Classes
You Can Belly Dance! Upcoming Sessions
Join a session to begin or continue working on your belly dance skills!
Location: Upward Light and Healing Yoga Wellness Center, 128 W Pepper Pl, Mesa, AZ 85201
This class will help beginner and intermediate dancers gain skills and confidence in Egyptian-style belly dance. Classes will begin with strength and technique and build up to short dance combinations using beautiful songs from the Middle East and North Africa. Prepare to shake your hips while making friends and having fun. It's time to dig out that hip scarf and put it to work!
Dance combos will be taught at the beginner and intermediate levels, with options for advanced modifications as students progress.
Wear what makes you feel comfortable. Hip scarves are recommended but not required. Dance shoes are optional.
Session 3: May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Topic: Classical Egyptian Choreography
5 classes $80
5-week summer break follows
Visit https://www.upwardlighthealing.com/schedule for more info. Email questions to raqslenora@gmail.com
You can pay at the desk with cash or card before class starts. Full session discount is only available on the first day of the session.
Parking
Free parking is available in front of the studio during class for participants. Access via N Robson and W Pepper Pl. If restricted due to construction use access via N. McDonald
2024 Year Ahead at Upward Light
Class schedule subject to change with studio and staff availability but this is the current plan:
Session 1: January 11, 18, 25, February 1, 8, 15
Topic: Drum Solo! Come play in the rhythms and quick movements of belly dance.
6 classes $96
2-week break follows
Session 2: March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11
Topic: Read the Music with your Movement. In this class, we will identify how to listen and count to music and practice dancing on the beat, rhythm and melody so you can dance to any song! Belly dance or not.
6 classes $96
2-week break follows
Session 3: May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Topic: Classical Egyptian Choreography
5 classes $80
5-week summer break follows
Session 4: July 11, 18, 25, Aug 1, 8, 15
Topic: Zills and Movement
Learn to play the finger cymbals while you dance! Don't worry we have a set for you to borrow.
6 classes $96
2-week break follows
Session 5: Sep 5, 12, 19, 26, Oct 3, 10
Topic: TBA
6 classes $96
3-week break follows
Session 6: Nov 7, 14, (No class 21st Thanksgiving), Resume Nov 28, Dec 5, 12
Topic: TBA
5 classes $80
Break until 2025!
Lenora is available for private lessons, guest teaching, events and more.
Special Events
Past Special Events
June 2022 Bellydance Workshop and Showcase hosted by Noreen Baladi and Ana Edith
All in the Wrist! Creating Captivating Belly Dance Using Wrist and Hand Movements
Often in raqs sharqi (belly dance), we spend our efforts developing beautiful hip and torso movements indicative of our style, but the hands and wrists need their time to train too! Polished and poised hand movements signal relaxation and confidence to your audience. In this workshop we will cover basic wrist mobility exercises, raqs sharqi wrist circle and hand wave variations, posture, and how to use the hands and wrists actively while you are doing other dance movements. Dancers will learn a short choreography using wrists and hands as a central movement theme. You may have heard "when you don't know what to do, shimmy!" But by the end of this workshop, you may choose intricate wrist circles instead.
November 2021 Moonlight Sirens Tribal Fall Workshops
Sugar and Spice and Mahraganat Nice: Modern Egyptian Combo
Learn a spicy-sweet combination to a Mahraganat song ! Mahraganat is a modern musical style drawing influence from dance electronic music and Shaabi sounds. Get ready for big shimmies, fun footwork, and sassy slow hips, and quick isolations as we break down the song and lyrics to this recent hit. This class will be multi-level with variations on the combination to adapt to your own style and ability
June 2020 Yasmina's Fusion Day Virtual Style
"Belly Club" Mini Lesson
In this mini workshop Lenora will help you take the physical movement memory we have from studying belly dance and convert it to more relaxed western style dance movement for social dances at the club (or in your living room). A lot of dancers come to belly dance as their first dance style ever, and it can be hard to break out of that movement knowledge when we want to look or dance a certain way. Let's groove!
January 2020 Yasmina's 26th Annual Swap Meet Workshop with Lenora Noire- SOLD OUT
"The Art of Anticipation"-
In this workshop, Lenora will guide you through selections of a modern oriental choreography and help you master slow sultry “inhaled” movements that then follow through to make the audience exhale with you. We will learn what it means to stretch the music and find moments to dance beyond the counts and tempo. These moments help dancers develop their own unique style. Special emphasis will be given on transitions within the music. Variations will be given for different levels of belly dance.
March 2019 Amethyst Dance Festival Accelerated Workshop with Lenora Noire- SOLD OUT
"Something Old, Something New- Golden Era and Modern Oriental"
In this express workshop students will learn one combination, but style it two ways. Working between styling from the modern and Golden eras creates diversity of movement in hands, face, arms, and hips. We will also have a brief discussion on the major dancers of the Golden era and costuming and music differences between the genres.
April 2018 Special Event Wine and Workout Happy Hour
Wine and Workout Happy Hour at Tone Zone Mesa was a fully booked and fun dance workout experience. Contact Lenora Noire about doing guest or corporate events that get people up and active at your small business. Not all dance has to be performance! Some of the most fun and memorable events get people up, engaged and dancing together.