New Term: September 2011

If you fancy trying bellydance, my classes are fun and friendly, and I do my best to cate for all fitness levels and all abilities.

All you need is a desire to dance! Beginners classes will teach you the technique safely, give you some understanding of a range of Middle Eastern dance styles, and get you into the groove of Middle Eastern music. Hopefully along the way you'll use new muscles, make some friends and have a laugh.

We dance in our bare feet. Bring a drink of water with you, and maybe a notebook and pen to help your memory. If you want to wear a scarf around your hips, feel free to bring one.

• The Fisherrow Centre, Musselburgh: Thursday 7.30pm from 1 September.
• Dancebase, Thomas Morton Halls, Leith: Friday 6pm from 16 September.
• Dancebase, Grassmarket: Wednesday 6.30pm from 14 September.

If you've danced before, my Improvers classes might be up your street. At Dancebase, I cover dance styles in more depth (saidi, baladi, oriental), use a wider range of music, and look at polishing your dance especially if you're thinking of performing. The class assumes you know basic bellydance moves and are comfortable with them.

At Fisherrow, the Improvers class focuses much more on performance. It's the home of the Helwa Hurdies, a dance group who perform at festivals, weddings, parties and suchlike. You don't have to perform if you don't want to, but a lot of time in class is spent getting choreographies ready to perform. It's lots of fun and lovely atmosphere, and new dancers are made welcome!

• Dancebase Improvers: Grassmarket, 7.30pm on Wednesdays from 14 September
• Fisherrow Improvers: 8.30pm on Thursdays from 1 September.

For classes at Dancebase, book your space at the Dancebase website. For Fisherrow classes, just turn up and join in.

It would be great to see you soon - please get in touch if you have any questions.

 

A Bit of Cairo on Duke Street!

In the last few years I've looked at the brochure for Leith Festival and been disappointed there's been no bellydancing events.

Last year I was lucky enough to see the Twisted Tails and my own wonderful performance group the Helwa Hurdies performing at the opening of the Leith Festival, along with students of Leith teachers Shelley Dance and Hilary Thacker, which was much better.

This year I decided something else had to be done, so next week you are invited to A Bit of Cairo on Duke Street: Leith Bellydance Hafla!

The venue is The Parlour Bar on Duke Street, a smashing, friendly pub which serves smashing tea, coffee and cupcakes, as well as the usual shandy-business (they call it "boozy goodness"), plus Monster Munch (all flavours). During the day they regularly entertain smaller customers with boxes of Lego and colouring-in. This is not the smelly old man's pub of its previous incarnation! The Parlour also hosts Open Mic nights so they know how to treat performers.

If you would like to come along and enjoy the performances, it's free entry, just hitch up and get yourself a comfy seat (there are settees as well as bar stools). If you'd like to dance, let me know and I'll add you to the programme. Just watch you don't catch your veil on the popcorn wagon! Oh, and the changing facilities are a wee bit scarce, but the atmosphere will make up for it. Come on out for a fun, schoolnight hafla and enjoy the Leith Festival ambiance!

Come dance with me!

Time for a new term! And a busy, exciting one for me. I hope you can come and dance with me at the Fisherrow Centre, or either of the Dancebase venues.

Wednesdays: Dancebase, Grassmarket
6.30-7.30 Beginners
Learn basic belly dancemoves, get shimmying to Egyptian music and enjoy the energy and elegance of belly dance, modern Cairo style! We will learn basic hip-work, fabulous foot patterns and rudimentary rhythms. This moderately energetic class will work your body all over. Please wear loose, comfy clothes.

7.30-8.30 Improvers
In this class you will learn different styles of Egyptian belly dance, as well as improving your technique, travelling, interpretation and confidence. There will be new moves and an emphasis on modern Cairo style belly dance. Later in the term you will need to bring a veil. Please wear loose, comfy clothes.

Each class costs £73.50 for the term (12 January - 6 April), please book at Dancebase.

Thursdays: Fisherrow Centre, Musselburgh. 
7.30-8.30 Beginners/open level
8.30-9.30 Improvers/performance
Fun, friendly community dance classes.
New dancers, come and try before you buy. If you're not sure which class suits you best, then try them both. The term costs £54 (£45 for senior citizens, students, unwaged), or £95 (£80) for both classes. NB No class on Thursday 3 March, but there will be a class in school holiday week.

Fridays: Dancebase, Leith
5.30-6.30 Beginners
Learn basic belly dancemoves, get shimmying to Egyptian music and enjoy the energy and elegance of belly dance, modern Cairo style! We will learn basic hip-work, fabulous foot patterns and rudimentary rhythms. This moderately energetic class will work your body all over. Please wear loose, comfy clothes.
£73.50 for the term (12 January - 6 April), please book at Dancebase. 

I'm really looking forward to lots of great dancing this term - please email me if you have any questions about the classes!

Autumn Term 2010

Autumn term at The Fisherrow Centre, Musselburgh, starts on Thursday 2nd September (not 27th August as previously advertised - that's what I get for trying to be organised and tell you the dates before the end of last term!)

7.30pm- 8.30pm Beginners/open level.
This will be a moderately energetic class, teaching you the basic belly dance moves. We'll use lots of Egyptian pop music (funky, catchy and fun), there will be lots of dancing and not too much talking, with routines focussing on getting to grips with basic technique. If you've not danced before, it will give you detail on the moves. If you've done a term or two already, it will give you practice in the moves, help you listen to the music and get you moving, improving your muscle memory.

8.30pm - 9.30pm Improvers/performance level.
If you're ready to move on from the basic moves and want to get to grips with 'dancing' rather than 'practicing', this is the class for you. We'll learn combinations and put them together to music. We'll learn entire choreographies with a view to performing them, and we will polish choreographies the class has learned in previous terms. Nobody will ever be pressured to perform if they don't want to. This class is the home of the Helwa Hurdies.

• All women are welcome to each of the classes. They are fun and friendly. 
• Please wear something comfy (joggers and a t-shirt is fine, but please don't wear anything too baggy  - I want to be able to see your moves so I can help you improve - and or too tight - which might impair your movement or your breathing! 
• We dance in bare feet or dance shoes, or else non-slip socks (like Toasties) if you feel the cold.
• Autumn Term lasts for 14 weeks, with a holiday on Thursday 21 October, and the last class is on Thursday 9th December. 
• The cost for the term is £63, or £53 concessionary rate (senior citizens, students and income support). 
• If you've never come to the classes before, you can try before you buy, and pay for the term in week 2 instead of week 1 (ie, if you try it *in week 1* and don't like it, it was a free class).

Autumn Term at Dancebase, Leith
I will be teaching Bellydance for Beginners at the new Dancebase centre in Leith (formerly the Thomas Morton Halls), on Friday evenings, 5.30-6.30pm. This class has to be booked through Dancebase. All the details are in the Dancebase brochure. Classes start on Friday 1st October.

More Magic for Mums

I'm excited that finally I have been able to book a room for the rest of term - so I'm having a re-launch of these fun, friendly classes in Leith.

Wednesday mornings throughout June, 9.30-10.30am (so you can get this wee ones to school/nursery/playgroup first!)

Wear comfy clothes and bare feet or dance shoes.

Each class costs £4 or £3.50 concession (income support, jobseekers, senior citizen, student.)

This is a lovely, fun, morning class, mostly for mums but all women are welcome! Ideal for a little bit of active me-time when the wee ones are busy.

No experience necessary - just a love of music and the desire to dance and have fun. This is a drop-in, pay-on-the-day class so don't worry about not being there from the start of term.

Belly dancing is enjoyable exercise and in this class we dance mostly to egyptian pop music. You'll learn the basic belly dance moves and put them together in a modern Cairo style.

I hope to see you there soon!

New Daytime Classes in Leith

I'm really excited about some new classes I'll be teaching in March.

Magic for Mums!
SwishAndHips Belly Dance Classes

Every Wednesday in March
9.30-10.30am
at the Kirkgate Community Centre, Leith (with mirrors!)
All women welcome, although this class will be ideal for mums (like me) who want to have some fun me-time straight after dropping the weans at school!

First class (Wednesday 3 March) - only £2
All other classes £4

If you enjoy music, want to keep fit and have fun, try Egyptian belly dance. This class is ideal for all levels of fitness and all ages. We dance in bare feet (or slipper-socks or dance shoes if you feel the cold) and comfy clothes (joggers, leggings, t-shirt). It is not necessary to bare your belly!

The class uses mostly modern Egyptian pop music. You'll learn the basic belly dance moves, and how to put them together in combinations. You'll also learn about different styles of belly dance, and the sorts of music belly dance in performed to. Mostly I hope you'll have a good, fun, active time!

Give me a shout if you have any questions - otherwise please come along!