Ever wonder how all those Bollywood actresses look so cut and trim in every dance sequence? Well the hours of practice that go into learning their choreography definitely have something to do with it. This high-energy class will keep your heart pumping as you tone your body, strengthen your muscles, and increase your aerobic fitness to the rhythms of Southeast Asia. This workout is for everyone regardless of age, weight, or athletic ability.

Instructor: Joya
Joya Kazi has been teaching Bollywood Dance & Fitness classes for 4 years now in addition to years of working with both professional and amateur dancers. She’s always encountered questions regarding the best way to get into shape while still having fun and Bollywood Dance & Fitness classes have always been the right answer!

Suggested materials: Comfortable sneakers, lose comfortable clothing

In this class, students will experience a unique fusion of Indian folk dance from the Punjab region and yoga, both which have roots in India. The dancing encourages self-expression, light-heartedness and grace. The yoga allows the body to remain supple and relaxed. Bhangra dancing is an excellent cardiovascular workout which also promotes lower and upper body strengthening. Much of our dancing will incorporate “Bollywood” moves and Hindi Film flavor. The class will be a very fun way to exercise, and also an opportunity to laugh a lot!

Instructor: Bhavana
Bhavana grew up dancing Garba (Indian folk dance) and watching lots of Bollywood films! As a child, she loved to imitate the dance routines and facial expressions. Since childhood, she has sought out learning about various forms of Indian dance and yoga as a way to maintain connection to her culture. Bhavana has been teaching yoga and Indian dance in Davis for two years. For her work, she is a first-grade teacher in Woodland. In her classroom, dance and yoga are an essential component of her physical education curriculum.

Suggested materials: Bare feet or workout shoes.

[Details Coming Soon]

Instructor: Denise & Katya

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[Details Coming Soon]

Instructor: Denise

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[Details Coming Soon]

Instructor: Denise

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Instructor: Staff

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A full body workout that combines mixed martial arts, shadow boxing and athletic drills. This circuit-based class is the ultimate cardio challenge for all levels of fitness. No choreography! It's the non-dancy alternative to Tae Bo and Turbo Kick. Through intense drills inspired by martial arts, you will learn or improve your kicks and punches and develop strength and endurance as you create lean muscle mass. Kick and punch away anxiety, stress, negative emotions AND fat!

Instructor: Denise
Denise has been teaching Cardio Kickboxing and group exercise classes for 3 years. She has a background in martial arts, boxing, dance and group exercise. Denise has sampled about 10 different kinds of martial arts, and she draws from these experiences as well as her passion for fitness, to make MMA Bootcamp a challenging, fun and safe class.

Suggested materials: Workout clothes, athletic shoes, workout towel, plenty of drinking water.

Kick away stress! Punch away pounds! Burn up to 1000 calories per workout. This class is incredibly fun, exciting, powerful, but most importantly, effective! Turbo Kick® is "the ultimate cardio party"-an addictive workout that combines mixed martial arts, shadow boxing, kickboxing, sports drills, dancing, yoga, and a whole lot of hip hop flavor. It's an interval-based class for all levels of fitness, complete with a sport-specific warm-up, bouts of intense intervals, easy to follow combinations, martial arts specific strength/endurance training and a Tai-Chi like cool-down, in a party atmosphere. It's a full body workout guaranteed to make you burn fat and develop toned lean muscles, yet you'll have so much fun that you won't even notice how hard you're working. You'll feel powerful, sexy and happier. Check out turbokick.com for more info & to read testimonials, or look up "turbo kick" on youtube to see sample classes.

Instructor: Denise
Denise has been addicted to Turbo Kick® for more than 9 years and has been a certified instructor for 3 years. She has a background in martial arts, boxing, dance and group exercise. Denise has sampled about 10 different kinds of martial arts, and she draws from these experiences as well as her passion for dance and having a good time, to make her classes challenging, fun and safe.

Suggested materials: Workout clothes, athletic shoes, workout towel, plenty of drinking water.

[Details coming soon]

Instructor: Denise

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The "feel happy" workout! Zumba combines high energy and motivating music with unique moves and combinations that allow participants to dance away their worries, based on the principle that a workout should be fun and easy. It is a fusion of Latin and international music/dance themes creating a dynamic, exciting, effective fitness system! The routines feature aerobic/fitness interval training with a combination of fast and slow rhythms that tone and sculpt the body and maximize caloric output, fat burning and total body toning. Check out zumbafitness.com for more information, or look up "zumba" on youtube to see sample classes.

Instructor: Denise
Denise has studied international dance for over 15 years and lived in Latin America for 21 years. This class gives her the opportunity to share her passion for dance, music, culture and fitness. Her Zumba class will feature Swing, Disco, Polynesian rhythms, Rumba Flamenco, Belly Dance, West African, Hindie, as well as Afrolatin beats from over 12 Latin American and Caribbean countries. Denise is Zumba®-certifed.

Suggested materials: Workout clothes, dance or regular sneakers, workout towel, plenty of drinking water.

This class features both folkloric Afro-Cuban genres and popular dances. You will learn a variety of Danzas de los Orishas, or dances of the Santeria saints, a combination of West African (Yoruba) and Spanish/French Catholic culture. You will be introduced to folkloric Orisha dances that include: Yemayá, Ochún, Changó, Obatalá, Oyá, Eleguá, Ogún and Ochosi. Each class will begin with a graphic and verbal introduction to the cultural and historical aspects of the Orisha to be covered that day. In addition, each class also features a popular Afro-Cuban dance. These danzas populares include: Mambo, Cha cha chá, Timba, Danzón and Guaguancó.

Instructor: Yunia
Yunia is a native of the Caribbean island of Cuba. She lived in Cuba for 19 years, and she studied popular and folkloric Afro-Cuban dance at Corporación Gaviota. Yunia’s passion for dance began at an early age, and throughout her upbringing, she was heavily influenced by the Batá drums. In addition to Afro-cuban rhythms, Yunia is also proficient in other Caribbean dance genres that include merengue, bachata, salsa and reguetón. Yunia looks forward to sharing her passion for music and dance and wants to share her experience of growing up in an environment rich with a mix of African, West Indian and European (Spanish and French) cultures. She complements her formal dance training with her personal experiences to create a class that incorporates cultural and historical information in addition to introducing the student to Afro-cuban movement.

Suggested materials: Bare feet for the folkloric dance portion of the class and close-toed shoes, dance sneakers or regular sneakers for the popular dance portion of the class.

The Argentine Tango is an elegant and romantic social dance. The Beginning class covers such basic elements as the tango walk (la caminada), figure eight patterns (forward and back ochos), the walk to the cross (la cruzada), and the basic tango figure (la figura básica). By the end of the session, students should be able to go to any of our local tango dances (milongas), and perform these basic steps.

Instructor: Rebeca & Ed
This class is taught by Rebeca Basave, with teaching partner, Ed Loomis. Both teachers have extensive experience as Ballroom, Latin, Swing and Argentine Tango dancers. They have taught Argentine Tango classes together since 2003. Visit www.sactango.com for more information about these instructors.

Suggested materials: Character shoes recommended for women. Hard sole shoes or ballroom shoes for men.

Wish you could dance like the stars? Come learn the fundamentals of Cha-cha, Rumba, Waltz, Tango and more. In this class, you will learn how to identify various ballroom and latin ballroom rhythms, and you will learn the basic steps. This class will show you how to be a leader or follower (your choice) in social dance. You will become more aware of your body and develop an understanding of proper spacing between you and your partner, and with the other dancers on the dance floor. Ballroom and latin technique and styling will be covered as well.

Instructor: Ikhlas
Ikhlas is a graduate of Gwen Burton’s Professional Ballroom Teachers Academy, the only DVIDA-Certified Teacher Training Program in the Greater Sacramento Area. He is a member of and has performed and competed with the West Sacramento-based Spirit in Motion Dance Company. Ikhlas is passionate about ballroom dance and enjoys sharing his passion with others.

Suggested materials: Closed-toed shoes with a hard, non-rubbery sole.

Open to all levels.

This class will focus on technique and repetition of basic belly dance movements. No choreography beyond simple combinations or specific styling will be taught. Whether you are new to belly dance and want to get a good grasp of the basics or a veteran student wanting to improve movement quality and build core muscle strength, this class will help you achieve your belly dance and fitness goals. Be prepared to sweat!

Instructor: Nyla
Nyla is a multi-award winning professional belly dancer. She has a background in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and cheerleading. She has received extensive training in Egyptian and Turkish styles from world-renowned instructors and enjoys sharing her knowledge and her passion for Belly Dance with others. Check out her website for more information.

Suggested materials: Hip scarf or fabric to wrap around your waist for visual guide; bare feet, ballet or jazz shoes, or dance sandals; water bottle.

Open to students with at least two months of attendance in the Belly Dance Basics and Technique class or by instructor invitation.

This class will be taught in a classic dance class style. While you will experience exercise and muscle toning in this class, the focus is on learning the art form of belly dance. Belly dance is a general term used for dances of the Middle East. Dances like ballet, modern, tap, hip-hop, clogging and lyrical are all distinct styles of Western dance. Similarly, there are a wide variety of unique Middle Eastern dance styles.

In each session, you will learn a different sub-genre of belly dance including the associated dance movements, history/culture, style hallmarks and a short choreography. During each 50 minute class, the first half of the lesson is devoted to warming up and learning basic steps that will be applied to the choreography taught in the second half of class.

Besides learning how to interact with music, the point of learning a choreography is not to test your memory (no tests I promise!), but to show you how various dance movements can be put together to form a specific belly dance style.

Instructor: Nyla
Nyla is a multi-award winning professional belly dancer. She has a background in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and cheerleading. She has received extensive training in Egyptian and Turkish styles from world-renowned instructors and enjoys sharing her knowledge and her passion for Belly Dance with others. Check out her website for more information.

Suggested materials: Hip scarf or fabric to wrap around your waist for visual guide; bare feet, ballet or jazz shoes, or dance sandals; water bottle.

Classical South Indian dance, Bharatanatyam is the manifestation of the ancient idea of the celebration of the eternal universe through the celebration of the beauty of the material body. Learn the fundamental karanas (dance postures), the elaborate mridu angaharas (movements of the limbs) and bhedas (head, neck and eye movements) of this ancient art form. Develop your theatrical skills as you tap into the emotional states of the temple dancers. You will gain knowledge of history of this dance and pick up some words in Hindi.

Instructor: Khurshid
Khurshid is a student of the Shakti School of Dance in Los Angeles. She has performed as part of the Shakti Dance Company in Washington, D.C., Florida, Texas and Southern California. Since completing her Arangetram, solo dance debut, in 2007, Khurshid has been teaching beginner students of the Shakti School of Dance, and looks forward to teaching and learning new techniques in Davis.

Suggested materials: Bare feet, comfortable clothes that allow movement, knee pads,a notebook.

The Bollywood film industry is the largest producer of films. Each Bollywood film is a musical with melodious foot-tapping songs that are elaborately choreographed and staged. The Bollywood dance style has evolved to become an intricate fusion of both classical and modern dance styles. Learn the technique, rhythm, and beauty of the Bollywood dance style!

Instructor: Joya
Joya Kazi is the founder of Toofan Dance Company, the first Bollywood Dance Company in Davis, which also features a competitive intercollegiate team that she coaches. Kazi has had over 15 years of experience and 8 years of teaching experience in the style. She’s a core dancer with NAACH Dance Company, the largest Bollywood Dance Company in the nation. She’s backed up for numerous Bollywood artists and is eager to share her knowledge of the style!

Suggested materials: Bare feet, lose comfortable clothing

Did you know that China has 56 different nationalities? Nearly all of these nationalities have their own unique style of dancing based on their culture. This class will cover the basics of a couple of the more popular Chinese folk dance styles in China such as Han, Tibetan, and Mongolian. This course is a series class and we will learn a new combination in a different style every 5 weeks.

Instructor: Jenny
Jenny began her Chinese dance training under the very accomplished dancer, choreographer, and teacher Yong Yao at YaoYong Dance in San Jose, California, at the age of 6. Following the strict curriculum of the Beijing Dance Academy, she has trained under Yong Yao for the past 14 years. Jenny won first place in both the 2007 Singtao Expo Chinese Dance Competition and the 2006 CPAA Chinese Dance Competition. She is very active in sharing Chinese dance and culture, and is currently the president of the UC Davis Chinese Dance and Arts Club.

Suggested materials: Yoga pants, form fitting shirt, ballet slippers.

Want to learn how to Boot Scoot N Boogie? Come learn how to line dance while getting a great cardio workout. We will be dancing to a variety of high-energy music from country, to light rock and pop. This class will work on rhythm, improvisation, and coordination. We will start out with very simple and basic line dances and gradually work our way to more intermediate dances. You are guaranteed to have a good time!!

Instructor: Sarah H.
Sarah is currently working on receiving her national dance certification from Gwen Burton’s Professional Ballroom Teaching Academy. She is a member of a performance/competition dance team in West Sacramento, the Spirit in Motion Dance Company. When she is not studying for her certification or performing, she loves Country Line Dancing. Sarah has been line dancing for well over five years and loves sharing her passion for dance with others.

Suggested materials: Close-toed shoes with non-rubbery soles are recommended for easier movement on the dance floor.

Come listen to great music and learn the partner dances for country line dancing. NO PARTNER REQUIRED!! This class will work on leading and following, as well as the understanding of proper body spacing between you and your partner. Styling and technique will also be covered. We will be starting with the more simple dances and working our way to the intermediate dances. This class is sure to improve your social dancing and body coordination, while allowing you to meet new people!

Instructor: Sarah H.
Sarah is currently working on receiving her national dance certification from Gwen Burton’s Professional Ballroom Teaching Academy. She is a member of a performance/competition dance team in West Sacramento, the Spirit in Motion Dance Company. When she is not studying for her certification or performing, she loves Country Line Dancing. Sarah has been line dancing for well over five years and loves sharing her passion for dance with others.

Suggested materials: Close-toed shoes with non-rubbery soles are recommended.

This high-energy, fun-filled class will introduce you to many of the music and dance styles of the Americas, emphasizing those that share West African roots and traditions associated with these. You will explore the music of the Caribbean islands and Central America, featuring reggae dancehall, reguetón, salsa, bachata, merengue, punta, calypso, soca, and merengue/hip-hop; as well as music from South America such as Peruvian festejo, Colombian cumbias and vallenato, and Brazilian samba, pagode, axé and lambada. The objective of the class is to expose students to these Afrolatin beats in a natural and relaxed party atmosphere, in an environment of cultural immersion complete with linguistic, historical and cultural input, just as one would learn if living in Latin America, all the while getting the complete benefits of a good cardiovascular workout. The high-energy, joyful rhythms help you dance away negative emotions as well lots of calories.

Instructor: Denise
Denise has studied international dance for over 15 years and lived in Central and South America for 21 years. She has drawn from these experiences to create Fiesta Afrolatina. This class gives her the opportunity to share her passion for dance, music, culture and fitness. Get ready to party! Get ready to sweat!

Suggested materials: Workout clothes, dance or regular sneakers, workout towel, plenty of drinking water.

Learn proper flamenco posture, caracoles (graceful hand gestures), palmas (rhythmic clapping), and zapateado (footwork). This class will primarily be a technique class aimed at learning, improving and strengthening the basic movements of flamenco, including both footwork and upper body movements. During the technique portion of the class, we will build familiarity with some of the basic compás of flamenco. We will also work on some traditional and modern dances, such as Sevillanas, Tangos, Alegrías, and Bulerías, among others.

Instructor: Sarah
Bettina has been dancing Flamenco for over 12 years and has performed in Baltimore, San Antonio and most recently in Sacramento. She has studied with Yaelisa and Drea Pacot in California and performed locally at private venues, Lunas Café, Dia de la Familia, the Crest Theatre, and Ashkenaz, Berkeley. She has studied at the Cristina Heeren Flamenco Foundation in Sevilla Spain. She is from Kenya and her dance background and interests is international with an emphasis on social and popular dances of Africa, Caribbean and Latin America. The thing that she loves about flamenco is the combination of musician and dancer, of percussion instrument and choreography, of grace and strength, of attitude and subtleness, of innovation and structure within one dancer.
A native of Maryland, Sarah studied flamenco extensively with Natalia Monteleon in Washington, D.C. over the last six years and has performed in Natalia's company, Arte Flamenco, as well. In D.C, Sarah performed at several restaurants as a soloist as well as many events with Arte Flamenco. Most notable venues include: Kennedy Center Millenium Stage, Washington D.C.; the Hippodrome Theatre, Baltimore; the Washington Folk Festival, Glen Echo; and the Feria de Sevilla at Strathmore, Rockville. Sarah has attended workshops with "La Tati", Carmela Greco, "La Truco", Nelida Tirado, and Defne Enc. She also furthered her flamenco studies with Edwin Aparicio and Genevieve Guinn. She is currently studying in Sacramento with Drea Pacot and has performed with Drea's company "Flamenco Puro". Since moving to Davis, Sarah has performed locally at: Lunas Cafe, Sacramento; the Sacramento World Festival; and the Ashkenaz, Berkeley.

Suggested materials: Flamenco shoes are highly recommended. Shoes should be closed-toed with a strong, medium heel; women might want to wear a long, flowing skirt that can fan out; a bottle of water.

This class is for students who have taken flamenco before , have caught the flamenco fever and are ready to sweat! We will work on all the components of flamenco dance: posture, arms and hands, footwork, and turns. In addition we will explore the rhythmic structure of the music, the types of songs and the palmas played to accompany the musicians. Short choreography combinations will be danced to Solea, Tango Gitano, Alegrias, or Guajiras.

Instructor: Gelsomina "La Zamora"
Gelsomina "La Zamora" has been studying flamenco dance for 15 years. Initially, she trained in San Francisco with primarily La Tania and Yaelisa. She's travelled to Spain 5 times with the most recent visit lasting three years to study with such legendary dancers as Manuela Carasco, Pastora Galvan, Milagros Mengibar, Rafaela Carasco, Belen Maya, Juana Amaya, Yolanda Heredia ,Maria Àngeles Gabaldòn, Fuensanta La Moneta, and Adela Campallo. She taught and performed in Seville, Spain, as well as three years in Kobe, Japan, where she was a featured soloist. She's recently moved to Davis and is currently working on a piece to be performed in December at the Cowell Theater, San Francisco. She's an extremely committed teacher and is very eager to share her love of this evocative and cathartic dance form with her students.

Suggested materials:

Men Flamenco boots would be ideal but any boot with a short heel would work for this class Pants and close fitting shirt

Women Flamenco shoes would be ideal but character shoes or any basic, sturdy shoe with a short heel a skirt that you can freely stretch and move in close fitting t-shirt or leotard

Gelsomina will provide information about where to purchase flamenco shoes.

Traditional Mexican Dance. [Details coming soon.]

Instructor: Jenny
Jenny has been dancing Folklorico for 11 years. She has studied with many different groups throughout the years, and her focus has always been on the traditional style. She loves everything about it: the traditions behind each dance, the way everything has its place, and the way everything fits together on stage. Jenny enjoys learning and teaching Folklorico. Although she is still a student herself in both Folklorico and at UC Davis, she is happy to have the opportunity to give others the chance to discover the Folklorico music and dance genre and the Mexican traditions associated with it.

Suggested materials: Folklorico shoes are recommended, but a hard, medium heel shoe will work.

This class will introduce you to the world of flamenco in the context of its rich history and the diversity of the people and cultures that amalgamated during its development and continual evolution. You will learn proper flamenco posture, caracoles (graceful hand gestures), palmas (rhythmic clapping), and zapateado (footwork). The focus will be on Rumba Flamenca and Contemporary Spanish Dance. In addition, you will get a very effective full body workout, as we keep our heart rates up with the zapateado and the rumbas, and tone our arms and legs with the flamenco arm movements and footwork.

Instructor: Denise
Denise toured with the professional contemporary Spanish dance company, Estudio Gitano, in Guatemala. She has studied international dance for over 15 years, including flamenco, contemporary Spanish dance, Belly Dance and South Indian dance. She has drawn from all these genres to create Gypsy Routes, a class that portrays modern flamenco as a mixture of styles borrowed from cultures such as Indian, Middle Eastern, Turkish, North African and Latin American. This class gives her the opportunity to share her passion for dance, music, culture and fitness.

Suggested materials: Closed-toed shoes with a strong, medium heel; women might want to wear a long, flowing skirt that can fan out; a bottle of water.

[Details Coming Soon]

Instructor: "Q"

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Bring back the fundamental elements of Hip Hop: improvisation and personal interpretation! Regardless of your dance background, Ting Ting will guide you through the journey of discovering and developing your own hip hop style. The class will focus on combining different styles of hip hop and developing musicality. In addition, there will be a focus on body connectivity and utilizing core strength throughout the choreography. You will build your dance vocabulary and simultaneously learn to feel and hear the music through your movements. Feel free to bring ideas on songs that to dance to or hip hop dance styles that you would like to try.

Instructor: Ting Ting
Ting Ting has been dancing with the hip hop crew Cookie, a co-op hip hop dance company. She also has a background in modern dance and has danced with Paradigm Alley, a modern dance company under the direction of Ashanti Newton. Aside from these, she also likes to salsa, West Coast Swing, and is looking to take up the hula. She’s open to all types of dance and would like to bring that openness to her choreography and class.

Suggested materials: Sweat pants or dance pants, dance or regular sneakers (no flip flops!), a bottle of water.

Contemporary Hip Hop draws from a wide range of styles that include funky modern, street South African, break dancing, dirty south jukes, and West African stomping. This class will incorporate all the fundamentals of hip hop, from the original funk styles that started in California in the 60’s, and breaking, which developed in New York in the 70’s, to krumping, hype and house dance. You will learn or fine-tune your gliding, popping and locking, and footwork and floorwork for break dance. The instructor will focus on one technique or style each day, to enhance your learning curve, breaking down basic moves that are then incorporated into a choreography, while providing advanced variations for the more experienced dancers. You’ll practice some freestyle hip hop and learn the hottest moves from today’s music videos and hip hop culture. Rock to old school tunes and to all the latest hits!

Instructor: Rommel
Rommel has been teaching and choreographing for over 20 years. He headed the Hip Hop department for the Sierra Dance Academy for over 12 years and has also taught at Step 1 Dance & Fitness, Northern California Dance Conservatory (NCDC) and choreographed for youth dance groups, non profit performing arts organizations, beauty pageants, for local community events and fundraisers. He is now the Head Instructor, Events Coordinator, and Co- Artistic Director for AGSD, a Recreation Program Instructor of Dance at the Department of Campus Recreation at UC Davis, and a current member of CAHPERD (California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance). He has trained under Dale Scholl, Dr. Linda S. Goodrich, Pepper Von and Bo Horn to name a few. His performance background includes Sacramento Black Art of Dance (S/BAD), Dale School Dance Art (DSDA), Jazz-E, Sacramento State University Dance Company, FlyStyle Funk Patrol, and Recording Artists Spanish Fly.

Suggested materials: Comfortable clothes, dance or regular sneakers, a bottle of water.

Come enjoy an aerobic/strengthening workout with arte y duende! This class is for men and women with little or no prior flamenco experience. Inspired by traditional and contemporary flamenco music we will cover the basic techniques of flamenco dancing. We will focus on the footwork, upper body (arm and hand movements) and hips (marking steps). Planning a trip to Spain? Join the festivities by dancing with the locals! The Sevillanas are a lively, fun partner dance which are danced by all generations, at parties and the summer festivals all over Spain today. They are flamenco in the sense that they have many of the upper body, hands and arm movements of flamenco dancing but with minimal flamenco footwork. You do not need a partner to sign up.

Instructor: Gelsomina "La Zamora"
Gelsomina "La Zamora" has been studying flamenco dance for 15 years. Initially, she trained in San Francisco with primarily La Tania and Yaelisa. She's travelled to Spain 5 times with the most recent visit lasting three years to study with such legendary dancers as Manuela Carasco, Pastora Galvan, Milagros Mengibar, Rafaela Carasco, Belen Maya, Juana Amaya, Yolanda Heredia ,Maria Àngeles Gabaldòn, Fuensanta La Moneta, and Adela Campallo. She taught and performed in Seville, Spain, as well as three years in Kobe, Japan, where she was a featured soloist. She's recently moved to Davis and is currently working on a piece to be performed in December at the Cowell Theater, San Francisco. She's an extremely committed teacher and is very eager to share her love of this evocative and cathartic dance form with her students.

Suggested materials:

Men Flamenco boots would be ideal but any boot with a short heel would work for this class Pants and close fitting shirt

Women Flamenco shoes would be ideal but character shoes or any basic, sturdy shoe with a short heel a skirt that you can freely stretch and move in close fitting t-shirt or leotard

Gelsomina will provide information about where to purchase flamenco shoes.

Kathak is one of the seven forms of Indian classical dances. The name Kathak is derived from the Sanskrit words katha meaning story, and katthaka meaning s/he who tells a story. Originating from northern India, Kathak is characterized by intricate footwork (tatkar) and elegant pirouettes (chakkar). This classical art form mostly specialized in recounting mythological and moral tales from the scriptures, and embellished their recitals with hand gestures and facial expressions. It was quintessential theatre, using instrumental and vocal music along with stylized gestures, to enliven the stories. Influenced by temple and ritual dance, and Persian influence of the Mughal courts from the 16th century onwards, there are three major schools or gharanas of Kathak from which performers today generally draw their lineage. Our Kathak classes will expose students to the techniques of all three schools of Kathak; Jaipur, Lucknow, and Banaras. Not only will you learn technique, but you’ll also learn the dance theory behind it all.

Instructor: Joya
Joya Kazi is a professional Kathak dancer with 15 years of dance experience and 8 years of teaching experience. A student of BalBharti Indo-American Cultural Academy, she has learned from the top Gurus in the Kathak dance world and has choreographed and directed numerous Kathak dance productions showcasing over 80 dancers.

Suggested materials: Bare feet, Comfortable clothing that’s easy to move in, notebook

This is fun, family-oriented free-form dance to world beat, jazz and ambient groove! In the words of its creator, "What is special about ecstatic dance is that there is no need for experience, no need for a partner, there is no way to do it right and there is no way to do it wrong. Therefore, there is no judgment, no criticism and no one is watching. One is more free than at almost any other time. This freedom leads to self-discovery, self-liberation, and the possibility of deeper connections with other people. I see people get out of their minds and become embodied. It is like psychotherapy on steroids." The music mix is specially chosen to elevate one's spirit. It also follows a pattern from a gentle and slow warm up rising to ecstasy and down again into stillness. The music comes from a variety of sources from world beat, to jazz, to pop to ambient groove. The mix is designed to lift the dancer and carry the dancer on a wave of sound. "Learning to let go and just let your body be moved by the music is one of the most important things we can learn," says Dr. Woodman. "It is the essence of ultimate freedom."

Instructor: Rob Woodman
Rob Woodman, Ph.D., is a clinical neuropsychologist with a specialization in medical psychology. So why is he dancing? When he was 55-years-old, on a lark, he auditioned for a dance company with a Bay Area choreographer who was doing his MFA at UCD. He was quite surprised to get into the company. He performed in and toured in two pieces. Since then he has performed with another company and is currently in production with another well known choreographer who is doing his MFA at UCD. But where did Free-Form dance come from? While on vacation on the Big Island of Hawaii, Rob and his friend, James Williams, went to "church," an ecstatic dance event on the Pahoa side of the island. It is called church because while it is a dance event, it is intentionally spiritual. When Rob and James went back to the island a year and a half later, they once again had the moving experience of ecstatic dance with 300 souls. They returned to Davis knowing that they had to start this spiritual movement in their own town. Two weeks they had their first event of Move Your Body: Let's get the whole world moving.

Suggested materials:

[Details Coming Soon]

Instructor: Pakko

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Every dance move should be a beautiful picture! Supplement your partnering technique, enrich your solo footwork repertoire and add flare to your improvisational breaks, or Shines, as you learn original choreography. Enhance your body awareness, practice Afro-Cuban body isolations and movement, and develop your individual styling. Develop musicality as you learn about Salsa rhythm and timing, including how to listen for the clave, improve the agility of your steps as you practice speed and precision footwork, pick up basic ballroom dance styling with latin flavor, and work on spinning technique for faster, picture-perfect turns.

Instructor: Giana
Giana is a professional dancer/competitor, choreographer and dance coach that inspires you to reach new levels in both social and professional dancing. She has won numerous championships and is a guest instructor and performer across the country. She fuses her skills and extensive training in Salsa, Latin, Jazz, Hip Hop, Musical theater, Modern and Flamenco to create powerful & emotional performances, and to help each individual develop their dance skills. Giana created and directs her own Salsa training academy and the Greater Sacramento area’s new premier professional Salsa company, Shiva Latina, both based in Sacramento.

Suggested materials: Closed-toed shoes with a non-rubbery sole.

Work on individual and partnering technique, including lead and follow positioning and partner communication, and practice patterns, from basic cross-body leads and ladies turns to advanced variations. Learn about rhythm and timing, and develop spatial awareness, as you learn how to connect with your partner and how to feel and use the floor underneath you. Professional trainer Giana will coach you toward becoming a better dancer, regardless of your dance background. Different levels available (see schedule), including private training for beginners through advanced.

Instructor: Giana
Giana is a professional dancer/competitor, choreographer and dance coach that inspires you to reach new levels in both social and professional dancing. She has won numerous championships and is a guest instructor and performer across the country. She fuses her skills and extensive training in Salsa, Latin, Jazz, Hip Hop, Musical theater, Modern and Flamenco to create powerful & emotional performances, and to help each individual develop their dance skills. Giana created and directs her own Salsa training academy and the Greater Sacramento area’s new premier professional Salsa company, Shiva Latina, both based in Sacramento.

Suggested materials: Closed-toed shoes with a non-rubbery sole.

This class is for students who have studied the four Sevillanas before and either need a refresher course or are ready to focus on the finer points of style and improvisation. Street style Sevillanas will be covered as well as less conventional passing techniques, skirt work and stylistic details for personal expression. You do not need to come with a partner.

Instructor: Gelsomina "La Zamora"
Gelsomina "La Zamora" has been studying flamenco dance for 15 years. Initially, she trained in San Francisco with primarily La Tania and Yaelisa. She's travelled to Spain 5 times with the most recent visit lasting three years to study with such legendary dancers as Manuela Carasco, Pastora Galvan, Milagros Mengibar, Rafaela Carasco, Belen Maya, Juana Amaya, Yolanda Heredia ,Maria Àngeles Gabaldòn, Fuensanta La Moneta, and Adela Campallo. She taught and performed in Seville, Spain, as well as three years in Kobe, Japan, where she was a featured soloist. She's recently moved to Davis and is currently working on a piece to be performed in December at the Cowell Theater, San Francisco. She's an extremely committed teacher and is very eager to share her love of this evocative and cathartic dance form with her students.

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Men Flamenco boots would be ideal but any boot with a short heel would work for this class Pants and close fitting shirt

Women Flamenco shoes would be ideal but character shoes or any basic, sturdy shoe with a short heel a skirt that you can freely stretch and move in close fitting t-shirt or leotard

Gelsomina will provide information about where to purchase flamenco shoes.

Courtney's West Coast Swing class will focus on the relationship of leading and following, the art of improvisation and of course cover all the basics!

Instructor: Courtney
Courtney has been dancing, competing and teaching West Coast Swing for 10 years. She is currently traveling most weekends to compete in the Classic Routine Division all over the country. While Courtney enjoys the new avenues that competition has opened for her, the social dance floor remains her favorite aspect of the dance. Courtney has danced with Allen Frias' hip hop company Mind Over Matter, Jayc Labio's salsa company Con Afinke and explored other forms of dance such as jazz, modern, ballet and country.

Suggested materials: Comfortable shoes.

Capoeira is a dynamic Brazilian art form which combines elements of dance, fighting, acrobatics and music into an exciting fight-like game. Training capoeira is a great workout, and provides students with strength training, increased flexibility and improved aerobic ability. In capoeira classes, students will learn fundamental movements of capoeira including attacks, defenses and beginning gymnastics movements. Students will also learn capoeira music; including learning to play various instruments, and sing traditional capoeira songs in Portuguese. Students of all levels are welcome in this class and more experienced capoeira students will be given instruction according to level.

Instructor: Susie
Susan began training capoeira in high school, and after a 5-year break, has been training consistently in California for the past seven years. She is a student of Contra Mestre Galego a.k.a. Patrick Hilligan, with the group Agua de Beber in Sacramento. Susan began teaching capoeira three years ago and has developed a stable chapter of Capoeira Agua de Beber in Davis. She has also taught at the UC Davis ARC, and has taught kids and adult’s classes at the Capoeira Arts Academy in Sacramento. Susan also has experience training and teaching gymnastics.

Suggested materials: Bare feet, comfortable exercise clothing (preferably white)

[Details Coming Soon]

Instructor: Denise

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[Details Coming Soon]

Instructor: Denise

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The purpose of this four week workshop series is to give you an overview of yoga including its history, philosophical basis, recommended diet, physical postures, breathing techniques and meditation. Yoga offers insights into every aspect of our lives and is a more comprehensive discipline than the better known physical or asana aspect. Each class in this series will be 90 minutes long and include both theory and an Integral Yoga class. In a typical Integral Yoga class, students will be guided through a classical form of yoga that incorporates an integrated sequence of bodily postures (asanas), a technique of deep relaxation, breathing techniques (pranayama), chanting and meditation. The postures include a set of flowing sun salutations and classical poses that strengthen and tone your muscles, improve flexibility and provide a massaging effect on all your internal organs. The breathing exercises and deep relaxation technique will help to calm and relax you. A short meditation session at the end will help to remind you of the purpose of doing yoga.

Instructor: Saroja
Saroja studied yoga both in India & the U.S. She obtained her teacher's training certificate in Integral Yoga in 1994 and Stress Management from Yogaville (headquarters of Integral Yoga Institute) in 2006. In addition, she has attended numerous workshops and mini training camps to keep up with her training. She has taught yoga and stress management courses in the US, Singapore & India in various settings including at UC-Davis extension, Sacramento Balvihar, Peak Performance gym (Davis), Fiesta Dance n Fitness (Davis) and St. Mary's College of CA where she teaches a full academic credit course on the Science and Philosophy of Yoga. Her style of yoga is classical, calming and meditative. For more on what is Integral Yoga, please see: http://www.yogaville.org/integral-yoga/what-is-integral-yoga?/what-is-integral-yoga?/

Suggested materials: Bare feet, comfortable clothes, a yoga mat (yoga mats are available in the studio if you do not have your own)

PiYo™ is an athletic fusion style strength & flexibility mat class designed for mainstream fitness, that blends Pilates, Yoga, strength training, physical conditioning and dynamic balance in an up-tempo, non-spiritual environment. It combines energetic, powerful moves into a fluid, challenging and safe workout that is appropriate for the group exercise setting and for all levels of fitness. We will emphasize core strength, flexibility and overall balance.

Instructor: Denise
Denise has been practicing yoga for 8 years and Pilates for 3 years. Denise is PiYo™-certified.

Suggested materials: Comfortable clothes that allow movement and flexibility, a sticky mat is also highly recommended, bare feet or yoga shoes.

PiYo™ is an athletic fusion style strength & flexibility mat class, designed for mainstream fitness, that blends Pilates, Yoga, strength training, physical conditioning and dynamic balance in an up-tempo, non-spiritual environment. It combines energetic, powerful moves into a fluid, challenging and safe workout that is appropriate for the group exercise setting and for all levels of fitness. In PiYo™ FoYo Back, we will target our core to develop defined abdominal muscles; strong, flexible, healthy backs; centered bodies; proper posture and overall balance.

Instructor: Denise
Denise has been practicing yoga for 8 years and pilates for 3 years. Having suffered from chronic back pain for 10 years, she has tried everything to improve her back health, and is now ready to share her knowledge with other back pain sufferers and with those who are wisely trying to prevent back problems before they happen. Denise is PiYo™-certified.

Suggested materials: Comfortable clothes that allow movement and flexibility, your own sticky mat is also highly recommended, bare feet or yoga shoes.

Power Vinyasa yoga is a dynamic system of practicing asana, linking breath to movement. This style of yoga builds heat from the inside out and develops endurance, flexibility, strength and concentration. Sequencing is often built around sun salutations. This class is suitable for all levels. This power vinyasa class focuses on basic technique and also contains many variations and occasional longer sequences to challenge the more seasoned practitioner while allowing all students to explore their own boundaries. The student will develop body awareness; learn basic postures (asanas), and proper alignment. Learn yogic forms of breathing and how to sequence breath and movements together, and become familiar with the connection to your physical and energetic body. Great music is an integral part of Nick's classes. All levels and ages leave Nick Montoya's classes with renewed energy and inspiration.

Instructor: Nick
MOMENTUM UNLEASHED are two words that describe what Nick Montoya is about. Whether he is teaching yoga, giving a keynote, coaching executives or parenting his three daughters - Nick has one clear objective: To unleash the momentum that is within each of us to live a happy, fulfilling, passionate life. Nick discovered yoga after retiring from a 27-year career at Intel Corporation. His eldest daughter recommended he attend a class to ease the chronic back he had been experiencing for years. After his first practice, Nick knew that yoga would lead to increased flexibility and strength. What he did not expect was that yoga would unleash a new passion as he began to experience the benefits of the asana practice and immersing himself into the study of yoga. Nick completed 200-hours of yoga teacher training from Zuda Yoga and is now a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT).

Nick teaches Vinyasa Yoga and his classes focus on basic technique and also contain many variations and occasional longer sequences to challenge the more seasoned practitioner while allowing all students to explore their own boundaries. All levels and ages leave Nick’s classes with renewed energy and inspiration. Their momentum is unleashed.

Suggested materials: Comfortable loose clothing

Beginning Darbuka is an introductory course covering Middle Eastern Music basics, Darbuka technique, rhythm and posture. We will focus on five major rhythms including Maqsum, Saiidi, Beladi, Ayub, and Malfuf, and learn about dums, teks, tiks, slaps, and pops (sounds of the drum). Please join me for an intrinsic look at one of the world's most popular percussion instruments and find your inner rhythm. Please bring a goblet-shaped drum, doumbek, or darbuka. Djembes will be acceptable only if you can hold them on your lap and but not recomended (the heads and structure and very different). Be ready to have fun and get down in my beggining darbuka class! See you Monday night!

Instructor: Stephanie
Stephanie is a recent UC Davis graduate and avid percussionist who has been playing the drums since she was eleven. While attending UC Santa Barbara between 2001 and 2002, Stephanie took up Middle Eastern percussion and joined the infamous UCSB MIddle Eastern Music Ensemble. She has been playing darbuka (Middle Eastern drum) ever since, and hopes to share her love and passion for the instrument with others. Stephanie also loves to dance, draw, work with children, play soccer and travel. Stephanie has been taught by world- renowned Darbuka teachers such as Souhail Kaspar and has attended the Men- docino Middle Eastern Music and Dance Camp in 2002 and 2003.

Suggested materials: Darbuka or goblet-shaped drum.

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Yes, you heard right. Belly dance is not just for adults. In the Middle East, "belly dance" is a fun and social dance that is learned at a very young age by everyone. Grandmothers, mothers and daughters belly dance side by side at family celebrations.

In this class, your little Princess Jasmine will learn traditional belly dance through muscle isolation and graceful movements while also learning how to coordinate motion with Middle Eastern rhythms. In addition to physical exercise benefits, this class will build motor coordination, body awareness and self-esteem in a fun environment.

Instructor: Nyla
Nyla is a multi-award winning professional belly dancer. She has a background in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and cheerleading. She has received extensive training in Egyptian and Turkish styles from world-renowned instructors and enjoys sharing her knowledge and her passion for Belly Dance with others. Check out her website for more information.

Suggested materials: Hip scarf or fabric to wrap around your waist for visual guide; bare feet, ballet or jazz shoes, or dance sandals; water bottle.

The Bollywood film industry is the largest producer of films. Each Bollywood film is a musical with melodious foot-tapping songs that are elaborately choreographed and staged. The Bollywood dance style has evolved to become an intricate fusion of both classical and modern dance styles. Bollywood dance is a high-energy and very expressive form of dance. In this class, children will have the opportunity to shake their shoulders to the latest Hindi pop songs! Throughout each class, children will be exposed to basic Indian folk dance, such as Garba (from the region of Gujarat) and Bhangra (from the region of Punjab). The class atmosphere will be VERY playful and interactive. Your children will have lots of fabulous moves and facial expressions to show you!

Instructor: Bhavana
Bhavana Mody grew up dancing Garba (Indian folk dance) and watching lots of Bollywood films! As a child, she loved to imitate the dance routines and facial expressions. Since childhood, she has sought out learning about various forms of Indian dance and yoga as a way to maintain connection to her culture. Bhavana has been teaching yoga and Indian dance in Davis for two years. For her work, she is a first-grade teacher in Woodland. In her classroom, dance and yoga are an essential component of her physical education curriculum.

Suggested materials: Bare feet, comfortable clothing.

“The Martial Dance.” Originating in Brazil, Capoeira combines martial arts, dance, acrobatics and music to create a unique, spontaneous "jogo" (game). In this class, children will learn the basics of capoeira play, building a vocabulary of dodges, kicks, ground movements and "jinga;" develop hand-eye coordination as they learn to move fluidly with a partner; and work on rhythm, strength and flexibility. Additionally, they will learn to make music with capoeira instruments, and to sing some traditional capoeira hymns in Portuguese.

Instructor: Susie
Susan began training capoeira in high school, and after a 5-year break, has been training consistently in California for the past seven years. She is a student of Contra Mestre Galego a.k.a. Patrick Hilligan, with the group Agua de Beber in Sacramento. Susan began teaching capoeira three years ago and has developed a stable chapter of Capoeira Agua de Beber in Davis. She has also taught at the UC Davis ARC, and has taught kids and adult’s classes at the Capoeira Arts Academy in Sacramento. Susan also has experience training and teaching gymnastics.

Suggested materials: Comfortable clothes that allow freedom of movement, bare feet.

[Details Coming Soon]

Instructor: Denise

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[Details Coming Soon]

Instructor: Jenny

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Kathak is one of the seven forms of Indian classical dances. The name Kathak is derived from the Sanskrit words katha meaning story, and katthaka meaning s/he who tells a story. Originating from northern India, Kathak is characterized by intricate footwork (tatkar) and elegant pirouettes (chakkar). This classical art form mostly specialized in recounting mythological and moral tales from the scriptures, and embellished their recitals with hand gestures and facial expressions. It was quintessential theatre, using instrumental and vocal music along with stylized gestures, to enliven the stories. Influenced by temple and ritual dance, and Persian influence of the Mughal courts from the 16th century onwards, there are three major schools or gharanas of Kathak from which performers today generally draw their lineage. Our Kathak classes will expose students to the techniques of all three schools of Kathak; Jaipur, Lucknow, and Banaras. Not only will you learn technique, but you’ll also learn the dance theory behind it all.

Instructor: Joya
Joya Kazi is a professional Kathak dancer with 15 years of dance experience and 8 years of teaching experience. A student of BalBharti Indo-American Cultural Academy, she has learned from the top Gurus in the Kathak dance world and has choreographed and directed numerous Kathak dance productions showcasing over 80 dancers.

Suggested materials: Bare feet, comfortable clothes that allow movement, a notebook.

Learn the moonwalk, the glide, the pop and lock, the art of “working the hat” and other unique styles that made Michael Jackson a world-renowned dance legend. All levels welcome. Feel free to bring your own hat or glove!

Instructor: Joya
Joya began her dance training when she was 5, and has been dancing professionally since the tender age of 8. She’s studied all seven forms of Indian Classical Dance and later studied jazz, hip hop, ballet, contemporary, salsa, and of course Bollywood. She is the Founder of Toofan Dance Company, Davis’s very first Bollywood Dance Company. She coaches UC Davis’s competitive intercollegiate Bollywood dance team, and continues to choreograph stage productions for NAACH Dance Company, the largest Bollywood Dance Company in the nation.

Suggested materials: Tennis shoes and water

This class will introduce the child to the world of flamenco in the context of its rich history and the diversity of the people and cultures that amalgamated during its development and continual evolution. We will learn proper flamenco posture, flores (graceful hand gestures), palmas (rhythmic clapping), and zapateado (footwork). We will learn some traditional dances, such as Sevillanas and Alegrías, but the focus will be on Rumba Flamenca, as this is easier to assimilate and children find it easier to identify with this fun genre.

Instructor: Denise
Denise toured with the professional comtemporary Spanish dance company, Estudio Gitano, in Guatemala. She has studied international dance for over 15 years, including flamenco, contemporary Spanish dance, Belly Dance and Classical Indian dance. She has drawn from all these genres to create a class that portrays modern flamenco as a mixture of styles borrowed from cultures such as Indian, Middle Eastern, Turkish, North African and Latin American. This class gives her the opportunity to share her passion for dance, music, culture and fitness.

Suggested materials: Flamenco shoes or close-toed shoes with a medium heel, a long skirt that fans out.

So you want to learn how to dance? Come learn the fundamentals of Cha-Cha, Swing, Salsa, Merengue, and even Country Line Dancing. This class will work on leading and following, basic technique, and body movement. After learning the basics of each dance, we will be doing simple combinations and choreography to practice what we’ve learned. Since some of the work is partnered, students will learn how to work together (an important life skill), all while making new friends and having the time of their lives.

Instructor: Sarah H.
Sarah is currently working on receiving her national dance certification from Gwen Burton’s Professional Ballroom Teaching Academy. She is a member of a performance/competition dance team in West Sacramento, the Spirit in Motion Dance Company. When she is not studying for her certification or performing, she loves Country Line Dancing. Sarah has been line dancing for well over five years and loves sharing her passion for dance with others.

Suggested materials: Closed-toed shoes with a hard, non-rubbery sole.

Classical South Indian dance, Bharatanatyam is the manifestation of the ancient idea of the celebration of the eternal universe through the celebration of the beauty of the material body. Chldren will learn the fundamental karanas (dance postures), the elaborate mridu angaharas (movements of the limbs) and bhedas (head, neck and eye movements) of this ancient art form. They will develop theatrical skills as they tap into the emotional states of the temple dancers. They will also gain knowledge of history of this dance and learn some Hindi.

Instructor: Khurshid
Khurshid is a student of the Shakti School of Dance in Los Angeles. She has performed as part of the Shakti Dance Company in Washington, D.C., Florida, Texas and Southern California. Since completing her Arangetram, solo dance debut, in 2007, Khurshid has been teaching beginner students of the Shakti School of Dance, and looks forward to teaching and learning new techniques in Davis.

Suggested materials: Comfortable clothes that allow movement, bare feet, a notebook.