After more than two years of practice and hard work and work on her costumes, make-up, coin bras and turbans, Maria made her debut on stage as a Belly Dancer with her amazing group in Bennington, Vt.

Apart from the group, I witnessed this dedication, work and commitment again and again. She never missed a class, practiced for everyone and overcome some jitters which melted away pretty quickly once she started dancing.

I see that Maria does  not mind performing in front of other people, just like she doesn’t mind talking on the radio or doing a podcast twice a week. She’s a natural, as we liked to say in TV land.

Maria says she has a lot to learn, and wants to learn. She and the members of her group dancing for three hours in a beautiful, dry sunshine at the Farmer’s Market in Bennington, Vt. I loved it, it was a great coming out for Maria, she said she was nervous at first, and them just had fun.

It showed. I took one video of her dancing, she is the newest member of the troupe, so she is still in learning mode. I couldn’t tell. Come and see for yourself. I’ll put up more photos tonight and tomorrow, but it is really her story to tell, and she will tell it.

I know what this meant to her and saw how hard she worked at it, and how much she loves it. It seems it has turned out to be one of the most unexpected but powerful experiences of her life.