Category: Performances

Spring 2024 classes and performance opportunities for beginner or early journey belly dancers

If you’re brand new to belly dance or newly on your belly dance journey, you’re in the right place! We can’t wait to welcome you to our beautiful studio and share in the joy of learning belly dance together.

We offer a number of beginner belly dance classes throughout the week, including class recordings for review and hybrid or virtual options.

Spring 2024 classes for beginner dancers

Beginner I technique classes (8-week session)
This class is perfect for anyone brand new to belly dance! We recommend all new belly dancers take Beginner I for four 8-week sessions for a total of 32 weeks. In the first round dancers are exposed to the movements and in the second round dancers are able to integrate the movements with attention to alignment and musicality more fully.

Beginner I/II technique class (16-week session)
Have you completed 16-32 weeks of Beginner I? Join us for Beginner I/II technique, which will expand your movement base to include foundational undulations and accents, turns and layering, and explore Middle Eastern music rhythms and structure. This class will set you up for success for joining Beginner II, while reinforcing all the technique you learned in Beginner I.

Beginner II technique (16-week session)
Continue your dance journey after you’ve completed 32 weeks of Beginner I or combined Beginner I/II by expanding your dance vocabulary and expression and awareness of cultural context. Beginner II will solidify your belly dance foundation and prepare you for the next level of classes and a wide range of specialty topics.

FAQ: How many beginner belly dance classes should I take?

Great question, and one we hear a lot at Sahara Dance! We broke it all down in this blog post. Do not hesitate to reach out to your teacher or to Rachel (rachel@saharadance.com) if you have questions.

Beginner and Low Intermediate performance opportunities at Under a Desert Moon 

We are already excited for our glamorous annual spring show, Under a Desert Moon, at the American University Greenberg Theatre on Saturday, April 27. But it will be even more special to have you with us!

Performing early and often is one of the best ways to accelerate your dance journey, share what you’ve learned with your family and friends, and deepen your dance friendships. The entire Sahara Dance community loves to cheer on our new and early dance journey performers.

We hope you will join us for this special show.

Check out a video from one of our past Under a Desert Moon (UDM for short) shows to get a sense of what to expect from this exciting show! 

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Questions about which class and performance opportunity would be best for you? We want to hear from you! Don’t hesitate to reach out to your teacher or to Rachel at rachel@saharadance.com.

 

Sahara Dance Stuns at the World Culture Festival in Washington DC

We are proud to present the Sahara Dance Arabian Nights performance from the World Culture Festival: an epic 8-minute dance highlighting the Middle East, choreographed by Jillina for 100 dancers on September 29th, 2023.

To pull back the curtain, here’s how this dance evolved:

Rachel Kay Brookmire was honored to be offered the opportunity for Sahara Dance to represent Middle Eastern dance at the World Culture Festival. Upon learning the size of the stage (enormous!), we realized this was a unique “Super Bowl” moment for the biggest show of our lives. After consulting with senior teachers, Rachel called in the best choreographer of theatrical belly dance in the world – Jillina – who was full of enthusiasm. Inviting Mohamed Ali to join the cast as our Egyptian star gave us an anchor to begin dreaming of a thrilling show highlighting the unique beauty of the dance. Jillina & Rachel’s vision for this epic piece came together quickly with help from the Sahara Dance WCF leadership team of Randa, Gretchen, and studio teachers. Jillina’s husband, Paul Dinletir, composed the music.

Jillina choreographed the piece in parts, each with varying difficulty levels appropriate for beginner through professional dancers: Lebanese Dream, Arabian Gulf, Taxsim Layali, Salam Saidi, and Dancing Darbuka. Jillina recorded videos and formations in her studio in Maui, which Randa and Gretchen organized and our teachers taught to their respective Sahara Dance student performance companies. Finding space to rehearse as a full cast of 100 was a challenge, but we took over school gyms all summer and even rehearsed outdoors once! With over 160 fan veils, 85 frame drums, dozens of Isis wings, canes, and thobes, plus a handful of swords, shemadans, veils, and candle trays, the stage would be full. Some dancers had as many as 4 props and we wanted to make the transitions seamless.

Jillina and Luna (her co-director) arrived early to polish the piece. On opening night our hearts soared on stage, as we presented the dance to hundreds of thousands of people watching around the world, with the Washington Monument and US Capitol as our backdrops. This project challenged us all and we have grown as a result. We are so deeply grateful for our community and everyone that contributed their time, energy, and love to making this possible. We hope you enjoy!

See more photos on Instagram and Facebook!

 

World Touring Guest Artist: Unveiling the Magic of Virginia

Virginia‘s love affair with belly dancing began as a young girl when she was captivated by the grace and allure of the dance. Her journey into this mystical world started with dedicated practice, unyielding determination, and the guidance of several esteemed mentors. Over the years, Virginia honed her skills, embracing various styles of belly dance and fusing them with her unique expression, ultimately establishing her own distinctive style that earned her immense recognition. In 2005, Virginia laid the foundation for Rakstar, a groundbreaking event that would forever change the belly dance landscape. Rakstar aimed to unite dancers from diverse backgrounds, celebrate their individuality, and create a vibrant community of artists. This annual festival became a melting pot of creativity, inspiring dancers to push their boundaries and delve into the true essence of belly dance as an art form.

As a performer and instructor, Virginia’s impact on modern belly dance has been profound. She masterfully weaves together tradition and innovation, blending classical techniques with contemporary elements. Her fluidity, musicality, and emotive storytelling set her apart as an artist and have influenced countless dancers around the world. Virginia’s dedication to preserving the authenticity of belly dance while encouraging experimentation has reshaped the way this art form is perceived and practiced today.

About the World Touring Guest Workshops

The opportunity to learn directly from Virginia is an experience like no other. Her workshops on Friday September 15 and Saturday September 16 promise to be enriching and empowering.

“Q’uariat Alfinjan” (Kareaht Alfinjen) Classic Choreography, Sep 15, 6:30-9:30 pm

A stunning classic song from the legend Abdel Halim Hafiz.  “Beautiful orchestrations lend themselves to stunning combinations!” This music is so varied and so rich in melody, texture, and composition that I was compelled to choreograph it to share with all of you!  In this class I will break down this epic choreography & its inspired combinations.  We will delve into its musicality, lyric translations, & emotional expression all while broadening your vocabulary & combination repertoire.  This class delves deep into this expansive classic.

Recommended for intermediate / advanced dancers through professional. Limited hybrid spots available. [REGISTER]

Balady “Ana Wenta Fe Shweya Balady”, Sep 16, 1:30-3:30 pm

Balady “Ana Wenta Fe Shweya Balady” from Virginia’s new CD Virginia Gamilet Algamilaat. An earthy, fun, flirty, traditional Egyptian Balady with a drum solo!  Learn to dance Balady as it should be danced.  Virginia will share all the ins and outs of a balady as well as traditional steps done with her signature style.  She will share knowledge of how it is composed, traditional musical arrangement, and how to interpret it while keeping that Egyptian feeling. Virginia will teach you how to hear, see, and feel this music in a whole new way incorporating juicy and down to earth Egyptian Balady steps along with some contemporary interpretations and useful hints for the takasim section and build up.  Many tricks of the trade will be shared with choreography and improvisation, that will give you all the tools you need to dance a Balady to Cd or improvising with a live band.

Recommended for dancers with a minimum of 1 year belly dance experience, through professional. Limited hybrid spots available. [REGISTER]

Presenting our revived Raqqesat Tahia Company!

Tahia Carioca (born Badaweya Mohamed Kareem Al Nirani on 22 February 1919, died 20 September 1999), was a legendary Egyptian belly dancer and film actress who came to prominence during the Golden Age of Egyptian Cinema. She is often hailed as one of the greatest belly dancers in the history of the Egyptian film and dance industry.

Carioca was known for her striking beauty, expressive style, and compelling stage presence. She was especially lauded for her fluid movements, intricate hip articulations, and charismatic performances. One of her signature traits was her ability to convey emotion and narrative through her dance, making her performances not just visually spectacular, but also deeply engaging on an emotional level.

In addition to her dance career, Carioca starred in over 100 films, which further cemented her status as an iconic figure in Egyptian entertainment. Despite her controversial personal life, which included numerous marriages and outspoken political views, Carioca remained a beloved figure both within and outside Egypt. Her influence on the world of belly dance is immeasurable and continues to inspire generations of dancers today.

Sahara Dance Teacher – Florencia

We are excited to announce that we are restarting our Raqqesat Tahia Company with this fall’s class schedule.  Directed by Florencia, the Raqqesat Tahia Company is a low-intermediate level company that specializes in choreographies that include props (cane/assaya, zills/segat, veil, and balancing props) along with a focus on expressive stage presence.

NOTE: This company is a prerequisite for all intermediate and above student companies. Students wishing to progress to Intermediate level and above student companies should perf

Want to start your prop performance journey at our Winter Caravan in December? Register for the Raqqesat Tahia Company performance class here!