What age group can attend BellyFunk101™?
Ages 14+ are welcome. It’s not about age however; it is about wanting to dance and knowing your energy level and ability. Our average class consists of a mix of ages between 18 - 48. Dance classes for a under 14’s will be starting soon as well. Keep an eye out on our website! What should I wear?
BellyFunk101™ is a lot about controlled body movements and has a lot of attitude involved in performing it. Our advice would be to wear tracksuit bottoms or stretchy dance pants, along with a fitted op or a singlet top so that you can see your upper body movement. We also recommend that you wear dance shoes or sneakers. Please note no high heels, flip flops or jeans are allowed in class. And remember, the sexier you feel, the more confident your dancing will appear! What else should I bring?
Water! Bring yourself a bottle of water as it is a high energy class and you will require plenty of H20! I am a total beginner, is this class for me?
BellyFunk101™ is a brand new style of Freestyle dance. First timers to this class are all on the same level because it is a new genre. So the simple answer to this question is yes! But be prepared – if you stick to the class you won’t be that absolute beginner no more! But I am really conscious and I CANNOT dance. Is this class for me?
If we got a penny for every time we heard that. And if we got ANOTHER penny for every time you proved yourselves wrong in our classes. Our novice beginners see a difference in their dancing abilities and confidence by their 3rd class! You’ve got nothing to lose in our supportive and comfortable dancing environment. If you want to leave mid way – we’ll give you your money back! That’s how confident we our in you and our classes! I am not a total beginner and have had some dance experience. Is this class for me?
Yes definitely. In this class you will be able to challenge yourself with the routines and build coordination and confidence whilst burning calories! Can I miss a class and still catch on to the next one?
We don’t want you to miss any classes! However, there will always be something new taught in the class and 90% of the time there will be a new routine taught in each class. So, if you miss out on one class, you will not feel out of place when you rejoin. I haven’t exercised in ages, can I still do the class?
Definitely! Everyone in the class will be encouraged to work at their own pace. Remember, this class is more about getting fit, meeting new people and having a dance and laugh to great music, then it is about becoming a great dancer. That’ll automatically happen with practice! Do not over exert your self and know you’re body and it’s capabilities so you can build on them gradually. I have an injury, can I still dance?
We don’t advise our members to dance if they are injured. It can prolong an injury and even exacerbate it. Our advice would be to come and watch if you would like to see how it is (for free!) and join in when you are better. Can I do this class if I am pregnant?
Bellyfunk101™ is a high energy class. We strongly advise pregnant women to consult their doctor before attending the class. If you would like to view the class before attending it, please be our guest for free, and hope to see you when you’re ready to shed that baby weight! I am trying to lose weight. Will this class help?
In a general dance class you can burn up to 400 calories. In BellyFunk101™you can burn up to 474 calories! In Weight Watchers terms, that’s up to 10 Activity Points for a one hour high energy work out! But burning fat isn’t the only benefit. Because of the controlled body work involved in Belly Dancing and Jamaican Dancehall you will also tone your core muscles and legs!

If you’re a clock watcher in an aerobics and the gym seems too boring – this class is definitely for you! Do we get to perform?
If you are interested in performing and holding a concert, please speak to your instructor at the end of the class. The more people that are interested, the better! A performance for your friends and family is a great opportunity to show off all your great new moves! What is Hip Hop/ Street Dance?
Street dance incorporates all styles of dance that were created outside of a studio. Hip hop is one of the broadest styles of street dance. Hip hop style is dance to hip hop music and has evolved from hip hop culture, which incorporates 4 main elements: MCing (rapping), DJing, Graffiti, and B-boying (or breakdancing). Celebrities such as Missy Elliot and Usher use heavily hip-hop based dance routines in their music videos. What is Jamaican Dancehall?
Dancehall (Bashment) music is the modern version of Reggae (from the Carribean). Dancehall music has inspired its own street dances, where everyday a new dance is being tested on the streets. Dancehall moves involve a lot of controlled and isolated body movements and are great for core work and cardio. Celebrities such as Sean Paul have helped bring Jamaican Dancehall into the main stream in the last decade. What is Belly Dancing?
Belly Dancing was originally created to help women with childbirth! It is a dance of seduction that originates in the Middle East. It alsod involves controlled body movements, mostly from your mid section, and is great for cardio and core muscle work. Belly dancing steps focus on the pelvic and hip area and get there momentum from the movement of the knees and core stomach muscles. Celebrities like Shakira have helped bring Belly Dancing into the mainstream in the last decade. What are the benefits of dancing?

According to Barbara Craddock, writer of Body and Health, dancing can have some great benefits:


• Forever Young. Dancing is tremendously beneficial in keeping us young. It retards the aging process immensely. It benefits our heart, cardiovascular system and increases our lung capacity. Fact: The muscle exertion and breathing rates of dancers performing in one dance competition is equivalent to those of cyclists, swimmers and an Olympic-level 800-meter runner.
• Strong Bones, Lubricated Joints. Dance aids in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, which is a major concern for woman, especially during post-menopause because of the significant drop in estrogen that occurs at this stage. A decrease in our estrogen levels is what stops calcium from being absorbed into our bones. Dance also keeps joints lubricated, which helps prevent arthritis.
• Calorie Blaster. Dance exercises our bodies to allow for increased circulation. It helps us burn those calories away, while improving our stamina. It is estimated that dance burns anywhere from 5 to 10 calories per minute depending on speed and intensity.
• Better Blood. New research has discovered that it is necessary to measure both good and bad cholesterol levels when determining our health. Dancing aids in lipid control, which raises our HDL (good cholesterol), and lowers our LDL (bad cholesterol). Dancing is also great for diabetics because it aids in blood sugar control.
• Mental Mastery. Dance improves our memory by making us recall steps, routines and dance patterns making it a great mental exercise for our brains. The big benefit is that increasing mental exercise keeps your mind young, quick, alert and open.
• It's All About Balance. Balancing yourself in one position may be easy, but balancing in the numerous types of positions involved in dancing is much more difficult. Dancers have mastered the ability to balance themselves in a number of positions. This strengthens our stabilizer muscles, while protecting our core and keeping us less prone to injury in our daily lives. Dancing also aids in co-ordination and helps strengthen our reflexes. It is a great way to keep our Central Nervous System and Peripheral Nervous System in tip-top shape by improving the connection of our bodies to our mind.
• Socially Satisfying. Dancing is recreational and entertaining. It creates a social life for us, while affording us the opportunity to make new friends. Friends helps us grow, make us laugh and support us as we learn.
• Culturally Diverse. Dancing has no cultural barriers. People from all parts of the world, with different ideologies, meet on the dance floor. Cultural interaction improves our health by expanding our mind and sharing our spirit!
• Groomed to perfection. Dancing is not only fun and romantic, but it helps promote good grooming because everybody wants to look his or her best while they dance. Good grooming keeps us healthy by keeping us high on hygiene.
• A Happy Self. Dance elevates our mood by raising our endorphin levels. This is what allows us to heal stress and depression - two of our immune system's biggest enemies! It helps us establish our self-confidence and self-discipline. It improves the harmony between our mind and body, giving us a sense of well-being.

I have a question that is not posted on this page. Can you help me?
At BellyFunk101™, there will always be a team member at hand to help you with any questions and queries. Don’t hestitate to call us or email us. There is no such thing as a stupid question!


For more about the location of our classes, please click here.