Meditation Mondays
9:30-10pm
Heather will introduce different methods to relax the body and mind, and prepare you for the evening hours.
There will be guided meditation and visualization, yoga, chanting, sound healing and more.
Along with being nurtured during the class, you will take home tools for your own self healing.

Cost is $3 if you paid for Heather's 8:30 class, $5 if you take the Meditation class on its own

DRAMA QUEEN:
BELLYDANCE PERFORMANCE INTENSIVE
with PRINCESS FARHANA
Four SUNDAYS January 8, 15, 22, 29, 2012 ; 12:30-3:00pm

This 4-week, 10-hour intensive is for dancers of intermediate-professional level who want to strengthen their creative process and performance skills, and/or create dramatic and conceptual belly dance pieces of any genre. Learn invaluable tools to bring a dance from inception to a dazzling “finished product”.

WEEK ONE, JAN 8th: VISUAL & EMOTIONAL
Breathing and centering exercises designed to calm stage fright and get performance ready; creative guided imagery; accessing your emotions onstage; the effects of theatrical lighting on costumes and stage makeup, putting together costuming that visually cues your audience to your character’s purpose

WEEK TWO, JAN 15th: TECHNICAL & CONCEPTUAL
Dynamic entrances and exits; show structuring concepts and using music to move your narrative; use of pauses and poses onstage, creative use of performance space, adding texture and intent to movement, introducing props to your audience, understanding theatrical directions; implementing your creative process

WEEK THREE, JAN 22nd: THEATRICAL & LYRICAL
Improving your dance improvisation skills, Fusion concepts; Lyrical dance: performing to the melody; mime and non-verbal storytelling and Classic Theater Games including: audience ice-breakers, emotional access and dramatic portrayal skills; group trust, playful character-based exercises

WEEK FOUR, JAN 29th: PERFORMANCE AND CONSTRUCTIVE CRITIQUE
Please come to class fully costumed and made up- everyone will present their dance piece utilizing technique & concepts learned in the previous sessions. There will be a supportive group critique of every performance, moderated Princess Farhana.

This series can be taken as a full series or by the single class.
Homework will be assigned to the full series participants via email in advance of the session.

Advance Registration for Full Session: $125.00
Single Class (at the door) $35.00

REGISTER ON LINE HERE! to secure your spot!

Email Princess Farhana for information

American Tribal Style Bellydance with Heather Shoopman
Thursdays 6:30-7:30pm
Starts January 12, 2012!

Learn the roots of all the styles of Tribal belly dance, like Tribal Fusion, Gothic Tribal and Tribaret! American Tribal or ATS is the mother of them all!

Intermediate Tribal Choreography with Heather Shoopman
Fridays 8:30pm
January 13 thru March 3

This class will include a choreography for the intermediate to advanced dancer who is ready to work with a group.
This fun, complex, upbeat dance (think bellydance,tribal, hip hop and drill team) will be broken into sections so drop-ins are ok.
Each section will come complete with a cue for easy incorporation into improvisational style dancing, ala ITS.
Be prepared to work hard and have fun!
There will be a performance opportunity with this piece in DanceGarden's Spring Fiesta Recital
as well as possibilities to perform with ShoOp onstage locally.
For a great introduction to ShoOp's style, try out her Monday night Tribal Fusion or Thursday morning improv and drill classes.

Only $75 if you pre-register online by 1/12! After that, you may only register at the door, space permitting, for $85.

Register online here

LEARN TO BELLY DANCE!

Introduction to Bellydance with Zahra
Bellydancing is a beautiful art form and a healthy way to move for women of all ages, shapes & backgrounds! Learn to move your body in smooth undulations and sharp accents to sensuous middle-eastern music. This class is meant for new beginners, and will give you a foundation in the basics of bellydance that you can build upon.

8 Fridays January 27 through March 16 2012.

6:30-7:30pm.

NEW INSANELY LOW PRICE!!!

$40 if you register before 12/26! $60 after that.

Register now, these classes WILL fill up at this price!

Register online here to secure your spot or email us for information!
Policies:No make-ups for missed classes. No refunds, no transfers. Credit will be offered only if class is changed/cancelled by DanceGardenLA LLC and may be applied to purchase of class card (see left) for up to 2 months after date of purchase of above series.

Bellydance Choreography with Kamala Starts Sunday January 15
NEW ORIENTAL CHOREOGRAPHY!
Bring a veil! Learn a new opening performance piece (Magenci or Mise-en-Scene) to the beautiful classical bellydance entrance, Hamouda 1.

Shoop's Sweat Shop (Bellydance Drills with Tribal Focus)

Thursday mornings 10am

CLASS WILL RESUME AT 10am JANUARY 12.

WINTER BREAK 2011

DANCEGARDEN IS CLOSED FROM MONDAY DEC 19 2011
through SUNDAY JANUARY 1, 2012

All Classes will resume on Monday January 2nd
****excepting Heather Shoopman's THURSDAY 10am & 6:30pm Tribal Classes ****
they will start up January 12th
AND
****Kamala's SUNDAY 10am will start January 15****

HAPPY NEW YEAAAARRR!! WAHOOOO!

American Tribal Style Bellydance with Heather Shoopman
Thursdays 6:30-7:30pm
Starts January 12, 2012!

Learn the roots of all the styles of Tribal belly dance, like Tribal Fusion, Gothic Tribal and Tribaret! American Tribal or ATS is the mother of them all!

Intermediate/Advanced Bellydance Classes with

HELENA VLAHOS

9PM CLASS IS CANCELLED WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 14, 2011 ONLY

BELLYDANCE FRIDAYS ARE BACK!
with DeVilla

6 Fridays -6:45 - 7:45pm
November 4, 11 & 18 (No class Thanksgiving Weekend)
AND December 2, 9& 16

6 sessions for $75 -- or only $70 if you register by 10/24!!
DeVilla's friday Night Fall into Winter Session!
The air is cool so lets HEAT IT UP with Multi-Level
Technique, Drills and hot combinations to use in your dance.
Get ready to shake off your work week and Shimmy with DeVilla!

DRILLIN' THE BASICS
with DeVilla

6 Saturdays - November 5, 12 & 19 (No class Thanksgiving Weekend)
AND December 3, 10 & 17
10 - 11 am.
6 sessions for $75 -- or only $70 if you register by 10/24!!

Sat. Belly Dance Basics 10-11 Drillin the Basics with DeVilla -- a great class for beginners, new students or those who want to brush up and get in shape.

Email us for information, or register online here to secure your spot!
Drop-ins will be allowed for this course. You may also take the class with another class in the same day and each class is only $10! (why not follow it up with DeVilla's 11am class? Or come back after a little coffee break at Kaldi for some sweat-inducing Samba?? Take a lunch break at Hugo's Tacos or Viet Noodle and come back later for bellydance choreography! The possibilities are endless! )

Winter FIESTA!

Sunday December 18, 2011
Happy Holidays start off with the annual DG Winter Fiesta Potluck and Student/Teacher Dance Recital.

Performances by DanceGarden teachers, students and more!
It's a potluck, so look for your EVITE to see what to bring...

Doors at 3:00pm, Show at 3:30pm

DJ Sets by Petrol Bomb Samosa and Raffles for FREE CLASSES! (Bring yer dollars!)

Best part? It's FREE! Please bring a dish or beverage to share! :)
Check your inbox soon for the eVite so you know what to bring- or,
drop jenna@beyondbellydance.com a line, and we'll add you to our mailing list.

Tahitian Dance -- October Only!! EXTENDED THRU NOV. 17!!!!!

4 Thursdays in October (6,13, 20, 27)PLUS NOVEMBER 3,10 & 17!!!! 6:30pm
You asked for Tahitian, and nothing but Tahitian -- Zenia is the Tahitian Dance teacher for you!

Zenia welcomes anyone who wants to learn the culture and technique of Tahitian Dancing. It does not matter if you never have taken classes before or if you have already been inside this wonderful world. Tahitian movements will be taught learning the Ote’a -- medleys of rhythmic line dances ranging from simple to complicated rhythms. You will learn a fun Tahitan O'tea routine in these classes.

Zenia Joo is a choreographer, teacher & performer originally from Monterrey, Mexico. She has studied many dance forms extensively, and has won numerous 1st place awards in dance competitions.
Zenia has presented her previous work in Monterrey, Mexico on numerous dance stages, radio shows and TV shows, and even had her own TV Show named “Movimientos” the main purpose of which was to teaching the culture and technique of different world dances. If you were lucky enough to catch her performance of Tahitian dance at taXim you will want to learn how to make your hips move as fast!

This class is *just like a regular class*!!! NO special pricing or registration, just drop in as you normally would, with DG class card, Passport, or our super Same-Day Discount (class is only $10 if you take another class the same day!)

Tahitian Dance -- October Only!! EXTENDED THRU NOV. 17!!!!!

4 Thursdays in October (6,13, 20, 27)PLUS NOVEMBER 3,10 & 17!!!! 6:30pm
You asked for Tahitian, and nothing but Tahitian -- Zenia is the Tahitian Dance teacher for you!

Zenia welcomes anyone who wants to learn the culture and technique of Tahitian Dancing. It does not matter if you never have taken classes before or if you have already been inside this wonderful world. Tahitian movements will be taught learning the Ote’a -- medleys of rhythmic line dances ranging from simple to complicated rhythms. You will learn a fun Tahitan O'tea routine in these classes.

Zenia Joo is a choreographer, teacher & performer originally from Monterrey, Mexico. She has studied many dance forms extensively, and has won numerous 1st place awards in dance competitions.
Zenia has presented her previous work in Monterrey, Mexico on numerous dance stages, radio shows and TV shows, and even had her own TV Show named “Movimientos” the main purpose of which was to teaching the culture and technique of different world dances. If you were lucky enough to catch her performance of Tahitian dance at taXim you will want to learn how to make your hips move as fast!

This class is *just like a regular class*!!! NO special pricing or registration, just drop in as you normally would, with DG class card, Passport, or our super Same-Day Discount (class is only $10 if you take another class the same day!)

YOGA FOR BELLYDANCERS with Leonie
Saturday November 5, 3:45pm to 5:45pm
Many well known tribal belly dancers swear by Yoga as the foundation for their dance ...ever wonder how Rachel Brice can do the Turkish drop so seamlessly? Yes, of course lots of practice but using the tools of yoga to strengthen and stretch plays a significant role as well.

In this class you will use yogic techniques to enhance your belly dance practice, including the following:
- Postures focusing on strengthening the abdominals, muscles surrounding the knees and ankles and back muscles, gaining spinal flexibility, relieving tension from shoulders, hips and lower back.
-Preventing and managing injuries, especially knee and back which are the most common injuries experienced by belly dancers.
-Breathing techniques that reduce pre-performance anxiety and help gain control of diaphragm and belly muscles which help to improve belly rolls and belly flutters.
-Mantras that reduce pre-performance anxiety, increase poise, focus, and creative flow.
-Postures that are specific to optimizing women’s health and help to balance hormones, promote regularity with menstrual cycle, remove menstrual cramps, increase reproductive health, prevent breast cancer, prevent osteoporosis, promote digestive health, increase metabolism and much more!

$20 at the door, or 2 card punches! :) No Groupon.

taXim LIVE MUSIC & Bellydance Showcase

featuring Saffron Parade Arabesque Band

the next taXim will be Saturday November 12....with special featured guest star:

FARRAH TALEI!

Also starring *Jenna *
*Heather Shoopman & Hanna Trimbath as HEAVY METAL!!!*
* Zeyna * Patricia * Lapis * Adara & Skylla * and more!

More info here: http://www.dancegardenla.com/taxim.html

NEW CHOREOGRAPHY with Aubre starts October 4
Tuesdays 7pm: Bellydance

Aubre will be teaching an Egyptian piece to "Min Hob Fik Ya Ghari" into a short drum solo. She will cover new sections each class period so dancers can still drop into the class anytime. Anyone wishing to perform this dance at DG's Winter Fiesta should attend all classes as best so they will learn all the sections. You'll put them all together during the weeks of December.

Intermediate/Advanced Bellydance Classes with

HELENA VLAHOS!!!!
A legendary belly dancer, well known for her “Nine Quarter and Dollar Bill Act”, she started her dance career in Los Angeles, California in the mid 1960's. After decades of teaching & performing bellydance in in Texas and Phoenix Arizona, as well as traveling the world for master workshops, not to mention numerous appearances on television shows and magazine covers, we welcome Helena back to Los Angeles, and are thrilled to pieces to have her at DG!!
STARTING OCTOBER 5!!!
Wednesdays 9pm-10pm

In Helena's ongoing class, you will work on zills, veil, cane, arms, hip articulations, upper body moves, belly work (with quarters & dollars!! yeah!!), rhythms like Balady, Saidi, Maqsum & Chifte Telli, Improvisation and Choreography.

Plus! Now beginning both drum solo and Greek pop bellydance a la Helena choreographies for performance at the Winter Fiesta!!

Shoop's Sweat Shop (Bellydance Drills with Tribal Focus)

Thursday mornings 10am

CLASS WILL RESUME AT 10am OCTOBER 6.

Tahitian Dance -- October Only!! EXTENDED THRU NOV. 17!!!!!

4 Thursdays in October (6,13, 20, 27)PLUS NOVEMBER 3,10 & 17!!!! 6:30pm
You asked for Tahitian, and nothing but Tahitian -- Zenia is the Tahitian Dance teacher for you!

Zenia welcomes anyone who wants to learn the culture and technique of Tahitian Dancing. It does not matter if you never have taken classes before or if you have already been inside this wonderful world. Tahitian movements will be taught learning the Ote’a -- medleys of rhythmic line dances ranging from simple to complicated rhythms. You will learn a fun Tahitan O'tea routine in these classes.

Zenia Joo is a choreographer, teacher & performer originally from Monterrey, Mexico. She has studied many dance forms extensively, and has won numerous 1st place awards in dance competitions.
Zenia has presented her previous work in Monterrey, Mexico on numerous dance stages, radio shows and TV shows, and even had her own TV Show named “Movimientos” the main purpose of which was to teaching the culture and technique of different world dances. If you were lucky enough to catch her performance of Tahitian dance at taXim you will want to learn how to make your hips move as fast!

This class is *just like a regular class*!!! NO special pricing or registration, just drop in as you normally would, with DG class card, Passport, or our super Same-Day Discount (class is only $10 if you take another class the same day!)

Bollywood starts a New Choreography!
Thursdays at 7:30 pm

Smita of Bollywood step will begin teaching a brand new dance in the bouncy bollywood style on Thursday October 6!

Class is only $10 if you take it with Uzbek dance at 6:30 or Bellydance with Jenna at 8:30!

See our schedule for more info. :)

Modern Egyptian Bellydance Choreography
with FARRAH TALEI
3 Sundays - October 16 & 23 and November 6; 2011; 1-3pm
*Please note: The series doesn't include October 30, and Nov. 6 is the end of daylight savings.
CLASS FULL -- SOLD OUT -- NO MORE SPACES AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR.Don't miss this special LOW PRICE to celebrate Farrah's first workshop at DG!! You won't see workshop prices like this again!
Learn Modern Egyptian choreography, with Farrah's enchanting style! You will have the opportunity to perform the choreography at taXim bellydance showcase on November 12!
Rising star Farrah Talei is known for her natural Egyptian style. Middle Eastern born, the dance runs through her veins. Her authenticity, understanding of the music & passion for the art of Raqs Sharqi sculpted her flawless style. Multi-award winning, Farrah won the Belly Dancer of the Universe Egyptian Category after only a few years as an Oriental dancer.No drop-ins or Groupons accepted -- registration only. No makeups.

TRIBAL FUSION WITH HEATHER SHOOPMAN
MONDAY NIGHTS- 8:30pm

Heather is teaching pieces of sassy, elegant choreography to Henry Mancini tunes
"Royal Blue" and "The Tiber Twist" for our holiday recital. These songs are extreme opposites in tempo!
We will work in extremely slow, strong, graceful movements as well as refine our shimmies
and layering in fast movements. Students are welcome to drop in anytime, each class will be focused on a
certain section of the piece. The sections will be strung together in the 3 classes after Thanksgiving,
and there will be a few short rehearsals after class on those nights for dancers who wish to perform at the party.
To find out what each night will focus on you can check the Dance Garden facebook page!

New Choreography with Nasila!
Saturdays at 1:15 pm

Nasila's back, and she's got a cane!! Yes, folks, Nasila will be doing a Saiidi cane dance starting Saturday, October 22. Please bring a bamboo cane if you have one, if not, there will be a couple available for loan. This is the dance that Nasila's students will perform at the DanceGarden Fiesta in December. There is no requirement to perform, however, you may also just come and learn the choreography for a great time and a good workout!

Saiidi style comes from Upper Egypt and has a slightly heavier, earthier feel. The cane dance as we know it in bellydance today, is said to have begun as an imitation of a men's dance done with sticks, where the movements of battle might be practiced. Bellydance cane dance combines the weapon-wielding of the men's martial art with a little more bounce and playful attitude, done to the special rhythm we call "Saidi".

This class is *just like a regular class*!!! NO special pricing or registration, just drop in as you normally would, with DG class card, Passport, or our super Same-Day Discount (class is only $10 if you take another class the same day!)

Costumes! Clothes! Props! Oh My!
DG Teachers Big Studio 'Garage' Sale!

Friday October 21, 6-9pm
Costume and Accessory Sale at DanceGarden

selling their stuff will be:
Aubre! DeVilla! Heather Shoopman! Helena Vlahos!
Jenna! Kamala! Nasila! Princess Farhana! Zahra Zuhair!

Just in time for Halloween, or early for all you smart Xmas shoppers -- DG teachers sell their coveted costume pieces and goodies galore! Come haggle to your heart's content!

You'd be silly to miss a chance at precious pieces from Princess Farhana's bellydance wardrobe...and you *know* DeVilla's got a closet bursting with baubles you won't want to pass up!

Bring cash, and invite your pals! It's a party!

*Note: Vending is available to DG teachers ONLY.

JENNA
Will teach the Saturday Bellydance Choreography Class in September/October
Saturdays 1:15 - 2:15

Jenna will teach her modern oriental choreography to the song "Dina", a dance to be featured on her upcoming DVD. Includes entrance-style veil work.

September 10 - October 15

Costs the same as regular classes -- pay per class, or with Class Cards, Passports, or Groupons.
No beginners, please. :)

email jenna@beyondbellydance.com with any questions.

Shoop's Sweat Shop
Thursday mornings 10am -- on hiatus for all of September

NO Thursday morning Sweat Shop ALL OF SEPTEMBER.

CLASS WILL RESUME AT 10am OCTOBER 6.

Silk & Soul: Dances of Uzbekistan
with Carolyn Krueger, Artistic Director of Gulistan Dance Theater
Thursdays 6:30-7:30pm

Carolyn and Gulistan Dance Theatre have been invited to perform and teach Uzbek Dance at an International Dance Festival in Amsterdam this Summer. Congratulations, Carolyn!
LAST CLASS WILL BE AUGUST 25

Please stay tuned, we hope to resume Uzbek Dance in the future.
October start date has been postponed.

BELLYDANCE BASICS
with DeVilla

8 Saturdays - Sept. 3 thru Oct. 22, 2011
10 - 11 am.
8 sessions for $80 -- or only $75 if you register by 8/22!!

Learn to belly dance with DeVilla!

Email us for information, or register online here to secure your spot!
Drop-ins will be allowed for this course. You may also take the class with another class in the same day and each class is only $10! (why not follow it up with DeVilla's 11am class? Or come back after a little coffee break at Kaldi for some sweat-inducing Samba?? Take a lunch break at Hugo's Tacos or Viet Noodle and come back later for bellydance choreography! The possibilities are endless! )

BELLYDANCE FUNDAMENTALS: Technique & Simple Combinations
with Princess Farhana

NOW ONGOING!
Wednesdays 5:45 - 6:45 pm

Learn to belly dance with Hollywood royalty!

You can use your Groupon, DG 10-class card, Passport or just pay per-class. You may also take the class with another class in the same day and each class is only $10! So you can stay for Princess Farhana's Mixed Level Bellydance class and/or Zahra's Bellydance class for another great way to save money!

NEW CHOREOGRAPHY with Kamala
Sundays: Bellydance Choreography at 10 and Bellyrina at 11:15

Kamala has just begun new choreographies in both her Sunday classes, jump in now for an opportunity to perform one or both at DG's fab Winter Fiesta December 18. In the Choreography class, you'll learn "El Morgeha", a fun little shaabi number (Egyptian urban bellydance style), and in Bellyrina, a short balletic/classical piece.

Tahitian Dance FREE TRIAL CLASS
Friday Sept. 30, 6:30pm

Zenia welcomes anyone who wants to learn the culture and technique of Tahitian Dancing. It does not matter if you never have taken classes before or if you have already been inside this wonderful world. Tahitian movements will be taught learning the Ote’a -- medleys of rhythmic line dances ranging from simple to complicated rhythms.

Zenia Joo is a choreographer, teacher & performer originally from Monterrey, Mexico. She has studied many dance forms extensively, and has won numerous 1st place awards in dance competitions.
Zenia has presented her previous work in Monterrey, Mexico on numerous dance stages, radio shows and TV shows, and even had her own TV Show named “Movimientos” the main purpose of which was to teaching the culture and technique of different world dances.

If you were lucky enough to catch her performance of Tahitian dance at taXim you will want to learn how to make your hips move as fast! Come show your support for multi-cultural dance and vote for a time to have a Tahitian dance series with Zenia in October!!

taXim LIVE MUSIC & Bellydance Showcase
featuring Saffron Parade Arabesque Band

the next taXim will be Saturday Sept 17...

Back at Iqaat to celebrate taXim's 5-YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!!

JENNA! ZAHRA ZUHAIR!
and Special Guest NASILA!!!

It's a top-notch bellydance Smorgasbord! :)

More info here: http://www.dancegardenla.com/taxim.html

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 5: LABOR DAY -- NO CLASSES!
Zahra's Bellydance Classes and Heather's Tribal Fusion classes will resume next week as usual!

Both Kamala's Sunday Bellydance classes are happening Sept. 4 --
Bellydance Choreography at 10, and Bellyrina at 11am.

NEW! BELLYQUAKE! Cardio Bellydance Workout
with Jayna Kouzouyan

Tuesdays 6-7pm - STARTS 8/23!

Bellyquake is Jayna, Bellydance Superstar's belly dancing workout class that will show you how to shake yourself fit and shimmy into a slimmer you!

This will be an ongoing class that you can drop into with your class card, cash, check, Groupon, or Passport.

Also, you can take advantage of our "Same Day" discount, and take any other Tuesday classes on that same day and each class is only $10! Why not have a Bellydance Superstars Sandwich?? Jayna at 6, Aubre at 7!

Shoop's Sweat Shop

Thursday mornings 10am -- on hiatus for all of September

LAST CLASS WILL BE AUGUST 25-- with guest teacher Leonie presenting "Yoga for Bellydancers"

NO Thursday morning Sweat Shop ALL OF SEPTEMBER.

CLASS WILL RESUME AT 10am OCTOBER 6.

Silk & Soul: Dances of Uzbekistan
with Carolyn Krueger, Artistic Director of Gulistan Dance Theater
Thursdays 6:30-7:30pm

Carolyn and Gulistan Dance Theatre have been invited to perform and teach Uzbek Dance at an International Dance Festival in Amsterdam this Summer. Congratulations, Carolyn!

LAST CLASS WILL BE AUGUST 25

NO UZBEK DANCE CLASSES ALL OF SEPTEMBER.

CLASS WILL RESUME AT 6:30 OCTOBER 6.

NOTICE!!!!

BOLLYWOOD DANCE!!!
with Smita
Thursdays 7:30pm
NEW Choreography starts AUGUST 11
Let's see what cuteness Smita has in store for us!

If you've been waiting to jump in, now is the time -- you can get the breakdown of the choreography from the very beginning.

ATS Curious?
A 3-week crash course in American Tribal Style Bellydance
with Heather Shoopman
3 Fridays ONLY: 8/12, 8/19 and 8/26; 7 - 8:30 pm

In this special 3 week intensive, you will learn movements and rules of the tribal formations
that make up ATS. We will work with a set of both slow and fast moves to practice the many ways to use them.
The class will include a short warm up and drill section, with the bulk of time focused on moving in formation and lead
changes. We will use finger cymbals.

If you are interested in learning more about ATS, Heather will guide you with a resource list.
You will take away a grasp of American Tribal Style Bellydance, as well as a set of guidelines for group improvisation in your own style of dance. Some bellydance experience recommended -- at least advanced beginner in either tribal or cabaret/arabic/egyptian style bellydance.

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS SPECIAL WORKSHOP. NO DROP-INS.
Sorry, no Groupons accepted for this class. No make-ups.

**Get a preview and a chance to drill the movements in Heather's morning classes on Thursdays Aug. 11,18,25 10am**.

Email us for information, or register online here to secure your spot!
Save $ when you register by 8/5!

BELLYDANCE FUNDAMENTALS: Technique & Simple Combinations
with Princess Farhana

6 Wednesdays - July 20 through August 24th, 2011
5:45 - 6:45 pm
All 6 sessions for $65 -- or only $55 if you register by 7/11!!

Learn to belly dance with Hollywood royalty!

Email us for information, or register online here to secure your spot and get a great deal!
Drop-ins will also be allowed for this course, so you can use your Groupon, DG 10-class card, Passport or just pay per-class. You may also take the class with another class in the same day and each class is only $10! So you can stay for Princess Farhana's Mixed Level Bellydance class and/or Zahra's Bellydance class for another great way to save money!

NOTICE!!!!

BOLLYWOOD DANCE!!!
with Smita
Thursdays 7:30pm
NEW Choreography starts JULY 7
Let's see what cuteness Smita has in store for us!

If you've been waiting to jump in, now is the time -- you can get the breakdown of the choreography from the very beginning.

BELLYDANCE BASICS
with DeVilla and Princess Farhana

8 Saturdays - July 9 through August 27, 2011
10 - 11 am.
8 sessions for $80 or only $75 if you register by 6/13!!

DeVilla will teach the July sessions, Princess Farhana will teach those classes in August.

Email us for information, or register online here to secure your spot!
Drop-ins will be allowed for this course. You may also take the class with another class in the same day and each class is only $10! (why not follow it up with DeVilla's 11am class? Or come back after a little coffee break at Kaldi for some sweat-inducing Samba?? Take a lunch break at Hugo's Tacos or Viet Noodle and come back later for Bellyrina! The possibilities are endless! )

SHAABI SHAABI SHAABI!!! Sha'abi? Shaaby? :)

NEW CHOREOGRAPHY STARTS JULY 9!
Bellydance Choreography Class with NASILA
Saturdays 1:15 - 2:15

Nasila's choreographies are cherished by dancers for their elegant egyptian style, creative musicality, and comfortable flow. Starting July 9, 2011, Nasila will begin teaching a "shaabi" choreography to the song Agibni Kulak. Shaabi belly dance, a playful, loose style based on how Egyptian dancers move & gesticulate when dancing to this style of popular music, is all the rage with Egyptian-style bellydance enthusiasts right now.

Each week will review some technique and combinations and put them to music, building them over time into a full choreography complete with notes and staging tips. Some performance opportunies available.

Not recommended for new beginners.

Nasila will change choreographies approximately every month, be sure you are on our mailing list (just email jenna@beyondbellydance.com !), or check back here, and you'll hear when new choreographies will start.

BELLYRINA MOVES TO SUNDAY!
Graceful Bellydance choreographies with a Ballet Barre warmup to lengthen & strengthen muscles!

Sundays 11:15am-12:15pm, Starts June 26

Professional bellydancers know the value of ballet as a supplement to their bellydance classes, as ballet is the universal dance languange, and the foundation for alot of bellydance turns & travel steps. Ballet can add that extra polish to your belly dance, and give you the grace and elegance in the arms and upper body that can be so elusive! A ballet barre warmup strengthens, gives flexibility & familiarizes dancers with the unifying language of dance. The second part of class will work on choreography that incorporates ballet into a belly dance.

A cool new venue for our June 18th taXim bellydance & live music showcase

with an exciting array of bellydancers to be announced featuring extra-special guest star:

PRINCESS FARHANA

taXim explores the magic that arises when top bellydance artists
conspire with a live orchestra... where spontaneous creativity guides
the body to new heights on the wings of bellydance classics brought to
life by musical improvisation. On Saturday, June 18, taXim comes to
North Hollywood for a very special edition of this beloved bellydance
showcase.
The multitudinous members of Saffron Parade Arabesque Band provide the
soundtrack, and Princess Farhana, bellydance royalty, is our special
guest star for this inimitable evening filled with bellydancers and
the hypnotic beat of the tabla. taXim is a unique event that's not to
be missed! Doors at 7pm, Show 7:30pm-9:30pm. $10 admission at the door-
first come first served! One free raffle ticket with each drink
purchased -- a chance to win bellydance classes at DanceGardenLA, top-
selling bellydance DVDs and more!

NO EXTRA CHARGE to stay and dance the night away at Skinny's after our event ends! Lucky you!

SKINNY'S:
4923 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601

MONDAY JULY 4: INDEPENDENCE DAY

NO CLASSES!

Zahra's Bellydance Classes and Heather's Tribal Fusion classes will resume next week as usual!

HAPPY 4TH EVERYONE! :)

AUBRE - New Ongoing Bellydance Class!

TUESDAY NIGHTS, 6-7 PM 7-8PM!!!
STARTING JUNE 14

Aubre will teach a mixed level bellydance class including Drills & Combinations!

YES! Bellydance Class on Fathers' Day
Choreography
with Kamala Almanzar

Sunday June 19, 10am

taXim LIVE MUSIC & Bellydance Showcase
featuring Saffron Parade Arabesque Band

the next taXim will be June 18th -- at Skinny's Lounge in North Hollywood.

and Special Guest Princess Farhana!!!

It's a top-notch bellydance Smorgasbord! :)

More info here: http://www.dancegardenla.com/taxim.html

Zahra Zuhair’s Artistry In Motion (AIM)
A Comprehensive Certificate Program in Oriental Dance Excellence

6 Sundays Series at DanceGardenLA, 11:30 am – 4:00pm

March 27 & April 3 “Essence and Styling”
May 22 & 29 “Becoming the Music”
June 12 & 19“Interpretive Phrasing”

Take your dance to a higher level of Artistry! Capture the true Spirit of Raqs Sharqi in this 24 Hour Intensive Dance Symposium unlike any other. Zahra’s AIM Certification is more than just learning choreographies!...

For details and registration: http://zahrazuhair.com/aim.html
Contact: Zahra@aol.com, 323-630-3586

Bellydance Class CANCELLED Sunday June 5


Sunday June 5, 10am Choreography with Kamala Almanzar

Bellydance Basics: Body Toner
with Zahra
Mondays 6:15 - 7:15pm starting June 6!

Learn the basics of bellydance from master teacher, Zahra Zuhair! Basic moves will be explained and drilled, giving you body-toning benefits just by performing the undulations, isolations and shimmies of a bellydancer!

This is an ongoing class - drop in anytime, or Email us for more information.

JUNE 7 WILL BE THE FINAL ZUMBA CLASS (TUESDAYS 7PM)

Thank you Michael, and lots of luck!

Starting June 14 Aubre's Bellydance class will take place in the Tuesday 7-8 slot.

BELLYDANCE BASICS
with DeVilla

8 Saturdays - May 7 through June 25, 2011
10 - 11 am.
8 sessions for $80 -- or only $75 if you register by 4/27!!

Learn to belly dance with DeVilla!

Email us for information, or register online here to secure your spot!
Drop-ins will be allowed for this course. You may also take the class with another class in the same day and each class is only $10! (why not follow it up with DeVilla's 11am class? Or come back after a little coffee break at Kaldi for some sweat-inducing Samba?? Take a lunch break at Hugo's Tacos or Viet Noodle and come back later for Bellyrina! The possibilities are endless! )

NEW CHOREOGRAPHY STARTS MAY 21!!
Bellydance Choreography Class with NASILA
Saturdays 1:15 - 2:15

Nasila's choreographies are cherished by dancers for their elegant egyptian style, creative musicality, and comfortable flow.
From ooey-gooey beledi to intricate footwork and quick transitions, these choreographies help build a dancer's vocabulary and confidence while instilling a sense of eastern musicality. Each week will review some technique and combinations and put them to music, building them over time into a full choreography complete with notes and staging tips. Some performance opportunies available. Not recommended for new beginners.

She will change choreographies approximately every month, be sure you are on our mailing list (just email jenna@beyondbellydance.com !) and you'll hear when new choreographies will start.

THURS. MAY 19 10am :: SHOOP'S SWEAT SHOP CANCELLED THIS WEEK ONLY

UPDATE! ALMOST $600 RAISED & SENT DIRECTLY TO JAPAN!
If you would like to donate, too, it's not too late:
http://www.la.us.emb-japan.go.jp/e_web/redcross_donate.htm

Sunday May 1, 2011: : Rising Sunday : : Pray for Japan

Bellydance Benefit Show for Japanese Earthquake Victims
Doors 5pm, Show 5:30pm
$15 donation at the door

100% of proceeds will go to the Japan Earthquake Relief Fund of the Japan Society

DanceGarden is proud to donate our space for this very special event, spearheaded by Japanese bellydancer Lapis.
Performers will include:
Yayoi
Lapis
Miya
Vilma
Farrah Talei
Phoenyx :: BellydanceRising
A special performance of Japanese Traditional Dance "Nihon Boyu"
& just off a Bellydance Superstars run: Aubre Hill

Please mark your calendars for this very special evening, and tell your friends!

BELLYDANCE BASICS
with DeVilla

8 Saturdays - May 7 through June 25, 2011
10 - 11 am.
8 sessions for $80 -- or only $75 if you register by 4/27!!

Learn to belly dance with DeVilla!

Email us for information, or register online here to secure your spot!
Drop-ins will be allowed for this course. You may also take the class with another class in the same day and each class is only $10! (why not follow it up with DeVilla's 11am class? Or come back after a little coffee break at Kaldi for some sweat-inducing Samba?? Take a lunch break at Hugo's Tacos or Viet Noodle and come back later for Bellyrina! The possibilities are endless! )

BELLYRINA on Saturdays is CANCELLED THIS SATURDAY MAY 14!!!

Starting 6/26: Bellyrina will be Sundays 11:15am-12:15pm
Professional bellydancers know the value of ballet as a supplement to their bellydance classes, as ballet is the universal dance languange, and the foundation for alot of bellydance turns & travel steps. Ballet can add that extra polish to your belly dance, and give you the grace and elegance in the arms and upper body that can be so elusive! A ballet barre warmup strengthens, gives flexibility & familiarizes dancers with the unifying language of dance. The second part of class will work on choreography that incorporates ballet into a belly dance.

Technique Tune-up Intensives with AUBRE
We are thrilled to have Aubre back at DanceGarden for these monthly classes. Please note, DG cards, Passports or Free Class passes may not be used for these classes.

These two hour intensives are meant to breakdown techniques and open up body awareness within each dancer. Be prepared to sweat and leave with a plethora of information to continue working with.

May 15, 2011, 12-2pm: Geometry of Hipwork
Explore how the various muscles around the hips can be used to create interesting and dynamic movements such as squares, circles, v's, pyramids, diamonds, hexagons, and more. We will also discuss how various styles create their aesthetic by the use of particular muscles.

$35 If you pay by the end of the prior Wednesday/ $40 after that, or at the door, space permitting
Register Here!

SPRING FIESTA! Our 4th Anniversary GardenParty!!

Sunday May 15
Happy Anniversary to us!! Come celebrate 5 years of dancing and fun at DanceGardenLA, LLC.

Performances by DanceGarden teachers, students and more! It's a potluck, so look for your EVITE to see what to bring...

Doors at 3:30pm, Show at 4:00pm

DJ Sets by Petrol Bomb Samosa and Raffles for FREE CLASSES!

Best part? It's FREE! Please bring a dish or beverage to share! :)
Check your inbox soon for the eVite so you know what to bring- or, drop jenna@beyondbellydance.com a line, and we'll add you to our mailing list.

YES! Bellydance Class on Mother's Day!
Choreography
with Kamala Almanzar

Sunday May 8, 10am

Silk & Soul: Dances of Uzbekistan
with Carolyn Krueger, Artistic Director of Gulistan Dance Theater
Thursdays 6:30-7:30pm
Starting May 26, 2011
Please join us for an amazing opportunity to study this beautiful cultural dance form with one of Los Angeles' foremost authorities on Central Asian dance!
As in bygone times, today's Uzbek dancer invites us to share in the hospitality of the moment, to open our hearts and senses to the joy of living, and to join in her celebration of the feminine. Her artful and sensuous expressions summon catharsis, awaken archetypes and enliven the spirit. This 2,000 year-old classic/theatrical dance tradition of the Silk Road has traded influences with India, China, Persia and Arabia, and its aesthetic elements can be traced all the way from Japan to Eastern Europe.

Carolyn’s beginning/intermediate class will help students experience AUTHENTIC embodiment of style as opposed to IMITATION of technique. The initial sessions will focus on the gentle and lyrical Ferghana style—one of the 3 styles of Uzbek dance—and be responsive to student needs. Each lesson will include a standardized warm-up followed by instruction in foundational technique: hands, arms, head, posture, footwork, turns, movement quality and musicality. Dance combinations and basic choreography will blend technique with performance skills—the “soul” of Uzbek dance. Traditional and contemporary Central Asian vocal and instrumental pieces will accompany elegant, rhythmic and poetic movement vocabulary.

Dancers must wear shoes—character shoes are appropriate, but students may wear ballet or jazz slippers to get started. Dance skirts recommended and hair should be secure for turns. For more information: www.gulistandance.com or email Ms. Krueger at gulistan@earthlink.net

Use your class card, cash, check or Passport.

Special Same-Day Discount:
This class can be taken with Bollywood at 7:30 pm, and/or Bellydance at 8:30pm, and then each class is ONLY $10! It's like a trip through Asia & the Middle-East all in one night!
See our complete class schedule here

MONDAY MAY 30: MEMORIAL DAY

NO CLASSES! Zahra's Bellydance Classes and Heather's Tribal Fusion classes will resume next week as usual!

BEGINNING BELLYDANCE:
Technique and Choreography
with Kamala Almanzar

8 Tuesdays 6-7pm, Starts April 12 through May 31

Join Kamala to learn and improve your bellydance basics, and work on a fun choreographed dance to solo drum music -- full of shimmies galore!

Drop in with your class card, cash, or Passport, or save more money when you Register Here!

Mixed Level Tribal Fusion Bellydance (with an emphasis on ATS foundation)
5 Thursdays 6:30-7:30 -- April 14 - May 12, 2011
Taught by Sherri Wheatley
This series is for beginner to intermediate level dancers and is a great follow up series to Hannah's ATS (Amerian Tribal Style) classes. Strong focus on conditioning and strength training; as well as creating more efficiency and muscle control in the body. While this class will be primarily a tribal fusion class, we are going to spend a fair amount of time taking it back to our ATS roots. You will learn how fusion evolved out of ATS, resulting in a greater understanding of foundation movements and how these core elements fit into tribal bellydance fusion. We will focus on strong technique and then introduce variation in the form of preferences. Each class in the series will be structured to contain elements of conditioning, drilling, learning new combinations, musicality, and discussion of staging options and stage presence. Each class will conclude with a mini abs strengthening segment. Come prepared to sweat and have fun!!!
**Bringing zills and yoga mat strongly encouraged. Limited number of zils and mats will be available for loan. Zills also available for sale.

$55 If you pay by April 3, $60 after that
Register Here!

DID YOU KNOW? If you wish to stay for Bollywood after this class, you can still get the same-day class discount, so Bollywood is only $10!

NOTICE!!!!

BOLLYWOOD DANCE!!!
with Smita
Thursdays 7:30pm
THIS THURSDAY 4/20 -- Choreography Review : NO CHARGE!
Hello bollywood dancers! Jenna will help students review & repeat the 'Barso Re' choreography, as Smita will be in rehearsal for a big Bollywood Step production that night! Class will be free of charge, so come in and we'll run the choreography until we can dance it inside-out! :)

YES! Bellydance Class on Easter!
Choreography
with Kamala Almanzar

Sunday April 24, 10am

NEW CLASS

BOLLYWOOD DANCE!!!
with Smita
Thursdays 7:30pm
Learn a Dance to perform at our May 15 Fiesta!
The class is now learning a Bollywood dance that starts out using a bellydancer's favorite prop -- the veil! Learn new ways to use the veil and a whole cute but challenging choreography and you can choose to perform it with the class at DG's annual Spring Fiesta (scroll down for more info on that!)

Bollywood dancing is a favorite among bellydancers who like to fuse Indian Dance with tribal & cabaret styles, and is also a fantastic cardio workout that uses the whole body to increase your energy and jump-start your metabolism! Learn some of the hottest Indian dance moves to the latest Bollywood songs! Smita will teach us the authentic Bollywood style as performed by top Bollywood Dance Company Bollywood Step Dance, under the artistic direction of Choreographer Yogen Bhagat.

Technique Tune-up Intensives with AUBRE
We are thrilled to have Aubre back at DanceGarden for these monthly classes. Please note, DG cards, Passports or Free Class passes may not be used for these classes.

These two hour intensives are meant to breakdown techniques and open up body awareness within each dancer. Be prepared to sweat and leave with a plethora of information to continue working with.

April 17, 2011, 12-2pm: Turns and Traveling for Bellydancer
Befriend the floor by learning essential techniques for strong turns and traveling. Strong emphasis on placement and balance. Conquer these dynamic elements!
May 1, 2011, 12-2pm: Beautiful arms, hands, and upper body
Learn the grace of arm and hands for bellydancing as well as open up your posture to allow for juicing upper body isolations including the bellyroll and undulation.
May 15, 2011, 12-2pm: Geometry of Hipwork
Explore how the various muscles around the hips can be used to create interesting and dynamic movements such as squares, circles, v's, pyramids, diamonds, hexagons, and more. We will also discuss how various styles create their aesthetic by the use of particular muscles.


$35 If you pay by the end of the prior Wednesday/ $40 after that, or at the door, space permitting
Register Here!

YOGA on Saturdays is currently discontinued.

taXim LIVE MUSIC & Bellydance Showcase
featuring Saffron Parade Arabesque Band

the next taXim will be April 9...

JENNA! ZAHRA ZUHAIR!
and Special Guest KAMALA!!!

It's a top-notch bellydance Smorgasbord! :)

More info here: http://www.dancegardenla.com/taxim.html

NEW! BELLYRINA!
with Kamala Almanzar

Saturdays 2:30-3:30pm, Starts March 19

Ballet can add that extra polish to your belly dance. A ballet barre warmup strengthens, gives flexibility & familiarizes dancers with the unifying language of dance. A choreography that incorporates ballet into a belly dance will be introduced each week.

NEW CHOREOGRAPHY STARTS MARCH 26!!

MELAYA LEFF!
Bellydance Choreography Class with NASILA
Saturdays 1:15 - 2:15

Nasila's choreographies are cherished by dancers for their elegant egyptian style, creative musicality, and comfortable flow. Starting March 26, 2011, Nasila will begin teaching a "Melaya Luff" choreography -- a fun, flirty, folkloric style from Egypt, using the Meleya, a veil-type piece of fabric and popularized by Mahmoud Reda. You can bring your own Malaya, or use a regular bellydance veil. Some veils are available for loan at the studio.

From ooey-gooey beledi to intricate footwork and quick transitions, these choreographies help build a dancer's vocabulary and confidence while instilling a sense of eastern musicality. Each week will review some technique and combinations and put them to music, building them over time into a full choreography complete with notes and staging tips. Some performance opportunies available. Not recommended for new beginners.

She will change choreographies approximately every month, be sure you are on our mailing list (just email jenna@beyondbellydance.com !) and you'll hear when new choreographies will start.

Zahra Zuhair’s Artistry In Motion (AIM)
A Comprehensive Certificate Program in Oriental Dance Excellence

6 Sundays Series at DanceGardenLA, 11:30 am – 4:00pm

March 27 & April 3 “Essence and Styling”
May 22 & 29 “Becoming the Music”
June 12 & 19“Interpretive Phrasing”

Take your dance to a higher level of Artistry! Capture the true Spirit of Raqs Sharqi in this 24 Hour Intensive Dance Symposium unlike any other. Zahra’s AIM Certification is more than just learning choreographies!...

For details and registration: http://zahrazuhair.com/aim.html
Contact: Zahra@aol.com, 323-630-3586

ZUMBA
with Michael Sanchez
Tuesdays at 7:00 pm - Starts March 1!
Zumba is the hottest workout sensation to sweep across gyms and dance studios! Zumba is a high energy, fun, dance cardio class that incorporates the world rhythms of salsa, merengue, cumbia, samba, reggaeton, dancehall, latin hip-hop, and afro-Latin dance. Designed for all fitness levels.
Athletic shoes are preferable, such as sneakers or cross-trainers.

Michael says... "My approach to Zumba is to deliver a sense of musicality and flow to each class that an ordinary aerobics instructor cannot provide; to make clear interpretation of each style of dance (i.e. Salsa, Merengue, Reggaeton, Hip Hop, etc…) so that participants are able to differentiate the various rhythms of the program; and to encourage and motivate all participants to exercise through the power of dance.
I have worked in the fitness industry, at various health club facilities and studios in the Los Angeles for over 15 years. I am a current ZIN instructor and have been ACE, AFAA and CPR certified. I teach many forms of fitness classes, i.e. basic aerobics, Hi/Lo Impact, Cardio Kickboxing, boot camp style classes and weight training. However, my passion is dance, with various classes taught ranging from latin styles, to hip hop, pop and simple jazz techniques."

DAYTIME TRIBAL CLASS! SHOOP'S SWEAT SHOP!
MOVING FROM TUESDAYS TO THURSDAYS IN MARCH! 10am

Same Shoop, different day! ;)
Improve your muscle memory while you sweat in this up tempo belly dance workout
class. We will begin with varied tempo drills in the basics, working our way up to
adding level changes and foot patterns. The finale shimmy drill is packed with
layers and will leave you shining for the rest of the day!
This class is open to all levels.

Last Tuesday class will be February 22 -- First Thursday class will be March 3

NEW CLASS

BOLLYWOOD DANCE!!!
***UPDATE****New Choreo Starts 3/10!!
with Smita
Thursdays 7:30pm
It's official, we love Smita & we're keepin' her! Come join in the fun, and learn a super-cute original Yogen Bhagat choreography to Beedi Jalilah a new hit Bollywood song starting this Thursday March 10!. Bollywood dancing is a favorite among bellydancers who like to fuse Indian Dance with tribal & cabaret styles, and is also a fantastic cardio workout that uses the whole body to increase your energy and jump-start your metabolism! Learn some of the hottest Indian dance moves to the latest Bollywood songs! Smita will teach us the authentic Bollywood style as performed by top Bollywood Dance Company Bollywood Step Dance, under the artistic direction of Choreographer Yogen Bhagat.

LEARN TO BELLYDANCE!

Intro to Bellydance
with Jenna

8 Saturdays - March 5 to April 23, 2011
10 - 11 am.
8 sessions for $100
includes FREE coin hip scarf if you register before 2/27/11!
This is the ultimate way to start out on the beautiful, fun-filled path of learning to bellydance! You will be introduced to all the fundamentals of bellydance, including hipwork, torso & shoulder isolations, undulations & shimmies; PLUS a short dance choreography that you can take with you at the end of the course.

Email us for information, or register online here to secure your spot!

FREE YOGA !

KUNDALINI YOGA IS FREE ON March 12th

Kundalini Yoga with Jessica Saturdays 3:30pm

On all other Saturdays, you can take this class with any other class that same day, and both classes are only $20.

LEARN TO BELLYDANCE!

"Crash Course" Intro to Bellydance with Zahra
6 Mondays: Feb 21 through Mar 28
6:15 - 7:15pm.

Learn the basics of bellydance from master teacher, Zahra Zuhair, in this 6-week course that will take you through everything you need to know to start on your path to bellydancing!

6 sessions for $75 if you register by February 13!
$80 after that.

Email us for information, or register online here to secure your spot!

Registration is required for the Intro to Bellydance course. No drop-in students. Up to 2 missed classes may be made up in Zahra's Monday 7:30 classes for up to one month after the the session is over.

ZUMBA FREE DEMO CLASS TUESDAY 2/22 AT 7PM!
with Michael Sanchez
Tuesdays at 7:00 pm - Starts March 1!
Zumba is the hottest workout sensation to sweep across gyms and dance studios! Zumba is a high energy, fun, dance cardio class that incorporates the world rhythms of salsa, merengue, cumbia, samba, reggaeton, dancehall, latin hip-hop, and afro-Latin dance. Designed for all fitness levels.
Athletic shoes are preferable, such as sneakers or cross-trainers.

Michael says... "My approach to Zumba is to deliver a sense of musicality and flow to each class that an ordinary aerobics instructor cannot provide; to make clear interpretation of each style of dance (i.e. Salsa, Merengue, Reggaeton, Hip Hop, etc…) so that participants are able to differentiate the various rhythms of the program; and to encourage and motivate all participants to exercise through the power of dance.
I have worked in the fitness industry, at various health club facilities and studios in the Los Angeles for over 15 years. I am a current ZIN instructor and have been ACE, AFAA and CPR certified. I teach many forms of fitness classes, i.e. basic aerobics, Hi/Lo Impact, Cardio Kickboxing, boot camp style classes and weight training. However, my passion is dance, with various classes taught ranging from latin styles, to hip hop, pop and simple jazz techniques."

taXim LIVE MUSIC & Bellydance Showcase

***SATURDAY***
February 26, 2010

SPECIAL GUEST STAR
AUBRE!!!!
Also featuring
Jenna! DeVilla! Shayla! Christina Rizkallah, LisaMarie and more!

And of course, the maddeningly delightful live arabic music of
SAFFRON PARADE ARABESQUE BAND!

Jenna & Zahra of DanceGarden host this performance showcase with live arabic bellydance music, loads of bellydancing and other special treats in nearby Eagle Rock!
Click on taXim for more details!

***PLEASE NOTE: taXim is now on a SATURDAY NIGHT! Don't come on Friday! ;)

ZUMBA
with Andrea
Tuesdays at 7:10 pm - Starts February 1!
Zumba is the hottest workout sensation to sweep across gyms and dance studios! Andrea gives you an aerobic workout full of fun steps from many different Latin dances. Zumba is a high energy, fun, dance cardio class that incorporates the world rhythms of salsa, merengue, cumbia, samba, reggaeton, dancehall, latin hip-hop, and afro-Latin dance. Designed for all fitness levels.
Athletic shoes are preferable, such as sneakers or cross-trainers.

NEW CLASS

NEW! BOLLYWOOD DANCE!!!
with Smita
Thursdays in FEBRUARY at 7:30pm
We've been searching high and low for a great new Bollywood teacher since the upbeat & exotic dance form has surged in popularity, thanks to films like Slumdog Millionaire. And we've found Smita! Bollywood dancing is a favorite among bellydancers who like to fuse Indian Dance with tribal & cabaret styles, and is also a fantastic cardio workout that uses the whole body to increase your energy and jump-start your metabolism! Learn some of the hottest Indian dance moves to the latest Bollywood songs! Smita will teach us the authentic Bollywood style as performed by top Bollywood Dance Company Bollywood Step Dance, under the artistic direction of Choreographer Yogen Bhagat.

Smita first started dancing at the age of 7. She has trained in Indian folk dance styles, ballet, and jazz. A former group fitness instructor at LA Fitness, Smita enjoys sharing her passion for the arts and helping others achieve their fitness and personal goals. Currently, she is a troupe member and teacher with Bollywood Step Dance - LA's top rated Bollywood Dance Company. With the company, Smita has performed at venues such as Disney's California Adventure Park and Hollywood Bowl, and on shows such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Melrose Place.

YOGA ON SATURDAYS!

Kundalini Yoga with Jessica Saturdays 3:30pm

Kundalini energy is a conscious creative force coiled at the base of the spine in a quantum field known as a chakra. Pulling this reserve energy up into the physical body creates a deep connection to one’s primary purpose and talents in life. The timeless science of Kundalini Yoga gives a core muscular workout using sound vibrations, breath codes, body postures, and hand locks to increase oxygen and circulation in the body, enhancing the joy of any endeavor. Kundalini Yoga gives a core muscular workout which uses sacred mantra sound vibrations, ancient breath codes, body postures, and hand locks, to shift cognitive awareness from mental analysis into visceral experience, enhancing the joy of any endeavor.

KUNDALINI YOGA IS FREE ON THE SECOND SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH! :)
Feb 12th
March 12th
April 9th
May 14th
June 11th
July 9th

On all other Saturdays, you can take this class with any other class that same day, and both classes are only $20.

Technique Tune-up Intensives with AUBRE
We are thrilled to have Aubre back at DanceGarden for these monthly classes. Please note, DG cards, Passports or Free Class passes may not be used for these classes.

These two hour intensives are meant to breakdown techniques and open up body awareness within each dancer. Be prepared to sweat and leave with a plethora of information to continue working with.

February 13, 2011, 12-2pm: Oblique Fun
Learn essential techniques for articulated twists, figure eights, and exterior hip circles. Traveling combinations and layering options provided.

April 17, 2011, 12-2pm: Turns and Traveling for Bellydancer
Befriend the floor by learning essential techniques for strong turns and traveling. Strong emphasis on placement and balance. Conquer these dynamic elements!
May 1, 2011, 12-2pm: Beautiful arms, hands, and upper body
Learn the grace of arm and hands for bellydancing as well as open up your posture to allow for juicing upper body isolations including the bellyroll and undulation.
May 15, 2011, 12-2pm: Geometry of Hipwork
Explore how the various muscles around the hips can be used to create interesting and dynamic movements such as squares, circles, v's, pyramids, diamonds, hexagons, and more. We will also discuss how various styles create their aesthetic by the use of particular muscles.


$35 If you pay by the end of the prior Wednesday/ $40 after that, or at the door, space permitting
Register Here!

JANUARY 2011: ONGOING CLASS NEWS
SEE OUR NEW 2011 SCHEDULE

NEW DAYTIME TRIBAL CLASS! SHOOP'S SWEAT SHOP!
Tuesdays 10-11am - Starts Jan 3!

Improve your muscle memory while you sweat in this up tempo belly dance workout
class. We will begin with varied tempo drills in the basics, working our way up to
adding level changes and foot patterns. The finale shimmy drill is packed with
layers and will leave you shining for the rest of the day!
This class is open to all levels.

TAKE SHOOP'S TRIBAL CLASS WITH KUNDALINI YOGA AT 8:30 AM AND EACH CLASS IS ONLY $10!!!

SAMBA - From Afro-Brazilian Roots to Carnavale!
with Andrea
Saturdays at 12:15 pm - Starts Saturday Jan 8
Andrea's energetic class is fueled by a recent samba-intensive trip to Brasil where she studied the roots of Carnival-style Samba, learning dance forms like Samba Reggae, Afro-Brazilian and Axé. You'll get an athletic warm-up, review & refine the basic Samba step in different styles, practice traveling steps across the floor, and learn fun & fast choreographies to give you a non-stop, sexy workout!

Bellydance Choreography with NASILA!
Saturdays 1:15 - 2:15, Starts Jan 8

Nasila's choreographies are cherished by dancers for their elegant egyptian style, creative musicality, and comfortable flow. Her workshops were so popular, we are now offering Bellydance Choreography with Nasila as an ongoing class! Learn charming choreographies based on modern raqs sharqi and Egyptian folklore, including melaya luff, an oriental megeance (opening number), raqs-al-assaya/cane, beledi, shaabi and drum solo. Learn about musical structure, and both classical and contemporary musicians and dancers, while studying complex choreographies that will enhance your knoweldge of and feel for the dance.

From ooey-gooey beledi to intricate footwork and quick transitions, these choreographies help build a dancer's vocabulary and confidence while instilling a sense of eastern musicality. Each week will review some technique and combinations and put them to music, building them over time into a full choreography complete with notes and staging tips. Some performance opportunies available. Not recommended for new beginners.

She will change choreographies approximately every month, be sure you are on our mailing list (just email jenna@beyondbellydance.com !) and you'll hear when new choreographies will start.

*B4B*
Ballet for Bellydance with Kamala Almanzar

Saturdays 2:30-3:30pm, Starts Jan 8

Ballet is studied by sports and dance professionals of all disciplines for it's fundamental grace and control. Bellydancers often have the hip movements down, but lack the arm extension, head angles and leg articulation that provides the elegance and grace that radiates from the stage. Kamala provides tools for infusing your bellydance with the balletic movements that complement the arabic style, and that are championed by such renowned choreographers as Mahmoud Reda. Ballet training can be the key to taking your performance skills to the next level! Classes include a ballet barre warm-up and drills for strengthening and balance.

JANUARY 2011 SPECIAL REGISTRATION COURSES:
(For info on changes/additions to ongoing classes, please see section further down the page)

Tribal Fusion Conditioning with Heather Shoopman: Zills and Drills!
6 Mondays Tribal Fusion Conditioning - Drills & Zills w/Heather
Jan 3 - Feb 7, 2011. 6:15 - 7:15pm

Would you like to take your dance to a different level? Challenge yourself physically and mentally? Come work it out with Heather Shoopman in this fun-packed series of drills and zills! Explore each territory of the body for all it's worth. Improve your muscle memory with layers, locks and ooey gooey goodness. Strengthen and condition those muscles as we experiment with momentum and get crazy with the layers. Basics, complex patterns, foot patterns, shimmies, layers + zills, musicality and rhythm identification. Walk away with ideas for home practice. Be ready to sweat, laugh and holler! This class is open to all levels.

6 sessions for $75 if you pre-register on-line. $80 if you pay at the first class (space permitting).
Email us for information, or register online here to secure your spot!

Students may register or drop-in using class cards or paying per class. For registrants, 1 missed class may be made up in either Heathers Monday 8:30, Tues 10am or Thursday 6:30 classes for up to one month after the the session is over.

LEARN TO BELLYDANCE!

Intro to Bellydance
with Jenna

Saturdays - January 8 to February 26, 2011
10 - 11 am.
8 sessions for $100
includes FREE coin hip scarf if you register before 1/1/11!
This is the ultimate way to start out on the beautiful, fun-filled path of learning to bellydance! You will be introduced to all the fundamentals of bellydance, including hipwork, torso & shoulder isolations, undulations & shimmies; PLUS a short dance choreography that you can take with you at the end of the course.

Email us for information, or register online here to secure your spot!

NEW COURSE

CHILLIN' & ZILLIN'!
SPECIAL 6-WEEK COURSE in BELLYDANCING with Finger Cymbals (aka Sagat) with DeVilla
JAN 14 through FEB 18th, 2011
Fridays 7:30 - 8:30pm at DanceGardenLA, Los Angeles' premiere bellydance studio!
Does the thought of playing finger cymbals while bellydancing stress you out?
Lets demystify the Zill! Focusing on choosing and fitting your zills, Basic zill patterns and rhythms including beledy and learning to dance while you play!!!

Sign up now to save $ (if you register by Monday 1/3)
or call or email us for more information.

CLICK HERE for Pricing & Registration

Technique Tune-up Intensives with AUBRE
We are thrilled to have Aubre back at DanceGarden for these monthly classes. Sign up for them all to save money, or just drop in to whichever ones you'd like. Please note, DG cards, Passports or Free Class passes may not be used for these classes.

These two hour intensives are meant to breakdown techniques and open up body awareness within each dancer. Be prepared to sweat and leave with a plethora of information to continue working with.

Sunday, January 23, 2011 12-2pm: Glutes, Glutes, Glutes!!!
Learn how to access and use your glutes to create dynamic and powerful hipwork. Traveling combinations and layering options provided.

February 13, 2011 Oblique Fun
Learn essential techniques for articulated twists, figure eights, and exterior hipcircles. Traveling combinations and layering options provided.
March 20, 2011 Beautiful arms, hands, and upper body
Learn the grace of arm and hands for bellydancing as well as open up your posture to allow for juicing upper body isolations including the bellyroll and undulation.
April 10, 2011 Turns and Traveling for Bellydancer
Befriend the floor by learning essential techniques for strong turns and traveling. Strong emphasis on placement and balance. Conquer these dynamic elements!
May 15, 2011 Geometry of Hipwork
Explore how the various muscles around the hips can be used to create interesting and dynamic movements such as squares, circles, v's, pyramids, diamonds, hexagons, and more. We will also discuss how various styles create their aesthetic by the use of particular muscles.

$35 If you pay by the end of the prior Wednesday/ $40 after that, or at the door, space permitting
$150 for the entire series (deadline Wednesday Jan 19, midnight) Register Here!

TAHITI HIPS!

You begged for it!! You got it!
A Tahitian Dance Choreography with Hina

Series of 4 Tuesdays:
Jan 4 - 25, 2011, 7pm
Hina's hawaiian dance background began at the age of 3 in her native homeland of Hawai'i where she learned hula. At 18 she began performing as a soloist for one of the top Polynesian companies and lu'au shows in Hawai'i (Tihati's Drums of the Pacific at the Hyatt). Now, as an accomplished hula and polynesian dancer, she feels blessed to have had the opportunity to travel and perform all over the world . From Vegas to Japan, Texas to Tonga, and the East Coast of New York (Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade) to the Far East of Egypt, she has shared her native dances in front of royalty, celebrities, and people of all cultures. Today, she still travels often abroad and locally and can be seen performing at everything from restaurants and weddings to theater and feature films. In the past few years she has also enjoyed teaching hula at UCLA, performing on Celebrity Cruises (to Hawai'i, Tahiti, and New Zealand) as well as dancing with several professional groups who's styles range from Polynesian to Bellydance, to Brazilian Samba. Hina exudes passion, grace and love for dance in every style she performs. As a former Hawaiian immersion school teacher, she is fluent in Hawaiian language. Growing up on Maui and also having a BA in Hawaiian studies (minor in Linguistics), she is proud and happy to share her culture and the beauty of hula.

Register online here to secure your spot!
Save $$$ if you register before the end of 1/1/11!

SPECIAL SERIES

Sakuntala ("Saku") has been performing Bharata Natyam, classical south Indian dance, since 1998. Although she studied ballet, tap, and jazz as a child, she longed to learn Bharata Natyam one day, but this desire was put on hold for studies and college. She enrolled in Balinese dance classes while attending California Institute of the Arts to mix up her hectic music degree curriculum, which sparked an interest again in finding Bharata Natyam classes. She found instruction, and shortly thereafter, started performing. Since then Saku has performed around the USA and in India. She was awarded a grant by the Calarts Diversity Committee to build and perform her multi-media work, "In the Realm of Mahisha", which consisted of North and East Indian music, electronics, Bharata Natyam, modern dance, and classical percussion performance, all in a twisted setting of an ancient Indian palace. In 2006, she pushed boundaries in her Masters thesis recital, "Eastern Structures, Western Sounds", in which she transcribed the traditional Karnatic music of the dance and orchestrated it for percussion ensemble, processed vocals, and electronics, then appeared on stage as both the dancer and the composer/arranger. She continues her adventures in the arts and in all things related, including bellydance and yoga, for which she recently received her teaching certification in India.

South Indian Classical Dance - An Introduction
with Sakuntala

4 Thursdays in January (Jan 6 - Jan 27) at 7:30pm
The classical art of Bharata Natyam, a South Indian classical dance form from Tamil Nadu, India, is a precise movement form that orchestrates rhythmic feet, elegant arms ending in magical mudras, and varied facial expressions to tell the stories of Indian legends. This form serves as a foundation for the exciting and popular dances seen in Bollywood films, and is a must for anyone interested in 'filmi' style indian dancing, or in fusing Indian dance with your bellydance. Sakuntala will be teaching a 4-week course on foundation movements of Bharata Natyam.
Come experience a powerful workout for both your body and mind, South Indian style! Not only will this class provide an excellent workout (muscle strengthening/toning, yoga asanas for both mind and body, and getting your heart pumping), but will be perfect for anyone wanting to learn South Indian classical dance basics. This foundation course will go into these basics:

- yoga warm-up and cool-down
- postures
- mudras (finger gestures)
- eye and neck movements
- traveling steps
- floorwork
- short combos

We will learn the foundation movements in the beginning, then slowly put them together into a combination (short choreography) over the four weeks.
You will notice increased cardiovascular stamina, enhanced mental clarity with a greater sense of focus, a much greater sense of bodily coordination and rhythm, and increased strength and toning in your arms, legs, and booty!
For those of you Tribal Fusion folks, the class will be immediately after Heather Shoopman's tribal fusion bellydance class, so you can take advantage of Dance Garden's back-to-back class deal and get a real 2-hour tribal fusion experience on Thursday nights.
Wear comfortable and form-fitting clothes so that your lines and feet can be seen and corrected (preferably leggings or fitted capri length pants).

Register online here to secure your spot! Save $$$ if you register before the end of 1/1/11!

HOLIDAY HULA
with Hina

For Kids and Adults!
Come learn a fun Christmas hula or two for an (optional) class performance at DG's Winter Fiesta!

Series of 4 Thursdays:
Nov 18 and Dec 2, 9, 16, 2010

-Hula for Kids at 5:30 - Hula for Adults at 6:30

Bellydance Choreography Series with NASILA!
DRUM SOLO CHOREOGRAPHY! (BEG/INT)
3 Saturdays in December; 12:30 - 1:45pm

Drill and refine bellydance basics, and learn to respond to the drum with fun combinations and accents that will be incorporated into a short 2-minute choreography. Then get the chance to show off what you’ve learned at the DanceGarden Winter Fiesta on Dec. 19 – you can do it! Beginner to Intermediate Level.

You may pay per class, use your class cards or same-day discount -- or pre-register and save $$!
Register Now

CANCELLATION This Thursday morning November 18, Kundalini Yoga at 8:30 am is Cancelled!
All other classes on as scheduled.

Bellydance Choreography Series with NASILA!

3 Saturdays in November (6, 13, 20) ; 12:20 - 2:00pm

Learn a lovely raqs sharqi choreography Zay al Asal, an old Lebanese song (originally by Sabah but covered by many, including Nancy Ajram) that has maintained popularity partly due to both its sweet message and dynamic structure. Work on your ooey-gooey slow moves, as well as exciting upbeat combinations and some Saidi-inspired footwork. Intermediate level and up; a solid grasp of bellydance basics is highly recommended.Not recommended for new beginners.

You may pay per class, use your class cards or same-day discount -- or pre-register before 10/29/10 and save $$!

Register Now

HOLIDAY HULA
with Hina

For Kids and Adults!
Come learn a fun Christmas hula or two for an (optional) class performance at DG's Winter Fiesta!

Series of 4 Thursdays:
Nov 18 and Dec 2, 9, 16, 2010
(No class Thanksgiving Nov 25)

-Hula for Kids at 5:30
Keiki (children age 4-12) are welcome to join this series which will introduce them to the basics of hula. This will include learning footwork, Hawaiian names for moves and implements used, as well as a few fun, age appropriate hula. They will learn to beat the basic ipu rhythm, be introduced to pu¯‘ili (bamboo sticks used for hula), while learning the discipline, art and culture of Hawai‘i in a fun ‘ohana (family) based environment.

-Hula Hips (with a touch of Tahitian) at 6:30 pm
Adults and teens are welcome to join our beginner hula series where they will learn an entire choreography to a popular hula from beginning to end. We will build on basic footwork every week, then work on a verse of choreography building up to an entire hula. Everything will be covered, from the beat of the ipu, the meaning of the Hawaiian words used, the motions from the tips of the toes to the finger tips as well as head placement. Then we will also spend the last 10-15 mins of class learning some basic Tahitian moves to the fast paced beat of the to‘ere drums--getting a workout as well! Bring your pa‘u (hula skirt), your pareo and your smile:) Aloha and Ia Orana!

Register online here to secure your spot!

taXim LIVE MUSIC & Bellydance Showcase

***SATURDAY*** November 20, 2010

SPECIAL GUEST STAR:: Tamra-henna!!!!
Also featuring Jenna! Lucia of San Diego!! Taji and Marlena from Orange County! Naima back from Texas! Los Angeles' own Emily, LisaMarie and more!

Not to mention, the maddeningly delightful live arabic music of
SAFFRON PARADE ARABESQUE BAND!

Jenna & Zahra of DanceGarden host this performance showcase with live arabic bellydance music, loads of bellydancing and other special treats in nearby Eagle Rock!
Click on taXim for more details!

***PLEASE NOTE: taXim is now on a SATURDAY NIGHT! Don't come on Friday! ;)

*B4B*
Ballet for Bellydance
with Kamala Almanzar
11:30am - 12:30pm
4 Sundays: November 21 & December 5,12, & 19; 2010.
(No Class Sunday Nov 28, Thanksgiving Weekend)

This class will introduce the Belly Dancer to the language, technique and grace of ballet. Emphasis will be on specific ballet movement that enhances Middle Eastern Dance. Cross-training in ballet is strongly recommended for any serious dancer, as ballet provides structure and a common vocabulary beneficial to performers of all dance styles! Kamala studied ballet extensively, and performed with Pasadena Dance Theatre.

You may pay per class at our regular class rates or or register online here and pay just $50 for all 4 sessions.

Get on the Morning YOGA EXPRESS!!!

1-hour Kundalini Yoga with Jessica lets you get to work on time!
Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 8:30 am - 9:30am
(This schedule starts Nov. 1)

Kundalini energy is a conscious creative force coiled at the base of the spine in a quantum field known as a chakra. Pulling this reserve energy up into the physical body creates a deep connection to one’s primary purpose and talents in life. The timeless science of Kundalini Yoga gives a core muscular workout using sound vibrations, breath codes, body postures, and hand locks to increase oxygen and circulation in the body, enhancing the joy of any endeavor. Kundalini Yoga gives a core muscular workout which uses sacred mantra sound vibrations, ancient breath codes, body postures, and hand locks, to shift cognitive awareness from mental analysis into visceral experience, enhancing the joy of any endeavor.

COOL NEWS! THESE MORNING YOGA CLASSES WILL BE ON A DONATION BASIS - SUGGESTED DONATION $10. Cash only, please, unless you wish to use your DG 10-class card or passport. :)

LEARN TO BELLYDANCE!

Intro to Bellydance with Zahra
6 Mondays October 25 - November 29 2010.
6:15 - 7:15pm.

Learn the basics of bellydance from master teacher, Zahra Zuhair, in this 6-week course that will take you through everything you need to know to start on your path to bellydancing!

6 sessions for $75 if you register by October 18!
$80 after that.

Email us for information, or register online here to secure your spot!

Registration is required for the Intro to Bellydance course. No drop-in students. Up to 2 missed classes may be made up in either the Jenna's Thursday 7:30 or Saturday 10 am, or Zahra's Monday 7:30 classes for up to one month after the the session is over.

HULA with HINA
(a native Hawaiian!)

For Kids and Adults

Back on Thursdays!!!
NewSeries of 4 Sessions:
Oct 14, 21, 28 & Nov 4, 2010

-Hula for Kids at 5:30
Keiki (children age 4-12) are welcome to join this series which will introduce them to the basics of hula. This will include learning footwork, Hawaiian names for moves and implements used, as well as a few fun, age appropriate hula. They will learn to beat the basic ipu rhythm, be introduced to pu¯‘ili (bamboo sticks used for hula), while learning the discipline, art and culture of Hawai‘i in a fun ‘ohana (family) based environment.

-Hula Hips (with a touch of Tahitian) at 6:30 pm
Adults and teens are welcome to join our beginner hula series where they will learn an entire choreography to a popular hula from beginning to end. We will build on basic footwork every week, then work on a verse of choreography building up to an entire hula. Everything will be covered, from the beat of the ipu, the meaning of the Hawaiian words used, the motions from the tips of the toes to the finger tips as well as head placement. Then we will also spend the last 10-15 mins of class learning some basic Tahitian moves to the fast paced beat of the to‘ere drums--getting a workout as well! Bring your pa‘u (hula skirt), your pareo and your smile:) Aloha and Ia Orana!

Register online here to secure your spot!

EARLY BIRD DEADLINE: THURS OCT 7
Register by then to SAVE $$$

Beginning ATS with Heather Shoopman: Zills and Drills!
6 Mondays September 13- October 18, 2010. 6:30 - 7:30pm

American Tribal Style bellydance is the root of Tribal Fusion. This 6-week course is a great opportunity to nail down your Tribal Style, including finger cymbal work! In Heather's class you will learn basics in both the Fat Chance Bellydance and the Gypsy Caravan formats of American Tribal Style. Movements will be drilled and worked with in formations. Fast moves will be drilled with finger cymbals.We will stage a short performance at the end of each class using what we've
learned up until that point. By the end of this 6 week session, you will have a greater understanding of ATS and the 2 formats, be better with your zills, and leadingwon't seem so scary! Drop ins are welcome, however please have some basic knowledge of ATS.
6 sessions for $75 if you register on or before September 3! $80 after that.
Email us for information, or register online here to secure your spot!

Students may register or drop-in using class cards or paying per class. For registrants, up to 2 missed classes may be made up in either Heathers Monday 8:30, Sherri's Thursday 8:30, or Jenna's Thursday 7:30 classes for up to one month after the the session is over.

SUMMER NIGHTS on the BOULEVARD
Thursday September 23, 6pm-10pm

Come visit the DG table down at the parking lot of Starbuck's and 55 Degree Wine!

Featuring "Henna by Erynne."
will be available, with henna tattoos for teens & adults, and special mica tattoos that kids love!
Prices will range from $8 -$20 per tattoo for this event only! Cash only.
Dance Garden teachers will perform bellydance, tribal bellydance, hula & tahitian dance from 7:30 -8pm in the parking lot of 55 Degree Wine, 3111 Glendale Blvd., off of Glenhurst/Glenfeliz.
We invite you to be a part of Atwater's vibrant village atmosphere and support the local businesses that make it thrive!

This fun street fair will take place along Glendale Boulevard with DJ's, singers, bands, and dance performances.

And ya know it's FREEEEE! :)

Classic Bellydance Choreography with NASILA!

Sunday September 26; 1:30 - 4pm
Chances are, you've drooled over Nasila's delicious choreographies before, now is your chance to learn one of hers to the beloved song Mishaal/El Mashaal ("The Torch," as played by the Sami Nossair Orchestra on the popular CD entitled "10 Songs Every Belly Dancer Should Know"), a timeless musical composition that makes a spectacular entrance piece for a bellydance show, or stands alone as a dynamic solo. Her contemporary choreography to this classic features traditional Egyptian belly dance with a modern twist,
and includes sassy new combinations and accent patterns you can incorporate into your own works as well. Please bring a veil if you have one, some will be available for loan and purchase. CD is available for sale at the studio.

The workshop is open to all levels, but solid knowledge of bellydance basics is highly recommended (not recommended for new beginners).

$32 if you register on or before September 13! $40 after that.
Register Now

taXim LIVE MUSIC & Bellydance Showcase

Friday September 17

at Studio Iqaat in nearby Eagle Rock (Los Angeles)

A BEVY OF BELLYDANCERS including
*JENNA* FARRAH * VERONIKA*AUBRE!!!!

LIVE BELLYDANCE MUSIC! with Saffron Parade Arabesque Band

AND SPECIAL INDIAN DANCE/BELLYDANCE FUSION BY SAKU! Another special dance treat-- HULA by HINA of Hawaii!

Jenna & Zahra of DanceGarden host this performance showcase with live arabic & turkish music, loads of bellydancing and other special treats in nearby Eagle Rock!

HENNA TATTOO SPECIAL!
Opal Moon Henna will be in the house to decorate you with lovely Henna or Glitter Body Art! She'll also have a few candle holders and other Hennaed Artifacts if you want your henna to last forever. Prices begin at a mere $5 for body art, cash or check please. See a bit of her work at www.opalmoonhenna.com or www.facebook.com/pages/Opal-Moon-Henna/196618160882.
Click on taXim for more details!

SPECIAL WORKSHOP

Sakuntala ("Saku") has been performing Bharata Natyam, classical south Indian dance, since 1998. Although she studied ballet, tap, and jazz as a child, she longed to learn Bharata Natyam one day, but this desire was put on hold for studies and college. She enrolled in Balinese dance classes while attending California Institute of the Arts to mix up her hectic music degree curriculum, which sparked an interest again in finding Bharata Natyam classes. She found instruction, and shortly thereafter, started performing. Since then Saku has performed around the USA and in India. She was awarded a grant by the Calarts Diversity Committee to build and perform her multi-media work, "In the Realm of Mahisha", which consisted of North and East Indian music, electronics, Bharata Natyam, modern dance, and classical percussion performance, all in a twisted setting of an ancient Indian palace. In 2006, she pushed boundaries in her Masters thesis recital, "Eastern Structures, Western Sounds", in which she transcribed the traditional Karnatic music of the dance and orchestrated it for percussion ensemble, processed vocals, and electronics, then appeared on stage as both the dancer and the composer/arranger. She continues her adventures in the arts and in all things related, including bellydance and yoga, for which she recently received her teaching certification in India.

South Indian Classical Dance and Yoga for Bellydancers

with Sakuntala

Sunday September 19, 1:30-3:30pm

Come, all ye fusionistas, learn the pure form from which our contemporary dance comes!! The classical art of Bharata Natyam is a precise movement form that orchestrates rhythmic feet, elegant arms ending in magical mudras, and varied facial expressions to tell the stories of Indian legends.

Saku has studied Bharata Natyam for over 10 years and has also been certified as a yoga instructor in India. She is now ready to share her tips with you. This workshop will cover:
* positioning and postures
* beautiful dance mudras (hand positions)
* eye and neck movements
* classical dance gestures
* challenging layering in the South Indian style
* breath and body work to conquer stage nerves
* yoga asanas for bellydancers to develop flexibility and strength necessary for clean and confident execution of dance movements without strain

Wear comfortable and form-fitting clothes so that your lines and feet can be seen and corrected (preferably leggings or fitted capri length pants). Bring water and a healthy snack. Water & energy bars available for purchase as well.

$35 if you register on or before September 13! $45 after that.
Register Now!

Now YOGA in the Mornings!

Kundalini Yoga with Jessica
Tuesday mornings at 8:30 am &
Thursday mornings at 9:30 am
Starting September 7, 2010.

Kundalini energy is a conscious creative force coiled at the base of the spine in a quantum field known as a chakra. Pulling this reserve energy up into the physical body creates a deep connection to one’s primary purpose and talents in life. The timeless science of Kundalini Yoga gives a core muscular workout using sound vibrations, breath codes, body postures, and hand locks to increase oxygen and circulation in the body, enhancing the joy of any endeavor. Kundalini Yoga gives a core muscular workout which uses sacred mantra sound vibrations, ancient breath codes, body postures, and hand locks, to shift cognitive awareness from mental analysis into visceral experience, enhancing the joy of any endeavor.

COOL NEWS! THESE MORNING YOGA CLASSES WILL BE ON A DONATION BASIS - SUGGESTED DONATION $10. Cash only, please, unless you wish to use your DG 10-class card or passport. :)

HULA with HINA
(a native Hawaiian!)

For Kids and Adults

4 Wednesdays: Sept 8- Sept 29

-Hula for Kids at 5:30
Keiki (children age 4-12) are welcome to join this series which will introduce them to the basics of hula. This will include learning footwork, Hawaiian names for moves and implements used, as well as a few fun, age appropriate hula. They will learn to beat the basic ipu rhythm, be introduced to pu¯‘ili (bamboo sticks used for hula), while learning the discipline, art and culture of Hawai‘i in a fun ‘ohana (family) based environment.

-Hula Hips (with a touch of Tahitian) at 6:30 pm
Adults and teens are welcome to join our beginner hula series where they will learn an entire choreography to a popular hula from beginning to end. We will build on basic footwork every week, then work on a verse of choreography building up to an entire hula. Everything will be covered, from the beat of the ipu, the meaning of the Hawaiian words used, the motions from the tips of the toes to the finger tips as well as head placement. Then we will also spend the last 10-15 mins of class learning some basic Tahitian moves to the fast paced beat of the to‘ere drums--getting a workout as well! Bring your pa‘u (hula skirt), your pareo and your smile:) Aloha and Ia Orana!

Register HERE NOTE: Drop-ins are permitted with cash or class cards, but registering for the whole series is strongly recommended -- and saves you some $$! :)

******EARLY BIRD DEADLINE TO SAVE MONEY IS SEPTEMBER 3RD************

Nancy's Back!
KUNDALINI YOGA with Nancy
Every Sunday 4:15 - 5:45 pm, Starting September 12th 2010.
The artistic force behind DG's amazing new storefront will be bringing her Kundalini Yoga and meditation classes back to DanceGardenLA! Complete with a mesmerizing and healing gong meditation, Nancy's class (Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan®) is an uplifting, energizing class that, besides generating navel power, toning your arms, and increasing lung capacity for all you Bellydancers out there, uses rhythmic music, exercise, chanting and meditation to make you feel energized, relaxed, and really happy! A great way to wrap up the the weekend and start a new week fresh!

Andrea's Brazilian Samba Class
CANCELLED through Labor Day Weekend.
Samba will be on a short hiatus while Andrea visits the samba homeland, Brasil! She'll be studying samba, samba reggae, and afro-brazilian dance so she'll be coming back with loads of inspiration and great moves!

CLASS WILL RESUME SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 11 AT 3:05PM

ALL other DanceGardenLA bellydancing classes are happening on Saturday September 4 (Labor Day weekend)!

! See Schedule

Andrea's Brazilian Samba Class
CANCELLED through Labor Day Weekend.
Samba will be on a short hiatus while Andrea visits the samba homeland, Brasil! She'll be studying samba, samba reggae, and afro-brazilian dance so she'll be coming back with loads of inspiration and great moves!

CLASS WILL RESUME SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 11 AT 3:05PM

ALL other DanceGardenLA bellydancing classes are happening on Saturday September 4 (Labor Day weekend)!

! See Schedule

ALL Saturday classes are ON September 4th
except Samba, which is on hiatus(see below)

Kamala's Bellydance Choreography Class
is ON Sunday September 5th 10am!

ALL Monday classes are CANCELLED on September 6th including:
Bellydance with Zahra Zuhair and Tribal Fusion with Heather Shoopman

LA Raqs Workshop with DeVilla : : Stage Makeup
Sunday August 22, 2010. 1:30 -3:30pm.
This workshop is hosted by LARaqs, and is not a DG event.
Please visit LARaqs for more information & registration.
DanceGarden Class Cards or Dance Passports may not be used for these classes.

Bellydance DRUM SOLO Workshop MAKEUP CLASS with Roxxy!
FRIDAY JULY 16
6- 8PM

Those registered for the full course need not pay.

Others are welcome to join and may pay per-class with cash (back-too back price $20), check, or your 10-class card (2 marks)

NEW CLASSES!

HULA! For Kids and Adults!
taught by Hina, a native Hawaiian!

4 Thursdays: July 15 - August 5

-Hula for Kids at 5:30
Keiki (children age 4-12) are welcome to join this series which will introduce them to the basics of hula. This will include learning footwork, Hawaiian names for moves and implements used, as well as a few fun, age appropriate hula. They will learn to beat the basic ipu rhythm, be introduced to pu¯‘ili (bamboo sticks used for hula), while learning the discipline, art and culture of Hawai‘i in a fun ‘ohana (family) based environment.
*Note: Younger children should be attentive and able to follow along without being a distraction to the other kids.

-Hula Hips (with a touch of Tahitian) at 6:30 pm
Adults and teens are welcome to join our beginner hula series where they will learn an entire choreography to a popular hula from beginning to end. We will build on basic footwork every week, then work on a verse of choreography building up to an entire hula. Everything will be covered, from the beat of the ipu, the meaning of the Hawaiian words used, the motions from the tips of the toes to the finger tips as well as head placement. Then we will also spend the last 10-15 mins of class learning some basic Tahitian moves to the fast paced beat of the to‘ere drums--getting a workout as well! Bring your pa‘u, your pareo and your smile:) Aloha and Ia Orana!

Our free trial Hula class was a huge hit! Hina will be back for this special series -- drop-ins are permitted with cash or class cards, but registering for the whole series is strongly recommended -- and saves you some $$! :)

Register here!

SPECIAL WORKSHOP :
Locks and Layers with Heather Shoopman
Sunday, July 18 1:30-3:30pm

Would you like to take your dance to a different level? Challenge yourself mentally and physically with mind twistin' drills to add to your personal practice and enhance your
performance. Improve your muscle memory as we journey through space and time layering locks, rolls, pops, and drops - with sprinkles of footworkand shimmies too. Be ready to sweat, laugh and holler! Bass levels=high. Can I get a woot woot?

$30 on or before July 9, $35 after that, space permitting. Register here!

Bellydance DRUM SOLO Workshops with Roxxy!
Wednesdays June 23. June 30 and July 7.
6:45 - 8:45
Roxxanne will teach technique and choreography for dancing with the drum solo in this 3-week series.

You can pay per-class with cash (back-to-back price $20), check, your 10-class card (2 marks) OR
save money by registering for all 3 classes (6 hrs!)in the block -- just $55 total . Register now!

Andrea's Brazilian Samba Class
CANCELLED Saturday July 3, 2010 ONLY.
Andrea and her students will be dancing the El Sereno neigborhood's 4th of July parade at 2pm!

BUT!! ALL other DanceGardenLA bellydancing classes are happening on Saturday!

! See Schedule

Kamala's Bellydance Choreography Class
CANCELLED Sunday July 4, 2010 (US Independence Day) ONLY.

BUT!! ALL Monday classes are on July 5th including:

Beginning ATS, Bellydance with Zahra (Jenna subbing) and Tribal Fusion Bellydance! See Schedule

FREE TRIAL CLASS
BELLYDANCE BREAKDOWN WITH NASILA!
Tuesday July 6
7PM

Fun bellydance for beginners, or for more advanced students to come and drill the basics to get some of Nasila's delicious moves down! Nasila's class meets every Tuesday at 7pm, but only on July 6 is it FREE FREE FREE! :)

After June 21st, Kids Bellydance with Roxxanne on Mondays will be
CANCELLED until further notice.

See below for info on HULA for Kids!

Afro-Brazilian Dance on Mondays is
CANCELLED until further notice.

FREE TRIAL CLASSES!
(Please note date change -- free hula postponed to 6/17)
We are testing out some exciting new classes at DG, to find YOUR NEW FAVORITE! So come in and try a class for no charge -- just fill out a quick survey for us at the end!
HULA HIPS! For Kids and Adults!
with a Touch of Tahitian
taught by Hina, a native Hawaiian!
Thursday June 17
Hula for Kids at 5:30
Hula Hips at 6:30 pm

For this introductory class, we will begin by learning basic hula footwork to the beat of the ipu(gourd). We will then incorporate everything from feet placement, graceful hands, swaying hips, to facial expression to "tell a story" dancing to a Hawaiian mele(song). Time allowing, we may also learn some of the basic hip motions from the islands of Tahiti and dance to the faster beat of the to'ere (drum). Come and enjoy these fun, graceful dances of the Pacific!

Hina's hawaiian dance background began at the age of 3 in her native homeland of Hawai'i where she learned hula. At 18 she began performing as a soloist for one of the top Polynesian companies and lu'au shows in Hawai'i (Tihati's Drums of the Pacific at the Hyatt). Now, as an accomplished hula and polynesian dancer, she feels blessed to have had the opportunity to travel and perform all over the world . From Vegas to Japan, Texas to Tonga, and the East Coast of New York (Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade) to the Far East of Egypt, she has shared her native dances in front of royalty, celebrities, and people of all cultures. Today, she still travels often abroad and locally and can be seen performing at everything from restaurants and weddings to theater and feature films. In the past few years she has also enjoyed teaching hula at UCLA, performing on Celebrity Cruises (to Hawai'i, Tahiti, and New Zealand) as well as dancing with several professional groups who's styles range from Polynesian to Bellydance, to Brazilian Samba. Hina exudes passion, grace and love for dance in every style she performs.
As a former Hawaiian immersion school teacher, she is fluent in Hawaiian language. Growing up on Maui and also having a BA in Hawaiian studies (minor in Linguistics), she is proud and happy to share her culture and the beauty of hula.

taXim LIVE MUSIC & Bellydance Showcase

Friday June 11 at Studio Iqaat in nearby Eagle Rock (Los Angeles)

Special featured guest belly dancer -- DanceGarden's own Roxxanne Shelaby!

Jenna & Zahra of DanceGarden host this performance showcase with live arabic & turkish music, loads of bellydancing and other special treats in nearby Eagle Rock!
Click on taXim for more details!

Atwater Village Centennial Street Fair!
Sunday June13
Atwater Village's annual street fair is extra big as the village celebrates its 100th year of being part of lovely Los Angeles California! Vendors, entertainment and family fun! Train rides for the kids! The fair will be on Glendale Boulevard between Glenfeliz & Brunswick - walking distance from DG!

DanceGarden teachers & students take the stage at 2:15pm! Find us at the Madera bumpout stage-- on Glendale Boulevard in front of Kaldi Coffee Shop! Performances by Zahra, Jenna, Kamala & DeVilla's bellydance classes, Andrea's Samba class, and solo bellydance performance by Jenna!

FREE TRIAL CLASS!
NIA!with Nicole

Thursday May 20 at 6:30 pm
We are testing out some exciting new classes at DG, to find YOUR NEW FAVORITE! So come in and try a class for no charge -- just fill out a quick survey for us at the end!

ABOUT NIA: Nia is a path to condition, heal and express yourself through movement and sensation. With the philosophy "Through Movement We Find Health", Nia is a dynamic blend of dance arts, martial arts and healing arts. Nia balances technical precision with free-form expression, bringing the body, mind, emotions and spirit to optimum health through music, movement and self-expression, guided by the sensation of Pleasure and the Joy of Movement.
The first things you’ll notice in a Nia class are the smiles, fun and genuine sense of joy – in addition to the sweat! Nia is designed for any body: you’ll see bodies of all ages, shapes and sizes, and people from all lifestyles, professions and movement backgrounds in a Nia class. Every Nia class includes both structured and free-form experiences, a harmony of movements soft and powerful, sharp and fluid, linear and spiraling, explosive and relaxing. Vocalizations are used to release tension, activate the imagination, and engage the physical body to increase cardiovascular endurance. Each person’s movement is guided by the voice of his or her own body.

Nicole loved Nia at first dance because of how Nia encourages fun, pleasurable movement and self-expression, as well as acceptance and love for the body just as it is. I became a Nia instructor because I believe in the power of Nia to transform lives and the relationship people have with their bodies. In addition to my formal training and certification as Blue Belt Nia Instructor, I also bring to my teaching a knowledge of the technique and craft of Nia that stems from eight years in Portland, Oregon, where I had the pleasure of studying and dancing with Debbie & Carlos Rosas, the creators of Nia, as well as with many other inspiring and skillful teachers. I have studied and practiced several varieties of yoga and dance, all of which help me to create safe, effective, innovative, and healing movement experiences for my students.

DG RAQS OUT! Open Dancing with Live Music!

Come on by, tie on your hip scarf, and get down! No performances, no costumes, no judging, and no sitting still! :)
Just great live music courtesy of the Saffron Parade Arabesque Band and all the bellydancing you can do!

NEW DAY & TIME FRIDAY May 14-- 8 - 10 pm

$5 at the door -- bring water and your dancing shoes (no street shoes permitted, bare feet ok)!