No special clothing is required, although dance/ballet shoes are recommended. Since belly dance is a form of exercise, you want to wear something you would wear to the gym. Leggings, midriff tops, flowing broomstick skirts, ballet wear, sweats, aerobic wear are suitable. A hip scarf is recommended for women’s classes. You should be prepared to take class in slippers, bare foot, in ballet or jazz slippers. Sneakers or dance/jazz shoes that have arch support are only recommended for those who absolutely need to wear them, as they will interfere with the flat/ball use of the feet in belly dancing.
2. What should I bring to class?
Please bring water in a spill-proof container and remember to either throw it in the trash when you leave or take it with you. You should bring a scarf to tie around your hips. Any type of scarf or sash will do. A belly dance hip scarf with beads or coins is fun and Miramar sells them so please ask her to bring in your favorite color. Depending on current class content, finger cymbals, veil or other dance props may be needed. Miramar has these items available for sale as well. Finger cymbals called zills are ($12-$16) and a veil ($20-$25) are usually required for 2nd six weeks class. Bring a large towel or mat to use for the stretching portion of class.
3. What are the health benefits of belly dancing? Belly dancing is a great way to relieve stress and many students take classes simply for the fun! Belly dancing is a great way to get in shape, stay in shape and provides a great cardiovascular workout. Miramar includes gentle stretching exercises (simple yoga) to help increase flexibility, relieve tension, increase blood flow, and help work out the kinks! Belly Dancing classes can be like a girl's night out! Many of Miramar's students have formed lasting friendships in belly dancing class! An encouraging and supportive environment is always the goal of Miramar's classes. Another added benefit is increased energy! What are you waiting for? Join Miramar today on a wonderful journey in an ancient art form!
4. Am I too old to take Belly Dancing?
Women of all ages can enjoy the benefits of belly dancing - just work at a pace that is comfortable for you. BellyBasic classes are designed for the beginning level dancer who may have never experienced a dance class in her life.
5. Am I too fat/skinny/out of shape to belly dance?
No. Belly dancers come in all shapes and sizes. If you are worried about your weight, check with your doctor and get his/her permission to start a belly dance exercise routine. Belly dance provides a great workout for everyone. Do not wait till you are your ideal weight to start. You will learn to love your body and yourself soon after you start classes and belly dancing will help you to get in shape!
6. Do I need to lose weight before dancing in a recital or performing?
Absolutely not. While belly dancing is a great way to get in shape and lose weight - belly dancers do not have to be thin. As a matter of fact, thin belly dancers are not preferred in Egypt! Turkey maybe - but certainly not in Egypt where the majority of dancers are plump! In America, especially, many professional dancers are not by any means thin. Plus the right costume is like Magic - and there are many styles to choose from including those with tummy net covers and gorgeous Beledi dresses that are like evening gowns!
7. What is the origin of belly dancing? What country does it come from?
This dance is a very ancient art form whose exact origin was not recorded, although it is believed it has roots in matriarchal goddess religions. The earliest recorded dances were fertility dances for blessing the land and encouraged both the growth of crops and babies. The dance prepared a woman to be a mother as well as recover from the stress of childbirth and caring for a newborn. The dance is originally believed to have come from Asyria or Egypt and eventually spread throughout North Africa, the Middle East, Mediterranean, and parts of Asia through the trade routes such as the Silk Road.
8. I have back problems and want to learn belly dance. What should I do?
Belly dance is one of the safest and most regenerative forms of exercise for the health of the spine. Students with mild to severe back problems such as frequent back ache, scoliosis, muscle spasms, sciatica, herniated disks will often experience relief within the first lesson. Some students will recover completely from back pain within months and more severe cases find it an excellent way to manage pain without the use of harmful drugs. It is always recommended that you check with your doctor first before beginning any exercise program.
9. I am not Middle Eastern and have no experience with belly dance or the Middle Eastern Culture, does that matter?
You do not have to be Middle Eastern to learn to belly dance. You do not have to have any experience in order to learn the dance. Miramar includes cultural information in her classes and can answer your questions about most aspects of the dance and/or culture. Just ask!
10. What if the session as already started? Is it too late to start classes?
Miramar's classes are taught on a year-round continuous basis. For classes offered at the various other locations, you can start at any time, at the beginning or in the middle of the month. In BellyBasic classes, there is usually a mixture of students who are brand new to class and advanced beginning level students who have had one session or several. There are many topics to cover in BellyBasics: basic isolations, hip work, traveling steps, basic zills, veil work, improvisation, simple dance choreographies and more. All these topics take time to learn and refine, so repetition is a must. Start class as soon as you are able!
11. Can I make up classes I missed?
If a substitute same level or lower class is available at the various locations that Miramar teaches, than students can make-up a missed class during the same session. The absent student should e-mail Miramar@bellydancewithmiramar within 48 hrs; if student does not have E-mail, phone 540-888-4344. Missed class on the last date of the session may be made up during the following session provided student is enrolled as full-time student. Workshops, special classes and private lessons are not available for make-ups. If there is no available make-up class offered, then there are no make-up class available. If you missed class when Miramar is teaching a choreography or feel like you are getting behind, then it is recommended that you take a private lesson to catch up. Full-Time enrolled students may take private lessons at a reduced cost. If you are taking a class at a level that is lower than your own, please resist the urge to improvise and do more advanced movements than what I am teaching, as I find it very distracting for myself and my students.
12. Do you have a credit policy?
Credits are only given when a student must quit taking classes due to severe illness or injury and is not able to return to class. A doctor's written note stating such is required. To receive credit, you need to notify Miramar within one week of your illness or injury and send a doctor's written note no less than two weeks after your illness or injury. The note needs to be signed by the doctor, include the date of your visit and expected recovery. It must state that you are unable to participate in an activity such as dancing until your recovery date. Once this is completed you will receive your Letter of Credit which must be used consistently starting no less than one week after your recovery date for group classes. Letter of Credit may not be used for private lessons or workshops, haflas, or other special classes.
13. Can I get a credit for missed classes to apply to the next session or to use for private lessons?
Unfortunately, this is one of the most asked and difficult questions for dance instructors. Many teachers try to be nice and have some sort of make up policy, however, it is not the teacher's responsibility to offer make up classes or sessions for students who miss classes. Most teachers hold their classes with a minimum number of students. Operating in a rather rural area, this is the case with Miramar's classes. She would not be able to afford to operate her business if she would have to credit students for classes they miss. In the past, she did this; it made maintaining a studio and paying rent very difficult so she instituted a fair make-up policy. If you check around, you will find that most classes/courses do not offer make-up classes at all.
14. Is there a refund policy? Refund Policy: There are no refunds unless a class is cancelled due to low registration. Please do not sign up for a class if you are unsure of your ability to attend classes. If this is the case you may attend class as a drop-in student and pay as you go! All classes, workshops and services must be paid for in advance and are not transferable or refundable. You should understand that you are registered for a certain set of dates and that if you miss a class that there are no make-ups unless covered by the Make-Up Policy. Students who are not able to attend class on a regular basis should pay the drop-in prices for classes if that option is available.
15. What about class cancellations? Cancellations of class occur when there is lack of enrollment, and in such cases, uncashed checks or PayPal refunds are issued immediately. Students who have preregistered and provided phone numbers and/or E-mail addresses are notified. In lieu of a refund, you can choose to apply your refund to an upcoming class or workshop.
16. What about bad weather or other class cancellations? Once session dates are confirmed; i.e., published on web page and/or sent out by e-mail or in printed form, the dates will not change. On rare occasions, when a teacher is ill or if class is cancelled because of inclement weather, students who have provided their correct phone numbers will be notified immediately, an e-mail stating the class cancellation is promptly sent out and the cancellation is posted on Miramar's home page.
17. How long does it take to become a professional belly dancer?
An average time is approximately 5 years. That may seem like a long time, but if you examine the length of time it takes to become a professional in just about anything - you will find it takes years of study. Students who come to this dance form with extensive dance background, i.e., they grew up studying ballet, tap, and jazz - will progress much faster than a 40 year old woman who has never studied dance in her life. A professional belly dancer needs many skills to be successful: ability to isolate the body, how to shimmy many different ways, an aptitude for zil playing, an understanding of Middle Eastern cultures, be able to differentiate between cabaret and folklore, costuming know-how, stamina to perform for 20-30 minutes without getting winded, and the list goes on and on!
18. I want to teach belly dancing. How long will that take and what are the requirements?
Miramar believes that a teacher of Middle Eastern dance should first be a professional dancer for many years before hanging out her shingle to teach. She estimates 7 years as an minimum time frame for gaining the required expertise and talent There are too many important concepts that need to be included in dance classes that the novice or amateur performer just doesn't know about because she lacks the necessary experience. A dance teacher needs to have a knowledge of the body's infrastructure, the major muscles and how the body works. Knowledge of proper posture and how to instruct students to correct improper posture is a must. Other important requirements are: knowledge of various genres of Middle Eastern dance including Egyptian Raks Sharqi, Turkish Rom, Lebanese, Greek, Moroccan, and the many various forms of folklore. A musical ability is an absolute must as you must be able to locate the first beat of a phrase (something that many students seem to have trouble with) and break down music. An ability to dance by improvisation and choreography is a needed requirement and you must be able to choreography suitable dances for your various student's abilities.
19. Why do you require full-time attendance for your intermediate-advanced level classes?
These classes move at a fast pace and cover large amounts of material and choreographies which must be memorized and then practiced and rehearsed over and over again to make perfect. There are many reasons why: 1. When students attend on only a partial basis, then the class schedule as to be structured around their schedule which makes it difficult for the teacher and is not fair to the students. 2. On-line You-tube support is provided for full-time students only, part-time students may possibly receive YouTube support - it depends on a number of factors -please contact me directly to discuss this. 3. If one student is permitted to attend on a part-time basis then all students must be allowed to attend on a part-time basis, and it becomes impossible for the teacher to teach at a faster pace, as the teacher must constantly be repeating material that she has already taught but has to reteach to the students who were not in class.
20. YouTube Instruction is provided for FREE for full-time enrolled students. If you drop out of class it is possible to continue with YouTube support for a low fee of $20 per month provided you meet certain criteria. Please enquire. If you quit class and do not continue with the YouTube support you will be deleted from the private videos. If you rejoin the class there is a $50 fee to add you back to the private videos as this takes a lot of time and effort.