For those new (or returning) to the studio, guest passes are also a good way to help figure out which class(es) are best for you.

How long should I stay at this level?

This is a question we get a lot, about how many times a student should repeat a level before moving on. The answer is not straightforward, as each student’s dance journey is unique and may be impacted by things like whether you have previous dance experience, if you’re looking for casual fun or are driven to progress quickly, how consistently you attend class, and lots of other factors. However, the guidelines below will help give you a general idea of the path you can expect to take.

Beginner Classes

Beginner 1 covers belly dance “A to Z” as a full 15- or 16-week semester. The full semester teaches the complete Beginner 1 curriculum, including both the Aziza and Zeina choreographies (thus belly dance “A to Z”).

Beginner 1 class can also be taken as an 8-week, half-term class. The half semester includes only half of the curriculum (either the Aziza or Zeina choreography, depending on the session).

Both options are designed to be an introduction to the joy of belly dance. Most students will only take Beginner 1 for 15 or 16 weeks, but all are welcome to repeat it as many times as they like!

Beginner 2 and Beginner 3 are where you develop your foundational technique to set yourself up for future success. Most students will take these levels 2-6 times each.

Intermediate Classes

Intermediate 1 and Intermediate 3 are about adding complexity to your dance. At these levels, you will work on combining basic moves with traveling steps, turns, and more intricate layers. You’ll also work on developing skills such as spatial awareness, musically, and expression. Most students will take these levels anywhere from 2-6 times each.

Intermediate 2 is all about learning how to use props. A good foundation in using the 3 core props – veil, finger cymbals (sagat/zills), and cane (assaya) – is required to move up, but additional experience may be gained in balancing props, fan veil, Isis wings, or other fun accessories for your dance. Most students will take this level 2-6 times.

Advanced Classes

At the advanced level the focus shifts away from learning new movement vocabulary and towards developing a dancer’s individual skill set. There is no set length of time that a dancer will spend at each level mastering the skills needed to move up. It will depend on a variety of factors, including but not limited to:

• Consistency of class attendance
• Performing and rehearsing as part of a student company
• Participation in workshops and master classes
• Personal at-home practice
• Previous dance background
• Outside learning through books, articles, videos festivals,, or lectures
• Cross training for strength, endurance, flexibility and body awareness

At this level each dancer’s journey will be very individualized and will depend on how much dancing and training one does each day and week. One dancer might be ready to progress after a few semesters while another spends several years at the same level. Advanced classes are designed to keep a full repertoire of dance movements honed as a regular maintenance practice for professional dancers. Advanced dancers are also encouraged to occasionally return to lower levels to refresh the fundamentals.

Most importantly, remember to embrace dance as a journey of enjoyment. There’s no stagnant end point, or finish line. Our bodies are unique and ever-changing.  We can relish the fresh, new feeling of each movement, without expectations. Our experience of the music, and of dancing together, is always alive with newness. What will it be like this time, in this moment?

With intention, dance can be vehicle for cultivating curiosity, delight, and unconditional friendliness toward ourselves and the world around us. May we always let the inherent joy of movement and expression lead our dance.

Have More Questions?

If you still want additional guidance on what level you should sign up for, check out our blog post ‘What Class Should I Take Now?’ or talk to your teacher!

Level Map

To get started, check out this mapping of our new technique levels to the old class names. 

Core Techniques

One of the features of the new curriculum is a list of core techniques for all Beginner and Intermediate levels. Look at the Sahara Dance Curriculum Summary page for the key things you need to become proficient in at each level, alongside general skills of musicality, expression, and body awareness. Identifying the technique that you are still working to learn will help you know where you should be.

Core Elements Skill Levels

For the Advanced technique levels, we have identified the 6 essential elements of a dancer’s toolkit and provided a description of the skill level you should be able to demonstrate for each element before progressing onto the next level. A student should be able to perform at the Advanced 1 level for all 6 elements before moving to Advanced 2. 

For example, If you are brilliant at turns but still working on layering, we recommend that you sign up for the lower level class and focus your personal practice and in-class attention on developing the areas that you need to work on before moving up. 

Specialty Classes

Our workshops and specialty classes, such as fusion, samba, and bollywood, don’t fall under the curriculum revision; however, you can look for the 3 level labels (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) in the class descriptions to help know if a workshop or specialty class is right for you.

Technique Assessments

Still need advice or have questions? Sign up for a Technique Assessment where you can get review the curriculum choreographies of each level. Select two Sahara Dance curriculum teachers of your choice to offer feedback and placement recommendations on how to best level up your dance.

For those new to the studio, guest passes are also a good way to help figure out which class(es) are best for you.

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.

• Tuesdays at 6pm with rotating belly dance instructors
• Wednesdays at 8:15pm with Florencia
• Saturdays at 12:30pm with Florencia

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.

• Saturdays at 10:30am with Jennifer Anya

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.

• Saturdays at 12:30pm with Jennifer Anya
• Thursdays at 8:15pm with Gretchen

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.

• Saturdays at 11:30 am: Beginner I Performance class with Florencia – perfect for those enrolled in Beginner I or Beginner I/II.
• Saturdays at 11:30am: Raqqesat Badia Company Beginner I/II performance class with Jennifer Anya – perfect for those enrolled in Beginner I/II or Beginner II technique.
   
• Thursdays at 7:15pm: Raqqesat Samia Company – Beginner II/Low Intermediate with Gretchen – perfect for those enrolled in a Low Intermediate Technique class, who have completed the BII curriculum.

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! 

—

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.

We recommend all new belly dancers take Beginner I for at least four 8-week sessions (32 weeks). In the first round dancers are exposed to the movements and the second round dancers are able to more fully integrate the movements with attention to alignment and musicality. 

Before moving on to Beginner II, dancers make the most progress when they’ve fully internalized the foundational movements from Beginner I into muscle memory. Because the Beginner II curriculum adds lots of layering movements, it’s easy to practice movements incorrectly without a strong and clear foundation. I like to remember and apply one of my favorite sayings from mediation, “no time to rush”.

This condensed Beginner I class is ideal for new students to belly dance, or those seeking to refresh the belly dance foundations.

After you have completed the first 8 week session, you should definitely also consider trying the Intro to Performance class (check the class schedule for start dates)!  You’ll be able to show off your new skills in a simple Beginner level choreography at a Sahara Dance show in front of family and friends… But this opportunity isn’t just about performing in front of an audience; it’s a chance to forge new friendships and play with beautiful costumes and makeup. Whether you’re an absolute beginner or have completed several sessions of our Beginner I (or Beginner II) technique, you’re welcome to participate. In this program, you’ll learn and perform a fun several minute-long choreography that draws upon the foundational skills covered in Sahara Dance Beginner I. It’s an excellent choice for those seeking the thrill of group performance, the beauty of artistic expression, and a chance to refine their fundamental dance technique.

• Be patient and kind to yourself, using words of encouragement and gratitude for your healthy body, unique beauty, and good sense of adventure!
• Remember, you’re learning a new language and it takes time to master each word (movement) and construct sentences (combinations).
• With time and practice, you’ll become a fluent speaker and be able to improvise with your own accent and style.
• Enjoy discovering new muscles and finding a new medium for expression and creativity!
• Be gentle with yourself and listen to your body. If anything hurts, please let your teacher know, and modify.
• Cultivate curiosity about the felt sense of moving your body in these ways to best enjoy the sensuality inherent in the dance.
• Just show up however you are; there is no judgment and the dance is always offered for your enjoyment and well-being.
• Give yourself permission to play, make mistakes, look silly, laugh, and enjoy the learning process!

2. Be active in the community

• Come to class in-person or live-streaming! Benefit from the energy of the community, learning from others’ questions, and meeting fellow dancers.
• Ask questions!  Don’t be shy – if you have a question, it’s likely someone else has the same one and would appreciate it being asked. Have fun—you can’t fail the class!
• Make dance friends! Join a performance company and bond through a the shared goal of being on stage together, or just introduce yourself to your classmates.

3. Learn about the cultural context of the art form

• Check out specialty workshops – particularly those that are open to all levels – and explore specific styles or techniques in deeper dive formats.  Teachers will often provide supplemental materials, links and resources to explore topics further.
• Get to know the music! Explore Middle Eastern music in general as well as specific music styles on Amazon Music, Spotify, YouTube and many other places – start by searching for something as simple as “belly dance music” and see where the exploration takes you, or ask your teacher(s) for their favorite playlists.
• Attend performances and shows to support your local belly dancers and experience the dance live! Check out the next Sahara Dance production.
• Seek out resources for learning more about the dance, and follow your curiosity! Check out our specially curated resources on Instagram and Facebook by Maria, our Social Media Manager. 

4. Let your teacher(s) know your dance goals

• Stick with it and share you goals with your teacher(s). Whether you’re dancing simply for fun and fitness, or wish to perform on stage, let your teacher(s) know so you can best benefit from their guidance.
• Ask for assessments and feedback throughout the session.
• Make progress and retain movements by attending classes regularly, and live when you’re able, so you can benefit from teacher feedback.
• Practice between classes with the Sahara Dance curriculum list, class video, and/or video curriculum library (see below).

Sahara Dance Curriculum Videos

Below is the curriculum series of mini-videos to support your home practice :). Each move in the full curriculum is included in bite-sized breakdowns. The lessons are to live drumming on tabla!

Sahara Dance Beginner 1 & 2 Curriculum Overview

Sahara Dance Beginner 3 Curriculum Overview

Sahara Dance Intermediate 1 Curriculum Overview

Sahara Dance Intermediate 3 Curriculum Overview

These mini-videos are a great way to remember movements and learn the rhythms most commonly found in music for belly dance. The videos are designed to accompany the curriculum weekly and the intention is to offer a resource for refreshing your memory for home practice, if you’re inclined :).

Please note, you are not expected to purchase the videos or practice. Belly dance should, first and foremost, be enjoyable!  Come to class regardless and we will review.  Reference the videos only if it’s fun for you.