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Please see below photos for FAQ's about Tina's
Belly Dance classes. Schedule of Belly Dance Classes Schedule of Drumming Classes Testimonials from Students 
Current student troupe performing a Hagallah-inspired Drum Song, danced to live drumming. This is an annual collaboration between Tina's & George's drum & dance classes!
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Belly Dance Class Demo Video
Students at dress rehearsal for Benefit Concert for Women for Women Int'l. Photo: DDJ Photography Group.
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What do I wear?
Workout clothes could consist of stretchy pants or a skirt, any workout top, crop top, tank top, or leotard. Flat suede-sole dance shoes like ballet slippers, or jazz shoes are recommended. No street shoes please. Bare feet are OK if you wish, to get started. Dance shoes will protect your knees in the long run. The instructor often brings Sharifwear for purchase, in case students need tops, pants, skirts or hip scarves made specifically for belly dance. The video at the top of the page is a good example of what our students generally wear. When can I start? Please see start dates in the Schedule. If you would like to register late and have missed a class, please email the instructor at Email. It is generally OK, unless we are working on choreography. Am I too overweight / underweight / young / old / beginner / out of shape...to learn this dance? You're perfect just as you are, and you are very much welcome. Instructor requires dancers be at least 10 years old due to focus and concentration needed. Most students are adults, but minors are welcome. |
Students in Action! Student troupe Raksat Al Zaman traveled, toured & performed together
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Why do I see women I consider too overweight/underweight/young/old/out of shape...belly dancing?
Because most of the people who study, teach, perform and enjoy this dance, accept all women, just the way they are.
What if I miss a class?
You can make it up in the future, in the same City. Take a lower-level class back to back with your class next time you come in. Or, make up a missed class in a future course, within one year's time.
Do you offer Drop-Ins?
Each City community center requires that students pay in advance for the entire course. However, if you miss a class, you can make it up as mentioned above.
Do men belly dance?
Yes, they do. Tina has male students, male dance friends and some male teachers. However, the Orange County classes have generally been made up of women. Men are welcome.
Do you have a DVD for practice?
My DVD is not completed at this time. However, I do carry my teacher's (Nourhan Sharif's) Beginner Technique DVD, which has been very helpful to my students. I do have a CD that is very helpful for shimmies and drills, available on my audio CD page.
Do you teach private lessons?
Yes, we can set up a time for private lessons. I can come to your home or to your studio. I also have a studio in San Clemente that we can dance in. The cost is hourly + studio fee. Please contact me at Email.
What style do you teach?
Authentic Middle Eastern Raqs Sharqi "Dance of the East." Egyptian and Lebanese styling. This is the root of all "belly dance" styles. Raqs Sharqi is the style you want as your basis. From here you can learn any type of fusion, but it is difficult for students to learn an off-shoot style and then try grasp the core of the traditional. It is recommended to get a basis in authentic belly dance, and afterwards, if you wish, you can play creatively from a properly educated movement foundation. Occasionally, we will also cover some creative styles that preserve the essence of Middle Eastern dance.
Note: the class is taught in a dance studio with mirrors. This space style is set up in a western tradition. Special private events can be set up in different spaces, if students want to learn the Middle Eastern traditional way, without mirrors, in a party setting.
Are you an experienced instructor?
I have teaching Middle Eastern Dance for 20 years. Before Middle Eastern, I studied in jazz, ballet, modern, and gymnastics. I trained as a teacher under Nourhan Sharif and taught classes in New England before moving to California in 1999. I was a founding member of Nourhan Sharif's Dance Ensemble and I have danced as a member, director or choreographer for 10 different dance companies in my career.
Do you have student shows / recitals?
Yes, we offer performance opportunities for polished students in community events throughout the year, as well as the concert that we produce every 18 months, and various showcases.
How long will it take me to learn to Bellydance?
Practice and dedication are the keys to mastering any dance form. Women learn this dance form for fun, for being with a group of fascinating women, for a work-out, and for many other reasons. To be a high-standard professional dancer takes time, research, study, and practice. It is not different from learning any other form of classical dance. As a rule, students start to feel comfortable with the basic movements and isolations in the first 4 weeks. Body awareness and coordination of muscles that you have never used before are part of the learning process.
When can I move up a level?
Sessions are broken into 4, 5, and 12-week units because it is difficult in this busy age for women to commit to longer sessions. It does not mean that the instructor expects you to learn everything in such a short time! Instructor recommends repeating class levels as you like. You will not be bored. For instance, Belly Dance 1 will review material, and will cover new material every session. The instructor encourages questions, requests, feedback and dialogue. Students are encouraged to continuously progress and enjoy every moment of their dancing. Move up when you feel totally comfortable and polished with all the moves & concepts you’re working on in your current level. It is best for most people to feel comfortable, nurtured and supported, yet the class should be keep students progressing.
Can I really learn this dance?
Yes you can! The beginner level classes aimed for fun and exercise. Four levels offer the opportunity for students to keep moving forward in their dance goals. Many of our past students have become professional dancers and/or teachers:
~Deniz runs her own studio out of London and now Michigan. She heads up an organization sending young girls in Turkish villages to school, raising funds through belly dance theater shows, workshops, and haflis.
~Michelle toured with the Bellydance Superstars Desert Roses.
~Salwa Yamine, a yoga & now a belly dance teacher, known for her sensual and focused intent and technique.
~Ginny, who started with Tina as a child, is now a choreographer for her Middle Eastern Dance Club at Stanford U.
~Sashi, a well-known dancer and teacher, took our creativity focus to a whole new level and created her own style.
~Veronica, Mary, Laura and many others have become professional dancers and dance with the Jewels that Raq.
~Katie won first place in the Belly Dancer of the Universe Junior Competition at 17 years old.
~Lois Wyman started up a family entertainment business and specializes in belly dance.
~Bonnie lived in Cairo from 2010 to 2014 teaching belly dance fitness in the birthplace of the dance form.
~Gaelle and Carolina perform professionally as a duet around Orange County.
~Rose Harden heads up her own Tribal classes and dances professionally in northern California.
~Mary and Tyra Syverson now teach belly dance and Persian dance in Asheville, North Carolina.
~Scharde is beginning belly dance classes in Orange County.
~Jamie opened her own yoga and movement space in San Clemente, CA.
~Juliet moved to Egypt to be a school teacher for orphaned children
~Maria will be performing as Salome in her Opera that tours the US in 2021
Because most of the people who study, teach, perform and enjoy this dance, accept all women, just the way they are.
What if I miss a class?
You can make it up in the future, in the same City. Take a lower-level class back to back with your class next time you come in. Or, make up a missed class in a future course, within one year's time.
Do you offer Drop-Ins?
Each City community center requires that students pay in advance for the entire course. However, if you miss a class, you can make it up as mentioned above.
Do men belly dance?
Yes, they do. Tina has male students, male dance friends and some male teachers. However, the Orange County classes have generally been made up of women. Men are welcome.
Do you have a DVD for practice?
My DVD is not completed at this time. However, I do carry my teacher's (Nourhan Sharif's) Beginner Technique DVD, which has been very helpful to my students. I do have a CD that is very helpful for shimmies and drills, available on my audio CD page.
Do you teach private lessons?
Yes, we can set up a time for private lessons. I can come to your home or to your studio. I also have a studio in San Clemente that we can dance in. The cost is hourly + studio fee. Please contact me at Email.
What style do you teach?
Authentic Middle Eastern Raqs Sharqi "Dance of the East." Egyptian and Lebanese styling. This is the root of all "belly dance" styles. Raqs Sharqi is the style you want as your basis. From here you can learn any type of fusion, but it is difficult for students to learn an off-shoot style and then try grasp the core of the traditional. It is recommended to get a basis in authentic belly dance, and afterwards, if you wish, you can play creatively from a properly educated movement foundation. Occasionally, we will also cover some creative styles that preserve the essence of Middle Eastern dance.
Note: the class is taught in a dance studio with mirrors. This space style is set up in a western tradition. Special private events can be set up in different spaces, if students want to learn the Middle Eastern traditional way, without mirrors, in a party setting.
Are you an experienced instructor?
I have teaching Middle Eastern Dance for 20 years. Before Middle Eastern, I studied in jazz, ballet, modern, and gymnastics. I trained as a teacher under Nourhan Sharif and taught classes in New England before moving to California in 1999. I was a founding member of Nourhan Sharif's Dance Ensemble and I have danced as a member, director or choreographer for 10 different dance companies in my career.
Do you have student shows / recitals?
Yes, we offer performance opportunities for polished students in community events throughout the year, as well as the concert that we produce every 18 months, and various showcases.
How long will it take me to learn to Bellydance?
Practice and dedication are the keys to mastering any dance form. Women learn this dance form for fun, for being with a group of fascinating women, for a work-out, and for many other reasons. To be a high-standard professional dancer takes time, research, study, and practice. It is not different from learning any other form of classical dance. As a rule, students start to feel comfortable with the basic movements and isolations in the first 4 weeks. Body awareness and coordination of muscles that you have never used before are part of the learning process.
When can I move up a level?
Sessions are broken into 4, 5, and 12-week units because it is difficult in this busy age for women to commit to longer sessions. It does not mean that the instructor expects you to learn everything in such a short time! Instructor recommends repeating class levels as you like. You will not be bored. For instance, Belly Dance 1 will review material, and will cover new material every session. The instructor encourages questions, requests, feedback and dialogue. Students are encouraged to continuously progress and enjoy every moment of their dancing. Move up when you feel totally comfortable and polished with all the moves & concepts you’re working on in your current level. It is best for most people to feel comfortable, nurtured and supported, yet the class should be keep students progressing.
Can I really learn this dance?
Yes you can! The beginner level classes aimed for fun and exercise. Four levels offer the opportunity for students to keep moving forward in their dance goals. Many of our past students have become professional dancers and/or teachers:
~Deniz runs her own studio out of London and now Michigan. She heads up an organization sending young girls in Turkish villages to school, raising funds through belly dance theater shows, workshops, and haflis.
~Michelle toured with the Bellydance Superstars Desert Roses.
~Salwa Yamine, a yoga & now a belly dance teacher, known for her sensual and focused intent and technique.
~Ginny, who started with Tina as a child, is now a choreographer for her Middle Eastern Dance Club at Stanford U.
~Sashi, a well-known dancer and teacher, took our creativity focus to a whole new level and created her own style.
~Veronica, Mary, Laura and many others have become professional dancers and dance with the Jewels that Raq.
~Katie won first place in the Belly Dancer of the Universe Junior Competition at 17 years old.
~Lois Wyman started up a family entertainment business and specializes in belly dance.
~Bonnie lived in Cairo from 2010 to 2014 teaching belly dance fitness in the birthplace of the dance form.
~Gaelle and Carolina perform professionally as a duet around Orange County.
~Rose Harden heads up her own Tribal classes and dances professionally in northern California.
~Mary and Tyra Syverson now teach belly dance and Persian dance in Asheville, North Carolina.
~Scharde is beginning belly dance classes in Orange County.
~Jamie opened her own yoga and movement space in San Clemente, CA.
~Juliet moved to Egypt to be a school teacher for orphaned children
~Maria will be performing as Salome in her Opera that tours the US in 2021
