Farasha Dance School
Renee teaches weekly belly dance classes at Hothouse Dance Studios in NE Minneapolis, Tapestry Folkdance Center in South Minneapolis, and at The Beautiful Studio in the Creative Enterprise Zone of St Paul. 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.
NEW! Tuesday Evening Workshops at the Beautiful Studio in St. Paul!
Workshop times are Tuesdays 5:30-6:50 and 7-8:20. Topics range from basics to shimmies to veilwork to turns to finger cymbals and more! See below for current offerings.
Beginner Raqs Sharqi weekly classes resume in April Tapestry Folkdance Center!
Learn the belly dance basics and more in Beginner Raqs Sharqi Thursdays at 7. See details below.
Weekly Foundational Arabic Dance Class continues (nearly) every Saturday afternoon in NE!
Perfect for adventurous beginner belly dancers and experienced dancers looking to drill fundamentals, we keep it moving Saturdays 1:15-2:15 at Hothouse.
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.
NEW!! Raqs al-Assaya Workshops, beginning Jan 6th in place of Arabic Dance Combo - Saturdays 2:30-3:30 Jan 6th-April 25th
Translated as “stick dance,” Raqs al-Assaya is a South Egyptian dance traditionally performed at weddings, birthday parties, and special events. Developed out of the men's martial arts tradition of combat with sticks (tahtib), Raqs al-Assaya features a distinct style of music, set to the 4/4 Sa'idi rhythm, and energetic, earthy movements.
PART 1: Raqs al-Assaya Skills - 5-weeks - Jan 6th-Jan 31st
Learn Sa'idi styling, steps, and canework in these 5 weeks of skill building, laying the foundation for a full Egyptian Sa'idi choreography.
PART 2: Raqs al-Assaya Choreography - 5 weeks - Feb 7th-March 7th
With the skills developed in Part 1, learn a brand new, full Egyptian Sa'idi Choreo featuring canework in these 5 weeks of workshops.
PART 3: Raqs al-Assaya Performance Prep - 7 weeks - Mar 14th-April 25th, plus performance on Sunday April 26th.
With the choreo we learned in Part 2, we will polish, stage, and costume the group for a fabulous performance! This is a great opportunity for student dancers to grow performance skills in a casual and supportive community event setting.
These Saturday afternoon classes are designed to take singly OR together for 2 hours of class! $19/single drop-in or $24/both classes (great value!). Class packs available: $85/5-class pack; $150/10-class pack. Note: Raqs al-Assaya Part 3: Performance Prep is a standalone 7-week course that cannot be combined with other class pack options. 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)
Thursdays 7 pm-8:20 pm, April 2nd-May 21st
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).
St. Paul:
The Beautiful Studio, 2242 University Ave W, St Paul, MN 55114
Belly Dance Basics Workshops: Veilwork! (beginner)
Tuesdays 5:30 pm - 6:50 pm for 4 weeks, April 14th-May 5th
Learn the fundamentals of veilwork! In this 4 week series, we will cover the basics of veil management, foundational veil movements, and many common veilwork steps. $22/workshop or $75/all 4 workshops. Click here to Register
Big Veil Energy Workshops! (all levels)
Tuesdays 7 pm - 8:20 pm for 4 weeks, April 14th-May 5th
Learn tips and techniques to amp up your veil work! Discover how to get your veil in the flow, through movement, body posture, arm positioning, and veil management. We will apply these methods to specific veil moves and string them together. This workshop is open to dancers of all levels; beginners are encouraged to attend preceding workshop, Belly Dance Basics - Veilwork, 5:30-6:50. $22/workshop or $75/all 4 workshops. Click here to Register
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.