Home About Moving Arts Dance Center Faculty and Staff Schedule Ballet/Modern Dance Classes Tap/Jazz Classes Music Lessons Acting Classes Studio Photography Private Parties Student Companies Student Performances Student Resources Join Our Mailing List! Contact Us

Belly Dance at Moving Arts Dance Center (formerly SOLAD Dance Center)

Middle-eastern dance teaches women how to get in touch with, find strength in, and embrace acceptance of their bodies and their femininity. A sensual, beautiful and expressive form of dance!

Dance from the middle east or  "Raks Sharki" in Arabic translates literally to "Oriental Dance." Belly dance is one of the oldest forms of dance, originating with pre-biblical religious rites worshipping motherhood and preparing women for childbirth. This style of dance employs shoulder and hip shimmies, abdominal and full body undulations, back bends, shoulder rolls, and isolations of the head, ribs and hips.

The class consists of dance and song from Egypt and Ghawazi and trance-oriented dances from Morocco, such as "Guedra," and "Roma" from Turkey and Macedonia. Instruction includes learning how to dance with finger cymbals and veils.  Training also includes, pot and tray balanced on the head and the Egyptian cane dance . The students will have several opportunities to perform what they have learned in each course, including a "Bazaar night" and a recital.

 

About the Instructor:

Rosa Rojas joined Ballet Afsaneh in 2000, her dance and vocal music training include traditional Afghan, Arabic, Turkish, North African, and Flamenco forms. She currently performs as a principal dancer and soloist with the company. She teaches Central Asian dance classes for the BAACS community outreach and education programs of the Bay Area and has been selected take part in the summer 2006 Tajikistan residency program. Rosa has been a featured dance artist and actor in Afghan music videos and has developed an enthusiastic and devoted following in the Afghan-American community.