MY SAFE PLACE

"Bade-jávri" as we called it.

This is a method I use for whenever I feel nervous before going on stage. It is a very well known trick for anyone who struggle with any kind of anxieties. Whenever you feel nervous or unsafe you may use this method. It has always helped me with my stage fright. In the beginning when I started perfoming I knew that I had to find some way to manage my nervousness,  and this is one of the ways I do it.

I squeeze my lucky pouch before I go onto stage. Ground myself and visualise the place in the picture of "bade-jávri" in my mind. I see myself singing and dancing on this beach to the trees, lake and mountains. And I always know that they are happy to hear me sing and see me dance.

A safe place is a place you go to in your mind where you know you have full control. There is no one who can enter without your permission. You decide who can enter and what happens in there.
When I go to my safe place I usually visualise it looking like this lake. It is in Gárdin / Ravnastua Fjellstue where my grandmother lived for 50 years.
She called Gárdin the most beutiful place on earth - and so do I. <3 br="">

THE ARCTIC FAIRY

I got my name ”The Arctic Fairy" at a bellydance festival in Leicester England. This festival is called Gothla.uk and it is a gothic bellydance festival. I hold this festival very close to my heart, it has had a huge impact on my life and art.

When I started bellydancing I danced dark fusion bellydance and Gothic bellydance. 

In 2007 I had just started teaching bellydance in Oslo, and was buying belts to sell to my students. I bought the belts from one of the organisers of the festival, Rosie, and she suggested I come to this festival. I did, and I have only missed 1-2 since.

Next year is the 10th anniversary for the festival!

I was invited to teach there many times, and also performed. This is the most important festival for me to meet people who like the same things as me.

One of the organisers, Heike Humphreys said to me once: ”You look like a demented elf who has been lying underground in the tundra for 100 years and then came out dancing. ”

And alot of people kept telling me again and again that this is what they get from my performance - the arctic-nordic feeling and expression.

HVORFOR TRENGER VI KUNST?

Dette er en artikkel jeg skrev mens jeg studerte Bachelor of rock´n´roll entrepreneurs ved Høgskolen i Finnmark, Alta i 2012. Jeg har desverre ikke fortsatt denne bachelor utdannelsen etter første året, men det kan være jeg får anledning til det senere.

Hvorfor trenger vi kunst?

Et spørsmål som er blitt spurt av mange, og en debatt som alltid foregår i samfunnet. Hva er poenget? Hva er verdien i kunst, og hvorfor bruker vi for eksempel offentlige midler til utvikling av kunst, på lik linje med utviklingen av andre ting. Kunstnere, kunstinteresserte og ikke minst de som ikke er interessert i kunst er opptatte av dette spørsmålet.

Disse spørsmålene dukket også opp under utviklingen av skolesystemet der kunstfag ikke ble prioritert. De ble sett på som unyttige og mange mente at andre fag var viktigere enn kunstfag.

Kunst og andre fysiske fag må stadig kjempe for sin plass i utviklingen av skolesystemet og samfunnet.

MY FAMOUS LUCKY-POUCH

A small knife and my pouch. Photo Freddy L. Larsen. 

Many years ago (in 2006) when I was i Australia  I buoght a book about crystals and stones. And I had got a quartz-stone. I was reading in this book about the use of crystals and decided to hold my quarts-stone.
What happened when I did resulted in what I now call my "lucky-pouch".

I was holding the quartz stone - I closed my eyes and I was filled with tranquility. It was a peaceful feeling. I tried holding the stone after a few days again to see if there was a difference, and I could still feel the difference when holding it, and when not holding it. I remember thinking "what if I could feel this while on stage while perfoming." I was at that time struggeling with stage fright and nervousity.

I had been spending alot of time with a guy who always carried his own pouch with him. He had stones and other symbolic things that where meaninful to him in his pouch, and he showed me the meaning of having one. I decided to make my own.

PILATES

“Etter 10 ganger vil du føle forskjell. Etter 20 ganger vil du se forskjell. Etter 30 ganger har du en helt ny kropp.” - Joseph Pilates

Hva er Pilates? 

Pilates er enkel, skånsom og effektiv styrketrening som passer menn og kvinner i alle aldre - hver enkelt øvelse tilpasses individuelt.

Fokus er statisk styrke. Den indre støttemuskulaturen bygges opp fra bunnen av, slik at kroppen kan bæres på en korrekt måte. Skjevheter i kroppen som kan forårsake smerter og skader blir rettet ut.

Pilates trener hver muskel i kroppen, beveger alle leddene, og pusten setter i gang dype prosesser. Neurologisk setter øvelsene i seg selv  igang menneskets organiske bevegelsesmønster og programmerer kroppen inn i korrekt bevegelsesmønster. 

Pilates passer i utgangspunktet alle, og er et bra alternativ for deg som belastes av andre treningsformer på grunn av skader eller smerter. Pilates er utbredt trening blant dansere og toppidrettsutøvere, og er anbefalt av fysioterapeuter. Mange kjendiser sverger til Pilates, blant andre Jennifer Aniston, Madonna og Jennifer Lopez.  

TRIBAL MAGEDANS

Hva er Tribal magedans og hvordan oppsto det? Her får du en kort innføring!



MAGEDANS (Raqs Sharki)

MAGEDANSENS RØTTER

Orientalsk magedans danses i Midtøsten, Tyrkia og Nord-Afrika og er en av verdens eldste kulturdanser. Det er ulike teorier om hvordan dansen har oppstått. Noen mener den har oppstått i egypt, mens andre mener den stammer fra India og har spredt seg derfra med sigøynere. Dansen er flere tusen år gammel og har blitt brukt i religiøse sermonier, fruktbarhetsritualer og festlige sammenhenger i tillegg til å være ren underholdning.

OSLO ORIENTAL DANCE FESTIVAL

Det er alltid arti for meg å delta og bli invitert til magedansfestivaler til å opptre og ha workshops. Denne gangen var jeg ekstra spent fordi jeg har fokusert mer på musikken enn dansen de siste 2 årene, og føler selv at jeg har tapt meg litt som danser. Det er vanskelig å holde seg på topp på alt hele tiden. Å fokusere mer på musikken og litt mindre på dans har vært det riktige valget føler jeg. Jeg føle at jeg utvikler meg innenfor musikk også like mye som innenfor dans. Jeg har en tendens til å bli besatt at det jeg holder på med, og derfor har det vært vanskelig for meg å tenke like mye på musikken som dansen.
Jeg har hatt ryggsmerter også når jeg har danset, og jobber fortsatt med å få rettet det opp, slik at jeg kan trene mer enn jeg gjør nå, uten å få sinnsyke smerter.

My first ever trip to USA

Ooooohh. America was so different that I thought it was! Well I know there is a difference between being in Portland and LA and New York. But I have to say my impression of the Americans is totally different now then before I went. Americans are so nice people, they are hardworking, dedicated, smart and not superficial at all.. I thought most amercians where kind of superfical and only cared about money and looks and so on, but I guess that depends on who you meet obviously. :D  Here are some pics for my trip! I want to write alot, but Its so hard to write everything down, cause it was so much. I experienced so many things. I don´t know where to begin... Ill just start with pictures...

I happened to meet Bonnie Leiser who has danced with Gypsy Caravan for 14 years! I met har at a Halloween dance show at Bodyvox.

Nice neighbourhood.

Shalee and me. At Datura Studios. Awesome dancer and impressing Yoga teacher! 

Lovelyamazing Rachel Brice and me!

Oh shot a pic of Sol and Rachel and Michelle.

Outside Datura.

Michelle is eating the biggest Burger in America.

Dian and the biggest chickenwings in America! We got BIG servings!

I got some southern food as weel. Cant remember what it was, but I was not hungry after that meal!

I just had to go with the Oregon T-shirt with bigfoot on it!

Got a good hour at the saturday markets in Portland.

And I got to meet this awesome girl Lucretia*Renee who runs Dark Fusion Boutique! Too nice, I almost felt guitly!

Nice neighbourhood

Fan-Tas-Stic!

Looks like Pippi has moved to America and has decorated for Halloween.

Yes! I tried a bit of Gypsy Caravan Style with Gypsy Heart dancers Ginett and Karen.

The secret reson for me going to America. Jazzercise!!!

Creepy house with alot og goat heads and bad energy.

Artsy house

My american breakfasts at the hostel. 

Iceland!

Yes I have been on Iceland for several hours! :D

American money sure looks fake. These where brand new so that adds to it... Got them from the ATM at Oslo Airport.

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Jeg tok ut amerikanske penger på Gardermoen før jeg gikk ombord på flyet. Pengene som kom ut av minibanken så ut som lekepenger. Monopolpenger eller noe sånnt. Det er sånne penger man har sett på film og sånne man finner i skattekister. Jeg begynte å lure på om USA egentlig bare var ett eventyr. Kansje dem ikke har ekte penger der, så dem lager bare falske og bruker dem som om dem var ekte. Haha. Arti land! :D

Til min store glede skulle jeg reise med Iclandair til reykjavik – seattle- portland. Jeg var overlykkelig da vi kom ti Island. Det har vært en drøm for meg lenge å dra til Island. Sagaøya. Det virker virkelig som ett eventyrland rett fra barne-eventyrbøker. Og ihvertfall etter at June Sommer strask fortalte med om alve-kart de har der. Det har kart over hvilke alver som bor hvor. Veldig interessant! Jeg skulle være på Keflavik i 1,5 time, så jeg hadde ikke all verdens tid der, men jeg var innom flere island souvernirbutikker. Jeg hadde bare lyst på islandsgenser og alt mulig der, men tenkte at jeg kan hellerkjøpe det en annen gang, eller på vei hjem. De er jo superdyre! Jeg kjøpte en lue med islandmønster da som trøst. For NOE fra island måtte jeg ha. Definitift av jeg skal på sommerferie hit neste år! På flyet til Portland satt jeg med et middelaldrene par som skulle til Seattle. De hadde vært på båtur i europa i 12 dager, og var på vei hjem. De kunne roe meg ned å si at Portland var en fin by uten så mye kriminalitet, ghetto og sånnt, så jeg trengte ikke å bekymre meg. Det er visst flere golfbaner der enn farlige nabolag.

Gjestedanser for Al Farah!

Iår er året der flere milepæler enn vanlig blir nådd. Jeg har blitt invitert som gjestedanser for Alfarah! Al Farah er norges orientalske danseforening. De holder festforestilling én gang i året der de har 2 gjestedansere, som de hyrer inn, og resten av danserne er folk som har meldt seg på å danse.
Selv om de sikkert hadde sine grunner til å velge 2 norske gjestedansere denne gangen, så føler jeg en stor ære over å få være gjestedanser sammen med Ingrid Bjørsnes Kvam fra Trondheim.
Al Farah har hatt en helt spesiell rolle i min utviklig som magedanser, som den sikkert har for de fleste av danserne i Norge. Jeg har danset ganger på showene deres, og det har alltid vært en positiv opplevelse, og veldig lærerikt for meg å få tilbakemeldinger på dansen min av både de etablerte danserne i Norge og andre dansere og tilskuere.
Jeg visste ikke helt hva jeg skulle servere folk denne kvelden. Al Farah har jo alltid vært ganske konservativt for meg, når jeg sammenligner med det jeg får oppleve i England og show i andre land. Jeg visste ikke om jeg skulle lage koreografier tilpasset AlFarah showet, eller bare kjøre på med mitt, -det jeg danser når jeg er i utlandet. Jeg valgte å gå for det siste. Fordi når nå har invitert meg, så skal de få alt det jeg er god for også. Jeg ga alt denne kvelden, og fikk blandede tilbakemeldinger på det, som ventet. Men jeg er storfonøyd! Dette var antakelig min eneste gang som gjestedanser hos Alfarah, så jeg måtte bare gi alt. Jeg er superfornøyd med det jeg gjorde der!

Jeg og Ingrid fikk skikkelig superstjerne-oppvartning bak scenen. Eget rom å skifte i og greier! Det var superbra service! :D

Ingrid og meg backstage.

Vel overstått opptredener.

Sunset Park in Umeå!

This weekend I was in Umeå for the Sunset Park festival where I did dance-performances and also a workshop. I really loved this festival because they had many different things to offer. Concerts, workshops, markets, lectures, art, and it was all subculture stuff. So interesting and refreshing to go there, and I felt totally inspired by it!

Backstage at Town Hall

First thing that happens is that the sami radio grabs me at the airport for an interview.

Lina, one of the organisers, and me.

Friday night a did a small performance at the club night wich was at Rådhuset/town hall. That was a bit special and different, but it was just the roght athmosephere for this kind of a club. The meeting room was turned into a dancefloor, it was great! :D I have once danced at the parliament in Oslo at a gothic themed wedding. The experience was similar to this. Very unusual, but yet...it doesnt feel wrong! :D hehe if you know what I mean...

On saturday I had my workshop, and thery where offered to come dance with me onstage at the show. And lots of the girls came along and danced with me. I was so happy! I didn´t actually expect that people would, but I was so happy that they did! :D The girls where excellent! And it went so well! Thak you, girls! That was great!

I also got to meet some sami people there from the Ponga family selling sami handicraft. I was very happy to meet them there! :D

The concerts and dance shows where outdoors in a park in the middle of the city, and they had two stages there. One for the concerts and one for the dance performances. And they also had markets there. On saturday night the whole festival ended with a organ-concert in the church nearby at 00:30.
That was a new one for me, and it was great! :D This concert was played by Ulla Olsson, and she rocked that organ!

I had best in Umeå! My hotel was great, and the organisers and helpers there where nice to me, workshop went well, the dance stage was perfect, and the sound and light guys where really pro, so it was perfect! :D

Yet another great Gothla.uk!

Last weekend I was at gothla again. I am not 100% sure, but I think this is my fifth time there. I beleive I have been there every year except the second year (I have to check that). It has always been a great experience to go there, and it has been kind of lifechanging everytime...
This year I decided to go since Dud Muurmand was going to teach there, and we did a duo together at the open stage. I had the most fantastic feedback on that, so we where very happy, since thw only way for us to really rehearse i through skype, which is very limited.

I went to back to Morganas class this year, last year I did not do any of her classes cause I knew she would kill me the first day, and last year was a very demanding year for me, so I decided to take it slow, specially since I was teaching there as well. This year has been all about coming back to myself again. I have been overworking and overdoing alot of things, and it has just drained me of energy, so this year I have been focusing on resting and taking care of myself. And now it seems to have payed off. Uptil last year I used to lift weights twice a week, pilates twice a week and dance about 1 hour a day at least, but since summer last year I have not been able to do much physical training. If I went to the gym it would take me 20 mins and I would be so exhausted I wanted to go to sleep, and the next day I would be so tired all day, I couldnt do anything properly... Very strange. People kept telling me to excersise more to get more energy, but for me it was opposite...
But now it seems those days are over for me, and I am so happy! I have been in the gym, and felt better afterwards, and in her class I just rememberd how much fun it is to be strong and be able to do all kinds of stuff dancing. She is like a superheroine! She should be great in a movie like underworld or something! I hope she does that someday!

But yes, anyway, this time Gothla made me look forward again. I think I am ready to start at schratch again. All learning is done in a spiral, and I am back to the beginning of the circle again, and it feels like a new start.

Belladonna also has opened my eyes for many things this weekend. She knows alot about tribal history, that I never knew... But she is from America and knows what has been going on there since the beginning of tribal. I have tried to get more into tribal history lately and I have felt that there is some parts missing. You can´t really find everything written down. She had so many names I hadn´r heard about that she said was important to the history of tribal. Things only americans know... We in europe don´t have that same perspective. We make our own tribal styles over here, like the Americans do theirs eat and west-coast tribal styles. Very interesting. And to be honest, I struggle a bit finding a piece of the puzzle that makes everything come together. It must be the art of dance simply or something, like Belladonna said. But I have to think about it...


But as always, the best part of the whole Gothla.UK is the show and open stage! I never see so many crazy performances in one place then at Gothla! People are just full of creativity and they are not afraid of doing crazy stuff on that stage, and it is so much fun!! I always get so inspired by that! This year I unfortunately didn´t get to see all of the performances because I did a solo and the number with Dud, so I was busy being nervous or changing. But there was this one girl who said she had stolen a combo from my last years workshop and dance, so I have to see that one on video! :D

I can´t wait to go back there again for next year! I hope I get to see Rosie there, even if she has quit the gothla team....

Sámi versus Tribal

I noticed when I started dancing tribal that many of the costumes and jewlery are very similar to the sami jewlery and costume. Here are just a few pictures to explain what I mean. Sometimes you can hardly see the difference. Specially if we compare the old sami costumes with Tribal.

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Da jeg begynte å danse tribal så la jeg merke til at kostymene og smykkene var veldig like det samiske. Her er noen bilder for å forklare hva jeg mener. Noenganger kan du såvidt se forskjell. Spesielt om vi sammenligner med gamle samiske kostymer og smykker med tribal.

Samisk kvinne

Reinsdyr seletøy

Krage til samisk mann

Samekvinne

Krage til samisk mann

Russisk sjal

Afghansk beltespenne

Samisk sølje

Tribal belte med dusker

Tribal belte med frynser

Tribal kuchi belte med samme type perlemedajong som russiske samer lager. 

Tribal belte med kuchi smykker og perlemedajong. 

Samiske belter med tinntrådsbroderier

Vevde samiske belter

Pics from google.com // Bilder hentet fra google.com