FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Raksanna Productions Receives 2011 Best of Aurora Award
NEW YORK, NY, October 25, 2011 – Raksanna Productions has been selected for the 2011 Best of Aurora Award in the Health & Fitness The USCA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.
This is the first year that a business has qualified as a Four-Time Award Winner. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2011 USCA Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.
About U.S. Commerce Association (USCA)
U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) is a New York City based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.
The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.
SOURCE: U.S. Commerce Association
CONTACT:
U.S. Commerce Association
Email: PublicRelations@uscaaward.com
URL: http://www.uscaaward.com
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Note from Raksanna – this article was originally written in July 2007 and the thoughts still ring true. If you’re looking for a competition, another fantastic event that I *highly* recommend is Ahlan Cairo Nights: Queen of Raks Sharqi sponsored by Dee Dee Asad of Little Egypt. This event features Egyptian judges, fantastic workshops and gala shows that are as close to Cairo as you can get in North America.
As our beautiful art form continues to grow in popularity, dancers are faced with many opportunities to take workshops, attend haflas and perform in multiple venues. Among the performance opportunities are a plethora of competitions, as well.
Raksanna competes in Queen of Raks Sharki
Although I have been performing and teaching for more than a decade, I entered the competition scene in early 2006. Before I made the decision to compete, I had to make sure I truly understood my motivation for competing. After sincere introspection, I realized these were my top three reasons for competing:
Setting and Achieving a Goal
As a “type A” personality that is driven to do more than humanly possible – and to do everything to the absolute best of my ability, I’ve found that goals enable me to reach greater heights.
During a “normal” schedule, I teach classes and workshops and continue my own personal dance training on a weekly basis.
Deciding to compete gives me a target and helps me go to the next level of professional dance.
Competitions also enable me to concentrate my time and efforts on specific results. By identifying an event, there is a hard and fast deadline. This means that I have to
focus my energy and resources in a very specific way and manage my time effectively. It certainly would not do to be unprepared when on stage in a competition!
While it’s great to win – and to set your sights on winning – it’s important to understand and keep in mind that anyone who participates in a competition is a winner. The hard work, commitment and courage it takes to get up on stage and ask someone (usually, three or more people!) to judge you is in and of itself a feat to be recognized and celebrated.
Kindred Spirits: A Network of Beautiful Artists
One of the largest benefits I’ve found to competing is the wonderful network of like minded spirits. When I first started the competition route, I had many stereotypes of what kind of culture would be present at the events. To be candid, my preconceived notions were that the line up would be filled with cutthroat and vindictive diva’s.
The great news is that the stereotypes could not be further from the truth! My personal experience is that 98% of dancers involved in competitions are wonderful, warm women who love the dance. Backstage, dancers help each other to make sure that all of us do the best we can when we’re performing.
One example I can share is about Susan, a delightfully fun dancer from Oregon. I met her at the recent Belly Dancer USA competition sponsored by Mezdulene.
We were backstage, preparing for our event and she helped hook my costume together. As she was pinning my bra, she realized that the hook had come off. Susan gave me a quick lesson in emergency costume repairs (did you know that a safety pin can act as a solid pin to hook your bra eyelet and guarantees the bra will remain fastened for you?) and had my costume fixed in two minutes and ready for competition.
Susan also made sure that she was in the audience when I danced and she shouted her support for me. As I had traveled alone from Chicago to Canyonville, Oregon, Susan’s acts of kindness and support meant so much to me. It is this kind of bonding and camaraderie that I’ve enjoyed immensely throughout the competitions.
Keeping It In Perspective: Feedback is a Gift
Sometimes, when you’re a teacher, you don’t get a lot of feedback on how you can improve. After all, students look to the teacher as the expert and the source of knowledge. I’ve enjoyed getting feedback from the judges so that I can see myself from the outside in. Feedback truly is a gift – it provides you with insight that you may not have had before and, when taken in a spirit of reception and thankfulness, I’ve found that constructive criticism has really given me the tools to progress as a dancer and performer.
To illustrate, I am a curvy, voluptuous dancer with a full-figured body. Recently, I received a suggestion from two judges to try a different style of costume that would be more appealing to my figure. Rather than take the feedback offensively, I researched a variety of vendors and found a costume in the style suggested. I tried it on and – guess what? The judges were right!
The difference between the previous costume style and the new style was simply amazing!
Belly Dancer USA – A Must Do Experience!
Throughout the year, I participate in four to five competitions across the country. Most recently, I had the pleasure to enjoy Mezdulene’s annual Belly Dancer USA competition held at the Seven Feathers Resort and Casino in Canyonville, Oregon. (If you’ve never been to Oregon, it’s a state that you simply must visit. Complete with an ocean coastline, high mountains and lakes, there’s something for everyone!) Mezdulene and her husband, Don, are gracious hosts and sponsors and make every attendee feel welcome.
The event was well organized. When I checked in, the schedule was readily available and I had all the information I needed to make sure I knew where to go and when. The line up and competition was professionally run. When there was an occasional skip of a CD, the technical team took care of the issue promptly and with a friendly personality. The gala show was so much fun to watch! I had the chance to see dancers from across the country and experience their interpretation of the music we all love. The vendors had beautiful goods to sell and were easy to work with. I thoroughly enjoyed myself at the event and plan on participating again next year – hopefully, bringing a few of my troupe members from Raksanna’s Desert Flames to compete in the troupe category.
Competing is an experience that will help you grow, both as a dancer and as a person. By setting a goal and achieving it, receiving feedback that can enhance your dance and meeting wonderful women who will become lifetime friends, the competition circuit can bring you many great experiences to be treasured and cherished.
Lynn and Raksanna at Chicago O'Hare, getting ready for take off!
June 19, 2010
I’m on my way to the world famous belly dance festival, Ahlan Wa Salan, sponsored by Raqia Hassan and held in Cairo, Egypt each year. As a returning featured instructor, I am very excited to be on the way to a fantastic event! More than 1,000 dancers from across the world, representing all seven continents, gather in the shadow of the Pyramids to dance, learn, tour Egypt and meet new friends and colleagues. Raqia does an outstanding job at bringing together to top instructors with a variety of styles, highly professional tours and a fun-filled festival for serious dancers and hobbyists alike! I am honored and blessed to have the opportunity to teach and be a part of such a great event.
Each time I visit Egypt, I come back a different, deeper person and a stronger dancer. One of the things I love so much about teaching at the festival is the inspiration I get from the students who share my passion for the beautiful art form of belly dance – and the joy that comes from bonding with each other through ancient movements and artistic interpretation of fantastic melodies, pulsating rhythms and gorgeous instruments! It is ALL good!
This year, I am taking a small tour group with me. Lynn, Deb and Joy decided to come with me across the waters to the continent of Africa, the cradle of civilization. Deb and Joy departed from their home town in North Carolina yesterday and will arrive at the hotel in Cairo about six hours prior to Lynn and me. We departed from the Windy City of Chicago and arrive tomorrow morning at approximately 1 am. It takes a full 24 hours (with flight time and lay over) to make the trek across the world.
Lynn and I are now in London, enjoying a late breakfast and several cups of coffee. Lynn is a great person and so excited to go Egypt. She is staying for one week and her itinerary is filled with exciting, spectacular tours of the country. Lynn picked up a lecture series on Egypt and has made it all the way from the birth of the human race to the time of Alexandria the Great. It is such fun to experience her excitement for the trip! I’m glad she decided to come along!
Well, I promised to blog throughout the next three weeks. Stay posted for photos, snapshots and journal entries so that you can “travel along” with me!
Happiest of shimmies,
Raksanna
NEW YORK, NY, October 25, 2011 – Raksanna Productions has been selected for the 2011 Best of Aurora Award in the Health & Fitness The USCA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.