Belly Dancing is a great way to get exericse and get your body moving whether you're pregnant or have just had a little one! Join Grace MacNeil for Belly Dancing at BABS this spring! You can use your BABS Yoga & Exercise passes or pay by the class ($10 each).
Grace MacNeil has been dancing and performing Belly Dance for over 7 years. She has attended Tribal basics teacher training with tribal mother Paulette Rees Dens of Gypsy Caravan located in Portland, Oregon. Grace's dance practice and philosophy is rooted in using dance as an outlet for self-expression, stress relief, and health. She was drawn to Tribal Style belly dance specifically because the form emulate's poise, strength, and communal interaction. Grace is also a mother, herbalist and student of Nursing.
Beginners ATS Level I & II: Sundays 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Instructors: Heather Pund and Alice Dobie-Galuska
Dates: May 23 – July 18 (no class on Sunday July 4)
Location: Panache School of Dance, 311 E. Winslow Rd., Bloomington, IN
Cost: for full 8 weeks session $57 or $43 with student ID;
Questions: Email Dark Side at darksidetribaldance@gmail.com
Description: In this class you will begin to learn basic ATS belly dance vocabulary, ATS group formations, and finger cymbals (zils); you will also build core strength and increase your balance and flexibility. Each week the instructors will lead the class in a group dance to practice the movements covered. This beginner's level class serves as a foundation for Dark Side Tribal's intermediate-advanced ATS class. We wish to welcome you to the community of ATS dancers!
Intermediate/Advanced ATS: Thursdays 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Instructor: Ann Shaffer
Dates: June 3 – July 29 (9 weeks)
Location: The Dance Center, 223 S. Pete Ellis Dr. on the east side of Bloomington, IN
Cost: $15/class (drop-in) or purchase 4 or more classes on a punch card for $10/class.
Registration: Email darksidetribaldance@gmail.com
Description: This 90-minute mixed-level class will approach American Tribal Style bellydance training from several angles, incorporating strength training to aid in posture and flexibility, isolation drills to clean up technique, ATS improvisation exercises to develop interactive flow, and attention to stage presence. We will also be exploring specialty techniques including balancing, can/stick, floorwork, and advanced zil techniques. This class is open to dancers of varying levels but familiarity with ATS fundamental movements and cues is required. Prerequisite: at least one full session of Level 1/Beginner ATS completed, or permission of the instructor.
Instructor Information:
Ann Shaffer has studied various forms of belly dance for six years,including private lessons and seminars with Carolena Nericcio, the creator of American Tribal Style and founder of FatChanceBellyDance. Ann has performed with several belly dance troupes in the Bloomington area,and currently dances with Dark Side Tribal, Bloomington's only ATS and tribal fusion troupe.
Heather Pund has been dancing for the better part of 15 years. She has worked with several local troupes; starting in Banat Mara, one of the founding four of Different Drummer and finally co-founding Dark Side Tribal in 2006. While she has a foundation in cabaret style dance she finds her heart to be hung with kucchi bits and cowrie shells and currently ATS is her focus. She feels ATS most clearly conveys the feelings of camaraderie and communication she feels when dancing.
Alice Dobie-Galuska began studying ATS belly dance in 2002 and began performing in 2003. She became a member of Dark Side Tribal in 2007. Her dance experience began in the late '80's when she studied and performed modern dance in college. Although it is noteworthy to mention that she discovered the joy of dance in aerobic dance classes while in high school. Alice loves how dancing feels and her goal as an instructor of dance is to help others find this joy in their own bodies.
