by Karien | Jul 1, 2026 | hips and bits, Uncategorized
Hips and Bits #11
with me, Paulette Rees-Denis
and today’s guest dancer
Alica D’Arcy from Australia
Hello Beautiful Souls,
This week on Hips and Bits, I had the pleasure of sitting down with the lovely Alica D’Arcy from Bendigo, Australia.
Alica is a dancer, teacher, community-builder, and the heart behind Solaris Dance Collective and Bendigo Tribal Fest. She has been dancing and teaching belly dance for 25 years, and her Global Caravan journey began at a workshop with Nina Martinez in 2018.
At a time when Alica felt she had lost some of her joy for dance, that first Global Caravan experience opened something back up in her. She shares how the dance helped her reconnect with her body, rediscover her passion, and find a supportive community that continues to inspire her.
In our conversation, we talk about the beauty of gathering dancers together, the importance of allowing the dance to truly settle into the body, and the joy of remaining a student—even when you are also a teacher.
Alica also shares a lovely reminder that when the music is in your body and the movement becomes familiar, dance can become a place of mindfulness and presence.
So enjoy our conversation, watch here on YouTube:
or listen in on SoundCloud or Spotify.
More About Alica!
Alica D’Arcy has been dancing and teaching various styles of belly dance for 25 years in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. She leads weekly classes with her tribe, Solaris Dance Collective, along with monthly workshops, haflas, and community performances.
Since beginning her Global Caravan Dance journey in 2018, Alica has completed Collective Soul Levels 1–5, Teacher Training Levels 1–2, and Tribal Group Teacher Training. This year, she is looking forward to continuing her studies with CS6 in Cairns and TT3 online.
Her vision is to continue growing a vibrant and inclusive Global Caravan community in Central Victoria—one that supports creativity, self-expression, connection, and joy.
I hope you enjoy this heartfelt conversation with Alica as much as I did.
💃 Watch the latest episode of Hips and Bits and let us know:
What brings you back to joy?
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Lots of new good stuff coming up. Make sure to sign up to keep updated on all the goodness!
www.paulettereesdenis.com
With gratitude…thanks for being here. I love you
Paulette
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What’s coming up?
Would you like that free strategy session with me?
Book here:
https://calendly.com/paulettecoach/steppingintoyournextchapterstrategycall
And you can join in Stepping Into Your Next Chapter, my private women’s group where we raise all kinds of energy, talk dance and desire, on FB, right here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/steppingintoyournextchapter
by paulette@paulettereesdenis.com | Apr 28, 2025 | Uncategorized
Moving with Feminine Grace as We Age
Monday Motivation, Pep Talk, and Magic… Talking to you…
As we journey through this thing called life, as we age, our bodies change, and so does the way we move. Embracing these changes with grace and femininity can be a beautiful and empowering experience. It’s about finding a new rhythm, a new way of being in our bodies that honors our age and wisdom. We talk about this in our dance classes, in our yoga classes, in our daily lives too, confering with our friends about these sometimes small nuances of change, and sometimes, even bigger changes that have crept up on us.
And we must continue to honor our bodies…
So, what do you do…
Listen in deep to Your Body’s Needs
Pay attention to what your body is telling you. Rest when you need to, it is ok to take a break, or just stop. And don’t push yourself beyond your limits. Haven’t we done that enough over the years, moving with our creative juices and working to make a living?
Gentle Movement, you know me, I’m all about moving the god pod…
If you are a mover already, might be time to cross train, try something different, and if you haven’t been moving, consider activities like yoga, dance, tai chi, or swimming, which promote flexibility, balance, and strength without being too strenuous. And any of those can help you reconnect with yourself, your spirit, and even release a lot of stuck energy from your past.
Self-Care Practices
Ohhh, baby, incorporate practices like massage, warm baths, and aromatherapy to soothe and nurture your body, is delicious, and yes, necessary. I don’t consider these a luxury. Again, it is reconnecting with your body, and what it needs.
Embracing Feminine Energy
Fluidity and Flow
Focus on movements that feel fluid and natural. Think of the way water moves, adapting to its surroundings with ease and grace. Think of slowing down and allowing yourself to step into that graceful flow, even if you are going on a morning walk. Breathing deep and again, listening in.
Connection and Sensuality
And whlie you are at it…Reconnect with your senses. Dance, listen to music, out walking in nature, or simply feeling the sun on your skin. Embrace the sensuality of movement and the joy of being in your body. I think we forget to slow down, and enjoy being present, taking in deep breaths, and going on what I can a beauty walk, looking at your surroundings…
Self-Expression
As a dancer, I have always used dance movement as a form of self-expression. And Yoga to feel alive and flexible, and working out at the gym to feel strong and in touch with how my body changes. But even if that isn’t your definition of self, you can move through walking in nature, or simply stretching, allow your movements to reflect your inner beauty and strength. Noone else has to see you. Remember, dance like noone is watching!
Cultivating Inner Grace, this is so good…and so important.
To be Mindful and Present
Be present in your body. Pay attention to how you move, how you feel, and what your body is telling you.
I love when my students in either dance or yoga classes, say, Nope not doing that, it doesn’t feel right on my body. That means they are listening in, to their limitations, and what is working for them.
Self-Compassion
Be kind to yourself. Accept that your body is changing and that your movements may not be the same as they once were.
This is HUGE! and I know I have dealt with this over the years. But I also know that because I have kept dancing, and working out, and walking, and doing yoga, that I am loving my body, daily, and reaping the rewards of continuous connection and movement.
Gratitude
Hell yeah. Daily…Appreciate your body for all that it has done and continues to do. Focus on what you can do, rather than what you can’t. Love that goddess that you are!
For Daily Practice
Start Small, remember, baby steps…
Begin with short periods of gentle movement and gradually increase the duration and intensity as you feel comfortable. I know you can push yourself, even if just a little. First step is to get off the couch!
Create a Ritual
How do you do this? Find a good time of day that you can use, repeatably. Research some classes. Sign up and GO!
Look online, Find some music. Make movement a regular part of your day. It could be a morning stretch, an afternoon walk, or an evening dance.
Movement raises energy. Creates Momentum, and starts to energize your own Magic…
Find a Community
This can also be HUGE… get an accountability partner, hire a coach, join a group. Connect with others who share your interest in gentle movement and feminine grace. Or think about the variety… salsa, qi gong, bellydancing, strenth training, yoga, pilates, there are so many options open these days, you just got to make a move!
By embracing our changing bodies and cultivating inner grace, we can move through life with beauty, strength, and confidence, no matter our age. Feeling great, Growing older with wisdom, confidence, and loving our bodies.
Love your temple. You are a goddess…
Enjoy the movement and your body!
Let me know your thoughts or questions…if I can help guide you, as your mentor and coach, I am here.
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What’s coming up?
I’ve taken the Substack plunge to share some pieces of poetry from my upcoming 5th book!
Join me there:
https://substack.com/@paulettereesdenis
by Paulette Rees-Denis | Aug 19, 2024 | Uncategorized
We are over half way through this year, my friend, and what a year so far! How has it gone for you? What’s new? What has been the highlights so far?
And what has been the not so good things?
It’s always great to take time to reflect on the good and not so good, what has gone right, what dreams have come true, what hasn’t worked out, you know…all the things. I actually like to do this at the end of every month so I can evaluate, reorganize, and also acknowledge and celebrate it all!
Plus it’s never too late to revisit and remake plans and dreams too.
One of the things we will be doing on our Women’s retreat to Costa Rica is to take time to revisit the year behind us, acknowledge all those ideas, celebrate ourselves, and look ahead into the coming year.
So we can manifest those NEW ideas and desires, envision what we want next for ourselves, our careers, our lifestyles, and actually make a Magic Action Plan to bring those desires into reality.
Through journaling, deep diving, meditation, healing ceremonies, movement/dance, adventure, and inspired conversations in our wonderful circle of women, (all the goodies included on the retreat) we will learn how to clarify, and rewrite our stories for what we are wanting. Wanting to change, wanting more of, wanting to create.
Powerful stuff!
And then the process of asking for and allowing ourselves to manifest our desires,is important, after we have let go of what has held us back.
We get to celebrate ourselves and honor our sacredness, our desires, our divine womanhood, all that we are and want to bring more of into our selves ( and the coming new year!).
This Powerful Retreat is a Journey Crafted for You if…
- You yearn to deepen your connection to your divine feminine.
- You’re eager to have time to focus on you.
- You’re ready to transform your life.
- You are ready to explore a different culture.
- You’re open to embracing new perspectives and stepping out of your box.
- You’re excited about joining in with other women who are wanting to create change.
- You’re ready to dive in to your heart, body, and soul for a transformation.
- You want to gain the confidence and tools to step into your feminine desires.
The SUPER Early Pricing special is now over! Thank you to those who booked in early to take advantage of this savings and will be joining us in November! Woo hoo…
Misha and I are still able and happy to offer you special pricing, now saving $300 on your retreat rate, on both private and shared rooms!
A great deal, my friend! so let me know your questions, and let’s get you registered! Private message me, email be back, and let’s set up a time to talk. I’ll call you… or you can actually set up a time on my calendar, here !
See what we are bringing for you, and all the wonderful activities we have planned, on this amazing women’s adventure, here!
I can’t wait to take that deep dive with you,to share this gorgeous retreat space with you, and help you rediscover and embrace your juicy wildness, your divine creatrix in Costa Rica!
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