Listen to a Classic Shaabi playlist on Spotify

In its early days, Shaabi served as a platform for social commentary, reflecting the lives of ordinary Egyptians and their struggles. It conveyed a unique blend of humor, satire, and celebration of everyday life through dance. The lyrics of Shaabi songs often touched on topics like love, work, family, and societal challenges, making it a powerful medium for self-expression and dissent. Shaabi played a crucial role in uniting communities during times of political unrest. It was often performed in public squares and at demonstrations, becoming a symbol of resilience and solidarity. The dance brought people together, transcending class and status, and creating a sense of belonging and shared identity.

More recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in traditional and folkloric dance forms, including Shaabi. With a growing emphasis on preserving cultural heritage, dancers and choreographers began incorporating more authentic elements of Shaabi into their performances. This revival brought attention to the importance of understanding the roots and significance of the dance style.

Interested in learning more about this fun, energetic dance style? Perform a Shaabi choreography at the Sahara Dance Winter Caravan, directed by Florencia! [REGISTER – Shaabi Performance]

See details and register here

New in Belly Dance Technique classes:

• Chiaki’s teaching a new Advanced Technique class on Saturday mornings
• Rachel is back teaching Advanced Technique class on Tuesday evenings
• Florencia is teaching a Low Intermediate Props Technique class focusing on cane/assaya on Monday evenings
• Beginner II is back on Thursday evenings with Gretchen
• New Beginner I class with Nicolette on Wednesday evenings
• New Samba class with Sonia on Wednesday evenings
• Omoladun’s online only Intermediate Technique class will focus on props brush up (especially veil) this semester!

New in Performance classes:

• Florencia is bringing back the Raqqesat Tahia student company, which focuses on props – all students at the low intermediate / intermediate level should make sure they have sufficient prop training before moving on to intermediate and above student companies, and this is a great way to practice the prop skills learned in technique classes!
• Rachel will direct our famed advanced company Raqs Caravan East for the Winter Caravan show
• Florencia’s directing a new Shaabi Performance class on Monday evenings
• Our Lebanese Style performance group, Raqqesat Beirut, will be doing double veil, directed by Alma!

New category of classes: Conditioning!

Conditioning is extremely important to help build the strength and stamina required to make all our belly dance moves seem so effortless.  Add one or more of these classes to your dance practice!

• Belly Dance Cardio
• Floorwork & Conditioning
• Strengthen, Stretch & Flow

Don’t forget to take advantage of Early Bird prices – check out the full schedule and register today!  

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.

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!

Florencia: “What i love about dancing baladi is that the musicality is so rich, in just one song you can play with different energies and paces, from slow and strong, to light and fast. Also, it has a strong visceral energy that connects us directly with our instincts.”

What is your favorite thing about teaching?

Florencia: “My favorite thing about teaching is being able to create an environment in which dancers feel as free and accepting of themselves as ever by encouraging and boosting confidence in ourselves. Being able to transmit learnings in which a dancer gets the most out of my classes, both emotionally and physically, is always my priority.”

What special tip or trick will your students learn if they come to the workshop?

Florencia: “I am sure there will be more than one tip or trick to improve certain steps, since each style can look so different. This allows us to play with our body and move in different ways. Also, there will be tips to play with different forms of expressing ourselves while dancing.”

Register for the Argentinean Style Baladi Workshop with Florencia on April 22nd

Learn a baladi choreography, Argentinean style! Explore unique Argentinean belly dance stylizations, while improving technique. Through a detailed breakdown of the movements in the choreography, Florencia will explain what makes the movements and musical interpretation Argentinean style and how to add this dramatic flavor to your belly dance repertoire. Special emphasis will be placed on discovering artistic and emotional expression while dancing.

Florencia started belly dancing  at the age of 12. She has been dancing in Argentina since then, where she completed an extensive 5 year program leading to a certification as teacher and interpreter of oriental dance (Maestra De Danzas Arabes) through the Fatme School, Directed by Silvina Fredes, with renowned teachers from Argentina, such as Yamila Masur. Along with her training, she has also studied with international dancers, such as: Yousry Sharif, Dariya Mitskevich, Munique Neith, Amir Thaleb, among others. Florencia joined Fatme troupe from 2013, in which she had the opportunity to perform at various events, including Amir Thalebs Eida festival. She moved to the United States in 2022, and joined Sahara Dance classes in 2023.