Modern and West African dancer Rachel Kray Brookmire took a belly-dancing class on a lark in Manhattan years ago. She liked it so much that in 2003 she opened her own studio in Tenleytown. Sahara Dance now has six locations and around 15 teachers, and gives more than 45 classes a week.
What kind of demographics make up a typical belly-dancing class?
It’s a complete mix — you have mothers and daughters who take it together, African American and Latina women, you name it. We really have a wide range of women, though we see mostly adults, many in their mid-20s, as well as a number of students from American University.
Where do your students perform?
Some of us definitely do the restaurant circuit, places like Lebanese Taverna. But mostly our focus is elevating it to an art form. We do three to four shows a year at the Greenberg Theater (at AU) and other professional appearances.
How does belly dancing compare to other forms of dance?
The style we teach is Arab dance. It’s approachable and accessible to women at all fitness levels. At the beginning, it doesn’t have to be very aerobic. There are a wide range of ethnic influences, mostly in the Egyptian style. Indian dance also influences the type we do.
What appeals to you about the genre?
Somehow it blended the lyrical and graceful elements of modern dance with music that is so mesmerizing and haunting. It had many elements of African dance, but it didn’t feel as earthy and rough as African.
What do you get out of teaching classes and running the studio?
I really feel it’s important to help women feel good about their bodies, and dancing is the perfect medium for that. I love seeing people step on stage who never would feel like they’d end up there.
