About Rachel

- Principal teacher of Inspire! Bellydance

Rachel Bond began her Bellydance journey in 1995. Captivated by the music and movement, she went on to study with many local teachers and international masters. Today, Rachel continues to train at an advanced level, as well as performing at restaurants and function centres throughout Sydney. She loves sharing her joy of dance with both students and audiences.

Teaching

Rachel taught Bellydance courses at the University of NSW for several years and now teaches regularly with Egyptian dance troupe Farrah at Amera's Palace, as well as at Strathfield Girls' High School. She has been invited to present specialised workshops, including one at this year's Sydney Middle Eastern Dance Festival, and is a frequent guest teacher at numerous Sydney belly dance schools. Her classes are a fun experience at hens' parties and children's birthdays. She also has several years' experience co-ordinating dance troupes and leading rehearsals.

As a teacher, Rachel is encouraging, approachable and articulate. Her friendly nature creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere where students are inspired to learn and grow. She uses her wealth of experience in a variety of techniques to make dancing accessible and develop understanding, confidence and creativity. Rachel's training in psychology and Theatresports contribute to her interactive approach to teaching, combining clear structure with the flexibility to adapt to individual students' needs.

What students say...

"My family think I am off my tree, but I have done Rachel's taster class and signed up for the course. Love it! The class is well-structured and Rachel is a good teacher! So thanks Rachel - and to anyone who is thinking about joining, do it now while the classes are small. Once word gets out they will grow!" - Carol

"I just wanted to you to know that I really enjoyed the class & really loved the way you broke everything down. I actually felt like I retained something! Thanks for the class!" - Michelle

"It was wonderful - music, fun, giggles, and a great way to kick off my hens night! Rachel was fantastic, and I'd do it again in a flash." - Suzie

"Fantastic class...nice and intimate and because we are learning such a variety of moves in one session, the time flies and you've done a workout without realising! Also like the fact that even as beginners, we are being challenged - I've been to dance classes where beginners are taught one single move over and over again for weeks before moving on - which seems pretty pointless! Highly recommend this class." - Marika

Performing

With five years of professional performance experience, Rachel is well known and respected in Australia's Bellydance community. She is recognised as a polished, dynamic dancer with a diverse repertoire and a passion for engaging her audience. Performances are available for parties and events; view Rachel's performance website here.

The 2006 Amera's Palace Award was given to Rachel in appreciation of the consistently positive feedback given by customers, who commented on her performance skill, professional manner, polished appearance and quality Egyptian costumes, happy and bubbly personality, and ability to make every party a success. The award also acknowledged Rachel's commitment to the dance and respect for the culture, and her efforts in continually developing her dance technique by attending regular classes as well as master workshops with visiting teachers.

She is an active member of two groups: Hathor Dance Theatre, a contemporary company focussing on high-level Bellydance and World Fusion; and Farrah ~ The Egyptian Dance Artists, an association dedicated to presenting a range of traditional and modern Egyptian dance forms. She is currently President of Farrah and one of the principal teachers. In addition, Rachel is extending her performance skills by training in acting and improvisation.

Rachel began her performance career by entering the 2003 Australian Bellydance Competition, where she was the winner of third prize in the solo category, as well as a member of a prize-winning trio. Since then, she has performed at numerous Lebanese, Turkish, Persian and other venues throughout Sydney, as well as at concerts, functions and festivals. She has appeared on Mornings with Kerri-Anne on Channel Nine, as well as on local Turkish and Lebanese television. Currently she studies primarily with Jrisi's Hathor Dance Studio, incorporating contemporary and world dance styles into fusion with Middle Eastern Dance; and with Paivi Mielikainen, learning Egyptian folkloric styles and modern Egyptian technique. This training is supplemented by attending workshops and private classes presented by notable Australian bellydancers as well as international master teachers and choreographers. She has traveled in both Egypt and Turkey, and taken lessons with master teachers including Raqia Hassan, Mahmoud Reda, Aida Nour and Nagwa Sultan. She encourages her students to follow suit, and take every opportunity to attend workshops and classes with other teachers.

Aside from Middle Eastern Dance, Rachel is an avid student and occasional performer of Argentine Tango, and Vice President of Sydney's community tango association, Tango Synergy. She has a PhD in Psychology from the University of New South Wales along with two Bachelor degrees, and loves travelling and learning languages.