| You've decided you would like to learn how to belly | | | | to develop a new hobby, learn a new skill, etc. Try |
| dance. Now, all you need is a teacher. So you've | | | | phoning your local community colleges, school districts, |
| looked in the yellow pages for your community, and | | | | and city offices and ask if they have an adult |
| found nothing listed for belly dance. Now what do you | | | | education program that includes a belly dancing class. |
| do? How do you find a local class? And if you don't | | | | Some cities have "Parks & Recreation" programs that |
| find a local class, what can you do to start learning | | | | offer hobby-oriented classes for adults. Contact yours |
| without a teacher? Only a tiny minority of belly dance | | | | to investigate whether they offer a belly dancing class. |
| teachers actually advertise in the yellow pages. | | | | Some universities offer not-for-academic-credit |
| Advertising in the yellow pages has certain | | | | classes that are open to the general public, even if |
| disadvantages--for example, most local telephone | | | | you're not a student in a degree program. |
| companies require you to purchase a monthly | | | | Contact your local university to ask whether they have |
| "business phone" service which costs substantially | | | | "adult education", "continuing education", or "community |
| more than residential phone service in order to qualify | | | | education" programs. If they do, ask whether they |
| for an ad. So the vast majority of belly dancers | | | | offer belly dancing. |
| promote their classes through other methods. | | | | Communities with either a college, a university, or a |
| Here are some ideas on how to find a class in your | | | | large local ethnic population may have a cultural center |
| community. But first, during your search remember | | | | or ethnic club dedicated to making ethnic people feel at |
| these key rules: 1. If you don't find something in your | | | | home. Investigate whether there is one in your |
| initial search, try again after 3-4 months. People are | | | | community that serves Middle Eastern populations, |
| mobile, including belly dancing teachers. It's possible that | | | | whether Jewish, Egyptian, Turkish, or another ethnic |
| someone may move to your area and start teaching | | | | group. |
| after your initial search. | | | | Alternatively, check whether there is a church, |
| Don't give up. | | | | synagogue, or mosque in your community that serves |
| 2. If your local community doesn't have anything, look a | | | | an ethnic population: Armenian, Greek Orthodox, etc. |
| little further afield. | | | | Such churches often host cultural events related to the |
| Investigate the options in the communities within an | | | | interests of their ethnic population, and may be able to |
| hour's drive of you, if you're willing to go that far once | | | | steer you to belly dance classes. |
| in a while. If you live near a state border, don't forget to | | | | Look under "Entertainment" in the yellow pages. Some |
| check the cities on the other side of the state line. | | | | of the entertainment agencies, particularly those who |
| 3. Look for different class titles. | | | | offer singing telegrams, may book belly dancers. Tell |
| Belly dancing classes might masquerade under other | | | | the agency you are looking for instruction in belly |
| names, such as "Oriental Dance," "Egyptian dance", | | | | dancing, and ask if they can put you in contact with |
| "Arabic dance," "Middle Eastern dance", "Tribal dance", | | | | one of their messengers so you can inquire about |
| or "Turkish dance". If you see a class listed under one | | | | class opportunities. They may be reluctant to give you |
| of these other names, ask questions to learn whether | | | | a dancer's actual phone number, but if you're willing to |
| it is a belly dancing class, a folk dance class that | | | | give them your phone number, they may be willing to |
| concentrates on line dances, or something else. | | | | pass along a message for you. |
| Depending on your locale, adult education programs | | | | Even if a dancer you contact this way doesn't offer |
| may be offered by community colleges, the local | | | | classes herself, she may be able to direct you to |
| school districts, or the city government. Such programs | | | | someone who does. |
| cater to adults who would like to take evening classes | | | | |