About
Bahirah Bellydance
Studio location: Lyons Scout Hall, Tooms Place, Lyons, Canberra
Email: info@bahirah.com.au
Phone: 0416 156 061
About Bahirah Bellydance
Bellydance is a mesmerising, captivating and joyful dance form. The aim of Bahirah Bellydance is to offer a pathway for dancers to experience the beauty of dazzling oryental dance. Dance has been shown to be very important for growth, self esteem and creative expression, and for women, bellydance offers a unique learning opportunity where physical shape and looks are irrelevant, which we feel is so important in today’s society which places so much importance on outer beauty and appearance.
Bahirah Bellydance offers classes in an environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where friendships are grown between women of all ages, cultures, experiences and backgrounds, with experienced, knowledgeable and friendly teachers. We are really encouraged by the community spirit that we see in our classes!
Bahirah Bellydance proudly encourages the tradition of bellydance being a dance by women, for women.
What is the Bahirah collaboration?
Angelina, Kirrily, Kirsty, Angela, Claire, Jacqui, Nadia and Nerida and are dance colleagues who seek to provide further opportunities for their students’ learning and development. The Bahirah collaboration allows students to easily and inexpensively access a diverse range of styles and knowledge.
About the Teachers
Kirrily
Kirrily’s classes bring the joy and exuberance that music from the middle east creates to the women who come to learn this mesmerising, feminine art. Kirrily’s dance style is an exciting blend of modern Turkish and Egyptian which she has developed from learning from master teachers both here in Australia and overseas in Egypt and Turkey, and she shares her experiences as a student and performer with her classes. Her students will learn classical, modern and folkloric styles, incorporating veils, sticks and zills. Kirrily follows the tradition in many middle eastern cultures of performing bellydance solely for female audiences.
Contact: 0416 156 061 or info@bahirah.com.au
Angelina (Sahira)
Angelina teaches classical, modern and folkloric bellydance styles. Influenced by dancers local and abroad, Angelina celebrates the diversity of bellydance from Egyptian, Persian, Turkish and more, sharing her wealth of knowledge in supportive and inspiring classes.
Contact: 0402 385 755 or sahira_belly_dance@hotmail.com
Nadia
Nadia’s bellydancing incorporates Turkish and Egyptian styles, and draws from her experience with other dance forms including salsa and tango. Nadia was led to bellydance because of its beauty, mystery and the sheer fun of it. She has been bellydancing for over six years and performs with the Harika troupe in Canberra.
Contact: 0408 552 070
Jacqui
Jacqui began bellydancing in 2002 and has been mesmerised by its beauty ever since. She has learned Egyptian and Turkish styles from several teachers and her bubbly personality makes her dancing style and classes light-hearted and fun. As well as teaching, Jacqui continues to attend classes and workshops to expand her skills, and performs with the Harika troupe in Canberra.
Contact: 0401 606 723
Angela
Angela has been learning bellydance since 2007 and continues as a student of bellydance not only in a technical and musical capacity but also in exploration of the social, cultural and historical complexities of the dance. For Angela, bellydance is the perfect avenue for a woman to connect with her body and express her unique rhythm. Her background in yoga brings a focus of posture, strength and flexibility to her classes, but above all her classes are about dancing to great music and having fun.
Contact: 0434 908 212
Nerida
Nerida has been learning bellydance for many years, and has a wide range of experience in styles, learning from a number of master teachers around Australia. Her experience as a mothe (twice over) gives her a unique insight into the art of bellydance as a way of developing and strengthening the mother/child bond.
Contact: 0434 394 262
Claire (Sukainah)
Sukainah means likeable and Claire’s classes encourage a friendly atmosphere. Claire has been bellydancing for over 6 years in Canberra, with her main influences being Egyptian folk, cabaret and American Tribal Style. Claire has performed as a soloist artist, and with troupes such as Hadara, Tribalista and Harika. Prior to bellydance, Claire studied ballet, hip hop, funk and latin among other styles of dance, but has always been drawn to the middle eastern rhythms.
Contact: 0418 680 087
Kirsty
Kirsty began bellydance classes with her mum in 2002, and prepared by her extensive experience in various other dance forms, began performing at Canberra’s first Turkish restaurant, Turkish Delight, in 2004. This has been followed by a succession of performances at weddings, engagements and hen’s nights, as well as alliances with Belly Dance Artists, Sahira Bellydance and Bahirah Bellydance shows. While majoring in dance during college, Kirsty has also studied ballet and contemporary dance. She has recently returned from a study trip to Turkey, where she studied bellydance with an oriental dancer from Brazil for four months. Kirsty has studied under bellydance greats such as Lyssa, Amera, Jrisi and Clara and continues to be influenced by other dance forms such as contemporary, which has helped her to create her own unique, energetic and dynamic style. Kirsty is regularly in demand for performances around Canberra and is a member of the Harika Troupe. Contact: 0404 053 089
About the classes
Beginners classes
In beginners classes you will learn the basic skills of bellydance, focussing on technique, easy combinations and moving into a simple classical choreography. Alternate terms focus on soft, smooth movements, and sharp, dynamic movements. Students are encouraged to complete two terms before moving on to the Continuing Beginners class. Enthusiastic students who are willing to put in extra effort are encouraged to attend both a Beginners and a Continuing Beginners class.
Continuing Beginners classes
In continuing Beginners classes the focus is on further developing technique and combinations within the context of choreography, and adding props to your repertoire. Over three terms, learn to dance to simple choreographies with zills, veil and stick, in the fourth term learning a modern Egyptian or Turkish pop choreography. Students are encouraged to complete four terms before moving up to the Intermediate class, or to attend both the Continuing Beginners class as well as the Intermediate class.
Intermediate class
In intermediate classes you will further develop and improve existing technique, incorporating layering, isolation and intricate movement and more complex step combinations. This class also aims to develop you from a student into an individual dancer, with your own unique interpretation of music and movement. This class is recommended for students with at least 12 months experience, or attending a Continuing Beginners class concurrently.
Advanced class
In Advanced, the teacher accompanies the dancer towards their personal goals, whether that is continuing development as a hobby, performance as a professional soloist dancer, or simply a love of the dance that you want to continue to grow in! Challenging choreographies are taught while continuing to develop and improve technique. This class is recommended for students with at least 2 years experience, or attending an Intermediate class concurrently.
Performance
Optional performance opportunities are available for all students at the Intermediate and Advanced level, and to Continuing Beginners with at least 6 months experience.
Our Favourite Links
www.bellydancearabesque.com.au
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