Journal

So many people think I bravely quit my engineering job to follow my belly dance dreams.

That is definitely NOT what happened. 😂

Want to know what I did?

I was recently interviewed and asked about how my belly dance business began.

And I shared the gritty, uncensored truth.

Sometimes there’s a beautiful, brave story about following your dreams.

And sometimes you’re 23, unemployed and pissed off and think, “Well. I guess I’ll try being a belly dancer.”

Guess which one I was. 😝

26 years later, I’m still here.

*****

Follow Stu online and check out his awesome “Marketing Your Business” podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@StuMe⁩

🌟 Meet Your Instructor:

Sahira is an international belly dance performer and instructor with over 25 years of experience helping women around the world embrace their confidence, creativity, and health through dance. She’s taught at festivals in over a dozen countries and has been featured in major media worldwide! Learn more at SahiraBellyDances.com

💃 Let’s dance! Hit play and start dancing now!

**********
DANCE WITH ME
**********

🎁 Snag your FREE 7-day beginner belly dance jumpstart course:http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Jumpstart
🚀 Improve Your Shimmy: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/ShimmyTips
⭐️ Become a Zill Star:http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Zillstar

**********
BELLY DANCE GEAR
**********

✨ Get a hip scarf and start dancing now: https://amzn.to/4jLNscv
💃🏻 Stunning and affordable belly dance costumes: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Costumes
🔥 Keep Calm and Zill On and Zillin Like a Villain Merch: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Spring
💖 The best finger cymbals on the planet: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/SaroyanCymbals

**********
Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something I’ll receive a small commission.

**********
LET’S CONNECT ON SOCIAL
**********

🔹 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SahiraBellyDances/
🔸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SahiraBellyDances

💃🔥 In just 7 minutes, learn one of Shakira’s signature belly dance choreographies!

This fast-paced tutorial is designed for dancers with some belly dance experience who are ready to jump right in. We’ll move through the choreography quickly, putting the pieces together so you can stop drilling and start DANCING.

Expect plenty of shimmies, attitude, and those unmistakable hip movements that have been part of Shakira’s signature style for decades.

✨ Looking for bigger, bolder shimmies like Shakira does in this video? 💃🎶 🎁 Check out this FREE shimmy class and unleash your most powerful shimmy! http://SahiraBellyDances.com/ShimmyTips

✨ Want a little more help with the movements? Check out a longer, more detailed tutorial where I slow things down and break down the individual movements more thoroughly here: https://youtu.be/7ZQN7x1PTfA?si=chf1Zd3qcANCfUJQ

Grab a hip scarf, turn up the music, and give me seven minutes. Let’s see how much Shakira you can channel! 🔥💃

Tell me in the comments: Which part of the choreography is your favorite?

TIME STAMPS

0:00 : Introduction
0:09 : Choreography build
6:16 : Choreography review
6:52 : Dance it with Shakira!

🌟 Meet Your Instructor:

Sahira is an international belly dance performer and instructor with over 25 years of experience helping women around the world embrace their confidence, creativity, and health through dance. She’s taught at festivals in over a dozen countries and has been featured in major media worldwide! Learn more at SahiraBellyDances.com

💃 Let’s dance! Hit play and start dancing now!

**********
DANCE WITH ME
**********

🎁 Snag your FREE 7-day beginner belly dance jumpstart course:http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Jumpstart
🚀 Improve Your Shimmy: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/ShimmyTips
⭐️ Become a Zill Star:http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Zillstar

**********
BELLY DANCE GEAR
**********

✨ Get a hip scarf and start dancing now: https://amzn.to/4jLNscv
💃🏻 Stunning and affordable belly dance costumes: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Costumes
🔥 Keep Calm and Zill On and Zillin Like a Villain Merch: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Spring
💖 The best finger cymbals on the planet: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/SaroyanCymbals

**********
Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something I’ll receive a small commission.

**********
LET’S CONNECT ON SOCIAL
**********

🔹 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SahiraBellyDances/
🔸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SahiraBellyDances

Zills in 6/8 🎶 #fingercymbals

Learn this finger cymbal rhythm in 6!

✅ Counts: 1 &a2e& 3 &a4e& 5 6

🥁 Drum: D tktk D D tktk D D T

🎶 Zill Tones: B TtTt B B TtTt B B C

B = Basic T = Tick C = Clack

⭐️ Learn to play finger cymbals with this FREE class: SahiraBellyDances.com/ZillStar

And enjoy the early morning mist from this Yellowstone hot spring!

Karsilama 9/8

Counted in a fast 9 like this: 1 2&3 4&5 6&7 8 9

B TtT TtT TtB TT

B = Basic T = Tick

🎶 Zills by @Saroyan_Zils

✨ Grand Prismatic hot spring by Mother Nature

Zill frill in 3 🎶

Ode to the lake 💧

Zill along with me! Sounds complicated, but it’s mostly singles with one fancy frill.

1 2 3 (Basic Clack Clack)

1 2 3 (Basic Clack Clack)

1 2 & 3 & (Basic FRILL Basic Basic Basic)

1 2 3 (Basic Clack Clack)

Bonus points if you can tell me where the lake that inspired this riff is. ✨

✨ Shimmy your way to more confidence, strength, and joy! 💃🎶 🎁 Get this FREE shimmy class for bolder, more confidence and more reliable shimmies: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/ShimmyTips

Ready to take your shoulder shimmy beyond the basics?

One of the secrets to expressive belly dancing isn’t learning hundreds of new movements—it’s discovering new ways to use the movements you already know. By creating layers and variations, you can respond to the music with greater nuance, creativity, and sophistication.

In this intermediate belly dance tutorial, you’ll learn four shoulder shimmy variations that will expand your movement vocabulary and give you more options for interpreting the music.

We’ll also cover several professional tips to help you keep your shimmies feeling juicy, relaxed, and beautifully grounded, rather than tense or disconnected.

If you’re brand new to shoulder shimmies, I recommend starting with my Beginner Shoulder Shimmy Tutorial first:

👉 https://youtu.be/2PcmFwjgg7o

Then come back here when you’re ready to add even more color and personality to your dancing!

I’d love to know—which variation is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy dancing! 💃✨

**********

TIME STAMPS

**********

0:00 : Introduction

0:28 : Pro tips for grounded shimmies

0:41 : Variation 1 : The SeeSaw

1:57 : Variation 2 : The Shrug

3:17 : Variation 3 : Roll Forward

4:29 : Variation 4 : Roll Back

🌟 Meet Your Instructor:

Sahira is an international belly dance performer and instructor with over 25 years of experience helping women around the world embrace their confidence, creativity, and health through dance. She’s taught at festivals in over a dozen countries and has been featured in major media worldwide! Learn more at SahiraBellyDances.com

💃 Let’s dance! Hit play and start dancing now!

**********
DANCE WITH ME
**********

🎁 Snag your FREE 7-day beginner belly dance jumpstart course:http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Jumpstart
🚀 Improve Your Shimmy: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/ShimmyTips
⭐️ Become a Zill Star:http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Zillstar

**********
BELLY DANCE GEAR
**********

✨ Get a hip scarf and start dancing now: https://amzn.to/4jLNscv
💃🏻 Stunning and affordable belly dance costumes: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Costumes
🔥 Keep Calm and Zill On and Zillin Like a Villain Merch: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Spring
💖 The best finger cymbals on the planet: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/SaroyanCymbals

**********
Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something I’ll receive a small commission.

**********
LET’S CONNECT ON SOCIAL
**********

🔹 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SahiraBellyDances/
🔸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SahiraBellyDances

✨ Discover your strongest, most confident shimmy with this FREE workshop: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/ShimmyTips

In this 9-minute intermediate belly dance class, we’ll start with a focused technique warmup to wake up the body strengthen the dance muscles.

Then we’ll build a dynamic traveling combination packed with some great belly dance elements.

Dive in to:

✨ Undulations and layering

✨ Challenging hip and footwork combinations

✨ Traveling patterns that move across the dance floor

Get a quick hit of movement while working your technique.

By the end, you’ll have a fun new combination you can add to your next practice session, improv, or even your performance repertoire.

💜 Press play, turn up the music, and let’s dance!

**********

TIME STAMPS

**********

0:00 : Introduction

0:04 : Warmup

6:03 : Combination Build

7:25 : Dance with Music

🌟 Meet Your Instructor:

Sahira is an international belly dance performer and instructor with over 25 years of experience helping women around the world embrace their confidence, creativity, and health through dance. She’s taught at festivals in over a dozen countries and has been featured in major media worldwide! Learn more at SahiraBellyDances.com

💃 Let’s dance! Hit play and start dancing now!

**********
DANCE WITH ME
**********

🎁 Snag your FREE 7-day beginner belly dance jumpstart course:http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Jumpstart
🚀 Improve Your Shimmy: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/ShimmyTips
⭐️ Become a Zill Star:http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Zillstar

**********
BELLY DANCE GEAR
**********

✨ Get a hip scarf and start dancing now: https://amzn.to/4jLNscv
💃🏻 Stunning and affordable belly dance costumes: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Costumes
🔥 Keep Calm and Zill On and Zillin Like a Villain Merch: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Spring
💖 The best finger cymbals on the planet: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/SaroyanCymbals

**********
Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something I’ll receive a small commission.

**********
LET’S CONNECT ON SOCIAL
**********

🔹 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SahiraBellyDances/
🔸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SahiraBellyDances

✨ Learn to play the finger cymbals with confidence, creativity and musicality. 💃🎶 🎁 Snag my FREE beginner online finger cymbal class at http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Zillstar

What happens when hundreds of dancers from around the world come together for 10 days to play, learn, and make music?

This performance is the result. ✨

Arabic 1234 was choreographed especially for the 2026 Zill Challenge, where dancers spent ten days building confidence with their finger cymbals through daily lessons, live events, community, and lots of zilling. Watching this choreography come to life in the hands of so many dancers was nothing short of magical!

🎵 Music by the incredible Miss Thea. Be sure to check out more of her fantastic music at MissThea.Bandcamp.com.

Cover photo by Jordan : @xxnaleyxx9

Want to become a more confident, creative, and musical ziller yourself?

🥁 Join us for the next Zill Challenge at TheZillChallenge.com and discover just how much fun finger cymbals can be!

*****

🌟 Meet Your Instructor:

Sahira is an international belly dance performer and instructor with over 25 years of experience helping women around the world embrace their confidence, creativity, and health through dance. She’s taught at festivals in over a dozen countries and has been featured in major media worldwide! Learn more at SahiraBellyDances.com

💃 Let’s dance! Hit play and start dancing now!

**********
DANCE WITH ME
**********

🎁 Snag your FREE 7-day beginner belly dance jumpstart course:http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Jumpstart
🚀 Improve Your Shimmy: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/ShimmyTips
⭐️ Become a Zill Star:http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Zillstar

**********
BELLY DANCE GEAR
**********

✨ Get a hip scarf and start dancing now: https://amzn.to/4jLNscv
💃🏻 Stunning and affordable belly dance costumes: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Costumes
🔥 Keep Calm and Zill On and Zillin Like a Villain Merch: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Spring
💖 The best finger cymbals on the planet: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/SaroyanCymbals

**********
Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something I’ll receive a small commission.

**********
LET’S CONNECT ON SOCIAL
**********

🔹 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SahiraBellyDances/
🔸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SahiraBellyDances

12-Minute Belly Dance Arm Workout | Build Strong, Graceful Arms (No Equipment!)

Stronger, more graceful belly dance arms… without lifting a single dumbbell!

This 12-minute belly dance arm workout is designed to strengthen the muscles that create beautiful arm lines, elegant movement, and confident posture—all using simple dance-inspired exercises and no special equipment.

Don’t let it fool you! These exercises may look easy, but they’ll challenge your stamina, wake up muscles you didn’t even know you had, and just maybe have you feeling it tomorrow. 😉)

✨ Build strength and endurance for beautiful belly dance arms

✨ Improve posture and activate the muscles that support a healthy back

✨ Strengthen the upper back and shoulders to help reduce tension and discomfort

✨ Create more graceful, expressive movement on the dance floor

💜 Here’s my challenge for you: Bookmark this video and do it three times a week for the next month. I think you’ll be amazed at how much stronger your arms feel—and you just might start noticing a little extra definition too!

✨ Shimmy your way to more confidence, strength, and joy! Learn to belly dance step-by-step! 💃🎶 🎁 7-days of FREE belly dance classes for you! http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Jumpstart

*****

Belly dance isn’t just a workout—it’s a celebration of movement, expression, and feeling AMAZING in your own skin! Whether you’re here to boost your fitness, find your flow, or just have a blast dancing, you’re in the right place. Belly dance is for every BODY. 🎉

🔥 Why You’ll Love Belly Dance:

✔️ Fun & Low-Impact – Easy on the joints, gentle on your body! 🌸

✔️ Builds Strength & Flexibility – Your core, arms & legs will thank you! 💪

✔️ Improves Posture & Balance – Move with more confidence! ✨

✔️ Confidence Booster – Because YOU deserve to shine! 💖

✔️ For EveryBODY – No experience needed, all ages welcome! 🙌

💬 Drop a comment below and tell me – what do you love most about belly dance? I’d love to hear from you! ⬇️

🌟 Meet Your Instructor:

Sahira is an international belly dance performer and instructor with over 25 years of experience helping women around the world embrace their confidence, creativity, and health through dance. She’s taught at festivals in over a dozen countries and has been featured in major media worldwide! Learn more at SahiraBellyDances.com

💃 Let’s dance! Hit play and start dancing now!

**********
DANCE WITH ME
**********

🎁 Snag your FREE 7-day beginner belly dance jumpstart course:http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Jumpstart
🚀 Improve Your Shimmy: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/ShimmyTips
⭐️ Become a Zill Star:http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Zillstar

**********
BELLY DANCE GEAR
**********

✨ Get a hip scarf and start dancing now: https://amzn.to/4jLNscv
💃🏻 Stunning and affordable belly dance costumes: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Costumes
🔥 Keep Calm and Zill On and Zillin Like a Villain Merch: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Spring
💖 The best finger cymbals on the planet: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/SaroyanCymbals

**********
Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something I’ll receive a small commission.

**********
LET’S CONNECT ON SOCIAL
**********

🔹 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SahiraBellyDances/
🔸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SahiraBellyDances

Sometimes the best performances are the ones you never saw coming.

My tribal belly dance troupe, Urban Hipsy, hadn’t performed together in more than two years when an exciting opportunity popped up here in Houston that we simply couldn’t pass up.

So we dusted off a couple of favorite choreographies, gathered the troupe, squeezed in a few rehearsals, and stepped back onto the stage together.

One of the beautiful things about dancing with the same people for many years is that the connection never really goes away.

The trust, musicality, and shared movement vocabulary are still there somewhere. It’s a special feeling to realize that after all this time, we can come together, rehearse for a few hours, and still find that spark that made us love dancing together in the first place.

More than anything, this performance reminded me how grateful I am for these dancers and the many years we’ve spent sharing the dance floor, creating art, and making memories together.

I hope you enjoy this glimpse of Urban Hipsy back in action. 💜

🌟 Meet Your Instructor:

Sahira is an international belly dance performer and instructor with over 25 years of experience helping women around the world embrace their confidence, creativity, and health through dance. She’s taught at festivals in over a dozen countries and has been featured in major media worldwide! Learn more at SahiraBellyDances.com

💃 Let’s dance! Hit play and start dancing now!

**********
DANCE WITH ME
**********

🎁 Snag your FREE 7-day beginner belly dance jumpstart course:http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Jumpstart
🚀 Improve Your Shimmy: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/ShimmyTips
⭐️ Become a Zill Star:http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Zillstar

**********
BELLY DANCE GEAR
**********

✨ Get a hip scarf and start dancing now: https://amzn.to/4jLNscv
💃🏻 Stunning and affordable belly dance costumes: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Costumes
🔥 Keep Calm and Zill On and Zillin Like a Villain Merch: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Spring
💖 The best finger cymbals on the planet: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/SaroyanCymbals

**********
Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something I’ll receive a small commission.

**********
LET’S CONNECT ON SOCIAL
**********

🔹 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SahiraBellyDances/
🔸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SahiraBellyDances

Your belly dance practice is complete… now it’s time to give those hardworking muscles a little love. 💜

This gentle 5-minute seated belly dance stretch is the perfect way to cool down after class, rehearsal, or a home practice session. We’ll lengthen and release many of the muscles belly dancers use most—from the hips and legs to the torso and back—helping you leave your practice feeling more flexible, relaxed, and refreshed.

In just a few minutes, you’ll:

✨ Release tension from tired muscles

✨ Improve flexibility and mobility

✨ Encourage recovery after dancing

✨ Calm the body and quiet the mind

✨ End your practice feeling centered and rejuvenated

One of the most overlooked parts of dance training is the cool down. Taking a few minutes to slow down, breathe, and stretch can help your body recover more comfortably and leave you feeling amazing long after the music stops.

🌟 Bookmark this video and return to it again and again as the perfect ending to your belly dance practice.

Roll out your mat, take a deep breath, and let’s stretch together.

Happy dancing! 💃💕

✨ Shimmy your way to more confidence, strength, and joy! Learn to belly dance step-by-step! 💃🎶 🎁 7-days of FREE belly dance classes for you! http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Jumpstart

*****

Music is “After the Rain” by Miss Thea.

*****

🌟 Meet Your Instructor:

Sahira is an international belly dance performer and instructor with over 25 years of experience helping women around the world embrace their confidence, creativity, and health through dance. She’s taught at festivals in over a dozen countries and has been featured in major media worldwide! Learn more at SahiraBellyDances.com

💃 Let’s dance! Hit play and start dancing now!

**********
DANCE WITH ME
**********

🎁 Snag your FREE 7-day beginner belly dance jumpstart course:http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Jumpstart
🚀 Improve Your Shimmy: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/ShimmyTips
⭐️ Become a Zill Star:http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Zillstar

**********
BELLY DANCE GEAR
**********

✨ Get a hip scarf and start dancing now: https://amzn.to/4jLNscv
💃🏻 Stunning and affordable belly dance costumes: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Costumes
🔥 Keep Calm and Zill On and Zillin Like a Villain Merch: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Spring
💖 The best finger cymbals on the planet: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/SaroyanCymbals

**********
Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something I’ll receive a small commission.

**********
LET’S CONNECT ON SOCIAL
**********

🔹 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SahiraBellyDances/
🔸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SahiraBellyDances

One of the things I love most about teaching belly dance is watching women discover just how much they are capable of.

This performance features my student troupe, The Shimmy Sisterhood, performing at the Austin Migrations Festival to a high-energy techno remix of the beloved Arabic classic “Batwannis Beek.” The choreography was created by BellaDonna Dance, my professional dance troupe here in Houston, and it is an awesome fusion of traditional belly dance energy and modern musical flair.

What makes this performance special to me is the range of experience represented on this stage. Some of these dancers have been performing for years. Others are still relatively new to the experience. Yet each of them stepped into the spotlight with courage, commitment, and a willingness to share their dance. And they supported one another every step of the way.

Over the years, I’ve watched these women build technique, confidence, musicality, and stage presence in class. Seeing those skills come together in a live performance is always a reminder that growth happens one class, one rehearsal, and one brave step at a time.

And somewhere along the way, something magical happens. The nerves start to give way to excitement. The self-doubt gremlins get a little quieter. And once dancers experience that feeling of sharing their art with an audience, there’s often no turning back.

I hope you enjoy this performance as much as we enjoyed bringing it to the stage.

✨ Performed by The Shimmy Sisterhood

✨ Choreography by BellaDonna Dance

✨ Austin Migrations Festival

✨ Music: “Batwannis Beek” by REG Project

🌟 Meet Your Instructor:

Sahira is an international belly dance performer and instructor with over 25 years of experience helping women around the world embrace their confidence, creativity, and health through dance. She’s taught at festivals in over a dozen countries and has been featured in major media worldwide! Learn more at SahiraBellyDances.com

💃 Let’s dance! Hit play and start dancing now!

**********
DANCE WITH ME
**********

🎁 Snag your FREE 7-day beginner belly dance jumpstart course:http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Jumpstart
🚀 Improve Your Shimmy: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/ShimmyTips
⭐️ Become a Zill Star:http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Zillstar

**********
BELLY DANCE GEAR
**********

✨ Get a hip scarf and start dancing now: https://amzn.to/4jLNscv
💃🏻 Stunning and affordable belly dance costumes: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Costumes
🔥 Keep Calm and Zill On and Zillin Like a Villain Merch: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Spring
💖 The best finger cymbals on the planet: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/SaroyanCymbals

**********
Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something I’ll receive a small commission.

**********
LET’S CONNECT ON SOCIAL
**********

🔹 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SahiraBellyDances/
🔸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SahiraBellyDances