Chapel Hill Bellydance Studio provides gentle exercise classes for all ages

Chapel Hill Bellydance Studio has been offering belly dancing and samba courses since spring 2023 to the Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Durham area. 

The studio holds beginner, intermediate and advanced workshops and classes. Prospective students can register for one class, however the studio's sessions are typically held over the course of four weeks, founder and instructor Jessica Blaustein said.

Blaustein has over 26 years of experience. She began her belly dance journey in the Netherlands, and upon returning to North America, she has trained across the United States and in Canada, Blaustein said.

Among her accolades, Blaustein said she won Miss Bellydance USA in 2003 and founded one of Canada’s leading belly dance academies.

Blaustein said that Chapel Hill Bellydance Studio was created out of her desire to hold regular classes. She faced difficulties finding places to rent, so once she found a good deal, she decided to start her own studio. 

“I think anybody who's curious about belly dancing should absolutely give it a shot. It's lots of fun, it's good exercise and it's a fairly gentle exercise,” Blaustein said. 

She also said it's a fun opportunity to explore new music and culture that's different from what you'll find going to a typical gym. 

Blaustein typically begins her intermediate and advanced classes with a warm up and technique overview and then begins some combination choreography. She also frequently includes some improv work in the class before a cool down. 

The studio has two belly dance instructors — Blaustein and Laylianah Mahasin — as well as a samba dance instructor. 

Mahasin said she started self-teaching when she was 15 years old through videos and DVDs. She began to take formal classes in 2008 and by 2010, she was teaching and performing professionally. 

Mahasin actually took classes under Blaustein, who eventually offered Mahasin her first teaching job, she said. Over this past year, Mahasin has started regularly teaching beginner classes at the studio. 

“When I do a full on session, during the first half I focus on technique and teaching basic vocabulary; and then the second half of the session I teach song-specific choreography,” Mahasin said.

Chapel Hill Bellydance Studio aims to foster an atmosphere that is welcoming, inclusive and open to anybody who's interested in the art form, Blaustein said.

Jackie Hermann, a 61-year-old student, comes all the way from Myrtle Beach to attend her classes. 

Hermann said she first discovered Blaustein on YouTube and began practicing with her videos. Eventually, Hermann looked her up and found that Blaustein and her studio were located in Chapel Hill. She decided to go up for a workshop and has continued coming to Chapel Hill once a week for classes and private lessons ever since.

“[Blaustein] is a lovely person who has been a very good mentor to me," Hermann said. "When I thought ‘Oh wow I'd love to meet this person, love to learn from this person,’ she has exceeded all my expectations."

Hermann said she is a performer herself and goes to Blaustein for lessons specifically as she teaches the techniques of proper belly dance without shortcuts.

After casually starting belly dancing 10 years ago, Hermann said it is a great way to maintain her flexibility, balance, general health and stamina. 

“Every body size is represented in belly dance,” she said. “People are very welcoming, and it's just a very nice, open and accepting community.” 

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