Egyptian Dance Academy

The Egyptian Dance Academy is a wonderful dance studio. I started taking classes here in 2012 and was hooked right from the start! I haven’t missed a session since. Various levels of Egyptian belly dance and folklore dance classes are offered, from introduction to professional. There are also student and professional troupes. Throughout the year, there are also specialty workshops offered. These are great for gaining in-​depth instruction on one dance topic or style. For example, Nada (the studio’s artistic director and owner) recently taught a baladi workshop that was fantastic.
All of the instructors are wonderful! Each one has her own style and teaches techniques slightly differently. I highly recommend taking classes from many different instructors because you can learn something new from each one. The classes are high-​energy, challenging, and fun for dancers with all levels of experience. The EDA is all around a fantastic place for dance instruction and community.

What a great place to dig into the joyful awesomeness of being a woman. Ok, ok, there was a guy taking classes here for a while, and he was welcomed — but this studio is really about women. Powerful women.
A wide range of classes is available, from intro to dance movement, to pro level belly dance, with stop-​offs for things like my favourite — Egyptian Folklore. The teachers come from a variety of dance backgrounds, so it’s fun to switch it up now and again to work with someone with a different approach to belly dance.
The owner of the studio (Nada) studied with the Reda Troupe in Egypt, so you’re getting the seriously real thing with her.
I really love that it’s not all about pretty North American cabaret-​style belly dance.
Work your muscles (I’ve found my peri-​menopausal back to be in better shape than my 20 years younger back), laugh like mad with like-​minded women, it can’t get much better.
Ohhh — the classmates — so far they’ve ranged in age from about 10 to 60+.

Recently, I started taking bellydance classes with my sister and I have to say it has been a great experience — both for learning a new form of dance, practicing shaking my booty and receiving a great abdominal workout all at the same time!
A few weeks ago, I had my first class and since then, I am definitely getting better and better with the fluid and sexy motions of bellydance.
My teacher, Maha, is wonderful when it comes to teaching and breaking down the movements. She is patient and really encouraging when it comes to learning the moves.
Every class begins with a warm-​up, a review of the moves we learned in the previous class, instruction of a new dance move, a performance combination and a nice stretch and cool down to finish off the class.
If you have to miss a class, no sweat! The studio offers plenty of make-​up class opportunities so you can keep up your technique and not worry about wasting your money on missing a class.
Hannan has two studios in the city — one on the Danforth and one at Yonge and Eglinton — so it is very accessible to most in the city.
I highly recommend taking a bellydance class. I have been dancing since I was 3 and learning a new form of dance is always treat. These classes are great for individuals of all dancing levels.