Thanks to Shiraz, oriental dancer and teacher, for answering our various questions during our interview.

Can you introduce your concept of video oriental dance classes?

First of all, thanks to you and your team for your interest in my project. My website offers bellydance online lessons, subtitled in english, available 24/7 with unlimited access : "Bellydance when you want!". These videos allow everyone to practice Bellydance anywhere and anytime. There are videos for bellydance moves explained in detail with a progression of arms and movements, sequences that combine several movements, isolation and dissociation exercises to train and progress, as well as choreographies explained step by step and in sequence, from a beginner to an advanced level.

Why did you think of these courses alongside the traditional dance classes you teach?

I've been teaching bellydance for over 10 years and many of my students in France and abroad want to have extra work different from the group lessons and workshops to continue dancing whenever and anywhere they feel like. I also thought of all these women and men who are afraid of entering dance studios for different reasons or of those who prefer to learn at their own pace. I want dance to be accessible to the greatest number, especially oriental dancing which allows a person to blossom and assert himself/herself far from some codes dictated by society!

What are the contributions and particularities of these online bellydance courses?

These videos allow each student to be able to practice and progress at home or anywhere else simply by being connected to the internet. Thanks to the login IDs, videos can be accessed via any digital media (smartphone, tablet, computer, laptop) 24/7, you dance when and where you want! You can select by movements, sequences, exercises or choreographies as well as by level. New videos are uploaded every month, allowing each subscriber to dance and discover new features while progressing.

What's your background in the world of Bellydance?

I've been training bellydance for more than 20 years. I believe that when one teaches one must never stop learning and discovering! My passion for Bellydance started when I was 4 years old, in my parents' Oriental restaurant where professional bellydancers performed every weekend. I was completely fascinated and overwhelmed by these dancers, I imitated the steps, danced all the time and wore my first bellydance costume made by my mother at 4 :-) Passionate about dancing, I started with classical dance, modern jazz but also salsa and samba for several years until attending an oriental dance class at 17 years old. It was also the year of my first solo, I've never stopped!

How do you dress like during your bellydance classes? What is your "favorite" outfit offered by our boutique?

I like to use fairly simple dance outfits, a pair of pants or leggings with short tops so that the students can see the movements, like this one.
Oriental Dance is a unique art which shows each person or artist in his/her personality and emotion, no criteria of beauty or technique...
"Express yourself as you are as long as you do it with Love and Passion!"

Discover Shiraz in a video :