How to Find a Belly Dance Teacher

A great belly dance teacher will be one who not only gives you good information but also keeps you entertained and inspires you to pursue your dance goals. As belly dance rises in popularity, there's a greater variety of teachers available---even in smaller communities. With so many choices, it's essential that you pick a teacher who has the right credentials to help you succeed and to get you the most value for your money.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• The internet
• A phone
• The desire to do a little research

1. 
    
   Sharon Kihara is one of the best-known tribal fusion dancers.

   DO YOUR HOMEWORK. First you need to choose what form of belly dance you want to study. In the US, there are basically two schools: tribal and cabaret. Understand that there's a marked difference between these styles: tribal belly dance is earthy, snakey, and sometimes downright fierce. And tribal dancers have the costuming to match: dressed almost like warriors, they typically adorn themselves from head to toe in coins, antique jewelry, tassels, and maybe even tattoos. The tribal form of belly dance is relatively new, so it is constantly evolving and often experimental as opposed to cabaret belly dance which is the form of the dance that you typically think of when you call up the image of a graceful belly dancer in a sequined costume. If you yearn to be covered in head-to-toe sequins and arabesque to classical Egyptian music, you won't want to go to a teacher who specializes in tribal. That's why it's important you do some preliminary research on belly dance to figure out exactly what it is you want to learn.

2. 
    
   Jillina, a well-known cabaret dancer, is the choreographer and director of the Bellydance Superstars.

   KNOW YOUR OPTIONS. When you know what form of belly dance you want to study, check out the instruction options in your area. Do an internet search for belly dance teachers in your city, and see who comes up. Make sure you also call your local YMCA and any dance studios. Teachers in these venues may not come up high on your internet search---if they come up at all---but you'll want to be sure to check them out as well. There are plenty of bad teachers with exquisitely beautiful websites, so don't assume that a particular teacher will be the best just because she comes up number one on Google. For now, put all of your prospective teachers on one list.

3. 
    
   Jamila Salimpour is credited with creating tribal belly dance. Her daughter Suhaila is probably the best-known tribal teacher in the world.

   CALL AROUND. Now that you have a list of potential belly dance teachers, it's time to go about researching each of them to find out whose style will best fit your needs. Call or email each teacher and ask a few questions: How many students do you have (will there be so many that you won't be able to concentrate or see the instructor?)? What do your students wear to class? Where do you teach (is it a private building or is it in shopping center where anyone can look in and watch you during class?)? Does the teacher allow observers to watch class? Does she allow male students? Does she allow students to bring their children? It's important that you ask these questions so you know what kind of environment you'll be learning in and what sort of attitude the teacher has. If a teacher's answers don't meet your expectations, it's time to cross her off your list of potentials. After calling around, your list should narrow considerably.

4. 
    
   Morocco is one of the most lauded belly dancers in the United States.

   CHECK CREDENTIALS. Calling around to different teachers may help you narrow your list to one candidate. Even if you think you've already decided, you need to go one step further and be sure that your teacher is legitimate. The last thing you want is to take classes from a woman who learned belly dance by watching DVDs. Her knowledge of Middle Eastern culture and her dance technique will likely be limited. You want a professional dancer who has years of performance experience and has trained extensively with other professionals. You can probably find this information by looking at a dancer's website. If your potential teacher does not have a website, call her back and ask about her training. And be wary of "certifications." Belly dance certifications are a gimmick. Many famous dancers hold weekend workshops offering "certifications" to those students who complete the entire series of classes. The only requirement to obtain a certification is that you attend all classes; there is no test to prove your knowledge. So if a teacher tells you she holds a certain certification, understand that it doesn't necessarily mean much.

5. 
    
   Your teacher should help you foster a love for belly dance.

   HAVE FUN. Once you start taking classes, enjoy yourself. If you aren't enjoying yourself, don't feel bad about moving on to another teacher. You are paying good money for your classes, and you deserve to have a positive experience.

Tips & Warnings

• Be open-minded when it comes to the age of potential teachers. Don't discriminate against teachers who are very young or teachers who are more mature. Remember that experience counts most when it comes to determining who the best teachers are.
• If, in the course of researching a teacher, you leave a message for a her and she doesn't get back to you, you probably don't want to take her class. If she doesn't answer her messages or emails, then that might be a sign that she isn't committed to her business or to her students.
• A teacher's attitude will go a long way in determining what sort of experience you have in class. Your teacher might be the most informative and easy to understand, but if all she does is bark orders at you for the entire class, her style might not be the best for your needs. If you are taking belly dance classes as a hobby, you deserve to have a fulfilling experience, not feel like you're enduring boot camp. You might want to try finding another teacher who both teaches you well and makes you laugh at the same time.

Resources

• More information about tribal belly dance
• General information on belly dance including history, costuming, and props

[bonbonmontero]

on 12/18/2008 thanks:) im doing belly dancing 1s a week:)

[HorseTender]

on 12/13/2008 Very cool article. I've had an interest in belly dancing for quite some time and have wanted to learn how to do it. I think you gave some great tips on finding a good instructor - thanks!

[QueenofMisc]

on 12/11/2008 Good info on belly dancing.