Tag: workshops | Lynette Harper PhD

Fall 2025 Classes in Nanaimo

Let’s Belly Dance!

Dances of the Middle East * Raqs Sharqi

THE BASICS

Review and learn the basics of a body-friendly dance for greater body awareness & overall confidence. Build core strength, balance, & flexibility through diverse dances originating in the Middle East. A multilevel class for beginners to advanced dancers.

Thursday Sept 18 7:30-9 pm Vibe Studio 4 Drop-in $20

LET’S DANCE

Multilevel classes focus on learning rhythms, movement, and expression through a beautiful and lively Raqs Sharqi choreography.

4 Thursdays Sept.25 to Oct.16 7:30-9 pm Vibe Studio 4 Fee 4 sessions $60, single drop-in $20

All 5 sessions $70

Info/Register laahper@gmail.com

www.lynetteharper.ca

Workshop Resources: Ghawazee & Turkish Oryantal Dance

Leah and Lynette perform at the International Belly Dance Conference of Canada, Toronto * GHAWAZEE RESOURCES Terrific dance scenes and interviews can be viewed in this 1981 video “The Romany Trail: Gypsies of Africa” – Please note, the narration is dated and sometimes simply wrong (particularly about the Zar). The Banat Maazin dance at 11.52,… Read more…

Spring Workshop in Kelowna 2025

Workshop descriptions: Saturday Rahma – ‘Your Light, Your Dance!’ Using the image of energy as light, we will explore ways that this can be used from the inside outward using exercises and techniques Rahma has developed for teaching her classes. Ending with a fun note, Drum solo choreography using body percussion!Lynette – Ghawazee Sparkle and Turkish Curves Explore the soul and vitality… Read more…

2026 Winter/Spring Island Teacher List

Vancouver Island Dance Teachers Nanaimo Lynette www.lynetteharper.ca dancetarab@gmail.com 250-797-7953 LET’S DANCE With apologies – My weekly multilevel classes are postponed until spring. All classes at VIBE Studios, Nanaimo * Pynksy Shell aka Tania Amaral https://www.facebook.com/tania.amaral.1253/ pynksyshell@gmail.com Afro Fusion Sharqi Danceᵀᴹ Fridays 6:30 Level 1, VIBE dance studio www.afro-fusionsharqidance.ca * Ramona ramona.passarello@gmail.com 250-616-3824 Available… Read more…

2025 Fall workshops with Lynette

Dancing the Middle East – 2018

Fall 2017 Workshops with Lynette

Arab, Turkish and fusion belly dance in three workshops Sundays Sept.17, October 1 and 22 1:30-3:30 pm (3 sessions for the price of 2 – see below) Contemporary and traditional dance from the Middle East * Develop skills with body-friendly warm-ups, movement technique and vocabulary * Enhance your understanding of Middle Eastern music, dance and… Read more…

Fall Belly Dance Teachers Showcase & Bazaar 2014

MANY MANY THANKS to our wonderful dance community, for supporting the 2014 Teachers Showcase and Bazaar with such energy and enthusiasm! You raised almost $800 for Haven Society this year, and shared the joy of the dance with well over 100 participants, dancers, drummers, and Haven volunteers. Thank you all. ********************** FIVE half-hour dance workshops… Read more…

OPA Showcase 2013

So glad that OPA is hosting this popular event again this year! Get more details on the Facebook page OPA Proudly Presents: The Vancouver Island Bellydance Showcase 2013 Saturday, November 23, 2013 • Royal Canadian Legion (411 Gorge Rd East) 10:00am ‘Spins and Turns’ with Shari Nakagawa (Victoria) Spinning is not just for ballerinas. Learn some… Read more…

Dance Vallarta 2013

Five days of dance and sun in the Yoga Vallarta studio of Puerto Vallarta, February 5 – 9 2013. Thanks to my co-instructor Debra Shields of Saidi Sisters, the beautiful dancers who attended, Alma our studio host, and the restaurants that welcomed our evening dance parties! See our Facebook site Dance Vallarta 2013 for… Read more…

Turkish Roman music/video

Music from my past workshops All cd’s listed here are available on Amazon.com, some through Chapters Indigo, and one from iTunes. All of them are terrific! Performed by Turkish Roman (gypsy) musicians: Selim Sesler – Road to Kesan: Turkish ROM & Regional Music Thrace track: Tulum 5:01 Selim Sesler and Brenda MacCrimmon – Karsılama… Read more…

Turkish dance workshops

Turkish Roma (gypsy) dance Celebrate the passionate and dynamic rhythms, movements, and spontaneity of Turkish Roman/Gypsy dance. Distinctive steps and sinuous movements will provide a base for exploring ornamentation, layering, and expression. Learn the meanings and role of gestures, experiment with a wide range of musical moods, and develop some powerful gypsy “attitude”. Teaching level:… Read more…

Romani dance workshops

Ghawazee Sparkle & Turkish Soul A short introduction to movement in two distinctive Roma styles. Strengthen your dance vocabulary, skills, and knowledge in a session contrasting the sinuous embellishments of Turkish dance styles with the quivers, shimmies and “earthquake tremors” of Egyptian Ghawazee dance. Read review. Teaching level: Multilevel (beginner through advanced) Length: 1 1/2 hours Read more…

Arab dance workshops

TARAB – Arab music and spirit of the dance Explore the soul and vitality of Arab music as inspiration for dance improvisation and choreography. Teaching level: Multilevel; works well for mixed levels beginner through advanced. Read review. Length: 2 or 3 hours From Countryside to Cabaret: Egyptian Saidi and Raqs Sharqi styles Build your technique, movement vocabulary,… Read more…

Improvisation, skills and technique workshops

Discover the joy of dancing in the moment. Develop your confidence and skills in movement, improvisation and creating choreography with techniques and exercises to expand your range of movement and expression in both traditional and currently popular dance styles. Sample topics, appropriate for multiple levels: Improvisation and Expression – Warm up with basic improvisation techniques,… Read more…

April Point Retreats, Quadra Island BC

2013 Dates TBA – Gypsy Spirit Dance Retreats with Lynette at April Point Resort & Spa on Quadra Island (3 hours north of Victoria) – Discover your “gypsy spirit” with Gypsy (Romani) style bellydance. You’ll quickly learn the basic moves to passionate music and lively rhythms. Celebrate the informal spontaneity of traditional Romani dance styles from Turkey,… Read more…

Traditions, Tribes and Fusions – Nanaimo workshops

May 15, 2011 Dance with Arab Rhythms – LIVE!!!! Guest drummer Robin Shackleton of Sylvan Temple joins Lynette for a dynamic and energizing multi-level workshop. We’ve booked a large bright and NEW studio in downtown Nanaimo, to fill with drumming and dance! Develop your dance vocabulary and music understanding, as we work creatively with beledi… Read more…

Exploring Tarab with Lynette

Spring 2007 OPA! News, Victoria by Sidona On February 18th members of Women of Widad piled into a van to take the trip up to Nanaimo to attend a workshop with Lynette Harper. We were excited and all felt that we needed a burst of dance energy after the long winter and… Read more…

Bellydancing makes another comeback

April 9 2003 The Harbour City Star, Nanaimo By Sandra Steilo This week I joined in on a trend that has been around for hundreds of years but now is suddenly new and hot again. I took a beginner belly dancing class with Lynette Harper at the Community Service Building. She got… Read more…

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