FATIMA
Middle Eastern Dancer
Classes
Learn the beautiful art form of belly dance in a fun, supportive atmosphere. Belly dance is a wonderful low-impact exercise that is great for women of all ages and sizes. The benefits of belly dance include body toning, increased flexibility, and improved posture. It's also a lot of fun! No previous dance training is required for Fatima's classes.Fatima teaches a beginner belly dance class at the Mt. Laurel Library every 1st and 3rd Sunday from 3 - 4 pm through 2008. Lessons are free to the public!
The dates for the classes are:
| January 6, 20 February 3, 17 March 2, 16 April 6, 20 May 4, 18 June 1, 15 |
July 6, 20 August 3, 17 September 7, 21 October 5, 19 November 2, 16 December 7, 21 |
Please contact the library directly to register for classes and for more information - 856-234-7319. The library is located at 100 Walt Whitman Avenue, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054.
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Click here for an article about the class in the South Jersey Courier Post from October 3, 2007.
Class Notes
Choreography -
Music - Download here
Introduction to My Classes/Frequently Asked Questions
Dance shoes/dance wearPlease wear comfortable clothing to class, like yoga wear and please, no sneakers or thick soled shoes. Bare feet, socks, isotoner slippers, etc, are preferable. I prefer to wear jazz shoes in class, and many people also wear ballet slippers.
While it is not necessary to purchase specific clothing or shoes for class, I can recommend a resource if you would like to do so. I usually buy my shoes, shirts, and jazz pants at Discount Dance Supply. They have great sales, good prices, and I have always had good experiences with shipping and returns. Any local dance supply store will have these items in stock as well.
Hip scarves
Hip scarves are those jingly scarves that you see tied around my waist during class. They help to emphasize your hip movements, and they are a lot of fun. I recommend going to a local Ross or Marshalls and checking out their scarves - they sometimes have very pretty scarves that work very well as hip scarves.
If you would like to purchase hip scarves, I recommend King of the Nile (or here on ebay). I order many of my hipscarves from them and the price, shipping, and quality is consistently very good. You can also purchase hip scarves on ebay - please be sure to read the descriptions and look at photos carefully.
Occasionally, I will bring hip scarves to class to sell from a local friend, Khuzama, who you can also contact directly. If I bring in some hipscarves in the future, I will email you well in advance.
Local resources - websites, teachers, etc
If you would like to find out more about belly dance in the New Jersey and Philadelphia area, then I recommend Philly Raqs. This website lists instructors, events, restaurants, etc in the area. I am also happy to refer you to belly dance teachers in the area if you would like to expand your knowledge of belly dance.
Restaurants
I perform regularly at several restaurants in Philadelphia and New Jersey. You can check out my performance schedule to see where I will be appearing next.
Music
If you would like to purchase some music suitable for belly dancing, I suggest going to any large Borders or Barnes and Noble and looking in the world music section - either under Egypt or Belly Dance. I personally recommend the Bellydance Superstars cds (there are 5 volumes) - they are compiled by belly dancers and have a nice mix of traditional and modern music, all suitable for practice. Borders always has at least one or two volumes of Bellydance Superstars cds in stock.
DVDs
Many people ask me about practicing at home. I recommend the Neena and Veena/Bellytwins "Discovery Belly Dance" dvds - they are very easy to follow and are close to my style. Again, you can find their DVDs at any large Borders or Barnes and Noble in the Exercise DVD section. You can also occasionally find them in the DVD section at Ross or Marshall's.