Beginner Class Syllabus

Session 1

1. Posture/Stance, Head Slide, Hip Pushes, Hip Lifts, Hip Twist
2. Hip Drops, U Hips, M Hips, N Hips, Figure 8 Inward Vertical
3. Circles Medium, Large, Small, Walking Circles, Thigh Circles, Moving Outward Vertical Circle (1/2 Mayas)
4. Shoulders Thrust; Shoulder Shimmy, Shoulder Rolls, Hour Class
(Candle) Arms, Rib Slides, Rib Lifts, Rib Crescent, Rib Circles
5. Arms, Wrist, Hands, Figure 8 Outward Vertical (Maya)
6. Egyptian Shimmies, Pre-3/4 Shimmy Lebanese, Egyptian, Turkish, Hip Drops

Session 2

7. Serpentine, Serpentine Shoulder Roll, Figure 8 Ribs, Upper Chest Undulation, Zills
8. Arabic Camel, Arabic Camel Walk, Zills
9. Egyptian Camel, Egyptian Camel Walk, Zills
10. Body Wave Up, Turkish Full Body Undulation, Zills
11. Turkish Diagonal Camel, Arms Variations and Combinations with traveling moves, Zills
12. Turns, Paddle, 3 Step Turn, Spins, Backbends, Zills

Beginner Traveling Moves

Goddess Walk, Step Point, Step Twist, Egyptian 4 Step, Egyptian Walk, Triple Step (Step Ball Change), Crescent Walk, Pivot, Hip Shimmy Walk, Chest Walk, Shoulder Shimmy Walk, 3 Steps Turn, Pre-3/4 Shimmy Walk,

Arm Positions

First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth Position, Egyptian Migraine, Hair Lift, Jeannie, Genie, Frame, Lotus Hands, Temple Hands, Prayer Hands, From the Heart, Hour Glass Arms, Aset Arms & Cobra Arms, Aset & Cobra Arms Combination, Body Frame, Hand over the Head-Shoulder-Chest, Lotus Hands, Hair Lift, Genie, Body Frame, Inward Crossover Hands, Outward Crossover Hands

General Info

A Portion of the Class Level 1 class will be devoted to warm ups and strength conditioning need for Belly Dance, traveling steps, simple combinations, group improvisation and beginner zills.

Sitamun’s Beginner classes are progression designed, each lesson builds upon the one prior so it is recommended that a student commit to a full session attendance verse an irregular attendance. Beginner Level Syllabus Classes taught in four 6-week continuous sessions. As the class advances to Session 3 combinations and layering is introduced to the advanced beginner student. By Sessions 3 and 4 a simple chorography routine that can be performed at the student recital will be taught during class time.
Recommended students repeat both Session 1 and 2 before twice

Beginner Level Syllabus Classes taught in two 6-week continuous sessions.
Recommended students repeat both Session 1 and 2 before twice
Students should exacute all Figure 8's and lower undulations before moving on to the Continuing Level 2

Continuation Class Syllabus

Shimmies and Layers

1. Shimmy Reviews & Exercises, Buttock Driven Shimmy, Coffee Grinder
2. Zill Drill, Layering Shimmies, Stomach Pops, Accents
3. Flutters, Single Hip Shimmy, Single Leg Shimmy, Alternating Leg Shimmy
4. Walking Shimmies, Zill Drills, Stomach Rolls
5. Body Wave Up, Shimming Pelvic Roll Dangling Figure 8 with Shimmy
6. Pelvic Tuck, Moving Undulations, Egyptian Hip Downs

Spins and Turns

1. Turns & Spins, Pivot, Diagonal Turn and Variations
2. Spotting for Turns, 3 Step Turn with Accents
3. Walking Step Turn, Straight Leg 1/2 Turn, Spotting Turns Continued
4. Airplane Turn, Barrel Turn, Paddle Turn, Dina Turn
5. Traveling Turns and Spins, 4 Step Turn, About Face Turn
6. Musical sensitivity/Recognizing Different Music Styles, Stage
Presence/Stage dynamics/Costuming/Make-up for Stage

Staccato Hips and Layered Moves Hips and Pelvic Moves

1. The 2 S's of the Hips Staccato & Smooth and Lines variations
2. Egyptian Hip Downs, Hip Lift, Hip Drops, Hip Slides/Pushes, Hip Twist
3. Pelvic Tuck, Pelvic Drop, Pelvic Scoop, Stomach Pops
4. Pelvic Roll, Hip Circles, Hip Crescents
5. Figure 8's Vertical and Horizonal and Combos
6. Hip Undulations, Tush Push, Down Hip Walk

Arms, Hands and Thoracic Moves

1. Serpentine Arms, Cobra Arms, Reach Lean
2. Shoulder Lift Shimmies, Shoulder Pushes, Shoulder Drop, Shoulder Shimmy
3. Rib Circles, Lifts, and Drops, Vertical Circle 2, Rib Crescents
4. Hand Flutters, Lotus Heart Soul, and other arm & hand varations
< 5. Hand Flutters, Lotus Heart Soul, and other arm & hand varations continue
6. Make-up for Stage

Traveling Steps

1. Camel Walk Arabesque, Undulation and Arabic Step, Fran's Walk, Reda's Walk
2. Floating Step, Hip Down Walk, Hip Lift Walks
3. Single Hip Shimmy Traveling, Chase Step and Variations, 3/4 Shimmy Walks
4. Crescent Walk, Grapevine Variations
5. Cho Cho Walk, Dangling Fig 8 Backstep, Lift Sit Step
6. Variation of Turns

Undulations and Snakes

1. Lower Undulation and Arabic Step, Lower Undulation with Shimmy
2. Upper Undulation with Shimmies, Belly Rolls with Shimmy
3. Snakes with Shimmys
4. Full Body Undulations with Shimmy
5. Review of Undulations and Snakes with layered shimmies
6. Variation of Turns with Undulations and Snakes

A Portion of the Continuation Class will be devoted to warm-ups, strength conditioning and Shimmy or Zill drills. Session will have a different theme. Various Topics such as Costuming, Make-up, Taxim, musical sensitivity & history will be discussed. Each session will have a different theme. Part of class will be dedicated to learning the combinations for the set choreography that will be performed in recital.

Dance Works Studio
500 W. Patrick Street
Frederick, MD
301-228-2591

24/7 Dance Studio
482-A Prospect Blvd
Frederick, MD 21702