Thread: Just Curious...Sahara Dance Co. anybody?

Just curious, does anyone here on bhuz live in Washington D.C.? If you do, how many of you are enrolled or work for the Sahara Dance Company?

I'm not in the dance company, but that's where I first started taking bellydance classes. Rachel Brookmire is awesome, I love her classes!

Full time dancer in the DC area.
I take classes mostly from people with over 30 years professional experience (we've got a few in the area with 20 or more years pro experience) or who have been full time dancers all their lives (Egyptian man up in Baltimore).

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

Full time dancer in the DC area.
I take classes mostly from people with over 30 years professional experience (we've got a few in the area with 20 or more years pro experience) or who have been full time dancers all their lives (Egyptian man up in Baltimore).

I'm sure they offer that caliber training at Sahara Dance! They advertise their dancers as being professionally qualified to perform even for Middle Eastern audiences.

The Sahara Dancers are too young for the level of experience mentioned above. I have enjoyed classes with Rachel Kay Brookmire & Elyssa, as well as workshops with some of the other teachers, & workshops they have sponsored. They have a lot of classes, they are methodically taught, & there is not much to complain about. Classes are on a standard dance model, warm-up, drilling, combos, etc. There are descriptions available on their website. I have been happy with their classes and will probably sign up again, although I am not currently taking any. They are a nice supplement to the classes I take with Faten Salama & Noor-Jihan. Those are pretty much all dance & follow the teacher, which I admit I do like better than the (seemingly) ballet based format of class which Sahara Dance gives. One thing I would probably not do again - is take one class out of a pair of two designed to teach a choreography for performance. Usually I only want to take one enrollment class per session because of the expense. One summer I took a veil & zills class at Sahara Dance & it turned out that most of the class was drilling the choreography for the performance & most of the students were taking two subsequent classes instead of just the one hr. I felt somewhat neglected by that approach & resolved not to do it again.

I did take some classes with Saphira of former Sahara Dance fame, but now of Saffron Dance fame. I was with her before she was at Sahara Dance.

Although she didn't have decades of professional belly dance experience then, I did learn a lot from her. She had a lot to offer as a teacher with her many years of belly dance training, even more impressive experience as an instructor in other dance forms, and cultural knowledge necessary for working with Middle Eastern audiences. I'm glad I did take those classes with her, in addition to years of training with master teachers like Artemis and Yasmin.

I think she was the most experienced belly dance instructor and performer on the official Sahara Dance staff (excluding seasoned guest instructors like Faten Salama). It's sad she's not there anymore with her qualifications!

Originally Posted by kamilia

I think she was the most experienced belly dance instructor and performer on the official Sahara Dance staff (excluding seasoned guest instructors like Faten Salama). It's sad she's not there anymore with her qualifications!

I've definitely heard good things about Saphira from several people.

Thanks everyone for your comments and advice so far! I'm glad to hear feedback about this company. I was doing some research one night and wondered if anyone had any further information. It's always nice to hear from the ones who have experienced it!

Rachel Brookmire taught a mini workshop in Richmond and it was very good. I really enjoyed her technique and teaching style. I have attended several workshops sponsored by Sahara Dance. They were all well organized and professionally done.

~J

This is an old thread and I don't get on here often, but thought I'd post my two cents...
I agree with several things that were said. I've been studying Raqs al Sharqi & Romani dance in the DC metro area for almost 10 years. I've been really lucky to have some of the best teachers - not just here but also traveling to NY and Turkey to study with great teachers. Most of my teachers had at least 20 years experience, and for some it is their native dance, such as Faten Salama, who I take with on and off. She is quite amazing. I definitely recommend people who are serious about dance - or music for that matter - seek out both ethnic instructors (whether it's "bellydance", African dance, Flamenco, etc. - but someone who has knowledge of the culture - there are subtleties you only learn from people who have done this all their lives and know the culture), and teachers who have tons of experience.
I also want to echo that Saphira is an amazing instructor. I teach at her school, but I also take with her. She is particularly good with beginner students, as she is patient and has an excellent system for breaking down movement that helps beginners learn quickly. It is also very important to her that her students look good, so she is very helpful in her corrections.
I also find her upper level classes are challenging, and she is wonderful with choreography which I always admire, being more of an improvisational dancer myself. I highly recommend her as a fun yet serious teacher, particularly for Oriental style!
That being said, I also take from time to time a class or workshop with my own contemporaries who I grew up in dance with....
I find it fun and interesting to see how they teach things differently from me - maybe they specialize in different topics from me (I particularly love teaching zils & rhythms, Raqs Assaya, and Turkish Romani - because they are my strongest skills), or maybe they teach the same stuff, but it's always nice to see how other people interpret & explain things. And, if I learn something and use it in my own teaching, I always credit them and give them the praise they deserve for coming up with it. We are truly lucky to have so many wonderful resources in this area...
all the best,
Kostana

Originally Posted by sati

The Sahara Dancers are too young for the level of experience mentioned above. I have enjoyed classes with Rachel Kay Brookmire & Elyssa, as well as workshops with some of the other teachers, & workshops they have sponsored. They have a lot of classes, they are methodically taught, & there is not much to complain about. Classes are on a standard dance model, warm-up, drilling, combos, etc. There are descriptions available on their website. I have been happy with their classes and will probably sign up again, although I am not currently taking any. They are a nice supplement to the classes I take with Faten Salama & Noor-Jihan. Those are pretty much all dance & follow the teacher, which I admit I do like better than the (seemingly) ballet based format of class which Sahara Dance gives. One thing I would probably not do again - is take one class out of a pair of two designed to teach a choreography for performance. Usually I only want to take one enrollment class per session because of the expense. One summer I took a veil & zills class at Sahara Dance & it turned out that most of the class was drilling the choreography for the performance & most of the students were taking two subsequent classes instead of just the one hr. I felt somewhat neglected by that approach & resolved not to do it again.

You mentioned you have taken classes with Faten. Are you taking any with Faten in Manassas starting Feb of this year? I will be taking classes with her.

No - I study with her at Saffron dance, though I haven't been able to make class in awhile since it's Friday nights when I usually gig...
Saffron is right down the street for me, very close, plus I teach there so it's convenient!