Nizana
Florida
Producer of “Global Village Haflas”
www.facebook.com/nizana.el.rassan
As we have sheltered in place for some time now, I have navigated these uncharted waters
with a sense of balance. Trepidation, yes. Fear and anxiety over the impacts on health and economy and socialization, most
definitely. Dialectically, there is also hope, learning, and a chance for the earth to breathe. There are opportunities of various
types, perhaps a chance to reflect or redirect. It has been more difficult for some than for others and I have gratitude for all
that I have.
At first, I was dismayed (and still am) of losing out on teaching workshops and attending Rakkasah and the Annual
Spokane Belly Dance Festival, as well as that important time with family and friends. I started teaching private online
lessons, and taking online dance classes, including a genre I had never studied before. I supported dancer online shows,
started learning Zoom, and began hosting and co-hosting online haflas (four so far) with more planned. I was thrilled
lineups filled up on average of under three hours, with dancers excited to dance, being patient with technology challenges.
I will continue to socially distance for now until things settle down, and I am looking forward to connecting again with
fellow dancers and my audience as I dance. Connecting with my audience is a big part of my performance. Online, while
great, isn’t quite the same. However, “it is what it is,” and the internet has been a life saver in many ways for many people and
has provided a great way to connect, watch, learn and dance!
Z-Helene
Austin, Texas
Professor at Austin Community College and Owner of Z-Helene Studio and Online Courses
Find Z-Helene on Facebook as Z-Helene and/or Helene Christopher
Fight, flight, or freeze are the functions of the Sympathetic Nervous System—a cascade of
reflexes, hormones, and neurotransmitters that unconsciously crash our physical selves to help
us survive. I had been intimately familiar with all three just driving in traffic in Austin. But
with COVID-19, I experienced these intense reactions in a way like never before. We were told to stay home and hole up.
Encouraged to rest and digest which, ironically, are the functions of our Parasympathetic Nervous System—the good one
that helps us live longer. Yet that wasn’t possible because that unknown foreboding fear of this clever, invisible enemy was
ever real. My Aunt Marion just died of it. This wasn’t a tornado, a hurricane, a fire, or earthquake. I couldn’t fight. I couldn’t
run. I kind of froze for a short while, in disbelief.
My massage therapy business was no more. All of my Austin Community College yoga and belly dance courses were off
the table. I had to go online. New technological fears emerged. I remember the sweat pouring off of me as I tried to get the
audio to work on a zoom call that I was hosting with 30 people waiting! And yet success, I did it!
During this time, I’ve created 12 hour-long online yoga videos and taped six belly dance instructionals. I developed an
Advanced Zills course and learned how to teach live to a computer camera. My artistic net has been cast further than ever
before as I am now reaching people from all over America and Canada.
There are more good things. I love not driving so much and running around. I love the diminished sound and air
pollution and pictures of people’s gardens on Facebook. My husband Rick and I are spending more quality time together
since before we had children. We say I love you to each other all the time. We go for walks, make great meals and I am
sleeping as much as I want. I guess I am resting and digesting, and I have to admit it’s great!
When COVID-19 is dead and buried, I hope the nurturing gifts of this confinement will remain and that we all say I
love you to each other…all the time.
July 2020 � The Belly Dance Chronicles 31