San Francisco: Mondays with Monica
Monica teaches weekly musically-driven Egyptian Style Dance classes at Lines Dance Center in San Francisco, California. Lines is centrally located at 26 Seventh Street (at Market) on the 5th Floor, and easily accessible via BART and lots of MUNI lines. Lines is also close to several low cost parking lots and has secure bike parking in the building. Monica has taught at Lines since 2003.
Mondays
6 to 7:30 :: Egyptian Dance Joy
26 Seventh Street, San Francisco, CA
This is a mixed-level class suitable for all levels of folks wanting to work with Egyptian style "belly dance" (raqs sharqi and raqs beledi). We'll spend each week exploring and being inspired by Egyptian and Arabic movement and music while focusing on respect for the dancer, respect for the form, cultural context, and fun. Classes include a dance-oriented warm-up, dance alongs, technique breakdown and drills, combinations and choreography, lyrics and singing, percussion and rhythm recognition, and participatory dance circles. Dancers newer to the form as well as experienced movers are all welcome.
In 2020 Monica will teach the first Thursday of each month (no more Wednesdays)
6 to 7 :: All Level
2908 Ellsworth St, Berkeley, CA
This is a low-impact beginner level class suitable for all bodies, shapes, sizes, and abilities. All are welcome.
Come move with Monica in Berkeley!
Free to the community thanks to the WCRC, but please do pre-register directly with the WCRC here. Upcoming classes: February 6, March 5, & April 2, 2020
Monica is thrilled to be an Artist-in-Residence at San Francisco's Ruth Asawa School of the Arts for the 2019-2020 school year
Private Lessons & Coaching
San Francisco
Monica has worked one on one with many dancers and troupes who are creating or polishing a piece, looking for inspiration, or need a critical eye on their work, progression, or style.
Rates start at $75 per hour, plus studio rent. Monica has access to very affordable studios in San Francisco and can keep this cost low. Travel in the greater Bay Area or beyond is also possible, but may incur extra fees.
Special: If you are a current and ongoing (at least 4 classes in a row within the last month or so) student of Monica's at Lines or the WCRC, rate is $65/hour + studio fee.
Please contact Monica for a questionnaire and initial consultation so she can make sure that lessons are focused and on point for your needs. Note that private lessons are not recommended for beginners or dancers new to the form except in special circumstances.
Need choreography? Please contact Monica for current rates and details of how it all works.
Monica has been studying dances, movement, music, songs, percussion, and languages of Egypt and the Arab world since she was a teenager, with training in San Francisco, New York City, and Cairo. She worked professionally for many years as a performer at countless venues, weddings, parties and celebrations in the Bay Area. She still occasionally performs and also brings master dance and music artists and instructors to teach and perform in the Bay Area when possible. Monica currently teaches weekly classes, teaches workshops, plays Arabic music and percussion, and continues to dance and learn. Monica is inspired by her extended family's fairly recent immigration and migration from their Mediterranean and Slavic homes, and she currently nurtures a southern Italian and Sicilian movement and percussion practice that she hopes to grow in the coming years. She is a performing member of Aswat and the Aswat Women's Ensemble. She does all her own stunts and html.
What Would Fifi Do? is a question anyone serious about Egyptian raqs asks themselves at some point. Monica — via The Little Black Egg — put the query on a shirt. Recognize!
The classic ribbed silver on black will be back, but we have a fresh blue on grey limited run available now.
Classes & Coaching \ Events \ About \ Merch \ Contact & Newsletter
Ongoing Dance Classes in San Francisco & Berkeley
San Francisco: Mondays with MonicaMonica teaches weekly musically-driven Egyptian Style Dance classes at Lines Dance Center in San Francisco, California. Lines is centrally located at 26 Seventh Street (at Market) on the 5th Floor, and easily accessible via BART and lots of MUNI lines. Lines is also close to several low cost parking lots and has secure bike parking in the building. Monica has taught at Lines since 2003.
Mondays
6 to 7:30 :: Egyptian Dance Joy
26 Seventh Street, San Francisco, CA
This is a mixed-level class suitable for all levels of folks wanting to work with Egyptian style "belly dance" (raqs sharqi and raqs beledi). We'll spend each week exploring and being inspired by Egyptian and Arabic movement and music while focusing on respect for the dancer, respect for the form, cultural context, and fun. Classes include a dance-oriented warm-up, dance alongs, technique breakdown and drills, combinations and choreography, lyrics and singing, percussion and rhythm recognition, and participatory dance circles. Dancers newer to the form as well as experienced movers are all welcome.
Register for classes directly with Lines
Classes are ongoing — please join in anytime. All bodies always welcome.
No upcoming class cancellations
Berkeley: Monthlies with Monica
Monica teaches a monthly community class at the Women's Cancer Resource Center.
In 2020 Monica will teach the first Thursday of each month (no more Wednesdays)
6 to 7 :: All Level
2908 Ellsworth St, Berkeley, CA
This is a low-impact beginner level class suitable for all bodies, shapes, sizes, and abilities. All are welcome.
Come move with Monica in Berkeley!
Free to the community thanks to the WCRC, but please do pre-register directly with the WCRC here.
Upcoming classes: February 6, March 5, & April 2, 2020
Monica is thrilled to be an Artist-in-Residence at San Francisco's Ruth Asawa School of the Arts for the 2019-2020 school year
Private Lessons & Coaching
San Francisco
Monica has worked one on one with many dancers and troupes who are creating or polishing a piece, looking for inspiration, or need a critical eye on their work, progression, or style.
Rates start at $75 per hour, plus studio rent. Monica has access to very affordable studios in San Francisco and can keep this cost low. Travel in the greater Bay Area or beyond is also possible, but may incur extra fees.
Special: If you are a current and ongoing (at least 4 classes in a row within the last month or so) student of Monica's at Lines or the WCRC, rate is $65/hour + studio fee.
Please contact Monica for a questionnaire and initial consultation so she can make sure that lessons are focused and on point for your needs. Note that private lessons are not recommended for beginners or dancers new to the form except in special circumstances.
Need choreography? Please contact Monica for current rates and details of how it all works.
Events
Upcoming:No public performances in early 2020
Check back for some fun Summer events
About
Monica has been studying dances, movement, music, songs, percussion, and languages of Egypt and the Arab world since she was a teenager, with training in San Francisco, New York City, and Cairo. She worked professionally for many years as a performer at countless venues, weddings, parties and celebrations in the Bay Area. She still occasionally performs and also brings master dance and music artists and instructors to teach and perform in the Bay Area when possible. Monica currently teaches weekly classes, teaches workshops, plays Arabic music and percussion, and continues to dance and learn. Monica is inspired by her extended family's fairly recent immigration and migration from their Mediterranean and Slavic homes, and she currently nurtures a southern Italian and Sicilian movement and percussion practice that she hopes to grow in the coming years. She is a performing member of Aswat and the Aswat Women's Ensemble. She does all her own stunts and html.Fifi Tanks
What Would Fifi Do? is a question anyone serious about Egyptian raqs asks themselves at some point. Monica — via The Little Black Egg — put the query on a shirt. Recognize!The classic ribbed silver on black will be back, but we have a fresh blue on grey limited run available now.
Get your very own!
Contact
Drop me a line at monica@monicaraqs.comSign up for my monthly-ish newsletter