Beginner's Bellydance Class Curriculum

In this class we learn how to isolate specific parts of the body, moving them in a controlled fashion.

We reinforce the movements and learn to string them together via 3 basic choreographies designed to reinforce and showcase the movements. Each choreography + its component movements takes ~12 weeks to learn. New students are accepted at the beginning of each choreography. By completion of the third choreography, students have mastered a wide range of basic moves and are able to move their bodies in new and interesting ways.

There are no prerequisites to this class. Anyone can join and benefit from it. My students range in age from 13 to 60. People with good physical self control and body awareness from prior dance or yoga experience will typically progress quite quickly. The rest of us mortals will gain flexibility, strength and improved physical self-control over a period of weeks.

The 3 choreographies are:

• Arabesque
• Marco Polo
• Bedouin Wedding

Arabesque is a classic Cabaret-style choreography with a lot of hip and chest work. It is set to the upbeat club remix of and showcases the following moves:

• Hip lifts
• Hip drops
• Hip slides
• Hip lift-drop-slide combinations
• Grapevines
• Chest pops & drops
• Chest circles
• Chest undulations
• Basic shoulder tocks

Marco Polo is a spiritual-style choreography focusing on gentle, smooth movements. It is set to a lovely by Loreena McKennitt. It is used to teach & reinforce the following moves:

• Snake arms (1-side)
• Wings
• Hip slides
• Hip circles
• Step-hips
• Hip lifts in a circle
• Chest slides
• Head slides

Bedouin Wedding is a Tribal-style choreography. The music was recorded in the south of Egypt by Ibrahim Farrah during the 1970s and is an authentic tribal jam session that occurred at an actual Bedouin Wedding. The dance is lively and fun and meant to express female camraderie within the village environment. Moves used include:

• Egyptian Basic
• Hip drops
• Choo-choo
• Shoulder work in different positions
• (etc...)
• Partner interactions

-Shakti