Learn to Belly dance in North Norfolk. Wonderful exercise, for fun, fitness and confidence building!
Welcome to my website, all about my Egyptian belly dance classes in North Norfolk, UK: Come and join our happy and friendly band of ladies having great fun and learning to shimmy, hip drop and pose with beauty and joy:
at East Runton Village Hall, Cromer
Thursdays at 6.30.
Letheringsett Village Hall, nr Holt
Wednesdays at 7.00
Thursdays at 6.30.
Letheringsett Village Hall, nr Holt
Wednesdays at 7.00
Please try to phone me or email me in advance
to introduce yourself and let me know which
belly dance lesson you want to attend. Or
just walk in.
Don't think you've come along too late in the
term or missed too much - we always
go back to basics and newcomers are always
welcome.
For now, here are the important details:
Egyptian Belly Dancing Lessons for Beginners
East Runton Village Hall, North Norfolk
Thursday Evenings
6.30 - 7.45
Starts 7 Jan 2010.
Letheringsett Village Hall, North Norfolk
Wednesday evenings
7.00 - 8.15
Starts 6 Jan 2010.
For the belly dance class, wear something loose you can move in:
loose long skirts are ideal, or trousers/leggings.
Wear a scarf around your hips if you can bring one along. I am selling hip scarves and coin belts at class so you can jingle as you shimmy! And I have a few to lend for the duration of the class, too.
Bare feet is the norm; if this is difficult you can dance in jazz or ballet slippers (but not slippery socks please!)
Please arrive a little earlier (especially on the first night) to make sure you are ready to start promptly, and we don't get too much of a rush at the last minute!
Bring water to drink during the class, although we will try to bring some for sale for those who have forgotten.
All ages and sizes are suitable for belly dancing lessons, as long as you are fit enough to do low-impact dance. (age 14+ though, as I am not insured to teach children younger than this).
Pricing is on a pay-as-you-go basis, £5 in East Runton, £5.50 in Letheringsett, with the option of paying £39 for 10 classes in advance (not refundable except if I have to let you down).
Contact Dianne on freephone 0808 131 0134 dianne@learnbellydancing.co.uk
Lessons
to introduce yourself and let me know which
belly dance lesson you want to attend. Or
just walk in.
Don't think you've come along too late in the
term or missed too much - we always
go back to basics and newcomers are always
welcome.
For now, here are the important details:
Egyptian Belly Dancing Lessons for Beginners
East Runton Village Hall, North Norfolk
Thursday Evenings
6.30 - 7.45
Starts 7 Jan 2010.
Letheringsett Village Hall, North Norfolk
Wednesday evenings
7.00 - 8.15
Starts 6 Jan 2010.
For the belly dance class, wear something loose you can move in:
loose long skirts are ideal, or trousers/leggings.
Wear a scarf around your hips if you can bring one along. I am selling hip scarves and coin belts at class so you can jingle as you shimmy! And I have a few to lend for the duration of the class, too.
Bare feet is the norm; if this is difficult you can dance in jazz or ballet slippers (but not slippery socks please!)
Please arrive a little earlier (especially on the first night) to make sure you are ready to start promptly, and we don't get too much of a rush at the last minute!
Bring water to drink during the class, although we will try to bring some for sale for those who have forgotten.
All ages and sizes are suitable for belly dancing lessons, as long as you are fit enough to do low-impact dance. (age 14+ though, as I am not insured to teach children younger than this).
Pricing is on a pay-as-you-go basis, £5 in East Runton, £5.50 in Letheringsett, with the option of paying £39 for 10 classes in advance (not refundable except if I have to let you down).
Contact Dianne on freephone 0808 131 0134 dianne@learnbellydancing.co.uk
Lessons
Here's a few questions and answers about belly dancing: (FAQ's:)
Q: Isn't belly dancing a sexy dance done to please men, like pole dancing or lap dancing?
A: Essentially and emphatically no. Belly dance is sensual and involves undulations of the torso and flicks of the hips. However it is much more refined and ladylike in nature than anything pornographic or lascivious. Legs are almost always pretty close together! Egyptian belly dance is often flirtatious and coquettish, but should never be embarrassing in mixed company or a family atmosphere. Children love to see us in our sparkly costumes and parents should never feel uncomfortable about that. Although most people think of belly dancers as cabaret dancers in skimpy two-piece costumes, which is one (beautiful) aspect of the dance, there are many forms of the dance and much of belly dancing is done by women and for women within the "harem", or closed female community. It is an ancient art which is passed down from mothers to daughters in Egypt and other Arab countries, a natural way of moving which enables Western women to liberate their bodies and reclaim their femininity, whatever their age, shape or size.
Q: Do I need to have a beautiful body and flat stomach to learn belly dancing?
A: In the bellydance world, we all have a beautiful body, because we are all learning the ancient art of feminine and fluid movement. There is no judgement about size or shape. If all you have ever seen of bellydance is the Bellydance Superstars, remember they are American and all seem to conform to the Western ideal of feminine bodily beauty (young, slim, flat tummies,six-packs). I don't mean to malign their perfect beauty, they are professional dancers and professional dancers across the world in all dance forms have to be fit, and are therefore usually slim, and easy on the eye. The bellydance world as I know it comprises all levels of dancer from professional to amateur - there is no obligation to have a particular body shape, there is no obligation to show flesh you don't want to (in fact it is relatively rare to see many bare bellies in class) and you will be accepted and encouraged to be beautiful whatever your size, shape or age.
Q: Do I need to be super-fit to do belly dancing?
A: No. Of course like any exercise you need to have a certain basic level of fitness. You will be advised in the correct posture to adopt when dancing in order to protect your lower back and joints. Everyone's body is different and you must listen to your own, and don't do anything if it actually hurts. There are slow and fast movements in belly dancing and you can to some extent choose your pace and the intensity in which you do the moves.
The great thing about belly dancing is that it is low-impact. That means there is very little or no jumping up and down involved, so in this way it is easy on the joints. There are some forms which are more jaunty and bouncy, such as Saiidi dance, but even with this you can choose how "bouncy" you make it.
Q: It sounds great fun - is it?
A: Yes it is, we have lots of laughs in class, but at the same time remember you are learning an ancient art and skill. Sometimes you might feel frustrated that you can't get all the moves straight away - don't be discouraged, it takes most people quite a while! Many British women have to abandon decades of stiffness and inhibition to do these moves. We are simply not used to moving our hips and tummies in the way Eastern women find natural. As a generalisation, I find the younger generation are less inhibited in their movements - in many cases I find with them I have to try to "refine the raunch"! It doesn't matter how old you are, take it steadily and you will gain lots of confidence and poise and enjoyment from bellydancing.
Q: Is belly dance good for my bad back?
A: This is a difficult one, in that Egyptian dance promotes flexibility of the spine and as long as you really listen to and adopt the postural advice given it should be absolutely safe. However if you already have a back condition which is inflamed, you may find some bellydance moves (the faster, percussive moves) too much for you. The slower moves such as hip circles and figures of 8 can be more comfortable and feel therapeutic. I have had positive feedback from people who have tried my class as to how their back felt afterwards. As with any dance form or exercise, there is always the potential for injury, but as I said Egyptian dance is low-impact and we do stress safety throughout. So, I would say that as long as you obey postural advice and are always careful, belly dancing is really good for building a strong, flexible back. If you are suffering with back pain though, wait until you are a little bit better before coming to class.
Q: I've seen belly dancers doing some really scary moves though, like back bends and floor work. Will I have to try these things?
A: No, there are certain things that professional dancers may do which are not taught in regular Egyptian belly dancing lessons. In Tribal bellydance, back bends are quite prevalent, and in my opinion these moves are better to watch than to do for the majority of people! Floor work can be rather saucy and hard on the knees and back - it's up to the individual professional dancer if she wants to or has to do these moves. Don't get me wrong, it can be very impressive and beautiful to watch, but it will not be taught in any of my classes as it is too dangerous.
Q: Burlesque dancing is becoming popular these days. Is belly dancing like that?
A: No it isn't. Although I am very broad-minded and have no problem with burlesque dance at all, we must remember it is based on striptease, even if it is allegedly more tease than strip. We have battled for years in the bellydance community to dispel the myth of The Dance of the Seven Veils and it's association with stripping, so we prefer to distance ourselves from the world of burleque. However, I think the occasional burlesque workshop may be great fun and very helpful to aid some ladies in abandoning their inhibitions and learning how to work - and flirt with - an audience.
Q: Will I be expected to perform in public or do a solo?
A: No, we tend to concentrate on group choreography we can all do together. However, we must bear in mind that fundamentally this form of dance is a solo performance art, so for some women performing a solo at a Hafla (belly dance party) is the pinnacle of their ambition, and it can be incredibly confidence-building if you reach this stage. However there are no set expectations and many people never perform in public and they just learn how to belly dance for their own private pleasure.
Q: Isn't belly dancing a sexy dance done to please men, like pole dancing or lap dancing?
A: Essentially and emphatically no. Belly dance is sensual and involves undulations of the torso and flicks of the hips. However it is much more refined and ladylike in nature than anything pornographic or lascivious. Legs are almost always pretty close together! Egyptian belly dance is often flirtatious and coquettish, but should never be embarrassing in mixed company or a family atmosphere. Children love to see us in our sparkly costumes and parents should never feel uncomfortable about that. Although most people think of belly dancers as cabaret dancers in skimpy two-piece costumes, which is one (beautiful) aspect of the dance, there are many forms of the dance and much of belly dancing is done by women and for women within the "harem", or closed female community. It is an ancient art which is passed down from mothers to daughters in Egypt and other Arab countries, a natural way of moving which enables Western women to liberate their bodies and reclaim their femininity, whatever their age, shape or size.
Q: Do I need to have a beautiful body and flat stomach to learn belly dancing?
A: In the bellydance world, we all have a beautiful body, because we are all learning the ancient art of feminine and fluid movement. There is no judgement about size or shape. If all you have ever seen of bellydance is the Bellydance Superstars, remember they are American and all seem to conform to the Western ideal of feminine bodily beauty (young, slim, flat tummies,six-packs). I don't mean to malign their perfect beauty, they are professional dancers and professional dancers across the world in all dance forms have to be fit, and are therefore usually slim, and easy on the eye. The bellydance world as I know it comprises all levels of dancer from professional to amateur - there is no obligation to have a particular body shape, there is no obligation to show flesh you don't want to (in fact it is relatively rare to see many bare bellies in class) and you will be accepted and encouraged to be beautiful whatever your size, shape or age.
Q: Do I need to be super-fit to do belly dancing?
A: No. Of course like any exercise you need to have a certain basic level of fitness. You will be advised in the correct posture to adopt when dancing in order to protect your lower back and joints. Everyone's body is different and you must listen to your own, and don't do anything if it actually hurts. There are slow and fast movements in belly dancing and you can to some extent choose your pace and the intensity in which you do the moves.
The great thing about belly dancing is that it is low-impact. That means there is very little or no jumping up and down involved, so in this way it is easy on the joints. There are some forms which are more jaunty and bouncy, such as Saiidi dance, but even with this you can choose how "bouncy" you make it.
Q: It sounds great fun - is it?
A: Yes it is, we have lots of laughs in class, but at the same time remember you are learning an ancient art and skill. Sometimes you might feel frustrated that you can't get all the moves straight away - don't be discouraged, it takes most people quite a while! Many British women have to abandon decades of stiffness and inhibition to do these moves. We are simply not used to moving our hips and tummies in the way Eastern women find natural. As a generalisation, I find the younger generation are less inhibited in their movements - in many cases I find with them I have to try to "refine the raunch"! It doesn't matter how old you are, take it steadily and you will gain lots of confidence and poise and enjoyment from bellydancing.
Q: Is belly dance good for my bad back?
A: This is a difficult one, in that Egyptian dance promotes flexibility of the spine and as long as you really listen to and adopt the postural advice given it should be absolutely safe. However if you already have a back condition which is inflamed, you may find some bellydance moves (the faster, percussive moves) too much for you. The slower moves such as hip circles and figures of 8 can be more comfortable and feel therapeutic. I have had positive feedback from people who have tried my class as to how their back felt afterwards. As with any dance form or exercise, there is always the potential for injury, but as I said Egyptian dance is low-impact and we do stress safety throughout. So, I would say that as long as you obey postural advice and are always careful, belly dancing is really good for building a strong, flexible back. If you are suffering with back pain though, wait until you are a little bit better before coming to class.
Q: I've seen belly dancers doing some really scary moves though, like back bends and floor work. Will I have to try these things?
A: No, there are certain things that professional dancers may do which are not taught in regular Egyptian belly dancing lessons. In Tribal bellydance, back bends are quite prevalent, and in my opinion these moves are better to watch than to do for the majority of people! Floor work can be rather saucy and hard on the knees and back - it's up to the individual professional dancer if she wants to or has to do these moves. Don't get me wrong, it can be very impressive and beautiful to watch, but it will not be taught in any of my classes as it is too dangerous.
Q: Burlesque dancing is becoming popular these days. Is belly dancing like that?
A: No it isn't. Although I am very broad-minded and have no problem with burlesque dance at all, we must remember it is based on striptease, even if it is allegedly more tease than strip. We have battled for years in the bellydance community to dispel the myth of The Dance of the Seven Veils and it's association with stripping, so we prefer to distance ourselves from the world of burleque. However, I think the occasional burlesque workshop may be great fun and very helpful to aid some ladies in abandoning their inhibitions and learning how to work - and flirt with - an audience.
Q: Will I be expected to perform in public or do a solo?
A: No, we tend to concentrate on group choreography we can all do together. However, we must bear in mind that fundamentally this form of dance is a solo performance art, so for some women performing a solo at a Hafla (belly dance party) is the pinnacle of their ambition, and it can be incredibly confidence-building if you reach this stage. However there are no set expectations and many people never perform in public and they just learn how to belly dance for their own private pleasure.
I will add more to the website as we go along so keep watching it for more news of my belly dance classes. I hope and trust you will really enjoy this opportunity to learn to belly dance in North Norfolk!
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