IMPORTANT: The following information applies to MY classes only. Different teachers will have different definitions!

Beginner class: “Belly Dance for Fun/Fitness”

You may want to remain forever in this class if you have no interest in performing. We will always be learning new dances and, although we will continue to review basics, there will be new moves and combinations. Don’t feel like students who move to the other class are “passing you up,” they just have different goals!

My goals for the beginner student include:

• Establish correct dance posture
  
• Learn basic “building block” moves & traveling steps
  
• Learn to put moves together in simple choreographies
  
• Be exposed to a variety of middle eastern music
  
• Learn to handle a veil
  
• Develop graceful arms, co-ordination, isolation of core muscles
  
• Build strength and stamina while burning calories with a low-impact workout
  

Intermediate class: “Belly Dance for Performance”

Although we will cover more challenging movements, and I’m sure we’ll break a sweat, we will also spend more time talking, perfecting movements, possibly watching videos, etc. and therefore it will not necessarily be a full-fledged workout every week. Also, keep in mind that some of the moves we’ll be learning cannot be mastered during class - you’ll have to (gulp) practice at home! Although this class is performance-oriented, you are not required to perform.

Prerequisite for the intermediate class is a minimum of 3 sessions at the beginner level. If you’ve been learning from videos, or another instructor, you should be familiar with basic moves, including hip lifts, drops, twists, circles, shimmies and various figure 8s, chest lifts, drops, circles, and shimmies. I’ll assume you can undulate (chest, pelvic & full undulations) and perform basic traveling steps (step-ball-change, camel, basic egyptian, 3-step turn) and are beginning to grasp the 3/4 shimmy and choo-choo, even if you’re not doing them at full speed.

My goals for the intermediate class include:

• Mastering variations of the 3/4 shimmy and choo-choo
  
• Beginning layering movements (shimmy with figure 8 or camel, for instance)
  
• Standard rhythms (recognize, play zills, know what kind of movement to use)
  
• Becoming familiar with the instruments used and how to dance with each one
  
• Props (balancing skills for fire/sword, cane)
  
• Simple floor work
  
• Improvisation
  
• Perfecting dance posture/use of arms during dance
  
• Understanding the cultural context of the dance
  
• Becoming more expressive in the dance