Banat el Kamar Classes
Classes begin the week of January 31
The Banat el Kamar program offers beginning through advanced classes in classic belly dance, folkloric and tribal fusion styles.
We provide a friendly and welcoming dance environment for adult students of all shapes, sizes, ages and abilities.
Classes are offered at Pratt Community Education Center through Minneapolis Community Education.
Dress comfortably in workout clothes or dance wear. Dance barefoot or wear socks, soft sandals or ballet slippers. Bring a scarf to accent hip movements.
Each class will learn one or two choreographed dances. Students are encouraged to perform the class choreography or their own choreography at the Spring Concert, but performing is not mandatory.
Belly Dance 1
Tuesdays 6:00 to 7:15 pm
In the beginners level, taught by Zafira- Nancy, students begin to learn the basic movement vocabulary and isolations that make up the foundation of various genres of "belly dance". Students will be introduced to many core topics during the session, including playing figure cymbals (zils), dancing with veils, historical and cultural aspects of belly dance, styles of belly dance, discovering presence and connecting with the body. Students will also learn a choreography that will be presented at the annual Spring Show in May. Finger cymbals, and veils are available for student use in limited quantities.
Belly Dance 2
Wednesdays 6:15 to 7:30 pm
In the intermediate class students will continue to build upon their movement vocabulary. Students will work on more advanced movements.
Focus will be on layering movements, creating combinations, understanding rhythms, and beginning to work with props.
For the 2011-2012season students will work on two short choreographies; a Modern Egyptain choreography and an Egyptian Cane dance.
Students should bring their own zills to class and a veil. There will be limited veils available for use.
Class will begin and end with a short yoga-based warm up designed to increase flexibility and create body awareness and connection.
Tribal Fusion
Wednesdays 7:45 to 9:00 pm
Tribal Fusion is an intermediate-advanced class which builds on and compliments a traditional foundation. Tribal Fusion is taught by sabine. In this class, you increase physical strength, muscle awareness, and mind-body connection. Key focuses of the class are muscle isolations and control, layering and exploring what is 'fusion.' The 2011-2012 program includes: session 1 - start choreography; session 2 - review and finish choreography; and session 3 - review choreography and explore performance activities.
Bollywood:Contemporary Indian Dance
Tuesdays 7:30 - 8:45
The Bollywood class, taught by Roberta Webb, is new for 2011-2012. Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), Maharashtra, India. Thename "Bollywood" is derived from "Bombay" and "Hollywood" (American film industry). The dancing in Bollywood films is primarily modelled on Indian dance (classical, courtesan or folk dances) and blend with Western Dance Styles (as created by American "Pop" Stars, MTV or Broadway musicals).
