BELLY (ARABIAN) DANCER - EGYPTIAN STYLE - CHELTENHAM, COTSWOLDS, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, UK 'CALIANA' (Claire) mainly Egyptian style - AS SEEN ON CHANNEL 4's 'COME & DINE WITH ME' on 22nd Feb. 2011!! See photos: (unable to show contestants etc. due to copyright to Channel 4)
Photos above: 1 with wings taken courtesy/copyright of Liza Jones of Glos. University in their studio. SEE MORE PHOTOS - click on 'photos' top & bottom of page
calianabdancer@hotmail.co.uk Tel: 01242 602241
PLEASE NOTE AT TIME OF WRITING (now August 2011) I have ceased teaching for a long summer period due to other commitments/ also sadly still recovering from a fairly long illness) Still available as soloist 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)
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 RUN CLASSES SEPT. TO JUNE, NOT Jan. to Dec. However, if you are interested, I still have a few spaces & there are several 'core' moves/steps I go through EVERY week: plus I am planning to be able to split the class into 2 small groups so the 'September girls' can progress! and new ones will be shown the moves, etc. Please call to discuss & I will be more than happy to a chat with you! IMPORTANT: see below:
** 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 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. 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 have performed choreographies as amateur troupe: fetes, functions, performances, parties, haflas, charity events, older peoples' clubs, 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
'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) teaches mainly Egyptian style; has been dancing, (first having started lessons in London, with the superb Melissa Abraham, her 'original inspiration!') - for almost 9 years; now been teaching 5-6 years in Winchcombe, Bishop's Cleeve areas, mainly N.E. Cheltenham area. 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.
Public Liability Insurance held by Mosaic Arabic Dance Network.