FAQ

---

We recommend fitted clothes that are easy to move in, such as tights and singlet/T-shirt. It's an advantage to have something around your hips like a hip-scarf, but not absolutely necessary. 

We sell hip-scarves at Studio Orient, but you can also use a scarf from home. 

We dance barefoot, with socks or soft dance shoes (not trainers as they are not flexible enough).

BASIC 1 is the right level for you for Bellydance (Oriental/Middle Eastern Dance). 

No previous experience in any dance style is needed to register here. er riktig kurs for deg.
Most of our beginners do not have previous dance experience so you will be in good company :)

Registration is done by email. 

When you know which course you want to register for you send an email stating your name, address, phone number and the course you want to register for. 

You can also use our contact form.

No, that's not necessary. The important thing is that you are comfortable at that you can see your movements.

There is no upper age limit in our bellydance classes and we have ladies of all ages in the same groups. Wether you are 20, 50 or 70 you are welcome! 

Our beginnerclasses in bellydance are for women only. This is because many women feel more comfortable learning something new in a safe space with women only. We also welcome women wearing hijab.

Men who have danced oriental for a while are welcome to join our higher levels. 

We offer private lessons to men.
Our Bollywood classes are open to both men and women.

If you miss out on a lesson you can join another class during the same AND the following course. After that the class is lost. 

If you registered in January you can take a make-up class until May.

Absolutely! 

Most pregnant ladies benefit from dancing during their pregnancy. Many Norwegian midwives recommend bellydance as exersice during pregnancy. 

Many movements are very comfortable and helpful, but some movements should be avoided. It's important that your instructor has the necessary knowledge to guide you, and you have to inform your instructor of your pregnancy.

Note that all pregnancies are different, if you have any health issues please consult your doctor. 

Injuries should not be taken lightly and we recommend you consult with your doctor before engaging in a new activity.

Bellydance is known to strengthen your pelvic floor and increase circulation and can have a positive effect for those struggling with pelvic pain. If you have a prolaps or other serious injuries you should consult your doctor.

Bellydance cannot heal, but by strengthening your muscles and improving your flexibility and posture you can reduce your pain significantly.

We have several favorable discounts at Studio Orient.

If you are a student you will receive 20% discount on all weekly dance courses! 

The discount is given with the condition that you  state that you are a student at the time of registration, and with every registration, and that you present a valid student card on the first course day.

If you have friends who want to start a course, you also get a discount for every friend who enrolls to a course directly to us. If you bring two friends, you get 40% discount on a course for yourself!

Quantity discount: If you take two courses a week, you get 20% discount on the most reasonable course. If you take three weekly classes you will receive a 30% discount on your third course. 

We also have a 20% senior discount.

Studio Orient organize a student recital at the end of each semester. All students are invited to perform with their group and/or solo. 

It depends on what kind of previous experience you have.

If you have taken bellydance classes at another studio we can assess your level together. We often advice new students to go down one level as a new teacher will approach the curriculum diffenrently, and probably teaches the movements in a different order. 

If you have dances other styles we recommend a beginnerclass. You will probably pick up many things faster, but it can be challenging for the body to adapt to a new style with many nuances that are different from western styles of dance. 

Have you dances to arabic music all your life? In that case you will have an advantage and will understand the music and gestures quickly. But the social dance done at parties is different from what you will learn in class.

We work on specific technique and spend time on learning the movements in a way that prevents injury. You will benefit allot from the beginner class .

If you are unsure, please feel free to contact us :)

We stream our online classes live on Facebook or with zoom.

Facebook streaming is done in a closed group. After registering for the class and paying the participation fee you will be added or invited to the group which is only available to the participants of that particular class.

For zoom classes you need to download the program, which is completely free of charge.

 After registering you will get a confirmation email with a direct link to the meeting. We include a 'step-by-step' guidance and we log on 15 minutes before we start so you can join to check your connection :)

Yes :) 

With zoom you can talk directly to the teacher if you want to, or use the chat if you do not have a microphone or prefer not to use it.

Remember to turn on the sound on your computer/tablet or phone and turn the volume up. 

During class the teacher will mute all participants so you will not be distracted by the other participants.

In the Facebook group you can use the comments field to interact, but the audio is one-way. 

On Facebook you are not visible.

In the zoom classes it's up to you :)

You can turn on your camera on and off as you like. 

Yes, you can participate using your smartphone or tablet. 

We have classes for all levels.

The level is given in the description of each class.

Look for classes labeled BASIC 1 or Open where no previous experience is needed. 

Yes :)

Send us an email and let us know what you want to work on. 

We can focus on technique, choreography or other subjects. If you have a specific project we are happy to help.

You can also send a video recording which we can work on together.