Shira's "Belly Dance for Exercise" Class (events » arts) Thursday, June 9, 2011 - 6:00 PM 3 RSVPs Build core strength and raise your heart rate with a workout based on belly dancing moves! Warm up using sensuous, fluid isolations, then tone your upper body with veil work, raise your heart rate with folk dances from the Middle East, and cool down with more isolation as you build strength in your deepest core muscles. It doesn't feel so much like exercise when your hip scarf is jingling and you're learning to dance!

Suitable for all levels of belly dance experience. All ages and body types welcome. No prior dance experience needed.

Shira's "Dance in Egytian Cinema" Lecture in San Diego (events » arts) Thursday, June 16, 2011 - 7:00 PM 414 RSVPs Explore how the role of "dancer" has been portrayed in Egyptian motion pictures from the 1930's through today. Learn the story behind well-known dance scenes, discover dancers you may not have previously seen, and learn how film portrayals of dancers changed over the years to reflect changes in Egyptian society.

This lecture/video presentation explores how dance has been portrayed in Egyptian cinema over the 20th century. Many people have seen compilations of dance scenes from vintage motion pictures, but know very little about the films in which they appear. This presentation reveals the story behind the clips – not just the movies’ plots, but also insights into how then-current events/culture influenced the portrayal of dance and who the audiences for these films were.

The workshop shows dance scenes from a variety of Egyptian films to illustrate several key points, using narrative to weave them together, establish a historical context for each, and help viewers anticipate what to look for. Key points covered include:

* Different environments in which dance occurred: the moulid, the nightclub, the wedding performer, and the social gathering, including movie scenes that illustrate each
* Types of roles featuring dancers, and how these changed over time
* How changes to Egyptian society such as the 1952 revolution affected how dance was portrayed in the cinema
* Dance forms other than raqs sharqi (belly dance) that appeared in Egyptian films
* Famous actors & actresses and their connection to the dancers

Introduction to Debke at Carnival of Stars, August, 2011 (events » arts) Friday, August 5, 2011 - 12:00 PM 143 RSVPs Discover debke, a popular folk dance from Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine. You'll learn steps you can use for the audience participation segment of your shows, ideas for costuming, how to choose appropriate music, and a performance-worthy choreography to bring it all together.

Join Shira for this workshop, and help stamp out debke!

Shira's "Zills Thrills" Workshop at Vegas Bellydance Intensive (events » arts) Sunday, September 11, 2011 - 8:30 AM 414 RSVPs Shira will be teaching a workshop titled "Zills Thrills: Adding Spice with Finger Cymbals" at the Las Vegas Bellydance Intensive on September 11, 2011. This event will be in Las Vegas, at the Flamingo Hotel. The organizer is Samira Tu'ala.

Join Shira for an introductory class in how to play finger cymbals while dancing. Discover the building blocks of rhythms, and learn a musician's secrets for sounding as though you're part of the band. Although this class is in the "Beginner" track for the Intensive, even experienced dancers may pick up some new ideas on how to play their cymbals, or on how to teach cymbals to their own students.

Shira's American Oriental Workshop in Sioux City, Iowa (events » arts) Saturday, March 24, 2012 - 10:30 AM 410 RSVPs Join Shira for a full-day workshop exploring American Oriental, the style of belly dance that arose in the U.S. during the 1960's and 1970's. Class will include:

1. Finger cymbals
2. American Oriental style for restaurants & parties
3. Improvising solo performances

Price is $75 before February 28, 2012, $85 after that.

To Register: Contact Connie Reynolds, Owner, The Yoga College at 712-224-9642 or email Connie at connie@theyogacollege.com