BIOGRAPHY

Brief Bio:

Aithne Baker was first taught belly dancing by Sonia Alarcon. In addition, she has attended numerous workshops and seminars by nationally known belly dance artists, and received personal instruction from several. Aithne has over twelve years experience and has been teaching at the Great Falls since 2001. She has also taught workshops and put on seminars all over the state of Montana.

The longer story:
"I am Aithne (aun’ya) Baker. I started dancing as a suggested help in learning to sword fight. My teacher teaches in eight-week sessions and my first eight-week session was miserable. I was lost through most of it. I was sure I was the only one there who just couldn’t get it. It was only after week #6 that I didn’t come home almost in tears. If it hadn’t been for the fact that I was a poor starving college student--and $60 was hard for me to afford--I would never have finished my first session, but I was determined to get every week I had paid for. The funny thing is, I pretty much quit sword fighting and I am still belly dancing."

"Living in Montana there is little in the way of instruction (although it is getting better) and little in the way of performance opportunity. I firmly believe I received a very strong belly dance foundation from Sonia Alarcon. Sonia is my first and foremost teacher. From her learning and experience I received instruction far exceeding that which most of Montana can offer. I was lucky to have found her. She teaches how to be a solo dancer. She insists on zills, audience interaction, and personal interpretation of the dance. These qualities she has instilled in my dance, and I strive to instill them in my students. I moved to Great Falls in 2000, and found there was no belly dance community here so she “suggested” I turn teacher. You don’t tell Sonia no, so I started a few months after the birth of my son. I started small, in my house with my mother, grandmother, and some friends. When I outgrew my house I found the YWCA, and I have been happy there ever since. They rent me the room and advertise for me. They have been great." (Webeditor's Note: As of Jan 2009 The Y has kicked belly dancers out. Aithne's classes will be held in her dance studio in the Washington building. --Konall)

"My thoughts on belly dancing are thus. I am a solo dancer. I love the free moving art of dancing by myself. My favorite way to dance is to live drummers by firelight. However, the more reasonable method of boom box in the middle of the day works too. I love the graceful motion I can create by dancing. I find it hard to believe there are more pleasurable sensations than those of a well-executed dance. I love watching a beautiful belly dancer who seems to be as delighted by her dancing as her audience. Now, I don’t want any one to make the mistake in thinking I only enjoy soloists--I believe the ladies of Fat Chance Belly Dance and Gypsy Caravan are extraordinary as well. Perhaps it is because of my beginnings, but I do lean towards the solos even in their performances."

"My teaching style is relaxed. Since I remember very well my first taste of belly dancing, I try very hard to go slow. My goal is to move with the learning curve of my class. This might not always be accomplished depending on the size of my group so I try always to remember, “Go slow”. If I can get my students to relax while learning, even better. I tell them there are no tests and it makes no real difference if you never get a move. I look at it this way: women have been doing this longer than any other dance form, so if it looks pretty it can’t really be too wrong. Someone somewhere did it that way so that makes it ok. I do stress the pretty part. I can’t deal with vulgar."