SJDC Presents:🦋✨ Egyptian Belly Dance for Beginners ✨🧿 with Robin Berntsen

Curious about belly dance? This beginner-friendly class is the perfect place to start.

“Belly dance” is a modern umbrella term that encompasses many styles and traditions with roots throughout North Africa, the Middle East, and parts of the Mediterranean. In its cultures of origin, belly dance is a joyful form of expression enjoyed by people of all ages in both social and celebratory settings.

In this class, we’ll focus on Egyptian-style belly dance (Raqs Sharqi), which roughly translates to “Eastern Dance.” This is the style most people recognize today, known for its beautiful isolations, expressive musicality, graceful arm movements, and dynamic hip work. Along the way, you’ll also gain a deeper appreciation for the rich history, rhythms, and traditions that make this dance form so special.

💧 What to Wear & Bring

Water
Bare feet, dance socks, jazz shoes, or ballet slippers (please note that socks can be slippery)
Comfortable movement clothing such as leggings, exercise pants, tank tops, fitted t-shirts, or sports bras
Clothing that allows you to see your torso, hip, and leg movements is helpful, but there is absolutely no requirement to show your midriff
Hip scarves or coin belts are welcome, but not required. We’ll have extras available to borrow at the studio. ✨
🌙 What to Expect

This class is designed for total beginners and no dance experience is required.

We’ll start with a gentle warm-up before learning foundational Raqs Sharqi movements, including:

Hip isolations
Chest and torso movements
Graceful arm pathways
Grounded hip drops and shimmies
As class progresses, we’ll begin combining movements into simple combinations, exploring musicality, transitions, and the rhythms that are central to Arabic music and dance. We’ll finish with a cool-down stretch and leave feeling stronger, more connected, and a little more sparkly than when we arrived. ✨🦋

No experience. No pressure. Just movement, music, and a welcoming space to learn something new. 💜