Workshops

Belladonna is a performance artist, entertainer and innovator residing in Washington DC. She is the founder and director of Bohemian Bellydance and the creatrix of the Boho Blade sword dancing system and certification program. Driven by her passion for creative expression and to help people feel good dancing in their body as it is right now Belladonna focuses on creating classes, educational programs, and training that are body friendly, meaningful and fun. She uses her dance education and training, as well as her hunger for knowledge and experience in art, design, and energy healing, to help make her programs authentic and inspiring.

The goal of Bohemian Belly Dance is to inspire people to get moving and to find time in their schedule to do something to help them feel good. Be it through sword training, daily drills, fusion fragments, Boho body care, performance projects, choreography or private instruction. Belladonna is a masterful performer, swordswoman and tour guide to help you connect to yourself and to like minded individuals who have similar interests in fantasy, dance, sword play, costuming, character development, creativity and so much more.

Belladonna is the creative director of Solanaceae, an international fusion dance company, Belladonna and the Nightshades, a DC based performance company, Co-founder and co-producer of the annual Raven's Night soiree and can often be seen on stage and off with drag king legend Ken Vegas.

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WORKSHOPS

Armed and Ready (Saber)

This “Boho Blade” workshop focuses on thinking outside the box when working with a saber balanced on your head. This workshop will also showcase clever arm patterns and unique ways to use your arms in your swordwork in true Boho Blade style.

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This is SLAY (Saber)

In this workshop, Belladonna teaches signature Boho Blade combinations that allow you to perfect your saber techniques, explore new techniques, and discover powerful flourishes.

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Self-taught artist. Kali Maat has been exploring the world of dance, theater and poetry since childhood. She has been making her mark as a performer, choreographer, teacher and organizer and co-organizer of events in the Montreal Oriental/Tribal Fusion dance community for many years.

 

She can be seen in multicultural, lyrical, strange, futuristic, romantic and dreamlike creations, but she always returns from time to time to her true loves: darkness.... 

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WORKSHOP

Matière noire (Dark Matter)

Darkness as an art form...

We will explore your darkest inner landscape physically, emotionally, and artistically.

We will explore dance as a means of catharsis. Facing our darkness, naming it, exploring it, and releasing it through art.

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Cult of Yes are an unorthodox bellydance duo formed in Montreal in 2013. Born of a shared love for adventure and really great music, Cult of Yes travels near and far, bringing unusual dances and searching for fresh movement, good times and kindred spirits.

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Dominique and Sue have decades of combined experience on stage and in the classroom and are committed to helping students liberate themselves from fear so they can be their bright, authentic selves on stage.

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WORKSHOP

The Weirding: Strange Dance for Strange People

We love the classics, but we mostly love making dances that are odd, unsettling, and outside the fusion bellydance norm. In this workshop, we’ll explore ways to find fresh and unusual shapes, and we’ll learn a few expressive combos that are ready to be customized to your particular brand of bizarre. Dance is a super fun frontier when you set fire to the limits you’ve placed on yourself, so let’s get that spark going.

This class is great for dancers looking to bust out of a dance rut, folks who want to develop their creativity and unique voice, and for badasses who are supremely unconcerned with rules.

Passionate about art in all its forms, Zafirah has been exploring the world of oriental dance for over 20 years, a discipline that combines grace, fluidity, and power. She studied and taught the Egyptian style, rooted in tradition, while incorporating fusion elements, notably Voi, bringing an expressive and aerial dimension to her performances, and Turkish Roma dance.

 

As an oriental dance teacher (2006-2017), she trained numerous students with a focus on technique, feeling, and musicality. Her teaching combines fun and creativity, allowing the exploration of the subtleties of movement while developing a deep connection with music and emotion. Over the years, she has participated in and organized various shows and cultural events, sharing her passion for dance through performances blending traditional and contemporary influences. Her artistic approach has allowed her to push the boundaries of oriental dance by integrating visual and performative elements from her multidisciplinary universe. Although her dance career has mainly evolved towards other artistic horizons, her attachment to oriental dance remains a common thread in her creative approach, nourishing her current works and projects.

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WORKSHOP

Introduction to Voi

Immerse yourself in the captivating world of Voi, a discipline that fuses dance, fluidity, and object manipulation. This two-hour workshop will allow you to explore the technical foundations of Voi, working on coordination, precision, and expressiveness.

The program includes:

- Technical section: learning basic movements, arm coordination, and exploring trajectories.

- Short choreography: integrating the techniques learned into a fluid and dynamic sequence. Whether you are a beginner or looking to deepen your practice, this workshop will provide you with the tools to enrich your body expression and bring an ethereal and hypnotic touch to your dance.

Come explore a new dimension of movement!

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Glenn Cruz is of mixed heritage and was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He has been a professional Polynesian performer for 26 years and has travelled and performed around the world. He has studied with several Maori teachers and focuses on that root of his culture. He has been an artistic director for Maori dance and specifically the Maori Haka for 13 years and teaches mainly in Quebec and in Ontario. 

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His Kapa Haka dance troupe is called Whakatipū Kotahi. Translated from the Maori language means: Different spirits that grow together in a group because of  culture and united in a purpose. Rerekē wairua Whakatõpū nõ ahurea Kotahi aronga. He and his Kapa Haka dance troupe bring some of the stories and legends from Aotearoa, The Land Of The Long White Cloud,(New Zealand). Through song, dance and specifically the Breath Of Fire, The Haka. Engaging and captivating, he will not only share culture but leave a long lasting impression of strength, respect and honour with our audience and our hosts.

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WORKSHOP

Haka Maori

The Haka is synonymous with Strength, Respect, Honor, Discipline, Concentration, Emotions, Control, Ancestry... Have you ever dreamed of learning more about the Haka Maori? You will discover Maori culture, yourself, and the connections that unite us with our environment. For those who return, we will continue your journey by deepening your practice. Draw inspiration from ancestral energy and nature to develop your self-confidence, self-esteem, inner strength, and mana. This immersive Haka Maori workshop will immerse you in a unique experience! You will learn the techniques necessary to perform a Haka: the basic movements, the pronunciation of words, their translations, and their connection to the Haka. You will also learn the more fluid movements of the Haka.​