Summary of the Sahara Dance Curriculum

Effective Fall 2024

The Sahara Dance curriculum consists of 9 levels, 3 each for beginner, intermediate, and advanced dancers.

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Beginner / Intermediate Technique

For beginner and intermediate levels, the focus is on building a solid technique base. Dancers should work to become proficient in the core technique elements for each level before progressing to the next level (see below). At all levels, students also work on artistic skills of timing, musicality, expression, cultural awareness, and stage presence, alongside body and spatial awareness skills, such as posture and arm placement.

For most dancers who do not have prior belly dance experience, this will require taking each level anywhere from 2-6 times, with the exception of Beginner 1 which can generally be taken just once.

Advanced Technique

At the Advanced levels, progression is based not on learning new techniques, but on mastering key skills related to six elements of the dance – shimmies, accents, undulations, traveling steps, turns, and framing – while continuing to build their musicality, movement layering abilities and expression. See the Advanced Skill Levels document for a complete description. There is no set length of time that a dancer will spend at each level, it will depend on each individual’s effort and time spent in classes, dance companies, workshops, masterclasses, and at-home practice. Advanced dancers are also encouraged to regularly return to lower levels to refresh the fundamentals.

Cultural Context

This dance form is inherently rooted in the cultures of the Middle East and North Africa, so students are invited to learn more about this context to deepen their understanding of the dance. Each of the beginner and intermediate levels include a variety of cultural lessons to introduce students to some of the key elements of Egyptian and Middle Eastern dance – musical instruments, rhythms, genres of music, various styles of belly dance, folkloric dances, and historical context. Advanced level students benefit from continuing to learn about the culture both in and outside of the classroom.

Core Technique for Beginner and Intermediate Levels

Beginner 1 Aziza and Beginner 1 Zeina

1. Vertical hip accent
2. Horizontal hip slide
3. Foundational posture, pose, and frame
4. Raqs Sharqi relaxed aesthetic and musical timing
5. Enjoyment and celebration of the body and femininity

Beginner 2

1. Basic shimmies – straight leg, hip, twisty
2. Horizontal figure eights front and back
3. Hip drop
4. Internal (umi) and external hip circles
5. Chasse/Waltz
6. Basic frames, poses, arm positions and arm paths
7. 3-step turn

Beginner 3

1. Bust and shoulder shimmy
2. Hip drop variations – drop-release, n, m, and twisty
3. Pelvic undulation (camel) and reverse pelvic undulation
4. Vertical figure eights up and down
5. Hip pushes / lifts – internal and external in all directions
6. Undulation Arms
7. Turns across the floor at ½ tempo

Intermediate 1

1. Regular ¾ shimmy
2. Traveling pelvic undulations (camels) forward and backwards
3. Traveling hip pushes and vertical figure eight up
4. Choo choo shimmy
5. Full body undulations
6. Barrel turns
7. Arabesques (¼ turn)

Intermediate 2 (Props Technique)

• Assaya: basic understanding of the cultural context of stick dances, consistent control of the stick, front and back vertical twirls, overhead twirls, balancing with the stick
• Veil: basic understanding of how to hold and work with veil, toss overhead, angel wings, butterfly, around the body circles, turns with veil
• Sagat/Zills: ability to clearly and consistently produce sound with the finger cymbals, in time with the music, and comfort playing triple and double patterns

Intermediate 3

1. Turns – Full time chaine, inside turns, and arabesques (full turn)
2. ¾ shimmy variations – straight leg up, weighted down, haggalah
3. Comfort with layering of shimmies
4. Safe execution of head/hair movements
5. Familiarity with common rhythms, music genres, and folklore styles
6. Body and spatial awareness – placement of weight, arms, paths of travel, speed/direction, awareness of other dancers

Affiliated Student Companies

Participation in the core student companies requires enrollment in the equivalent technique level (or above).

• Beginner 1 = Beginner Performance
• Beginner 2 = Beginner Performance
• Beginner 3 = Raqqesat Badia
• Intermediate 1 = Raqqesat Samia
• Intermediate 2 = Raqqesat Tahia
• Intermediate 3 = Raqqesat Kitty
• Advanced 1 = Raqqesat Nadia
• Advanced 1 = Raqqesat Naima
• Advanced 2 = (To be announced)
• Advanced 3 = Raqs Caravan East

Check out our blog posts to learn more…