Welcome!
The “West London School of Oriental Dance” was established in September 2010. The school prides itself on offering and promoting quality dancing and teaching, exploring all aspects of the folkloric, classical and modern styles of Oriental dance (bellydance) from Egypt, Turkey and beyond! The school has the privilege to work with some of the highest qualified teachers that reside here in London, who despite their own busy schedules, including teaching in their own schools and international commitments have agreed to offer their skills and expertise here in West London, teaching courses and workshops in all styles for absolute beginners to advanced levels!
Cynthia - Founder and Director of WLSOD.
Read more about Cynthia
Spring Term Workshops and Courses due to start in late February 2010. Details posted soon! 
Workshops and Courses are due to start late February 2012.
Details will be posted soon. In the meantime check out some of the courses and workshops that we have offered in the past by crolling down the page.
BOOK FOR WORKSHOPS AND COURSES WITH OUR ONLINE PAYPAL SYSTEM!!
Guest teachers at the West LondonSchool of Oriental Dance
Razia, Ozgen, Tara, Shafeek Ibrahim and Ewa Horsfield!
All evening workshops and courses take place at:
Hammersmith and West London College
(2 minutes walk from Barons Court tube station. Piccadilly/District Line)
Performing Arts Faculty Dance studio
Gliddon Road
Hammersmith
London W14 9BL
Spring Schedule
Coming soon
Past Workshops
Weeknight workshops take place
@ Hammersmith and West London College, Barons Court. Studio info
Weekend workshops take place @ The Place Studio's, Euston London
| Teacher | Workshop description | Payment |
|---|---|---|
Ozgen is an internationally acclaimed Turkish dancer, teacher, choreographer and director. Specialising in Turkish Oriental and Romany (Gypsy) dance, Ozgen is keen to promote the Turkish form of Belly dancing to global audiences, and to further establish himself as one of the best Oriental performers in the world. He is regularly invited to give workshops in Britain and abroad, and to perform at international dance events and Belly dance festivals across Europe, North and South America, and Asia! www.ozgen.co.uk |
Veil workshop with Ozgen!Wednesday 9th November 7-9pm Improver Level 2 and up. Learn how to combine beautiful veil work with combinations and footwork in Ozgens signature style. Get ready to fly! |
Booking closed£20 for 2 hr workshop paid in advance £22 on the night if place are available. Numbers in this workshop will be limited so booking in advance is advised.
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Razia is an award-winning belly dancer with over a decade of professional experience. She holds titles including: “Professional Belly Dancer of the Year” 2004 (Middle Eastern Dance & Culture Association, Oregon, USA) A generous and enthusiastic instructor, Razia stresses the importance of excellent technique as well as respect for the musical, cultural and historical traditions of the dance. She has taught and performed throughout Europe, Canada and the Northwestern USA, and has had the privilege of teaching for respected dance schools,including WLSOD and has been a featured instructor at some of the UK's most prestigious bellydance events. |
Travelling Steps and Turns with Razia!Wednesday 16th November 7-9pm Open Level
Razia will share some of her favourite methods of travelling in style, including gorgeous Arabesques, dynamic spins and turns, and instantly useable travelling steps. Students will walk away with loads of inspiration, as well as a better understanding of how to move with grace and ease. Interesting Isolations with Razia!Wednesday 30th November 7-9pm Open Level
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Book closedTravelling Steps and Turns £20 for 2 hr workshop paid in advance
Interesting Isolations £20 for 2 hr workshop paid in advance SOLD OUT!!
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Egyptian Folklore with Shafeek Ibrahim!Wednesday 23rd November 7-9pm Improver Level 2 and up. Details on Folklore Style that will be taught coming soon! |
Book closed£20 for 2 hr workshop paid in advance £22 on the night if place are available. Numbers in this workshop will be limited so booking in advance is advised.
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Specialty Courses
This term we are offering two specialty courses for intermediate to advanced dancers!
| Teacher | Course description | Payment |
|---|---|---|
Performance PrepCourse with Razia!Razia is an award-winning belly dancer with over a decade of professional experience. She holds titles including: “Professional Belly Dancer of the Year” 2004 (Middle Eastern Dance & Culture Association, Oregon, USA) A generous and enthusiastic instructor, Razia stresses the importance of excellent technique as well as respect for the musical, cultural and historical traditions of the dance. She has taught and performed throughout Europe, Canada and the Northwestern USA, and has had the privilege of teaching for respected dance schools,including WLSOD and has been a featured instructor at some of the UK's most prestigious bellydance events. |
Performance Prep Course with RaziaAward-winning dancer and WLSOD resident teacher
Drawing from years of professional experience, she aims to help each student develop their individual performance skills with confidence. Through a combination of dance, lecture, discussion and demonstration, students will gain valuable insight into the ''hows'', ''whats'', and ''whys'' of solo bellydance performance. Please also note that classes in these courses are strictly limited to only 12 students per session therefore booking in advance is highly recommended. DOWNLOAD PDF FOR DETAILED COURSE DESCRIPTION
Week 1: Stage Makeup and Costuming - Wednesday 28th Sept 7-9pm Week 2:The First Step Wednesday 5th Oct7-9pm Week 3: Heart and Soul Wednesday 12th October7-9pm Week 4: Ethics and Etiquette Wednesday 19th Oct 7-9pm Week 5: Personalized Feedback and Assessment Sunday 6th November 2-4pm @THE PLACE STUDIOS LONDON For those who desire personalized critique and a chance to put together everything they've learned, there will be a special Feedback and Assessment opportunity following the 4-week course. |
Book closed!This course has now SOLD OUT. If you were interested in attending but have missd out please feel free to email Razia or Cynthia: cynthia@cynthiadance.com
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"Living the Music" Coursewith Ewa Horsfield!EWA HORSFIELD - teacher, performer and producer, first studied Egyptian oriental dance in London with Sara Farouk and then in Egypt. She was one of the first to gain a certificate from Raqia Hassan’s Intensive Winter Course for Teachers in Cairoand continues to participate regularly in the Ahlan wa Sahlan festival in Cairo.
As a performer Ewa has a following among dance enthusiasts for her passionate and deeply informed expression and her commitment to improvisation. Ewa has appeared in many shows and haflas including twice in Khaled Mahmoud’s Egyptian Moonlight productions. Ewa has a life long engagement with the arts, culture and with world music which has influenced her unique style. In 2009 she became organizer of the London Bellydance Meetup group which currently has nearly 500 members. Become a member
Ewa teaches regular classes and workshops in London, as well as at the festivals and privately at her own studio. |
"Living the Music!" with Ewa Horsfield3 week Course Dates TBC Level: Intermediate -Professional The course will focus on improvisation; feeling for the music, its' emotions and its' associations; the dynamic of place; and crucially the relation with the audience - the factors which together embody the spirit of the dance, and which are often overlooked in the necessary attention to technique and choreography. But which are of the greatest importance to the dancer. It may appear that this should be instinctive and should come naturally however there are significant things that can be learned to enable the dancer to be open to this full expression. Amongst the elements studied will be how to draw out the essence from an instrument in the music, work in collaboration with it, identifying the taxim.. How to go beyond the theorisation of the dance to the level of living the music and how to take your audience on the journey with you. During the course we will look at the principles and consequences of "emotional dynamics" in the performance with illustrative samples and with the participants own music and their video clips where possible. We hope to have live music for part of the course. Details will follow. |
Book currently closed!This course is currently being reviewed and updates will be posted soon
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THERE ARE NO DAY CLASSES SCHEDULED FOR THIS TERM AT WLSOD
Evening Classes starting soon.
All evening classes take place @ Hammersmith and West London College, Barons Court. Click here for studio info
Please note:.
| Teacher | Date/Time | Course description | Level | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Monday night with Razia!Razia is an award-winning belly dancer with over a decade of professional experience. She holds titles including: “Professional Belly Dancer of the Year” 2004 (Middle Eastern Dance & Culture Association, Oregon, USA) A generous and enthusiastic instructor, Razia stresses the importance of excellent technique as well as respect for the musical, cultural and historical traditions of the dance. She has taught and performed throughout Europe, Canada and the Northwestern USA, and has had the privilege of teaching for respected dance schools,including WLSOD and has been a featured instructor at some of the UK's most prestigious bellydance events.
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7 - 8pm |
Cabaret Choreography with ZagatsNext 5 week course starting 31st Oct! 31st Oct, 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th Nov
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Level 2 Improvers and up. Previous sagat experience required |
Book closed!£45 for 5 week course
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| Notice: Sadly (for us) Razia has made the decsion to take a break from teaching and performing bellydnace during 2012, so this will be her last term at the WLSOD. She has kindly written a personal statement addresses to you all to explain her decision. Read Razia's statement. | ||||
8 - 9pm |
Oriental Dance Technique and Combination5 week course starting 31st Oct! 31st Oct, 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th Nov "Improve your footwork, technique, musicality and presentation skills in this high-level class. Discover something new every week using Razia's favourite drills, conditioning exercises, dance combinations and concepts. Razia will help you turn your ''steps'' into dancing with plenty of tips on refining your posture and arm carriage as well. Please bring a veil to each class just in case we need it!"
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Intermediate Level 3 and up |
Booking closed£45 for 5 week course |
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Thursday night with Tara!Tara has been dancing professionally for over 10 years, she has worked all over the UK as well as abroad. Tara is experienced in all belly dance styles as well as Arabic folk dance and the Egyptian Tanoura dance and Sufi Whirling Dervish Style. As well as performance Tara also teaches and choregraphs. She has performed and trained extensively with choreographers and directors on Egypt In 2008 Tara co-founded The Arabian Dance Theatre Company with Shafeek Ibrahim and is now the producer of the company. The Arabian Dance Theatre Company is fast becoming one of the most recognised Arabic Dance companies in the world. Tara continues to work at the highest standards, her passion for Arabic dance art and music grows continusly as she develops her career. |
7 - 8pm |
Beginners Oriental Dance Level 16 week course: 20th Oct, 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th Nov and 1st Dec |
Beginners Level 1 (Not for absolute beginners) |
Book closed£55 for 6 week course
£45 for 4 flexi lessons |
8 - 9pm |
Improvers Oriental Dance Level 26 week course: 20th Oct, 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th Nov and 1st Dec Drum Solo Choreography for performance! More details to come. |
Improvers Level 2 and up |
Book closed£55 for 6 week course
£45 for 4 flexi lessons
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Registration, payment procedures and school policies
- To register for each course you need pay in advance via the PayPal option on each course description above. If you are not able to pay via PayPal please contact Cynthia for other payment options.
- Once you pay for the course via PayPal you will receive a confirmation email from Paypal. Please print this confirmation email and take it with you on the first day of the course and show it to the school assistants or teacher who will confirm you on the register. You will also receive a confirmation email from WLSOD with information about the course, studio info etc.
- Once payment is made for the course/s, no exchange or refund is offered if you cannot attend the course. You are very welcome do more than one course on the term schedule.
- Flexi lessons - if you cannot attend every lesson in the course then you have an option of buying a set of flexi lessons. You can use your flexi lessons anytime throughout the period of the course. Flexi lessons are only can only be used for the course that you purchased them for and cannot be exchanged/redeemed for any other course. There are no refunds on non used flexi lessons.
- * Drop in payment option is available for some classes only, however each course is progressive and it is best to attend every week to get full benefits of the course. You can pay the teacher the drop in rate on the day of the class.
- At times it cannot be helped and a teacher may not be able to attend and teach a class/courses due to such things as illness, emergencies, tube strikes etc. All efforts will be made to find a replacement teacher from the team. In a rare case of class cancellation made by the school, a full refund will be offered to you for that session/course. You will be notified by email or text message.
Class levels explained
Foundation Level: this level is for absolute beginners that have never had any belly dance classes before or for those that would like to revise and consolidate the basic technique of the foundation movements of the dance, including, circles, 8’s, hip work and shimmies as well as exercises to develop posture, grace and balance.
Recommended attendance: At least 6 to 8 sessions. Once you complete this level you can then advance to Beginners Level 1.
Beginners Level 1: you will extend on the upper and lower body movements you learnt in the Foundation level. You will start to learn how to use basic arm movements, basic travelling movements, turns, isolation and layering technique. The classes are ongoing and progressive. You will learn movements, combinations and develop music and rhythm understanding by learning simple choreographies.
Recommended attendance: At least 6 month - 1 year.
Improvers Level 2: new movements/technique is introduced. Hip movements become faster but more controlled, travelling movements are developed and combinations more complex. Layering and framing technique is developed further. You will be introduced to the different rhythms and styles in Oriental dance (from Folkloric, Classical and Modern styles) and also start working with props such as the veil and cane. You will also learn basic performance technique and have opportunities to perform in a group at seasonal hafla’s. Recommended attendance: Minimum 1 year to cover all content.
Recommended attendance: Minimum 1 year to cover all content
Intermediate/Advanced Level 3 and 4: Further your studies of Egyptian, Turkish and/or American style oriental dance. You will be offered courses that will allow you to explore the different stylistic qualities as well as learn the folkloric roots of the modern styles. Technique becomes more intricate and step patterns and choreographies more complex. Focus will also be placed improvisation skills on performance technique!
Recommended attendance: At least 1 ½ - 2years.
Open Level: Open for all levels to try except for Foundation Level and early Beginners Level 1.
Studio directions and venue information
Evening Workshops and Courses
Hammersmith and West London College, Performing Arts Faculty Dance studio, Gliddon Road, Hammersmith London W14 9BL
The dance studio is within the college complex. This is a very large building. Make your way to the main entrance of the college and let the security guard who is on duty know that you are there for the dance classes and they will let you in. They may ask for your name as sometimes they keep a register of the class with them. Walk to the main reception area. You enter on Level 3. Take the lifts on your left or stairs opposite the lifts down to the 1st floor. Turn left out of the lift and take the double doors on the left. Follow the posted signs to the dance studio which is room number C171. If you get lost just ask one of the security guards on site. They are very helpful or call your course teacher. On the first day of the course there will be people there that will help you find the way to the studio.
Underground (Zone 2)
Barons Court tube station- Piccadilly and District Lines (5 min walk)
Bus Routes
9, 10, 27, 33, 190, 209, 211, 220, 266, 267, 295, 391, 419, H91
Parking:
There is free parking in the college car park, which is round the back of the college building. Allow 5 min's to walk from the car park to the main entrance. Enter the car park from Gliddon Rd. There is also metered parking on Gliddon Road just outside the college until 8.30pm.
Day Courses
Francis Lundy School of Dance The Hayloft, 3 Bond Street, Chiswick, London W4 1QZ
If coming along Chiswick High Rd, Bond Street is a small laneway street (pedestrian only) off Chiswick High Rd. You can enter the laneway street between Toni and Guy and The Body Shop. If coming from Turnham Green Tube station, cross the road and walk down Chiswick Common Rd. You will see Marks and Spencers loading dock with a small carpark on the other side of it. The studio building is opposite that car park. The Hayloft is a beautiful little heritage building, with a newly refurbished studio. A receptionist will be present to allow you into the studio.
Underground (Zone 2)
Turnham Green tube station- District Lines (5 min walk).
Bus Routes:
27, 237, 391, H91, 267, E3, 272, 440
Parking:
There is a small metered carpark directly opposite the studio just off Chiswick Common Road, in front of Marks and Spencers loading dock. Free after 6.30pm. You can also park on Chiswick Common Road (metered parking, free after 6.30pm).