PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.

• Classes, Teachers, & Practice
• Choreography & Improvisation

• Continuing the Journey
• Reviews of Books & Videos for Beginning Students

Teachers

• Learning To Belly Dance: Where To Find Instruction. By Shira. Here's how to find a belly dance teacher.
• When Teachers Are Scarce. By Shira. What if you can't find a local teacher, or the one you find is barely more than a beginner?
• To All Students, Regarding "Loyalty" to Your Teacher. By Amanda Niehaus. About the dancer / teacher relationship.
• No Need to Be Afraid of Private Lessons. By Saqra. Saqra offers a belly dance tip on how to take the fear out of private lessons through preparation.

Getting Started

• Am I Too Old To Learn How To Belly Dance? By Shira. You've dreamed of learning Oriental dance for years — have you waited too long?
• Can I Still Learn Belly Dancing, Even If I'm Overweight? By Shira. Trying to decide whether your abundant curves will be out of place in a belly dancing class? Read this!
• The Beginner's Guide to Finding Bellydance Music. By Arabella. Suggestions on where to shop and what to look for.
• Learning to Belly Dance from Videos. By Shira. It isn't easy to learn how to belly dance from video. Here are some suggestions on how to get the most out of your video study time.

In the Classroom

• Negative Self-Talk in a Dance Environment. Saying "I can't do this," can hurt more people than yourself alone, so Saqra offers ideas on how to get help without being negative.
• Evolution of Class Attire for Middle Eastern Dance. Vashti's light-hearted look at how her choices for what to wear to class have changed over the years.
• Keep Asking. By Saqra. What new teachers need to know about teaching beginners.

Practicing

• How to Structure a Belly Dance Study/Practice Session at Home. By Shira. Whether you're teaching yourself to dance from video or just reviewing the steps you learned in class, these suggestions will help you get the most out of your study time.
• How to Get the Most out of Practice Time. By Saqra. Tips for organizing your practice time for best results.

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo by Pixie Vision Productions, Glendale, California

• How to Learn Choreography. By Shira. If you have trouble memorizing choreography, maybe these tips can help.
• Hints for Remembering Choreography. Arabella offers her own suggestions.
• Learning Choreography. Saqra offers easy-to-use tips for learning a choreography.
• How to Get Your Money's Worth from a Choreography Workshop. By Saqra. Whether or not you plan to dance it exactly as taught, use it as a learning tool.
• How We Spend Class Time: Choreography Versus Improvisation. By Shira. Both are useful skills to have.

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo by Lina Jang, New York City.

• Dear Shira: Stuck in a Beginner Rut? Should you continue taking beginner classes, or is it time to move up to Intermediate?
• A Dancer's Journal. Use a journal to explore your growth and development as a dancer.
• Wearing Coin Scarves to Workshops. By Saqra. Insight on when you should, when you shouldn't, and why.
• Belly Dance Tips for Tall Dancers. By Saqra. Props, posture, costuming, and more.
• Belly Dance Costuming: A Basic Beginner's Costume. This design for a simple costume is suitable for both practice and amateur performances.
• Your First Performance. Advice on how to enjoy doing your very first performance.
• From Plateau to Next Level. Feel stagnated in your dancing? Here's how to break free.
• Dear Shira: Why Do I Need to Care About Professionalism? Even if you're not a pro and don't plan to be, here's why you should care.
• Why Do I Have to Attend Rehearsals? By Shira. Even if you know the choreography inside out, you need to attend rehearsals. Here's why.
• Learning a New-to-You Dance Style. By Saqra. Insights into dancing a particular style accurately. Placed online February 20, 2020.
• Horrible Workshops. By Saqra. No matter how disappointed you are by a workshop, it's possible to gain something of value. Here's how.

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo by William M. Smith, Iowa City, Iowa.

• Belly Dancing For Health And Relaxation. Review of a book that uses photographs and text to teach belly dancing.
• Nefertiti Presents... Belly Dancing, the Basics. by Sherry Jeffries. Uses photos and text to teach simple beginning-level belly dance moves.

• Reviews Of Videos that Teach Basic Moves for Beginners. Reviews of more than 10 videos that help learn or practice belly dancing at home. I recommend some, and warn you away from others!