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To begin, I would like to loop this back to authenticity...Whether you are preparing a set for your regular club or putting together a customized show for a wedding, there are some universal things of which we should always be mindful..

In 1980, I met a singer who sang on cruise ships and at hotels in Miami Beach. She suggested I could travel the world as a dancer. She then incorporated me into her hotel shows.

Do you remember watching a dance performance that you truly enjoyed? Do you remember what made it so memorable? Do you ever catch yourself taking mental notes for “things to try” when watching a great performance?

When we make the decision to become a professional belly dancer, we are doing so much more than wearing a fancy costume and shaking our hips. We are taking on the responsibility to represent a specific history, a culture and an art that deserves to be represented respectfully and beautifully. We are taking on the responsibility to stay authentic to the origins of this timeless art form, to be eternal students, and to always strive to spread the beauty of this art form with our audience.

Shanghai, also known as the Paris of Asia, has an exploding belly dance scene that is only 2 years old. In the eye of this shimmy storm, is the Isis Belly dance club spearheaded by Sissy Wu, Estelle Shao and Sophie.

Before you buy a sword, or scimitar (a larger, sharply curved sword), make sure it is correctly balanced. Swords are easy to test: a sword that isn’t balanced at all will fall flat on your hand (or head) making it completely useless. One that is balanced properly will stand straight on its blade. If a sword isn't balanced it may lean and will be more prone to wobble. Sometimes, you can kind of tweak the handle with your hand or a screwdriver (some are loose) and get it into correct balance; with some swords, you can actually take the entire handle off, turn it upside down, and it will balance better, but it may be awkward to hold.

Respected author and belly dance instructor Sara Shrapnell shares 12 Tips on Teaching Belly Dance Choreography to your students. 1. Finalize your choreography before you start teaching it to your students, but remain open minded and adaptable. If they can’t do a combination or they don’t travel far enough to make the shape you wanted, then you are going to have to make changes.