Elena Faye

Email elenafayedance@gmail.com to inquire about workshop booking.  

 

Elena's workshops run anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours and are designed to introduce students to a variety of specialized topics.  Available workshops include but are not limited to:



Bellydance 101  ||  A great choice for educational and cultural events, this workshop opens with a brief look at the history of belly dance, followed by a break-down of basic movement vocabulary. 

 

ABC: Accordion Balady Choreography  || Set to a modern accordion balady progression, this choreography takes you through juicy, earthy movement, playful traveling steps, strong hipwork, and of course, plenty of shimmies.   Get a little bit of everything in this piece that will support well-rounded technique, help develop stamina and encourage a flair for the dramatic.

 

Dynamic Dance: Moving with your Entire Self  || This workshop focuses on performance methods and movement quality, rather than movement vocabulary. It is designed for intermediate to advanced dancers and delves into rarely-discussed issues of what makes a dynamic and engaging performer. Topics covered include internal vs. external energy, focus and projection, relationship to the audience, intention, and effort quality.

 

Drum Solo Choreography  || Enjoy a fast and furious drum solo choreography full of accents, shimmies and unexpected elements! Expect to learn new moves, combinations and a complete choreography.

 

Ferocious Fan Veils || When dancing with props there is a fine line between manipulating the prop and letting it manipulate you. In this intermediate/advanced level class, we explore how to execute intricate fan veil technique while maintaining full, expressive dancing. Advanced techniques will be drilled, followed by a full-length choreography. Intermediate +

 

Fun with Fan Veils!  || Learn to harness the power and beauty of fan veils in this introductory workshop. We will break down the secrets to fluid fan veil technique and drill a variety of movements, from the basics of how to hold your fans, to flicks, flutters, glides, and frames. Then we’ll apply what we learn in a brief but upbeat choreography. All levels.

 

The Grand Entrance (Choreography w/ Veil) | Make an entrance not to forget! We’ll start by reviewing essential veil techniques for maximum “wow factor,” followed by an upbeat Oriental choreography.

 

Indulgent Drama: Dancing to Modern Arabic Ballads (Choreography)  || Join Elena for a choreography dripping with drama and indulgent emotion. In recent years, dancers around the world have gained acclaim for their emotional and dramatic interpretations of modern Arabic ballads by today's superstar singers such as Wael Kfoury, Amr Diab and others. This workshop will delve into the elements that make these performances so memorable: strong lines, intense shimmies, and a healthy dose of drama! Emphasis will be placed on using the lyrics to inform choreography and add depth of meaning to the movement. Intermediate +

 

Intelligent Arms || Arms are sometimes overlooked in belly dance technique class, but they can make or break a dancer’s overall effectiveness.  This workshop breaks down arm positions, transitions, and undulations for belly dance. Explore graceful and elegant arm work from shoulders to fingertips and learn key secrets to making it all look seamless. Elena will also breakdown arm work inspired by Central Asian folk dance that can be a beautiful addition to any Oriental dance routine.

 

Khaligy: Technique & Choreography  || This workshop will introduce students to this soft and feminine dance of the Persian Gulf region. Students will learn typical khaligy footwork, arms, and the technique behind the unmistakable hair-ography. Movements will then be incorporated into a complete choreography. Students are encouraged to bring thobes or loose caftans.

 

Lyrical Oriental (Choreography)  || Egyptian Oriental choreography to classic song, with a touch of lyrical styling. We’ll incorporate full upper body movements and beautiful arm-work with juicy Egyptian hips to create a textured and dynamic effect.

 

Not too Shaabi: Choreography  || Elena will teach a fun shaabi choreography that captures the spunk and attitude of this popular style. Emphasis will be put on lyrical interpretation and stylistic elements of this both relaxed and energetic dance.

 

Old is Gold: Vintage Oriental Styling (Choreography) || Discover the soft, feminine style of Cairo’s “Golden Era” of Oriental Dance. Learn to channel Samia’s grace, Tahiya’s earthiness & Naima’s showmanship through movements and stylizations typical of the period. We’ll break down technique details and then put them together into three combinations.

 

Persian Possibilities  || Learn how to achieve the elegant lines and weightless quality of Classical Persian Dance. While Oriental style emphasizes earthiness and hipwork, Persian Classical dance revolves around flowing arms, expressive hands, whirling turns, and sweeping traveling steps. Push your Oriental dance to the next level by cross-training in this highly complimentary style that will add grace and elegance to your dance.

 

Picture Perfect Posture  || Correct posture is the foundation of one's dance - improper posture can adversely affect both technical execution and emotional accessibility. Therefore it is essential to foster a reliable and safe dance posture in the first years of training, or else risk developing limiting habits that can be nearly impossible to undo. In this workshop, we will break down the details of "Perfect Posture" assessing how to be both energized and relaxed, powerful and accessible, strong and soft. Students will learn both strength and flexibility exercises to promote proper posture. Principles will first be drilled in place and then applied to traveling movements. Who knows, we may even walk around with books on our heads!

 

Sugar & Spice: Pop Choreography  || An upbeat oriental choreography to a modern Arabic pop song.

 

Sway with Me  ||  Often we belly dancers make the mistake of centering our training exclusively around hip work and isolations. But in order to fully express the sweeping melodies of Middle Eastern music, a dancer must learn to express the music with her entire body. Join Elena Faye as she breaks down key concepts for lyrically carrying movement through the ribcage and torso and tapping into the depth of emotion that the heart-center can convey. Theories of breath, extension & release, and sequential movement will be explained and explored. All levels.

 

Turn it Up  || Get ready to spin!  In this class Elena Faye will break down some of her favorite turns.  We’ll look at technique for classic turns such as arabesques turns & barrel turns, as well as lesser-known ones like Azeri/Persian turns, no-spotting turns, “spot the ceiling” turns, and more! 

 

Vintage American Cabaret  || Twirling spins, whirling skirts, luscious floorwork, and yummy undulations - join Elena Faye for all this and more in an exploration of Vintage American Cabaret. We'll learn a dynamic choreography inspired by this free and energetic style particularly popular with American dancers throughout the 1970s.