The MEDANZ 2009/2010 Committee

Know your Committee

My name is Amanda Bound and I feel very privileged to be your President for the coming year. In the meantime I will be continuing with the Secretary role as well, ably assisted by the remainder of the committee members. A bit about me, I have two teenage sons, so our house is full on with one sitting NCEA Level 2 and the other Level 3. My husband is a self employed accountant. For myself I am a Registered Legal Executive working in Estates Administration, Family Trusts and Conveyancing. I met a belly dancing teacher in Palmerston North at a conference one weekend, and decided this was something I really wanted to try. Finally after months of making enquiries in New Plymouth I started learning with the Cairo Rose Middle Eastern Dance School. That was August 2005. Since our mentor and tutor decided to stop teaching last year, we have formed our own group Shimera Middle Eastern Dance Incorporated. I particularly enjoy learning new choreographies, and having the opportunities to perform them. I sometimes think I may have been Egyptian in a previous life, because the music just gets into my soul and makes me want to move with it!

Vice President Kim Newton. Having represented you as President for the last two years, and as a committee member for the year prior to that, this will be my last year on the MEDANZ committee. I hope to be a useful Vice President, being able to furnish answers to the newer committee members, and being able to prevent us "reinventing the wheel".
In my working life I am an Accountant, and I haved used (and will continue to use) these skills for the benefit of MEDANZ. My husband is also very supportive, and can often be seen behind the video camera at bellydancing events.
As always I am here to represent you, so if you have any problems or suggestions, I am always willing to listen.

My name is Janine Irvine and I am your Treasurer! I have grown up with Belly Dancing; Liz (my mum) teaches so I've seen many women coming out of their classes having a wonderful time and seeing the obvious excitement in them performing in shows. A little about myself, I am employed as a Financial Accounting Manager, I have an eight year old son, my partner and I have just bought a house, and somewhere in amongst that I enjoy going for walks and lots of shopping. I have started at an interesting time in MEDANZ, with the transition required to adopting New Zealand International Reporting Financial Standards, I am sure to be kept busy. I look forward to meeting you in the future.

I'm Louise (aka Leilah) and I'm excited to again be a member of the MEDANZ Committee. My special powers include being the MEDANZ Librarian and looking after the Teachers List. I've been a member of MEDANZ since 2005 and have been learning bellydance since approximately 2004. At some point in 2006 I was hit with the Tribal lightning bolt and that has been my obsession ever since.
Highlights of my dance journey so far have been studying with Lily of Tribal Kinesis, going to California for Tribal Fest '08 and again in March this year for Gothla US, and getting to spending quality time being worked to the bone by Sashi of Ascend Tribal Dance. I'm a member of the Tribal Fusion troupe Tribal-Idiom and I also like to explore my darker side with Gothic fusion. I'm sure you will agree that I bring a unique bellydance perspective to the MEDANZ Committee, oh and I try not to take myself too seriously... My ever wonderful partner Mark is very involved in my dance life and is quite often seen lugging bags around, driving me places or running the sound and/or lights at shows.

I am Andria G, aka Le Lavendou, I attended my first MEDANZ festival in 2008 and somehow straight onto Committee. 2009/201 is my second year on MEDANZ Committee, and in part that is because Sharon Denfield & myself suggested Tauranga could be a great venue for the MEDANZ Festival.
We cannot Festivate on our own, so all MEDANZ members are encouraged to come to the lovely Bay of Plenty in April 2010 - we have sourced a venue (hopefully), sought decent accomodation options & are keen to learn, socialise, dance some more! I see my Committee role as being "on the spot" to run around & get things done. Festival is not just one or two people - the best Festival would include as many MEDANZ members as are in NZ in April 2010!

I am Sharon, aka Anoushka. MEDANZ member since 2003, attended my first MEDANZ festival in 2007. I have been dancing for decades - including "formal" partnered, folk, Flamenco. Belly dance interests me most, offering multiple layers to explore.
See www.belishabellydance.org.nz for more information about Belisha - the troup I dance with, the group with whom I continue learning & developing. 2009 was not a good year for me and my family, if you know me personally, you will know why. 2009/10 is my second year on MEDANZ Committee, and in part that is because Andria Goodliffe & myself suggested that MEDANZ festival would be lovely in Taurange. We cannot Festivate on our own, so all MEDANZ members are encouraged to come to the lovely Bay of Plenty in April 2010 - we have sourced a venue (hopefully), sought decent accomodation options & are keen to learn, socialise, dance some more! I see my role as aiding & assisting with ideas - including encouraging others to follow through!

Hi, my name is Linley Duncan (Linley). As well as being a dancer, I am a wife, mother, choreographer, costumer, dance teacher and I'm also supposed to be an orchardist. (Oh well, 6 out of 7 ain't bad!) I live on a kiwifruit orchard in Te Puna, just North of Tauranga with my husband and three teenage sons. I also have several "furry children".
I have enjoyed bellydancing for over a decade now! I lead the group "Arabian Spice".
I have enjoyed many styles of dance since age dot--one of the most memorable and pleasurable being hair tossing moves as a toddler...behind the couch to NZ music shows such as Happen In--or maybe the predecessor? "Go-go " style dancing I used to call it.
When I started school I pestered my mother into taking me to Highland Dancing lessons which some of my classmates were attending. Then came ballroom and latin, and a dabble with ballet. I also played several instruments (separately!) during my childhood--and this love and understanding of music has greatly influenced my dancing.
Bellydancing has fascinated me since I saw a brief TV documentary of a big group of women all dressed up, complete with yashmaks having FUN!
I learnt bellydancing at formal classes for several years. I also performed at community and private events with several groups and as a soloist before starting my own group modelled on my ideals that promote the social aspects of dancing as well as the physical and therapeutic benefits.
I have been fighting the disease Fibromyalgia over the last decade and have recently been diagnosed with Arthritis. I have been living by the "use it or lose it" motto--and dancing is in the forefront of my battle plan! I may write an article about dancing as a therapy in the near future.
I teach bellydancing several times a week at different locations around the Tauranga area--several of them College evening classes--and also organise haflas and shows in which all my pupils get together to enjoy dancing as Arabian Spice. I am a prolific choreographer and really relish this aspect of my dance. I have always enjoyed sewing and other handcrafts--this creative passion is well satisfied by dance costuming.
I have been a member of MEDANZ for most of the last decade and benefitted from the hard work of previous committees and feel that the time is right now for me to contribute time and ideas as a MEDANZ committee member, --which should prove very useful as the next festival will be held in my home town.