Kajira's Maui Tribal Intensives!

Come experience Belly Dance in Paradise!



THE LAST MAUI INTENSIVE

Greetings Everyone,
Thank you all for your patience while awaiting the details for the Last Maui Intensive. Herein is everything you’ve been waiting for!

WHEN

July 14 - 20, 2008
There IS class on both July 14 and 20, so the last day to arrive on Maui and get settled is July 13. And please don’t plan to depart earlier than July 21. Thank you! (Mahalo!)

WHERE

At Sarala Dandekar’s home studio in Makawao Town, on the island of Maui, in the state of Hawaii, USA. Directions will be provided to you once you are registered, as this is a private home with a dance studio. For Sarala’s family’s privacy only registered attendees may know the location. Thank you for your understanding.

INSTRUCTORS and SUBJECTS

for full bios and class descriptions, please scroll or click here:


* Sarala Dandekar will share her incredible, vast knowledge of Odissi Classical Dance from the Temples of Orissa in East India through basic steps and posture, mudras (or hastas, which are the beautiful and meaningful hand gestures of Indian Dance), padas (foot positions) and storytelling dances. Sarala has grown up since the tender age of 3 immersed in the dances of India, living, learning and performing in India and the rest of the world all of her life.


* Elizabeth Artemis Mourat will teach us Turkish AND Other Rromany (“Gypsy”) Dances, culture and tradition, and show over 30 years’s worth of irreplaceable video footage of Roma from many countries, along with her own expert narration. She has not had the opportunity to show all this footage in one place yet until now, so don’t miss this super-rare chance to learn about these illusive people as they are “in the wild” and doing things they already don’t do anymore in today’s rapidly changing world, caught by Artemis’s own cameras during her many research ventures abroad for this purpose.



* Kajira Djoumahna will teach material for all skill levels from her own groundbreaking Format for ATS (American Tribal Style) BellyDance, complete with finger cymbal training and the opportunity to become Certified to teach her Level One Format - just plan on staying an extra 2-3 days after the Intensive for this, and let her know ahead of time that you’re planning on this optional addition to your dance training resume`.

CONTACT

To contact Kajira for this purpose or any other, you can phone (24 hours): 808.891.8891 or email Kajira in care of her husband, Chuck: mauimobilemusic@aol.com - please put “For Kajira” in the subject line so he doesn’t miss your email, thanks! Please note that we will both be out of state from May 4 - 25, 2008 for Tribal Fest in Northern California. Kajira will also be out of the country March 6 - 11 and June 17 - 27, to Canada and Taiwan, respectively. Mahalo for your patience.

TUITION

$495 per person will cover all classes and video showings! There are no group outings planned this year, but brochures for fun things to do will be provided for your time off and while out of the dance studio. This fee covers ALL classes and material presented in this Intensive. Due to the very small class size, there can be no discounts for Hawaii residents this year.

IMPORTANT!

PLEASE NOTE that there are only 13 (THIRTEEN) SPACES TOTAL for The Last Maui Intensive! TOTAL! That’s right! You will NOT be in a crowded classroom, trying to see what’s going on. You WILL receive individual attention from all three teachers. ALL of your questions will be answered! This is an opportunity NOT to be missed! = :-D

ITINERARY

July 13, 2008
Last day to arrive on Maui, get checked in to your vacation home rental and settled.
There are no hotels on this side of the island. Look for rentals in Makawao, Paia, Kuau or Upcountry. Many dancers enjoy staying at Peace of Maui on Haliimaile Road. I recommend it for those on a budget. We also love Mama’s Fish House very much - it’s not as modestly priced, but it’s well worth it, and has some “good deal rooms” if you book far enough in advance.

You’ll find a travel agent in the “Places to Stay” section as well. Feel free to contact Paula or Cliff instead of finding a place on your own - they know what’s up and are ready to help. They can also find you a car rental and cheap airline tickets, too!
Please scroll to “Places to Stay” for a list of vacation rentals in the area or click here.

July 14-16, 2008
Classes begin at 11:00 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m. each day. On these dates your teachers are Sarala and Kajira, sharing the class time about half and half, with the “long half” earlier in the day, before the break. One day will start with ATS BD and the next with Odissi Dance and vice versa.

July 17 - Your day off to explore Maui! Head to the beach, for shopping, snorkeling or site-seeing. Grab brochures at the airport or pick something to do before you arrive from the list of Fun Stuff to do on Maui, further down. Have fun, be safe and see you all tomorrow!

July 18-20, 2008
Same class times as earlier in the week, from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. daily. Artemis and Kajira are your teachers for 2 of these last 3 days, and Artemis only for one entire day in order to show more of her priceless video footage.

Bring to Classes the following:
Water and snacks for the break, as these are long class days. You may also wish to bring a towel, notebook and pen. Bring finger cymbals to Kajira’s and Artemis’s classes as well as a hip scarf or belt.
Please do not wear super loose-fitting tops or skirts. Instead, opt for something that is form-fitting (tank or midriff tops, cholis, etc.) with dance or yoga pants so we teachers can best see your legs and posture.

Please Note
that our very first day will include a brief introduction, so we can start to get to know one another in our intimate group, and the last day will include some decompression time to recap all we’ve experienced and to say “aloha.”

HOW TO REGISTER

No matter which method you choose below, please include ALL your contact info: full legal name (and dance name if you have one), email address (I will be in touch via email) and complete telephone number, including area code or country code. Please be sure to include all the above with your registration, mahalo.

1.) The fastest way to reserve your spot is by using PayPal (there is a $5.00 per registration PayPal processing fee, so PayPal payments must total $500.00). If you already have PayPal, go to your account and click on “send money”. When it asks who to, send to: mauimobilemusic@aol.com Make sure you state in the message section of your PayPal payment that you are signing up for the Maui Intensive 3, and include all info above. (If you don’t have an account, go to: www.paypal.com and sign up for one if you like.)

2.) You may send me a check, money order, traveler’s cheques or international money order in U.S. Dollars made to:
BlackSheep BellyDance
PO Box 791000
Paia, HI 96779-1000

I suggest you send your letter via Express Mail or Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation.

3.) You also may use Western Union. Send your funds in U.S. Dollars to: Cheryl Jordan. Test Question: What? Answer: Maui Intensive. Be sure to e-mail Chuck with your transaction identification number, your name, your confirmation of the name and test questions and answer, your email address and your phone number with country code if out of the U.S. We need your full name, city and country you are from and your e-mail addy so we can pick up your funds (they ask us all that before they give us your payment).

To keep most up-to-date, keep checking and posting on the !BlackSheep, Tribal Fest,
Maui Intensive Tribe on www.tribe.net. If you are not already on Tribe, join it by going to the web URL above. Otherwise, you can still read but not interact at: http://bsbd.tribe.net Chuck usually posts news there first, and all the most current info and photos appear there well before they do on my site. It’s a great way to stay in contact and ask questions from others coming or who have been in the past, a wonderful way to find a roomie or flight companion, car rental friend, etc..

PLACES TO STAY

**PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS AREA OF MAUI HAS *ZERO HOTELS*! I do *NOT* recommend staying in Kihei (about 45 minutes-1 hour each way), nor do I care for the hotels in Kahului - because they are not the best and are still 40 minutes drive one way to the studio. Anything like a hotel or timeshare will not only add extra dollars to your gas tank, to your pocketbook (as they cost much more than vacation homes), but also to your long days due to the drive. DO NOT STAY ANYWHERE ON WEST MAUI SUCH AS LAHAINA OR KAPALUA DURING THE INTENSIVE!
Instead, our solution is to rent vacation homes! These are fully-equipped homes or cottages that usually hold from one person up to 8 on average. They are not hotels. They usually start you out with a roll of toilet paper, but you are expected to supply your own after that. You will have pillows, sheets and towels needed for the number of people in your home and the beds will be made upon arrival, after that it’s up to you. They all have fully functioning bathrooms and kitchens so you can buy your food at Mana Foods in Paia or Down to Earth in Makawao. Many have hot tubs and great views, some even have outdoor showers as well as indoor for a true paradisaical experience! But don’t expect any maids or staff on call. Usually there are no restaurants within walking distance on this side of the island unless you get really, really lucky. If you stay at Peace of Maui, you are not far from the world-renowned Haiilimaile General Store and its ono grinds! (Delicious cuisine!) Same for Mama’s Fish House, “yum” to both!
Feel free to find a place on your own from the suggestions below or by other means, or if you prefer to work with a travel agent, Paula is expecting you to call or email her. She’ll keep track of who is with The Maui Intensive (so please make SURE you mention you are with this group) so dancers who are traveling alone and wish to share a home with other dancers can save money. I also suggest you get one or two cars per home, depending upon the number of people sharing it with you. Then you all can pitch in car for rental and gas, even though it has to be driven by one person only for insurance reasons. Once the home is full, I’m sure Paula will be happy to supply you with one another’s email addies so you guys can work it out and get started knowing one another even before you’ve arrived!
Paula is also happy to find a home just for you, you and a friend, or you and your family as well. You do not have to stay with other dancers from The Intensive. Just tell her what you need and she will handle it, or go it on your own as you like (but do rent a car on your own, too, as you really do need one here). Paula can help with packages that include airfare, vacation home and car rental as well.
Please be sure to tell Paula that this year’s Intensive is NOT at the previous ones’s location, which WAS The Studio Maui. The new location is at a private home studio in Makawao, across from St. Joseph’s church.
To reach Paula, please call her: 808.573.5669 or email her: info@koolauvacations.com Her site is: www.koolauvacations.com She is fully licensed as a Travel Agency in the State of HI, is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and manages her company with the help of Cliff Nickens.
Maui is one of the biggest vacation destinations in the world, and has been voted by Conde Nast International Magazine as “Best Island” for over 10 years. It is also the world’s number one wedding destination (we call it “getting Mauied”), so bear in mind that IT IS NEVER TO EARLY TO MAKE RESERVATIONS!!!
Many homes have multiple bedrooms and if you get together with your Tribe.net friends, troupe-mates or family, it is the best way to save money!
Also, if you have been to Maui and stayed someplace in the North Shore/Upcountry area that you liked, please post it on our Tribe (http://bsbd.tribe.net) so others can find it. Keeping up on our Tribe is the best way to stay informed about this event as well as Tribal Fest.
For those of you wishing to not work with Paula or Cliff, we are suppling these links for your use as a starting point, but remember, Chuck and I have NOTHING to do with them and are not in any way involved in the booking, maintenance or anything at all to do with your privately found accommodations. We also do not check out personally any homes from Paula, and no one has reported having a negative experience with her at all.

http://www.peaceofmaui.com/ - a visiting dancer friend found this place and loved it. This is the place nearest Sarala’s studio in Makawao and mentioned earlier in this text, only about a 7-10 minute car ride away. The rooms are private and lock, and have small TVs, places for clothes and beds. The bathroom is shared as is the kitchen facilities. Each room has its own section marked in the huge refridgerators as well as in the cupboards for your personal foodstuffs. It’s very safe and secure even if modest, and would be great to fill with dancers from the Intensive.

http://www.hawaiibliss.com - Chuck did a wedding here and says it’s amazing!

http://www.hawaiianbeachrentals.com/Hawaii/Maui/Haiku/rentals1.htm

http://www.mamasfishhouse.com/ - we all love this place! It’s right on the beach between Paia Town and Kuau Town. It will take you about 20 minutes or so to leisurely drive up Baldwin Ave. to Sarala’s studio from here. Mama’s features apartments from as low as $60 per night to fancy-schmancy homes on the beach for $475 per night. All apartments are fully self-contained and private. Even if you don’t stay here, it’s definitely got one of the most onolicious restaurants on the island. Treat yourself to a luncheon or dinner - but make reservations in advance to avoid disappointment. Oh - the $60 per night apartments rent fast and far in advance, so don’t delay in booking your accomodations here if interested. This is where our daughter stays when she visits.

COMPLETE INSTRUCTOR BIOS and CLASS DESCRIPTIONS


* Sarala Dandekar’s Bio
Sarala Dandekar has studied and performed classical Indian dance since childhood. She received intensive training in India from Guru Jhelum Paranjape (Bombay) and Kelucharan Mohapatra, in his village in Bubaneswar, Orissa.
Since 1991, Sarala Dandekar has performed throughout the world, as a soloist in traditional performances as well as working with various dance troupes from the United States, Canada and India.
From 1996 to 1998 Sarala completed her Master’s Degree in Dance Ethnology at York University, Toronto and won prestigious research awards towards her fieldwork in India. She has presented scholarly work at several international dance conferences, and her written work is published in several dance journals and academic texts. In 1997, her collaborative choreography was sponsored by the Ontario Arts Council, the Laidlaw Foundation and Kala Nidhi Fine Arts of Canada.
In 2002 Artwalla Festival of the South Asian Diaspora and the Jacob’s Pillow’s “INSIDE/OUT” 2003 summer series with the Lasandhi Dance Theatre. In addition to classical dance workshops and cultural education programs, Sarala founded the Darshan Dance Company in 2003, a troupe that performs classical choreography and explore principles of sacred geometry, yoga asana and contemporary themes in the spirit of creative exploration.
Sarala has over a decade of teaching experience. Her classes are technically oriented towards mastering the complex physical elements of Odissi dance but also have a strong cultural component, teaching the mythology, philosophy, history and contextual meaning that is so inseparable to the dance form. Students learn basics of the North Indian musical system, raga, tala and laya. She also introduces the idea of sacred dance energy and shifting energies in the body from base to sublime, from mundane to meditative. The eye movements, hand gestures, rhythmic footwork, music and mythology take participants on a journey deeper into their own body work and spirituality while providing a unique hands-on arts education for those curious about India’s rich cultural history.



Odissi Dance Description
Cradled in spirituality, Odissi dance was originally performed in the temples of North Eastern India. Over time, this dance form has transformed and found new life on the stages of India and around the world. The weaving together of eye movements, hand gestures, rhythmic footwork, music and mythology creates a timeless monument to Indian culture.


* Elizabeth Artemis Mourat’s Bio
Artemis has been dancing, teaching and researching dance history in the United States and abroad for her entire adult life. Artemis is of Greek and Turkish descent. She fuses her love of these cultures with strong academic knowledge and excellent dance technique. She brings her spirited and articulate technique to workshops which include information on the history and cultures that generate the dances she teaches. She believes that we can all use art to build bridges across cultures.
Artemis has contributed to many publications. Extensive travel to 33 countries and intensive research into the idioms of the East, women's issues, psychology, ancient history, oriental dance, Rromany (Gypsy) dance and dance ethnology have yielded many manuscripts and articles.
She continues to produce new articles every year. Artemis has an M.A. in psychology, an M.S.W. in social work (with specialized studies in cross cultural awareness) and has done postgraduate work in dance movement therapy. She was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. Her research is used by Egyptian universities, the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C. and the Library for the Performing Arts in New York. She has lectured, taught and/or performed for Cornell University and Princeton University, National Public Radio (NPR), Voice of America and in Spain, England, France, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Canada, Japan, Greece, Turkey and in 29 states within the United States. Artemis is a member of the Society of Folk Dance Historians. She uses her writing and her dance and history lectures to fight the racism which exists against the Roma. Her humanitarian interests extended to helping the survivors of hurricane Katrina and she received the key to the city of Lafayette for these efforts. She also continues in her efforts to have Middle Eastern dance receive the recognition and respect that every other legitimate dance form enjoys.


Rromany (Gypsy) Music, Dance and Culture Class Description
In our time together, Artemis will separate fact from fiction about Rromany music, dance, history and culture, including information about many different Rromany cultures throughout the world.
We will compare and contrast the features of the dances and music. There is ample DVD footage. We discuss the truth about Rromany culture and history and how it is quite different from the false stereotyped fantasies and biases that abound.



* Kajira Djoumahna’s Bio
Kajira has devoted her career to the proliferation of American Tribal Style (ATS) BellyDance (BD). Though skilled in many other traditional dance forms, this specialty chose her due to its “no borders” sense of creativity, its modern approach to ancient ways and its capacity to bring dancers together nearly psychically through its unique structured group improvisational dancing.
Qualifications include 8 years under Carolena Nericcio’s tutelage and as a member of her performance troupes, 2 years under Suhaila & Jamila Salimpour, almost 9 years working on her own innovations on the FCBD Format to develop the Kajira Djoumahna / BlackSheep BellyDance (KD/BSBD) Format for ATS BD (and still going), nearly a decade on Staff at the prestigious Mendocino Middle Eastern Music and Dance Camp as well as on Staff 3 years at Folk Tours Camp (learning from fellow dancer and musician Staff the whole time), training in *many* styles of Middle Eastern, Rromany and Folkloric Dance, with current cross-training under master teacher Sarala Dandekar in Odissi, a devotional Classical Dance form the temples of East India.
Kajira has taught around the globe in the UK, Canada, Europe, US and Taiwan and has Certified Teachers in her Format and happy students everywhere. Other teaching highlights include teaching and performing onboard a cruise ship for 4 years and as a judge at the Belly Dancer of the Universe Competition (BDUC) on 3 separate occasions. She holds an honorary award for “Lifetime Achievement in Middle Eastern Dance and the Arts” from the same.
She is author and purveyor of the famous Tribal Bible (on its 3rd printing), the featured Tribal-and-Alternative Q-n-A columnist for Zaghareet! Magazine for over 2 years, has 2 DVDs out (Vol. 1 having been honored as one of the “Top 25 DVDs for Belly Dancers” by Shira of shira.net and the *only Tribal one* to make the cut!), is a performer and teacher of *many* dance styles (just ask!), is producer of Tribal Fest (a 3-time winner in Zag! Mag’s Golden Belly Awards for Fave Event/Promoter), has won the Instructor of the Year award from IAMED (International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance) and Favorite Instructor twice in Zaghareet! Magazine’s Golden Belly Awards!
She’s grateful to have a very full schedule year-round traveling to share her art with others. She offers Teacher Training Courses in her specific format (The KD/BSBD Format for ATS BD) while encouraging her students to pursue even more training in any field, just like she does. Since Kajira’s move to Maui in August 2004, her troupe and classes are still going stronger than ever in their original location in Rohnert Park, CA. Now BSBD has on average 3 weekly restaurant gigs plus private invitations around the county and beyond. Seba is now BSBD’s Acting Director, and under her BSBD has gone on to win 4 awards for Tribal Groups in competitions! Seba has supplemented her BSBD Teacher Certifications with a SSSD L 1 Certification as well as Completing an Ansuya Comprehensive. She is the most wonderful apprentice any teacher could hope for!
Most of all, Kajira is the original Creator and “Chief Imagineer” of the KD/BSBD Format for ATS BD and the Founder and Teacher of BSBD and its earlier incarnations, as well as several other individuals and troupes around the world. Kajira and BlackSheep BD feel technique is necessary only to facilitate the experience of the loftier goal of complete and total JOY while in the moment with others! They feel this format and the way it is taught is a vehicle for healing on so many levels. It is much more than a series of steps...


American Tribal Style BellyDance Class Description
Kajira’s BlackSheep BellyDance (BSBD) format for American Tribal Style (ATS) BellyDance is radiant, inspirational, joyous, powerful, mysterious, playful, elegant, sensual, strong, musical and completely amazing! Tribal BellyDance fosters community because we learn to rely on one another while dancing, we give and take, we learn trust and responsibility, we learn to communicate non-verbally, we free ourselves of choreographies to remember and just dance, in the NOW. Through this practice, one may gain new friends, self-confidence, courage and determination, healthier self esteem, more power, strength, balance, musicality and flexibility - all by having FUN while you learn one of the newest forms of the world’s oldest dance! This dance style is a gift, one that if practiced well can be completely life changing. *Are You Ready?*
We will reinforce ATS basics together, learn lots of Kajira’s innovations for ATS in theory, steps, combos and with work trading leads - and hips! I will tailor the material for the Last Intensive to the desires of everyone in attendance, and you can rest assured this material is also great for non-ATS troupes and solo work as well. We’ll work with various formations, chorus work and more. I can answer any questions you may have about this dance style’s history, costuming, fusions and anything else that’s on your mind. I love questions - and have answers from my 16+ years in the field. I guarantee your time spent will be most fun and informative!
And, why not become a Kajira Djoumahna/BlackSheep BellyDance Format for ATS Level One Certified Teacher?! If you want to teach Level One material in your home town, or to incorporate it into your already-existing Tribal format, that opportunity will follow the Intensive, with introduction to the moves and concepts during the week.
Since this is a unique opportunity offered in conjunction with The Last Maui Intensive, it is only $200 plus the Intensive fee of $500 to attend the Intensive AND get your certificate (which is $500 when offered alone, as you can see by going to the Teacher Certification Program page on this web site). Be sure to tell me when you register if you’re interested, and book your vacation rental for at least 2-3 more days after the Intensive ends to complete your training.

FUN STUFF To Do On MAUI!

Here are some ideas for before or after The Intensive, so plan to arrive early and stay late when you come to out island paradise to really enjoy it! Below are several web links to these and other fun places, so please print or read-n-scroll. Please be aware that Chuck and I have supplied this list for your convenience, but are in no way responsible for your well-being or enjoyment while experiencing them.
Few visitors are lucky enough to experience the opportunities that the North Shore and Upcountry Maui has to offer. Located just minutes from some of Maui’s most spectacular beaches, Haleakala Crater, fantastic horseback riding, zip line tours (Chuck and Kajira LOVE the zipline! ;-D), ATV tours, world class yoga instructors, massage therapists, artists, Hawaii’s “old-west” Upcountry paniolo (cowboy) town, Makawao, and the wonderful North Shore town of Paia.

1.) Horseback riding - enjoy riding through the pastures of Upcountry Maui, with breathtaking views of the surrounding areas such as Haleakala, West Maui Mountains, valley views that not only include “downtown” Kahului, but the spectacular ocean view of both North and South shores at once. Ride through the bamboo forests, through streams into the eucalyptus forests and even up into Haleakala Crater! Most rides include lunch, sometimes barbeque (which in Hawai’i has been honed to a fine art, complete with multi-cultural influences like Hawaii Nei [nei = today]).

2.) Haleakala Crater - experience the largest walkable crater in the world! (The entire island of Manhattan, NY, can fit inside this ‘inactive’ volcano!) The setting will astound you, with its multitude of colors and changing landscapes. See plants and animals that are endemic to this area, such as the Ahinahina (ahinihina = silvery) aka Silversword. A few have been taken to “The Big I” aka the island of Hawaii, but are not thriving there as they do on Maui. They are found nowhere else on earth! Other unusual species include the Chukkers (fat, big birds that walk around in groups and look kinda like quails) and our state bird, the Nene, which are found on most of our islands after becoming a protected species, but no where other than Hawaii. (Nene = goose and are descendants of wayward Canadian Geese who no longer migrate and have developed different traits for subtropical living year-round.)
Haleakala (= House of the Sun) is a National Park, so trails are well marked. I recommend Sliding Sands Trail for an easy walk where you can decide how far you wanna go. Ways to see Haleakala begin with a stunning drive through the many terrains and ecosystems of Haleakala. See a sunset or a sunrise. Look out over to the island of Hawaii off in the distance. A hike down into the crater can be as long as 20 miles one way (from one end of the crater and back), or simply turn around when you have hiked enough. You can also rent cabins for a night or two if you wish to experience the crater for longer, and maybe find a some lava tubes and other cool stuff others rarely see. Reservations can be made through the Hakeakala National Park Service and are usually booked about 6 months in advance.
The altitude on Haleakala’s summit is over 10,000 feet, so wear real walking shoes, long pants and layers to fight the chill.

3.) Bike Down the Volcano - Begin your day with a sunrise at the very top of Haleakala, some coffee or tea and a light snack the bike companies serve, put on your gear (supplied by the bike companies, who also drive you up), and begin your 10,000 foot descent all the way down to Haiku (in the same center as The Studio Maui) or into Paia Town. You can also rent bikes and ride down alone, map in hand. More fun, but also more risky than going with the groups, who have protective vans both in front and in back of your group.

4.) Helicopter Tours - Yet another way to see Haleakala crater! Don't miss the opportunity to hover over the lush valleys and waterfalls of Hana, Kipahulu and Kaupo on East Maui, as well as the West Maui Mountains (aka Kahalewai = where the waters meet). Because so much of Maui is inaccessible by car, a helicopter flight is truly the best way to see all that our island has to offer without some serious backpack hiking for days.

5.) Baldwin Beach - a large white sand beach and park, with bathrooms, lifeguard, pavilion, BBQ areas and picnic areas. Great for long walks along the seashore.

6.) Baby Beach- is at the very end of Baldwin beach, and named so for the gentle waters protected by a long reef. A favorite for families. Go around the rock outcropping for clothing-optional swims (also called Baby Beach). This beach is in between Baldwin and Paia Bay Beach.

7.) Paia Bay Beach - closer to town, but otherwise the same stretch of sand as Baldwin and Baby. There is a great Youth Center there with cheap, good food as well as a skate park and a hangout to help keep kids in touch with healthy ways to deal with angst and constructive ways to learn how to do things, through free classes and work days, beach clean-up and pride in the good they are doing. They even prepare the food and run the kitchen under adult supervision. Kids from ages 8 - 18 participate, both sexes and all races and religions.

8.) Ho’okipa - you don’t need to be a world class surfer, kite boarder or wind surfer to enjoy
Ho’okipa. This is a must see spot to stop and check out the colorful action out on the water. You
can walk down to the tide pools as well.

9.) Shop Makawao - the "Paniolo" (cowboy) Town, with its many art galleries, Hawaiian shops, clothing stores, jewelry and crystals, cafes, library, and a variety of terrific restaurants.
10.) Shop Paia Town - also rich in local flavor, with its myriad of locally owned stores full of all kinds of gifts, swimsuits, local wear, an award-winning tattoo and piercing parlor and a wide range of restaurants, both indoor and outdoor. This is where our best food store on the North Shore/Upcountry is, too, so buy food on your way to your vacation home here at Mana Foods. Mana carries the best fresh deli and salad bar on the island, as well as organic meats and lotsa fresh fruits and veggies.
Paia has long been a hangout for locals, surfers, tourists and “hippies” that feature both upscale boutiques as well as affordable and unique stores, and three stores with stuff that bellydancers might love (well, at least 3 ;-D) such as The Indigo, Mandala Ethnic Arts and the one right across from them (they carry great jewelry as well as very unusually styled Jewish hamsas for all price ranges)!

11.) Private Massage, Acupuncture, or Reflexology - Maui is renowned for its wide range of skilled body healers and massage practitioners. If you enjoy having body work, or want to experience it for the first time, you will not want to miss out on the plethora of talent that is readily available. It can make all the difference in the world!

12.) Hana Guided Van Tours - Leave the driving to someone else, sit back and enjoy the ride.
Local Hawaiian guides provide an informative, interesting and entertaining narrative to all the amazing sites and treasures that Hana has to offer. Lunch, snacks and beverages are provided.

13.) Hana On Your Own - Give yourself a full day and you can take the drive to Hana on your own. Pack your own lunch or grab a world famous picnic basket in nearby Paia. Begin your drive along the breathtaking, famous North Shore of Maui. Stop at waterfalls, visit arts and crafts stands and other attractions along the way. Enjoy local snacks at the food and fruit stands that are dotted throughout the trip. Be sure not to miss the bamboo forest - it’s not marked well but I think I can explain how to get there, so ask me when here. You can hike right into nothing but bamboo and it’s really cool! Keep going over one little stream and then one you will want to walk through partially and stay on rocks partially, go left and follow the trail to a lovely pond!
The Bamboo Forest is across from some gorgeous Rainbow Eucalyptus trees - the most beautiful species I have ever seen! "The Garden of Eden" at mile marker 11 as you wind your way to Hana is a nice stop for that picnic or just a stroll, and there are numerous ponds, an outlook over famous Keanae (one of our last remaining “old ways” towns that supplies the rest of us with ‘da kine’ kalo (aka taro in Tahitian). Be sure to stop at Black Sands Beach (Waianapanapa State Park) as well as Red Sands in Hana! If you have lotsa time and energy, stop for a walk through the Lava Tube between these 2 beaches. Red Sands is especially great as it is protected by a rock wall, inside of which is calm water for swimming and pretty OK snorkeling, too. You can jump off the rocks into the calmer pool while the waves (‘nalu’) crash ferociously outside the natural “pool”.

14.) Hang Gliding - if your’re adventurous (no kidding!) you will never forget the experience of riding tandem while soaring gracefully like a bird over Maui's awe-inspiring coastlines, the gentle slopes, dramatic gulches and valleys of Haleakala.

15.) 18 holes of fabulous golf at the nearby Pukalani golf course. (One of Chuck's fave places to play!)
16.) ATV Adventures, Zip Line Tours, Luaus, Snorkel and Dive trips and so much more! In summertime, I recommend a dolphin tour to experience swimming near (or with if you are lucky and calm) our huge pods of about 150-200 spinner dolphins as well as the bottlenose dolphins that hang out with them.

17.) Take a private, semi-private or small group class with Kajira! I also offer Teacher Certification (please look under that title elsewhere on this site for the details and qualifications) in my format for American Tribal Style (ATS) BellyDance. I’m also versed in oriental styles and offer coaching on any subject having to do with The Dance. Besides being an expert teacher and innovator of ATS, I am skilled in Turkish Romani-Oriental fusion, veil work, use of baskets, skirt work, scimitar or sword/saber work (single or double), as well as the Moroccan Guedra Blessing Ritual.

And of course there’s the Alii Kula Lavender Farm, The Surfing Goat Dairy and the wonderful show Ulalena.... there’s a coffee plantation and macadamia nut farm - grab brochures at the aiport or google ‘em now to plan.

There are many, many more things to do! The popular ones do sell out weeks in advance. You can guarantee your reservations for some of these more popular tours and activities with no prepayment required.

Here is a place to start:
www.mauiactivities.net/index.lasso

Please check into all activities to make sure they are right for you. Many need your reservations in advance, especially the Old Lahaina Luau which is one of the only ones that is *all Hawaiian* and why it is so popular. Their web URL is: www.oldlahainaluau.com