Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Kuranda Dance moves into the Kuranda Community Precinct

Paperwork was signed today for Kuranda Dance to move into the new premises at the Kuranda Community Precinct (previously the old primary school site) on 17th April for a new term of classes.  This is very exciting news as it also allows us to install mirrors and make it a true dance space. This also allows us to host dance workshops and Paulette Rees Denis has been invited for 2013.
Leaving the Sports and Recreation Hall has been an important learning experience and i will miss the community collaboration that comes from the venue.  I will especially miss working with Arch who has been my very reliable go-to person over the period of my tenancy.
However it is also exciting to start on a new adventure too.  The new venue will be host to the re-developed Kuranda Library (downstairs), our local Council member Jenny Jensen's office and the Kuranda Rugby League folks.  Of course the new Precinct will evolve over time and there will be teething problems as two buildings will need to be demolished and new developments created.  But I can see the potential in what is happening and feel proud to be a part of it all at the ground level.
I look forward to sharing this new space with other women of our community and our tribe.  It will be wonderful to build this together!
I have included a map of the new venue location, for those unfamiliar with the site (entry from Arara Street):

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Regional Tribal Bellydancers at the Kuranda Easter Festival


Nina and Bushka from GypsyRain plus Sienna and Mel from TribalZest joined Lisa from KurandaDance at the Kuranda Easter Festival on 7th April 2012. 
Whilst Koahlition took a set break, we moved out into the grassy amphitheater, drawing a rather large crowd and being as colourful as Kuranda on its beautiful autumn day.  It is inspirational to dance with my peers and teachers and bring together three tribes in one, dancing completely improvised is so nerve wracking, but also so intensely exciting.  I hope to dance with a Kuranda tribe at the Spring Fair in October.  It would be so great to have our own tribe and I hope some of the people who saw us dance today will also want to be a part of what we are building here. 
After our performance in the main park, we wandered down the main street and did some busking.  Just to share our improvised style of dance.  We danced, sharing our repertoire from swords, to fans, to duets,  tribal line and circle formations.  It seemed appropriate that we finished with a Gypsy Caravan song.  Then made our colourful presence at a local coffee shop for a well earned break.  It was such a wonderful day, full of love, hope and happiness.  Thank you to our tribal sisters, you have my gratitude and love. 
Mel, Lisa, Nina, Bushka and Sienna at the Kuranda Easter Festival.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

New member of our family


Yes, we finally got our pooch.  
She has a beautiful temperament and we are hoping she will grow into her ears.  

We bought her from the Tablelands TSPCA, where she was delivered from the pound, covered in ticks and generally not well, so all we know of her history is that she has some foxy in her and she is six months old.  We are working on a name for her, but Jimi  (shes a foxy lady), seems to be sticking, however she regularly gets called cutie, doofus and smoochie-pooch too. 
I now have two weeks off school and am enjoying spending time with her.  She is really well behaved, made it through the first night without a wimper or a toilet stop, we were very impressed!  She loves cuddles on your lap, but is also happy just to snooze on her bed, my yoga mat or in a sunny spot on the floor. Does anyone know a good puppy school, where I can get some training skills for me and pooch?