There are two dance spaces in the new studio, and we need names for each space. “Studio A” and “Studio B” are too boring. “Big Studio” and “Little Studio” are too unimaginative. “This One” and “That One” are too confusing.

Please help!

Post your studio name ideas to the comments section. We’ll choose our favorites, and then take a poll to let you decide!

What is your role within the Sahara Dance community? Raqs Sahara apprentice and Raqs Caravan East member

Childhood ambition: I wanted to be a marine biologist. I was always so attracted by marine animals and traveling the world.

First job: About my first job…ummm nothing special. It was about my career, software design and development.

What’s playing on your iPod or CD player? All kinds of stuff, Putumayo, electronic, belly dance fusion and traditional music, lounge, new age, Mexican. I love diverse world music.

Indulgence: Trying new things and experiences, the more exotic the better; also chocolates, dancing, traveling, massages, aromatherapy, a meal on a nice restaurant with a good cup of wine, playing videogames with friends, unusual food, nature and landscapes.

What’s your favorite belly dance moment or experience? Having fun with all my friends on and off the stage. I love when the public have those little reactions that you don’t expect.

Current inspirations: As a dancer… Every person, music, style inspires me in different ways, especially my friends. I love to create new colorful flowy energy.

As a woman… I am very inspired by Rachel Kay Brookmire and the Sahara Dance community for always gracefully creating that magic to fullfill everyone’s wishes.

What is your dance background? Latin, ballroom dance and Mexican folklore

How did you get interested in belly dance? I got very curious about my Lebanese roots and I always loved dancing, so I started classes in Mexico to learn arabic folklore. I didn’t regret it :)

Finally, what do you love most about Sahara Dance (other than Hip Talk, of course!)? I love the fact that we are a community of women sharing one same passion and having lot of fun together.

February is “American Heart Month” - Join Na’la for some heart-healthy cardio fun this month! We’re excited to offer this new Afro-Belly Workout! workshop:

Cardiovascular exercise is an important part of having a healthy YOU. Compare how you feel after a long stressful day at work with the way you feel after a great workout; your blood is pumping, oxygen is flowing, you feel satisfied, energized, and ready to take on the world! On top of this, it also helps train and condition your body for any other type of dance or activity by increasing your endurance, muscle efficiency, and stamina. Research also shows that other benefits of cardio exercise include weight loss, improved sleep, increased bone density, reduced stress, and stronger heart and lungs. Our beautiful bodies are made to move!

This two-hour workshop will be a crash course in Afro-fusion, perfect for beginners and a great review and drill class for students already familiar with Afro-fusion movements. We will incorporate movements and steps found in West African dance, belly dance, Bhangra, hip hop and more, and link them together into a smooth aerobic workout. Stretching, yoga postures and other conditioning methods will help build core strength and keep the muscles happy and counterbalanced. Come prepared to sweat and have fun!

All levels are welcome.

Date: Saturday, February 6
Time: 2:30 - 4:30 pm
Teacher: Na’la
Location: Sahara Dance Central
Cost: $35 in advance / $45 at door

Spend an afternoon whirling around the dance floor. Colleen will offer tips for dazzling (instead of dizzying) turns and twirls!

Fundamentals of Turns

Glide into another level of dance fluidity with the evolution of turns in your belly dance. Learn the basics of spotting, centering, rotating, spinning, and traveling while turning. Incorporate the principals of static & dynamic balance, center of gravity, angular momentum, rotational axis, torque and inertia. Workshop is recommended for Low Intermediate students or above.

Date: Saturday, January 30
Time: 2:30 - 4:30 pm
Teacher: Colleen
Location: Sahara Dance Central
Cost: $35 in advance / $45 at door

The teachers gathered together last week to choose the winner of the Perfect Attendance Award. The prize? A free class registration for the Summer 2010 semester!

Congratulations, Mineko!

We will be offering another Perfect Attendance Award for this semester too. Be sure to make up any missed classes before the end of the semester on April 28 to be eligible for the raffle. Good luck!

For students new to belly dance, or seeking a quick refresher and extra practice, we offer Introduction to Belly Dance:

Discover the timeless beauty and joy of this organic dance. Students will learn basic technique including lifted stance and posture, shimmies, isolations, undulations and traveling steps. Class will include a brief introduction to the history, context and philosophy of belly dance. Come celebrate femininity through an ancient, life-embracing art!

No prior experience necessary.

Date: Saturday, January 23
Time: 4:30-6:00 pm
Teacher: Rachel
Location: Sahara Dance Central
Cost: $25 in advance / $35 at door

For experienced dancers who want to explore beledi rhythms and fun new combinations, we offer Beledi Choreography:

Experience the rich and earthy dance of the Egyptian countryside. Full of hip movements and heavy beats, it’s a fun afternoon for all levels, with modifications to challenge intermediate dancers.

Date: Saturday, January 23
Time: 2:30 - 4:30 pm
Teacher: Rachel
Location: Sahara Dance Central
Cost: $35 in advance / $45 at door

So, all SDV classes are canceled tonight.

We’re scheduling a make up day for the canceled classes, and will inform students when the date is set.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

The end of the semester was extended to accommodate rescheduled and additional make up classes, so the fall semester ended just a few days before the spring semester begun. By then, most people had already registered for their classes. And here we are already two weeks into the semester, with no raffle.

The raffle will be held this weekend, and a video of the drawing will be posted here on Hip Talk.

The prize will be a SUMMER class registration.

Note: If you have not turned in your class card for the raffle, you may do so this week. Just give your fall class card to your studio assistant. All entries must be received on or before Thursday, Jan. 21. Your card will not be returned.

We are planning to do another perfect attendance raffle for this semester, too, so be sure to attend all your classes, or make up any missed classes before the end of the semester on April 28.

Good luck!

Latin-Belly Fusion!

Expand your dance repertoire with Latin-belly fusion! Learn fun dance combinations that fuse salsa, bachata, and other Latin styles with the ancient art of raqs sharqi. All levels are welcome. Choreography is structured to be accessible to beginner students, offering modifications to challenge advanced dancers.

Date: Saturday, January 16
Time: 2:30 - 4:30 pm
Teacher: Melissa
Location: Sahara Dance Central
Cost: $35 in advance / $45 at door

Register online!

Creative Choreography with Na’la is a new workshop that we’re pretty excited about:

Bring ingenuity and inventiveness into your performance, making your dance a personal, narrative and uniquely yours. Learn how to make art from the heart, and pave your own artistic path through visualization and imagination exercises. This workshop is for dancers who are eager to not just think outside the box, but smash the box to pieces. It’s time to inject something completely fresh and innovative into your choreography… YOU! All levels are welcome.

Date: Saturday, January 9
Time: 2:30 - 4:30 pm
Teacher: Na’la
Location: Sahara Dance Central
Cost: $35 in advance / $45 at door

We have several other new workshops lined up for the spring series. Check them out here!

If you can’t wait until Saturday to get your belly dance on, we’ve got you covered.

Head over to Sahara Dance Central tonight for the brush-up workshops:

6:00-7:15 pm - Low Intermediate Brush-Up with Colleen
7:30-8:45 pm - Intermediate Brush-Up with Colleen
9:00-10:15 pm - Introduction to Raqs al Assaya (Cane) with Colleen

Online registration is still available, and you can also register at the door.
All brush-up workshops $20 in advance / $30 at door

We started off the week (Saturday, Sunday, Monday) with some make up classes.

Today begins our January Brush Up Workshop series, with three great workshops to get those creaky hips moving again:

Tuesday, January 5
6:00-7:15 pm - Beginner I Brush-Up with Melissa
7:30-8:45 pm - Beginner II Brush-Up with Melissa
9:00-10:15 pm - Introduction to Zills with Melissa

Online registration is still available, and you can also register at the door.

We have more Brush Up Workshops tomorrow!

Wednesday, January 6
6:00-7:15 pm - Low Intermediate Brush-Up with Colleen
7:30-8:45 pm - Intermediate Brush-Up with Colleen
9:00-10:15 pm - Introduction to Raqs al Assaya (Cane) with Colleen

All workshops held at Sahara Dance Central in Tenleytown.
All brush-up workshops $20 in advance / $30 at door

So, by Wednesday night, we should be all warmed up, and ready to jump into classes. The Spring semester begins on Thursday!

Many classes are still open for registration (but several are close to filling, so don’t wait too long!)

Friday, we’ll take a rest day, to relax and prepare for a big day on Saturday: classes, the launch of the Spring Saturday Workshop series, and Raqs Caravan Showcase.

We have a delightful evening of small-group, vintage-style belly dance performances planned. Students have been learning, practicing, and rehearsing all fall and winter, and after a snowstorm postponement, these ladies are ready to dance!

The 8:00 pm show has sold out, but there are still a few tickets left for the 5:00 pm show.

What a wonderful week of dance opportunities! We hope to see you in the studio, at a workshop, or for the performance.

New Year’s Eve Performances

Sahara Dance at Skewers
Performances at 7:00 and 9:00 pm
Performer: Ebony

Skewers Restaurant
1633 P Street, NW
Washington, DC

Lebanese Taverna

Unlimited mezza dishes, belly dancing show, champagne and party favors.
Performances at 11:00 pm and 11:40 pm
Call (703) 841-15011 for reservations or reserve online

Tysons Galleria
1840G International Drive
McLean, VA 22102
Performers: Monica Michelle and Patty

Bethesda
7141 Arlington Road
Bethesda, MD 20814
Performers: Jennifer and Leila

Baltimore
719 S. President Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
Performer: Isabel

Euronet International New Year’s Eve James Bond Gala

Shows throughout the evening!

Washington Plaza Hotel
10 Thomas Circle
Washington DC 20005
Performers: Brianne and Alison

Wherever you are when the ball drops, we wish you a very Happy New Year!

Hi everyone,

Classes at Sahara Dance Central, Sahara Dance Cleveland Park, and Sahara Dance Virginia have been canceled tonight (Monday, December 21).

Classes will be held as scheduled at Sahara Dance Downtown and Sahara Dance Dupont.

The Virginia classes have been re-rescheduled for Wednesday, December 30, at the regularly scheduled times:

6:00-7:00 pm - Beginner I Technique with Jennifer
7:15-8:15 pm - Beginner II Technique with Jennifer
8:30-9:30 pm - Low Intermediate I Technique with Jennifer

The Central (Tenley) classes have been rescheduled for Monday, January 4, at the regularly scheduled times:

6:00-7:00 pm - Introduction to Tribal Performance with Ami
7:00-8:00 pm - Tribal Fusion Performance with Ami
8:15-9:15 pm - Raqs Caravan West Intermediate/Advanced Technique with Ami
9:15-10:15 pm - Raqs Caravan West Company Class with Ami

We have scheduled additional make up classes for students enrolled in the canceled classes:

Saturday, January 2
10:45-11:45 am - Low Intermediate/Intermediate Combinations with Colleen
12:00-1:00 pm - Beginner I Combinations with Colleen
3:00-4:00 pm - Beginner II Combinations with Leila
4:15-5:15 pm - Low Intermediate Combinations with Leila

Sunday, January 3
11:00 am- 12:00 pm - Beginner I Combinations with Laura
12:15-1:15 pm - Beginner II Combinations with Laura 5:30-7:00 pm - Intermediate Combinations (90 minutes) with Rachel
7:00-8:00 pm - Beginner I Combinations with Rachel

These make up classes will be held at Sahara Dance Central:
4631 41st Street, NW
Washington, DC 20016

While these make up classes are available to all Fall09 students, priority will be given to students whose classes were canceled because of the snow.

Let’s shine some limelight on the beat makers behind the belly dancers. The Middle Eastern percussion troupe, Sahara Tabla, is preparing to heat the stage with desert rhythms during the winter Raqs Caravan Showcase.

Sahara Tabla is directed by Brad Sidwell, a percussionist who has over 25 years of experience studying and performing Middle Eastern and Eastern European drumming techniques. He is the founder of World Music Folklife Center, a non-profit group that hosts the annual Balktoberfest and Romany festivals in the DC area to benefit Macedonian communities. Brad also has an extensive history of teaching at prominent musical events including Rakkasah East.

Brad plays the Darabuka, which is a goblet-shaped hand drum with the body made of wood, metal or clay. The Darabuka is often played throughout the Middle East, the Balkan countries and Greece. It is often played to produce the famous Beledi rhythm, “doum doum tek a tek doum tek a tek”.

Sahara Tabla often performs with Raqs Caravan West during local cultural events, Sahara Dance showcases and the annual gala, Under a Desert Moon. For the Raqs Caravan Showcase on Saturday, Sahara Tabla will be performing with Raqs Caravan East and accompanying a solo performance by Ramona.

Studying percussion will enrich any belly dancer’s studies of Raqs Sharqi. Visit the spring semester schedule to learn more about drumming classes and open drum circle.