Sarbani Sen offers some useful tips for getting moving in Brussels best dance classes.
The Latino move: Zumba
Revolutionary back in the 90s when it started, Zumba was the first class that allowed us to actually enjoy fitness with some music to it. A series of steps taught us how to move from right to left, exercise our coordination skills and learn some cool Latino steps. Usually, it involves a fixed choreography for a couple of weeks – so if youdance,brussels,fitness go there often enough you can enjoy dancing in a group and really become an expert in that series.
You will find this type of class in any good, old fashioned fitness centre.
I think it is a bit boring, especially when you know that they offer the same steps and music everywhere in the world. There is no creativity involved, except when you get one of those real dancers that teach Zumba for food. These classes you’ll never forget and will want to hold on to (but the dancers usually travel a lot and have other dance assignments).
www.ifitness.be
The Oriental move: Egyptian belly dance
There are many different schools when it comes to oriental dance. The most codified one is the Suhaila Salimpour school from the US. Suhaila was created by a an Egyptian mother who emigrated to the US back in the 50s. She was the queen of cabaret and exotic dances. She strived to bring this art to a teaching level and thus codified all the steps in order to be able to teach them. Suhaila took over the School and has a worldwide reputation for her very orthodox school in Oakland California. Suhaila has developed and implemented the first available certification programme in Middle Eastern dance and looks forward to expanding the audience for an appreciation of traditional Middle Eastern dance in a distinctly contemporary style.
There are very good teachers of that method in Brussels. You can go for weekly training or a monthly workshop. Mind you, even if it seems like just whirling like a snake and making waves with your body, this is hard work! I find it very tough and tend to lose patience. But if you are a persistent character, the best teacher in town would be Maëlle. Graceful and very professional, she hosts a monthly workshop for beginners and regular weekly classes around Brussels. There are (paying) workshops online too with Suhaila herself. Brussels Holistic Centre will be hosting a beginners’ workshop in September too for a glimpse of the style. www.maelledanse.com
