Ask the Professional Belly Dancer

[HennaDancer]

Everyone else has an "Ask the" thread but me, so here goes.

Let me answer a few things right off the bat.

It's not stripping. It's not done solely for the titillation of the watcher. It's a cultural thing- not just for women.

[hedra]

Do you teach?

How long did you take classes before you started dancing professionally?

Do you do anything else for a living (dance being only part of your income)?

Are you of middle-eastern heritage at all?

What style?

[Meatros]

Can not....Control...Thoughts....


.....



My head is filled with images....


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:D

[Ethilrist]

Ethnic or cabaret?

[HennaDancer]

I do teach. I danced for about two years, learning by watching, before I took a year of actual lessons, then I began teaching informally for a year, then started a formal class.
I had danced about five years before I had my first professional performance. I think of myself as more of a teacher than a solo "bellygram" type person. I also do cultural and arts event performances and Rennaissance Faires.
I am also a henna artist and sell henna supplies.
I'm pretty much standard American of Irish-Welsh descent. Pale skin, brown eyes, hennaed red hair but without the henna it's wheat colored.
I have my own style. It's very similar to Saidi Egyptian in that it's very hip-oriented. I know several bits of various styles and dance turkish-esque to folkloric turkish music, and egyptian-esque to ethnic egyptian music.

[HennaDancer]

Originally posted by Ethilrist
Ethnic or cabaret?

I prefer "folkloric", which means ethnic music and dance ornamentation and clthing based on ethnic dress but glitzier.
I also teach and dance in the SCA (where my presona is NOT "a dancer", thank you!) and there I am a stickler for as-correct-as-I-came make it.

Wanna see pictures?

http://www.hennadancer.com/clothes.html

[HennaDancer]

Originally posted by Meatros
Can not....Control...Thoughts....
.....
My head is filled with images....
....
:D

Depending on the images, you could be pretty far off, which is why I started this thread.
Take a look here: http://www.hennadancer.com/clothes.html.
This is not my performance clothing but it is me.

[monica]

One of my teen magazines awhile back had an article about doing belly-dancing for excercise, and said that it helped tone muscles. Now, seeing as I don't excercise much, I was wondering if you knew of any websites with a kind of "how to" thing for belly dancing? It would only be for excercise, and sounds like fun. Oh, and what music do you dance to?

[Realhoops]

CBS' Early Morning show this morning had something about doing this for fitness. You can read more about it by clicking right here (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/01/02/earlyshow/health/shapeup/main535007.shtml).

I was flipping channels and saw these belly dancers and one of them said "and it is also great for sex." The hosts looked like somebody had just said something "naughty" or something!

[HennaDancer]

Originally posted by monica
One of my teen magazines awhile back had an article about doing belly-dancing for excercise, and said that it helped tone muscles. Now, seeing as I don't excercise much, I was wondering if you knew of any websites with a kind of "how to" thing for belly dancing? It would only be for excercise, and sounds like fun. Oh, and what music do you dance to?

I dance to whatever moves me. I actually started selling some of the artists that are independent and harder to find, such as Solace and Turku. I really like Natasha Atlas, Hossam Ramzy, Elvia, and Culture Club.
I don't EVER *exercise*. I dance for fun. If you hate the drudgery of aerobics, then dance is for you.
However, you will be training your body into a new form, and you WILL need a teacher. It's possible that repeated stretching of the wrong muscles could damage you. Try www.shira.net for a worldwide teacher listing, or if you're withink a couple hours of New York, try www.bellydanceny.com, or if in New England, try www.helade.com. You also learn much faster with a teacher.

[HennaDancer]

Originally posted by Realhoops
I was flipping channels and saw these belly dancers and one of them said "and it is also great for sex." The hosts looked like somebody had just said something "naughty" or something!

The Truth: one of the dance moves, the full-body undulation, tones the pelvic floor muscles. These are the muscles that support you when you're pregnant, keep your pee in your bladder until you release it, and help in actual childbirth to get the kid out easier and faster. It is also (in men and women) the muscle which more than any other controls the naughty bits. You can actually massage your partner during sex... internally... if you have conscious control.

[Realhoops]

Originally posted by HennaDancer
You can actually massage your partner during sex... internally... if you have conscious control.

:eek:
:D

[martin_ibn_martin]

Originally posted by HennaDancer
You can actually massage your partner during sex... internally... if you have conscious control.

:D

:eek:

:D

[Ferret Herder]

That sounds similar to Kegel exercises, which some women do for similar reasons. They can be done merely while sitting, however, and don't involve any external movement. I can see why the full-body undulation would involve those muscles, though.

[Moirai]

OK, thats it, I wanna learn to belly dance!

Seriously though, we were at a restaurant last year, and there were several dancers there who were very good. But the real showstoppers were the women in the audience who got up to join them. Most of them were older, like grandmother-older, none were what you'd call statuesque or stunningly beautiful. But they were the most sensual women I have ever seen!

[Evil Captor]

Do you have any idea how extensively belly dance schools are in the U.S.? I know they're in all the major cities, but I have the impression they also exist in most smaller cities, too.

I've seen a lot of stuff about belly dancing online and I was wondering if it represented a real cultural trend reflected in the real world, or just the increased visibility of subcultures thanks to the Web.

That is, is belly dancing really growing rapidly as it appears to be, or am I mistaken?

Full disclosure: I'm writing a novel about a private eye who's looking for a kidnaped bellydancer --I'm about 75,000 words into it-- and I've done a fair amount of research but am always interested in new sources. Ive not been able to get a handle on the popularity thing, however.

[amarinth]

If I wanted to become a professional belly dancer... starting from scratch, what would I have to do and how long would it take me to do it?
Also, is it one of those things I would have needed to started 10 years ago? Is there an upper age limit for a beginning professional? (well, not "limit" but point where people will think it odd that you're at "your age" and just beginning, instead of at "your age" but have been doing this for years)

[HennaDancer]

Originally posted by Ferret Herder
That sounds similar to Kegel exercises, which some women do for similar reasons. They can be done merely while sitting, however, and don't involve any external movement. I can see why the full-body undulation would involve those muscles, though.

Exactly the same muscle and the same effect- just a lot more fun to dance them stronger. I was never good at remembering to do the squeezing thing while sitting at traffic ilghts or whatever but I performed two weeks before my last son was born.

[HennaDancer]

Originally posted by EJsGirl
But the real showstoppers were the women in the audience who got up to join them. Most of them were older, like grandmother-older, none were what you'd call statuesque or stunningly beautiful. But they were the most sensual women I have ever seen!

That's one of things I treasure most about this dance. Because it is made of natural movements (not exaggerated or unnatural like ballet) you can do it forever and your technique never suffers. ALso, because it is a personally expressive dance, the more life experience you have, the more you can express. I have seem plenty of pretty, cute, talented 20-somethings (and I'm 29 now) but my favorite dancers are in their 50s, and two are pushing 70.
It looks sensual because it feels so good to do. Your body becomes the music. Imagine the music's joy at being played- that's what I feel when I dance.

[HennaDancer]

Reply to dance schools and how to get started:

First try www.shira.net for a listing of hundreds of teachers worldwide. If no luck, look in your Yellow Pages under entertainment and call anything that lists belly dancing and tell them you have some questions for the dancer and could she call you. Don't expect to get her number from the service but they'll usually give her yours. If she doesn't teach, she will probably know who does. Ask at a local ethnic restaurant, too.

There is no upper age for dance. My favorite student was 50 when she started. She was an awful dancer but so beautiful to watch because she was having so much fun. My best students were 61 and 23. I encourage people to start young because you get the benefits during childbirth, but you're never too old.
So far as performance goes, my fiftyish friend gets ethnic gigs all the time. For restaurants, they tend to go for the young and cute because that's what they think Americans want, but not always. You can find performance space in charity and arts gigs and at fairs and dance parties. Your teacher will know.

[astro]

I seen some pretty expereinced belly dancers in Middle Eastern restaurants for special occasions like birthdays and such and men would throw money at them. Where is it appropriate to tuck the money in? Waist of skirt or do we have to hand it to you??

[HennaDancer]

Originally posted by astro
I seen some pretty expereinced belly dancers in Middle Eastern restaurants for special occasions like birthdays and such and men would throw money at them. Where is it appropriate to tuck the money in? Waist of skirt or do we have to hand it to you??
It depends on the dancer. The most traditional way to tip is to stand up and shower bills over her head one by one. Sometimes the dancer will have a basket or tambourine to put tips in. Some dancers accept tips in their costume.
If you wave some bills around and make I-want-to-give-this-to-you gestures, the dancer will usually see you and come over and offer what she wants the bills in. If she's making the rounds of tables, wait till she comes near. If she just doesn't see you, it is perfectly appropriate to stand up and wave the money. This problem is pretty rare- dancers LIKE money. Best places to tip are sides of hip and back bra strap (if it's that kind of costume). If you look confused, she will show or tell you what do do. She may shimmy or keep dancing while you try to put the money in. That's part of the fun, so play along.
Some dancers do not accept tips while dancing. In that case, you can give it to the owner for her, or give it to her as she leaves after she changes. If you give it to someone else, make sure she knows to ask him for it.
Traditionally, part of the reason for tipping is to show off to your friends how generous you are. Therefore, if you intend to tip and are not independently wealthy, bring ones. The more tips people see her getting, the more tips they will give. Giving her one bill (regardless of denomination) is not as impressive to the crowd as giving her five.

[dorkusmalorkusmafia]

I have several questions.

1. Do men traditionally belly dance?
2. If not, are there schools that will teach men?
3. If so, do their movements differ from what the woman do?

[HennaDancer]

Originally posted by dorkusmalorkusmafia
I have several questions.

1. Do men traditionally belly dance?
2. If not, are there schools that will teach men?
3. If so, do their movements differ from what the woman do?

This is a cultural folk dance which people do all the time, for fun. It happens to look nice in a performance setting and it's exotic to us Westerners but pretty common Over There.
In that it's cultural, this is how everyone dances there- grannies, dads, teenagers, kids, everyone.
In terms of performance, historically there are two types of male dance- Tahtib and as women. tahtib is an Egyptian dance/martial art done with large sticks. If Tahtib had a quote, it would be "See how badly I could hurt you if I weren't so cheerful!".
The dancing as women happened during the times where women were forbidden to dance. Young boys and men would dress as women and dance for money the same way the women danced. There were some very famous court dancers who did this.

That said, now I answer your question ;)

1) Yes
2) Almost any teacher will teach men. Some people have attached a whole Goddess-y angle to the dance which was not part of it historically and will exclude men as not being part of the Sisterhood. IMHO it's fine to express yourself and your spirituality, and the dance is very freeing, but it's not okay to say that someone can't learn when he's honestly interested.
3) Ever been to a nightclub? With some goofy-looking exceptions, men dance like men and women dance like women. It's innate. The problems come when a man is taught by a woman to do certain moves, he tends to unconsciously mimic her style, so many moves come off as girly-goofy unless and until he discovers his own dance. I haven't noticed this when women are taught by men, which is kind of odd now that I think about it.

There are several famous male dancers. Horacio Cifuentes is one, and Tarik abd-al Malik, and John Compton, and Adam Basma. Some dancers that I know of are Asim al-Talib, Valizan, and Hijara. If you do a Google search you will find several pages on this very topic.

[Evil Captor]

I visited shira.net, really excellent source. A lot of great info, thanks for sharing.

ONe think did puzzle me. There were a couple of pics of tribal fusion dancers in their dance costumes, and it appeared to me that a couple of their costumes covered them from collar to ankle, and that none of their limbs were revealed. Well, how do you dance like that in a performance? The audience can barely make out your arms and can't make out any part of your body except your face and hands. It may well be fun to dance in such a costume, but I don't know what an audience might get from watching someone dance while dressed like that.

[martin_ibn_martin]

Originally posted by Evil Captor
IONe think did puzzle me. There were a couple of pics of tribal fusion dancers in their dance costumes, and it appeared to me that a couple of their costumes covered them from collar to ankle, and that none of their limbs were revealed. Well, how do you dance like that in a performance? The audience can barely make out your arms and can't make out any part of your body except your face and hands. It may well be fun to dance in such a costume, but I don't know what an audience might get from watching someone dance while dressed like that.

On the contrary. You don't need to expose skin to show movement; in fact in many cases the costume makes the movement much larger and easier to see. If you look again, you will see fitted cholis or anteri-variants (turkish fitted coats) which outline the chest and torso. The coats have patterns or stripes in the frequently, so they make any twisting or side to side movement stand out more as the pattern shifts. The full skirts go flying if you spin, or you can pick them up and dance with them Turkish/Gypsy style, or just doing any stepping will make the skirts foosh all around your legs, making the step look much more dramatic.
Also, many of the moves are hypnotic and beautiful- but only if you can't see exactly what's going on. Case in point- there's one kind of shimmy which sends waves up and down the body, which vibrates. It's completely enthralling to watch- unless you can see her legs. Once you watch what her knees do, it's not particularly interesting because all the mystery is gone.

[Evil Captor]

OK, that's fair enough. I didn't mean to imply that you had to show skin -- a dancer can be covered from head to toe in a bodysuit, or in capri pants and a sweater, maybe, and still clearly show movement. Ginger Rogers danced in full, flowing evening gowns with Fred Astaire and used the gowns to emphasize movement.

So I get what you are saying. I just was confused about a couple of the pics on the site. They looked kinda bulky and static. But if they are designed so that they can shimmy and wave and emphasize the movements of the dancer wearing them, I can see that they would work for dance.

[Nichol_storm]

Dear HennaDancer,

My best friend got me into henna, and now I'd like to try belly dancing, both for the aesthetic quality and the childbirth benefits. I'm considering taking a course during the summer. Any tips on choosing a teacher? What should I be suspicious of? What kind of creditionals should I ask for?

Thanks for any assistance you may provide.

.:Nichol:.

[Evil Captor]

I was watching a belly dance video on one of the sites linked to shira net, and the dancer did this move where she just glided sideways across the floor with her hips waggling a little sideways doing snake moves with her arms. It was incredibly graceful because there was no apparent walking movement of her legs -- she just appeared to float acoss the floor. What was that move?

[HennaDancer]

Originally posted by Nichol_storm
Dear HennaDancer,

My best friend got me into henna, and now I'd like to try belly dancing, both for the aesthetic quality and the childbirth benefits. I'm considering taking a course during the summer. Any tips on choosing a teacher? What should I be suspicious of? What kind of creditionals should I ask for?

Thanks for any assistance you may provide.

.:Nichol:.

BWAHAHAHA we got another one! Didn't you know henna is a gateway drug? ;)

But seriously...
There are no credentials in this dance form, unfortunately. No standardization, either. I'd call around and chat a bit with the local teachers and see if you click with one of them. Don't take anyone seriously who says they've been dancing for less than three years and are now teaching. In general, the longer the better. I would not start with anything called "American Tribal Style" or really Tribal anything. It's a perfectly valid dance style but limited in scope.
Many dancers will offer a drop-in rate to check out a class, many will let you watch a class, and many even offer your first class free. Ask.
Your teacher should start with some sort of gentle stretches. She should explain the moves verbally and descriptively as well as showing them to you. If she only demonstrates, she won't be a useful teacher. Many teachers are not so focused on this, but I feel it's essential to know the rhythms you are using and various cultural information is nice to put moves in context. Above all, she should be willing to correct a student gently. Being supportive is great but I've seen students who were supported into doing some pretty chancy stuff.
Enjoy it!

[HennaDancer]

Originally posted by Evil Captor
I was watching a belly dance video on one of the sites linked to shira net, and the dancer did this move where she just glided sideways across the floor with her hips waggling a little sideways doing snake moves with her arms. It was incredibly graceful because there was no apparent walking movement of her legs -- she just appeared to float acoss the floor. What was that move?
I don't do this move myself but I know what you're talking about. You stand on the balls of your feet and alternate lifting your hips so the weight comes off that hip's foot. When the weight is off, you move the foot a bit. You take leetle teeny quick steps with each leetle teeny quick hip lift and move that way.

[Marlitharn]

Great thread! I've almost decided to go take some lessons. A couple of questions, though.

Is a certain amount of innate grace helpful for this activity? In other words, will a stumbling oaf like me with all the poise and coordination of a drunken water buffalo have a hard time with this?

How long does it take to get the basic moves down? How soon does one start noticing the positive effects, i.e. relief from back pain and just generally feeling better?

Will it make my husband my willing slave, eager to obey my every command? ("Clean the toilet!" *shimmy shimmy* "Yes, my queen!") :D

[HennaDancer]

Originally posted by Marlitharn
Is a certain amount of innate grace helpful for this activity? In other words, will a stumbling oaf like me with all the poise and coordination of a drunken water buffalo have a hard time with this?]

A certain amount of coordination is required to successfully navigate from car to dance studio, but other than that you don't need to be naturally graceful. In my experience, this dance form will not turn a drunken water buffalo into a flowing fountain, but it will at least cause you to move like a sober water buffalo. Seriously, it does improve balance and body-sense (that thing which tells you where you left your feet so you don't step on the baby).

[How long does it take to get the basic moves down? How soon does one start noticing the positive effects, i.e. relief from back pain and just generally feeling better?]

That depends on how much you practice. I can usually get the rudiments through in 2-3 weeks to my students. Are they ready to perform then? HECK NO. There's a difference between being able to do a move and being able to do it on command in isolation with a sword on your head. I find that everyone has a move they were born to do which the rest of the clsss cannot got for a month, and everyone has a move that they can work on 24/7 and still not get right for a year. Most students are reasonably knowledgeable at about a year, enuogh for recital-type performance. I wouldn't let anyone but a really extrordinarily talented beginner dance solo before two years. Learning the moves and being able to dance them are two separate things.

[Will it make my husband my willing slave, eager to obey my every command? ("Clean the toilet!" *shimmy shimmy* "Yes, my queen!") :D

Well, it didn'd do that to MINE... but read the part about the internal massage in a post above. YMMV :)

[Shirley Ujest]

I have looked into bellydancing in my area ( for toning and naturally, to turn me into a wild sexual beast) and have come up...uh..dry.

So. until this area gets more...hip...I'll just bide my time. (Hey, we have Yoga within 12 miles of my house.)


I think it is so cool that you do what you love HennaDancer . How many people get that opportunity?

Given your ethnic origin and coloring, do you feel more Mid-eastern inside or more Welsh/Irish or is it a happy mixture of both?


My prediction is that Belly Dancing will become the new Yoga and I hope so. I can only see positive things coming from it for everyone involved.

[Shirley Ujest]

::::bump::::



I hate being the last to post.....


Please don't let me kill another thread.......


I can't seem to help myself.........




Must.....kill.....thread..........

[Evil Captor]

Lemme help you out, Shirley. I can't answer your questions, but I CAN be the last to post :)

I've never seen a group dance as an ensemble, though I have seen a couple of individual performances personally and I've seen several online videos of individual performances. How does a group performance work generally? Is it a rigidly structured thing where the dancers rehearse and move as a group like a chorus line, or is it the dance more fluidly structured? Are some dancers in the foreground doing special movies while the others dance in the backgorund, or what? Is there a formal patttern to group dances liek there is to individual dances as described on shira.net?

[Amethyst]

In my area we have an annual bellydance competition which includes solo, junior, and group categories. Before the competition, the group I belonged to practiced, practiced, practiced to get the arms in sync and the moves in sync. We perform that way in public as well

Whereas I also belong to a group that will do some outdoor performances where we just dance to the music doing our own thing - sometimes we'll borrow moves from each other.

When I've done a Zar dance performance (an egyptian healing/trance dance), the dancers do one choreography and the person taking the role of the person being healed does a complementary choreography.

[amarinth]

Inspired by this thread, I decided to sign up for and take lessons. So far, they've been fun - and I'm really loving it, of course that could be just the general rush of "hey, this is new" but on the chance that it isn't, are there any books or videos that you'd recommend?

[Lissla Lissar]

Good stuff. Another bellydancer- we need lots here so we can trade music suggestions and tips and things.

Have you ever done American Tribal, and what do you think about bellydance purists?

I've been doing bellydance for about four years, on and off, doing classical Egyptian Cabaret, with a bit of folklore and things like debke and zaar. I love it, and can't dance any other way now.

Have you heard of Yasmina Ramzy and Hadia? I've taken classes with them, and they're terrific.

[dorkusmalorkusmafia]

Thank you for your replies Hennadancer. I have another question, thanks to this thread I want to go out and learn to dance; however, I haven't been able to find any teachers in my area. I looked in the yellow pages under dance instruction and didn't see anything. Where are some places that I may learn that wouldn't necessarily be in the yellow pages?

[Amethyst]

Originally posted by Lissla Lissar
Good stuff. Another bellydancer- we need lots here so we can trade music suggestions and tips and things.

Have you ever done American Tribal, and what do you think about bellydance purists?

I've never done 'American Tribal', but I have seen a little (I like the costumes!). But I would also argue that most of our North American cabaret isn't 100% purely based on one ethnic style (eg Egyptian or Turkish). And the American cabaret can borrow from 'western' dance or spanish dance or gypsy dance. (So I guess one question is where does cabaret stop and tribal begin - I don't really believe you can delineate the American styles so cleanly, I think there is a continuum.

As for bellydance purists, it depends on the dance. If you are doing a folkloric dance, like a traditional Zaar or a Shikatt, I like to see authentic costuming and moves. Once you get into American Cabaret style, I think it gets harder to be pure Egyptian or whatever style. Dance is a kind of language and languages evolve and flourish by not ignoring the influences around them but by borrowing new words and concepts.


I've been doing bellydance for about four years, on and off, doing classical Egyptian Cabaret, with a bit of folklore and things like debke and zaar. I love it, and can't dance any other way now.

I have two teachers. One of them (my first teacher) has danced all styles of dance since she was 7 (ballet, jazz, tap, flamenco, etc) and she loves all dance and the history of dances. (I also take tap with her) While her beginner's bellydance class focuses on cabaret/bellygram type dance, she always teaches a folkloric dance to the beginners as well (generally a Debke). A large part of her focus is more of the folkloric dance and we are careful to be authentic in moves and costume in the folkloric stuff (eg always begin an Egyptian dance with the left foot etc). I've done various Egyptian cane dances in her class, Turkish folk dance, Moroccan Shikatt, Egyptian Zaar, Debke, etc. (Although she is currently teaching our class a '7 veils' dance). (We also do Hawaiian - the folks at the nursing home like to see the Havaiian dance)

My other teacher is definitely focussed on Bellydance and dances in restaurants as well. She doesn't have the long history of dance like my first teacher but I started dancing with her to get more of the cabaret dance (and because my first teacher's courses are through the school board's continuing education program so they run for 8 weeks then stop for a number of weeks.) She is greatly influenced by people like Beata and Horacio Cifuentes (we've learned two choreographies based on their works). When I first started dancing in this class, I noticed some similarities to Hadia so I figure it must be a west coast /prairies thing (she's originally from Saskatchewan but moved to Ontario).

Speaking of Hadia .....

Have you heard of Yasmina Ramzy and Hadia? I've taken classes with them, and they're terrific.

I've done two workshops with Hadia. She's great! I also have 3 instructional videos which I purchased from her and one performance video.

Hmm . I see you are in Toronto .. are you with Arabesque?? I haven't seen them yet, but I see that they are touring to Kingston - I'm hoping to get there to see them. I've never had a chance to take lessons with Yasmina Ramzy.

Are there any good bellydance/middle eastern dance stores in Toronto?? I know Arabesque sells stuff (I just haven't made it there yet! ... but that is probably a good thing for my wallet .. buying costuming stuff is as addictive as dancing ... I have so many supplies ready to make some new costumes .. just not enough time!)

BTW .. Are you aware that there is a 'bellydance' movie going round the Repetoire theatres ...

SATIN ROUGE is an Arabic film with English sub-titles set in Tunis. It is about a young widow who finds herself through Belly Dancing. It has gotten very good reviews and is a must see for all of us. Liz Braun, from the Toronto Sun says, "Above all, Satin Rouge is the story of one woman's quest for freedom, her need to escape the strict moral rules imposed by others and the suffocating atmosphere created by their disapproval. And boy, does she escape. Satin Rouge is both sexy and romantic and Hiam Abbass's performance is terrific."

It will be in Ottawa in February.

[Amethyst]

Oooops I see that I messed up 'quoting' ... my reply is mainly in the quote!

[dorkusmalorkusmafia]

Just a friendly bump for Hennadancer or others who may be able to answer my previous question.

Thanks.

[amarinth]

Or mine.

[Amethyst]

Hi,

In my community most of the bellydance teachers are NOT in the yellowpages.

I found my first bellydance teacher but looking in the catalog offered by the local school board and their continuing education programs. I don't know if you have them in your area but here in Ottawa Ontario, both the public and Catholic school boards offer a variety of general interest programs in the evening which are available to the community (such as dance, cooking, computers, languages, etc)

Also, the local community college also has general interest programs including bellydance and I think at least one of the local universities does as well.

Some seem to advertise by posting flyers on posts and walls.

This link off of Shira's website has some directories of teachers.

http://www.shira.net/links2.htm

Many of the teachers are starting to adverstise on the net or through a local middle eastern dance association which often has a website.

[Avarie537]

My local YMCA offers classes, dorkus. Also, instructional videos abound online and in "new age" shops.

[dorkusmalorkusmafia]

There is a YMCA that offers classes but that one is pretty far away (50+ miles) that I found online. There are no longer any new age shops in the DC area. I believe the closest one is in Frederick, MD (I could be mistaken) and that is about as far as the YMCA that I already mentioned. :/ I will have to look at the shira.net link. Thanks everyone for your help.

[hedra]

My sister recommends the Neena and Veena bellydance workout videos, which can be bought for relatively small amount from online bookstores. You won't learn "THE" dance, but the teaching isn't bad, and the moves are real dance moves. It is a place to start, if you want to try it and can't find it.

Books are pretty useless for learning dance, but may be useful as a supplement to a class. Not that I've ever found any that work, mind... (kinda like learning TaiChi from a book - not really effective).

Most of our local teachers do not advertise other than with fliers in community centers.

[Amethyst]

Hmm, Dorkus I am surmissing that you are in the DC area. I found the following teachers on the web:

In Bethesda and Silver Spring MD
http://www.serpentine.org/artemis/artclasses.html

University of Maryland (College Park MD)
http://www.malika.com/bdclass.html

In Bethesda plus workshops in surround areas (I think)
http://www.organicdance.com/classes.html

Class in Spotsylvania and Fredricksburg VA
http://www.kawakib.com/index.html#knowledge

Northern VA and Washington DC
http://www.noor-jihan.com/

I found more (try a google search with bellydance washington DC)

[Lissla Lissar]

Hmm. Yes, Amethyst, I do take classes at Arabesque (when I have the money) and I love them. Hadia came to do a seminar last summer, and it was really good, and fun to see her very different dance style.

I get the impression that Yasmina does pretty traditional Egyptian dance, although she does teach veilwork, which I know is an American invention. If you get the chance to see Isis or Decent Of Ishatar, take it! They're both fabulous. Descent is much more modern dance, but uses a lot of bellydance isolation.

There are a few places where you can get hip scarves and things in Toronto, and Arabesque is a good source for lots of stuff- zylls, scarves, costumes... I usually buy bits and pieces and make my own things. I do beadwork and things with chains, and I sew, so Toronto's great for that. Little India and Queen West are the optimal 0places for picking up costume materials. There aren't really any specifically M.E dance stores here yet. Maybe later.

I find American Tribal looks a bit stiff, and I prefer to watch choreographed pieces unless the dancer is really, really good. I haven't seen much besides American and Egytian dance styles so far.