Egyptian Dance
Nederlandse versie

Each lesson will start off with a warming up that increases body awareness and looks playfully at group interaction. We'll cover some basic moves and work towards putting together a simple choreography. Music/rhythm interpretation will be an integral part of the classes. Towards the end of the course we will look at the use of props (veil and/or finger cymbals). Click here to see photos of a lesson. A try-out lesson is offered during the first class of the course and costs €15.00. If you decide to complete the course the remaining course fee (€57.00) must be paid prior to the 2nd class. Should the 1st lesson become overfull, I'll operate a first-come, first-served system to try-out students.

Date: TBC Send a mail if you would like to be placed on the mailing list and receive information when enrolment begins (4 weeks before class starts).
Time: Thursday 7 - 8 pm
To enrol:A course of six lessons (each lesson lasts 1 hour) costs €72.00 Phone or mail me to check availability (maximum participants is 14) and transfer fee to Triodos Bank 784815372 payable to 'IN -TUITION' Amsterdam. Please state your name and ’Belly dance course.’
For more information check frequently asked questions below and if your query is not answered email or phone 0619177135. If it's impractical for you to come to weekly lessons why not consider booking a workshop?
Location: Donker Curtiusstraat 133, Amsterdam (Westerpark/ Staatsliedenbuurt), trams 3, 10 and busses 18 or 21. Click here for detailed map and travel directions.

What should I Wear?
Loose fitting trousers/leggings or ideally a long, wide skirt. T-shirt or cropped top is fine. Bare feet or dance slippers are acceptable. It is not essential to reveal your bare belly!
Do I need to be super fit?
No, it’s always possible to pace oneself during the lessons. Given time flexibility and fitness will improve.
It's just about looking sexy in a revealing costume, isn't it?
Although most people don't verbalize this thought it is a common view held by many. Such a shame, as well as being misguided. Belly dance requires investment of time and energy to learn, just like any other dance form.
I'm pregnant, can I still take part?
Provided you're having a normal, healthy pregnancy and your doctor has said it's OK to do light aerobic exercise (comparable exercise level to a belly dance class) there shouldn't be any problems. Women with a history of miscarriages however are advised not to take part in a belly dance class. Whatever your medical history be alert to your own responses, if a move doesn't feel right, don't do it! Visit Shira's page - bellydancing while pregnant for more advice on this subject.
How long will it take to learn?
If you attend lessons regularly you should learn a vocabulary of basic moves in two sets of six lessons. A workshop will give you a good introduction to the simpler moves and hopefully whet your appetite for more! As well as mastering the steps it's important to listen to Middle Eastern rhythms and instruments so that eventually you will get a feel for translating the music into appropriate moves. Click here for recommended music.
Where is belly dance from?
Belly dance originated in the countries of the Middle East and Northern Africa. This dance form has been handed down mainly as an oral tradition and subsequently a lack of reliable written documentation means there is no definitive answer regarding its origins. How or why it evolved is a subject of debate amongst the dance community. It could have been; a dance to aid childbirth, a form of Pagan Goddess worship, or a dance spread throughout the Middle East by itinerant peoples. Perhaps more importantly, we should be concerned about what belly dance means to women today. Read a relatively unbiased and brief article about belly dance on Wikipedia.org
Can I come if I am overweight?
Yes, you may even find your own body image changes as larger women are more appreciated in Arabian countries, where this dance originates. If you are determined to lose weight you will find that given time waist definition will improve.

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