Belly Dance Wiltshire

Belly Dance in Wiltshire and Charlton Kings
Belly Dance Wiltshire
swindon classes
Devizes
workshops & haflas
American Tribal & Gothic
About Belly Dancing
Belly Dance 'Stuff'
who we are
belly dance hen party
student troupes
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Cheltenham Belly Dance
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About Us
If you're thinking of joining our belly dance classes you're probably wondering who we are and a little bit about our background so here are some of the details.

 Belly Dance Wiltshire was originally the offshoot of Diablito Dance Company which was founded by Stephen John and me, Karen Downs-Barton, over 10 years ago. Actually, the belly dance side of things came about almost organically as students at our salsa and tango classes who knew that I danced Raqs Sharki (رقص شرقي) asked for workshops and as these increased in popularity and demand I suddenly found myself teaching belly dance on a weekly basis to ever increasing numbers of ladies.

My background in dance started while still in my mothers arms as dancing is part of both the Caribbean and Roma heritage that I grew up in. Later I took formal dance classes which encompassed the usual forms (stage, ballet etc.) plus some less expected areas such as Soca, Salsa, Tango, Reggaeton and Afro-Caribbean dances.
 
I am a qualified teacher to advanced level with full teaching certificates & diplomas with the U.K.A. All the assistant teachers who work with me enter the same qualification process as I think it is essential for both the student and dance form that teachers are assessed by independant experts. These are dance experts who are qualified as examiners and have danced and taught for many years in their respective dance fields. It also means that our students can take exams if they wish - scary but true.
There are now dance schools who have devised their own qualifications for belly dance teachers but my students - if they choose to take exams - have a UKA examiner as this is an organisation recognised to assess and award certificates with government accreditation. That way everybody knows the certificate or diploma is worth the paper it's printed on. Okay.... this is one of my hobby horses so I'll climb down and get on with things. (Did I hear a sigh of relief?)

 


For those who want to know what style of belly dance I teach or enjoy I have to say… all styles interest me. I don’t consider one style is the best or 'the only way' of expressing this dance form and I try to bring my love of all styles to my classes. I’ve taught traditional styles to modern Egyptian pop, from oriental to tribal – if it moves me I offer it to my students and hope it moves them too.
 

Although I teach belly dance this doesn’t mean that I’m not also a student. I feel that a true dance enthusiast views dance as a journey and those who have dance inside never want that journey to end. I follow my journey to new teachers and new disciplines and advise all my students to do the same when the opportunity arises. I find something new and inspiring in surprising places, in all sorts of teachers classes and hope that my students see this as a positive example. I’d like to offer my thanks here to just some of the wonderful, giving and inspiring teachers who have been my guides along the way:

 

  • Fereshteh Hosseini (full of fun and exuberance, check her out if you're ever in Scotland)
  • Kami Liddle (a total star and a real inspiration)
  • The Uzume (these ladies ooze intelligence and subtle nuances in every move)
  • Leyla Jouvana,
  • Heidi Alexander
  • Ansuya,
  • Fatiem (a star of the belly dance scene who has been dancing at the top of her career for more decades than she cares to mention and who has scary amounts of energy and flexibility)
  • Michelle Joyce,
  • Suhalia,
and many more. As you might have noticed, many of these teachers are based in America so it's not surprise what my holidas consist of but the good news is that they also come to this country too.
Natalie and Michelle are assistant teachers in training for their UKA accreditation and have set up their own hafla site which you can find at: http://wiltshirehafla.art.officelive.com which is under construction and will be a welcome addition to the belly dance scene in Wiltshire. Both are experienced dancers who have performed professionally as soloists and are part of performance troupes. They are currently writing their own 'blurbs' to add to all the details that I could give you so keep watching this space.
 
Vicky is my back-up and right hand lady at salsa as well as other dancers and holds a current UKA certificate as assistant teacher and is the person to contact if you can't get through to me for any reason on the email address on this site. She is a very talented dancer with not only Latin dance and belly dance to her credit but also ballroom and, dare I mention, Pole Dancing... no comment. Her work in the pathology unit of the local hospital keeps her very busy but she now works for the MOD and is currently considering joining full time. Ah, no, what would I do without her?
 
 
Yolanda is the technical back-up girly and sometimes also a fantastic 'meeting and greeting' person at classes. You'll see her bombing back and forth from the dance floor to the front door and then nipping off before the end of the night as she's always rather busy doing 'stuff'. Her interest in belly dance started started over three years ago and has been fitted around her masters study in Nottingham where she took part not only in classes but haflas too.  (latest news: Yolanda has been 'abscent' for a while as she's been training and will be going to Korea for a year!)

 


Group Leaders
Some of the ladies from the advanced group after their group shows, duos and solos, in support of Oxfam earlier last year. They take the roles of group leaders when we have small performances and during improvised tribal sessions. This month our dancer leaders are Michelle and Natalie.
Their next performances are in two weeks during classes when they will be demonstrating urban tribal style choreographies and group improvisations. 
 
 
 Our Deepest Fear 

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

 
Karen leads the classes and is fully qualified with the U.K.A.
 
Group leaders and assistant teachers are promoted from within the groups and Karen encourages all assistant teachers to follow her lead and take teaching exams by a nationally recognised examination body.
There are some belly dance groups who have created their own exams and diplomas but the U.K.A. has been in existence since 1902 and offers:
  • Professional examinations.
  • Unrestricted medal test examinations.
  • Specialist pupil awards.
  • Annual congresses throughout the UK.
  • OCR and NVQ accredited.
with strict standards for teachers which means prospective students can trust that what they're learning is of a good standard and that their teachers status is under constant review from independant auditors.