Why Delhi belly’s good

From actor Mallika Sherawat’s moves in the song, Mayya Mayya, to actor Katrina Kaif's groovy dance in the song, Mashallah, dance lovers in India have taken quite a fascination to belly dancing. And if you believe that only Bollywood celebrities get to learn this exotic dance form for songs in their movies, then think again. Thanks to some belly dancing classes in the city, you can also get to learn the dance style, which, contrary to popular perception, is also practiced by men. We bring to you a few such classes in the city.

Banjara School of Dance
Started by Meher Malik in 2009, this school has more than 10 centres across the city. Their two hour dance class makes you dance to pop numbers like Ana Dana and Habibi Je t’aime or traditional arabic raqs sharqi tunes. They are also offering free demo classes for beginners at Dwarka, South Extension and Jasola Vihar on September 1 and 2.

Next batch: September 5;
Cost: Rs 2,000 for eight hours;
Where: 11 centres across the city;
Weblink: www.banjaradance.com;
Tel: 9899851475

Zip Out
If you like to dance with a relaxed state of mind, then the classes offered at this institute might be the perfect fix for you. The dance instructor here, Runjhun Gupta, combines yoga and relaxation routine with techniques like a belly roll, snake arm and a hip lift. The music ranges from complete Arabic tunes to drum solo and popular Shakira songs. The students enrolled here perform for friends and family at a common event in the studio every month. There are classes on weekdays or weekends to choose from as per the student’s convenience.

Next batch: September 2
Cost: Rs 1,800 for 8 hours
Where: C-75, Sector, Noida
Weblink: www.zipout.co.in
Tel: 9871495690

Delhi Dance Academy
The classes here begin with a belly dance workout followed by surya namaskars to warm up the body. With a focus on breathing techniques, the students learn basic belly dance steps from the trainer Divyanshi. Students are advised to take a basic three months course to gain an average insight into belly dancing. Each class lasts for about two and a half hours to three hours per week.

Next Batch: September 1;
Cost: Rs 2,000 for 12 hours per month; three months - Rs 5,500
Where: E 1, lower ground floor, Amar Colony, Lajpat Nagar; Weblink: delhidanceacademy.in
Tel: 9953835088

Belly Dance India
If you like to experiment in dance, then the fusion of belly dancing with Latin moves like salsa and samba might interest you here. Learn the dance form from German professional dancer Amira Shazadi. There is a free trial class before every batch to help make up your mind. The studio has five centres across the city and plans to invite professional belly dancers from the Middle East every alternate month. There is a separate batch for boys as well.

Next batch: October 29
Cost: Rs 4,000 for 12 hours
Where: C-140, LGF, Dayanand Colony, Lajpat Nagar-4
Weblink: bellydanceindia.com
Tel: 9818244847