Introduction to Belly Dance Movements - 101
taught by Sonya & Jonsey & Lisha
Pre-Registration based class...First time in belly dance? Then this is the class for you! This primer class is where you start; helping you better in understand the movements that create the base of all styles of belly dance - technique through isolations and muscular training. This class focuses on break down of basic belly dance steps so that you begin with the correct way to 'do' any of the common movements. Adds up to a great no-impact workout however the goal of the class is learning the verbiage, proper posture & being introduced to the different facets of Mid-East Dance.
As a new student to this art form we do recommend you take this class 1 full session before starting any of our other beginner belly dance classes, denoted with a blue star. See Class Attire here - sorry, but no long skirts, as the instructor needs to see your knees & lower back position. No prior dance experience is expected or necessary for this class at all, which is offered twice weekly this Summer 1 Mondays at 7:15pm & Saturdays at 9:30am - returns to 6pm Wednesdays in July.

Sit & Zill (Finger Cymbals & Arabic Rhythms 101) - returns in July
taught by Sonya
Pre-Registration based class...Introduction to Playing Finger Cymbals & Arabic Rhythms - This class has a mission to teach the basics of playing finger cymbals (also called zill in Turkey, or segat in Egypt) for a strong foundation in learning the lead hand theory. Playing half speed (then full), class begins warming up hands, wrists & forearms before learning the rhythms & embellishing them using different ring types, even adding arm movements as the patterns become more familiar. Open to all ages, both sexes & any level of dancer; this is a pre-requisite class for Zill Skills 1 & Big Girl Zill Skills 2. Minimum of 3 students need to pre-register for the Dedicated session by the first class, after which drop-ins may be accepted.

Gentle Belly Dance (101) - returns in July
taught by Sonya
Pre-Register...Belly Dance is made for our bodies, & how they are put-together. It is generally no-impact & therefore very accessible to women of all shapes & sizes, nationality & age. For some student dancers, building the stamina to stand in class for an hour can be a challenge. For my pregnant, injured, & golden dancers we offer a class that incorporates a nice change-up between ball-sitting, floor exercises, standing drills & traveling combos. Simple enough for all levels yet flexible enough to challenge the more experienced dance student. This class is available as a perfect make-up class for pre-paid lessons missed within the same session. We recommend you bring a yoga mat or hand towel for the end of class. No prior dance experience is required - returns in July.

Fundamentals of Belly Dance (102)
taught by Sonya & Lisha & Jonsey
Pre-Registration based class...After the minimum session of INTRO class, this "102" Fundamentals class expands to teach you a wider vocabulary of basic belly dance traditional Orientale movements, traveling steps & turns common to the "classic" Egyptian-style of Mid East dance & most importantly how to connect them. Here you learn where in the music these steps are best used, why we do it & where in the world it comes from. We work on clean technique with full break-downs & step-combos that can improve your posture, flexibility, balance & grace through muscle isolation and overall control. Each week we put these new moves into a dance routine, usually finishing the session with a full choreography & a strong sense of body awareness.
This class is ideal for your first 8-12 months of your training, however you should stay in this level (blue star) until all the fundamental moves are comfortable to you. You will always come away with something new from week-to-week, session-to-session, even year-to-year. See Class Attire here -- no long skirts, as Lisha, Sonya & Jonsey need to evaluate your knee & lower back position. No prior dance experience is necessary for this class however please complete 1 full session of INTRO to Belly Dance class first (see above). All weekly offerings of the 'Fundamentals' class contain the same lesson plan/choreographic routine, therefore interchangeable from week-to-week. Offered Mondays at 8:30pm & Saturdays at 10:45am - Bring your finger cymbals this Summer 1 session - we will also have some for sale, some for borrow.

ITS "Improv Tribal Style" Bellydance (102)
taught by Christiana
Pre-Registration based class...This basic building block class teaches you the fundamentals of specifically Improvised Tribal Style (ITS) bellydance, as performed by popular Chicago-area troupes BellyRing, Tandava and Jezebelly. ITS Bellydance is an American-born dance form that incorporates the use of non-verbal communication or “cues” in a group format to create a unique dance in the moment. ITS incorporates many aspects of Bellydance with movements from throughout the gypsy diaspora & inspired by world dances from the Middle East, North Africa, Spain & India. This class will focus on learning the basic movements, technique, combinations & cues for both slow-and-fast ITS vocabularies. Regular attendance is strongly encouraged, as material will build from week to week. Performance opportunities will occasionally be available as well. See Class Attire -- Sorry, but no long skirts, as Christiana needs to view knees/lower back position. No prior dance experience is necessary for this class however if you've never taken any belly dance you should complete 1 full session of INTRO to Belly Dance first (see above). Offered Wednesdays at 8:30pm.

Tribal Fusion Bellydance Basics (102)
taught by Mae
Pre-Registration based class, you may pay week-to-week...This class is an introduction to the Tribal Fusion style of Bellydance unique to our instructress Mae, who will explore many basic Bellydance movements with other ethnic influences as well, including Flamenco, Turkish, American B-girls, & some folkloric Middle Eastern dances. Concentrating on posture, this class will break down key movements & drill them with repetition into your muscle memory. Mae also explores individual stretches & core strengthening exercises that you can take home & practice to sharpen your technique. Working with combinations learned in class, you will come to identify the relationship these movements have to the music, & ignite your creative passion to one day perhaps create your own dances. No prior dance experience is necessary for this class however please complete 1 full session of INTRO to Belly Dance class first (see above). Offered Mondays at 8:30pm.

Shimmy Fit - Belly Dance (ALL LEVELS WELCOME!)
taught by Sonya
Drop-in or Pre-Register...Shimmy Fit is a Fitness-focused class that is more than a hip shimmy clinic & you'll find no boring 'sit-ups' in here! Building Core Strength is our goal with dance exercises focused firmly on your abdominal muscles but also benefiting inner thighs, lower back, balance & yes, even digestion. But before that more than 15 types of shimmy is introduced each session (including belly flutters!) working 1-on-1 with shimmy technique for skill, then up the tempo to build proper speed before maintaining the speed for increased stamina. Once stamina is achieved we may even work on layering the shimmy & even traveling with it. This class focuses on proper form/technique & will include a brief warm-up through open dance & delicious cool down stretching; Great for newer students in addition to the serious dancer who just wants to sharpen their skills or keep their shape! This class is also available as the perfect make-up class for pre-paid lessons missed within the same session. We recommend you bring a yoga mat or small hand towel for the end of class. Drop-ins always encouraged on a space available basis - literally start anytime & always come away with something new! No prior dance experience is required, Offered EVERY Thursday at 8:30pm

Yoga for Strength & Grace (ALL LEVELS WELCOME!)
taught by Moxie
Drop-in or Pre-Register...Yoga for Strength & Grace is a class geared towards a dancer's needs: strength, balance, flexibility, & focus. Many dance injuries occur from imbalance — some muscles are tight, some are overworked, & some aren't strong enough to do their job. Yoga for Strength and Grace will help you prevent injury, make your body a more comfortable place to live, & deliver a serious karate-chop to your stress levels. Classes will generally begin with a dynamic, vigorous sequence to warm up the legs, ignite the core & stabilize the spine. Next we'll move on to balance poses to strengthen subtle muscles as well as enhance focus & stability, and then a brief core workout to strengthen those all-important powerhouse muscles. Once the muscles are nice & warm, we'll move into ooey-gooey restorative poses for flexibility & well-being. Moxie teaches a therapeutically-oriented style that emphasizes both props & hands-on modifications for injury prevention & more effective stretches. Never done yoga before? Great! If you can get into a car & out again, you are flexible enough for this class. Moxie coaches each pose from the ground up, & then presents optional modifications for students who want more of a challenge. Please bring a towel, water to drink ($1 bottles also available) & a yoga mat if you have one. A few yoga mats are available for students to borrow. Offered EVERY Tuesday at 8:30pm

Belly Dance - Improve Your Moves (201)
taught by Lisha
Drop-in or Pre-Register...If you’re ready to push yourself to the next level, this "purple star" intermediate class will help you get there. This class introduces layering concepts, more challenging isolations, turns, and traveling steps (including shimmies!). Each class will also include a warm-up, conditioning/strengthening exercises, as well as a delicious stretch/cool-down at the end of the hour. Although this is a drop-in class, content will vary from week to week, however regular attendance is recommended for the best results. Students should have a solid foundation of the Fundamental movements as this class is geared to an Intermediate and above pace. Can be used to make up a missed lesson within the same session. Intermediate Drop-ins always encouraged on a space available basis - literally start anytime & always come away with something new. Great for *all styles* of modern belly dance! For your comfort please bring a yoga mat, towel, or knee pads for some exercises. Ask your instructor if you are ready to move up to this class or Drop-in to give it a try during a Buffet week! Offered Mondays at 6pm.

Moving Up; Belly Dance Choreography (202)
taught by Sonya
Pre-Registration based class...Open to students who've mastered the basic belly dance movements introduced in the blue star classes (typically after 8-12 months of The Fundamentals, comfortable with ALL the beginning moves), this choreography class is geared for those long-time beginners who feel they learn more through choreography, drills & routine. Every move you know has 100 variations, add-ons and layers... want to learn them? Take Yourself to the NEXT LEVEL! The dances learned in this weekly class can be auditioned for & performed in upcoming Arabesque Showcases & "In-House Halfa's" if desired/available. While everyone is unique, Pre-Requisites for this class are completion of the movement repertoire from the Fundamentals class & comfort in the speed of Fundamental DRILLS and we highly recommend trying the Improve your Moves class for a session as well. Feel free to seek the instructor's advice before beginning this class, Offered Wednesdays at 7:15pm & Saturdays at 12 noon - Summer 1 come prepared with your stick/cane.

"Big Girl" Zill Skills 2 (203)
taught by Sonya
Pre-Registration based class...Belly Dancing with full-speed Finger Cymbal Accompaniment - This class mission is to practice, drill & "jam" together while playing our finger cymbals/zillar/segat at FULL SPEED. Class format includes warm-ups while playing, then learning simple footwork & marrying them to cymbal patterns common to some popular Arabic rhythms, we can then putt them together to practice our most versatile combos & different ring types, definitely adding arm movements as the patterns become more familiar. We then finish the class with combining the movements & patterns of the day to a song, giving you lots to practice over the week, not often requiring the memorization of a single choreography. A mastery of basic belly dance moves is needed & having your finger cymbals with you is a requirement. Of course, Performance Opportunities for this class with troupe Killer Zillar! Minimum of 5 students need to pre-register for the dedicated session by the 1st day of class (max of 16); offered Winter Wednesdays at 6pm.

Tribal Fusion Bellydance 2 (202)
taught by Mae
Pre-Registration based class...This class continues in Mae's Tribal Fusion style of Bellydancing in which she will introduce even more challenging Bellydance movements influenced also by other ethnic/folkloric dances. Concentrating on posture, class will continue to break down & drill key movements while exploring individual stretches & core strengthening exercises to increase your dance stamina. Also learning her signature choreographies, performance opportunities are occasionally available with her student troupe Down Hips Down. We recommend completing INTRO to Belly Dance and Tribal Fusion Basics before moving up to this class, Offered Tuesdays at 7:15pm.

Tribal Fusion Choreography (203)
taught by Eliza
Pre-Registration based class...Open to intermediate students very comfortable with all the basic bellydance movements and some of their variations, this tribal fusion class features a choreography using a variety of tribal slow & fast moves. Eliza will begin with exercises that develop the strength & flexibility needed to execute flawless technique, followed by drills to help perfect both the oooey-goooey slow tribal movements & fast and furious shimmy combinations in the choreography. Finally, you'll put it all together in fabulous piece that can be performed as troupe "SpellBound" in an upcoming Arabesque Showcase if desired/available. Please pre-register the session to secure your spot in this class & ensure the class runs, minimum of 5. Please seek Eliza's advice before beginning this class. Offered Tuesdays at 6pm.

Belly Dance - Layers & Traveling (303)
taught by Sonya
Pre-Registration based class...For the dancer who is strong in ALL the Fundamental movements & their myriad of variations, we offer a more advanced view of combinations with the moves you already know, new moves you've never seen before, as well as transitions from one move to the next, a "volume knob" approach to speed & expectations of layering movements simultaneously while traveling with them. Longer, more difficult step combinations stretch the mind & muscle memory and a few improvisational dance techniques appear, while the content of a full "Dedicated" session includes a challenging choreography with a new focus week-to-week on different dance skills, occasional prop use & special "tips & tricks" you wish you knew! Choreography's learned in this class do have the opportunity to be auditioned for & performed, as Sonya's award-winning student dance troupe, Ro-He. A mastery of intermediate belly dance curriculum is expected in this fast-paced class for rather experienced students. Being comfortable in the intermediate/purple star classes is expected to keep up in this high-level class. New students accepted only on the 1st week of the session, after already having spoken with Sonya for audition information & approval. Minimum of 5, Offered Tuesdays at 7:15pm - Summer 1 come prepared with your Skills!/b>.

Goth / Rock Tribal Fusion Bellydance (301)
taught by Mae
Pre-Registration based class...This is a Tribal Fusion class gone goth-rock! Building upon your basic belly dance knowledge (both cabaret & tribal) to creatively express this vocabulary through eccentric rock & gothic influenced music. Concentrating on posture & expression, we will explore arm movement, shimmies, undulations, locks & other Orientale dance techniques. A focus on composure & an all around "bad girl attitude" will be incorporated into slow movements, that appear to be "swimming through honey". But we will not leave out the lightning fast sudden "pop-n-lock" movements that will make your heart quicken! You will encompass a repertoire of spooky/bad girl combinations, level changes, eye contact & stage presence. Mae will also incorporate stretches/core strengthening drills that you can take home & practice. This will be a high intensity intermediate PLUS class, complete with a warm up & cool down. Performance opportunities may be possible with her macabre student troupe Black Silk Road. Seek Mae's advice before beginning this class - Offered Tuesdays at 8:30pm.

Belly Dance - High-Level Technique Drills (301)
taught by Neekole
Drop-in or Pre-Register...Technique, Style, Transitions - to challenge the intermediate & advanced dancer's skill set, this class focus' on building a larger dance vocabulary & refining the moves you know and how they look on your body! Warm-up encourages increased balance followed by free dancing at a heart-pumping rate, incorporating all of the Fundamental moves & their variations, increasing your overall dance stamina. Combinations will be taught with an emphasis on building strong dance technique foundation... Students should be fluent in all the Fundamental moves as this class is geared to an Intermediate & above pace. Can be used to make up a missed lesson within the same session. Intermediate & Above Drop-in students always encouraged on a space available basis - literally start anytime & always come away with something new. Great for *all styles* of modern belly dance! Ask your instructor if you are ready to move up to this class or Drop-in to give it a try! Offered Thursdays at 7:15pm.