Can men take the class?
While most belly dancers are female, men can and do dance. In the Middle East, most male performers do folkloric men’s dances, rather than classic belly dance. However, trailblazers in many different parts of the world have adapted what we think of as “the women’s style” and made it their own.
That said, belly dance asks women to move in ways that are often discouraged and/or sexualized in our culture. Learning to do so under the male gaze can be daunting. And some women may not be comfortable dancing in front of men for cultural or personal reasons.
To accommodate the needs of all students:
- The Sunday class is limited to women only at this time.
- Respectful male students are very welcome to join the Thursday class.
- Upper-level classes are open to qualified students of all genders.
That said:
1) It is not my place to decide who is and isn’t a woman. If you identify as female (regardless of orientation, anatomy, or gender assigned at birth), you are welcome in the women-only classes. If you’re not sure whether this includes you, feel free to contact me, but don’t feel obligated to disclose anything you would prefer to keep private.
2) Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated from students of any gender. However, male students are expected to be mindful of the challenges their female classmates are facing, and moderate their behavior accordingly. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
3) Male students are asked to contact me before joining the class.
