Bellydance Beyond Begs | Tues 6.30pm, Newcastle

Thursdays 5 Nov - 17 Dec ; 6.30pm (7wks x 1hr)

Broadway studio

Iraqi Dance Foundations -
- Part 2: Overview of Iraqi Dance Styles

This course is held in collaboration with Bayt Raqs al Iraqi - Sydney’s home of Iraqi Dance

Building on Part 1, students expand their Raqs al-Kawleeya vocabulary while developing a deeper understanding of Iraqi music and rhythms. Introductory work in other Iraqi dance styles will also help students recognise differences in movement, context and musical character.

Women only, private space. Hijabi women welcome.

Price: $230

Did you miss Part 1? Get in touch with us for your options on how to catch up!

Important Notes:
This course contains moves that are not suitable for dancers with neck injuries.
No catch-up lessons or recordings are available, and no credits will be issued for non-attendance. Please only book if you can actually attend - we don’t want you to miss a thing!

Our instructor, Andrea, brings years of deep, hands-on experience, having studied directly with world-renowned master teachers through many hours of private lessons. She’s also a familiar and beloved performer in Sydney’s Iraqi community, known for her authentic style. As a teacher, Andrea is encouraging and experienced.

Learn your chosen topic from home in your own time, with a 10-class course available for unlimited streaming for 3 months.

Beyond Beginner (BBs) courses assume confidence with all the Fundamentals movements and concepts; we recommend at least a year of bellydance training.

Choose from a range of styles.

• Each course is structured to build skills / fitness over the series. Ideally, stream them in order, taking each class once or twice a week before moving to the next one.

• Note that Technique in Depth has a fitness component. Not suitable for dancers who are less physically able.

Reach out for personalised recommendations or more detailed course descriptions.

Lessons were recorded in Standard Definition (640x480) in real-time classes, so will include the voices and questions of previous class participants. Minor glitches may be present, especially when the recording was made in a hybrid context.

with Rachel, Mondays 8pm (55 mins/wk x 10wks), 12 October - 14 December

Zoom (online)

Bellydance Intermediate/ Advanced Level: Turkish Romani

Discover the culture, music and dance of the Romani people of Western Türkiye!
Despite centuries of marginalisation, the Romani people are renowned for their skills in the performing arts; especially music and dance, which form an integral part of the culture and livelihood of many communities. Their way of life is embedded into their songs and movement. With its lively footwork, characteristic belly-throwing movement, and gestures from everyday life, this dance is a doorway onto a unique and precious culture. Your rhythmic awareness will grow through understanding the iconic 9/8 rhythm that forms the pulse of the dance. From steps and combos, gestures and postures, we will build to a full routine with performance opportunities.

Many thanks to our guest choreographer, Toronto-based Turkish dancer Asli Rakkas, for sharing her work with Rachel and allowing us to pass it on to you.

LEVEL: This more advanced class is open by invitation only, for dancers who have consistently attended class and practised for at least 2 years. Confidence with all Fundamentals and BBs techniques, ability to learn and retain combinations, developing understanding of Middle Eastern music, readiness to dive deeper. In general you should always get in touch before registering for this class if you’re not already a regular.

Catch-up options: This course is recorded on Zoom. Enrolled students may access all recordings on demand.

Pricing: $105 / 10 weeks to join us online only.

with Rachel, 8pm Thursdays (55 mins x 10 weeks), 15 October - 17 December

Zoom (online)

Bellydance Beyond Begs: Entrance Choreo

"Majense" is a term used in the Egyptian dance community to describe a piece of music written specifically to be the dancer's entrance piece. It typically contains a prelude where you wait offstage; a fast section for you to come on stage (lots of travelling steps, turns, often with veil); and then a series of other segments to give a taste of the dancer's style, and what the rest of her show may contain; often including some folkloric flavours. All those changes will help attune you to a range of feelings and rhythms in the music. It's a little of everything, all in one piece; making it exciting and interesting, both for the dancer and the audience.

EXPERIENCE LEVEL: Minimum 1 year. This class is not suitable for beginners. You’re expected to be familiar and confident with all the basic moves of bellydance, as taught in our Bellydance Fundamentals Technique course, as well as putting them into combos. Moves like shimmies, hip drops and circles will not be broken down and explained. More advanced dancers are very welcome and can expect to be challenged!

Catch-up options: Ask us for the recordings to practice or catch up.

Pricing: 10 classes $105. Recordings are available.

with Tara Yasmin, Tuesdays 6.30pm (55 mins x 10 weeks), 13 October - 15 December

Newcastle Studio

Bellydance Beyond Beginners (Level 2): Songs You Should Know

There are some Arabic songs that every bellydancer seems to encounter sooner or later: on the dance floor, at a hafla, in a restaurant, or at a wedding! In this Beyond Beginners course, we’ll get to know 10 iconic songs, exploring their rhythms, musical structure, mood and the movement vocabulary they inspire. Each week we’ll learn a combination to a different song, building your familiarity with classic bellydance music while developing your technique, musicality and confidence in dancing to songs you’ll hear again and again.

LEVEL: For dancers who have completed at least 4 terms (1 year) of Fundamentals. There’s no upper limit: students who’ve been dancing for years are welcome, and will be encouraged to delve deeper into technique and presentation.

(If you’re brand new to bellydance or have only danced in social contexts, this class is not suitable. Please choose Fundamentals at 7.30pm instead.)

Pricing: 10 classes $180 in person. Recordings are available.

with Rachel, Tuesdays 7.30pm (55 mins x 10 weeks), 13 October - 15 December

Broadway Studio

Bellydance Beyond Begs: Entrance Choreo

"Majense" is a term used in the Egyptian dance community to describe a piece of music written specifically to be the dancer's entrance piece. The music usually contains a prelude where you wait offstage; a fast section for you to come on stage (lots of travelling steps, turns, often with veil); and then a series of other segments to give a taste of the dancer's style, and what the rest of her show may contain; often this may include some folkloric flavours. All those changes will help attune you to a range of feelings and rhythms in the music. It's a little of everything, all in one piece; making it exciting and interesting, both for the dancer and the audience.

EXPERIENCE LEVEL: Minimum 1 year. This class is not suitable for beginners. You’re expected to be familiar and confident with all the basic moves of bellydance, as taught in our Bellydance Fundamentals Technique course, as well as putting them into combos. Moves like shimmies, hip drops and circles will not be broken down and explained. More advanced dancers are very welcome and can expect to be challenged!

Want to accelerate your learning (or just dance more!)? We highly recommend adding our mixed-level “Bellydance Skill Builder” class, on Tuesdays 6.30pm at Broadway. Take any 2 courses and receive a $100 discount!

Catch-up options: Join on Thursday in North Parramatta or on Zoom; or catch up later with the recording.

Pricing: 10 classes $180 in person. A discounted Zoom option is available on Thursdays.

with Andrea, Wednesdays 7pm (55 mins x 10 weeks), 14 October - 16 December

Sydney CBD studio

Bellydance Intermediate: Zill Patterns for Drum Solo

Combine movement, rhythm and finger cymbals with confidence. We’ll explore when and how to add zills, different playing patterns, arm positions and movement choices, then put them into practice through fun drum solo-inspired combos. A short choreography may provide a framework for practising the skills, but the focus is on understanding the building blocks. Learn to recognise the rhythms, make musical choices and eventually create your own combinations without the pressure of memorising a whole routine. The aim is to give you a toolkit of patterns and movement ideas that you can mix, match and play with.

LEVEL: By invitation for dancers who have completed at least 2 years of training. There’s no upper limit: students who’ve been dancing for years might appreciate this chance to refine their skills, especially if you are rhythmically challenged or have not mastered the art of playing finger cymbals!

(If you’re new to bellydance, this class is not suitable. Please choose the 8pm Fundamentals course instead)

Pricing: $180 per person for the course, strictly limited to 14 participants.

with Rachel, Mondays 8pm (55 mins/wk), 12 October - 14 December

Chatswood studio

Bellydance Intermediate/ Advanced Level: Turkish Romani

Discover the culture, music and dance of the Romani people of Western Türkiye!
Despite centuries of marginalisation, the Romani people are renowned for their skills in the performing arts; especially music and dance, which form an integral part of the culture and livelihood of many communities. Their way of life is embedded into their songs and movement. With its lively footwork, characteristic belly-throwing movement, and gestures from everyday life, this dance is a doorway onto a unique and precious culture. Your rhythmic awareness will grow through understanding the iconic 9/8 rhythm that forms the pulse of the dance. From steps and combos, gestures and postures, we will build to a full routine with performance opportunities.

Many thanks to our guest choreographer, Toronto-based Turkish dancer Asli Rakkas, for sharing her work with Rachel and allowing us to pass it on to you.

LEVEL: This more advanced class is open by invitation only, for dancers who have consistently attended class and practised for at least 2 years. Confidence with all Fundamentals and BBs techniques, ability to learn and retain combinations, developing understanding of Middle Eastern music, readiness to dive deeper. In general you should always get in touch before registering for this class if you’re not already a regular.

Pricing: $180 / 10wks per person for a place in the studio.

A discounted Zoom option is available. The Zoom class is run from the studio, in conjunction with our live class. Think of the laptop as just another student in the group! This means recordings are available for you on demand, for catch-up or revision.

with Laura, Tuesdays 8pm (55 mins x 10 weeks), 13 October - 15 December

Bankstown Studio

Bellydance Beyond Begs: Classic Choreo

Immerse yourself in the richness of powerful and emotional Egyptian music, with a choreography to the famous song “Baeed Annak”. Originally performed by the legendary Om Kalsoum, this musical masterpiece features luscious layers of instrumentation, exciting rhythm changes, and heartfelt lyrics.

If you took “Next Level Technique” BBs class with Laura last term, this choreography will put all those skills into practice. You’ll discover how technique can serve as the foundation for expression. The texture and feeling that we bring to movements and combos can highlight melody, follow rhythm, and tell a moving story. Get ready to bring this story to life and fall even deeper in love with raqs sharqi!

EXPERIENCE LEVEL: Minimum 1 year, ideally you also attended “Next Level Technique” BBs class with Laura last term. This class is not suitable for beginners or for self-taught dancers without formal training. You’re expected to be familiar and confident with all the basic moves of bellydance, as taught in our Bellydance Fundamentals Technique course, as well as with putting them into combos. Moves like shimmies, hip drops and circles will not be broken down and explained. More advanced dancers are very welcome and can expect to be challenged!

Catch-up options: This course is held Tuesday in Condell Park and Wednesday in Chipping Norton. If you need to miss your usual class, plan ahead to switch to the alternative location for that week. Recordings are available to stream at home.

Pricing: 10 classes $180 in person.

with Rachel, 8pm Thursdays (55 mins x 10 weeks), 15 October - 17 December

North Parramatta studio

Bellydance Beyond Begs: Entrance Choreo

"Majense" is a term used in the Egyptian dance community to describe a piece of music written specifically to be the dancer's entrance piece. It typically contains a prelude where you wait offstage; a fast section for you to come on stage (lots of travelling steps, turns, often with veil); and then a series of other segments to give a taste of the dancer's style, and what the rest of her show may contain; often including some folkloric flavours. All those changes will help attune you to a range of feelings and rhythms in the music. It's a little of everything, all in one piece; making it exciting and interesting, both for the dancer and the audience.

EXPERIENCE LEVEL: Minimum 1 year. This class is not suitable for beginners. You’re expected to be familiar and confident with all the basic moves of bellydance, as taught in our Bellydance Fundamentals Technique course, as well as putting them into combos. Moves like shimmies, hip drops and circles will not be broken down and explained. More advanced dancers are very welcome and can expect to be challenged!

Catch-up options: This course is held Tuesday in Broadway, and Thursday in Parramatta and on Zoom. Catch up missed classes by attending another location, Zooming in, or using the recording. Enrolled students may request access to the recordings to practice or catch up.

Pricing: 10 classes $180 in person. A discounted Zoom option is available if you can’t make it in person.