Belly Dancers entertaining onlookers at Kensington Market, Toronto.

Saturday May 11, 2013 brings us World Belly Dance Day in celebration of one of the most hypnotic dance styles there is!

What is Belly Dancing?

There are some forms of dance that were once confined to a single culture, but which have now gained acceptance in a mainstream global audience. One of these is belly dancing.

Despite the fact that belly dancing has spread across the world from its Middle Eastern roots, there is still not much known about the techniques used in the dance. Part of the problem perhaps comes from the name itself, as it leads to the perception that all of the movements take place around the belly.

Nothing could be further from the truth, as every part of the body is brought into play when the music begins. The hips actually do most of the heavy work in belly dance, but every part of the body plays a part, although that often goes somewhat unnoticed as the eyes are generally drawn to the fluid hip movements.

There are actually three different movements used in belly dancing, with each having a very distinctive look. Percussive movements are confined primarily to the hips as they follow the beat, whereas fluid movements are where the body seems to be in a continuous loop of movement. These are joined by shimmies, which are a series of fast movements that almost make the body look as though it is trembling.

Watch Superstar Shakir demo belly dance below:

Join people from all over the world as they take the day to celebrate the wonderful world of belly dancing.  There are many belly dancing opportunities in Toronto. Celebrate World Belly Dance Day by considering in a Belly Dance Class or Workshop!

Links

• World Belly Dance Day website

• Toronto Belly Dance Classes and Workshops

Above: Raymond and Jenalyn with their coach Vanesa Stay of Latin Energy.

Brother and sister team Raymond and Jenalyn Saraza-Pacheco won the amateur division of the Six Degrees Salsa competition last Tuesday. Training with Latin Energy since 2006, they have won first place in 19 salsa competitions so far including the World Latin Dance Cup in Miami in 2011. They also just returned from New York where they were the only Canadian couple invited to perform at the biggest NYC ballroom event called “DANCE LEGENDS”.

Watch their winning routine below:

This Tuesday April 23 features the Professional division of the Six Degrees Salsa Competition. Here are the list of PRO couples competing for the $2000 prize tomorrow on Tuesday April 23rd:

• Tania Wong and Renaud Ayotte
• Victor Contreras and Katia Morales
• Sean Quinlan and Jennifer Ayala-Guerra
• Ole Olavide and Sharaf Malik
• Wayne Barbaza and Kristal Wei
• Salimeh Taeb and Souleymane Sacko

The judges will be:

• Katie Marlowe (Miami),
• Tina Nicolaidis,
• Giovanni Torres,
• Paula Videla-Rodriguez
• Karen Trujillo
• Juan Alberto

Angus Dirnbeck will be the MC for the evening. Tickets are $15 at the door.

Above: Renata Peçanha & Jorge Peres with Brazilian Beat Producer Goreti Cardoso. Photo: David Krizan

Zouk instructors Renata Peçanha & Jorge Peres have arrived from Brazil and are ready fire up Toronto with Brazilian Beats this weekend!

Renata and Jorge are highly sought after instructors at Zouk congresses throughout Brazil and Europe, such as the International Congress of Zouk Lambada in Porto Seguro and Zouk Lovers in Holland. As well as organising zouk lambada events such as Zouk’n Rio and the International Congress of Zouk Lambada in Rio de Janeiro, Renata has choreographed and danced for many reputable television shows and soap operas in Brazil.

Watch Renata and Jorge demo Zouk at the Prague Zouk Congress below:

Ever wonder where those zouk dance moves came from? It was actually Renata and her partner who originally adapted Lambada dancing to Zouk music nearly 20 years ago.  Zouk has now matured into its own unique dance form practiced all over the world.

Attend the Brazilian Beat this weekend to experience workshops and performances by Renata and Jorge and other world-class instructors!

Links

• Brazilian Beat Festival 2013
• Zouk Classes and Events in Toronto
• Brazilian Dance Classes and Events in Toronto

Spring brings another inventory clearance at Natural Spin Dance Shoes and Dance Wear.  Purchase dancewear at half price this Saturday April 20,  2013.  New arrivals are 20 percent off.

The sale is open from 1 pm to 5:30 pm only. Prices start at just $35 per item.  Items include:

More than 1200 Pairs of Dance Shoes for Ladies/Men

• Salsa/Latin/Tango/Ballroom/Smooth Dance Shoes
• Jazz Dance Shoes
• Dance Sneakers
• Practice Dance Shoes

More than 500 Items of Dance Wear for Ladies/Men

• Dance Tops/Skirts
• Dance Dresses/Costumes
• Dance Pants/Shirts

Dance Accessories

• Fishnet Socks
• Shoes Brushes
• Heel Protectors

Win a Free Pair of Dance Shoes

Drop your email address into the “Lucky Box” at the store for a chance to get your next pair of dance shoes free!

Location of Dancewear Sale

The sale takes place at HH Dance Studio, Unit 7A, 7310 Woodbine Ave.,
Markham Tel:   1-888-907 9808
View  Map

• About HH Dance Studio and Natural Spin Dance Shoes.

In 2011 the event broke a world record for the largest group of people to dance the “Twist” simultaneously in one place. This year the even will take place on Sunday July 21, 2013.

If you or one of your group members is between the ages of 14 and 24, you can participate! Click below to apply for an audition:

Apply to participate in performing at Youth Day 2013

Brazilian Beat Canada Dance Congress 2013

Celebrate spring by dancing to Brazilian rhythms at the third Annual Brazilian Beat Canada Dance Congress!  This festival is the biggest celebration of Brazilian dance in Canada.

The Congress is open to anyone who would like to learn and experience the different styles of Brazilian Dance. With a focus on the Brazilian Social dance styles, there will be seminars and workshops given by world renowned instructors during the day. Over the five days of Brazilian Beat, there will be nightly performances featuring some of the world’s finest exponents of Brazilian dance – dancers and dance companies from both Brazil and Canada.

There will be a dance contest for advanced amateur dancers, a free seminar on preparing for dance performances and, in addition, there will be fourteen hours of instruction at dance workshops led by trained dance professionals over the course of the event. Every evening will finish with a dance party, a chance to practice new skills and to socialize with others in the Brazilian dance community.

Again this year, Brazilian Beat will feature an outstanding lineup of performers and dance instructors. Among these will be Renata Pecanha, “The Queen of Zouk”, from Rio de Janeiro, and Thiciane Fortes, also from Brazil. Other inspirational dance professionals will be coming to Toronto from the United States, from Montreal, and from Quebec City to make this year’s celebration bigger and better than ever before.

Brazilian Beat 2013  Highlights:

• Largest celebration of Brazilian dance held in Canada
• Five nightly parties
• Electrifying performances by some of the world’s best Brazilian dancers
• Opening Night Party Cancer Fundraiser
• 14 hours of workshops in a wide variety Brazilian dance styles
• One free seminar
• Four days of intensive workshops with the Queen of Zouk and the world’s top instructors from Brazil and North America.

Brazilian Beat is organized to promote the dance training and experience of instructors, students, performers, and dance aficionados. It is dedicated to the advancement of the appreciation of Brazilian culture in Canada. The event is organized by Brazil Dance World, a non-profit organization founded in 2006 by the dance professional and event organizer, Goreti Cardoso.

Brazilian Beat 2013 Location

The main venue for Brazilian Beat will be the Casa do Alentejo Community Centre, 1130 Dupont Street, Toronto (near Dufferin Street).

Opening night will take place on April 17th at the Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas Street West (near Dufferin Street).  This night of samba performances, instruction, and social dancing will be devoted to raising funds for NACCI (an organization in Salvador, Brazil devoted to the care of children with cancer).

Brazilian Beat Tickets

Prices range from $20 for an evening to $225 for all workshops and events. Don’t miss the earlybird pricing before March 31, 2013!

Links

• Brazilian Beat Website  and Tickets
• Downloadable PDF Schedule
• Zouk Competition Registration and Rules
• More Brazilian Dance Events in Toronto

On Saturday March 23rd 2013 the Canadian Street Dance Championships, organized by Street Dance Canada, will take place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (John Basset Theatre). If you enjoyed watching America’s Best Dance Crew or the Step Up Dance Movie, you won’t want to miss a chance to see the this live event!

Watch some of the competitors from last year:  

Joining the panel and showcasing this year are

• legendary choreographer from New York BUDDHA STRETCH (Choreographer Michael Jackson’s ‘Rememb
  er the Time’ music video, Men in Black, Elite force, MOP TOPS CREW),
• from Los Angeles pioneers of KRUMP dance Lil C (Guest judge and choreographer SO YOU THINK YO
  U CAN DANCE) & MISS PRISSY (RIZE, MADDONA)
• Canada’s own DANIEL CELEBRE a.k.a DaFunkyMystic (Principal Dancer Michael Jackson THIS IS IT
  TOUR),
• from London, England BROOKE MILLINER (Plague Crew UK, principal dancer STREET DANCE 3D Movie,
  2 time HHI World Hip Hop Champion & Juste Debout Popping Champion),
• legendary Canadian BBOYS Michael “PIECEZ” Prosserman (MEC & UNITY Charity),
• Jon “DROPS” Reid (Supernaturalz Crew),
• BENZO (original BAG OF TRIX),
• Iconic Canadian Poppers FRANK BOOGIE (Boogie Brats) & TOMMY STEEZE (Bag
  of trix, Boogie Brats)
• champion Locker from Montreal SCRAMBLELOCK.

Street Dance Canada Championships Schedule

• 9:30am – 12:00pm Hip Hop Solos, Duos & Quads Brooke Milliner & DaFunkyMystic
• 12:00pm – 4:00pm All Battles BREAKING – Benzo, BBoy Drops & BBoy Piecez
• KRUMP – Lil C & Miss Prissy
• POPPING – Frank Boogie, Tommy Steeze & Brooke Milliner
• LOCKING – Scramblelock
• 2:00pm-3:00pm KRUMP WORKSHOP with LILC & MISS PRISSY
• 3:00pm- 4:00pm POPPING WORKSHOP with BROOKE MILLINER
• 4:00pm – 6:00 pm THE JUMP OFF 2.0 Waacking & House Battles
• 6:00pm – 8:00pm CREW CHAMPIONSHIPS – Buddha Stretch, Brooke Milliner & Lil C
• 8:00pm-9:00pm AWARDS & JUDGES SHOWCASE
• 9:00pm-10:00pm KRUMP WORKSHOP with LIL C & MISS PRISSY

About the Canadian Street Dance Competition

The CSDC is the only competition of its kind in North America. It’s unique format brings together all facets of the street dance community and dancers of all ages and backgrounds from crews, schools and studios under one roof to compete for the Canadian Title and qualify to represent Canada at the 2013 U.D.O World Street Dance Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.

Competitions take place in age levels starting at Under 6 to Over 18, divisions from newcomer to advanced in Hip Hop All Style Solos, Duos, Quads, Crews and 1 on 1 Battles in Popping, Locking, Breaking and Krump. There are over 200 dancers registered to compete, coming from all over Canada including Vancouver, Montreal, Alberta and Ontario.

Canadian Street Dance Competition Tickets

Tickets are $10 at the door and spectators can arrive at any time during the day. The competition runs from 10am until 9pm with doors opening at 9:30am.

Non perishable food items will be collected for the Youth without Shelter Foundation at the event for the shelters’ programs.

Links

• More info about this competition
• Find Hip Hop classes and events in Toronto

Latin Dance Classes @ 77% Off

Want to try something new for spring, while having fun and meeting new people? Soraya Dancing company is expanding to new locations and offering 10  classes for just $29!** Classes offered include: Salsa, Samba, Muscle Conditioning and Flexibily, Zumba, or Belly dance.  All ages welcome .. from 5 to 95! Stick with it and you may even be able to join Soraya’s performance team and dance on stage at upcoming festivals.

Dance Class Locations

• Eglinton & Bayview (few minutes from Yonge & Eglinton subway station)  (Monday/Friday)
• Simcoe Place – downtown (steps from St. Andrew subway station) (Wednesday)
• Danforth (few steps from Chester subway station) (Tuesday)

Classes Available

• Salsa Beginners
• Samba Beginners
• Muscle Conditioning and Flexibility
• Bellydance
• Zumba
• Samba Performance  (Assessment required)

See class schedule and exact class locations here.

Questions? Call Soraya (416) 996 5485 .

About Your Instructor

Soraya is an energetic performer, instructor, and choreographer who was passionate about dancing since she crawled out of her crib! At the age of five Soraya became a performer with the Meninos Band in Peru, and grew up to become a member of several dance companies including Peru Danza, Son Atento Band, Circo de Mill Oficios in the city of Lima.

In Toronto Soraya continued dancing with the companies  Danca Brasil, Steps Dance Company, TropiCaliente Latin Dancers, Cairo Ala Nar and Circus Entertainment, which took her to major congresses and events in Bermuda, Montreal, Puerto Rico, New York, and Niagara Falls.

Soraya also shares her passion for dancing with her students first in Lima, Peru and now here in Toronto. She has taught for the Multicultural Inter Agency Group of Peel, Humber College, the City of Toronto, Love to Dance Studio, Steps Dance Studio and Train by Trina, always adding a sultry Latin flair.

Now you can join the fun!  Soraya will not only assist you on the path to fitness but will help you unleash the hidden dancer in you!

Get this Deal

Get this deal before it expires on Monday March 25!  Upon paying, you will be emailed a receipt that you can take to class. You must start before April 1, 2013. You do not need to wait for the beginning of a session. 

• Offer expired March 25, 2013.
• New Students Only.
• Maximum one deal purchase per student.
• Assessment required for performance classes.
• Must take first class before April 1, 2013.
• Must complete all 10 classes by June 30th, 2013.
• Does not include Hip Hop classes.