Belly Dance Instruction

Professional Belly Dance Classes in the Carbondale area

Learn to belly dance beautifully! All the Nile Breeze Instructors are experienced teachers and performers with extensive and ongoing formal training. We stress proper posture, correct technique, cultural context and understanding, and musicality in a fun and relaxing environment.

Spring 2009 Class Information:

 

Tedi’s and Sedonia’s classes at the SIUC Student Recreation Center (Carbondale) are 1.5 hrs long and run in 6-week sessions. Click here for full and current information.

 

Upcoming sessions:

Session A: Jan 26 - Mar 2

Session B: Mar 16 - Apr 20

 

Fundamentals level with Tedi: Mon. 5:30-7:00 pm, rec center dance studio, $40 students & members, $60 non-members.

Continuing level with Sedonia: Mon. 7:15 to 8:45 pm, rec center dance stuiol, $40 students & members, $60 non-members.

 

Rose's Classes at Great Shapes Fitness for Women (Carbondale) are 1 hr long; you can join any time.

Baby-sitting available! Check back soon for updated spring session dates.

Class runs in 6 week sessions but you can also join any time and pay drop-in rate ($5 per class for gym members, $8 for non-members.)
Tuesdays 6:45-7:45 pm

 

Tedi and Sedonia are also available for private lessons and group workshops. Private lessons run $25/hr (plus studio fee and/or mileage if necessary) and can be shared by two students at similar level. Inquire about pricing for small groups.

 

About the Nile Breeze Instructors

Tedi has over 28 years of experience and formal training in Middle Eastern dance, and over 20 years of teaching experience. Her classes are oriented towards the American style of belly dance, also called American oriental, vintage oriental, or American Caberet (“Am-Cab”). The American style is a mixture of elements from Arabic, Turkish, Armenian and other ethnicities. Props such as veil, finger cymbals are used extensively, and balancing props such as swords may be used as well. This style of dance evolved in the latter half of the 20th century as immigrants (including dancers and musicians) from many countries interacted with Americans in the clubs and restaurants of ethnic neighborhoods across the country. Artemis Mourat has referred to this style as “rare and endangered”, because the trends of belly dance in the U.S. have moved more towards either the Egyptian side of the spectrum, or towards fusion forms such as American Tribal, Urban Tribal, world dance, jazz-influenced, etc.

Sedonia has over 11 years of experience and formal dance training in Middle Eastern dance, and over 6 years of teaching experience. She is also an SIUC professor and thus has drawn extensively on her professonal academic pedagogical skills in developing a philosophy of dance instruction. Sedonia’s classes are oriented towards the Egyptian style of belly dance. The Egyptian style is relaxed yet precise, and features internalized movements and layering of movements. Veil and finger cymbals are also used, but in more limited capacity.

Both Lisa and Rose have been belly dancing for over six years, and have recently begun teaching under the mentorship of Tedi and Sedonia. Lisa has had extensive training and a strong backgorund as a troupe performer under the directon of Zada Al Gaziyeh of Lawrence KS. Additionally, her background as a trained musician and academic enhances her dance instructional skills. Rose began her training with the Jasmin Jahal School of Dance in Chicago, and has continued to train extensively with Tedi and Sedonia, as well as with Diana of St. Louis, and other regional and national instructors. Her academic training also enhances her teaching skills.

 

All of the Nile Breeze dance instructors are eternal students of the dance, and constantly continue their dance education in the form of master workshops and private coaching. Additionally, we work collaboratively together to constantly refine and improve our teaching skills to bring the best possible learning experience to our students.