Latest Updates...
Birmingham Bellydance Festival ~ 
This is taking place on Sat 31st July, and is great that local teachers are working together to bring some big names in bellydance to Brum!
There are taster workshops, then those for the more advanced dancer, with teachers such as Feresteh, Ozgen and Dawn O'Brien. This is taking place at the Dance Exchange located within the Hippodrome. There is also an evening show, which I am performing in, and we would love to see lots of familiar faces in the audience! For details visit www.bamba.org.uk
~ Summer hafla 
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Yes I'm planning again, I must be mad! I am excited to say that we have the Urban Gypsies joining us for our summer hafla, booked for Sat 18 September. They will be performing in the evening, and sharing their eclectic, fun & energetic style which will get everyone wanting to join in!
Zehara is also teaching a workshop in the day from 2.30 - 4pm. *** - Spaces have already been filled -
Hafla tickets are on order, should be available in 2 weeks!
"Dancer of the Month" ~ July 
DANCER OF THE MONTH IS...Sonia Wigley
Sonia dances with me in my Worcester class, and has been with me several years now. She is quite quiet in class, but she is dedicated and works hard to learn routines and get new moves. She is always keen to join in with performances at the haflas and I've watched her grow over time with technique and confidence. Keep shimmying Sonia, well done!
** New Class - Tribal ATS & Fusion ** 
I've had a great response from some of my dancers during this 'term' when we've been covering tribal style belly dance in my Monday class. We've learnt new moves, tried some cueing and the ladies have learnt a great choreography! I'd love to explore this style further, but am aware that for some ladies in class this isn't their favourite style, and so it limits how far i can expand on it.
I've therefore decided to start a new class focusing soley on this style. I love the way it unites a troupe, especially when cueing and improvising, and the costuming is fab too!
It won't be open to complete beginner's, as the dancers will need some back ground in belly dance and the basic moves.
Starting Wednesday 5th May 6 - 7pm at Webheath Village Hall. My fitness class will still run at St Augustine's on a Wednesday evening, I will hot foot it over to there afterwards!
AiR - Stands for Arts in Redditch - which helps creative communites to work in partnership 
across Redditch by putting on public events and encouraging young people to get involved and express themselves through dance, music, poetry and many other arts.
Belly Jewels is a member of the organisation, and will work together with the team where possible to support local activies and events.
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~ Private Lessons ~ 
Now I have a mirrored 'studio' in my house, I am able to offer private lessons to anyone who is interested.
Either use this for a one off session, to catch up on routines or have some extra help, or maybe to focus on building your confidence with dancing or working on technique...it's your lesson! It is £15 for 1x 1hr session, or £50 for 5x 45 min sessions when booked & paid together. Some ladies book up several to have 1 on 1 tuition and help with choreographing a routine for the hafla!
Contact me if you are interested & we can discuss availability.
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Unrelated to belly dancing, but linked to me in some way, here are some other websites if you are interested or require these services!!
www.toniqueholistics.co.uk This is the website of a lady I use regularly for massages & beauty treatments, and I recommend the hydro-therm massage, which is lovely after a week of hard shimmying & being sat at a computer all day to ease away the tension! She does waxing, spray tans etc and takes a holistic approach to her work.
www.tribe.net This is like a forum/chat site, which isn't soley for belly dance, but there are lots of belly dance 'tribes' you can link into, and some of the information is really good. You can just view the pages, or register to become a member so you can post questions or messages. You can spend hours on it though, it is a bit addictive at first, like facebook!
You can also find me on facebook, and join our groupe 'belly dance with belly jewels' where myself and other local belly dance teachers will post details of events & also discuss dance related topics - come & have your say!
www.artsinredditch.com To find out what art related events and groups are in your local area - dance, drama, music...take a look!