EGYPTIAN STYLE BELLY DANCER 'Caliana' (Claire M) Cheltenham, Cotwolds, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, 
UK  mainly Egyptian style with other influences (sorry, not tribal!) 







ALSO - AS SEEN ON CHANNEL 4's 'COME & DINE WITH ME'
 on 22nd Feb. 2011!! (unable to show contestants etc. due to copyright to Channel 4)

SEE MORE PHOTOS - click on 'photos' top & bottom of page   

  CONTACT:  calianabdancer@hotmail.co.uk   Tel: 01242 602241

PLEASE NOTE AT TIME OF WRITING (now March 2012) I have ceased teaching for a while: still recovering from a fairly long, post-viral, illness) Still available as solo dancer for events, e.g. I danced at a delightful wedding in Tetbury, Glos. on  Saturday, 4th June 2011 (I may run 1 or 2 'taster' sessions later on in the summer 2012)

Belly dance classes: Winchcombe / Bishop's Cleeve near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire - contact if interested in other evenings/venues within Gloucestershire. Arabic - mainly Egyptian style / Performances - 'Caliana' (Claire) based to the N.E. of Cheltenham

PAST INFORMATION: Fun, friendly classes - enjoy learning this beautiful dance form and enjoy a different kind of exercise: varying energy levels NOT as 'high energy' as Zumba!  This dance form can help you tone muscles; a lot of  body 'isolation' technique involved - or just come along enjoy joining in! Welcome to come & give it a try but PLEASE contact me first.  PLEASE NOTE I GENERALLY RAN CLASSES SEPT. TO JUNE, NOT Jan. to Dec. 
** STOP PRESS! RE. BEGINNERS: (I am no longer running classes at Prestbury Hall as some searches 'still show this up' on the Internet!) 

 BEGINNERS' CLASSES WERE MOST THURSDAYS Methodist Church Hall, off Tobyfield Road., Bishop's Cleeve  
                                             
Directions: look up 'The Swallow Inn'; then park further along road by local shops: find path by Co-op to your left, walk past Lloyds Bank on your left-hand side & you can see hall opposite set back across road (no spaces closer to hall - residents only) POSTCODE FOR 'THE SWALLOW INN' is GL52 8DR  8 p.m. PROMPT - 9 p.m. £5 per session. Please try & have correct change, so we can 'get on with our DANCING'!!! Also kindly note it is Church policy that I lock the outer doors on commencement of class at 8 p.m. N.B. SORRY NO LONGER RUNNING AT PRESENT TIME

To wear: loose clothing, i.e. tracksuit trousers, leggings, 'pull on' type gypsy-style skirt, loose T shirt; can dance barefoot or with non-slip socks on this flooring. Good idea to bring light-weight scarf to wear round hips (facilitate awareness of hip movements); BRING BOTTLE OF WATER - drink at edge of hall away from main floor! (I have not hired the kitchen)  I may still have some (very reduced in price!) Egyptian and/or Turkish 'shimmy' coin belts available for sale!

ESSENTIAL TO REGISTER WITH ME FIRST Spaces limited as I prefer to run small classes generally, which is better for everyone! THANKS!   Also, if anyone has already registered & for some reason can't make it, or fit in lessons for a while, do please kindly let me know & I can offer someone else your place! 

Members of Claire's Improvers' classes performed choreographies as amateur troupe: fetes, functions, performances, parties, haflas, charity events, older peoples' clubs, etc. Very sadly, the group are no longer available - due to my post-viral problems!  However, lovely memories as below and I can still be available as soloist or for demos., etc.:

'Cleo's Sisters' - just some of our previous performances: (for photos, click on 'Photos' square at top or bottom of page!)
The Winchcombe Flower Show on Mon., 28th August 2006
The Ragged Hedge Fair Cirencester 2nd Sept. '06 - to support the Cotswold Breakthrough Breast Cancer Group.
9th December 2006 'THE BIG PURPLE Breakthrough Ball' at Cirencester, Glos. - fundraising for Cotswold Breakthrough Breast Cancer see:
http://www.cotswoldbreakthrough.org.uk/
2007 - Harley Owners' Club Worcs.
(raised money for Cheltenham Breast Cancer Support Group)
Bishop's Cleeve Street Fair June 2007
2008: - 8th May - private party
at 'The Revolution', Cheltenham, Glos. 'Casablanca' themed party
7th June Chipping Campden charity ball;
8th June Bishop's Cleeve St. Fair 2008, Bishop's Cleeve St. Fair 2009, 

 
Entertainment at St. Stehen's Club, Tivoli, Cheltenham, 12th June '09  
Nailsworth Rotary Club - 12th Aug. '09 (my own solo performances)   
Rugby Club event at 'Newlands', Cheltenham  Fri., 26th Feb. 2010
Charity Night in Cheltenham (solo performance)to help fund Multiple Sclerosis Society: 30th April 2010 

Bishop's Cleeve Street Fair (with friends in another troupe) 6 June 2010 (see photo)
Further events pending/to be confirmed during Nov. 2010

Claire was invited to perform at a dinner party with 'Egyptian/Moroccan theme' for Channel 4's 'Come & Dine with Me': 23 Nov. 2010 - show Feb. 2011

Performing for older people's Day Centre Christmas party: 20/12/2010

'Demo' done on 8th March 2011 at Age UK Day Centre, Cheltenham

'Curry night' at 'The Gardeners' Arms', Alderton - 12th March 2011 - postponed - another date to be confirmed.

Local Carnival: 14 May (cancelled due to organisational difficulties)

Wedding in Tetbury, Glos.: 4th June 2011 (see main photo top of  page)       June 2012 - festival performance: details pending

 'Caliana' (Claire) also available for haflas, events, restaurants, sessions with brownies, gentle exercise/dance sessions for Age UK, weddings, school parties (14 & over), older groups. Glos. Rural Community Council; W.I. demos., 'hen parties', Breast Cancer groups (is a survivor herself), Rotary Clubs, etc. etc. Troupe available for more events:

 01242 602241Please leave message with your name and landline! no. slowly and CLEARLY! (some messages have been so indistinct I have not been able to get back to you with info. which was a great pity!  - and I will return your call a.s.a.p.)   I will be happy to chat to you and give you more details re. (for beginners) for any more questions - see above 'what to wear'! OR EMAIL: calianabdancer@hotmail.co.uk   

Caliana (Claire) has been teaching mainly Egyptian style; has been dancing, (first having started lessons in London in 2001, with the superb internally-renowned Melissa Abraham, her 'original inspiration!') ; had been teaching 6-7 years in Winchcombe, Bishop's Cleeve areas, mainly N.E. Cheltenham area.  Still attends workshops when possible given by visiting Egyptian master teachers/dancers from Cairo: Dandesh, Lubna Eman, Ousama Eman, Aida Noor, 'Yasmina of Cairo'; has also attended workshops given by Amel Tafsout (Algerian), Berlin-based Beata & Horacio Cifuentes - multi-talented couple teaching Egyptian style, Lena Astrid from Denmark; Serena Ramzy (living in UK), most recently Egypt's own Randa Kamel & Fifi Abdo 2009 -preferring the authentic Egyptian technique :'keeping to its roots''(no 'Tribal' & minimum of 'fusion'!)  Also attends workshops given by original London tutor when possible: Melissa Abraham, who specialises in authentic Egyptian style, having studied intensively with many more very famous & advanced Egyptian dancers/tutors herself;  Melissa also lived in Cairo & Nile Delta for several years; therefore she teaches authentic Arabic dance within a cultural context.  Recently early 2012 have attended advanced workshops given by Yvette Cowles.

Public Liability Insurance still valid with Mosaic Arabic Dance Network.