New Workshop: 5/26/20   Enjoy a full body strengthening and stretching workout from the comfort of your chair! Chair Exercises This gentle practice is done from a chair! This class is broken into three focused sections. The first section will focus on exercises and stretches to relieve tension and strengthen the neck, shoulders, and upper back. The second part of class focuses on the lower body and gives you a quick cardio blast. The last part of class focuses on abdominal exercises. You will need a stable chair for this class ..read more

New Workshop: 5/13/20 Sit with Faisal and learn all about Drum Solos! Drum Solos: Technique & Communication In this 20 minute lecture class, Faisal discusses the differences between the artistic drum solo vs. the traditional belly dance drum solo. You will explore the basic structure of a belly dance drum solo, optimal communication between drummers and dancers, and how a drum solo differs if you are the only drummer vs having a backup band or beat ..read more

New Workshop: 4/29/20 Get ready to level up in these fun, follow the leader drills with Colette! Level Up Drills Group improvisation is the magic of FCBD®! This workshop focuses on strengthening following technique while deepening the capacity to be a strong leader. Using favorite FCBD® songs as the guide to drive our phrasing and emphasis, and beginning FCBD® vocabulary, these drills challenge your knowledge and inspire your own interpretation of the music.   ..read more

New Workshop: 4/15/20 Let's get our ITS on! In this Level 2 Slow class we're practicing Torso Taxim, Torso Maya, Arabic Rib Circle, and Ka-o. ITS L2 Slow Lesson 3 Lesson 3 of your level 2 slow vocabulary includes a detailed breakdown of the slow Torso Taxim, the Torso Maya, Arabic Rib Circle, and Ka-o. Amy will discuss traveling, directional turns, and give you time to drill the movements.   ..read more

DO Belly Dance Challenge Prize Winners!: 4/10/20   Congratulations to all the participants in this year’s Datura Online Belly Dance Challenge! Everyone did such a wonderful job in learning the choreographies and your performances were absolutely lovely. You all brought your unique story to each of the pieces and it was such a pleasure to see everyone dancing. We’d like to announce a few prize winners for this year. The grand prize is one year of free Datura classes and the runner up prize is six months of free Datura classes: 1. "I Fell In Love": An Original Fusion Choreography by Ashley ..read more

New Workshop: 4/1/20   Enjoy a lovely stretch practice with a chair for your muscles and joints! Chair Stretches: Advanced Lower Body Opening Range of motion depends heavily on the individual variations in your bone shape and tissue pliability. This stretch series is an effective series to efficiently maximize stretch in the muscles and joints of the lower body quickly. This class is intended for the intermediate or advanced student. Please have a sturdy chair nearby ..read more

New Workshop: 3/25/20   Dive into the passionate technique of Golden Era Belly Dance with Henna! Golden Era Technique & Combinations The Golden Era of belly dance is romantic, dramatic, and full of unique personal expression. In this workshop Henna takes inspiration from Tahia Carioca, Samia Gamal, and Naima Akef, stars of Egyptian Cinema during it's Golden Era (1940s - 60s). You will be working on arabesques with hip circles, figure 8s, 3/4 shimmies, and more. Be sure you are warmed up for this workshop. Let's tap into the timeless elegance of Golden era belly dance ..read more

New Workshop: 3/11/20   Work on a variety of traveling shimmies in this brand new, power-packed 20 minute class from Ashley! Drill Bits: Traveling Shimmies This drill bits practice focuses on traveling shimmies: walking shimmies, 4/4 shimmies, and a variety of 3/4 shimmies with different musical timing. This class will give you a wide range of vocabulary to draw on for better musicality and precision on stage ..read more

Belly Dance Challenge!: 2/28/20   It's Datura Online Belly Dance Challenge time! You have the chance to learn a super fun choreography from one (or more!) your favorite teachers, connect with and support your dance friends all over the world, show off your dance skills, and perhaps win a PRIZE... Here's how it works: 1. Learn at least one (or two, or all!) of the three selected choreographies from Datura Online throughout all of March: - "I Fell In Love": An Original Fusion Choreography by Ashley Lopez: https://daturaonline.com/i-fell-in-love-an-original-choreography - "Autology": An Original ..read more

New Workshop: 2/26/20   Learn a fun zil composition and ATS® inspired choreography from Colette Todorov! Mi Amor Saidi: Finger Cymbal Composition & Choreography Zil training is an essential part of every ATS® dancer's training and a distinct aspect of ATS® performances. Push the limits of your zil playing with an exciting composition that uses a wide range of patterns and sounds and pairs with an ATS® inspired choreography. Use this composition to advance your zil skills, for practice and drilling, or as inspiration to develop your own choreography ..read more