Farasha Dance School
Renee teaches weekly belly dance classes at The Beautiful Studio in St Paul, Hothouse Dance Studios in NE Minneapolis, and Tapestry Folkdance Center in South Minneapolis. Whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or advanced student, there is a class for you. If you are curious about joining our dance community, or would like to improve your skills and techniques, Contact Renee.
Tuesday Evenings at the Beautiful Studio in St. Paul! A Three-Workshop Series for new dancers on September 8th & 15th. Beginner Belly Dance Classes resume on September 15th, Community Hafla on September 22nd, and Drills, Zills, & Layering Skills returns on September 29th! See details below.
New Start Time for Hothouse classes in September!! Weekly Foundational Arabic Dance & Arabic Dance Combo Classes continue (nearly) every Saturday afternoon in NE Mpls! Class times shift a half-hour earlier to 12:45 & 2:00 starting on September 5th! Join for one or both classes! See details below.
South Minneapolis classes are not running this fall--Tapestry has a class minimum that we were not meeting last spring. If you want this option back this winter, reach out to me about it and spread the word about my classes!
St. Paul: The Beautiful Studio, 2242 University Ave W, St Paul, MN 55114
NOTE: Go to Hampden Ave entrance and look for the "Farasha Dance" doorbell. Free parking is available on Hampden Ave, behind the Dow Artists Building, and across University Avenue in the Wright Building lot.
Three September Workshops designed for New Dancers, $25/single or $60/all 3:
Footwork & Finger Cymbal Fundamentals ~ September 8th 6-7:20
The first of three fall workshops geared toward new dancers! Footwork & Finger Cymbal Fundamentals will breakdown and drill basic footwork and simple finger cymbal patterns that are commonly used in Raqs Sharqi (Belly Dance). These elements are often the biggest challenges for beginners! Develop muscle memory through rhythmic understanding and repetition so that, eventually, you can auto-pilot these parts and build upon them. Register here
Time to Turn ~ September 8th 7:30-8:50
Directly after Footwork & Finger Cymbal Fundamentals it will be Time to Turn! Turning effectively is a whole thing, so we are making a whole workshop of it! You will learn posture, body alignment, spotting, and more to improve your turning technique, then apply it to several varieties of turns and plug them into simple movement sequences. Beginners are strongly encouraged to attend Footwork & Finger Cymbal Fundamentals for the optimal experience in Time to Turn. Register here
Intro to Veilwork ~ September 15th 7:30-8:50
Get your veilwork flowing! We will breakdown the technique of basic veil holds & movements, then drill! Participants must have a grasp of common footwork patterns and basic turns; therefore, beginners are strongly encouraged to attend both Footwork & Finger Cymbal Fundamentals and Time to Turn for the optimal Intro to Veilwork experience. Veils will be provided. Register here
Weekly Fall Classes:
Beginner Belly Dance
Tuesdays September 15th-November 17th 6-7:20
Join Renee for the basics to get you started and keep you going on your dance journey! Overview core isolations, foundational footwork, classic arm positioning, popular rhythms, simple finger cymbals patterns, and more! $150/10 classes, $95/5 classes, $22/single class. Click Here to Register
Fall Drills, Zills, & Layering Skills (Int/Adv)
Tuesdays September 29th-November 17th 7:30-8:50
It's back! Join me for some old-school training! Classes will include traditional warm-up with strengthening and conditioning; isolations and moving drills; integrated finger cymbal practice; layering techniques; and a legit cooldown. $130/8 classes, $75/4 classes, $22/single class. Click Here to Register
NE Mpls: Hothouse, 2303 Kennedy St NE, 2nd floor #201, Minneapolis, MN 55413
Foundational Arabic Dance (beginner/intermediate)
Saturdays 1:15pm - 2:15pm, ongoing
This class will overview all things Arabic dance: core movements, footwork patterns, coordination and strengthening, with a focus on technique and drills. Advanced students will be encouraged to add movement layers.
Arabic Dance Combo (intermediate/advanced)
Saturdays 2:30pm - 3:30pm, ongoing
Come for Foundational Arabic Dance, stay for Arabic Dance Combo! In this class, dancers will focus on particular movements, styling, or musicality, and learn sequences. We will complete a 32-ct movement combination to a different piece of music each week!
These Saturday afternoon classes are designed to take singly OR together for 2 hours of class! $19/single drop-in or $25/both classes (great value!). Class packs available: $85/5-class pack; $150/10-class pack. hothousempls.com
Sign Up:
To sign up in advance, go to hothousempls.com/schedule and click on the Saturday you'd like to attend. Then scroll down to 1:15 pm or 2:30 pm and click "SIGN UP" under the class you want. You will be asked to log into MindBody (or create an account first if needed).
South Mpls: Tapestry Folkdance Center, 3748 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55406
Beginner Raqs Sharqi (beginner/returning students)
**Tapestry classes are currently discontinued due to low enrollment. If you want them to resume, please communicate your interest and check back in December for Winter Class Schedule!**
Learn the basics of Raqs Sharqi! In this 8-week course, we will breakdown core isolations, footwork, armwork, rhythms, and more to get you started! Commonly known as "Belly Dance" in the west, Raqs Sharqi is the Egyptian name for an art form developed by urban, professional dancers who have traditionally performed as soloists at wedding celebrations, in night clubs, and in early Egyptian movies. The movements are rooted in the folk dances of the region, incorporating elements of western dance traditions, and are characterized by skillful refinement and musicality. The dance is closely connected with classical Arabic music--indeed, many classical tunes have been composed for dance and, even, for individual dancers. Raqs Sharqi celebrates each dancer's unique style and interpretation of the music. $18/single class with discounted pricing for Tapestry members, young adults (18-30), and youth (10-17).