Merrybellies Belly Dance
Belly Dance Class
Schedule
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CLASS
DESCRIPTIONS
JILLANNA'S
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
NOTE: Jillanna teaches in the Northwest
Georgia and Chattanooga Area, and also travels to locations within a two
hour range for classes. She has taught classes and workshops in Cleveland, TN; Signal Mountain,
TN; Dalton, GA; Trion, GA; Atlanta, GA and other locations. Current class locations
Listed Below, after the class schedule. New Classes
often added; please check again soon. Private and semi-private (small
group) classes also offered!
NOTE:
Scroll down for class location addresses and further information.
Tuesdays 7 pm ~ May 18 to June 29 ~ Beginner Belly Dance Technique and
Choreography (7 weeks/$65 or $12 drop-in) Ringgold: OGE
Wednesdays
10:30am
~ On-Going ~
ShimmyFit Belly Dance Technique & Workout ($5/class drop-in) East Ridge: Jewish
Cultural Center
Wednesdays 8pm
~ May 12 to June 16 ~ ShimmyFit
Belly Dance Technique & Workout (6 weeks/$45 or $12
drop-in) Ringgold: OGE
Thursdays
6:30pm
~ May 27 to July 8 ~
Desert Sirens Advanced Technique (7 weeks/$65)
Ringgold: OGE
Thursdays
7:30pm ~ May 27 to July 8 ~ Desert Sirens Advanced Choreography
(7 weeks/$65) Ringgold: OGE
Fridays 6pm
~ June
11 to July 23 ~ Belly Dance Technique and Choreography
for Mixed Levels (7 weeks/$65 or $12 drop-in) Ooltewah,
TN: Fit One Gym
What to Wear:
Comfortable
clothing. Layers may be helpful in cooler weather. Its
helpful but not necessary to wear something that shows your belly
or fits snugly, to help you to see the movements more
clearly. Barefoot, socks, or dance shoes are fine.
Feel free to dress up, or be as casual as you like!
What to Bring:
WATER,
and something to tie around your hips! Some jingly hip
scarves and veils are available for use during classes.... but most dancers like
to bring their own.
What to Expect:
Belly dancing
feels great, but also qualifies as strenuous exercise! Expect to have fun while
getting fit. Expect to be accepted as you are, and praised for your progress as
well. Expect a supportive and friendly environment. Expect respect and serious
attention from your very experienced teacher! For more about the classes, go to
class descriptions.
photo: Jillanna teaching workshop at Chattacon
Class Locations:
NOTE: If
none of the currently scheduled classes work for you, please
contact Jillanna about future locations or
private/semi-private lessons.
Fit One Gym
~ 6855 Mountain View Road, Ooltewah, TN
Jewish Cultural Center
~ 5641 North Terrace Road, East Ridge, TN
OGE (Old Green Eyes) ~
7638 Nashville Street, Ringgold, GA
About the Instructor:
Jillanna's students benefit
from her extensive study of belly dance as well as her expertise as an artist,
art historian, and teacher (of art, art history, writing, and dance). Her
classes include cultural and historical context as well as technique and
original choreography. She helps students to recognize and move to rhythms and
to understand the music of the Middle East, teaching and performing with finger
cymbals and tambourine. She began study of music and rhythm at an early age,
specializing in piano and flute. Later she added drumming and guitar, and worked
for five years as a disc jockey at WREK 91.1 FM Atlanta, where she gained an
extensive knowledge of all musical genres.
Jillanna has danced and
choreographed her own dances since childhood. When she began taking classes and workshops in the art of
Middle Eastern belly dance more than a decade ago, she felt overjoyed! Her first
years of study were with her beloved teacher
Rose Champagne, who influenced her
style tremendously and encouraged her love of the dance and Middle Eastern culture.
Jillanna's training includes Egyptian,
Lebanese, Greek, & Turkish styles;
folk dances of the Middle East and North Africa; and fusion styles (Tribal
Fusion and an introduction to ATS). An avid fan of a wide range musical genres,
she strives to understand the rhythms, styles, and influences of the artists
whose music moves her to dance. She has a University of Massachusetts Masters
degree in
art history, majoring in Modern & Contemporary European and
American art, with studies in Islamic and African art. She was
awarded a graduate fellowship in the study of African art in
2000. Her yearning for understanding of the origins and historical
development of musical, dance, and performance styles continues to motivate her
research.
Jillanna is also a
professional visual artist; her paintings and drawings have been included in
exhibitions and collections across the country. Her
undergraduate degree is in fine arts (Amherst College,
summa cum laude), with honors in painting (theme: "Visceral Reality").
She currently focuses most of her creative energy into dance choreography and
teaching, occasionally working with henna (mendhi) when she is not too busy with
dancing.
Jillanna
has studied with many wonderful professional dancers, including
Rose Champagne,
Attar Mellea,
Emuna,
Leyla Jouvana,
Elizabeth Artemis Mourat,
Eva Cernik,
Morocco, Liora,
Jillina,
Mahsati
Janan,
Natalie Brown &
Gina.
An avid student as well as teacher, she continues to learn & grow by attending
workshops, performances, and studying dance and art daily. She enjoys teaching,
creating choreography, organizing events, and directing her troupes. She also performs solo and
with her troupes and other groups as often as her schedule will allow, and
enjoys creating choreography for other dancers and troupes who request
commissions.
Jillanna
began teaching belly dance in 2001, and is very devoted to the dancers in her classes and to her passion for dance.
She celebrates five years in the Chattanooga area in 2009!
Jillanna taught at
UTC Chattanooga and was proud to be an official professor of
belly dance.
ECHO Article excerpt about
the UTC class!
Photo by D. Parker
Photography
A more lengthy listing of her achievements may be found here.
Jillanna's First
Class...
She began her dancing & teaching career at a young
age!
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