"…Each and every class is a fun,
exciting learning experience!"
-- Gretchen - Portland, Oregon
Cheryl's high energy workshops are in demand across the U.S. and Internationally. She has a considerable repertoire of workshops. They range in topic from choreographies, concepts, movements, building dances, props and improvisational skills.
Workshop Suggestions
Basic Ballet for Bellydancers
This class offers a break down of ballet moves used in belly dance such as spins, arabesque, and bourree couru and pas du bourree. These moves and drills are then added to belly dance movements to make beautiful and graceful combinations.
Ballet Intensive for Bellydancers (4 hours)
This class is a ballet intensive starting from the beginning. The first two hours offer drills for making a strong and more graceful dance. These ballet drills build a stronger core and nicer foot and leg position. The last two hours focus on ballet technique and combinations that include bellydance movements to complete a comprehensive study.
Powerful Pops and Locks
Pops and locks are an essential part of bellydance because they are used to compliment accents in modern and classical music. This class will give the dancer a lesson on muscle contraction and the kinesiology involved in the pop and lock movement. It will also include combinations and demonstrate different ways that they can be included in basic rhythms and classical music.
Slide, Glide, and Shimmy
Traveling movements help the dancer make the best use of her stage. These movements should be a fluid continuation of the dance and not just a suitable way to get to your destination. This class will show you combinations that will turn your basic traveling moves into continuous, flowing and energetic combinations that will help you glide seamlessly across the floor.
Elegant Entrances and Fabulous Finishes
Entrances and finishes are major parts of a dance. These beginning and ending movements and combinations will make a dance memorable. This class teaches you how to enter with appropriate and fluid moves and teaches strong combinations to end your dance with a POW!! Make your dance memorable with excellent entrances and exciting, powerful finishes.
Finding the Music
Music can be extremely complicated. There is so much involved sometimes it is hard to know where to start. This class will help you find melodies, rhythms, phrasing and subtle nuances in the music and show you how to use them in new ways. Learn how to put together combinations and movements to get the most from your music and your dance.
Graceful and Elegant Veils
Modern veiling has moved far and beyond its original uses. It has almost become an art form of its own. I love the extra long silk veil because it allows for more movements of the veil and the dancer. This class will teach modern movement in conjunction with classical dance to give the dancer more options for dancing with the long silk veils. This class will include spins, poses, body movements, traveling and combinations.
(If you have a silk veil that is 1yard longer than your normal veil please bring it. 4 yards is the normal length, if you are taller than average you may need 5yards or 3 ½ if you are smaller than average. Some veils will be available at the workshop.)
Levels, Layers and Speed Changes
This is a great workshop for dancers of all levels. It will include the principals of level changes and changing the speed of your movement to help keep your dance interesting. You will learn how to layer shimmies, two or more movements and how to use layering with the other two principals. Combinations will be taught to help you use these concepts to keep yourself engaged in the dance and the audience on the edge of their seats.
Isolations for Controlled Movement
Learn ways to bring more intensity to your dance through strength and isolations. This is a great workshop for Tribal groups or cabaret dancers looking to add power to their show. This class takes a look at the differences in skeletal movement verses muscular movement, how they are done and when to use them. This class focuses on a muscle kinesiology, contraction and movement. It is technique intensive class covering torso and stomach isolations, belly rolls, hip isolations and locks.
Injury prevention and Joint Wellness
This lecture and demo class takes a unique look at dance from an injury and prevention view point. This is necessary information for all dancers young and old. Learn how to correctly execute joint stressing moves and learn preventive exercises to help protect and strengthen your joints, including the ever problematic keens and lower back.
Choreography workshops
Cheryl also teaches her award winning choreography formatted for a workshop setting. Choreography can be tailored for solos and small and large troupes. She is also available to choreograph original dances for a dancer or a troupe.
Choreography options:
Classical Egyptian
Modern Egyptian pop
Tribal Fusion
Drum Solos
And props:
Cane
Sword
Veil
Margarita Glass dance
*These are workshop suggestions based on their popularity. If you have other ideas that interest you please feel free to inquire.