Bellydancing

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

Anyone know of any classes in the area? Id prefer not to travel too far but Arlington and Cambridge would be ok. Thanks :)

Comments

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

http://www.amirajamal.com/ - she's the best beginning teacher out there and one of the best if you ever want to learn about being on stage. Also super sweet and willing to give honest feedback. Najmat is awesome but slightly more advanced. Nadira (mentioned by badseed) is also very good (and one of the nicest people on the planet - seriously). I don't know if Lilya is doing private - (she does http://www.bellydanceboston.com/lessons.html) but she also is one of the *best* in the area and also one of the best people out there. You also might be able to convince Nepenthe (http://www.bellydancernepenthe.com/) for private lessons too - but she's not done as much teaching as the others I've mentioned.

I personally don't like Goddess Dancing but if you are looking for a very woman spirit centric as opposed to learning actually how to dance - then they are for you (that comes off harsher than I want it to - they don't focus on the actual moves as much as other teachers and its easier to reach a ceiling there than with others - but it is a very positive atmosphere for the dancers - it can also be off putting if that isn't what you are looking for).

Also note I am not a bellydancer but I am a photographer who has photographed tons of shows and I am married to one - so I tend to pick these things up.

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

Najmat is doing beginner classes now too, and I definitely commented with the assumption that this was looking for beginner classes, which is why I mentioned Goddess Dancing. Their higher level classes are a lot more detail oriented, but the beginner one definitely can get really busy and therefore not so into the basics.

And thanks for the info, more teachers = good! :)

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, definitely a beginner!

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

Do you have any photography online? I love looking at photos of those types of shows :)

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

the site is moving to a new home soon - but for now you can go here

for a sample of some of my fav's from Raks Spooki Two
http://canongrrl.com/gallery/rs2eb/

or for the rest of the show -
http://canongrrl.com/gallery/spooki/
for last year's Raks Spooki (clicking on the acts brings up a real photo gallery - there are a ton there)

there is also the Shimmies for a cure thing
http://canongrrl.com/gallery/shimmies/
which wasn't the best place to photograph

hmm i've taken down a lot it seems - anyway my work is also on Nadira's site, Nepenthe's site, Jemilah's site, Badriya's site, I didn't see it on Seyyide's site but its been a while since we worked together (2004), Karim's Turbo Tabla site...most likely a few others that I can't recall.