One of the most common things I get asked is which level of class to join - and when to move up to the next level! So in this post, I'll be answering all of the top questions I hear from dancers who are thinking of joining my classes, or wondering which level to join …
5 tips for your first bellydance class
Starting something new is always a little daunting, so here are a few of my top tips which will help you set yourself up for a relaxing and enjoyable time when you join a new bellydance class! 1. Wear something really comfy that won't get in your way when you're moving, and that you feel confident …
My promises to you…
As I begin a new term of classes, I've been thinking about what I promise to you as your teacher if you ever come to a bellydance class with me - beyond the obvious one, that I will teach you to dance to the best of my ability! These are a few of them: I …
Dance Infinities and the Secret to Seamless Transitions
Since I decided to call my new workshop series "Raqs to Infinity", I wanted to elaborate on some of the concepts from the first workshop, and talk more about the concept of infinity and why it's relevant to dance. The chances are, when I say "infinity" you think of something huge. Infinite distance. The vast …
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Beyoncé vs. Oum Kalthoum – a bellydance storm in a teacup?
There's a video that has been doing the rounds in the bellydance community this week from an old Beyoncé show, where a short section of music from Oum Kalthoum's "Enta Omri" is sampled during an exotic-dance inspired dance routine featuring rather a lot of bare bottoms. And lots of bellydancers are acting outraged by this, …
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Demystifying Muwashshahat!
I've been geeking out about Arabic music a lot in the last year, including listening to a lot of different things, reading loads of books, and even learning to play the oud. And in that time, I've realised that there's a bit of misunderstanding of muwashshahat (singular muwashshah) in the bellydance world. What we learn in …
A dancer in search of Tarab
This post is part book review, part essay, and part personal reflection. This week, I finished reading the excellent "Making Music in the Arab World: The Culture and Artistry of Tarab" by A.J. Racy. This book has been on my 'to read' list for a long time, and I was finally spurred on to buy …
Bellydance and cultural ‘appreciation’
The great thing about learning an art form from another culture is that it can be a gateway to appreciating a culture other than your own. It can help you to see the world from other perspectives, and learn to see people from that culture as three-dimensional individuals, instead of through the stereotypes we grew …
On ‘modernity’ in bellydance
Just a little rant for a Tuesday morning, on a subject that just keeps coming up... 😉 Westernised fusion dance is not "more modern" than Middle Eastern bellydance. But I often see it described as being so in the dance community - 'traditional' bellydance vs. 'modern' fusion - as if dance in the Middle East …
Why yes, I am a feminist
"Feminism is the radical notion that women are people." - Marie Shear I am a feminist. Now, I've heard it said that you should keep quiet about your politics when you are wearing your 'professional hat'. But I don't see this as politics. It's who I am. I'm a woman, working in a female-dominated industry …
Bellydance by Rachael 
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