HERITAGE DANCER SCHOLARSHIP
Our passion, artistic practices, and life’s work are based on the cultural fruits of the people from Southwest Asia (AKA the Middle East) and North Africa. We are deeply grateful for the legacy of their traditions and their continued innovation. If you have the heritage and lived experience of a culture from the SWANA region, we invite you to make use of our Heritage Dancer Scholarship. Thank you for trusting us with your learning journey!
Use the code “HERITAGE” at check out to redeem your scholarship.
10 Weeks | Mondays at 6:30 PM with Heather Louise
Raqs sharqi’s roots are in the social dances of the Middle East and North Africa. Learn the basic steps, shapes, and shimmies that make dancing fun and a source of connection across all ages and genders.
Class dates: 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18
10 Weeks | Thursdays at 6:30 PM with Ella Moore
Raqs sharqi’s roots are in the social dances of the Middle East and North Africa. Learn the basic steps, shapes, and shimmies that make dancing fun and a source of connection across all ages and genders.
Class dates: 9/12, 9/19, 9/26, 10/3, 10/10, 10/17, 10/24, 11/7, 11/14, 11/21
10 Weeks | Saturdays or Sundays 11:00 AM (exact dates below)
Tune up your technique and build stamina in this dance drills class. Each week Heather or Ella will guide you through a series of drills to polish and strengthen your raqs sharqi movement. Dancers should be familiar with basic isolations, undulations, 3/4 shimmies, and be comfortable with spins & turns. At least 2 years of raqs sharqi experience is recommended.
Class dates: 9/14, 9/22, 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/19, 10/26, 11/2, 11/9, 11/17
10 Weeks | Saturdays or Sundays 11:00 AM (exact dates below)
Tune up your technique and build stamina in this dance drills class. Each week Heather or Ella will guide you through a series of drills to polish and strengthen your raqs sharqi movement. Dancers should be familiar with basic isolations, undulations, 3/4 shimmies, and be comfortable with spins & turns. At least 2 years of raqs sharqi experience is recommended.
Class dates: 9/14, 9/22, 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/19, 10/26, 11/2, 11/9, 11/17
10 Weeks | Mondays at 7:45 PM with Heather Louise
If the words mizmar, rebaba, Ghawazee, and tahteeb sound exciting and new, then this class is for you! Upper Egyptian music and dance is beloved in Egypt and around the world for its earthy nature and exciting stick work. This folk dance is a must for any raqs sharqi dancer’s repertoire as it playfully combines elements of masculine and feminine.
Class dates: 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18
4 Weeks | Sundays at 12:30 PM with Emilie Lauren
Learn to spin your own silken spells on stage with silk sorceress Emilie Lauren.
This veil technique series consists of 4 one-hour long classes, with each class building on the one prior. The first 3 classes will focus on technique, starting with the foundations of good veil and spinning technique, working up to more advanced technique throughout the series.
The final class will tie everything together into a short choreography except from Emilie’s award-winning 2023 Bellydancer USA 7 veils choreography to To Rodo Tis Antatolis (La flor de estambul) by Dimitra Galani.
Recommended for dancers with veil experience. Please bring a 3 or 4 yard silk veil.
Class dates: 9/22, 9/29, 10/6, 10/13
10 Weeks | Thursdays at 7:45 PM with Ella Moore
The mejance, or entrance piece, is one of the most exciting parts of a dancer’s show. Filled with musical variations, it demonstrates the dancer’s technique, musical knowledge, and personality. In this course, Ella will guide students through a classic mejance, giving students the tools to navigate all of the musical twists and turns. The class will culminate in a choreography. While this class is appropriate for newer dancers, students should have taken at least one raqs sharqi class prior.
Class dates: 9/12, 9/19, 9/26, 10/3, 10/10, 10/17, 10/24, 11/7, 11/14, 11/21