Learn the beautiful classic style from the one and only Helena Vlahos!!!!
Part 1 was SOLD OUT!
Discount ends midnight APRIL 1!

This workshop also has a practicum afterwards, check the website for details and registration: http://www.dancegardenla.com/events.html

Part 2 covers the 2nd half of the classic vintage bellydance show: 

3) Medium Tempo (Balady, Maqsum or similar): Your veil is off, so now is the time to show all the intricate hip movements because your veil is not hiding your body. Sometimes we would dance to a Persian (6/8) rhythm which would be added to the Balady (4/4). 

5) Drum Solo: This is the part of the show where you can use your skills in entertaining your audience with great shimmies and hip work, and a lot of teasing. The differences in the drum solo today are; now everyone does what I call the “Tic-Tocs” that’s when one drum plays the steady rhythm in the background and the other drum plays the embellished “TicTocs” within that rhythm, and there are not as many shimmy variations. Most dancers do what I call the “Modern Egyptian Shimmy” which is a very impressive strong shimmy. Even though it is impressive, I get tired of seeing everyone doing only that and no other shimmies, like the one I call “Standard Shimmy”, that’s a quicker shimmy, which is used to layer moves. There is also the entertainment part. I used to do very long drum solos because this was a part of the show that we had a lot of fun. The drummer and I would entertain our audience by using varied shimmies and hip movements, and hip bumps or hits. The drummer would follow me with the appropriate accents, rolls, dums, and tocs in a way that made the audience laugh because he would miss my accented hip bump or I would miss his big dum.

6) Finale: The finale can be the same music as the Entrance or another piece depending on what you want. In the mid 1960’s into the 1970’s, we sometimes used the Karshilama (9/8 rhythm) when we worked in the Greek or Armenian restaurants/clubs. Not in the Arabic clubs.