, and social interactions.

There are versions that allow aerobic instructors to work with a group.

Dr Liebermann's conclusions regarding these games was that they "make a very positive contribution to player's stress management, weight management, fitness and health".

This is perhaps a form of dance which will be acceptable to overweight children in that it is a fun happening which they will be happy to take part in.

Parents do take medical advice before putting your overweight child on a diet and exercise programme.

If children are not immediately attracted to a specific kind of dance - experiment. There's a dance out there for everyone. Have fun finding it!

http://www.dance-to-health-help-your-special-needs-child.com
http://www.squidoo.com/DonnetteDavisSMMarketing

2009-04-07T08:43:00.000-07:00

1000 hands kuan yin dance(Goddess of Mercy) dance

This dance is called "Buddha with thousand hands".
It is performed by
a group of Chinese girls who are both deaf and
mute.They dance by
reading the signs given by the 2 teachers standing
at each side of
the stage, They are so famous now that they are
being invited by
countries around the world at $400,000 a
performance.

The flow of life's energies in dance is a source of endless fascination to me. Here the core energy is very strong and flows through the dancers fingers uniting them as a beautiful whole.

http://www.dance-to-health-help-your-special-needs-child.com

http://www.squidoo.com/St-Aidens-Homeschool

://www.blogtoplist.com/tracker.php?u=84793" alt="Entertainment" border="0" />

Slide Show of my Trip to South Africa

2009-04-04T11:57:00.000-07:00

Trip to South Africa My Thoughts on Life, People and Politics

2009-04-03T08:23:00.000-07:00

I arrived in South Africa under the impression that everything functioned with the efficiency associated with an industrialized society. This was a misconception on my part.

When I arrived, Donnette, whose work depends entirely on the internet had not had e-mail access for two weeks as Telcomsa was having problems. The telephone landlines are totally erratic. Getting anything fixed involved many long and expensive calls on a cell phone reporting the problem. Getting to someone who actually knew what they were talking about was a long, frustrating process.

People in the service sector, in the main were,pleasant enough and there were some who positively bowled me over with their charm. But businesses do not seem, to me at least, to be interested in creating long term customers The emphasis is on the here and now. Donnette and I went to print flyers. We were charged separately for 10 minutes of computer time, downloading the pdf file and printing the files - Fair enough. Donnette then asked the assistent if he would guillotine the pages. Yes, he could at fifty cents per page. Donnette and the assistants started laughing at the shocked expression on my face. We only had a few pages so Donnette did the job. The things that can be charged for as extras are amazing showing great ingenuity.

Public services which fail to offer a regular, efficient service are particularly fierce when it comes to settling bills. If customers are even one day late in settling telephone, water or electricity bills the service is disconected and a 50% late charge added.

Another misconception of mine was as to how the countryside and people would look. Perhaps I have watched too many wildlife programmes filed in the dry season when all looks, brown and dessicated. My visit co-incided with an exceptionally wet summer which had led to rivers bursting their banks. KwaZulu Natal is incredibly beautiful and was a radiant green while I was there. It soon became apparent to me how many common English garden plants are actually indigenous to Southern Africa. The trees were of indigenous species unknown (or so it seemed to me) in West Africa. The Drakensberg Mountains rose in the background and the landscape in a strange way reminded me of parts of England - no wonder English settlers were attracted here. I never stopped exclaming how beautiful the views were.

The West African urban street scene is vibrant, bustling and colourful. The areas if Pietermarizberg that it was safe to visit were dull and lifeless as if time had stood still. It had not always been like that I was assured. Many people remembered a time when it was safe to sit in a park or attend some event or other. It was only later that I realized central Pietermaritzberg (the capital of KwaZulu Natal) must have been very much a "White" area in the days of apartheid.

To experience a more lively atmosphere it is necessary to venture into what were formerly the areas exclusive to the "Indians" and "Blacks". In West Africa people are out and about wearing bright prints fashioned into traditional garments. At least in the areas of KwaZulu Natal which I visited people were dressed in a very drab and uninteresting manner. I realize that there are still beautiful traditional costumes which are worn on special occassions. My remark is specific to everyday wear.
Women from the less affluent groups seemed to all wear long skirts or dresses with what to my eyes was an odd assortment of accompanying garments. I remember one "Zulu" lady wrapped in a heavy winter coat proceeding with great dignity along the road. She looked like a Guy Fawkes figure but was quite beautiful in her dignity and strength.

I have never in my life encountered so many seriously overweight people of both sexes. I was told that this is due to poor diet on the part of both the "Afrikaans" and "Zulu" populations. The "Afrikaaners" and "White" population in general love meat - biltong (dried meat) boereworse (sausage), droe worse (dry salami) and incredibly calorific pastries such as koeksister (a fried plaited sweet soaked in syrup). There are advertisements for slimming salons and slimming pills and potions everywhere. I did not gain the impression that exercise was on such peoples agenda. Having made that comment there were many young people to be seen out cycling and jogging.

The Zulu diet is very heavy on carbohydrates and people seem to gain weight even though they work hard physically. What really upset me was seeing children who are already reaching morbidly obese proportions. The link between obesity and ill health does not seem to be made.

Everyone is affected by the Global Economic Recession. Young people of all races are trying to emigrate and find jobs overseas. The New Constitution of South Africa is not, very unfortunately, a level playing field for all its citizens. I was informed that "Whites" are not eligible for state child maintenance or for free schooling or free health care.. If this is so (while personally understanding the psychology behind the ruling) still cannot condone any laws which do not give all citizens equal rights. While it may be that "White" South Africans still belong to the more affluent strata of society there are many who are struggling to pay school fees and pay medical bills. Not everyone can afford medical insurance. I know of people who can no longer afford to buy their long-term prescribed medication.

As everywhere there are always people who are not prepared to do anything to help themsleves. There is a well known "White" woman who stands in the middle of the road at a crossroads holding a cardboard sign. She is a beggar and has operated on this spot for years. Morning and evening she is transported to and from her pitch by car. She owns a house. Many years ago the owner of a local restaurant offered to train her as a waitress. He was prepared to pay her a basic wage (not normally offered) and said she would also get commission. The offer was refused because the woman maintained she could make more money by begging. I was not able to find out who actually gave her money. One suggestion was that the "Indian" Muslim community might be generous to her.

KwaZulu Natal has the largest population of "Indian" origin in South Africa. Some people have been in South Africa for so long that where they came from on the Indian subcontinent is unknown to them and they have never been out of South Africa. There are two distinct groups some being Muslims and others Hindu. Many people of "Indian"descent feel that their contribution in the struggle against apartheid has not been sufficiently recognized and that they are still discriminated against.

The Malls are filled with frail, ancient and often disabled "White" South Africans. Somewhat to my surprise I felt deeply sorry for them. It is not easy in the later years of life to adjust to massive social and economic changes.

In the same way I felt incredibly sad at the thought that so many "Black" South Africans are still without basic amenities, schools and often without hope. Things are improving but the question is will they improve fast enough for the masses who were promised so much.

All the people who I met on my trip were open and friendly - truly delightful. But it will always be a searing pain and deep sadness to me that I as a fellow African was never able to meet any "Black" South Africans on a social basis. My friends one "White" one "Indian" do not see and have never seen people in terms of colour. They behave in the same friendly and courteous manner to everyone. One friend got herself into trouble with the authorities for helping "Black" South Africans . The father of my other friend was a political activist who had to flee the country and spent twenty years in exile in England.

Once this friend and I were on our way to the Ladies rest Room with women of all colours when I remarked that not so long ago we would all have had to use different facilities. My friend started to tell me about that period. Suddenly I felt that the subject would be too painful for both of us and I backed off.

Apartheid created for South Africans a life where everything from birth to death was regulated by skin colour. Real social contact between groups became virtually impossible. Now South Africa finds itself in a position where people do want to get to know each other but do not necessarily know how to build bridges. It appeared to me that the different groups do not seem to know a great deal about one another. Out of this diversity a common South African culture needs to be built. A culture which everyone can identify with. The "Rainbow Nation" still lies in the future.

This will clearly not happen overnight. Schools are integrated and all pupils must learn Afrikaans and an African language. This is a big step forward but real integration will take time. I went to South Africa to promote my children's book "Tales My Ghanaian Grandmother Told Me" but I would dearly love to return to do work connected with culture and education or lecturing teachers on the benefits of Dance and Movement Therapy for children with Special Needs.

http:www.strategicbookpublishing.com/TalesMyGhanaianGrandmotherToldMe.html
h ttp://www.dance-to-health-help-your-special-needs-child.com
http://www.squidoo.com/journey-South-Africa-book-launch

Thoughts on My Trip to South Africa - Security

2009-04-03T05:30:00.000-07:00

My first few weeks in south Africa to publicize my children's book were spent in a state of extreme culture shock. Nothing was as I had been led to believe - not even the weather. It was winter in Andalucia, Spain when I left for what was supposed to be mid-summer in South Africa. The first few days were so cold I ended up wearing the same winter clothes I had arrived in. And it rained and rained and rained.

Though I had lived and worked in West Africa I knew that South Africa was very different. One of my misconceptions was that I would be able to take public transport and travel around on my own. It was soon made clear to me that this did not come into question. It was far too dangerous.

At this point I must emphasize that anything I write is based on my experiences in a suburb of Pietermaritzberg. What I describe may or may not be representative of of South Africa in general.

Security is everybody's overriding concern. I had expected security to be an issue but not to the extent that it is. Every house seems to have strong fencing topped by razor wire and most have electric gates. Prominently displayed signs reading "Twenty Four hour surveillance. Armed response" are standard.Armed response means just what it says. In addition most people in the area have terrifyingly large guard dogs. My hostesses neighbour has two ferocious mastiffs. Apparently before buying or renting a property the first consideration is the security arrangements.

I know that I am going to really upset many people by using the terms "White", "Black", "Indian" etc but the fact of the matter is that it is not yet possible to describe the situation in South Africa without employing these terms. There are no value or moral judgments attached to my use of these terms.

All the shopping malls have tight security. Armed guards are positioned outside banks and ATM's. Security personnel in the malls are well trained and have found themselves involved in shoot outs. A shop in a mall with bullet damage which was pointed at to me. An outlet in a mall was selling guns and had the most vicious-looking , large knives on display. I noticed one guard was wearing navy combat gear who was standing with his arms held clear of his torso like a cowboy in a film at the start of a shoot out. He reminded me of a perfect, efficient android. The steely watchfullness in all the guards eyes made my hair stand on end. South African security personnel are much sought after in the Middle East.

The police are also much in evidence. They are very well paid and enjoy benefits such as good health insurance, generous housing mortgages and the use of a police vehicle.

The local paper seemed to regularly feature details of robberies (mostly with violence). While I was there a shoot out occurred in Pietermaritzberg which caused two fatalities. The incident was suspected to be connected to "taxi wars".

One afternoon we were all sitting at home when there was a sharp report from further up the road. When I enquired what it was Donnette replied completely unperturbed that it was a gunshot.

People seem to take the violence calmly and fatalistically . They avoid certain areas of town, take all security precautions knowing full well that really determined burglars will get in anyway. Such times bring out the best and worst in people.

Coffee with Lovely People

2009-04-01T08:33:00.000-07:00

18th March, 2009

Julie, Sue (a friend of Julie's and a housemother at Wycliffe School) and Julie's psychologist niece who had worked at the Oprah Winfrey School met for coffee this morning.

Julie's niece is very like her mother who works at the Esther Payne Smith School. She is a dynamic person who is looking for challenges. She is also obviously highly principled and is just the sort of person the new South Africa needs. It was very interesting and illuminating for me just listening to her.

Donnette, the kids and I were sitting talking when suddenly there was a sharp sound which Donnette said was a gunshot. The direction of the sound came from a bit further up our road. Donnette remained unperturbed by the situation which, even in this upmarket residential area is not uncommon.

The electricity kept coming and going all evening.

21st March,2009

This was a very sad day indeed as I said a tearful goodbye to Donnette and the children all of whom I had become very fond of indeed. This is a relationship which will continue into the future and I look forward to welcoming them all to my home.

This has all been more of a record of what I did rather than what I thought. My thoughts need more time.

http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/TalesMyGhanaianGrandmotherToldMe.html
http://www.dance-to-health-help-your-special-needs-child.com
http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Donnette

A Flying Visit to Durban

2009-04-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

16th March,2009

Julie on the spur of the moment asked her brother-in-law, who happened to have a free day, if he would drive us all to Durban in her car. He very good naturedly agreed. I was absolutely delighted by the idea as I had begun to feel that I wouldn't get a chance to visit Durban before I left.

Our fist stop was "uShaka Marine World". Described as "a massive new investment in improving the southern beach front area. Filling a previously run-down 16 hectar site in the Point, the showcase R700million theme-park opened on 30th April,2004. Divided into several areas (Sea World, Wet n' Wild World and uShaka Beach), the park boasts one of the world's largest aquariums, the biggest collection of sharks in the southern hemisphere, a seal stadium, Africa's largest dolphinarium, marine animals and exhibits, a mock-up 1940's steamer wreck, a shopping centre, fresh water rides and a beach featuring activities from surfing lessons to kayaking."

It was very quiet as it was a week day. We simply walked through the architecturally interesting main walkway to the beach. There were free pushchairs for infants and wheelchairs for the disabled and there were ramps everywhere. A plethora of high quality shops and resurants lined the Promenade.

We walked down to the beach though we stayed on the walkways. Due to the prolonged, heavy rain the sea was very brown looking. There were a few hardy sould swimming and surfing. We could see ships coming into the harbour and a number waiting their turn out at sea. Durban's harbour is the busiest in Southern Africa and the ninth busiest in the world.

There were a number of sculptors who had created some rather good sand sculptures. I wonder what they will produce for the World Cup in 2010?

As we walked back to the car I looked into numerous shops for presents and found some nice things.

We then drove to the area where there were large numbers of sleek motor boats both private and for charter. Here it was possible to take trips around the harbour and go shark watching.

We went to the Promenade so I could have my photograph taken in a rickshaw by a rickshaw puller in full Zulu regalia. "In 1904 there were about 2000 registered rickshaw pullers, and it was an important means of transport."

After this we headed back to Pietermaritzberg just avoiding the rush hour.

I spent the night with Julie sleeping in her granddaughters four-poster bed decorated with fairies and butterflies.

The "Asian" Residential Area of Pietermaritzberg, South Africa

2009-04-01T08:06:00.000-07:00

14th March, 2009

Julie took me to Northdale which was and still is the "Asian" area of Pietermaritzberg. There are mosques and Hindu temples as well as Christian churches. She showed me what had been her marital home. The whole area still has a certain dignity about it and one can imagine the area in the days of its glory. Squatter camps have spring up and have increased residents security fears. Also as the camps have no sanitation they are very unhygienic. Periodically the camps are closed and people are moved on.

Julie also took me to the Debi Northdale market. this is a market run by "Indians" mainly for "Indians". You would not think that you are in Africa. Quite a few of the vegetables were unknown to me. Everything was wonderfully fresh and appetizing looking.There were stalls selling fresh fish and seafood, meat, clothes, hair and beauty products and the necessities of life in general. There was an astonishing spice shop which smelt wonderful. It also had kitchen utensils some so large that they could be used to feed the five thousand. It is a daily market but really comes into its' own at the weekends.

http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/TalesMyGhanaianGrandmotherToldMe.html
http://www.dance-to-health-help-your-special-needs-child.com
http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Donnette

Which country am I in - South Africa or England?

2009-04-01T07:56:00.000-07:00

13th March, 2009

To-day was the swimming gala at Wycliffe School. Julie invited me along to see her eldest granddaughter perform. The composition of the spectators was predominantly "white" with a small number of "Asian" families and very, very few "Black" families.

I sat on a chair by the side of the swimming pool in a state of total disorientation. I was surrounded by buildings and beautifully manicured lawns and flower bed such as I associate with expensive, private girls' boarding schools in the South of England.

The sports staff were all striding around in short pleated navy blue skirts and white ankle socks. My feelings of deja vu were intense. Although educational standards at the school are exceptionally high I do wonder what sort of preparation is offered for life in the future South Africa. The school did buy a copy of "Tales My Ghanaian Grandmother Told Me" so perhaps that's a promising sign.

Inclusion or exclusion is no longer on the grounds of colour but of finance.
Now available through Amazon.com
http://www.strategicbookmarketing.com/TalesMyGhanaianGrandmotherToldMe.html
http://www.dance-to-health-help-your-special-needs-child.com
http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Donnette

Visit to a Secondary School in Pietermaritzberg,South Africa

2009-04-01T06:23:00.000-07:00

12th March,2009

Julie had made arrangements with her sister-in-law for us to visit Esther Payne Smith Secondary School where she teaches. The school is in the Northdale area of Pietermaritzberg which used to be an Asian area. The school in days past had an excellent reputation.

Julie and I drove up to the entrance which is topped by razor wire as is the surrounding boudary fence. The gate was finally opened by a rather surly security guard. The boundaries of the property were littered with rubbish, unswept leaves were everywhere. One building was in a state of dereliction with part of its' corrugated iron roof missing, glass was absent from many windows which were boarded up and covered with graffiti. There were holes in the ceiling in the passageways.

We were met by Julie's sister-in-law who told us of the difficulties the school faces, There is electricity only in the Headmasters' office, there are no administrative staff, no photocopying or other office equipment and the one computer has to be kept in the safe.The science block is unused with thick layers of dust covering everything and chairs lying at sixes and sevens everywhere. A globe of the world lay on its side on the floor. The staff room was like a prison waiting room.

The pupils are mainly from the nearby squatter camp or have been rejected by schools in their own area of Pietermaritzberg.The majority of pupils were tidily dressed wearing clean school uniforms.

The first classroom Julie and I went into was predominately a class of boys. Despite a highly energetic teacher they were very apathetic and generally disinterested in everything. One girl arrived late wearing a short skirt and a condescending attitude.

We visited a few other classes and in each when I spoke I emphasized that education is vital to their future lives and urged them to make full use of all opportunities which come their way. Questions were invited but only a few were put to me.

the Headmaster Chris Ndlela had made time in his hectic schedule to have a few words with us. He is also Provincial Chairperson of SADTU (South African Democratic Teachers Union). Mr Ndlela is a can-do person who possess both insight into the problems the school faces and is finding creative solutions to rectify them. There had recently been a high profile visit from a representative from the Department of Education which intends to channel additional funds to the school. The Department of Education is highly impressed by the school because despite its' lack of facilities the exam pass rate is impressive.

I had been absolutely in awe of the entire staff's enthusiasm and dedication and Mr Ndela repeatedly emphasized how important this was in getting the school moving forward and upward. Julie and I signed the Visitors Book which goes back to the schools foundation in 1926. I also presented the school with a copy of "Tales My Ghanaian Grandmother Told Me".

Julie's sister-in-law later told us that the teachers we hadn't visited had been very disappointed not to meet us. Apparently our visit had had a very uplifting effect on the staff. She also mentioned the fact that a number of pupils had told her that they had wanted to ask me questions but had been frightened to do so in case the questions were considered to be stupid. This made me realize that I should have behaved in a much more interactive and reassuring manner.

I came away with great admiration for the entire staff who all have a true vocation.

http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/TalesMyGhanaianGrandmotherToldMe.html Now available through Amazon.com
http://www.dance-to-health-help-your-special-needs-child.com
http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Donnette

2009-04-01T06:09:00.000-07:00

11th March,2009

I had a very good walk starting at 6.00am. My guide saw a jackal. I now understand why normally sane tourists do stupid things like approaching lions for a close-up photograph. On hearing the word "jackal" in a state of high excitement I started moving forward without a thought to any potentially dangers. Needless to say the jackal vanished before I even got a glimpse of it.

Tala really wasn't worth the money. There is absolutely nothing to do in the evenings - no wildlife information or books which one could consult. As I was the only person actually staying the three days were more than sufficient. It had the plus that except for one occassion I had the game rangers entirely to myself and we had many interesting conversations.

Donnette came to collect me and she took close up shots of a rhino. When we were back home I told her that there were no black rhino in the park. I had been informed that the rhinos were white. Donnette was adamant that the rhino she had photographed was a black rhino. I mentioned that the creature had not been in an area where one would expect to find black rhino. But then I recalled that the rhino had a completely different horn to the ones which I had photographed earlier. It had indeed been a black rhino and I hadn't bothere to photograph it even though I could have got a really good shot! (Subsequently I found a picture of a black rhinocerus which I had taken.) It's the one above.

"Zulu Mpophomeni Tourism Experience"

2009-04-01T05:53:00.000-07:00

In the tourist office in Howick I picked up a glossy, attractively produced pamphlet entitled "Zulu-Mpophomeni Tourism Experience - Traditional Zulu hospitality. Under History is the following information:-"The Zulu-Mpophomeni Experience serves as a unique metaphor for the miracle in South Africa. Mpophomeni was founded in 1972 when the original settlement was moved under the segregationist policies of the apartheid government. There was much unhappiness about the move and the farmer whose land was expropriated committed suicide and his ashes scattered over the land.

Mpophomeni housed most of the workers at the British Tyre and Rubber Plant in Howick and in 1984, a massive strike was called to protest low wages. The entire workforce was fired and some of the shop stewards were subsequently shot.

A wall of Reconciliation was built to commemorate the 120 people who died in the violence and fittingly, is named after Nokulunga Gumede, the five year old who was run over by a military vehicle during the cycle of violence."

There was mention of Township Tours which included visits to the Wall of Reconciliation, an old farmhouse, and income-generating projects as part of community development. As well as a visit to a Sangoma (traditional Healer), a cemetery, Shembe Traditional Church and cultural activities such as Zulu dance and Township jive.

Accomodation is offered in thirteen private homes with comfortable en-suite Bed and Breakfast accomodation, which includes double,twin and single beds.

Donnette had never visited the village so we set off with two of her children for our "Zulu-Mpophomeni Tourism Experience." We were all full of anticipation as we drove through the breathtaking countryside. We turned off the main road when we saw a sign for the "Zulu-Mpophomeni Tourism Experience".

Suddenly we were in another world and for the first time on this trip I met Africa as I know it. I looked like everyone else. I was no longer a black face amongst a majority of white ones as in the shopping malls. No longer were the only "black" faces seen in town packing bags in supermarkets, cutting the verges, pushing and carrying and cleaning. Donnette and her two children perched on the back seat of the car were now a very obvious minority.

My heart lifted with delight at seeing goats and chickens and dogs with litters of puppies roaming around freely. Rows of neat houses lined one side of the road.

We drove confidently down the road for about two miles and then came to what appeared to be the centre of the town. We saw absolutely nothing that gave any information as to the Mpophomeni Experience. We were keenly aware that we were being carefully observed by a very wary population. I wanted to photograph the long queue of people waiting for transport but felt that this would not be appreciated by the townspeople so I didn't

I was automatically addressed in Zulu (a lovely language) and people looked bewildered when I said that I didn't speak the language. Donnette managed to find someone who spoke English and finally a young man with a car said we should follow him. A slightly inebriated gentleman squeezed onto the back seat with the children. We drove back the way we had come and the car we were following stopped in front of the community centre. We said a friendly goodbye to both men.

Truth to tell by this time we were all rather apprehensive and mystified. People we had actually spoken to were perfectly friendly but the general atmosphere was not. It was so odd that no one appeared to have heard of the Zulu-Mpophomeni Tourism Experience which was supposed to take place in their small town.

Donnette said that she didn't feel safe and I reluctantly had to agree. She got out of the car to ask some women for directions but left the engine running. We followed their directions which seemed to lead further and further out of the town. No matter where we looked we just didn't see anything that was remotely like what we were looking for. By this time, Donnette's daughter who is very sensitive was nervous and upset. The decision to abandon the expedition was unanimous.

We did, however, drive further along the road to see if there was perhaps another entrance. The road started to climb as we approached the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains. After several kilometers we turned round and headed in the direction of home.

We stopped at a Nursery which offered teas. The place was idyllic with wonderful views and beautiful trees and plants. It is run by a brother, sister and sister-in-law, two of whom had just returned to South Africa after ten unsatisfactory years in England. They too had never heard of the "Zulu Mpophomeni Tourism experience" which should have been a few miles away from them. I had a very welcome pot of Earl Grey tea and excellent scones with cream and strawberry jam. The whole expedition was not helped by heavily overcast skies and spitting rain.

Donnette and I have come to the conclusion that the Zulu-Mpophomeni Tourism Experience with traditional Zulu hospitality exists only when bus loads of overseas visitors roll into town. No doubt it is an interesting and entertaining experience but one which offers a totally stage-managed view of traditional Zulu life. I suspect that as an ethnologist I would have found it highly unsatisfactory.

Author Book Signing 21st February,2009

2009-04-01T05:35:00.000-07:00

21st February,2009

We left early for Cascades. Donnette gave the parking lady 20 rand and asked her to hand out our flyers. We made quite a grand entrance. I was wearing a Ghanaian outfit with gold stole, earrings, shoes and handbag. Savanah (Donnette's ten year old daughter) was wearing one of Nuna's outgrown Nigerian outfits and her sister Clarissa , eight, had a kente stole over her shoulder. Everyone was looking at them as they offered the passersby the flyers.

Colleen at the bookshop had set up a table with a cloth and two chairs. I put a kente cloth over the table which immediately looked more interesting and spread out my copies of "Tales My Ghanaian Grandmother Told Me" as well as "Dance to Health". "Dance in Our Footsteps" and "Calling All Musicians".

My first sale was to a "white" lecturer in psychology from the University of KwaZulu Natal who had brought along a lovely young "black" MA student in psychology. She is doing her thesis on traditional African tales.When the book signing was over she came back to the stand and we did a recorded interview.

Donnette had arranged the signing to be as near pay day as possible. But it was clear that people were not going in for spur of the moment purchases. One dance teacher expressed great interest in "Dance to Health" and took my contact details. Some people were interested in the book but found it too expensive. One woman eagerly examined the book and then asked if I had copies in afrikans. When I said "no" she put it down. There are still Afrikaaners who do not speak English and the English speakers often refuse to speak Afrikaans even if they can.

Colleen took some books for "Bookworld" and didn't seem to think the price was too high. She will be in touch with Donnette when she needs more copies.

All in all the book signing was a success thanks to Donnette's extremely hard work and imaginative approach.

After the launch I took everyone for lunch. I was the one who asked the waiter for the menu, ordered and asked for the bill. When he appeared with it he carefully put it on the table where Donnette had been sitting. I don't think he had ever had a "black" African paying for a luinch party where everyone else was white.

http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/TalesMyGhanaianGrandmotherToldMe.html Now available through Amazon.com
http://www.dance-to-health-help-your-special-needs-child.com
http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Donnette

I'm Not as Young as I Used to be

2009-04-01T03:22:00.000-07:00

10th March,2009

This morning my back was aching so I adged two asprin off the lady who runs the gift shop. I went out on a game drive with six other people. A group of four women of Irish origin and a couple from Holland. We had a very close sighting of a rhino and her calf who was suckling. One woman was very keen to see the giraffes but our only sighting was from a great distance. we did, however, have a quite good view of the hippos in the lake.

There was a braai (barbecue) in the evening which involves huge quantities of meat and sausage accompanied by such dishes as potato salad. I had had enough of jolting around in the Land Rover and I didn't attend.
http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/TalesMyGhanaianGrandmotherToldMe.html
http://www.dance-to-health-help-yur-special-needs-child.com
http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Donnette

Further Encounters with African Animals

2009-04-01T03:16:00.001-07:00

9th March, 2009

This morning I saw a group of three rhino very close up - the mother and baby of yesterday plus a juvenile male. The ranger told me that the young male will be driven away when the female comes into season and the mature males appear on the scene .It was incredible being so close. Thus far I have seen a pied kingfisher, European swallows, pied wagtails, an owl, doves, red bishops, yellow-billed kites, pin tailed wydahs, a black widow, blacksmith plover, grey headed heron, Egyptian geese and African darta.

As there is very little chance of seeing hippos on land during the day my guide offered to take me to see them at night. At half past seven five of them were to be seen by the lake right near my room. They are enormous creatures as was demonstrated by the fact that a rhino was standing behind them and by comparison was of modest proportions.

I am now the only guest actually staying at the game reserve. I really needn't have bothered about clothes for dinner wear.

Encounters with Wild Animals Close Up

2009-04-01T02:28:00.000-07:00

8th March,2009
On arrival at the Tala entrance (Tal means "Land of Plenty" in Zulu) it became clear that security is very lax inspite of the establishment having experienced a serious robbery. There was along line of cars and the security guard did not check details or note names and car numbers.

At reception the car park was chock a block with mainly 4x4's. We were in fact early as check in was 2.00pm although no one had made us aware of this. The receptionist was very perfunctory and instructed us to meet her at Paperback Lodge at 2.00pm. She seemed very intent on getting us to have the buffet lunch at 164 rand!! She praised the variety of the fare letting us know that there were oysters etc. etc. I had hope to treat everyone to lunch but by common consent we decided that this was not a good idea. Aiden eats mainly chips and River (Clarissa) and Donnette are picky eaters.

Instead we enquired if we could have a coffee. We were entertained for quite some time by a number of antelopes who stood close by watching us with interest.The Nyala is one of Africa's rarest and most beautiful antelopes. The coffee when it came was first class.

Afterwards we drove around for a bit on roads full of visitors. We saw large herds of zebra, some ostriches, wildebeest and warthogs.Donnette remarked that because the wildlife in the reserve was "managed" there were much higher densities of animals than one would see in the wild.Clearly things were hotting up for the mating season. The bird life is astonishing.

We drove to Paperbark Lodge. Paperbark trees are not indigenous but have been planted here to lower the water table. Each tree absorbs sixty eight liters of water per day.

One lodge was occupied by a crowd of raucous crowd of South Africans of Indian ancestry who were apparently using the conference facilities. Music was blaring and the guests were throwing one another into the swimming pool. We were wandering around looking lost when a lovely young man directed us to a reception area and offered us coffee and juice. When the receptionist finally appeared on time she marched way ahead of me to my room. I refused to be hurried along.

To my great delight I have a very nice room indeed. It is totally secluded and private with a little Patio surrounded by vegetation. The furnishings are made from beautiful hard woods and with hand printed and naturally dyed fabrics used on the headboards of the beds.The wardrobe doors have bamboo insets and the front door opens in two parts as in a stable.The bathroom has a free-standing claw-foot bath shower, .The bathroom door opens onto an enclosure with an outdoor All the ceilings are lined with bamboo. It's really enchanting.

I was just beginning to feel settled when to my surprise there was a knock at the door and there stood the receptionist. She said she wanted to talk to me as she had had so little time earlier. She turned out to be both friendly and charming. Apparently my room is quite exceptionally well suited to seeing the animals as they all pass close by my window on the way to the water morning and evenings. I should get very good photos just leaning out of the window.

My night drive was incredible. I saw a rhino with her baby as well as a hippo and her baby swimming in the lake. There were a group of young giraffes who watched us with interest. Apparently if you see a giraffe standing with its' head hanging down it's dead. I also saw many varieties of antelope including a rare Reed Buck.

My guide was a very knowledgeable man who had apparently been a cabin steward with South African Airways some years back. He also hold a private pilots license. He was lamenting the fact that most guides are white as few "black" South Africans have any interest in a career in wildlife.He had also worked as a counsellor helping people with HIV/AIDS. Tala donates a large part of its profits to a nearby orphanage.

Plants and their properties were explained to me. I was the only person on the game drive. Getting into the Land Rover is like getting onto a horse for e - not easy any more. There were raincoats and blankets in the vehicle.

At sunset we stopped at the lake and high quality refreshments were produced. I returned to the lodge to find that my picnic supper was awaiting me. Everything was contained in a smart specially fitted basket. There was an impressive array of tasty dishes and a selection of fruits in a special cool box.

http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/TalesMyGhanaianGrandmotherToldMe.html
http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/TalesMyGhanaianGrandmotherToldMe.html
http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Donnette

Dzagbe Cudjoe reading a story to children at a Primary School in Hilton, South Africa

2009-03-31T07:20:00.000-07:00

The Author Reading a story from her book

Author Interview at Book Signing Part 2

2009-03-31T07:04:00.000-07:00

Author Interview at Book Signing

Visit to the Crazy Duck and Other Places

2009-03-31T03:49:00.000-07:00

As I hadn't given the children an outing I took us all off to "The Crazy Duck" where there are all sorts of animals, horse rides and a miniature train. Savannah was not with us as she had opted to stay with her aunt and cousin.

The Crazy Duck is clearly only really interested in generating income although they do run an animal rehabilitation centre. Many of the cages are very small, there are no informative notices about the animals and worst of all visitor safety seems to be a matter of indifference. Children could put their fingers through the metal fence and touch the crocodiles! No helmets were provided for children on the horse rides. A poor young lynx was in a tiny enclosure right at the entrance to the rehabilitation area. She was being teased by a group of Afrikaans speaking children. I told them nicely but firmly to stop.

It is a good outing for children as they can feed ducks, geese, parrots and numerous other birds. There are also rats, hamsters, guinea pigs, goats, snakes, tortoises, antelopes, ostriches, ponies and the afore-mentioned crocodiles.

The train ride was a complete rip-off and badly organized.

After lunch we went to the Albert Falls Miniature Railway which was constructed and is run by a friend of Donnette's father. I was persuaded to take a ride and it was great fun. There is a properly laid track and the train goes over bridges and through tunnels.

We then went to Albert Falls where there is an important dam. The cascades are beautiful but somewhat marred by the workshops right in front of them which are full of steel girders and abandoned machinery. We had bought lovely fresh mealies (corn) earlier and Donnette gave the workers enough so that they could roast them when they had a break. I thought that was a really nice gesture on Donnette's part.

http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/TalesMyGhanaianGrandmotherToldMe.html
http://www.dance-to-health-help-your-special-needs-child.com
http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Donnette

Author Video

2009-03-28T07:45:00.000-07:00

"Gift of the Givers" Slide Show on a visit to Gaza by Zohra Sooliman

2009-03-25T12:03:00.000-07:00

4th March, 2009
Julie had invited me to accompany her to this slide show and talk which was held in Pietermaritzberg. The policy of "Gift of the Givers Foundation"is expressed as "Gift of the Givers Foundation is the largest disaster response NGO of African origin in the African continent. Coming into being in 1992, we have evolved into an agency that stands out as one of the best in the world. Entrepreneurship, job creation, bursaries, mosquito nets, blankets, clinics, counselling and life skills services are all facets of our expanding and diverse activities.Building bridges between people of different cultures and religions, instilling hope and dignity and creating opportunity are all integral aspects of our philosophy. Our assistance is purely humanitarian and unconditional.

We assist irrespective of race, religion, colour, class, political affiliation or geographical boundary. We work with governments to get out assistance delivered but do not align ourselves politically to any party. Our credo is "The best among people are those who benefit mankind".

The audience consisted entirely of women. The ladies of Indian descent were wearing a variety of outfits. Julie was not wearing anything that identified her as a Muslim, others wore headscarves with traditional attire from the sub-continent, our lecturer wore a headscarf with a western style patterned blouse and white trousers. There was only one woman completely covered from head to foot. Her outfit was decorated with black lace something I had never seen before and she was carrying a smart black handbag.She exposed her face on arrival and covered up again on departure. There were two "white" South Africans and one "black" South African woman in addition to myself. The later was clearly a person of education and authority.

Zohra Sooliman who is a physiologist, her husband and founder of "Gift of the Givers" Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman, medical specialists and journalists had formed a party of about forty people who had entered Gaza about three weeks after the ceasefire at the beginning of this year.

Zohra and the whole team had worked in some cases almost literally twenty four hours a day to treat people and alleviate suffering. Zohra had been helping adults and children with post traumatic stress using a technique called EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitizing).

The slides were a very powerful accompaniment to her words. Zohra stated that the Israeli's are clearly not following the accepted rules of war. They are using white phosphorus a banned substance for which there is no cure for those affected by it.

Zohra made a clear distinction between the policies and attitudes of the Israeli government and the Israeli people. She mentioned that there are growing numbers of Israeli's who are looking for peaceful resolution to the present situation.

After the talk we were offered refreshments. Julie (who really is a wonderful publicity manager) started talking to Zohra about "Tales My Ghanaian Grandmother Told Me". She had, with admirable foresight, brought along the publicity pack which Donnette had made up.Zohra was very interested and immediately started asking about what newspaper and radio coverage I had received. She expressed the thought that we were destined to met and said she would see what she could do to help me. She has a husband, five children and regularly gives talks so she asked me if she could ring me in the evening in a day or two. Zohra really is a truly exceptional woman!

e-mail careline@giftofthegivers.org
web http://www.giftofthegivers.org

A Day Out with the Children

2009-03-14T09:13:00.000-07:00

7th March,2009

As I hadn't given the children an outing I took us all to "The Crafty Duck" where there are all sorts of animals, horse rides and a minature train. Savannah was not with us as she had opted to stay with her aunt and cousins.
The Crafty Duck is clearly mainly interested in generating income although they do run a rehabilitation centre. Many of the cages are very small, there are no informative notices about the animals and worst of all visitor safety seem to be a matter of indifference. Children could put their fingers through the fence and touch the crocodiles. No helmets were provided forchildren on the horse rides. A poor young lynx was in a tiny enclosure right at the entrance to the rehabilitation area. She was being teased by a group of afrikaans speaking children. I told them nicely but firmly to stop.

It is a good outing for children as they can feed ducks, geese, parrots and numerous other birds. There are also rats, hamsters, guinea pigs, goats, snakes tortoises, antelopes, ponies and the afore-mentioned crocodiles.

The train ride was a complete rip-off and badly organised.

After lunch we went to Albert Falls Miniature Railway which was constructed and is run by a friend of Donnette's father. I was persuaded to take a ride and it was great fun. There is a properly laid track and the train goes over bridges and through tunnels.

Next we went to Albert Falls where there is dam. The cascades are beautiful but somewhat marred by the workshops right in front of them which are full of steel girders and abandoned machinery. We had bought lovely fresh mealies earlier and Donnette gave the workers enough so that they could roast them when they had a break. I thought that was a lovely gesture.

Visit to Howick Falls, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

2009-03-04T06:46:00.000-08:00

Tuesday,24th February,2009
My new friend Julie who I met when out walking last week came to take me to Howick Falls about 30 kilometres from here. She came in to meet Donnette and the two got on very well together. Julie asked how the book signing went and before I knew it to my delight she offered to introduce me to Wycliffe school where one of her granddaughters goes.
Julie has a nice car and is an admirably careful driver. On arrival at Howick Falls it was raining. The way to the Falls is lined with tourist stalls and shops. I took a few photos of the waterfall which is an impressive 95 meters high. The view is spectacular. I learnt later that no one goes anywhere near the Falls after dark as people have been thrown over the Falls.
As the rain made prolonged viewing of the Falls rather uncomfortable Julie and I opted to visit Howick Museum. This is a typical local museum with great emphasis on worthies of the past. Apparently electricity has been produced from the Falls since the early nineteenth century and continues to do so. Howick was also a great centre for the production of rubber. The old buildings are still standing.
There was a display of traditional medicine which was accompanied by a photograph of a herbalist of Indian ancestry. Julie knew him and said how sorry she was that she couldn’t take me to meet him because he lived in a Pietermarisburg area which is now too dangerous to visit.
The curator came out and I had an interesting conversation with her about the recording of Zulu stories and traditions. Apparently the museum is financed by the municipality and has little money.
He rain had stopped and the sun came out so we went back to the Falls to take a few more photos. After that we went and wandered around a second hand bookshop and an old building that now houses a number of antique shops.
After this we headed back to Pietermaritzburg and had a coffee before going to Wycliffe School. This is a girls boarding school founded early in the last century. The extremely attractive buildings are sited in beautiful grounds which house tennis courts and a huge swimming pool. The inside of the buildings rivals any of the girl’s boarding schools in England. Pupil’s art work of an exceptionally high quality adorned the walls.
The very polite pupils were mainly “white” with a sprinkling of “black” faces. The teachers were all very outgoing and friendly and Julie and I were handed over to the Librarian. She was immediately receptive to the idea of my doing a reading and will be in touch. Many of the girls come from outside South Africa from countries such as Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Julie is a delight. She is bright, intelligent and we have much in common. We are planning further outings.
http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/TalesMyGhanaianGrandmotherToldMe.html
http://www.dance-to-health-help-your-special-needs-child.com

Valentine's Day in Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa

2009-02-28T13:19:00.000-08:00

14th February,2009
The family gave me a lovely figure of a woman holding a pot as a valentine’s gift. We went to a garden centre cum children’s play park which had a miniature train and a gem stone mining area for the kids. When it came to paying the telephone lines counrywide were down and banks couldn’t process credit cards. Shops were letting good customers take their goods home and asking them to come back to pay later.
No matter how efficient a person is business efforts are sabotaged by power outages and breaks in internet or telephone services. Things happen due to storms and lack of maintenance.
On the way back there was a road block with about forty police people. We were waved on to be questioned by a female policeman.

16th February,2009
This afternoon I went for a walk along Donnette’s road. I greeted everyone I met along the way. I said “good afternoon” to a lady of Indian ancestry and she started a conversation by remarking on the weather. We chatted a bit then she said she’d walk along with me so she changed direction. Apparently her late father had been a political activist in the apartheid period. He spent many years in England in exile. She had until recently been very involved in looking after her grandchildren and was clearly feeling a bit at a loose end. She wants to take me to the Howick Falls and museum next week. She described our meeting as “fate” because she usually doesn’t go for walks.

http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/TalesMyGhanaianGrandmotherToldMe.html
http://www.dance-to-health-help-your-special-needs-child.com

I'm Off to South Africa!

2009-01-19T07:57:00.000-08:00

I am so excited! The date of my departure to Durban, South Africa draws ever nearer. I fly from London to Durban on 7th February, 2009 and will be there for six weeks.

I cannot wait to meet up with my dear friend and Manager Donnette Davis (http://www.staidenhomeschool.com) who has arranged the book signings for me. I've never been to this part of Africa before although I have lived and worked in West Africa. I knew many ex-patriot South Africans in the pre-Mandela era. I am so looking forward to getting to know the country and its' people.

"Tales My Ghanaian Grandmother Told Me" Strategic Book Publishing New York New York is my first book so never before have I done book signings. If anyone can give me some do's and don'ts for these occassion I would be most grateful.

I'll keep you up to date as to how everything goes.