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 second 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.