The Chicago school of blues hopes to preserve the art form forever woven into the fabric of our city

It causes the most ardent supporters of arts in the schools to hesitate.

“We want to give your children the blues.”

In what may initially seem a backwards idea, The Chicago School of Blues has couched a message of positivity that combines the history, music and movement associated with the blues. The traveling program has been bringing this message to Chicago area schools, cultivating the selfexpression and freedom that is so often lost with shrinking arts budgets.

In the process, they are preserving an art form that is forever woven into the historical fabric of the city.

Giving children the blues

The Chicago School of Blues is an education program that began in December 2010 to bring blues music to schools throughout Chicago. “Barrelhouse” Bonni McKeown, a historian and blues piano player, and Taj, a dancer and practitioner of holistic arts, co-lead the program, which they began to preserve what they see as a dying art.

“Serious blues musicians see the need to pass this art down to the younger folks,” McKeown says. “As I get older, I see how, as generations pass, things tend to get lost unless someone makes a conscious effort to preserve them.”

Visits are conducted by McKeown and Taj, whose disparate backgrounds and approaches complement each other to fuse the music, the storytelling aspect and the movement and dancing—the latter of which Taj sees as lacking in today’s educational landscape.

“They need to move without feeling like they’re going to be judged, without thinking anything,” Taj says. “We want to address the lack of self expression that’s going on in schools today.”

Unlike most blues education programs that focus more on the instruments, they begin with how the blues began, which is the voice and the beat, McKeown says. By starting with the historical roots, the teachers are able to bridge the blues to modern music.

“Some kids say, ‘why should I listen to this? This is my grandma’s music,’” Taj says. “And we explain that if there was no blues, there’d be no hip-hop.”

After the small history introduction (“We’re always careful not to talk too much history,” McKeown says) and a movement exercise to loosen the children up, “Barrelhouse” Bonni—the nickname being a nod to the 1930s blues played in the juke joints and barrelhouses of the South—makes her way to the piano. The children are encouraged to sing a blues tune or tell their own story in a three line blues verse.

“A lot of kids are afraid of writing … afraid of even thinking about their feelings,” McKeown says.

And for those who can’t seem to get over their writer’s block, the teachers bring a sample verse that hits close to home:

“My dog ate my homework, please have mercy on me,

The teacher’s going to kill me, I think I might climb a tree.”

passing on a tradition

As Robert Johnson famously put it, Chicago has always been the “sweet home” of the blues. And while Howlin’ Wolf and Buddy Guy have become household names, the blues musicians who continue to keep the Chicago scene thriving remain unheard of and under appreciated, McKeown says.

“People keep holding onto the elders who are really past their prime,” McKeown says. “I want to get recognition for this generation, and this is one of the goals in introducing the kids to their music.”

The program can be designed to match what the school is looking for—spanning from a couple hours to several weeks— and is strengthened by McKeown’s close relationship with Chicago-area professional blues musicians. This rotating group of musicians takes part in the longer visits, exposing children to the actual instruments and allowing them to listen to local bluesmen and women.

And if the voices and instruments aren’t enough, names like “Killer” Ray Allison and “West Side” Wes grab the kids’ attention.

West Side Wes, a drummer, speaks casually of hanging with Paul Williams of Th e Temptations. Killer Ray, a guitarist, humbly talks about growing up a couple blocks away from Muddy Waters. Th e two blues veterans feel bringing their music to children is the best way to preserve their life’s passion.

“The kids … they’re just so enthusiastic, man,” West Side Wes says. “When we visit, they really just love the singing and the dancing. They end up loving this music.”

For some children it’s their first time seeing and hearing live instruments.

“We let them experience what a guitar, a keyboard and the drums actually feel like,” Killer Ray says. “It’s important that they know that the blues are not that complicated; it’s more of a feeling.”

The other regular musicians are Abb Locke, Gloria Shannon and Larry Taylor—all three dedicated professionals living in Chicago, who, although at it for years, have gone largely unnoticed.

So, while Th e Chicago School of Blues exists to bring arts to the kids, it is also a legacy project that honors the “living legends,” McKeown says. And for veterans of the scene, the program has restored their faith in the youth’s appreciation for their music.

“When we play for them, their eyes get so big, and they sparkle, I swear,” West Side Wes says.

Giving teachers and students a break

The program is also a response to an increasing reliance on technology and computers in modern music and the slashing of the arts in schools.

“You’re going to have a whole generation of children who have never been exposed to organic sound,” Taj says. “It’s like taking fruits and vegetables away from them.”

McKeown and Taj aren’t shy about their disdain for the education system and the strain that it puts on teachers. In giving the children a day, week or month of creative activity, they hope to alleviate the pressure on teachers.

“It’s nice for an outsider to come in and give them (teachers) a break and provide a creative outlet,” McKeown says. “If you always just try to stuff facts into their brain, they won’t respond to that.”

Donoghue Elementary School was so impressed with the program that they’ve hosted both a 10-week workshop and a school-wide assembly.

“The kids love it,” says Angel Pringle, after-school coordinator at Donoghue. “It gives them an opportunity to get over their stage fright."

Shawn Jackson, principal of Spencer Academy, acknowledges the benefi ts of teaching the history of the blues, but credits the program for giving students an opportunity to express themselves.

“Poverty and high crime rates can often deter students from furthering their education,” Jackson says. “Th e program has given our students a voice."

Currently an arm of Taj’s Final Feliz Foundation, the program doesn’t have solid financial footing yet, so the women sometimes volunteer their time (although they “always pay the musicians,” McKeown says). They have plans to expand if they can fi nd additional support.

Leaving children and teachers behind with smiling faces, the program is starting to break free from the stigma associated with the blues—sadness.

“Blues is a music of truth and survival,” McKeown says. “As Willie Dixon said, ‘it’s the facts of life.’”

Shaking it up

	By Sophia S., published Apr 08, 2008

Where to Take Belly Dancing Lessons in Chicago

Lessons with Miss Taj

The Levy Center in Evanston Gallery lessons with Miss Taj are street popular in Chicago; everyone knows about them. What makes Miss Taj's lessons so popular is that everytime you walk out of one of her lessons you will have picked up something new, something that hasn't been covered in any other class. New moves seem to come spontaneously, but in fact the instructor is always studying new inspirations that are then brought into the art of belly dancing.

Classes with Miss Taj fill up and fill up fast so be sure to get in as soon as a new class becomes available, you can watch for new classes on her website, www.misstaj.com There are six and four week sessions available and classes are held in two locations, The Beverly Arts Center and the Levy Center in Evanston for Northsiders.

Liz Coffey
07/18/07
Northwestern University School of Journalism

A Chicago Area belly dance instructor did something for children last weekend: She led a Hula Hoop class.

No, Taj’s pupils at “Hooplove: Hoopdance Fitness for a Cause” were not kids; they were instead grown women – many of whom were enrolled in one of her belly dance classes. Yet by twirling an array of colored hoops in the Lou Conte Dance Studio in Chicago last Saturday evening, these eight women supported children a continent away, in Brazil.

Taj has traveled to Brazil before. “I’ve gone into the schools where they don’t have basic necessities” she said.

So she created an event to inspire awareness. Proceeds from her Hoopdance class went to the DreamsCanBe Foundation, an organization that reaches out to impoverished Brazilian children.

But the children were not the only ones to benefit from Taj’s class. Taj had an additional goal – to bring Hoopdance to the people of Chicago, starting with the women in attendance.

“It [hooping] is something that is classic exercise fun, but it has a lot of therapeutic aspects to it. Everyone has a connection to the circle,” Taj said.

Kim Dixon, who had taken some of Taj’s belly dancing classes, said that before the event, “I was curious as to how they’d incorporate the hoops. It’s a very nostalgic thing.”

But for some, it was not an easy thing. As they swiveled their hips, their hoops clattered to the hardwood floor below.

And what did Taj do when these women dropped their hoops? No, she did not reprimand them. Instead she erupted into applause. “That sound,” she said, “that’s the sound of learning.”

The women learned to Hula-Hoop clockwise and counterclockwise, above their waist and below their waist, while standing up and crouching down, and while standing still and moving. “It’s this play that we get away from when we become big kids,” Taj said.

Most of the “big kids” enjoyed the challenging “play.” Kathy Walton said to fellow participant Robin Clark, “I saw that determined look on your face, and you’re like, I’m doing this.”

And she did. Clark said the best part of the evening was “the fact that I accomplished something.”

The participants learned about their minds and bodies as well. Twice during the evening, they set their hoops aside and listened as health professionals spoke to them.

Claudia Cuellar, Midwest Account Manager for Sequel Naturals Inc., a company that urges people to “seek wellness” through its food supplements, encouraged participants to stick with plant-based nutrition. “If you can’t pronounce it,” she said, “maybe you shouldn’t eat it.” Cuellar distributed “goody bags” containing Sequel products and made healthy smoothies for the women to sample.

Dr. Jaena Stanley-Gonzaga, a Chiropractic Physician and Holistic Practicioner based in Elgin, Il., spoke about the mental aspects of wellness. She emphasized the mind-body connection and told the women, “You are beyond your body. You’re made up of energy.”

Stanley-Gonzaga encouraged participants to let go of aspects of their past that continued to haunt them in the present. “You’re like a computer,” she said, “You don’t want to run your life by old programs.”

She also introduced participants to a technique known as muscle testing. “Your subconscious mind knows what’s true and not true,” she said. By pushing down on a woman’s arm and testing her muscles’ resistance to the push, Stanley-Gonzaga could determine whether or not participants were telling the truth when asked simple questions. Some participants were awed by the test.

Taj said the evening was a success. “It was exactly the way it was supposed to be,” she said. She said even people who were unable to attend the event donated money to the DreamsCanBe Foundation.

Taj typically teaches belly dance workshops and regularly-meeting belly dance classes that range from the beginner level to the advanced level. She is preparing for an international tour.

Every woman has a divine right to explore the multi-facets of femininity. From learning to nurture the body as your sacred temple to showcasing the hidden desires of your deepest intuitive impulses, we have the platform for you. ZaZalove has teamed with Sheque Chicago and designed a sensory experience that not only delights and entertains but educates and involves you in the process of how to fully embrace ownership of your “SEXY”.

You will be supported in your quest with a community of women open to being inspired, challenged and encouraged to grow. We will turn up the heat with lessons from the world of exotic movement, ponder notions of womanhood with expert lecture and blow the lid off every misconception you may have been taught about the definition of the word.

What’s it going to take for you to evolve into ultimate womanhood? Your courage is a very attractive asset. Trust us. This is an opportunity for you to bloom. Be elegant, graceful and brave. Be Sexy. Be You.

always remember that you are loved…

By Yeji Shim
The Daily Northwestern

Twenty-four women danced in a circle, pivoting their hips and moving their arms to the beat of exotic music Wednesday night at the Levy Senior Center in Evanston.

Taj, the instructor, moved around the circle and encouraged the women to keep dancing.

"Who's committed to having fun?"

In a demonstration of their enthusiasm, every woman raised her hand.

The center at 300 Dodge Ave. holds weekly women's belly dancing classes offered throughout the year for six- to eight-week sessions.

From undulating to shimmying, women of all ages learn to dance in a fun, low-stress environment, Taj said. Student Elloise Davis said the class is a fun alternative to traditional exercise.

"People think aerobics has to be fast to lose weight," she said. "But I heard this was fun, and I thought, let's do something new."

Taj, who has taught belly dancing for seven years, said its popularity is here to stay.

"It's been sweeping the globe for the past two years in a tailspin," Taj said.

Belly dancing provides both physical and psychological benefits to the students, Taj said.

"Belly dancing creates an emotional and psychological balance in the body," she said. "Even though your posture and the physical things improve, it also gives people more confidence."

She said these benefits contribute to the dance's growing popularity, adding that many students who begin dancing enjoy it and continue to pursue it.

Belly dancing classes at the Levy Senior Center often fill to capacity, Taj said. On Wednesday night, the class had to move to a bigger dance space to accommodate extra students.

Many women said they return to Taj's classes because they like her teaching style. Some said they enjoy the lessons so much that they bring friends and family members as guests.

Chicago resident Roslyn Cohen said her sister-in-law encouraged her to come to the classes. Cohen, whose father's side of the family is from Iraq, wanted to learn the dance to connect with her heritage, she said.

The classes have helped Cohen learn how to be comfortable with herself, she said.

"I really enjoy these classes because you are encouraged to let yourself go," Cohen said. "A lot of it is getting in touch with your body - or trying to."

At the end of the class, the students created a dance using moves taught in their lesson. All the women participated enthusiastically, and a few women were even brave enough to perform their dance for the rest of the class. Davis even volunteered for her group to perform first.

"I'm learning to feel comfortable with my body," Davis said. "It is fun, fun, fun, and you can lose weight, too."

Move Ya Body Lika a Snake, Ma!
Bellydancer, Taj, Heals the World Through Rhythm and Grace
by Sandria M Washington

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

How does she do it? That's the awe-inspired question you'll ask while watching Taj perform the sensual and provocative movements of classical Egyptian bellydance. The ChiCity born professional choreographer, entertainer, educator and world-renowned bellydancer has perfected the hypnotizing undulations, circles, spirals and figure eights characteristic of the dance, making it appear effortless. Through years of study her body instinctively knows how to do it, so the better question is, Why does she do it?

“The reason why I do what I do and do it well is because I'm an instrument. I'm just a vessel,” says a very humble Taj.

Through her instruction of classical Egyptian bellydance throughout ChiCity and abroad, Taj has helped thousands of children, men and women reclaim their health, self-esteem and passion for life. For Taj, performing bellydance is about more than the physical movements. It's a way to make society better by helping people feel better about themselves.

Founded on the innovative philosophy and technique she calls ZaZaLove, Taj is on a mission to change lives around the globe—one shimmy at a time. “The word ZaZa is Arabic for flower,” Taj explains. Like flowers, each human being is uniquely beautiful…even when we can't see the beauty in ourselves. “[Dance] is a way to help people connect and discover the beautiful part of themselves they try to hide,” she says.

Taj's drive to affirm others may be partially fueled by memories of her childhood. “I was, like, the biggest nerd in the whole world!” she says laughing. “Let me tell you, I had the glasses, I had the braces, I had the pigtails, flat chest…”. Talk about your classic duckling to swan story. Seeing Taj today—her enviable figure, which she keeps toned through daily yoga practice and dance—it's difficult to imagine the awkward years, but she shares that it was only after she began to accept herself that she was able to blossom and take things she was interested in, like dance, to the next level.

Since the tender age of two, Taj's world has been enveloped by dance. Under the care and encouragement of her grandmother, Taj began studying everything from ballet to modern. Her passion for Egyptian bellydance surfaced much later as an adult simply on a whim. “I was curious about the mystery of the dance,” she says. Egyptian bellydance is the oldest recorded form of dance, deeply rooted in ancient customs that celebrate the sacred feminine. For centuries, this dance has been used to heal the mind, body and spirit. Today, Taj is a highly sought after 21st Century ambassador of the art form, whose signature style of bellydance has taken her as far away as Saudi Arabia. Yet, this visionary still feels she has a long way to go to fulfill her “global responsibility.”

Taj states, “We are one together so whatever I do locally is going to affect the rest of the world. It's a vibration.” Currently, her teaching and performance calendar is booked until the start of the new year, which means a generous amount of good vibrations will be traveling out of ChiCity to the rest of the world.

When she's not teaching classes or performing, Taj is sharing her gift through her first DVD, Bellydance With Me Volume I, an instructional video designed for beginners that teaches basic techniques and history of the dance. And just in time for Christmas 2006, Taj will be releasing a coffee table photo book, Swan: Elements of Communication, which explores the many facets of dance as a tool of communication. Taj gives so much of herself to her calling, but she wouldn't have it any other way.

“That's what I'm here for. I know what I'm supposed to be doing and I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to right now.”

So, what does a bellydancing humanitarian do once her life-changing mission is complete? Taj's secret desire just may surprise you. “When I'm done, I'm gonna go live on a farm. I'll have four dogs…and a husband that cooks!” Now, that's a fitting reward to someone who's dedicated her life to service, don't you think?

published article excerpt from:
 JUST Newsletter, January 2007
"Just Us Sistahs Talking"

Body & Soul
Discover Belly Dance, Discover Yourself
Sandria M. Washington
Senior Editor/Columnist

Would you believe me if I told you that no matter what you’re battling with right now—depression, low self-esteem, stress, heartache, disease, body image
issues—you can dance your way right out of your misery? It’s true! You can wave your arms, roll your stomach and shimmy your hips toward renewed happiness and
health. This is the amazing power of belly dance.

Thanks to music videos like Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie” and Truth Hurts’ “So Addictive,” the mystical art of belly dance has invaded pop culture. Now, everyone wants to learn how to do it…and everyone should! Belly dance is not only entertaining to watch, the practice of it promotes greater emotional, mental and physical health, particularly
for women.

Egyptian belly dance (also referred to as North African dance) is the oldest recorded form of dance, deeply rooted in ancient customs that celebrate the
sacred feminine. For centuries, this dance has been used to heal the mind, body and spirit. In her book, Sacred Woman, Queen Afua writes, “Sacred
Movement and Dance lift your spirit, inspire you to dance with Divinity, heal your heart, nourish your body, enrich your life, and transform your woes.”

Dance is a natural healer, yet surprisingly, many sistahs have been taught not to do the very thing that can save their life. I remember as a little girl being told by my mother not to dance like those women on “Soul Train.” I’ve always loved music and dance, so naturally, “the hippest trip in America” was my favorite show. But rolling and gyrating to music was something “fast” girls did. And strippers. Little girls and nice young women didn’t move their bodies in that way. Looking at music videos today with all the twirking, popping and grinding I can understand where my mother was coming from, but many women have been unknowingly shamed into thinking their bodies and dancing are bad. However, the study of belly dance teaches us that there is big difference between being sexy and being skanky. Using your body as a vessel to celebrate your sexuality is far different from using it as a vessel to sell sex. Using this philosophy, I’ve been able to expose my 15-year-old niece to belly dance and she loves it. She’s learning that the changes in her body are nothing to be embarrassed about and she can move her body in ways that are divine instead of degrading.

Belly dance unlocks your feminine power. By working your hips (pelvis) and stomach—the core, womb—you unlock your feminine energy and open yourself
up to greater healing and creativity. As you repeatedly practice the circles, figure eights, spirals and undulations characteristic of the dance, your body will
remember the secrets of your womanhood that may have hid dormant within you for years. Not to sound cheesy, but belly dance will truly help you “bring
sexy back.”

It’s one thing to be called sexy, but to feel sexy is absolutely revolutionary. Although I’ve been called sexy many times throughout my life, I’ve always
felt awkward and uncomfortable in my own skin. So, it was truly amazing to me how confident and sexy I felt after taking my first lesson in belly dance.
The class was only an hour long and covered a small sampling of the basic moves, but I left feeling reborn. I could feel myself smiling from the inside out!
Sure, I was dressed like a reject from the show “Fame,” hot, sweaty and maybe even a little funky, but I felt like the sexiest woman on the planet. In just
that short time, I experienced the power of belly dance and I’ve been hooked ever since.

Recently, one of my girlfriends and I completed a 4-week class with one of Chicago’s premiere belly-dance instructors, Taj, and the
experience has been life changing. I’ve noticed that I’m walking straighter and I’m finally beginning to appreciate the beautiful body God has
blessed me with. I can look in the mirror now and not cringe at what I see. In fact, I love dancing in the mirror now! I may not be Shakira,
but I’m happy learning to move to my own rhythm.

If you’re inspired to give belly dance a try, or maybe just a little curious, it’s easy to get started. This list should point you in the right direction of discovering
yourself through dance:

1. Take a class. Classes are a great way to learn the basics and foster sisterhood with other like-minded women. In Chicago, I highly recommend Taj. Visit
her Web site www.misstaj.com to view her current class schedules. Also, many community centers, health clubs and dance studios offer classes, so search
online for instructors in your area.

2. Purchase a DVD. Although I favor learning in class from a trained instructor, studying belly dance from a DVD can be more convenient. There are hundreds
of titles, each one offering something different. You’re sure to find one that fits your learning style.

3. Just move! Put on a CD and shake what’cha mama gave ya! Move any chance you get, even if it’s only for two minutes. Because belly dance celebrates the
woman YOU are, there is no wrong way to move. Your rhythms are unique to you.