If you've ever wanted to truly enjoy different kinds of turns - this is your chance. Pulling from multiple dance styles (Western and Eastern) and disciplines, Irina will carefully walk you through the mechanics of lots of spins, ensuring your progress. Through strengthening drills and fun progressions, we will dive deep and unlock your ability to fly. This is a longer open level class (1 hr 15 mins!), with lots of repetition but also new mini combos each week. Easier modifications will be provided for newer dancers, as well as more complex options for the more experienced movers.
Dates: Jan 8, 15, 22, (skipping Jan 29), Feb 5 and 12
Odissi is one of the classical dance styles from India and is arguably one of the most elegant and beautiful dance forms. Graceful, statuesque and complex, its foundational elements can speak beautifully with bellydance. Featuring intricate hand gestures, percussive footwork and beautiful poses, we will learn this new language of movement and build strength through fun drills and short combinations. Open Level but strong foundation in bellydance is expected. Easier modifications will be provided for newer dancers, as well as more complex options for the more experienced movers.
Dates: Jan 8, 15, 22, (skipping Jan 29), Feb 5 and 12
Egyptian Improvisation with Tarik Sultan
Experience the richness of Egyptian dance improvisation in this five-week course led by master instructor Tarik Sultan, focused on musical awareness, responsiveness, and expressive freedom.
Egyptian and Arabic music continually shifts between soaring melodies and grounded rhythmic passages. In this class, dancers learn not only to recognize these musical textures, but to embody them—making spontaneous choices that feel clear, connected, and purposeful.
Throughout the course, dancers will:
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Practice translating melodic phrasing and rhythmic accents into movement using classic Egyptian vocabulary and layered variations
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Train the ear to catch musical details, transitions, and emotional color in real time
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Build confidence improvising with clarity, nuance, and personal voice
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Work with a diverse range of music, including traditional, folkloric, and contemporary Egyptian selections
This course is ideal for dancers who want to deepen their relationship with music, expand their improvisational range, and bring greater authenticity and presence to their dancing—whether on stage or in the studio.
Flamenco Araby, pioneered by Dalia, is an electrifying fusion of Arabic dance, Flamenco, and Latin Caribbean skirt styles. Dalia's style incorporates seductive Afro-Cuban Rumba influences with fans (Abanico) and skirts. This lesson begins with a warm up and features a streamlined fan fingering technique that Dalia has developed over many decades, which allows dancers to quickly master the use of both fan and skirt work together into one sassy combolicious! The first hour Dalia will guide you through her unique fan technique and then we will proceed to the combination. Please bring a wide skirt and a small or large flamenco fan or a fan that opens and closes easily and will not break. (Please write to Dalia if you need assistance on what type of fan to use - info@daliacarella.com).
INVESTMENT: $60 adv, $70 at the door, $55 unlimited pass holders
Fearless Improvisation: Feel the fear and do it anyway. Learn how to improvise in a safe space by sharpening your ability to listen, embracing space and dynamics and letting your true self be seen.
This workshop will be accompanied by musicians, Rob Mastrianni on Guitar, and Brad MacDonald on Percussion.