Posted on 02/12/2024 by Kay Taylor
Meet Ishtar: aka Dorte Evelyn
Meet Ishtar ak Dorte Evelyn
by Kay Taylor
I love to find out more about people and their personal dance journey. Dorte is one of our Bellydance Now team and I have come to admire many of her qualities. When involved in a project she is very focussed and gives it her complete attention. This makes her the ideal person to head up our training courses. The Level one and Level 2 courses that lead to our teaching diploma are very intense and packed full of information. Dorte facilitates sessions to ensure that learners get the most from them. We encourage each person to develop their own unique style and be the best that they can be.
Read on to find out more about Dorte/ Ishtar.
Kay: How did you start bellydancing?
Ishtar: I have been dancing since the age of 2, first I studied Ballroom and Latin, which I competed in as a teenager, and later I learned Jazz, Street Dance and Modern. I went on to work in theatres as a choreographer and actress, but when I went travelling in the Middle East I totally fell in love with bellydance. When I returned to my native Denmark, I started taking evening classes with a friend, and it evolved from there.
Kay: What drew you to your first class?
Ishtar: The music first and foremost. Already being a dancer, I literally couldn’t sit still when I heard the music. But I also wanted to learn the actual technique. Having been a dancer my entire life, I’m quite geeky when it comes to technique, performance and personal expression
Kay: What are the top 3 biggest influences on your dance journey – and why?
Ishtar: My first regular teacher was a big influence, as she took a lot of time to share her knowledge and passion. She helped me once I started performing as well, sharing her experience, which I really treasured.
When I moved to the UK to pursue my passion, I discovered Jo Wise and her Academy of Arabic Dance. I completed the Teaching Diploma which I remember was so hard as I was still trying to master the language, but it also really propelled me into another level of both performing and teaching.
Learning straight from the source has been another big influence on my dance journey. I lived in Egypt for a while which was amazing, and have since been back to learn, dance and perform.
Kay: How did you progress from student to teacher?
Ishtar: As I was teaching other forms of dance before I even discovered bellydance, I guess it was a natural progression for me. I was invited to teach at a big residential event in Denmark over 25 years ago, because the organisers knew me as a performer. Although I only had a small group of women to teach, it was an amazing way to learn, as I was working with them for 2-3 hours every day for a week. We finished with a mini-show, and I still remember how amazing both they and I felt. The feedback I got was invaluable, and I have been teaching bellydance ever since.
Kay: You are self employed and balance several occupations. Tell us about them – and how they compliment each other.
Ishtar: I have a background in Communications and Marketing which obviously helps me promote my dance services, but I have also trained as a Personal Growth Coach, which has been deeply satisfying. I’ve helped people all over the world shift limiting beliefs, change their mindset and transform their lives, and in a dance context it helps me too, as dancers, and dance teachers face similar hurdles. For some it may be related to performance or confidence, for others it may be related to teaching classes. I have recently started working on a 121 basis with dancers who want to grow their dance business, and for that I am able to draw on all of my experience and knowledge which has been great.
Kay: How do you keep yourself motivated?
Ishtar: For me it’s all about continued growth and learning. I love learning from other dancers, and attending events such as Fantasia or the annual Summer School. But I also love learning other modalities that then inspire my dance and teaching. I have recently started a Yoga Teacher Training course, and an NLP certification (Near Linguistic Programming of the brain and body), which has given me a different approach to bellydance which I love
Kay: What is your favourite part of your dancing life?
Ishtar: The amazing people I meet! I am a people’s person. I love meeting new people, and I learn so much from my own students as well as other teachers.
Kay: You are part of the BDN team – your role is delivering and developing the Teacher Training courses. You studied the JWAAD teaching diploma yourself before going on to teach and develop the BDN/JWAAD teaching diploma. Can you tell us a bit about it please.
Ishtar: I have always loved teaching others, and making complex information easily accessible and digestible, so I was honoured when I was first asked to help deliver the BDN Level 1 Teaching Certificate. I have also taught on the Music and History Course and am currently working together with Yasmina of Cairo to pull an exciting new course together about the importance and history of costuming in bellydance. But I am also excited to relaunch the full Teaching Diploma soon together with Jo Wise to make it more affordable and accessible for any one wanting to teach their absolute best.
Kay: What is your favourite part of your dancing life?
Ishtar: The amazing people I meet! I am a people’s person. I love meeting new people, and I learn so much from my own students as well as other teachers.
Kay: You are part of the BDN team – your role is delivering and developing the Teacher Training courses. You studied the JWAAD teaching diploma yourself before going on to teach and develop the BDN/JWAAD teaching diploma. Can you tell us a bit about it please.
Ishtar: I have always loved teaching others, and making complex information easily accessible and digestible, so I was honoured when I was first asked to help deliver the BDN Level 1 Teaching Certificate. I have also taught on the Music and History Course and am currently working together with Yasmina of Cairo to pull an exciting new course together about the importance and history of costuming in bellydance. But I am also excited to relaunch the full Teaching Diploma soon together with Jo Wise to make it more affordable and accessible for any one wanting to teach their absolute best.
Thank you to Ishtar for a fascinating interview. Take this opportunity to experience her workshop at Fantasia. Ishtar tells us a bit more about what to expect from her workshop below
Jazz up your bellydance:
I am so excited to deliver a workshop on one of my favourite topics, namely how to jazz up bellydance. I love traditional styles, but finding your own expression and style is key, and using techniques from jazz and modern dance can help us do so by incorporating unique step or movement patterns that can add surprise, personality or drama to a performance. Think Broadway Meets Casino Badia with a modern twist.
Limited numbers so book now, don’t miss out.