New to Bhuz and Washington, DC

[Aaminah_gitana]

Hello lovely ladies,

I recently relocated to Washington, DC and I was wondering if anyone knew of workshops, haflas, classes, and places to hang out with other belly dancers...

Thank you!
Aaminah_gitana

[Egyptdancer]

Aaminah~ We'll miss you in Illinois!!!
I'm glad you landed safe

[kiyaana]

Welcome to the area! I'm an hour south of D.C., so I don't have as much first-hand knowledge, but here are a few sites to check out:

www.habibihon.com
www.cleoscloset.com (see navigation links for events, teachers, etc.)
www.wameda.org

Many dancers in the D.C. area are active on Bhuz, so I'm sure they'll chime in soon.

[bintbeled]

Originally Posted by Aaminah_gitana

Hello lovely ladies,

I recently relocated to Washington, DC and I was wondering if anyone knew of workshops, haflas, classes, and places to hang out with other belly dancers...

Thank you!
Aaminah_gitana

Welcome to the area!



There's a great show nearby TONIGHT!! Starring the fab Lotus Niraja and her NDC troupe. There will also be a "Rising Star" contest, with one of my students competing againt a Lotus student and a student of the sponsor, Yucy al-Banan. Here's the flyer: http://www.bellydanceforlife.com/page6.html

[MakedaMaysa]

Hope you can join us there tonight, Aaminah!

[Lesgemini_Zafirah]

Hola, Gitana! Te extrano mucho!! I hope to see you soon (already plotting in my pea-brain how to get over there for a quickie Girls' Weekend!)...

[theesfield]

Glad you made it safe and sound! We miss you terribly back here but we know you will continue to grow wherever it is you are planted. I am in DC often enough..I hope we can get together soon!

Nilaja

[SamiraShuruk]

Originally Posted by Aaminah_gitana

Hello lovely ladies,

I recently relocated to Washington, DC and I was wondering if anyone knew of workshops, haflas, classes, and places to hang out with other belly dancers...

Thank you!
Aaminah_gitana

Welcome Aaminah!!!
There is both fabulous cabaret and tribal community here- and quite a few events that are a wonderful way to experience both. We're lucky to have teachers with many many many many years of experience (and all with different styles)- such as Artemis Mourat, Yasmin, Faten Salama, Laurel Victoria Gray and Latifa. We have fabulous troupe like the NDC, wonderful tribal fusion teacher/performers like Asharah, Romka and Shakra Grove as well as ATS instruction.
In addition to the sites listed above- try www.joyofmotion.org They have classes just starting, including performance classes. I feel the best way to network with other dancers is to take classes. Through classes you'll find out the events and workshops. There are schools that are all exclusionary and who don't recommend their students study elsewhere or support events sponsored by other schools - keep your eyes open to avoid those places. There are more schools that are truly part of the whole community...DC really has a lot to offer.
You like Lucy of DCs style? Take from Yasmin at Joy of Motion.
If you didn't make Yucy's last Arabian Nights in Clinton, MD, she has them monthly. She's one of the biggest sweeties you can imagine. Romka hosts a monthly Tribal Cafe (www.dctribal.com), up in Baltimore Nina is organizing the All Seasons Hafla. Zareen hosts a quarterly semi-pro hafla called Starlight Shimmy. A lot of these local haflas are structured shows with both students and one or two professional level dancers. Some have live music.
There is always info on tribe - there is a dctribal tribe, dc area belly dance tribe and a Baltimore tribal tribe called "it's tribal hon". We also have local yahoo groups - including a couple professional ones. If you want on, Lucy and Damiena are the ones to contact.
If you'll be performing in venues - there are a lot and we have decent wages here. http://www.samirashuruk.com/standard...uidelines.html
If you want to SEE a show you have choices ranging from typical dinner-American audience places to Arab nightclubs complete with bands. Of course- most of those just took a break for Ramadan.
Anyway- that should be enough to get you started! :)
Welcome!
Samira

[shems]

welcome to dc :-)

Samira pretty much covered it. But I wanted to say hi. Hi!

[damiena]

Welcome Aaminah!!!

[Aaminah_gitana]

Thank you for all the information and all the "welcomes."

I miss my belly dance friends in IL, but I am excited to meet all the godesses in DC.

Aaminah

[DreamWave]

I live in Northern VA but used to be in DC every week before my driver's license was suspended for a year. When I was going to DC, I took classes with Rachel Brookmire and some of the other instructors at www.saharadance.com. Love her and the other instructors there.

[angelique2]

Just wanted to say to bhuz

[AishaSakinah]

Now there is Saffron Dance in VA. Saphira of Sahara Dance opened her own studio in VA. right off of the metro.

[bintbeled]

Originally Posted by AishaSakinah

Now there is Saffron Dance in VA. Saphira of Sahara Dance opened her own studio in VA. right off of the metro.

Saphira is wonderful!!

[HotDogYogini]

There are so many good dancers and teachers here, it's amazing. Some are on their own, or just teach a few classes here & there. Some allow you to drop in on classes. I'm a big fan of doing that. Faten Salama allows drop-ins at her Fri. night (7 pm) classes at Saffron Dance. Mina who teaches at a Sport & Health in Tenleytown DC is good. Noor Jihan who may be teaching at DC Dance Collective is excellent (she also teaches in No. VA). There's so much available, it may take some doing to figure out what is best for you! I wish there was an easy way to find out all the classes available locally, but if there is, I haven't stumbled upon it yet.