Something very special is about to happen.Something you don’t want to miss out on.

It’s one of those unique opportunities that you have to grab onto and it leaves you enriched for the rest of your life. I feel your minds turning, pondering what is this rare and special thing. It’s the opportunity to study with the living legend, Katarina Burda.

I first met Katarina Burda at the Mendocino Middle Eastern Music and Dance Camp, in 2008. I came to camp a day late and asked all the dancers which teachers I should take classes from. Every dancer insisted that Katarina’s class was the best at camp. Later that day in her packed class, this older, soft spoken woman blew my mind with her amazing wealth of knowledge and her incredible dance skill.

I discovered that in her 40 year dance career she was one of the original members of Jamila Salimpour’s troupe, Bal Anat and had  trained many of the Bay Area’s top dancers such as Zoe Jakes, Mira Betz, Hannah Romansky and Elizabeth Strong (they were in her troupe Aywah).  I left her class knowing that I would seek out every opportunity to study with her again.

In July of 2013, a unique possibility presented itself and WildCard BellyDance was able to host Katarina Burda in a two day workshop. I was so happy to share this opportunity with my troupe, students and other local dancers. She left us inspired, dripping in sweat and with the promise that if she was in town again (as she was living in Mexico at that time)that she would be willing to continue teaching us.

January 4th of 2014, Katarina Burda is back!

We are lucky enough to get to spend the first Saturday of the first four months of the year with her. January 4th, February 1st, March 1st, and April 5th. Katarina loves to share her knowledge of dance, music and history. The first half of each workshop will focus on dance and the second half will focus on music and history.

January 4th
10-12 dance technique – 4/4 rhythms, : traveling steps, shimmies and combinations, spins, arms, ciftetelli/taqsim/undulations
12:30-2 music: understanding different rhythms (Baladi, Saiidi, Masmoudi, Maqsum, Malfouf/Cocek, Ciftetelli), bring your cymbals.

February 1st
10-12 how to dance to Romani 4/4 music – line dance and oriental steps
introduction to 9/8
12:30-2 Romani song

March 1st
10-12 Egyptian folk steps
12:30-2 Egyptian folk song

April 5th
10-12 introduction to Guedra – Moroccan trance blessing ceremony
dance movements, cultural significance, history, past and present
12:30-2 chants with percussive clapping

If you pre register for all 4 classes it’s only $160.

Pre register for individual classes for only $50 per class. Or register at the door for $60.
Make sure that you don’t miss this rare and affordable opportunity to study with a living legend. It’s one of the the best things you can do for yourself all year.

The workshop will be held at the Rohnert Park Community Center Room #3, 5401 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park, CA.

Workshop dates and times are…

January 4th, February 1st, March 1st, and April 5th from 10-2pm.

To register mail a check to
Sherry Blanchard, P O Box 87, Rio Nido, CA 95471
or Paypal ( email seba@wilcardbellydance.com and she will send you an invoice).
Call Seba at 707-869-3469 for any other info.

That’s right baby! WildCard BellyDance is going back to the desert again this year for The Las Vegas Bellydance Intensive & Festival! We will be teaching a scimitar workshop there, and performing as well. Looking forward to a little bit of dance and deviance in the City of Sin!

See the LVBDI registration page for more info on our “Dancing on the Edge” scimitar workshop that’s happening Sunday Sept. 9th at  8:30am ( that’s right just stay up all night and greet the dawn with something sharp).

We are performing at the festival at 2:30 later on that day.  Come and see all the cool stuff you learned at the workshop in action!

Here is a taste of last year’s festival performance.

March 30th – April 1st

WildCard BellyDance is Teaching at Cues & Tattoos Festival 2012!

Troupe Hipnotica hosts their 5th annual workshop event celebrating the use of improv choreography within Tribal Belly Dance.