Belly dance allows us an outlet to express ourselves whilst keeping active at the same time. To keep up with our graceful, strong, and athletic movements, it is very important to maintain the condition of our bodies. As dance teachers, we want to ensure that we can perform our job to the best of our ability and as safely as possible. Additionally, when coaching our students, we want to be confident that we are providing a space for them to push their physical limits safely.

In this workshop, we’ll be covering:
-What we know about injury in (belly) dance according to current scientific research
-How to structure warm-ups and, cool-downs and general classes for optimal performance and injury prevention
-A selection of specific strengthening, conditioning and mobility exercises for you and your students to help compensate for the athletic requirements of our dance form
-Technique “yellow flags” and pointers; what technique aspects may need immediate addressing to help keep our students safe
-If time allows, Q&A / discussion time

Please bring: A yoga mat if you are uncomfortable sitting/lying on the floor, water bottle, pen and paper for notes.

Workshop Testimonials

“Siobhan is a skilled and engaging teacher – her background in physiology makes her especially good with technical breakdowns, drills, and strengthening exercises, but she’s also passionate about culture and musicality and always ready to share her knowledge.”
– Zumarrad, Workshop Participant, Christchurch, New Zealand.

“I love attending anything Siobhan teaches — whether it’s a workshop or a class or a private lesson, I know I’m going to have a valuable experience and come away with new, valid, and relevant information. Siobhan’s professional training as a personal instructor adds a knowledgable and valuable depth to her teaching, as her lessons and workshops are all well-planned and streamlined, full of excellent material and no dross, and I know I’m getting the latest, up-to-date, correct, and safest information for my body as possible. Siobhan is also a kind, considerate teacher, and goes above and beyond to explore every aspect of belly dancing, including how it compares to other dance forms both inside and outside the genre, musicality and theatrics, physicality, and expression.”
– Workshop Participant and Private Lesson Student, Christchurch, New Zealand.