Improve your Bump and Grind Through Belly Dance Techniques
with Turkish D’Light
If you have a Soho School of Burlesque Membership, email for the discount code: classes@sohoschoolofburlesque.co.uk
Did you know bump and grind movements in burlesque are heavily influenced by belly dance (Raqs Sharqi) techniques?
This workshop is a perfect opportunity for those wanting to elevate their burlesque bump and grind style through traditional belly dance movements.
The workshop will include 3 sections:
1) An overview of belly dance history, specifically focusing on its influences on the bump and grind burlesque style
2) Learning basic belly dance techniques such as hip shifts, hip snaps, hip lifts, hip dops, chest lifts, chest drops, chest shimmy, Egyptian shimmy, basic shimmy, vertical and horizontal figure 8, belly roll, single hip circle, Maya, Omi (African circle)
3) Incorporating learnt belly dance techniques into a bump and grind burlesque routine
Please note the workshop will not include any stripping. Please arrive in athletic clothing you can move comfortably in. Heels are optional for the third section of the workshop.
This workshop is beginner-friendly and is open to all (as long as you’re 18+) Though most of the class will be taught standing, adaptations are available for all movements.
Turkish D’Light asks that participants acknowledge the roots of belly dance as a Middle Eastern art form and support SWANA/MENA (South West Asian North African/Middle Eastern North African) artists.
About Turkish D’Light:
Deliciously sweet and always a treat - Turkish D'Light is the one and only multi award-winning queer Turkish queen of burlesque. As the reigning Legend in the Making winner (Hebden Bridge Burlesque Festival), co-producer of Cabaret Identitease, and the burlesque headliner of South-West Asian queer collective Harem of No One, she delights audiences across the country. With her signature Turkish belly-dance, ballet, and classic burlesque fusion style and 20+ years of experience in dance performance and choreography, she is guaranteed to make you feel like a sultan!
Turkish is a seasoned dance teacher with 12 years of experience teaching in Jordan, Turkey and the UK. She has a BA (Hons) in Dance from the University of Surrey (Guildford School of Acting) and an MFA in Dance and Embodied Practice from the University of Roehampton. She is First Aid, Mental Health First Aid, and Safeguarding qualified. She is a member of Equity and is fully insured, and has an enhanced DBS. She is the creator of the UK Cabaret Directory and Burlesque Casting Calls UK. Alongside running her own ballet school in Surbiton, she has worked with the Royal Academy of Dance in representing their Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies course. She is trained in Vaganova style classical ballet (graduated 2017), contemporary release, Laban techniques, Horton techniques, street jazz, commercial dance, Bharatanatyam and Turkish belly dance. In 2010, she won the prestigious title of Olympic Runner Up in contemporary dance at the World Dance Olympiad (Moscow, Russia). Alongside teaching and performing, she is an international dance judge including in Qatar and the UK.
As a chronically ill individual, her passion is creating accessible spaces in the UK cabaret scene. She is co-producer of Cabaret Identitease, London's queer disabled cabaret where “Accessibility Is Sexy”, alongside Harley Phoenix. She has done multiple interviews and talks in various countries about accessibility in cabaret, including at Velvele.net in Turkey and the House of Endo in the UK.
About the studio and accessibility:
Super central location: 5 min walk from Tottenham Court Road station. Other nearby stations: Holborn, Russell Square, Goodge Street and Covent Garden.
- Accessible, ground floor studio
- Mirrored walls
- Natural light
- High ceilings (290 cm)
- Private, gender neutral toilet
The studio has a curtained-off area if you need to take a few minutes away from class. There is also some space just outside the studio if you need some quiet time.
There will be fidget toys available at the workshop.
For additional access needs, please contact turkishdelightburlesque@gmail.com