I have been taking classes here for over 12 years. Sahara has classes from beginner all the way to advanced, with wonderful dance companies you can join if you are interested in performing, as well as weekend workshops and special events. Classes are available in person and some are also available online if you're unable to travel to the studio. The teachers are very knowledgeable about Middle Eastern dance, with a focus on Egyptian raqs sharqi, as well as Lebanese dance, and American fusion styles. Students of all ages, body types, with or without prior dance experience are welcome. This is a very supportive community and I have made many friends here! Highly recommend! read more

Sahara Dance - Dancers at a Sahara Dance show - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I've been a student here for about five years now. The Sahara Dance community is so inclusive, supportive, and joyful! I've made lifelong friends here from all walks of life. All (and I mean ALL backgrounds, body types, gender identities, even disabled dancers like myself are accommodated here) are welcome to join and learn not only bellydance technique and choreography, but also important cultural context, music, and even occasional other styles of dance here--not just Egyptian raqs sharqi but other North African/Central Asian styles, Latin fusion, even Bollywood style! There are classes available in person, online, and hybrid for all levels from "never moved my hips in my life" all the way to budding professional dancer, and every teacher I've had over the years has demonstrated their expertise and knowledge, and been very attentive to each student every week, giving individual feedback and getting to know us and our unique styles--even the ones joining in over Zoom. There are endless performance opportunities for all levels as well, from large-scale productions like the annual Under a Desert Moon show to smaller haflas held in the studio, as well as chances to perform at community events in the DC area such as Tenley Art All Night and other cultural festivals. If you've ever been even a little bit interested in bellydance, come check it out! read more

I have been taking dance classes at this studio for over fifteen years and loved every second. The teachers are knowledgeable and well trained. This studio offers classes for absolute beginners through advanced dancers and offers a variety of interesting workshops taught by national and international dance stars. The studio also puts on lively dance recitals three times a year, and taking part in them is a great source of joy. read more

I was so excited to get back to Belly Dancing and was having a great time till I hurt myself. Unfortunately they have a no refund or transfer policy. After multiple emails with the owner and office manager where the answer was no; they finally offered a credit toward a more expensive longer session of the same class - meaning I'd have to pay them an additional $135. After having spent $320 and having only attended 4 classes that offer was offensive. After a few more emails they agreed to put $160 (8 classes) toward another class in the next session. OK, if that was all they would do I would have to accept. I was extremely disappointed that they refused a refund. You see, I had just purchased the new 8 class pack 2 days before I hurt my back. I never used even one class on that pack. It would have been super easy to refund the money as an example of customer care and value, but that never happened. The space is lovely but the customer service is single minded in favor of their bottom line. I'm better now but am still so angry that I can't bring myself to step foot in there. For $320 I could have done so much more elsewhere - ugh! Had the refund been granted, I would've felt that my continued patronage was valued. Knowing otherwise, I'll never sign up for a class again or recommend anyone to them. read more

if there were ten stars that is the rating I would give. This studio is wonderful for whatever you are looking for. Classes that combine instruction that is both fun and technically sound. Friendship, a sense of community and of course the joy of dance, dance, dance! The teachers here are the best you could possibly find; warm, supportive, insightful, creative and well informed. Come on in and dance with us! read more

This is my happy place going on 8th year. I started taking classes with no prior dancing experience, being in a bit of slum physically and emotionally. I found a wonderful community, I improved my physical and mental well being, learned new skills and a lot of great information about middle eastern culture and music and, most importantly, made many new dear friends. Taking classes online helped me weather worst of pandemic related turmoil and now, having gone back to in-person classes, I appreciate having ability to refer to a recorded class if I miss it or need to review something. Highly recommend to anyone, any age, any body shape, all are welcome. read more

I've been belly dancing for almost 10 years, having taken lessons with different instructors around the world and the East Coast. I started my belly dance journey in New York at Serena Studios with Serena Wilson and after she passed, I moved on to Jehan Kamal's classes at MMAC (Jehan was one of Serena's former students and she's made quite a name for herself in the industry). Both studios used a drop-in format so students and dancers never had to put down a chunk of money and commit to a block of time every season. That's the biggest downside for me at Sahara--they use the semester format and I just don't have the time to commit to a set schedule. They have a drop-in policy for one class per semester, I believe (the policy is laid out on their website). The first time I tried out Sahara, I dropped in for a veil class at their Chinatown location. The studio was VERY small, especially for the amount of students in the class; it was extremely uncomfortable. The instructor was very sweet, but I noticed the students lacked very basic techniques and elegance (like hand and foot placements). Since I can't commit to (or afford) a semester worth of classes, I've been attending workshops at Sahara. The workshops are normally around 2 hours long for $45 and they're held at their main location in Tenlytown. The instructors are great, very helpful, and excellent dancers. The Tenleytown location has two studios with fabulous facilities, clean and kept very well. They sell some dance clothes and accessories from Sharifwear which is a distributor with a store location in Queens, NY. I highly recommend Sahara Dance if you're serious about the art of belly dance (and not just to get a great workout). There are many instructors to choose from with many a large schedule of class orfferings across several locations (but I prefer the main studio). Make sure you try out as many different instructors as possible because they each have their own dance and teaching styles. Sahara teaches mainly Egyptian and Lebanese styles of belly dance and I'm trained in Turkish cabaret (shapes and moves are more rounded and big). I've made the best of it by adding new moves to my repertoire. read more

shimmy, shimmy... *BIGGER* shimmy, SHIMMY, SHIMMY... **FASTER** SHIMMYSHIMMYSHIMMYSHIMMY... FASTER! BIGGER!!! Get your mind out of the gutter - and into one of these belly dance classes. I joined a friend in a Beginner II class last "semester." She had already taken Beginner I and assured me that my hips could do it. Based on other reviews, it seems like the instructor makes a big difference in the experience. I would highly recommend trying to get Colleen. She's a great teacher who's obviously passionate about the figure 8, camel, hip drop and other moves I'm hoping I'll be able to perfect one day. She also makes class really fun, which makes it easier to haul your hips out there after work. And now, Shakira's hips aren't the only ones that don't lie. read more

Sahara Dance - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Currently enrolled in the introductory Belly Dance class (Beginner I) at Sahara Dance. Cost: about $225 for 14 classes; my class is held at the downtown studio. I'm extremely satisfied with the instruction I've received. I'm pretty sure this has everything to do with my instructor, Ebony. She is a fantastic dancer and a pretty good teacher (I was advised by a prior student that she was the best). At times when Ebony has been unable to teach, other Sahara instructors have substituted, but none of them met the standard that Ebony has set. Once I finish the beginners course of instruction, I do plan to take the next class...but only if it is taught by Ebony. More of my extra stuff... I've been to the Tenleytown and Downtown studios. Both are VERY small. The first couple of classes will feel packed, but as the weeks pass they tend to thin out so there's more room to breathe. read more

If you like arabic music , shaking your stuff, and the challenges of muscle isolation, try out Sahara. It's fun stuff! I have taken 3 classes at Sahara, all at the downtown space that is within the Cultural Development Corp (Flashpoint art space). The space is nice, kind of small, but there are high exposed ceilings. I think the space is much nicer than the Tenleytown studio and the AC really works so its nice and cool when people start dropping by for missed classes. That's the great thing about Sahara, you can make up same level classes at different studios. I think the teachers really try hard to teach technique and skills, of course some are better at it than others. The price is definitely more costly than Joy of Motion, but its worth it for 14 weeks, and its a company that focuses only on belly dancing. They also teach tabla classes, would love to give that a try. read more

Sahara Dance is an awesome dance studio. I've taken classes at a few other places and this is definitely the best. They have a very structured curriculum and they build a strong foundation starting from the beginner classes. Since there is a curriculum and schedule, you can do make up classes the same week to keep up with the class. Their make up policy overall is very flexible. Ebony is a great teacher. Overall, all the instructors are very encouraging and make you feel part of the community. Although their classes are a bit more expensive, the classes and skills you learn are worth it. read more

I've been taking classes at Sahara for several years now, and I absolutely love this place. The Tenleytown studio is a lovely, welcoming space, and the studio assistants are always so friendly and helpful when I check in for class. Plus, they have tea and candy available which is a nice touch. The downtown studio location isn't quite as pretty, but it's very convenient to my office which I appreciate. The teachers are all great, and I like that each one has her own style so you get the chance to try different things. There's a standard curriculum for all the technique levels so even if you can't make it to your regular class, you can do a makeup in any other class and they'll cover the same material, which is nice. There are also a number of specialty classes if you want to study fusion styles like ATS, urban, latin, or tribal belly dance. The classes feel a little expensive because you pay for the whole semester at once, but the per-class price works out to about average for dance or yoga classes in DC. There are also lots of special events - workshops, master classes, performances, haflas, etc. - that you can attend or participate in if you want to enhance your experience. The best part about Sahara is probably the community of dancers that the studio brings together, everyone is just so nice and I've made so many friends over the years. read more

Owned by Rachel Kay Brookmire, who seems nice, but my beginner-level belly dancing class was taught by Yvette, who--horrors--chewed gum and answered her cell phone in class (although she seemed competent as a dancer). I stopped going halfway through, partly because I had trouble taking her seriously, and partly because I didn't find the way the class was taught to be conducive to learning. There was a syllabus given out at the beginning of class, which I've never had in a dance class before, but we didn't follow it very well. read more

Sahara Dance offers a variety of belly dance classes geared for different levels. It is located only a couple of blocks of the Tenleytown metro. The studio itself is lovely, but its narrow layout makes dancing a bit awkward. Classes are made up of 18 students, which is much too large of a group to make learning optimal in such a tiny space. Movement feels restricted as you do your best to avoid bumping into your fellow classmates. The classes themselves are well-organized, though, and follow an actual syllabus, which is perfect for the student accustomed to structure. Be prepared to spend more money here than you would at local clubs or dance centers, however. read more

I've taken the two beginner classes and a couple of the workshops. I loved them all and plan on taking more. The instructors are really nice and very good at working with all levels of experience. The hafla was a ton of fun too. It's basically a dance recital for all the classes and the instructors perform too. I had a blast. If you're at all interested in belly dancing - and why wouldn't you? - check this place out. They have studios all over DC, and are metro accessible. read more

Super friendly, super welcoming atmosphere. Also, very convenient to the Metro but has ample parking...on the street...in DC.

I've been dancing at Sahara for a year and a half now, and I can't emphasize enough how much I've enjoyed my experiences there. The beginner classes are fantastic, as the teachers are patient and make the classes accessible to those with no prior dance background, but also interesting for those with a dance background but no belly experience. The higher level classes are challenging, but incredibly fun. Sahara has a syllabus for each technique class, and a very clear pathway for advancement (Beginner 1 Beginner 2Low Intermediate 1Low Intermediate 2+3 (Props!)Intermediate... etc). Having this structure ensures that you are prepped with the basics before you move onto higher levels and teachers encourage you to remain at a particular level until all of the movements are firmly engrained in your muscle memory; these two things, I believe, ultimately make us better, more confident dancers. The performance companies are a highlight of Sahara. The choreography is always interesting and beautiful, and it is just as exciting to watch a beginner performance as it is to watch an advanced performance. In fact, I started at Sahara because a friend had an extra ticket to a performance and asked me to tag along--as soon as the first group was off the stage, I was hooked and signed up for classes the following week. Ultimately, it comes down to the people at Sahara. I can imagine that the weeks leading up to a performance can be stressful in class for some dance studios, but I have not experienced that here. The women in the companies are incredibly encouraging and really support each other from the first day of class through performance day and beyond. I have not experienced any cattiness, cliques or negative attitudes in the two performance groups I've been in. This is not surprising for Sahara, as the teachers really work to instill a sense of camaraderie between their students. Furthermore, the teachers are amazing, inspiring dancers, each with their own unique styles. I've taken classes with Colleen, Melissa, and Jen, and they're all so fantastic that I try to take a class with each of them every semester! And that's not to say that the other teachers aren't fabulous too. I've taken some amazing workshops with Ebony, Leila, and Ami, and would happily take classes with them as well. In a relatively short time at Sahara, I've become a much better dancer, have found a unique interest that I can pursue throughout my life, and I've formed many great friendships that extend beyond a just one-hour class. read more

Oh Sahara- How I love the, let me count the ways. First off, the mission of Sahara Dance is to make every woman feel their best. Whether your a 20 year old or a woman in your mid 50s, Rachel Brookmire's philosophy on dance is that we should all feel better when we leave the studio then when we come in. In these dance classes you'll see women of all ages, ethnicity, size, and dance experience. The Sahara classes are taught in a curriculum-based format to try and keep things consistent across the teachers. That being said- each teacher brings her own personal style and background to the dance. Ebony enjoys hip-hop fusion, Colleen comes from a jazz-based background, Jen and Leila were trained ballerina's. My first suggestion is to use each semester to try out a new teacher and each time you'll find a different aspect of bellydance to add to your repertoire. There are a handful of Sahara locations- but the best is what is called "Central" in tenley. Here you get the full Sahara experience from the warm tea on the front desk to the ample dressing room adorned with moroccan lanterns. Silver Spring is my second favorite and the Downtown location is nice also. I'm moving to Chicago at the end of this month and the worst part about this move is leaving this studio that has become such a big part of my life. The friends i've made in my performance troup (go Samia!) will be missed, and I just can't seem to find a studio in Chicago that compares. It's the little details- from the 'thank you' gifts after each dance show you perform in, the amazing world-class performers brought in monthly, or the carving of the feminine figure at the end of each class- that really make this studio stand out. read more

I can't say enough good things about Sahara, which I've been going to for about three years. Rachel Kay Brookmire has done an amazing job of creating a warm, supportive atmosphere. The studio really celebrates dance and celebrates women. Classes are great fun and while the teachers vary in style quite a bit--someone for everyone--they are unfailingly encouraging. A great thing about belly dancing is trying to do something hard, and not being able to, and practicing, and practicing, and then you can--but without that joyful atmosphere, and acceptance of every skill level and body type, it would be hard to deal with the initial frustration. I appreciate the diversity of the students, how well-organized the studio is, and that they regularly offer workshops with internationally known teachers--Egyptian, tribal, and other styles--so you can work on developing your ability long-term and experiment with different styles, if you like. They have a dance party (hafla) every semester and regular "salons" at the studio so visiting dancers, company members, and student soloists can perform in an intimate, low-key atmosphere. It is a real community. While Sahara Dance encourages students to perform (there are companies for all levels and they have a huge performance every spring), any level of commitment is fine. Teachers treat students alike whether they are star dancers or ordinary women who just want to try something new. I think it's a remarkable place--and every woman should try bellydance! If you'd prefer your exercise to be an art form rather than a mindless workout, if you want to love moving your body, if you want a new challenge--check it out. It is addictive! read more

I'm taking belly dance class in Silver Spring with Alilyah. It started out okay but then she wouldn't shut up letting us all know that she's a fitness instructor over and over again. I thought I enrolled in belly dance class but it seems like she's interested in gaining clientele for her other job. We get it you're a fitness instructor so as Jillian Michaels(FIT-ness instructor). When I'm finished with this class I'm not coming back and I definitely don't recommend a class with her since she seems more interested with herself and being a fitness instructor. I'm so disappointed. Teachers should teach and it shouldn't be all about them. There are good and bad teachers we all know that. The good ones are just hard to find. I've read bad reviews about the teachers with attitude but I thought I should at least give it a try and decide for myself. Now I know why they don't offer refunds. You're trap with your teacher from hell. Spend your money wisely. Don't waste it with this class. read more

I would definitely come back here to take more classes! The instructors here are good, they know how to teach and make it fun. The staff here are all friendly and the environment feels very supportive for new dancers. I didn't feel intimidated or un-welcomed at all. read more

The new Tenleytown studio is now open and is HUGE!! Vastly superior to the old one.

love it... ebony is the best! they're consistent and great studio read more

I would like to give a shout-out to Randy, the drumming teacher. He is the best drum instructor I've ever had. He is extremely organized, patient, and kind. And he kicks ass on the table!! read more

This review is for the Gallery Place location. I really enjoyed my beginner class here. The studio is very small and you have to walk through it to get to the restroom, where you can change clothes. It's kind of awkward-feeling if there's another class in progress. But, the instructors are great and really seem to care about the students and our experience of belly dance. There's no pressure to be "perfect," but there is an emphasis on learning. I always walked out of here feeling better than I went in. read more

I've been a student with Sahara Dance now for over 10 years. I've watched the studio grow from it's small boutique beginnings on 41st. I've experienced many of the founding instructors as well as some of the newer instructors. I am continuously pleased with the level of instruction I recieve. Ever since they moved to the new studio in Tenlytown, I've been even more pleased. The large studio has plenty of room for larger classes about 18 people. The small studio is great for cozier classes of about 7-10. The look and feel of the studio environment is clean lines and appealing. Lastly, I've never experienced the level of community anywhere else. Instead of small pockets of teachers with their individual students, SD seems to pull everyone together and most people begin to know you by name and/or by classes. Oh that's Jen, one of Julie's students or Oh that's Denise one of Jennifer's students, or Hey, there's the Naima girls, etc... Because SD encourages you to get to know other students, teachers, etc... that sense of community develops! read more