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Sacha Pavlata Featured!
Our own Sacha Pavlata is interviewed in this wonderful book by Bill Smoot just published by Indiana University Press. The inside book flap posits: "In the spirit of Studs Terkel's Working, Bill Smoot interviews master teachers in fields ranging from K-12 and higher education to the arts, trades and professions, sports, and politics. The result suggests a dinner party where the most fascinating teachers in America discuss their views of teaching and what makes their work meaningful to them." In response to Mr. Smoot's question "What effect does the two weeks (of circus arts camp) have on the children," Sacha says:
"Oh gosh. My classes have become so popular because it's challenging for the kids. They like to be challenged. They feel it's frightening, and I help them to do it. Of course, safety ropes or my hands are always around them for safety. After one week, its like they are my kids. They love me. When their parents come to pick them up, they want to stay.. They are happy, and they have such confidence. We have lunch, and sitting around me, they ask me questions: Where you come from? What have you done? And of course, I give them all the stories, how I grew up - because I'm five generations in the circus world. There is a magical change in them. There is a joy - it's just fantastic."
This is an inspiring read for any teacher or student!
Sacha and Melinda Melina's Ancient Greek Wedding  |
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Melina's Sword and Dagger Balance  |
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Melinda and Sacha on Trapeze  |
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Cirque Passion Tent, Photo by A Roufa, M.D. Magic European tent available for unique weddings and special events. Comes with and without circus shows.
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Happy June!
Sacha and I are back from glorious Greece and we have many belly dance classes, circus events, and music concerts in store this month at Moody Street Circus located at 397 Moody Street, 2nd Floor, in Waltham, MA, including a visit from multi-talented Athens-based Iraqi musician Ali Arsoy. In Athens we witnessed peaceful political demonstrations, visited the new Acropolis museum (wow) around the corner from my mom's and sailed the blue Aegean to Santorini (more wow). The Greek spirit is resilient and I pray the economy there will strengthen with time and intelligent measures; the beauty of Greece is - as always - breathtaking, beyond words. A belated thank you to all who participated in my Daughters of Rhea Dance Recital on May 11th in loving memory of Stephen Heywood: together we raised over $1,300 for the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS is more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease). |
Melina of Daughters of Rhea, photo by Dreamer's Realm Photography  | Melina's belly dance classes of all levels are starting up again at the Moody Street Circus Location in Waltham, MA. Tuesdays 7 - 8 p.m.: Floorwork, prop balancing and slow work for belly dance. Great for improving core strength and overall belly dance technique. Wednesdays 6:45 - 7:45 p.m. : Level 2 Daughters of Rhea Technique. Continue to work on belly dance technique and learn fun combinations each class. Wednesdays 8 - 9 p.m.: Level 3 Daughters of Rhea Belly Dance. Fast and Slow Combinations, Shimmies, Layering, Zills and more. Thursdays 6:45 - 7:45 p.m. : Fun Belly Dance Class for BEGINNERS! Come one, come all and try the art of belly dance from a second-generation professional with a lifetime of experience. Each class goes over the basics and prepares the body for proper belly dance posture and technique. Melina will make you laugh, dance and sweat. Thursdays 8 - 9 p.m. Level 3 Daughters of Rhea Belly Dance. Fast and Slow Combinations,
Shimmies, Layering, Zills and more. Saturdays 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Drills 'n Skills with Melina. Come drill your skills and work on precision belly dance using Melina's magic wand technique. For more on Melina and her belly dance family heritage, visit Daughters of Rhea. Visit Moody Street Circus website and click on classes or accurate class schedule.  |
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Zoe in silk swing  | Run away with the circus right here at home! Calling all kids aged 8 -
12! Circus professionals Sacha and Melinda Melina Pavlata are hosting 3
weeks of circus camp in their new headquarters, Moody Street Circus in
Waltham, MA. from 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. weekdays. $300/week. Campers will learn light tumbling, pyramid formation, rola
bola, rolling globe, tightrope walking, juggling and clowning skills
and mini trampoline, plus basics in circus aerial
arts including cloud swing, static trapeze, rings, web, lyra and silks!
A multi-faceted circus show will end the week. Parents and care-givers
are invited to the Friday show.
Camp begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 12:30 p.m. each weekday.
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Melinda on Silks  | Yes, this class series if for you, the person who has always wanted to feel what aerial circus equipment is like but has never tried! Change your perspective, strengthen your biceps, challenge yourself in a fun new way! Sacha and Melinda Pavlata will get your body ready for basic tricks on the static trapeze, cloud swing, silks and aerial hoop. 3 week mini sessions at $75/session available on Tuesday nights and Saturday mornings. Visit our Eventbrite registration page for details on how to sign up.
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Marria Grace Hoop Dance Workshop Saturday June 12
Marria Grace  | Moody Street Circus is pumped to have Marria Grace back in the house for a hoop dance workshop on Saturday June 12th from 2:30 to 4 p.m. The cost is $25, hoops will be provided to participants who don't have them, and Marria's beautiful hoops will be available for purchase at the workshop. Even if you have never picked up a hoop this workshop is for you! Marria's gentle & friendly guidance is invaluable. Her yoga infused hoop warm up is a beautiful thing. Her moves are so much fun to try. This workshop is too much fun, don't miss it! 
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Ali Arsoy Concert & Dance Party Friday June 18
Ali Arsoy  | We are proud to host the first ever U.S. concert of musician Ali Arsoy at Moody Street Circus on Friday June 18th, 2010 at 8 p.m.! Ali is flying in from Greece with his Darabouka for Drumming, Singing, Music Concert and Belly Dance Party. Please join us for what is sure to be an incredible event! We'll coax Ali to tell some of his great stories, like the one of his harrowing, secret & dangerous escape to Greece out of Saddam's Iraq in 1995. Many of Melina's students know Ali's music very well from his CDs produced by Daughters of Rhea. Now is your chance to meet him in person and dance to him live! www.ali-arsoy.com. Cover charge for Ali Arsoy Event is $20 - kids under 16 are free (Those with Daughters of Rhea 10-class punch-cards may use a punch for this event). Light refreshments to be provided.
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Panayiota! 2nd Generation Folk Dancer, Daughters of Rhea Belly Dancer, Sharifwear Star.  |
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Amos Libby and Eric LaPerna of Okbari  | Late last fall at a Peabody Essex Museum gala for the opening of Iris Apfel's wild and fun fashion exhibit, Melina and her Daughters of Rhea dancers found themselves in the fortunate position of collaborating with the live music of Okbari in its duo incarnation of Amos Libby and Eric LaPerna. Along with the guests who were seated under tents in Souk surroundings, we were mesmerized by Okbari's musical talent and beautiful Ottoman songs and felt privileged and inspired to dance with them. The Okbari Middle Eastern Ensemble presents music
from the richly varied contemporary and historic cultural traditions of
the Middle East including Ottoman Turkish Classical compositions, rural
Turkish folk and devotional songs, Arabic classical and folk music, and
dance music from the Armenian and Turkish immigrant diasporas. On Friday, June 25th starting at 8 p.m. we plan to continue our music and dance collaboration with an Okbari concert accompanied by Daughters of Rhea belly dancers.
The Okbari Middle Eastern Ensemble has shared the stage in Istanbul, Turkey with the Kemani Serkan
Ensemble and the Rumeli Meyhane Fasil Ensemble. In 2008, Ensemble oud
player and vocalist Amos Libby appeared onstage as a guest percussionist
with the legendary Gypsy clarinetist Selim Sesler in Istanbul. Melina is proud to present Okbari at Moody Street Circus. Cover Charge for the Okbari Concert Event is $20.
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Thank you for reading! Wishing you a wonderful day -- may you always find peace and happiness in your daily lives.
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Sincerely,
Melina of Daughters of Rhea AKA Melinda Pavlata
Co-Founder, Daughters of Rhea & Cirque Passion
Director, Moody Street Circus
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