Zoe Jakes In NYC

Zoe Jakes, a superstar of Fusion belly dance is making a rare trip to teach and perform in NYC. Don’t miss this valuable opportunity to study with her, along with trail blazers, Pixie Fordtears, Dalia Carella and Kaeshi Chai.

WHEN:
Friday October 18th
10am-1pm: The Last Stand Choreography w/ Pixie Fordtears
1-2pm: Lunch
2-3pm: Moving the Needle Forward - Sharing Our Dance with Wider Audiences Panel Discussion w/ Zoe Jakes, Dalia Carella, Kaeshi Chai and Pixie Fordtears. Moderated by Alicia Free.
3-6pm: Pop, Lock + Layering Drills w/ Zoe Jakes
6-8.30pm: Mix + Mingle Dinner at an exclusive location for workshop attendees (from any day) + instructors
(Minimum order of 1 food item + drink)

Saturday October 19th
10am-1pm: The Musical Dancer w/ Zoe Jakes
1-2pm: Lunch
2-5pm: Story Telling through Physical Theatre and Dance w/ Kaeshi Chai
8-9.30pm: Veil of Midnight Show at Speyer Hall

Sunday October 20th
10am-1pm: Claim the Stage w/ Zoe Jakes
1-2pm: Lunch
2-5pm: Mythical Conversations through Gesture + Movement w/ Dalia Carella
7-9pm: Bewitched Ball at the Secret Room

WHERE:
Workshops: Ripley Grier, 520 8th Ave, Studio 17N, New York, NY
Sat Show: Speyer Hall, University Settlement, 184 Eldridge St, 2nd Floor, New York, NY
Sun Show: Secret Room, 707 8th Ave, New York, NY

INVESTMENT:
3 Day Package (Includes both shows): $495

2 Day Package (Includes the same day show): $395
(1) Fri + Sat choice
(2) Fri + Sun choice
(3) Sat + Sun choice

1 Day Package (Includes the same day show or panel): $215
A La Carte: Workshop $100
Panel Discussion: $25

Sign Up for A Package + Save!
3 Day Package

1 or 2 Day Packages
(Navigate to Oct 18-20)

Sign Up for An A La Carte Workshop (Listed Alphabetically)
Claim the Stage w/ Zoe Jakes
Moving the Needle Forward Panel Discussion w/ Zoe, Pixie, Dalia, Kaeshi. Moderated by Alicia Free.
Mythical Conversations through Gesture + Movement w/ Dalia Carella
Pop, Lock + Layering Drills w/ Zoe Jakes
Story Telling through Physical Theatre and Dance w/ Kaeshi Chai
The Last Stand Choreography w/ Pixie Fordtears
The Musical Dancer w/ Zoe Jakes

Sat 10/19 Veil Of Midnight: $40 (Limited availability) Buy Ticket
Sun 10/20 Bewitched Ball: $30, $35 at door Buy Ticket
(Plus 1 drink or food item if seated at the bar, or 2 drinks or food items if seated at a table)

* Drinks and food are NOT included in the ticket price

No refunds. If you cannot make the training or show, you are responsible for finding your replacement.

Payment plan: $150 deposit to secure your spot. Pay off the remaining balance of $395 in installments at your convenience.
The full amount must be paid off by the first day of the training.

Send your $150 deposit via Zelle to "payment@bellyqueen.com" or Venmo @Bellyqueen, last 4 digits 0168

MORE INFO ABOUT THE WORKSHOPS

10/18 Fri 10am-1pm: The Last Stand Choreography w/ Pixie Fordtears
A dynamic choreography. Slathered with gooey movement, crisp attacks, and delicious recoil. You will learn some of Pixie’s signature style from her cross training and how she integrates it into her dance, and will see how she hears music through movement! This choreography will be aimed for Intermediate, but beginners are more than welcome!

10/18 Fri 2-3pm: Moving the Needle Forward - Sharing Our Dance with Wider Audiences Panel Discussion
Join a dynamic conversation with trailblazing artists Zoe Jakes, Dalia Carella, Kaeshi Chai, and Pixie Fordtears, moderated by Alicia Free. These renowned performers will explore innovative ways to bring dance to diverse audiences, from mainstream stages to out-of-the box collaborations. Discover how each artist bridges cultural, artistic, and personal expression in their performances, and learn strategies to connect fusion dance with new communities. Perfect for dancers, teachers, and enthusiasts eager to expand the reach of this vibrant art form!

10/18 Fri 3-6pm: Pop, Lock and Layering Drills w/ Zoe Jakes
The technique behind her signature locking stylization will be broken down and taught in an easily digestible format. Students will receive many tools to help unlock the more challenging aspects of layering, as well as lots of fun drills in class to get the movements in their bodies. be prepared to sweat!

10/19 Sat 10am-1pm: The Musical Dancer w/ Zoe Jakes
This workshop will give you the tools to hear and be the music. Utilizing short phrases and premade combinations, we will play with timing and dynamics by interpreting different songs, and the dancers will learn to improvise timing and dynamics to create a deeper connection to the heart of the song they are dancing to. After this workshop dancers will feel more connected to their music and confident with interpretation.

10/19 Sat 2-5pm: Story Telling through Physical Theatre and Dance w/ Kaeshi Chai
Discover a range of physical theater storytelling tools that will enrich your dance performances. By integrating these techniques, you will be able to infuse your movements with deeper meaning and emotional resonance, creating a more compelling and engaging narrative to connect with your audience.

10/20 Sun 10am-1pm: Claim the stage: Energy Work for Dancers w/ Zoe Jakes
In this workshop Zoe delves deep into the intricate relationship between performers and their audience, exploring the dynamics of energy exchange, communication, and authenticity on stage.  Dancers will practice being carriers, receivers and holders of energy, and will learn how to harness and project their inner energies through movement and connection. Find your spirit and your spontaneity and claim the stage in this next level experience with Zoe, an artist that has much wisdom to share in the art of stagecraft

10/20 Sun 2-5pm: Mythical Conversations through Gesture + Movement w/ Dalia Carella
Drawing inspiration from mythical archetypes and global dance ceremonies, Dalia has developed a conversation or narrative of movement that transcends traditional and contemporary eastern dance (belly dance)  forms and beyond. Through movement/gesture exercises, visualization and improvisational techniques, participants will cultivate a deeper sense of going within and embody dance narratives from the ancient to the avant garde. Participants will be guided to embrace experimentation within a group setting during the second part of the workshop to explore spontaneous movement interactions to each other's gestures and movements.

MORE INFO ABOUT THE SHOWS

10/19 Sat 8-10pm: Veil of Midnight Show at Speyer Hall | Buy Ticket
10/20 Sun 7-9pm: Bewitched Ball at the Secret Room | Buy Ticket

See Zoe Jakes, Pixie Fordtears, Dalia Carella and Kaeshi Chai perform live alongside special guests and select workshop attendees.
Halloween and theatrical themes are welcome. If you would like to apply to perform, please send a description with a video link to bellyqueenschool@gmail.com by September 18.
Performers (soloists and group) are required to be signed up for at least a workshop

Meet Your Instructors

Zoe Jakes has been belly dancing for 20 years, and brings playfulness and ease into the classroom that makes training fun! She desires to create an inclusive environment so all humans can enjoy the art of belly dance, and hopes that everyone can experience the grace and fluidity that comes with training in this form. Zoe’s signature style of dance incorporates pop and lock isolations, elements of classical Indian dance, jazz footwork, and modern lines, with lots of folk belly dance inspiration. Zoe Jakes is a founding member of Beats Antique and composes music for them as well as dances. She is known around the world for her unique stylistic take on belly dance, and is also an accomplished teacher, sharing her knowledge with the next generation.

A versatile and extremely well-rounded performer, Zoe Jakes has developed an instruction style all her own and is a popular touring instructor, her workshops regularly selling out. 

Katarina Burda (an original member of Bal-Anat) is her first teacher and influence, and Zoe was a company member of Katarina's troop Aywah! along with the talented Mira Betz and Elizabeth Strong. She went on to train and perform with the amazing Suhaila Salimpour, spent a few years learning how to get in people’s faces in Extra Action Marching Band and immersed in Americana Vaudeville with The Yard Dogs Road Show. A proud member of The Indigo Belly Dance Company, Zoe holds Mardi Love and Rachel Brice as her teachers and inspiration. Currently, Zoe Jakes is touring with her band Beats Antique, a group that has 6 albums and hundreds of live shows under their belt. Zoe designs and makes many of her own costumes and co-produces tracks with Beats Antique, also adding set designer and stylist to her body of work. 

Zoe Jakes has the desire and opportunity to bring belly dance to the masses, having performed at Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Bonnaroo in front of thousands of people who don't know belly dance from an elephant. It is her passion that belly dance can get wider recognition and respect, and her classes reflect that with a focus on strong technique and long-term motivation.

Zoe has classes at her home studio, Coven, in Oakland, travels all over the US to teach and perform, and has many classes on www.DaturaOnline.com. 

In 2015 Zoe launched her own tribal fusion belly dance format, DanceCraft™. The purpose of this accredited dance program is to provide a structure in which dancers can progress towards an achievable goal and provide an opportunity to build a dancer's skills intelligently and clearly. This format applies strong technical training as a framework for artistry and creative expression. 

DanceCraft focuses on dance technique, strength and flexibility, musicality, choreography, improvisation, critical thinking, stamina, analysis, teamwork, belly dance history, teaching, and creating original work.

Pixie Fordtears is a fusion belly dancer from the Bay Area, in CA! With a captivating blend of belly dance, waving, hip hop, and yoga, her unique style is a mesmerizing tapestry of movement. She has had the honor of performing alongside renowned acts such as Beats Antique and House of Tarot. Her collaborations with these influential groups have further shaped her artistic vision and expanded her depth as a performer. Pixie Fordtears can be found sharing her passion for dance and movement as a guiding light. She believes in the power of helping others discover new ways to express themselves through their bodies. Her journey is not only about personal growth but also about uplifting those around her, encouraging them to explore new movements and embrace their own unique dance journeys.

Dalia Carella is a renowned world fusion artist, choreographer and instructress that specializes in both Near/Middle Eastern and Contemporary Dance Theater. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Dalia Carella Carella Dance Collective. Audiences from around the world have applauded her mystical and innovative dances and choreographies that are taken from the tradition of the countries she is representing. Ms. Carella has delved deeply in the studies of dances from the Near and Middle East including Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, as well as North Africa including Morocco and Algeria. Her dances are both traditional and contemporary with a spiritual and mystical essence behind each and every dance that she creates. Some of Ms. Carella’s new works represent both traditional and contemporary movement and range from sacred rituals to ethnic contemporary theater pieces as well as Cabaret Theater inspired by the 1920s and 30s.

Kaeshi Chai, an artist, educator, and environmental advocate, co-founded PURE Globe, an international community for healing and social change. With a rich background in dance, choreography, design, and event production, she has left her artistic imprint globally. She has directed the professional Bellyqueen Company and school for over 20 years. As a member of Bellydance Superstars, Bella Gaia and other prestigious groups, Kaeshi has performed in 48 states and 39 countries. Her current projects include "Nature Stories," bridging art and science for environmental awareness, and "Becoming - Exploring Identity." Kaeshi also contributes to events by Unity Earth, Purpose Earth, and the Global Peace Tribe, showcasing dance and movement meditations. Notably, she performed in the contemporary dance piece "Wildfires" by Spector Dance and created an immersive performance about forest root systems for the Exploratorium. Kaeshi is a proud member of Evolutionary Leaders, a circle of forward-thinking individuals committed to human, social, and planetary transformation.