{"id":10668,"date":"2025-09-11T12:46:16","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T19:46:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.davina.us\/blog\/?p=10668"},"modified":"2025-09-11T12:50:35","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T19:50:35","slug":"vakasha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.davina.us\/blog\/2025\/09\/vakasha\/","title":{"rendered":"Vakasha"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"580\" height=\"327\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/M7QbuZjRbiY?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>I had the privilege and delight to dance with Vakasha. For many years, she was a member of my belly dance group Swirl.\u00a0 We performed from 2014 through 2020, and have enjoyed an enduring friendship.<\/p>\n<p>Over the past few years, she&#8217;s battled breast cancer. Though she was a warrior until the end. I will miss her and the good times that we had laughing, dancing, going to events, having deep conversations and collaborations on costumes and books.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"10669\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.davina.us\/blog\/2025\/09\/vakasha\/screenshot-2025-09-11-at-12-11-16-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-11-at-12.11.16\u202fPM.png?fit=720%2C299&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"720,299\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot 2025-09-11 at 12.11.16\u202fPM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-11-at-12.11.16\u202fPM.png?fit=300%2C125&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-11-at-12.11.16\u202fPM.png?fit=580%2C241&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10669\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-11-at-12.11.16\u202fPM.png?resize=580%2C241&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"580\" height=\"241\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-11-at-12.11.16\u202fPM.png?w=720&amp;ssl=1 720w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-11-at-12.11.16\u202fPM.png?resize=300%2C125&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-11-at-12.11.16\u202fPM.png?resize=150%2C62&amp;ssl=1 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Vakasha was a sassy flirty dancer, so my iconoclastic fusion style meshed well with her elegant lines and absolute diva-tude. Together with Zemira, redvelvet, and Binaz, we performed at various belly dance shows, community festivals, and dance events around the city.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"10670\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.davina.us\/blog\/2025\/09\/vakasha\/vakasha-bar1\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Vakasha-Bar1.png?fit=864%2C261&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"864,261\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Vakasha-Bar1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Vakasha-Bar1.png?fit=300%2C91&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Vakasha-Bar1.png?fit=580%2C175&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10670\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Vakasha-Bar1.png?resize=580%2C175&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"580\" height=\"175\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Vakasha-Bar1.png?w=864&amp;ssl=1 864w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Vakasha-Bar1.png?resize=300%2C91&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Vakasha-Bar1.png?resize=150%2C45&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Vakasha-Bar1.png?resize=768%2C232&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>It was such a pleasure to dance with her, make costumes, and above share the fun and laughter of friendship and collaboration.<\/p>\n<p>Take a moment to make a plan with a friend, a family member, a colleague, former dance troupe member, just to meet up hug, and laugh. Make time to make memories that will endure.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Thanks for being here,\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><br \/>\n<em><strong>Dawn Devine ~ Davina\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><br \/>\n<em><strong>Sept, 2025<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>P.S. If you click through the video links, please take a moment to like and subscribe to my YouTube channel.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"580\" height=\"327\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0d54drLRoQw?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.davina.us\/blog\/2025\/09\/vakasha\/\"><img width=\"150\" height=\"62\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-11-at-12.11.16\u202fPM.png?fit=150%2C62&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"alignleft tfe wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-11-at-12.11.16\u202fPM.png?w=720&amp;ssl=1 720w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-11-at-12.11.16\u202fPM.png?resize=300%2C125&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-11-at-12.11.16\u202fPM.png?resize=150%2C62&amp;ssl=1 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" data-attachment-id=\"10669\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.davina.us\/blog\/2025\/09\/vakasha\/screenshot-2025-09-11-at-12-11-16-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-11-at-12.11.16\u202fPM.png?fit=720%2C299&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"720,299\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot 2025-09-11 at 12.11.16\u202fPM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-11-at-12.11.16\u202fPM.png?fit=300%2C125&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-11-at-12.11.16\u202fPM.png?fit=580%2C241&amp;ssl=1\" \/><\/a><p>I had the privilege and delight to dance with Vakasha. For many years, she was a member of my belly dance group Swirl.\u00a0 We performed from 2014 through 2020, and have enjoyed an enduring friendship. Over the past few years, she&#8217;s battled breast cancer. Though she was a warrior until the end. I will miss [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10669,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10668","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-11-at-12.11.16\u202fPM.png?fit=720%2C299&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s2YZtR-vakasha","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10668","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10668"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10668\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10672,"href":"https:\/\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10668\/revisions\/10672"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10669"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10668"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10668"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.davina.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10668"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}