Hathor

Regular visitors will notice that the Hathor website has been down for a few days. This was caused by a hardware failure in the server our site lives on (I think this is techy-speak for "someone dropped their latte on the keyboard"). The server has now been recovered (ie someone found a hairdryer) and most of our pages have been restored. The gallery is still drying out - oops, I mean "recompiling" or something - and will be back online as soon as we can press out all the crinkles.

We are delighted to announce that the raffle at the 2008 Hathor hafla raised a whopping £318.10 for Helen & Douglas House. Thank you to all the vendors for their generosity in donating the prizes, and to everyone who dug into their pockets to help this great cause.

Hathor's 2008 hafla is over. We left dear Bert sweeping the floor as we stuffed speakers into the car and wallowed along the A34 trying not to bottom out the suspension. Night-blooming jasmine rewarded us at home as we dragged our bags up the garden and into the house. Updating the website at 1am because I won't be able to sleep for a good while yet!

What a night! A capacity crowd - we sold out a few weeks ago - danced, cheered and shopped the night away. Every act was wonderful (am I allowed to say that about us too?) Dancers sparkled and lit the stage with grace, joy and sheer exhuberance. Wings wafted, coins chimed, colours rippled and a "big bit of string" made a beautiful swan song. Ah, you had to be there....

Thank you to all our wonderful dancers, musicians, audience, vendors and helpers. It would be nothing without you. We hope you all had a safe journey home and the sweetest dreams.

Till next time....

Hathor's Webwoman

Hathor dancers are often asked where we go to classes, if we teach classes, or where people can take up Our Dance in the local area.

The answer is, we don't run classes - except for the odd workshop - and we all go to different teachers in the area and beyond, so to help our readers, we've put together a list of teachers in Oxford area (pdf).

Born on 1 June, Emma has already attended her first dress rehearsal with mum Lisa. Emma plans her debut appearance at Hathor's hafla on June 28 where OZGEN may have some competition as special guest!!

The weekend was entitled "Celebrating Dance" - well we certainly did!

It isn't all glamour, glitz and bowls of peeled grapes brought to the dressing room, you know.

Here's a list of some of the dressing rooms we have used:

The quotations below come from a variety of sources. Some of them come not from famous authors but from "ordinary" women and men who dance Our Dance, and whose words I felt were eloquent enough to justify inclusion in this illustrious company. Friends, if I have misquoted you, please accept my apologies and correct me!

If I can't dance, I don't want your revolution! - Emma Goldman

Hathor's 4th, 5th, 6th and now 7th annual Haflas were all sold out. Thank you to all our friends, families, fellow dancers and beloved teachers for supporting us once again.

View professional pictures of the 2007 and 2006 haflas here

When I tell people what my hobby is, I get a variety of reactions. Most of them include one of these questions. My answers are based on my own personal experience, reading various books and articles, and participating in discussions on the MED list with dancers and scholars of our art with many years of study and life experience. I hope I have not misrepresented any of their wisdom below.