An entry · Work · Life
Belly Dancer
An ancient dance of the hips and hands, told through muscles most of us forget we have.
From curious to committed
Your first steps.
A first visit can be enough. It can also be the beginning.
Meet the craft
Community classes teach the basic shimmies and hip drops in a supportive, all-levels room.
Explore experiences →Give it another afternoon
Notice what you want to come back to. Ask the teacher what regular practice would look like, and what support you would need.
Keep a note for next time →See the working day
Egyptian, Turkish, and folkloric styles each have their own vocabulary, best learned through a dedicated teacher over years.
Explore ways into the work →These are starting points. A workshop is not a professional qualification. Entry requirements and recognised training depend on the work and the country.
Before you walk in
A few things worth asking the host before you book.
- Is this session suitable for someone who has never tried it?
- What should I bring, wear or prepare?
- What is included, and are there any extra costs?
- Can you accommodate my access needs?
- What could I try next if I enjoy it?
Teach this craft? Share what beginners ask you →
Work it
Do the work.
Jobs, apprenticeships, and training that put a person in the room.
Places to begin
- Certification
Salimpour School of Belly Dance
Salimpour School certification program
Online
Follow the Salimpour School's five level certification, the world's first structured belly dance program, from fundamentals all the way to teaching.
- Course
Bellydance Now (BDN/JWAAD)
BDN/JWAAD Teaching Diploma
United Kingdom
A long-running UK belly dance teacher training diploma, formerly run as JWAAD, that qualifies dancers to teach professionally and to access instructor insurance.
Ways in
- Course
Study a named style
Egyptian, Turkish, and folkloric styles each have their own vocabulary, best learned through a dedicated teacher over years.
- Company
Troupe and performance
Many dancers join a local troupe, performing at cultural events and restaurants as they build toward solo work.
- Route in
Teacher training
Experienced dancers take teacher-training courses to pass the art on and make a living from it.
Ways in, gathered by hand.
Add yours to the atlasLive it
Live the hour.
Experiences, classes, and places where the presence is the whole point.
Places to begin
- Class
L.A. Bellydance Academy
Beginner belly dance class in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Drop into a welcoming beginner belly dance class in Los Angeles and learn isolations, undulations, and shimmies at your own pace.
- Class
SHEBA Belly Dance
Beginner belly dance class near Times Square
New York, New York · Mondays and Thursdays
Discover the joy of Middle Eastern dance in a warm, drop in beginner class in the heart of Manhattan.
Ways in
- Class
Beginner belly dance class
Community classes teach the basic shimmies and hip drops in a supportive, all-levels room.
- Visit
Cultural festival performance
Middle Eastern cultural festivals and restaurant evenings are warm places to watch the dance in its element.
Ways in, gathered by hand.
Add yours to the atlasWhy the human is the point
Belly dance grew across the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond, a folk art passed woman to woman at weddings and gatherings long before it ever reached a stage. The dancer isolates muscles most people never consciously move, so a shimmer travels up the body while the arms float slow and serene above it. Every gesture is grounded in the music, answering a drum with the hips and a violin with the wrists, live and unrepeatable. It celebrates the body as it actually is, strong and expressive at every age and size. Watch closely and you see joy, control, and a lineage of women who kept this alive through centuries. Up close under warm light, it is impossible not to smile back.
Kept nearby
