Advanced classes

You can access all the main advanced lessons from here. On each individual lesson page you’ll also find a short video featuring only the combination or routine, for when you don’t have much time, or don’t want to do the full class.

Click on any of the photos to go through to the relevant lesson

Introduction to the advanced classes

Introduction to the concept and structure behind my advanced classes

Please watch this first

Before you start please watch this short explanation and demonstration of the body conditioning section of our advanced classes.

1. Technique, drills and a baladi combination

Enjoy this opening class, which includes a warm up with body conditioning, advanced shimmy and maya drills, a travelling combination with layering and a 32 count baladi-style combination. It finishes with a standing stretch.

2. Technique, drills and second baladi combination

Our second class includes our usual warm up, conditioning, advanced shimmy and maya drills. I then teach a reverse walking circle and two variations on the jewel. We finish with an extension to our combination from last week.

3. Arabesques and first Ana Bastanak combination

Our third class starts to move a little faster. After our warm up, conditioning, drills and layering challenges, we look at three different forms of arabesques and then learn a new combination to Ana Bastanak – a favourite piece of music for many dancers.

4. Eights and second Ana Bastanak combination

In our fourth advanced class we do a new maya exercise, explore different figure of eights and then learn another 32 count combination to Ana Bastanak. We then put this combination together with the previous one to build up a good long section of choreography to this beautiful piece of music.

5. Omis and third Ana Bastanak combination

In our fifth lesson we complete the section of Ana Bastanak that we’ve been working on. We also do a nice little omi challenge and I teach my favourite arm drill to a very dramatic piece of music.

6. Polishing Ana Bastanak combinations

In our sixth lesson, after doing our conditioning, a couple of drills and some travelling layering, we concentrating on polishing our three Ana Bastanak combinations as a tool to improve our overall dance technique.

7. We begin a romantic Lebanese choreography

In this lesson we incorporate a little ballet exercise into our warm up and conditioning section. We then go on to do a tricky little arms and hips drill. And finally we begin a brand new lyrical choreography to a romantic pop song by the Lebanese singer Marwan Khoury

8. Arabesques and more Lebanese choreography

In this lesson we add an omi drill to our usual conditioning and shimmy section, we look at arabesques and then go on to learn the next section of our lyrical choreography

9. Veil technique and new choreography section

Today we are working with veil and learning the next section of our romantic choreography, which is a lovely veil section. So get your veils ready!

10. Technique and more Lebanese choreography

We do a new maya drill this month and a challenging exercise to help improve our releves and turns. Then we go on to concentrate on bellyrolls and undulations, before learning the next part of our romantic Lebanese choreography. 

11. We complete our Lebanese choreography

We complete our choreography to the romantic Lebanese song Asr El Shoa by Marwan Khoury today. There’s a lot to get through, so we just do a short warm up, followed by some more veil technique and then we learn the final two minutes of our dance, which is full of variety and emotion.

12. Combinations to the Masmoudi Kebir

Today’s class is all about the big Masmoudi – the masmoudi kebir. After a warm up, shimmy drill and some travelling layering practice, we learn two challenging combinations to the masmoudi which also create floor patterns on stage

13. Combinations to the Samai rhythm

In this lesson we look at the beautiful, ancient Samai rhythm; an unusual rhythm from Ottoman times which has 10 counts! We discover its particular challenges and learn five lovely combinations which we then dance through to the beautiful Persian song, Lamma Bada

14. Jazz bellydance to Sidi Mansour

We pick up the pace and get our jazz shoes on for an advanced choreography to the old pop favourite, Sidi Mansour. Featuring some seriously challenging moves, tricky layering and loads of energy, this choreography will really lift your spirits!

15. Final combinations to Sidi Mansour

In this upbeat and challenging session we learn two more sassy, jazzy combinations to Sidi Mansour. This session will really get your feet moving and your energy pumping!

16. Arabesques variations & combination

Our next lesson features drills, detailed technique for several different arabesques and a great combination featuring three different arabesques.

17. More arabesques variations

In this lesson we learn more arabesques variations and a new 16 count combination featuring these variations. We then join the new combination to last week’s to create an impressive 32 count advanced combination for a section of majency or modern oriental dance. 

18. Control and connection using the Wahda Kebira

In the next few lessons we will be using the strength we’ve been building up over the weeks to develop control, flow and connection. In this first lesson we focus on technique for soutenu turns and then learn a strong and sustained combination to the Wahda Kebira rhythm.

19. Challenging maqsoum combination with turns

In this lesson we challenge our core strength with a fast combination to the maqsoum, incorporating turns and direction changes and tricky arm pattern to challenge our brains! 

20. Fast maqsoum with challenging technique

In this lesson we continue to build on our core strength with a fast combination to the maqsoum, incorporating arabesques, passées, camels, circles and backstep (Randa step).

Drum solo course (click image for full course)

Next we learn a jazzy, upbeat drum solo to Hossam Ramzy’s Amiret El Sahara. Click on the image to go through to the full course, which includes a Khaleeji lesson and drills exercises. 

Nubian jazz-funk!

Upbeat, funky, jazzy pop from Nubian singer Mohamed Abo El Sheik! This short choreo is sassy, bright and just a little challenging!

For more great lessons suitable for advanced dancers check out the following sections:


Advanced drills
32 count combinations
Baladi course
Floor work
Sword
Veil course
Majency
Turkish style with Sureya
Jazz bellydance
Stick dance
Mahgranat with Zara Abdelrahman
Flow, connection and performance to Miserlou
Performance skills & emotion to Immortal Love