Session Details
Below are the descriptions of all the sessions available across the convention weekend.
Download the (printable) schedule here or view the schedule on this page.
Quick Links
- Morning Flow with Keeva
- Fun with FCBD Fast Vocabulary with Mandylynne
- Public Speaking for Bellydancers with Samantha
- Belly dance – Great For Our Body and Our Brain! with Fernanda
- Dance in Pharaonic Times with Zahraa
- Chinese Bellydance Infusion with Maggie
- What the Hell is That Rhythm?! A Guide for Dancers with Tara
- Dancing into Maturity with Kylie Astarte
- Valeneena Ianni’s Karma Echoes Taster with Jessyka
- Dance with Your Face with Laura Entwined
- Let’s Get Down to Business, the Business of Belly Dance with Vittorina
- From Bratislava to Brunswick: Why Laban is relevant to your dance and movement practice with Natalie
- Amethyst Temple Fusion with Claire
- How to Talk to a Sound and Lighting Tech with Duncan
- Optimising Performance: Addressing Stage Fright and Imposter Syndrome with Trisnasari
- Balance with Isabel
- Intro to Belly Dance with Janelle
- History and Origin of Greek Bellydancing (Tsifteteli) with Eleni
- Culture of Qatar with Alia
- Warm Up Essentials with Prue
- Laser Sharp Isolations with Sarah
- TikTok for Artists with PengoArt
- Teaching Through Trauma – Techniques to Create a Safe Environment with Jessyka
- Sword Secrets with Kylie Astarte
- Liquorice Allsorts with Xaeda
- Shimmy Mob: sharing ideas for participation and engagement with Neleh
- Body Positivity with Samantha
- From Bratislava to Brunswick: Laban in practice with Natalie
- From the Ground Up with Violet
- 101 Reasons to Learn Folklore with Rachel
Friday's Sessions
Morning Flow with Keeva
When: Friday 8:45-9:15am
Type: Sparrow Session
With big days ahead of movement, sharing knowledge and celebrations, nourish your body with a gentle yoga flow. A grounding practice that will free tension and prepare you to make the most of the weekend.
About your facilitator.
Keeva is a professional dancer living on Gunai Kurani country. Currently playing a leading role in Bass Fam Creative’s latest production “Oracle the Myth”. Versatile and experienced in many genres, she has taught at recreational, competitive and tertiary levels for the past decade. She is an avid yoga practitioner having gained her YTT in Nepal, alumni of Bellydance Evolution and continues her studies with the Salimpour Institute today.
FCBD Fun with Fast Vocabulary
When: Friday 9:30-11:00am
Type: Movement Session
Get moving with Mandylynnes fun favourites in the FCBD fast vocabulary. We will be venturing through some dynamic combos that participants can utilise the next time they improvise.
About your facilitator
With 23 years under her belt, Mandylynne has completed Keti’s A-Z original Personal Techniques (2007) and FatChanceBellyDance® General Skills Certification and Teacher Training Certification (2009).
Mandylynne specialises in FCBD style and enjoys theatrical styles and playing with props.
As an instructor Mandylynnes mission is to bring out the best dancer in you.
Public Speaking for Bellydancers with Samantha
When: Friday 9:30-11:00am
Type: Interactive Session
What happens when someone puts a microphone in your hand? Have you avoided advertising opportunities on radio because you hate the sound of yourself? Or do you come home from teaching classes sounding hoarse?
If you want to be a better public speaker, you need to train your voice for speaking as much as you train your body for dancing. As a classically trained singer, Sam has many tips and techniques to share about how to use your voice as another performance tool so you can speak confidently.
About your facilitator
Samantha is a classically trained singer and has published a two-part series on public speaking techniques in Bellydance Oasis Magazine (issues 58 & 59). She has been bellydancing for more than 20 years, teaching for more than 10 years and has done amateur MC work at several bellydance festivals including WAMED, Fire in the Belly, Bellicious and numerous fundraising events.
Belly dance - great for our body and our brain! with Fernanda
When: Friday 10:00-10:45am
Type: Presentation Session
Using neuroscience and clinical psychology research, this lecture will highlight the mental health benefits of belly dancing. Beyond the already known benefits of Serotonin (the “feel good” hormone), this talk will deepen our understanding of the brain and body connection.
I will discuss how belly dance can improve our brain functioning through increased neural connections, internal body awareness, emotional functioning, body image, and interpersonal connections.
About your facilitator
Fernanda is a clinical psychologist with ten years of practice, working with trauma and mental health, guided by psychology and neuroscience research. She is also a belly dancer and has been enjoying this art form for two decades.
Dance in Pharonic Times with Zahraa
When: Friday 11:15am-12:00pm
Type: Presentation Session
Where did Raqs Sharqi hail from? We’ll go far back in time, have a look at the wall paintings from the Pharaonic eras, look at costuming and hair styles (where relevant), analyse the movements we think we are seeing and put it together in our own way and create a basis for what we do today.
How do we go from then to now? What are we really seeing? An exciting journey into the great unknown!
About your facilitator
Barbara Wolfkamp (Zahraa) has been dancing and studying this dance form for 30 years and has travelled regularly to Egypt and around the world for ongoing training with some of the leading bellydance teachers and performers in the world. She is a well established teacher in Melbourne and has extensive knowledge of Middle Eastern dancing and a special interest in the many folkloric forms of dance from all over the Middle East.
Chinese Bellydance Infusion with Maggie
When: Friday 11:30am-1:00pm
Type: Movement Session
What do you think the most interesting part of bellydance is? For me, it is the infusion! Yes, bellydance never gets boring, it can dance with different style of music, infuse with all different cultures, dance styles and elements! I infused bellydance with Flamingo, Modern dance, Chinese Dance, Jazz.
Especially as a Chinese dancer, I love to dance with a touching, as well as rhythmic, Chinese song. Creating a delicate and beautiful bellydance with the elegance of Chinese dance. That is super exciting and exotic, come to learn a Chinese infused bellydance choreography.
About your facilitator
Maggie is a professional and international award-winning belly dancer and teacher from Shanghai, China. She is the founder of Maggie Oriental Dance in Melbourne, teaching and performing at Australia, China and international bellydance events. She loves bellydance, and also loves her Chinese culture, and loves to infuse these two cultures together. And she will never stop learning them and growing in her life time.
What the Hell is That Rhythm?! A Guide for Dancers with Tara
When: Friday 11:30am-1:00pm
Type: Interactive Session
Do you have trouble identifying rhythms in Middle Eastern music? This session is for you! After an initial overview of some common rhythms found in Middle Eastern music, Tara Yasmin will lead participants through strategies to identify rhythms that might be a bit trickier, complex or ambiguous. Participants are welcome to bring examples of songs they have struggled with to be workshopped by the group at the end of the session.
About your facilitator
Tara specialises in dancing on Mwashahat, a musical style characterised by compound and non-standard rhythms. She has been performing Raqs Sharqi since 2007, and travels regularly to continue her study in the art of Middle Eastern dance. She has trained widely with internationally acclaimed teachers from Australia, USA, Egypt, Singapore, Indonesia, Brazil, Russia and Spain. In addition to her interests in baladi and Neo-Andalusi dance, Tara is an acclaimed costume designer. Tara teaches weekly classes with Inspire! Belly Dance in Sydney.
Dancing into Maturity with Kylie Astarte
When: Friday 12:15-1:00pm
Type: Discussion Panel
Ageism is a real issue in our youth obsessed society. How can we as belly dancers help to combat societal biases and prejudices, and hold strength and relevance not just in the belly dance community, but in the eyes and minds of the broader community?
How can we cater for our body as it matures to ensure it stays strong and supple, and what types of changes do we need to make to our personal practice, lifestyle, and dance techniques to ensure longevity in dance?
About your facilitator
Kylie Astarte is a certified personal trainer, group fitness leader and older adults trainer with over 25 years experience in belly dance and over 20 years experience in working with older adults in the fitness industry. She is also certified in Pilates mat work and Barre, is a certified A-Z Belly Dance teacher and has studied anatomy, pelvic floor health, and somatics through the various modalities.
As a dancer now in her early 50’s, (currently in peri-menopause, and with an autoimmune condition), who is still teaching weekly classes and performing professionally in oriental and fusion, she has had to make many adjustments to how she personally moves and how she manages her body compared to when she was younger. She has also had to do the same for her maturing clients and students, some of whom have been with her for between 10-20 years.
Valenteena Ianni's Karma Echoes Taster with Jessyka
When: Friday 2:15-3:45pm
Type: Movement Session
Valenteena Ianni (Rome, Italy) is known across the world for her elegant fusion stylisation, impeccable technique and innovative combinations. Her Karma Echoes program is a series of Short (8 count), Mid (16-32 count) and Long (64 count) combinations, each named and ready to be slotted into your choreographies or improvisation. These combinations combine unique movement pathways with classic fusion technique, and are guaranteed to get you noticed! This session will provide a taster of a few short and mid echoes, and they can also be filmed at the end of class ready for your movement toolbox.
About your facilitator
Based in the beautiful Blue Mountains in Sydney, Australia, Jessyka has been dancing for years and is a qualified Bellydance, Yoga and Trauma Conscious Yoga instructor. She’s always loved dance, and came to gothic fusion after a long journey through swing, Latin, rock n roll, ballroom, burlesque, MEHNAT bellydance, ATS and fusion at last!
She is currently the only dancer qualified to teach Valenteena Ianni’s style in Australia. She has been studying with Valenteena for 4 years now, performed with her at Gothla UK last year, and is a devoted student of her technique.
Dance with Your Face with Laura Entwined
When: Friday 2:15-3:45pm
Type: Interactive Session
Weave more than choreography and technique and give your dance richer depth and emotion with more theatrics and facial expression. This workshop empowers dancers to use more than just their body and use their face and gestures to convey feelings and stories in their dance works. Become more than just the body and learn to use your face in new and interesting ways with this workshop focused on expression. We will play with facial expressions, body language and gestures and how to use your face in different ways to communicate meaning and feeling.
BYO vanity mirror.
About your facilitator
Laura Entwined has over 20 yrs experience performing professionally solo as well as within a group, and choreographing / directing student and professional troupe performances. Based in Melbourne, Australia, Laura has also worked nationally and internationally, performing in the USA, Bali and New Zealand. She has been teaching for 10 years at her school Entwined Bellydance and has produced many amazing workshops and showcases featuring her students.
Let’s Get Down to Business, the Business of Belly Dance with Vittorina
When: Friday 2:15-3:00pm
Type: Presentation Session
The glitz and glamour of being a belly dancer is fun. But did you know that being a professional belly dancer means you are running your own business? You are a sole trader and your own boss. There’s quite a bit involved in running a small business, but also not hard once you know the steps to follow. In this lecture style workshop, I will take you through those steps in what you need to do to be able to be a legitimate working dancer. We’ll cover topics like ABNs, GST registration, business names, invoicing, record keeping, and more.
About your facilitator
Vittorina has been a Bookkeeper for the last 13 years, is a registered BAS Agent with the Tax Practitioners Board and specialises in small business & payroll. She is one of the powerhouses behind the Melbourne Belly Dance Festival (coming up in October of this year) and a belly dancer of 16 years.
From Bratislava to Brunswick: Why Laban is relevant to your dance and movement practice with Natalie
When: Friday 3:15-4:00pm
Type: Presentation Session
Join Language of Dance® Master Practitioner Natalie Diggins for an insightful and delightful amalgamation of two of her published academic papers outlining the relevance of Laban’s Eight Efforts and Language of Dance® to MENAHT dance. As a highly-respected movement educator, Natalie has developed new ways of approaching improvisation, learning and creating choreography, and polishing performance skills using Laban’s movement theories and practices. Notes provided.
About your facilitator
Natalie is a devoted student of Rudolf Laban’s theories and practices, and is a member of the International Council of Kinetography Laban. In 2017 she presented her research paper, “The Expressive Experience: Laban’s Eight Efforts and Belly Dance” at the 30th Biennial Conference in Beijing. Most recently she was finally able to present her pre-pandemic research, “The Saiidi Project: Using Language of Dance® to Observe, Learn, Create and Perform Saiidi” at the Hungarian Dance University, Budapest. Natalie is a certified Language of Dance® Master Practitioner.
She is a movement educator, production manager, and the co-director of WAMED Festival. She was a regular contributor to Bellydance Oasis magazine between 2014 and 2018.
Amethyst Temple Fusion with Claire
When: Friday 4:15-5:45pm
Type: Movement Session
A vocabulary of belly dance, fused with influences such as Indian temple dance, yoga, ancient Greek and Egyptian artwork, and tribal fusion. I have been developing the concept over a couple of years, incorporating the concept of follow the leader improvisation.
The dance mechanics focus on muscular control and isolations. Using posture and shapes that require the dancer to drive moves with what may feel like a different set of muscles than they have usually used!
Funky and glitchy modern music often meeting mantras and the chilled vibes of the East.
Min 6mths belly dance experience advised.
About your facilitator
From an early age Claire has loved to dance, instantly drawn to and in love with belly dance after her first taste in 2001. She has attended workshops with local and internationally established dancers. Claire is at ease dancing various styles of belly dance, just as she is to use a wide variety of props such as veil, cane, sword, voi and fire; Claire’s creativity will inspire you to try something new.
Amethyst Temple Fusion is her own concept that she has been working on, teaching my own students in Adelaide and in 2022 she took it on the road with a workshop at WAMED.
How to Talk to a Sound and Lighting Tech with Duncan
When: Friday 4:15-5:15pm
Type: Interactive Session
Ever had to send in instructions for the lighting you wanted on a stage, but been puzzled about where to start? Maybe a sound engineer has asked you a question and you’ve been a little unsure of what they meant?
We are bringing out a sound tech to help you understand how to talk to them! They’ll walk you through the basics of lighting and sound and then you can ask all the big questions about the difference between a spotlight, a colour wash and even some groovy effects that could be possible.
About your facilitator
Duncan is a sound and lighting tech at the Melbourne Arts Centre. With many years of experience designing lighting setups and running the desk for many shows, he’s ready to answer all your questions.
Optimising Performance: Addressing Stage Fright and Imposter Syndrome with Trisnasari
When: Friday 4:15-5:00pm
Type: Presentation Session
Do you experience fear of performing in front of an audience (stage fright)? Do you doubt your own skills or accomplishments (imposter syndrome)? Drawing from theory, research and practice, this presentation will explore these experiences and outline strategies to reduce their influence – allowing you to focus on skill, process, expression and optimal performance.
About your facilitator
Trisnasari is a practising psychologist with an interest in the wellbeing of artists and the therapeutic value of community arts. As well as assisting clients to manage the challenges of working in creative industries and life in general, she is also involved in research. Her current PhD research investigates social connection through intercultural music and dance engagement. She has previously conducted research about the wellbeing of first and second-generation Australian artists and the genetic and environmental bases of singing ability.
Trisnasari was a co-director of Underbelly, a performing arts studio and entertainment agency.
Saturday's Sessions
Balance with Isabel
When: Saturday 8:45-9:15am
Type: Sparrow Session
Guided movement meditation to get us into our body and soul and access unique movement patterns and preferences. Discover moves that could inform dance practice but are mainly to luxuriate in movement for its own sake. You will explore the motivations and impulses that are often codified as ‘dance’.
BYO Yoga mat, towel or blanket to lay under you on the floor.
About your facilitator
Isabel is an experienced dancer and trainer, who has specialised in movement used in settings that don’t necessarily have a dance focus. The session draws on her extensive formal accredited and non-accredited study of movement theory and practice in a non-dance performance contexts.
Intro to Belly Dance with Janelle
When: Saturday 9:30-11:00am
Type: Movement Session
Ever wanted to try belly dancing? Join me for a fun and easy introduction to the basic techniques which will have you moving like a goddess! No experience is necessary, just bring your smile and a positive attitude!
About your facilitator
Janelle has 30 years experience teaching dance which has seen her teach all ages from 1yo to 80yo+, and levels right through from beginner to professional. She also has experience teaching movement to people with learning difficulties, and people with impairments or other disabilities.
History and Origin of Greek Bellydancing (Tsifteteli) with Eleni
When: Saturday 9:30-11:00am
Type: Interactive Session
In this session, we will focus on Greek style bellydance moves, how and why bellydancing exists in Greek culture, and a fun choreography to a classic Tsifteteli song. This session will be very helpful for Greek and non-Greek dancers who perform for Greek audiences.
About your facilitator
Not everyone knows that belly dancing is part of Greek culture, so it’s not surprising that Eleni was born with a love for music and dance in her blood! She was also fortunate to have a professional belly dancer in her family: her Aunt Jenny was one of the first belly dancers to perform in Sydney, and helped establish belly dance in Australia alongside icons like Amera Eid.
Culture of Qatar with Alia
When: Saturday 10:00-10:45am
Type: Presentation Session
Having just got back from Doha (Qatar) Alia has managed to spend the time researching the fascinating culture, history and the Art of Qatar which is unlike any other Middle Eastern country and yet it’s everything you imagine it should be. The Souk looks like something from 1001 Nights only it’s authentic and hasn’t changed in over 1001 Years! Let her take you on a magical carpet ride exploring Qatar’s perfume, dance, music, songs, art, culture & food.
About your facilitator
Alia is a professional belly dancer & teacher, and performs all around Melbourne at restaurants, weddings, functions, festivals and events. She created Lotus (with Nashat Abdelsayed) which is a co-operative of dancers, musicians and singers that explore & perform MENAGaT cultures, as well as pushing the envelope to take Middle Eastern Dance into different directions and dimensions, including fusing with other dance genres.
She is especially interested in teaching Belly Dance for Women’s Health, and People’s Fun & Fitness and has taught workshops extensively around Australia and overseas, as continuing learning & research. Alia is currently teaching at the Brunswick Neighbourhood House (De Carle Street).
Warm Up Essentials with Prue
When: Saturday 11:15am-12:00pm
Type: Presentation Session
A thorough warm up is essential to avoid injury and to prepare your body for dance. But what elements should be included in a warm up and why? Join Prue from The Dance Safe Project to discover what elements need to be included in your warm up to ensure you can avoid pain and injury and Dance for Life!
About your facilitator
Prue has been dancing for 36 years but has been performing professionally for 20 years. She has a Diploma in Pilates Movement Therapy from the Australian Pilates Method Association and has been assisting dancers and non-dancers to improve their lives through pain reduction and management for the past 11 years.
Laser Sharp Isolations with Sarah
When: Saturday 11:30am-1pm
Type: Movement Session
Sharp, powerful, dynamic and fun! This Fusion Bellydance workshop is technically focused and will help develop sharp, fast and articulate body isolations. The workshop will include body conditioning to wake up the muscles, Isolation drills, layers and brain teasing pathways and finish with a powerful combination.
Open – Intermediate level.
About your facilitator
Sarah is a dedicated lifelong dancer who trained intensively in Classical Ballet and Contemporary dance before she found her love for Fusion Bellydance in 2015. Her passion and commitment to the dance form sees Sarah regularly travelling internationally for training and is currently certified in Zoe Jakes Dance Craft Key of Spades (L2), Olga Meos Phase 2 and Deb Rubin Dance Therapeutics (L1).
Sarah is passionate about sharing her love for the dance form through her performances and classes. She is the director of ALYASATI Fusion Bellydance school in Brunswick where she teaches beginner & inter/adv Fusion Belly Dance
Tiktok for Artists with PengoArt
When: Saturday 11:30am-1:00pm
Type: Interactive Session
Are you lost when it comes to Tiktok? Come work with Hannah Pengilly of PengoArt on a video for TikTok. Create alongside her as she plans out what she’s going to do, and work with her as she pulls it all together ready to be posted.
About your facilitator
Hannah Pengilly, a.k.a PengoArt is an artist, social media personality, and YouTuber known primarily for her art sketches on her PengoArt TikTok account. Due to the popularity of her TikTok account, she has accumulated over 3.1 million followers and 49 million likes. Many of her most popular videos revolve around opening new markers.
She has recently launched a Spotify Original podcast called Pengo Pod which is set in the fictional world of Imagination Shire. This show shares life stories, offering advice on everything from art to social media, plus Hannah chats to some of the world’s biggest artists on the internet right now.
Teaching Through Trauma - Techniques to Create a Safe Environment with Jessyka
When: Saturday 12:15-1:00pm
Type: Presentation Session
Many, many people have experienced a trauma in their life that can show up in unexpected ways as a nervous system response. For those people, belly dance can be confronting in many ways – the group experience, moving certain parts of the body, and more emotional and subtle triggers such as competition, difficulty learning or feeling nervous or uncomfortable. This workshop will give a background on how trauma is stored in the body, how it can show up, and some practical tips and techniques to create a comfortable environment for all students. There will be a Q and A afterwards.
About your facilitator
Jessyka loves teaching bellydance and being a teacher of Trauma Conscious Yoga specifically, which blends amazingly with her past 7 years of psychology and day job in domestic violence. Jessyka adores bellydance because it is how her body intuitively wants to move, and she loves challenging herself and constantly increasing her knowledge. Jessyka comes from a psychology background and loves to teach all dance from a mind and body perspective.
Based in the beautiful Blue Mountains in Sydney, Australia, Jessyka has been dancing for years and is a qualified Bellydance, Yoga and Trauma Conscious Yoga instructor. She’s always loved dance, and came to gothic fusion after a long journey through swing, Latin, rock n roll, ballroom, burlesque, MEHNAT bellydance, ATS and fusion at last!
Sword Secrets with Kylie Astarte
When: Saturday 2:15-3:45pm
Type: Movement Session
Take your sword handling and wielding skills to the next level with this in depth workshop that explains the history and use of curved swords in battle, and focuses on authentic techniques and pathways. Participants will learn the fundamentals through an 8 directional sword cuts pattern, before weaving in artistic embellishments for belly dance and fusion.
We will also look at appropriate warm ups, strengthening and stretching exercises for sword work at the beginning and end of the workshop.
About the facilitator
Kylie hails from Shellharbour (NSW) and has over 25 years of experience in belly dance and fusion. She is also a qualified Personal Trainer, Pilates and Barre Instructor with 25 years experience training in the martial arts, including training in staff and bokken. Her focus is on wielding the sword with reverence, power, and presence, with the acknowledgement of the history and authentic use of the sword as a weapon.
She has choreographed multiple single and double sword choreographies over the past 20 years, and has performed with single and double sword (and bat’leth) at festivals around Australia, including WAMED, the Wollongong Belly Dance Festival, the Launceston Belly Dance Festival, and the Newcastle Belly Dance Festival.
Liquorice Allsorts with Xaeda
When: Saturday 2:15-3:45pm
Type: Interactive Session
Liquorice Allsorts is a build your own workshop, based on simple movements and a how to guide for developing your choreography writing skills.
By breaking down the body layers, music and directional changes you can build your movements into easy-to-follow directions that create a tasty, layered treat.
This workshop is perfect for the budding ideas of a dancer wishing to express their inner vision or for those wishing to create a fun collaborative dance.
Choreography will be set to: “Rolling in the Deep” remix by Mr Mor3b – Adele
No props needed, just bring your awesome self.
About your facilitator
Xaeda is a Brisbane based dancer whose passion for Middle Eastern Dance started the moment she stepped in to her first lesson. Since then she has pursued every aspect of the dance. From performance, instruction and theatre to TV advertising, DVD’S, music and supporting the community while mastering the different props, emotions and dance styles within this amazing art form.
Xaeda is a popular instructor and entertainer at festivals and has delighted audiences from all over the world. With her fun loving approach and understanding of music and movement Xaeda can draw her audience in and take them on a journey.
Shimmy Mob: sharing ideas for participation and engagement with Neleh
When: Saturday 2:15-3:00pm
Type: Discussion Panel
Ever wanted to be a part of the global phenomenon that is Shimmy Mob? Every year over 150 cities world wide sign on to be a part of this movement. Learn more about how we can raise our profile and engage more dancers as well as share ideas for events and activities that will raise community awareness about domestic abuse and funds for support services.
About your facilitator
2023 will be Neleh’s eleventh year of participating in Shimmy Mob. She is also a member of the Shimmy Mob Board of Advisors so is also part of the ‘behind the scenes’ work of Shimmy Mob.
The driving force behind Bellydancers of Australia, Neleh helps to connect bellydancers from all around Australia.
Body Positivity with Samantha
When: Saturday 3:15-4:00pm
Type: Discussion Panel
Bellydancing is renowned for accepting bodies of all shapes, sizes and capabilities. There are groups dedicated to plus-size dancers, dancers over 40, dancers with physical disabilities. We seem really diverse and accepting, but where are the groups celebrating the itty bitty titty committee and ’round is still a shape’ bodies?
How do we ensure we’re really celebrating ‘all’ body types? What misconceptions do we need to clear up about ‘thin’ vs ‘plus-size’ and ‘disability’ vs ‘capability’. Are all these labels even necessary? Let’s chat!
About your facilitator
As a plus-size dancer, she thought she was very accepting of ‘all’ body types but since becoming a teacher she has realised she was skewed towards helping other plus-size dancers feel confident, sometimes to the detriment of other body types. So over the last decade she has worked hard to become truly diverse and is now a sponsor of the local Body Positive Walk for the Butterfly Foundation (support for eating disorders and body image issues) and has spoken at corporate functions about body positivity.
From Bratislava to Brunswick: Laban in practice with Natalie
When: Saturday 4:15-5:45pm
Type: Movement Session
Join Australia’s one and only Language of Dance® Master Practitioner Natalie Diggins for a playful, explorative, and joyful masterclass that embodies the big movement concepts developed by Rudolf Laban and Dr Ann Hutchinson Guest and covered in her sister presentation, ‘From Bratislava to Brunswick: Why Laban is relevant to your dance and movement practice’. Whilst you will get the most out of attending both lecture and workshop, both are able to be enjoyed separately and with no prior experience necessary.
About your facilitator
Natalie is a devoted student of Rudolf Laban’s theories and practices, and is a member of the International Council of Kinetography Laban. In 2017 she presented her research paper, “The Expressive Experience: Laban’s Eight Efforts and Belly Dance” at the 30th Biennial Conference in Beijing. Most recently she was finally able to present her pre-pandemic research, “The Saiidi Project: Using Language of Dance® to Observe, Learn, Create and Perform Saiidi” at the Hungarian Dance University, Budapest. Natalie is a certified Language of Dance® Master Practitioner.
She is a movement educator, production manager, and the co-director of WAMED Festival. She was a regular contributor to Bellydance Oasis magazine between 2014 and 2018.
From the Ground Up with Violet
When: Saturday 4:15-5:15pm
Type: Interactive Session
“What foot is it?” or “How did you end up on that leg?” are the most common questions I get asked. In this session we are going to break it down! Identifying surfaces and making decisions about what adjustments to make, dancing in heels, weight placement and transfers, how to care for your feet and believe it or not… walking. With a little bit of chat and a little bit of practice, let’s sweat the small stuff and level up our performances.
About your facilitator
Vlet has been dancing since the age of 4, and has trained in Cecchetti Ballet Syllabus, alongside a solid background in jazz, and musical theatre. She is a junior school tutor at Jason Coleman’s Ministry of Dance in North Melbourne and a student dietitican.
101 Reasons to Learn Folklore with Rachel
When: Saturday 4:15-5:00pm
Type: Presentation Session
As a baby dancer, all I wanted to do was ‘cabaret’. If there weren’t diamantes and a bare midriff, I was out of there. Then Amera cunningly lured me into Farrah, and once converted, I’ve never looked back. I wouldn’t be where I am today without folklore. Can I persuade you to join me down the rabbit hole?
About your facilitator
Rachel Bond is the principal of Inspire Bellydance, Sydney’s largest bellydance school, which just celebrated its 13th anniversary. She believes that Oriental Dance is primarily about sharing joy: whether through helping women connect to their bodies and find their creativity, or bringing smiles to the faces of audience members. As a teacher, Rachel focuses on making the dance accessible without sacrificing technical precision and cultural relevance. Within the dance community, she is known for being highly educated in Egyptian dance in particular, having studied both Raqs Sharqi and folklore styles for many years.