Private Lessons
Private Lessons Might Be For You If:
- You want to refine your belly dance or qigong technique or figure out how to do that move that keeps eluding you
- There is a special topic you want to explore more deeply
- You want customized feedback on how you can improve your technique (in belly dance or qigong) or be a more compelling performer
- You find you learn more easily in a 1-on-1 situation
- As a qigong student you want help with feeling and moving your chi, but a group class setting doesn’t allow for that experience for you.
- You have so many questions about what we’re doing in class that there isn’t time in a group setting to address them all
- You have questions that you don’t feel comfortable asking in a group
If any of these sound like you, private 1-on-1 work with me might be right for you!
In the focused time of a private lesson, we can really delve into the nitty-gritty of what will help you the most at this time in your belly dance or qigong evolution. In this 1-on-1 time I can tune in to you, your goals, and your learning style to help you move ahead on your journey in ways that aren’t possible in a group setting.
Benefits of Working 1-on-1 With Me:
In private lessons, all levels of students have gained great benefit from my personalized instruction in the areas of:
- in-depth understanding of movements and energy
- perfecting technique
- feeling and strengthening their sense of grounding and centering, as well as more consciously connecting with their energy/chi for enhanced well being and performance presence.
- understanding their unique energy/chi needs and how to work with them in dance or qigong
- personalizing a qigong practice to suit your needs and schedule
- feeling more confident with belly dance improvisation
- developing emotional expression in belly dance
- personal study in areas of belly dance outside the scope of regular class, such as Turkish Roman (Gypsy) dance, Rajasthani Kalbelia dance, and floorwork.
- perfecting their mastery of belly dance props such as veil, double veil, and sword
- preparing for performances, competitions, and other special dance projects
I find that private lessons are more successful when students are clear on the topic(s) they want to work on, so please come prepared. If I have not met you before your private lesson, I will ask you what you want to work on and, if it’s a belly dance focus, possibly to see a video of you dancing before we meet. This is to insure that you and I make the most of our time together.
What Private Lessons With Me Are Not:
Private lessons with me are not a regular group class done just for one person. Rather, they are about going deep into what interests you. In order to make the most of your private lesson, you’ll want to have an idea (or several ideas) of what you want to work on.
Private Lesson Details
Cost for 1 lesson: $75/hour for 1 person via Zoom. If you are in the Taos, NM area, it may also be possible to do in-person lessons. If studio rental is required, this will be added to the cost of your lesson.
Private Lesson Package: Save $40 when you pay for 4 private lessons at once. Cost is $260 for 4 private lessons, which means you save well over half of the cost of 1 lesson. You have 8 weeks from the time of purchase to complete the lessons.
If this sounds like what you are wanting in your belly dance or qigong training at this time, or if you have other topics in mind for a private lesson, please contact me to schedule.
To schedule, email me at annyaish(at)Annya-Ishtara-dance(dot)com * Be sure to fill in the appropriate punctuation to make it a working email (Just trying to keep down the spam!)
Getting the Most from Private Belly Dance Lessons – Other Kinds of Private lessons Too!
A 5 part video series to help you get the most from private lessons, from study topics, to learning styles, to note taking, and more.
We met for an hour and I learned so much! While we danced together, Annya observed my style and was the first teacher to ever help me figure out what my strengths and weaknesses were! As a person who is very self critical, I thought I had only weaknesses, not any strengths. But here was Annya, a stranger to me, telling me what she saw in my dancing! I was amazed! Her comments were thought provoking and positive – not in a false, cheerleader way – but in a way that led me to believe that she really understood the mechanics of dancing. From her comments, I was able to see my dancing in a new light.
I have been studying bellydance and Turkish Román with Annya for a handful of years now; and it is always with joy and anticipation that I make the three hour drive from Albuquerque to Taos to be under her focused and expert tutelage. She has always been great at breaking down both basics and subtleties of movement for me, often fluidly extemporizing sequences to practice that capture the essentials. And she has a superb and keen talent for analyzing problems and giving me the tools I need for their resolution.
In the workshops I have taken from her on improvisation and performance, Annya is passionate, articulate and fun(!), invariably fashioning the kinds of practice that help us easily draw from our own life experiences and extend the emotional range of our dance well beyond our usual reckoning. Every student that I have observed flourishes and grows under her gentle, positive and genuine encouragement; and so do I.
Annya Ishtara’s veil dance creates beautiful cascades of wafting colors that seem to magically outline the musical contours in real time. She can entice you and your floating fabric friend to soar together in partnership as well. Her veil work is based on breath, fined tuned technique, and a high sense of aesthetics. Her profound body awareness and warm personality give her classes grounding rare in the dance world. Annya is a vibrant, conscientious and kind teacher in person or online.
Private Lesson Payment, Cancellation, and Refund Policy
Private lessons are paid for in advance. If you need to cancel or reschedule your lesson, please contact me as soon as possible.
Payment in full confirms your lesson date and time. Since this time is reserved solely for you, please note the following cancellation policy. Thank you for your understanding!
- Private lesson fee is non-refundable.
- With greater than 48 hours written notice to annya(at)Annya-Ishtara-Dance(dot)com *[Fill in punctuation to make this a valid email address], your lesson can be rescheduled for up to 1 month.
- With 24 – 48 hours written notice to annya(at)Annya-Ishtara-Dance(dot)com *[Fill in punctuation to make this a valid email address], a credit of 50% can be applied to a future lesson for up to one month.
- Accommodations cannot be made for cancellations with less than 24 hours notice or for no-shows.