BELLY DANCE CLASSES

As far as footwear is concerned, you will either be dancing on a hardwood-like suspended floor at Nicole Cote or a hard smooth floor at the Veterans Complex and The Yoga Gallery.  Although some students dance either with socks or barefoot, we encourage students to invest in a ballet practice shoes as class footwear, for long-term students. Tennis shoes are not allowed. Dance shoes are welcome as they provide the proper support. Visit The Melbourne Dancewear shop, 442 N Harbor City Blvd, Melbourne, FL 32935. They are more affordable than Amazon and will fit you for socks, ballet slippers, and/or dance shoes.

No, online registration is not required and you can sign up in advance online or in person.  If in person, we ask that you come 10-15 minutes before class to sign in with the instructor.  Our classes are on-going and we offer drop-in rates, class card discounts, and monthly VIP subscriptions.

No, you can still join after the class session has started.   Our class format repeats and there is flexibility in the curriculum.  We frequently cycle through material giving students an opportunity to catch up.   If you're interested in joining a choreography class, work with the instructor and consider doing a private lesson to learn the material you missed.

The best way to find out what level you should start at is do drop in for a class and ask the instructor to assess your dance experience and help you find the right class. In general if you have taken classes continuously for less then a year you should drop into Beginner classes for an assessment and if you have taken classes continuously for more than a year you should drop into Advanced Beginner/Introduction to Inetermediate class for an assessment.  Feel free to reach out to Zaira for help and guidance with any level, especially Advanced and Professional levels.

Introduction to Bellydance, Back to Bellydance Basics, and Beginner Bellydance Classes are designed to introduce new students to the movements, music, and props used in bellydance. The curriculum rotates though topics which includes a list of basic technique that must be learned to move on to the next level.  It also includes some veil and zills instruction.  This is a great level for people who are looking to get started bellydancing and those who are looking to revisit and clean up their technique!
Advanced Beginner/Introduction to Intermediate Classes allow students who have a good understanding of the basics to learn more complex Egyptian style movements, start to be able to identify Middle Eastern rhythms and musical structure, and dance with veils, zills, and canes.
Prerequisites- Completion of Beginner Classes or prior consent of instructor. Adv Beginner/Intro to Inter classes can be taken concurrently with Beginner Classes, after 3-6 months of Beginner lessons are completed.  Each dancer is unique and your instructor can help you with your advanced through the courses.
Intermediate/Advanced Technique Classes are for continuing students to start developing a deeper understanding of the Egyptian style dance as they begin to work on musicality, dance composition, improvisation, and advanced props.
Prerequisites- Completion of Beginner/Adv Beg/Intro to Intermediate and/or prior consent of instructor.
Intermediate/Advanced Choreography Class consists entirely of special topics and must be taken with the Inter/Adv Technique class. Examples of topics include the following formats: Folkloric and Raqs Sharqi styles like Mejance, Baladi, Drums, Shamadan, Veil, Wings, Sword, Candles, Zills, Raqs Assaya (cane).   Troupe members are by invite only, can dance professionally, and perform at local events.

The goal is not to advance through the levels as fast as possible but to enjoy and feel accomplished at the end of every class. Since each level has rotating topics, students take many different sessions at the same level before repeating any material or advancing to the next level. In general expect to spend 6 months to 1 or 2 years at the Beginner/Adv Beginner/Intro to Intermediate levels, and 3 years and up for Intermediate through Advanced.

Bellydancing is a great way to exercise.  It's low impact, supportive, and a great escape from stress and the mind.  Bring lots of water to class as the workout can be vigorous at times. are

Belly dance combines natural, body-friendly movement with yoga, ethnic, and modern dance.  The middle-eastern diet is also very healthy and often recommended for those wishing to reduce their carbs to achieve their healthy weight goals.

Starting a belly dance class is like starting any other program of physical activity and we recommend checking with your physician first.  Prospective students with back and joint problems, pregnant, and, of course, people who haven't exercised in a LOOOOOng time, should talk to their doctor prior to joining classes.

No matter what your disability, let us know if you have permission from your doctor, about your disability, and any movement restrictions.  We will work with you so that you can participate at the appropriate level.  With proper notice, we have taught classes with blind and deaf participants.

Our dance community is very supportive and know the benefits of dancing for the body and soul.  It heals by brining joy in a supportive environment.  We stand by our motto, "Bellydancing for Everyone".

MBD instructors and students are given the opportunity to perform in our annual haflas.  We host two student showcase twice a year, usually the second or third week in May and the first Saturday in December.  This allows the students, at every level, to have a safe place to perform for their family and friends.  Sharing your new skills can be exciting, especially when you let everyone know what you've been working on in class.   There are also occasionally performance opportunities at community events throughout the year.

No, you are not required to perform and participate in our annual student showcases and/or community events.  If you come to class for exercise and fun, that is perfect line fine.  If you do want to perform though, we provide ample opportunities for you to join us onstage with a group or as a soloist.