About Bellydancing
The art of Bellydance has been passed from mother to daughter and woman to woman for a thousand generations, and is a wonderful activity for developing fitness, grace, sense of timing and self-esteem. Expand your creative freedom in a safe, supportive, fun & Beautiful way!
Isn't it just intended to be sexy, akin to stripping? NO!
Isn't it just a bunch of random wiggling around? There is no skill in that!
Please read this to help you better understand this lovely art form!
Belly Dancing is what it is called in the west and many other places around the world. But in the Middle East it is known as Raqs Sharqi.
The dance is thought to have evolved from ancient religious worship in goddess temples but there is no solid proof of this.
Now it is performed mainly at all-female gatherings where older women are revered as having greater life experience to bring
to the performance. Being at one with the emotions evoked by the music is essential to the dance. It is the visual form
of expression to illustrate the mood of the music.
There are several Belly Dance teachers teaching Belly Dance at Kira's Oasis. They each have a unique dance background, teaching style and dance style all their own to offer you. Please try as many teachers as you can so that your education of this ar tform is diverse and well rounded. You will find a style and teacher that is right for you!
I highly recommend putting a dance bag together so that you are always ready for anything the teacher might want to work on during any class you attend or any workshop you go to: Notebook and a few pens/pencils, zills, veil(s), dance shoes or slippers of some kind since you never know what the floor will be like when dancing in places other than the Oasis, padded socks, dress in layers or keep a tee or sweat shirt in your bag so you can take off when you get warm or put on when you cool down, water, a few snack bars, a first aid kit including Advil & visine, feminine products, etc., a sewing kit w/Safety Pins - if you don't need all of these things - some one else will, your business cards to give to people you meet.
When coming to the Belly Dance classes at the Oasis you will complete this form - Bellydance Class sheet 
.
You can either download it, print it, complete it and bring it with you or fill one out for us when you arrive.
You will also need to fill out the Oasis Membership form if you are NEW to the studio. You can print it out ahead of time as well
by following this link - Membership Form
When uncertain about class cancellation, check out the Oasis calendar
MONDAY: Beginner Belly Dance BLAST
Time: 6:30-7:30 pm
Level: Beginner - some intermediate moves designed to make you sweat!!
The teacher for this class will rotate through December between Kira and her group of High Intermediate level dancers depending on who is available to teach until
a regular teacher can assume the class. It will likely be Kira in January 2010.
You will learn GREAT Belly Dance and get a wonderful full range workout to bring your heart rate up and hopefully get you
sweating a bit utilizing this beautiful artform so come
to class and keep learning/moving that beautiful body!!! LOL!
Cost: Belly Dance Punch Card System: 6 classes for $54 or 12 classes for $102, drop in for $15 - see Tuition Policy below
Tuesday Nights: Basics of Belly Dance w/Bronwen
Time: 7:30 - 8:30 PM 1 Hour Class
Cost: Belly Dance Punch Card System - see Tuition Policy below
Drop-Ins Always Welcome!
This is an ANY level class and can be started at any time.
Bronwen teaches the basic movements for the art of Belly Dance, good solid technique, some combination movements and choreography!
She is a lovely dancer and terrific teacher who you will learn a lot from while you have a great time in class!
All the teachers of the Oasis have their own style to share with you - you will benefit from studying with ALL of them!
Check the OASIS CALENDAR for updates and cancellations!
WEDNESDAY: Basics of Bellydance with KIRA or high calibur guest instructors
Just the "BASICS" Drop-Ins ALWAYS welcome, Start Any Time!!!
Time: 6:15 - 7:15 PM 1 Hour Class
** While Kira recovers from surgery a guest instructor will be covering this class through December and Kira will return
to teaching her Wednesday night class in January 2010!! You WILL still be getting a great class so keep dancing!!!
Thank you for your caring and patience!
Cost: Belly Dance Punch Card System: 6 classes for $54 or 12 classes for $102, drop in for $15 - see Tuition Policy below
This is an ANY level class and can be started at any time.
***PLEASE come 15 minutes early the day you decide to come to your first class***
This Basics level class good for anyone just starting or wanting to keep the basics of this art form
strong and fresh. Kira will give you a fun & good workout while you get a solid foundation of the basic movements of this dance.
This class is open-drop-in style class that anyone can join. She will teach her style of beginner material that will include
a sufficient warm up, technique explanation and breakdown, terminology, drilling the basic movements for fitness and muscle
memory, fine tuning to make things look really nice, some easy to learn combinations and finish with good stretching.
A well rounded and exciting way to enjoy Belly Dance!
Book a private or semi-private lesson after this class with Kira!
Private Instruction Details and more about Kira
Check the OASIS CALENDAR for updates and cancellations!
SUNDAY Evenings: Tribal Style Bellydance with Christina & Brittany
Christina & Brittany will be teaching a lovely Lead & Follow style (ATS) and some Tribal Fusion all their own!! You will also benefit from some Choreography so that the class has performance ready pieces to be done at the Oasis Hafla and other such opportunities.
Time: 7:30 - 8:30pm
Level: Beginner & Intermediate combined
Cost: Belly Dance Punch Card System: 6 classes for $54 or 12 classes for $102, drop in for $15 - see Tuition Policy below.
Christina and Brittani's paths first crossed 6 years ago when the two began taking belly dance lessons and they have been performing together since 2006. Their most recent endeavor is The Bellies of Bedlam focusing on exploring new performance styles as well as hosting dance events. Their classes at the Oasis will explore new avenues of tribal style while still keeping a focus on lead and follow ATS, which they believe allows a true sisterhood to form among dancers. Students will also be taught exciting choreographies as well, which can be presented at The Oasis and other venues.
Pricing and the Oasis Bellydance Punch Card system
NOTE: The Zumba punch card is different than the Belly Dance punch card and they are NOT interchangeable because of price difference!
The Punch Card system simplfies the Oasis record keeping and allows students to not loose their paid classes when vacationing or illness stikes.
BELLY DANCE PUNCH CARD Small: 6 Classes for $54. A good deal if you are looking for a cheaper option or want to make only a small amount of time commitment. Consistency and frequency derives the greatest amount of progress in both fitness level and dance mastery.
BELLY DANCE PUNCH CARD Large: 12 classes for $102. This is the better deal if you want to attend Kira's class on a regular,long term basis. Having flexibility for class attendance is a great thing when necessary, but please recognize that when you do not see improvement in your fitness level or dance ability, random or infrequent attendance is a strong culprit!
ALL PUNCH CARDS EXPIRE 4 MONTHS AFTER DATE OF PURCHASE!!!!
Your CARD is like cash - do NOT loose it!! The Oasis does not keep records of the classes
students purchase and attend. If you come to class without your card - you will pay the one-time, drop-in rate
for that day, no excuses. The punch card enables students to have flexibility with class attendance.
ONE-TIME DROP-IN: $15 per 1 class or $25 for two classes in the same night. This option applies to those just wanting to try one class to see if you like it, out of town visitors or people interested in attending a special class with a **Guest Instructor.
**There are often Guest Instructors in the studio offering unique material or filling in for the regular teacher to provide diversity to the students of the Oasis,(so they do not become little clones of any one particular dancer) or cover for a regular teacher who must be away from her class.
The Guest Instructor will cover material that is a unique forte' of that particular teacher and gives the students of the Oasis the opportunity for different perspectives on the dance/moves/history, etc. Kira firmly believes that study with different teachers provides more extensive and accelerated growth in the mastery of this art form!
