What EDE School of Belly Dance Can Offer You!

Come join as at Ethnic Dance Expressions, Gainesville's first professional School of Belly Dance.  Established in 1999, the School is devoted to providing quality ethnic dance education as well as women's exercise programs.  The School's director and owner, Sallamah Chimera, has studied, performed and taught Belly Dancing and Exercise classes for 28 years.

Ethnic Dance Expressions, School of Belly Dance provides a positive, nurturing environment, that is fun and friendly yet serious. We stress excellence, team work and teach students the necessary skills to perform, build character and to feel confident on and off the stage. Our students excel and feel good about their accomplishments and themselves.  Further, we believe dancing should be an enriching and rewarding experience providing valuable skills you can use in your daily life.  We welcome students of all ages, shapes, sizes and abilities. 

For your comfort, the School has a professional, resilient dance floor designed for dancing and aerobics and full-length mirrors to make your learning experience safe and enjoyable. There is ample parking and the Studio is conveniently located to the RTS bus service. It is also easily accessible from all areas of Gainesville as well as the surrounding communities. To see inside EDE School click on, "Photos of the Studio".


Classes: Our Belly Dancing classes are offered Monday through Friday and are small so students receive more individual attention. The dance technique and dance routines are thoroughly broken down into understandable sections and adjusted for people's different learning styles. The classes run 1.5 hours to allow for a complete warm-up, time to master technique, to stage any choreographies or review materials being taught, and finally to cool-down.  Exercise classes are offered Tuesday and Thursday from 10:30-11:30 am.  Mother/Daughter classes are on Wednesday from 5:00-6:00pm.

Class Levels: We have five technical levels for teen and adult dance students: Beginning, Advance Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced/Troupe and Technique. (We recommend that children under 12 take classes with an older sibling or their mother so they can get extra help at home when they practice. We currently do not offer classes for children under 6.)

Instructors: We have a staff of belly dance teachers: Sallamah and Ayla who offer their own unique dance styles and experiences to students. (To learn more about our instructor's backgrounds see, "EDE Studio Instructor Bios."

Performing: For advanced students who are serious about performing, we have Ethnic Dance Expressions Ensemble. The Ensemble provides students with many opportunities to perform during the year. These performing experiences are designed to help new dancers make a smooth transition from student to performer. We place emphasis on performing skills, fun, etiquette, costuming, make-up, and of course, perfecting choreographies.  

Private Classes can be arranged for students who are interested in creating their own solos.  Private classes are one hour and students must have their music selected and at least a preliminary movement theme/choreography worked out to present at class for me to critique.  I will evaluate their choreography, entrance and exits, technique, movement selection, dynamics, stage presentation, etc.  I also coach students for competitions.  Private classes are $35.00 an hour.

When Classes Begin: We officially start new belly dance classes at the beginning of each UF & SFCC school terms--August/September, January/February, and May/June. However, for our students' convenience, we have open-registration throughout the year. Studio Belly Dance classes are offered Monday through Thursday from 5:45-7:15 pm and 7:30-9:00 pm and on Fridays from 12:00-1:30 pm. Our Technique class is on Wednesday from 6:15-7:15 pm.

Dance & Exercise Cards: We offer a Dance and an Exercise Card that allow students to work around their budgets and their class or work schedules, vacations, family emergencies, and exams. With the Dance or Exercise Card, students can select the number of dance or exercise classes they want to attend and if they miss a class, they can make it up whenever it is convenient so they don't lose their money. (We recommend students select a specific day and time to come to class each week.) To see the current Class Schedule, to learn about Registration Procedures, and to get to a Map with directions see: (Class Schedule).

Card Prices: Dance Cards can be purchased for $45 for 4 classes; $55 for 6 classes; $65 for 8 classes; $75 for 10 classes; and $85 for 12 classes. We also have group class rates for organizations. Exercise Cards are  $55 for 8 classes; $60 for 12 classes; $65 for 16 classes; and $70 for 20 classes.  All Cards have a 1, 2, or 4 month expiration date.  Gift cards and certificates are also available.

When you Register with Ethnic Dance Expressions School of Belly Dancing you can:

1. Make up missed classes.
2. Take more than one class a week.
3. Purchase as few as 2 dance classes or as many as 12. (Exercise students can purchase from 2 to 20 classes.)
4. Receive a Dance or Exercise Packet filled with information to help you progress with your studies.
5. Studio Students receive a monthly newsletter with topics and tips about belly dancing and health issues.
6. Dance students can move up to the Intermediate and Advance classes.
7. Advanced students who are interested in performing, can join the EDE Performance Ensemble.
8. Perform in EDE's annual "Veils & Visions" Show--open to EDE Students and Teachers.

Dance Supplies: Students can purchase quality belly dancing merchandise at reasonable prices in Sallamah'a Suq (Market Place) located in the School.

Dance Workshops: Ethnic Dance Expressions School of Belly Dancing realizes that dancers have needs that go beyond dance technique. To address these needs, we have workshops on costuming, figure analysis, stage make-up, as well as teach specialty dances like cane, sword, fire, floor, veil dances and more. We also have workshops on Flamenco and other types of ethnic dances. We invite teachers who are masters on these subjects to teach these classes. Check with us frequently to see what is being offered.

EDE's Monthly Newsletter:  To better educate our students we publish a newsletter each month.  It has up coming events and shows, history, tips, health related articles, what is being taught in each class, and other information our students find useful.

Come join us and be a part of this unique opportunity to learn to Belly Dance at Gainesville's premier School of Belly Dancing with one of Florida's finest teachers. Experience the difference!
Sallamah Chimera is Ethnic Dance Expressions School of Belly Dancing's owner and primary instructor. Sallamah has a dance degree and over 28 years of dancing, teaching, and performing experience. She began teaching belly dance classes at Daytona Beach Community College in 1981 and in early 1997, for Seminole Community College. She has been teaching belly dancing and exercise classes at Santa Fe Community College since 1997. Sallamah has been a teacher to hundreds of Belly Dance enthusiasts, some for fun, and to many who have advanced to get Belly Dance jobs at Disney and Universal Studios as well as at restaurants. Her dance company has the reputation of being one of the finest in Florida. Sallamah brings her unique background, professional and college dance training, and success as a teacher and performer for her students' benefit.

B 2002-2008 Sallamah Chimera