Welcome to the
"Ya Hanady" Saidi Cane
Choreography Intensive
a comprehensive step-by-step hybrid online course that will teach you a sassy folkloric Saidi cane choreography in just six weeks!
Depen your understanding and mastery of the Saidi folkloric dance style and movements with the best of on-demand and live classes paired with an incredible accepting and supportive community.
Modern raks sharqi (belly dance) includes many different fusions and styles - some of which are rooted in Arabic folklore traditions. No matter your style of choice, it is important to know and understand the folkloric foundations of this cultural dance style, and Saidi is one of the most often referenced on the stage.
In this interactive six-week course, you will deepen your understanding and mastery of Saidi folkloric dance - from rhythm identification, to foundational and more complex steps, combinations and cane technique, the Ya Hanady Saidi Cane Choreography intensive will boost your belly dance knowledge and confidence, giving you more certainty and self-assuredness the next time you take to the stage.
Saidi is one of the most popular Arabic folklore dances you will find in belly dance music and on the performance stage. Gain the knowledge you need to dance confidently alongside the pros inside this informative and supportive six-week intensive.
Some dancers choose to study only the most modern fusion styles, but you and I both know that the best dancing and the most solid practices have a basis in the folkloric foundations of this cultural dance.
Be a well-rounded and knowledgeable dancer and join a fabulous group of people choosing to make folklore an important part of their dance.
The "Ya Hanady" Saidi Cane Choreography Intensive will give you all of the technique, step-by-step detailed instruction, community and support you need to dance a brand new Saidi cane choreography in just six weeks!
Whether you are:
❃ new to Saidi and wanting to dive into the folkloric foundations of raks sharqi
❃ an experienced belly dance student who is just a little intimidated by dancing with the cane, but ready to conquer your fear
or
❃ an intermediate dancer looking to add a folksy new Saidi choreography to your repertoire
...this course is for you!
By the end of this course you will
1. Gain massive confidence in your understanding of Saidi style dance and your ability to perform it authentically
2. Master the use of the cane - or assaya - no more worries about flinging it into the audience or smacking yourself on the head!
3. Have over a dozen Saidi dance and cane techniques and movements solidly under your hip belt
4. Embody the earthy playfulness that is the hallmark of many of the best folkloric dance numbers, making your dance more authentic and believable
5. Be a part of an incredible community of fabulous people dancing alongside you in the virtual world (everything is better with friends)
6. Be ready to perform a brand new 4 1/2-minute cane choreography that you can proudly call your own
"I love the weekly lesson system! It keeps you focused and accountable. This is not a course that you buy and put off completing for years (we’ve all done it). This system makes it a breeze to set aside just a couple hours a week into your dance and you come out with a dazzling choreography. It’s a wonderful feeling!"
- Ashley
"The intensive format has been the best thing since sliced bread. I love that I can learn at my own speed, spending extra time on moves that are more difficult for me, not holding up others in a class or not really getting it because I don't want to slow down the rest of the class. With this format, I can spend the time I need on the choreography and figure out where I am having problems or have questions. Being able to work on this as I have the time through the week is awesome. Each week, I look forward to the group meeting. It is nice to listen to your fabulous tips, and there is so much to learn from the questions that others ask that I just didn't think about. Not to mention how great it is to connect with others from all over the world. This is my first experience with live online classes. It worries me that I have started with the best experience, and that now, I'm just spoiled."
- Roxy
Oh where has Hanady run off to? Her father's men are looking for her and boy are they mad!
This Sassy Saidi choreography places YOU in the roll of Hanady - and it turns out you have run off to the sports club to have a fabulous fun time doing lots of naughty things! Don't worry... I won't tell them where to find you!
If a little girls' vacation sounds good to you, join me for this incredibly sassy 4 1/2 minute Saidi cane choreography.
I'll take you through all the steps you need to beautifully perform this folkloric piece - from choosing a cane, to the basics of Saidi movements and cane work. Each combination is broken in to segments that focus on technique, then pieces together the steps and drilling multiple times without music and then again with.
It's a cane swinging', hair-tossing good time and I invite you to join the party!
I was an engineer before I was a belly dancer, so my courses are known for their incredible organization and attention to detail.
Each week a new section of the choreography will be release as pre-recorded video. Within each section you will get all the technique breakdown you need to create the combinations for that week. The combinations will be broken down step-by-step. Then we will practice the combinations to music several times to begin setting them into muscle memory.
Each section contains several short (5-15 minute) videos, so you can jump into your practice no matter how much time you have that day. This format also allows you to easily pick up where you left off and practice the combinations over and over to your heart's content!
Then at the end of each week we meet live to review the material together and answer your questions. Every live class video will also be uploaded to the course in case you missed it or would like to review the material again.
"Sahira, your intensive has given me so much more than a 5 minute choreography. The short video clips of combinations and technique were easy to access quickly for that 15 minute break in the regular job moments. The quantity of combinations in each week were not too many to overwhelm. I also loved that you identified areas that may need more detailed breakdown, I mean when you said “contract this muscle here and then this muscle here”, it was awesome!! All of these little bites of practice brought such an awareness to my dancing overall. After these 5 weeks I’m so much more aware of where my weaknesses are that I’m able to correct as I’m moving and I can feel the improvement. It makes me giggle a little. In retrospect, the choreography was just the tool to improve my overall dance quality. I thank you for that and hope to do it again!"
- Therese
ABOUT THE REAL-TIME INTENSIVE FORMAT
Are you tired of spending money on an online class just to have it slip to the back burner when life gets busy?
Do you enjoy the online course format but miss the personal interaction and ability to ask questions as you work through the material?
Me too! And I've designed this online intensive to address all of those issues.
This course models the "flipped classroom" methodology being used in many top universities and institutes of learning. Within the course I will be offering the recorded content at the beginning of each week for you to work through and review as many times as you would like. At the end of each the week we will have a 45 minute live class on Zoom to work through questions and dance the material together.
The online real-time format also not only ensures that you will take the time to access and actually use the course you've purchased but it will also give you the opportunity to dive deeper with me by your side as you learn.
The end result?
A new choreography that you've actually learned in just six weeks!
Week one will be open to you upon registration and the course will officially begin on February 11th. You will have one week to work through the material as many times as you'd like before we meet for our first live Zoom class at the end of the week. These live Zoom classes are designed to help you take your practice to the next level - you can ask me questions, get feedback about your dance and hone the movements better than can be done at home alone.
Week two begins on February 18th and your new recorded content is released then. At the end of the second week we will meet for another live Zoom class before week three is released. (See the pattern?)
Once all six weeks of content have been released and worked on live, you will have three additional weeks to review the course before the course closes.
Once the course ends, you will receive the final walk-through and dance-through video as well as the written notes for download so you can continue to polishing the choreography whenever you'd like.
If you are anything like me, having accountability keeps you on task and moving! Using this format you will have the incentive each week to work through the material, as we will be dancing through it together live at the end of the week.
For so many people, a course you can take anytime gets done never... this hybrid intensive format gives you the incentive you need to dive in and really take advantage of the immersive experience.
When you enroll during this special, limited time period you will get
The Ya Hanady Saidi Cane Dance Choreography
(a $440 value)
✓ 6 Dance Instruction Modules of pre-recorded instructional videos
✓ 6 live, interactive classes plus a bonus final review class
✓ Detailed written notes for the entire choreography
✓ Weekly check-ins from me to help guide you in your learning process
You'll be given access to one module per week that contains that section's combinations and all the associated technique. This ensured that you have ample time to dive into the lessons before we meet live and practice as much as you'd like before moving on to the next module.
I do this to protect your time and focus while sparing you from the overwhelm that can come with information overload.(Don't worry, fabulous dancer! I've got your back!)
Plus you will be given these bonuses to generate unstoppable momentum in your practice.
✓ An exclusive online community where you can connect with others dancing alongside you in the intensive, ask questions, gain support and share triumphs and challenges.
✓ A video playlist of source dancers performing Saidi style to inspire your stylization.
✓ Graduates of the Ya Hanady Saidi Cane Choreography intensive will also be invited to perform in Sahira's online hafla event in June 2024!
Plus you'll be backed by a Risk-Free 14-Day Guarantee.
If within 14 days of registering you decide that the Ya Hanady Saidi Cane Choreography Intensive is not for you, just let us know and we will refund your money.
You have nothing to lose and an incredible world of dance goodness to gain!
Frequently Asked Questions
Still thinking about it? I totally respect that.
I have been teaching belly dance for over 20 years, and in that time I have gotten to try a lot of different teaching methods and ideas before honing in on what is really working well for my students.
This hybrid online intensive is honestly my absolute favorite format for teaching belly dance choreographies. And while nothing will compare to being with each other in the same room, if the past three years have taught us anything it's that the online world can be a lifeline in times of strife as well as an incredible way to learn and create community.
Everyone learns at a different pace, and this format gives you several ways to digest the material over time and at your own unique pace. You will also discover when you join me that this community is one of the most supportive and beautiful online belly dance communities you will ever be a part of - everyone is here ready to cheer you on, help you through the struggles and celebrate your wins.
And I am here for you all the way too!
What you'll be learning over the next seven weeks is so much more than just a choreography. You'll be learning a way of approaching dance (and life, honestly) in a way that empowers you to create your own path, dance in your unique way, and celebrate where you are right now.
It's a beautiful and powerful thing.
I invite you to give it a try. The only way to fail is to never attempt it at all. If for any reason you decide the course is not for you, just let me know in the first two weeks and I'll refund your full payment. You have nothing to lose and an amazing world of dance and community to gain!
I am saving your spot on the dance floor, fabulous dancer.
I cannot wait to see you there.
Sincerely,
⭐️⭐️⭐️Looking for the Ya Hanady Saidi Cane Choreography Intensive that is enrolling now?⭐️⭐️⭐️