Take a class or schedule an event. 70s to 90s Cairo style kept fresh with old school club, shaabi and folk stylings. Of and for the people.
I offer weekly musically-driven Egyptian style dance classes at Alonzo King Lines Dance Center, where I have been on faculty since 2003.
Classes are held every Monday from 6 to 7 PM, and are currently taught live over Zoom.
This is a mixed-level class suitable for all levels of folks wanting to work with Egyptian style raqs sharqi and raqs beledi. We'll spend each week exploring and being inspired by Egyptian and pan-Arab movement and music while focusing on respect for the dancers, respect for the form, cultural, political, and artistic context, and fun. Classes include a warm-up, technique breakdown, combinations, improvisation, lyrics and singing, rhythm recognition, folkloric influences, and dance circles. Dancers newer to the form as well as experienced movers are all welcome.
Register for classes directly with Lines
Cost is $15 per class (one hour, live remote)
Note: Monica will be on a sabbatical beginning June 2024, and available for private lessons and coaching only (see below for details).
Please see the calendar and music sections for scheduled public performances and events.
I am an experienced, entertainment-oriented, and joybringing performer who is available for celebrations and cultural events. Recorded or live music options available.
I am also available to teach dance workshops and classes in your area. Are you up for hosting a popular, giving, experienced teacher who combines cultural context with a good time? Drop me a line!
I have a private page with my current workshop topics. Please contact me for the link. I look forward to working with you!
To inquire about booking an event or workshop, please use my contact form.
I am a San Francisco based dancer, musician, performer, and instructor who has been working with dances, songs, instruments, languages and percussion of Southwest Asia, North Africa, and the Mediterranean since my teens, with a primary focus on the movement arts of Cairo, Egypt.
I worked for many years as a performer at various venues, weddings, parties, and celebrations in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have an extensive solo and group performance history, and a track record of accessible instruction in both studio and academic environments, with an ability to move between the social and staged styles at the heart of the dance forms I work within.
I teach ongoing classes and workshops, perform occasionally, play Arabic music and percussion with Aswat and the Aswat Womens Ensemble, and continue to dance socially and to learn new things.
I am a faculty member at Lines Dance Center, where I have taught since 2003. Past ongoing teaching positions include Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, Marin School of the Arts, Belly Dance! studios (where I developed their first teen training program), and the Women's Cancer Resource Center.
A partial list of my teachers can be found here. My training has mostly been in the SF Bay Area, New York City, and of course Cairo, where I was fortunate to visit and live for extended periods of time.
I send out a seasonal newsletter with upcoming events, class news, videos of inspiring or interesting dancers, songs, or musicians, and more.
You can sign up for it here. I promise to never spam you!
I'm also on instagram and facebook and YouTube (oh my) under the moniker Monica Raqs.
I offer private classes and coaching in person in San Francisco or online anywhere in the world. I have worked one on one with dancers, duets, and groups who are creating or polishing a piece, looking for inspiration, or need a critical eye on their work, progression, or style.
Rates start at $75 per hour, plus studio rent, if any. I have access to very affordable studios in San Francisco and can help keep this cost low. Travel in the greater Bay Area or beyond is also possible, but will incur extra fees.
Private lessons can also take place on Zoom.
Please contact me for a questionnaire and initial email consultation so she can make sure that lessons are focused and on point for your needs.
Need choreography? Please contact Monica for current rates, references, and details of how it all works.
I occasionally have some sweet dance related printed garments on offer over at The Little Black Egg, including What Would Fifi Do? tees and tanks.
Photo Credits on this page: Christine Fu, George K., Hussein Moustafa
Vibing with a amazing audience in Oakland.
Show sponsors: Girls Raks / Your Body Raks (Etang Inyang and Tammy Johnson)
Teaching beginner dancers at Lines Dance Center's All You Can Dance
Solo dancing on a San Francisco stage.
Show sponsor: Kathy Mata Ballet
A fun dance event that I taught and performed at.
Monica & her student performing group, the Zakiyya Dancers, perform with live music in San Francisco.
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