PERSIAN DANCE

Discover and develop your natural grace, experience your body and its grounding in a new way so you can then express yourself freely in space, combine lightness and finesse with grounding and depth in your movements, and finally savor the joy of dancing to the rhythms and subtle melodies of traditional Persian music—these are the goals of these classes.

Sepideh invites you to work on basic techniques, musical awareness, choreographed sequences, and improvisation so that you can gradually make Persian dance your own.

Dance in Iran

Like music, dance has a very long history in Iran. As early as 2000 B.C., sacred dances accompanied the worship of Mithra, an Indo-Iranian deity. Later, with its traditional and ritual roots, dance was closely intertwined with traditional music and classical Persian poetry in the courts of the kings who ruled over much of the Middle East, to the point that it became one of the main themes of Persian miniatures.

Throughout the country’s history spanning more than a millennium, music and dance have alternated between periods of artistic and cultural flourishing and periods threatened by decline and impoverishment. However, while traditional music and poetry have retained their mystical, artistic, and popular dimensions to this day, dance—often curtailed, restricted, or banned—has faced a far less favorable fate. Thus, as a victim of religious prejudice, the refined and sophisticated classical Persian dance has largely lost its identity over the course of history, and folk dances have been confined to private spheres.

Today, only highly abstract dances—in which the body is almost invisible—are permitted on stage by the Islamic Republic of Iran. But whether banned or not, dance, just like poetry, has always been a strong component of the social life of most Iranians, even if history has sometimes forced them to dance in secret...

A Middle Eastern Context!

Although they possess a strong and distinct cultural identity, Iran’s folk and traditional dances and music—especially in the country’s border regions—reflect the diverse flavors and colors of the Middle East. To the east lie India (via Afghanistan and Pakistan) and part of Central Asia. To the west, Iraq and Turkey; to the northwest, Armenia and Azerbaijan; and to the south, the Gulf states. This rich diversity mirrors Iran’s historical and territorial expanse in the past and its geographical position today.

It should be noted that, despite widespread confusion among some people, Iran—or Persia—is not an Arab country. Its language, Persian, is of Indo-European origin. The dances and music of the Persian world are quite distinct from those of the Arab world, even though there are some mutual influences—especially in music—and significant traces of Persian culture can be found in Islamic art in general.

PERSIAN DANCE

Introductory Class - Beginner I: 5:30–6:45 p.m.

This class is for people who would like to learn about dance, and Persian dance in particular. Through in-depth practice and playful exercises set to traditional Iranian music (Reng, Tasnif, Chaharmehzrab, etc.), the class helps strengthen muscles, increase flexibility, improve posture, develop body and spatial awareness, and enhance coordination. At the same time, the class introduces the basic techniques of Persian dance and gradually moves toward learning short sequences that will be danced in a group.

Beginner II–Intermediate Class: Wednesdays 6:45 PM – 8:00 PM

This class is designed for students who, while continuing to work on basic techniques, aim to express themselves through choreography and improvisational sequences. After a thorough warm-up, various movements and postures will be carefully practiced through short sequences set to traditional Iranian music. Emphasis will be placed on using the space, fluidity of movement, transitions between accelerations and pauses in the dance, mastery of turns, and musicality. The sequences will gradually lead to the learning of a choreography over the course of the semester. While remaining true to the aesthetic of Persian dance, the goal is to consolidate your technique so that you can then spread your wings and experience the freedom of dance.

MIDDLE EASTERN DANCE

A colorful and lively dance form that has its roots in Egypt but is enriched by various techniques and artistic traditions, notably Iranian and Indian dance, the debke (Lebanon, Palestine, etc.), and Western contemporary dance. Combining elements of fire and air, it blends movements grounded in the floor—which make the body vibrate to the rhythm of percussion—with fluid undulations and free, light movements through space. The music is exclusively Middle Eastern and offers a wide variety of styles: percussion, classical music, pop, Middle Eastern jazz, and more.

MIDDLE EASTERN DANCE

Beginner I – Beginner II: Wednesdays 8:00 PM – 9:15 PM

This class is designed for those who are new to this dance style or who would like to brush up on the basics. After a thorough and comprehensive warm-up, students will work on basic techniques, gradually progressing to short sequences and a short choreography.

Beginner II – Intermediate: Tuesday 12:15 PM – 1:30 PM

This class is for people who, while working on basic techniques, aim to express themselves through choreographed routines and improvised sequences. After a thorough and comprehensive warm-up, various sequences will be practiced. The focus will be on movement through space and fluidity of motion to help you feel more free in your dancing.