Roanoke, Virginia's Belly Dancing by Amira




NEW! Classes starting at the Brambleton Center at Cave Spring Corners Shopping Center (part of the Roanoke County P&R Dept)

Wednesday eves, 7-8pm, for intermediate (those with previous experience, or my students, and 8-9pm a new beginners class will begin. Thursdays will have a mixed level class from 5:30 to 6:30, most starting May 26th ONLY $35 FOR 6 WEEKS!Also, a new class more for fun and excercise --- GREETING THE MORNING WITH THE JOY OF DANCING... a multicultural dance experience, dancing to World Fusion Music, with minimal instruction, with the intent to melt into the music without needing to be a lounge or dance club!!! Some VEILS and balls will be available for added adventures in dancing. Trance-active Aerobic Veil will be happening --- Tuesday mornings, 8:15am to 9:15 am (on or about June, 2004)

Register early, space is limited.

Call 540-772-7529 to register!

Start the new year with belly dancing. The only exercise for all women, of all ages, shapes, sizes and abilities. Amira has 25 plus years of performance experience to offer you, and has been doing local instruction since 1995. Amira graduated Hollins University in 2002, with a B.A. cum laude in Psychology with extensive behavioral training experience to enhance her teaching style that is hand's on and spiced with her impecable wit.


Classes were presented at the Women's Center on the Hollins University campus in Roanoke, Virginia in the spring, summer and fall semesters but Hollins INTERIM president decided to kill the Womens' Center completely so my class and all the others are gone now. I will post here any new locations at which I may teach classes in the future. Please email me for more info.



I teach a personal Freestyle form that allows each woman to express herself in a personal, spontaneous way without the stress of memorizing a routine. I also work to integrate the body, mind and spirit with this ancient dance form. I use Egyptian Folk & Classical Cabaret, Turkish Gypsy, and Tribal styles, which when mixed by each individual, become our truly American Style Belly Dancing!

Body Awareness is an important aspect of my teaching style, too. When we aren't listening to bodily input we also lose Body Wisdom. We throw the baby out with the bath water. Belly Dancing facilitates an intimate connection for graceful movement, balance, poise, etc. which in turn facilitate enhanced self-esteem and self-confidence.

Every Belly Dancer becomes a beautiful woman able to love her body. Age, figure, weight, ability, etc become unimportant when learning the Joy of Belly Dancing.

Creative movement integrates the body with the mind. The mind has both intellectual and emotional capacities to express in Belly Dance. Intellectually the Dancer creates a work of Art, concerned with intensity, variation, lines and form against the musical background. Emotionally the Dancer creates interpretive expression that meshes personal with each musical phrase.

Body and Mind align with spirit as the 3 weave a tapestry of Self born deep from within her inner child and moves out into the Universe. Personally, i find that Belly Dance is Meditation-in-Motion and i can reach altered states of awareness with certain moves. Having A.D.D., i have difficulty taming my thoughts to focus on a single word, breath or object. In motion, I become deeply focused without effort.

Thusly, Belly Dancing can function at whatever level of yourself that you desire or need to explore. On a physical level it becomes non-impact aerobics, fun movement that works all muscles groups, much like swimming does. When you enjoy the exercise, you are more likely to stick to it, too!!

Mentally, it becomes a stimulating creative Art Medium for your personal expression. Public Performing can add to this, letting you share your creations, though never required. Any time a mirror is present, you are performing for your own enjoyment!!

Spiritually, Belly Dance can take you to a level of deep inner peace and regenerate personal life-force with flowing Tai-Chi type moves. Here one can be free of the Ego's censorship and fears and open to the wisdom of one's higher self.

About me: I began Belly Dance classes in Baltimore, MD. in 1974 with Saadet from Dundalk. I first performed at Kismet Turkish Restaurant in Chatham Mall in Nov. 1976. From there I went to Emin Gunduz's Turkish club, the Salaam, in Washington, D.C. Since then I have performed Cabaret Style Belly Dance in 7 states and Canada in mostly Ethnic Clubs with Live Ethnic Bands. I currently live with my 21 year old son and too many cats near Roanoke, Virginia and a dog, Buffy TVS :-) and am a graduate in psychology at Hollins University, Cum Laude, Phi Betta Kappa, Pinacle & Psi Chi honor societies. The photo above was taken at Pennsic 28 in my SCA Middle Eastern Dance garb. I am nearly finished working on my Master's Degree in Psychology at Radford University.

Currently my favorite style is what I refer to as Gothic Tribal... lilting, liquid and graceful over a strong dark throbbing beat to create an intoxicating visual feast of hypnotic movement.

I am currently self-employed and my Company is "DivaDragon Wellness Services". Check back here for a link to that home page.

This page was last updated May 14, 2004 ">
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