FAQ about Synergy Rhythm and Dance classes

Where can I find information about your classes?
I have never had a dance class. Can I do bellydance?
How do I get to SRaD Studio for class?
How do drop-in classes work?
What do we do in bellydance classes with Sahira Zedare?
Did you receive my registration for the next session?
What should I wear for class?
Will I have to perform in public?
How do bellydance students progress through Bellydance levels 1, 2, and 3?

Where can I find information about your classes?

Thanks for your interest in our classes! At Synergy RaD we offer two types of classes: Sessions and Drop-Ins. Start at our schedule and class descriptions page. You could also check the full calendar that lists all classes and events. The instructor page has bios for all of our Synergy RaD instructors. And registration information is on our registration page.

I have never had a dance class. Can I do bellydance?

You sure can! We have students with many years of prior training in ballet, jazz, salsa, and so on, and lots of students with no prior dance experience at all. All dancers are most welcome! The moves in bellydance originate in the torso, often drawing shapes with the ribs and hips. This dance comes naturally to most women, regardless of body type or dance background. In some cases, prior training helps a dancer learn movements quickly, but there are also substantive differences across dance styles which can be a challenge to experienced dancers. For instance, ballet students are taught to move very quickly across the floor, with large leaps and turns. On the other hand, bellydance generally incorporates smaller travelling steps, often coupled with hip shimmies.

How do I get to SRaD Studio for class?

Our classes are held in the Synergy Rhythm and Dance studio in Suite 216 on the second floor of the Attractive Alternative, located at 510 East Washington Street. There are 2 parking lots on Jefferson Street, and you may also park on the street. Enter the building at the southeast corner of the Jefferson and McLean intersection, through the small parking lot there. Here is a map from Google Maps:

How do drop-in classes work?

Our drop-in classes are ongoing, and are taught every week. You are welcome to come to class whenever your schedule allows, so drop-in classes do not require the same level of commitment that sessions do. You can choose to pay as you go, at $12 per class, or you can purchase a 5-class or 10-class card to take each class at a discount. Your class card is good for any of the drop-in classes.

Did you receive my registration for the next session?

When we receive your payment, we will email you a registration confirmation. If you have not received this email, please contact us to make sure your registration got through.

What should I wear for class?

Please wear clothing that allows you to move comfortably. The most common attire for bellydance includes dance or yoga pants, a tank top, and a hip scarf. Some students wear midriff tops, some wear skirts; most dance barefoot and others wear ballet slippers. A hip scarf is optional — it's great for accenting your hip movements and achieving even movement in shimmies. Please do not wear a baggy shirt for bellydance. Since most moves originate in the torso, our bellydance teachers need to be able to see how your body is moving in order to teach the dance.

For our pilates classes, please wear comfortable clothes that you can easily move in. You might want to bring your own mat for pilates.

What do we do in bellydance classes with Sahira Zedare?

All bellydance classes begin with a warm-up and end with stretching. In Level 1 we spend the first 5 minutes warming up our bodies, and then we do strength exercises for legs, core (abs and lower back), and arms. We do these exercises to improve our dancing — conditioning is essential! Then we dance, beginning with torso movements and then traveling across the floor. If the class focuses on zills or veil, we also practice using those. We often work with short combinations before we cool down. It's a lot to pack into an hour and 15 minutes, but we make it! If you'd like to learn a bit more, Rachel Hatch wrote a lovely story for TCStyle magazine about our level 2 class.

Will I have to perform in public?

Synergy Rhythm and Dance presents a semi-annual Bellydance Showcase, one in late winter/early spring and the other in the fall. Students in levels 1 and 2 learn group choreographies, and each student may participate in the performance or not, as they choose. Level 2 and 3 students may also perform as individuals or in small groups. That said, nearly all students do perform, and have a great time doing it!

How do bellydance students progress through Bellydance levels 1, 2, and 3?

This is a great question, and the answer varies from person to person. There are 3 distinct types of level 1 classes: veil, zills, and tribal style. To comfortably move into level 2 classes, a student needs to have the foundation of all three sessions. Level 2 classes are more intense than level 1, incorporating more complex dance technique. Level 2 students must be physically fit (that's about physical health, not body type), and ready to learn choreographies in each session. To clarify further, in order to dance in level 2, a student should have mastered the following: all basic torso shapes (circles and infinities), walking 3/4 shimmies, playing the modified gallop with zills while moving, basic veil, and tribal variations such as horizontal rib circles and hip taxims. Within Level 2 there are many types of sessions including: veil, zills, tribal fusion, drum solo, and folkloric. Every session is different, and students may choose to remain in level 2.

Level 3 is a special advanced technique class, and students may choose not to join level 3, but stay with level 2. The core body of students in level 3 are the Synergy Sirens, who participate in level 3 to keep their skills strong, learn new technique, and maintain consistent style. Level 3 is capped at 8 students including the Sirens, and remaining spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Prior to joining level 3, students should have completed at least one year of level 2 sessions with Sahira. In addition, students should have strong performance quality, and have already mastered layering, level changes, traveling, 3/4 shimmies (basic, push-off, and downs, e.g.), playing zills while dancing, and intermediate veil technique. Students should also be athletically fit and able to learn floorwork and backbends.