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... as reported by CFRN, NAIT TV (NTV), Alberta Venture Magazine, Canadian Learning TV (on 11 CHUM stations nationally)...
... VO Fitness Bellydance I & II - the only bellydance class in the country
specifically designed to train various aspects of fitness...
... Egyptian Technique I-VI - comprehensive raks sharki dance instruction by a two-time invited
guest performer to Hadia's Festival of the Nile, weekly restaurant performer and the Prairie's only serious male oriental
dancer.
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Dancing's funner with friends.
After work? Before drinks? Daytime social? Viraj teaches semi-private classes and one-time workshops
for any occasion and ability.
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[Watch for virajdance.com in Sept 2004!
GALLERY UP SOON! 3 YRS OF PHOTOS COMING ONLINE]
Gallery Features: Sri Lankan Classical (Kandyan), Sri Lankan Folk/Oriental Fusion, S'L'an Firedance, performances
(courtesy of Isis Dance Productions).
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NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug 18, 2003.
SWEATING ELEGANCE IN FITNESS BELLYDANCE CLASS
Why
work for your body when you can dance for it?
EDMONTON - Alberta's first bellydance class designed specifically
for fitness benefits will be taught by the prairies' only professional male bellydancer. Fitness Bellydance eith Viraj
officially premieres this fall with levels for the novice and experienced dance student to work everything from shoulders
to toes using bellydance movement vocabulary.
"Working for your body is fine but there
comes a time when your body needs to work for you," says Viraj, an AFLCA certified Fitness Leader. "Becoming fit can
be about revealing both your beauty of grace and unique physical best. When you focus on creativity and fun, higher
physical output and it's rewards become reachable to the everyday person."
Typical bellydance classes,
though popular as a way to stay active, are not consciously designed to improve the several aspects of fitness. Bellydance,
correctly known as oriental dance or Raks Sharki -"Dance of the East" in Arabic - offers many tools to do so.
Each class features progressive dance instruction followed by an up-beat workout. Students learn fundamentals in posture,
armwork, hip isolations, and travelling steps then combine them into dynamic group and individual drills, for use in a thirty
minute aerobic routine designed specifically for muscular endurance, core stability, flexibility, and cardiovascular benefits.
Oriental dance is commonly misunderstood as a sexy way to strut your stuff. Viraj clarifies, "You
don't go to a sumptuous luxury buffet and just have a big plate of chocolate cake. There's a depth and range of expression
often overlooked. It's not just 'hey,check me out'- it's 'check out this powerful music, this beautiful dance that is
one and the same.' Like a singer's voice, a dancer sings poetry with her body. And yes, men dance too."
Performing mostly at Cosmos Greek Taverna and Khazana restaurants Viraj offers the "artistic workout I wanted for myself but
couldn't find here or anywhere." The class draws on training from Toronto's acclaimed Arabesque Academy, Venus of Vancouver,
Hadia - the international master instructor of Calgary - and AFLCA Group Exercise certification.
He hopes that with the rise in popularity of the art form a specialized class to meet the demand for fun fitness will endear
the general populace to what he calls "an elegant, dignified expression of personality encompassing the full range of human
emotion - a dance for all ages, body types and genders."
In late September, the Downtown YMCA and U of
A Campus Recreation will each offer a single six week mini-session of Fitness Bellydance 1 with Viraj.
Viraj's full twelve week session starts Sept. 8 and runs til Nov. 30. Four class types in Fitness Bellydance and Egyptian
Technique will be held throughout the week at Dance Alberta and Integration Pilates, both located downtown.
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