Venus - Bellydance Belly dance In Vancouver, Baladi dans Montreal - Classes In Vancouver, Cours dans Montreal, Instruction, Shows, Performance

Class
Information

Class Locations & Registration Information		Locations
	Please note that Venus Bellydance does not take registrations directly. Registrations are done by the Community Centre or Studio where the class is held (unless otherwise noted).	Vancouver Killarney Community Centre 604 718-8200 6260 Killarney (at E 49th) website Mount Pleasant Community Centre 604 713-1888 #1 Kingsway (at Main) website Renfrew Community Centre 604 257-8388 2929 E 22nd website Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre 604 713-1800 181 Roundhouse Mews (Pacific @ Davie) website
	Important Information About Drop-ins
	Dance classes are not like fitness classes--the technique is not designed to be easy to follow so that people can drop-in at any point in the session. The focus in dance classes is skill-building, which is progressive. In the Venus MethodTM of instruction followed by all our instructors, each class builds on the material and motor skills learned in the previous classes. For this reason, we cannot accept first-time drop-ins after the second class, as it will not be possible to bring newcomers up to speed. Previous Venus Bellydance students are welcome to drop-in after the first 2 classes. Also, since most of our beginner classes are fully registered before the first class, it is possible that we will not be able to accept drop-ins during the first two weeks. Please contact the centre before you come to do a drop-in. TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE IN CLASS, PLEASE REGISTER EARLY (full payment required for registration).
	What to Wear & Bring to Class
	Class Attire: Exercise clothes hip scarf/belt bare feet or dance shoes (recommended) T-shirts should not cover the hips. Please do not wear baggy pants that cover the feet. Instructors must be able to see your low back, hips, knees and feet to ensure safe, correct technique. Bring a water bottle. For safety reasons, no gum chewing in class. If you arrive to class late, you must do your floor warmup for proper safety.
	ABOUT LEVELS
	Every bellydance school has different criteria for levels, and names for levels are somewhat arbitrary, e.g. one teacher's Beginner 2 may be another's Intermediate. Our Level Criteria seem to be higher than those of many other schools/teachers, owing to our precise specifications for correct technique and our desire to ensure good learning of movement skills. Progressing to the next level is not simply a matter of attending al the classes of the preceding level. The fundamental building block skills in our Beginner 1 classes must be learned well enough that they are beginning to become automatic before progressing to the next level. Progression is at the discretion of the instructor. Example of readiness to move from Beginner 1 to Beginner 2: Piston hip shimmies are restricted to the vertical plane and can be perforned smoothly at slow and medium speeds without bouncing; Slow walking 1-2-3 shimmy can be performed with proper knee-leg function, without requiring undue conscious attention; Hip drops are isolated without bouncing throughout the body, mediated by proper pumping action of the supporting knee/leg (i.e. the supporting hip drops to allow the hip-drop hip to rise). OUR AIM IS TO TEACH CORRECT TECHNIQUE FROM THE START SO YOU DON'T INGRAIN BAD HABITS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO UN-LEARN OR THAT MAY COMPOMISE HEALTH AND AESTHETICS.	Montreal McGill Sports Centre 475 Pine Ave West 514-398-7000 website
	Class Descriptions
	Beginner 1 This course will introduce the beginner to the foundation steps and isolations of a wide variety of Middle Eastern dance styles, including raks sharqi (Egyptian bellydance), American Tribal bellydance and regional folkloric styles. Students are required to take Beginner 1 at least twice before proceeding to Beginner 2 (see Level Breakdown* for more on this). Exceptions: students with extensive training in other dance styles MAY* only need take Beginner 1 once. All students new to bellydance, regardless of other dance training, will need to take Beginner 1. Beginner 2 For students who have taken the full Beginner 1 course at least once (many students need to take Beginner 1 twice for basic moves to become automatic. All Venus Bellydance instructors have taken Beginner 1 three times). This class builds on material learned in Beginner 1, refining technique, learning transitions, new movements and variations, adding travelling steps to isolations learned, and learning combinations and full dances. Students with at least 1 year previous bellydance experience who are new to Venus' classes are advised to start with this class (but may be re-directed to Beginner 1if solid technique is lacking). Intermediate 1 In this class we continue to build on the Beginner 1 and 2 technique, adding layering, complexity and variations to the basic moves. Drills and exercises are used to refine technique while improving strength and alignment. There is more focus on learning combinations and whole dances. Students are encouraged to explore personal expression and creativity through the bellydance form. Intermediate 2 Progression to Intermediate 2 will depend on individual learning pace (practice, practice, practice!) Students in this class have been studying 2 or more years. This is a faster paced class demanding proficiency in hip work, undulations and traveling steps. We continue to add more complex variations of foundation movements while improving general knowledge about the music, different styles of Middle Eastern dance and cultural contexts. Class format contains more "follow-the-leader" segments, demanding strength, solid technique, and analytical abilities developed in the lower levels. Advanced Technique & Choreography for Performance Pre-requisites: 3 to 5 years study of bellydance. Students transferring from other instructors may need technique evaluation before entering this class. This is a fast-paced class requiring high levels of technique and fitness. Content includes advanced versions of movements, i.e. travelling with chest and hip isolations, layering, combinations.

Montreal Locations

Class Descriptions