Washington DC’s Center for Middle Eastern Dance:
a boutique studio celebrating the joy and beauty of belly dance

January classes now open for registration! $20 early bird discount through January 3rd!

Shows

Sahara Dance produces several annual theater shows featuring faculty and student companies, including our 18th annual Under a Desert Moon Gala. Learn more about our next show here.

Workshops

We offer weekend workshops to delve into specialty topics in belly dance, such as history, folkloric dances, dancing with props, and specialty styles. See upcoming workshops here.

Retreats

Remove distractions, make time for what you love, and learn practical tools to enhance joy and present moment awareness for any style of belly dance. Held in spectacular retreat centers around the world, sign up for a Sahara Dance retreat today.

Sahara Dance Open House!

Thursday, January 2nd | 7:00 – 9:00 pm

New to Belly Dance

16-week series: January 4 – April 25

Sahara Dance Fall Caravan

Imagination Stage, Bethesda
December 15th, 2024 at 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm.

Heart of Belly Dance Retreat 2025

From the Sahara Dance Blog

What Class Should I Take Next?

August 1, 2024

We recently announced an exciting update to our Sahara Dance curriculum. This latest blog post will answer some common questions that students ask about progressing through the technique levels. If you’re looking for placement advice about what class to sign up for right now, check out our other blog post… Read more

What Class Should I Take Now?

July 29, 2024

We recently announced an exciting update to our Sahara Dance curriculum! This blog post will answer some common questions that students are asking about how to find the right class to sign up for next semester. Level Map To get started, check out this mapping of our new technique levels… Read more

Announcing Our Newly Refreshed Curriculum

July 14, 2024

We are thrilled to announce a significant and exciting update to the Sahara Dance curriculum! As we move into our third decade of excellence in belly dance education, we have revamped our program to better serve our students, foster creativity, and nurture talent. Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or just starting your dance journey, our refreshed curriculum is designed to provide you with an enriching experience.

Key changes: We’ve given simplified names to the 9 levels; have identified core technique elements for the beginner and intermediate levels; and have shifted the focus for advanced levels from learning new technique to developing as a dancer.

And there’s so much more. Read this post for all the details. Read more

Sahara Dance Launches Its First-Ever Youth Program: The Silk Road!

April 23, 2024

Do you know any little ones who love to move and explore? Sign them up to dance the Silk Road this summer! Announcing Sahara Dance’s first-ever youth program: Kids World Dance! Students will travel the world through music and dances from North Africa, the Mediterranean, and Asia. Classes are offered… Read more

Summer 2024 at Sahara Dance!

March 31, 2024

Did you catch our latest announcement? The Sahara Dance Summer Caravan show will be our biggest yet, and will be combined with world-renowned choreographer Jillina’s Bellydance Evolution ‘Jungle Book’ production. We have an exciting summer in store, filled with opportunities to take your dance to the next level. Whether you… Read more

Summer 2024: Jillina’s World-Touring Bellydance Evolution to Join Sahara Dance’s Summer Caravan!

March 20, 2024

Summer is just around the corner, and here at Sahara Dance, we are thrilled to unveil our summer schedule, packed with exciting classes, new performance and dance development opportunities, and a truly special Summer Caravan show you won’t want to miss! Save the Date for a Spectacular Summer Caravan with… Read more

“Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.” – RumI

Your support of our studio enables us to continue dancing and performing. Thank you!

MAKE A DONATION HERE