Bellyqueen

Bellyqueen Professional world dance company and school based in New York City. Visit our website for additional class times! https://bellyqueen.com/classes/

Our internationally renowned world dance company was founded in 1998, and is under the artistic direction of Kaeshi Chai. Drawn together by their passion for MENAHT dance (Middle Eastern North African Hellenic Turkic), the artists of Bellyqueen come from a wide range of nationalities and dance backgrounds. By fusing their individual influences, the company creates exciting multicultural performanc

es that utilize traditional elements as a base for modern theatrical performance art that inspire audiences of all backgrounds, genders, and ages. Located in New York City, the Bellyqueen School of Dance offers daily classes catering to different levels covering the spectrum of bellydance styles from traditional to fusion. We offer both private and group bellydance instruction and specialize in bachelorette, bridal shower, and birthday party celebrations.

Kicks off Sat May 30, 1-2pm! Don’t miss this chance to dance w/ .21 Immerse yourself in a captivating classical Oriental...
05/29/2026

Kicks off Sat May 30, 1-2pm! Don’t miss this chance to dance w/ .21

Immerse yourself in a captivating classical Oriental choreography set to Farid El Atrash’s final masterpiece of his remarkable career, “Ya Habibi Ya Ghaybeen.” This open level performance project runs Saturday, May 30 – July 18 and will culminate in the Bellyqueen Summer Showcase at Speyer Hall.

Open to all: Whether you’re interested in performing or simply learning the choreography (and the style), you’re welcome here. All levels are invited to join the experience.

WHEN:
7 Wk Course: Saturdays 1-2pm, May 30-July 18 (No class July 4)
Performance: Saturday July 18th

WHERE:
7 Wk Course: Bellyqueen @ Playwrights 440 Lafayette St, 4th Floor, Studios 4D, New York, NY 10003
Press “Playwrights” on the intercom to be let into the building and to activate the elevator
Show: Speyer Hall, University Settlement, 183 Eldridge St, 2nd Floor, New York, NY

Join the talented for beginner belly dance and a special candle tray 4 week course 440 Lafayette St, 4th Floor, Studio...
05/28/2026

Join the talented for beginner belly dance and a special candle tray 4 week course 440 Lafayette St, 4th Floor, Studio 4D, New York, NY 10003

Thursdays May 28 to June 18 only!
6.30-7.30pm Beginner Belly Dance
7.30-8.30pm Open Level Candle Tray 4 Week Course

https://bellyqueen.com/lorena-candle

We are rolling out FIVE performance projects at the Bellyqueen School for dancers who would like to join us for our upco...
05/22/2026

We are rolling out FIVE performance projects at the Bellyqueen School for dancers who would like to join us for our upcoming summer showcase check it out!

IN-PERSON OFFERINGS

5/22 Fri 6.30-7.30pm Veil Flow Lab w/ Gabriela Figueroa
5/22 Fri 7.30-8.30pm Golden Era w/ Gabriela

5/23 Sat 11am-12pm Belly Dance Foundations w/ Tarik
5/23 Sat 12-1pm Egyptian Style w/ Tarik Sultan
5/23 Sat 1-2pm Urban Cane Recap w/ Tarik

5/25 Mon No Classes on Memorial Day

5/26 Tue 6.30-7.30pm Basic Belly Dance w/ Brenna Crowley
5/26-7/14 Tue 6.30-7.30pm Wust il Balad Choreo Performance Project w/ Tarik
5/26 Tue 7.30-8.30pm Egyptian Style w/ Tarik
5/26-7/14 Tue 7.30-9pm Blooms + the Bees Performance Project w/ Brenna

5/27 Wed 6.30-7.30pm Beginner Belly Dance w/ Makiko Maki Moves Nakamura
5/27 Wed 6.30-7.30pm Int Raqs Sharqi w/ Gabriela
5/27 Wed 7.30-8.30pm Hadarians Rehearsals w/ Gabriela
5/27-7/15 Wed 7.30-9pm Radiance Performance Project w/ Maki

5/28-6/18 Thu 6.30-7.30pm Beginner Belly Dance w/ Lorena Ayub
5/28-6/18 Thu 7.30-8.30pm Candle Tray 4 Wk Course w/ Lorena

5/29 Fri 6.30-7.30pm Veil Flow Lab w/ Gabriela
5/29 Fri 7.30-8.30pm Golden Era w/ Gabriela

5/30 Sat 11am-12pm Belly Dance Foundations w/ Tarik
5/30 Sat 12-1pm Egyptian Style w/ Tarik
5/30-7/18 Sat 1-2pm Classical Oriental Performance Project w/ Tarik

6/5-7/17 Fri 6.30-8pm Desert Wind Performance Project w/ Gabriela

ONLINE OFFERINGS

5/23 Sat 11am-12pm Beg / Int Technique w/ Brenna
5/23 Sat 12.15-1.15pm American Cabaret w/ Brenna
5/26 Tue 7-8pm Dynamic Flow Lab w/ Kaeshi Chai
5/27 Wed 7-8pm Fierce Fusion w/ Brenna
5/28 Thu 7-8pm Egyptian Drills w/ Tarik
5/30 Sat 11am-12pm Beg / Int Technique w/ Brenna
5/30 Sat 12.15-1.15pm American Cabaret w/ Brenna
6/1 Mon 7-8pm Fusion Style w/ Maki
6/2 Tue 7-8pm Dynamic Flow Lab w/ Leona Planko Finlayson

Get ready NYC! is coming!Fri June 12 6.30-8.30pm Flamenco Technique and Style for Fusion Dancers WorkshopSat June 13 3-...
05/22/2026

Get ready NYC! is coming!

Fri June 12 6.30-8.30pm
Flamenco Technique and Style for Fusion Dancers Workshop
Sat June 13 3-5pm Modern Raqs Sharqi workshop
Sun June 14 3-5pm Drum Solo workshop

Workshops at 520 8th Ave, NYC

Sun June 14 7-9.30pm Arabic Night 707 8th Ave, NYC

05/16/2026

The Teacher Training Aug 12-16 is filling up! Master percussionist, .5 Rami El Aasser will teach essential rhythms used in Middle Eastern dance.

RAMI ‘TABLA’ EL-AASSER has a MS from NYU (2010) and BS from Northwestern University (1997). He plays darbuka and sings worldwide with groups including Alsarah & the Nubatones, Raquy Düm, and Zikrayat. Based in New York & the Berkshires, he is a regular at NYC’s taraab and dance parties with traditional musicians from across the mideast. With roots in Egypt, his repertoire includes classical and folk traditions from the Arab World, Greece, Balkans, Turkey, East and North Africa, by way of Brooklyn.

Rami’s grooves also can be found on many recordings, soundtracks, and live theatre productions, most recently on Broadway at The Band’s Visit. www.ramitabla.com

05/09/2026

On Mon May 11, 7-8pm EDT, 4-5pm PDT, join online via Zoom for Miserlou Madness — a high-energy exploration of the classic song “Miserlou” through multiple styles, interpretations, and musical versions.

Learn dynamic combinations inspired by the song’s driving rhythms and rich cultural influences while experimenting with different textures, tempos, and movement qualities. A fun and invigorating class for dancers who love musicality, versatility, and expression in dance.

Spring has sprung! Join us to dance, to connect and to nourish your spirit!
04/15/2026

Spring has sprung! Join us to dance, to connect and to nourish your spirit!

03/17/2026

“It was a reassuring evening for the soul and psyche, affirming a healthy expression of the sacred feminine and masculine. The venue felt very positively charged, and the audience—many of whom were closely connected to the performers—brought a softness and openness of heart to the space.

Various dancers took great risks in revealing personal aspects of themselves, which felt like a powerful affirmation of what a healthy society can look like—one where trust and honesty in expression are valued. That felt very healing to me.

A few artists truly touched and embodied archetypes, which is a difficult thing to do. It was visible in their performances that, through their inner work, they had engaged deeply with these archetypal forces. Those performances felt like mirrors and were even cathartic.

All in all, I am very appreciative of the sacred work and the artistic level of the show. The trust, freedom of exploration, and expression felt safe and strong. In a time when the political stage often reflects unhealed and unintegrated shadows, this felt like a beautiful response to the challenges of our era.

Congratulations!”
— Iris Lentjes

“EXCELLENT show! Congratulations to all the performers and the organizers! I loved how unique and expressive each performance was!”
— Ellen Ko

03/10/2026

When things go wrong… you gotta keep dancing!

Study with , a talented and knowledgeable professional dancer at the !

When: Saturday March 14 (One day only!)

11:00am–12:00pm
Belly Dance Foundations
Build a strong foundation in Egyptian-style belly dance with a focus on essential technique and drills. This class will cover posture, core movements and isolations to help dancers develop clarity, control, and confidence in their movement. Perfect for dancers looking to refine their basics and deepen their understanding of Egyptian style.

12:00–1:00pm
Cairo Stage Dance: Mejance & Veil Entrances
Step into the world of Cairo’s stage tradition. In this class, Alura will explore veil entrances for Mejance, the differences between social dancing and stage performance (including framing, projection, and stage presence), and dynamic combinations to the classic “Alf Leyla wi Leyla.” Dancers will learn how to translate authentic movement vocabulary into something that reads while performing.

Where:
Playwrights, 440 Lafayette St, 4th Floor, Studi 4D, New York, NY 10003
Press “Playwrights” on the intercom to open the front door and activate the elevator.

Investment:
$25 drop-in, Class Packages and Unlimited Passes Apply

Sign Up Now!
https://bellyqueen.com/classes

Who:
Specializing in Raks Sharqi (belly dance), Alura has trained in many dance genres, including, Samba, Salsa, West African African, Haitian, and Jazz. Alura has served as Artistic Director of the Columbia University Bellydance Troupe, while simultaneously earning her Masters in Socio-cultural Anthropology at Columbia. She is currently the NYC team leader of Raks Al Zahra under the direction of Natalie Nazario.

She was previously one one of the original members of the Dalia Carella Dance Collective and PURE (Public Urban Ritual Experiment), a collaborative fusion dance project with Kaeshi Chai. With over 20 years of experience, she is an advocate for the art of Middle Eastern and North African dances. Alura completed the Bellyqueen Teacher Training in March 2014.

03/09/2026

Thank you to the dancers who attended ‘s and Shaabi and Mejance workshop today ! Thank you for sharing your valuable insights and performance wisdom! We had a blast!

Address

New York, NY

Opening Hours

Monday 10:45am - 9pm
Tuesday 10:45am - 8:30pm
Wednesday 10:45am - 8:30pm
Thursday 10:45am - 8:30pm
Friday 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Saturday 11am - 1pm
Sunday 11am - 1pm

Telephone

+19175150168

Website

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