Al Raqs Retreat: The Culture Context

📆 24th – 27th September 2026

A journey where dance meets heritage, and movement becomes a language of connection.

For years, I’ve built a virtual space to stay in touch with culture — a place for learning beyond dance classes and for meaningful conversations.
Now it’s time to bring that vision to life, together, in one place.

Welcome to Al Raqs Retreat: The Culture Context — a live, immersive experience devoted to the essence of cultural dance.

Each year, we’ll invite teachers and dancers from the culture itself to share their knowledge, stories, and artistic heritage — so we can experience the dance not only through movement, but through heart and understanding.

What Awaits You

📍 Near Prague, Czech Republic
A peaceful retreat surrounded by nature, in the heart of Europe — easily accessible by plane, car, or train.

🧕 Teachers from the Culture
Learn directly from artists rooted in tradition — this year featuring Zara, Chaima, and Chronis Taxidis.

💆‍♀️ Unlimited Wellness
Relax between classes with free access to the sauna, jacuzzi, and outdoor pool.

🍽️ Full-Board Meals
Enjoy delicious, balanced meals prepared with care — breakfast, lunch, and dinner included (dietary needs accommodated).

Dance, Learn & Enjoy

13 hours of practical workshops with Zara, Chaima, Chronis Taxidis & Sheyla
4 hours of lectures with Zara, Chaima, Chronis Taxidis
Discussions and screenings in the evenings

Aromatherapy workshop with Sheyla (optional, for an extra fee)
– Some classes will even include aromatherapeutic essences to deepen your experience.

“Small-group learning ensures personal attention and a warm, community feel.”

When? 24th – 27th September 2026

– program starts on Thursday 3:30 PM and ends on Sunday 11:00 AM
– exact schedule will be announced once we have a flight itinerary of each teacher

Meet the teachers

and their workshops and lectures

ZARA

Zara Dance is a much loved international belly dancer based in the Cairo, Egypt. She performs and various Caberets and 5 star hotels and is a well known dancer on the Cairo scene. She is a dynamic dancer who is half Egyptian and half English and always pulls on her mixed heritage when teaching Egyptian bellydance giving her a unique way of passing on and translating the deep cultural background of the dance.

workshop & lectureMahragnat Understanding and Technique (3 hours)

Come and learn this fresh new style of dance that now dominates the Cairo scene. Zara will guid you through an immersive experience that goes beyond mere steps. You’ll explore the origins of Mahragnat, uncover its cultural significance, and learn why it resonates so deeply with audiences today. Embrace the rhythm of the times and get ready to move with the latest techniques and trends straight from the heart of Egypt! Zara is excited to share her passion with you! This workshop offers a deep dive into the history, cultural context, and lots of fun TECHNIQUE.

workshopTarab (2 hours)

One of Zara’s most popular workshops: delve into the captivating belly dance concept of TARAB. Known as the entrancing state performers experience, it is arguably the essence of bellydance. Through carefully crafted exercises, Zara shares her years of performance expericce to immerse you in the principles of Tarab, guiding you towards reaching this unparalleled state of connection. You will walk away from this workshop with supercharged audience interaction skills and the know how to confidently let go and express yourself fully through dance. Tarab is a transformative experience and understanding it is transformative to your dance. Stop boring, vacuous performances of just stepping out the moves and delve deeper like never before!

workshop Exploring Baladi with Zara and Chronis (1,5 hours)

Come and find out about the movements and rhythms which make up a Baladi in this fun interactive workshop aimed at improving your technique, musicality and improvisation skills.

CHAIMA OUNI

I am a Tunisian choreographer specializing in Tunisian folklore dance. I began my career 8 years ago with the National Folklore Dance Troupe, participating in national and international festivals, proudly representing Tunisia 🇹🇳. Over the years, I have created my own performances under the Ministry of Culture, drawing inspiration from Tunisia’s rich folkloric heritage. I am also passionate about teaching, offering courses in Tunisian folklore dance for students, local artists, tourists, and private clients from countries such as France, Russia, Lebanon, Morocco, and more. Through my work, I aim to preserve, share, and celebrate Tunisian cultural traditions, bringing the energy, rhythm, and stories of our folklore to audiences around the world

lectureIntroduction to Tunisia & Folklore Dance (1 hour)

Discover the rich cultural tapestry of Tunisia through its geography, history, and vibrant artistic traditions. In this lecture, I will share my personal journey into Tunisian folklore dance and why this heritage holds such deep meaning for me. Together, we’ll explore the country’s diverse regions, rhythms, and dance styles, learning how movement, music, and identity intertwine. Through historical context, iconic figures, and regional influences, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of how Tunisian folklore evolved and how it lives today. The session concludes with a short performance to bring these traditions to life.

workshopGhita Elegance (1,5 hour)

In this introductory session, participants will explore the basic movements and rhythms of ghita. The focus will be on proper posture, body alignment, and the coordination between legs, arms, and belly-dance technique. This workshop builds a strong foundation for graceful and controlled movement.

workshopChoreography – Tunisian Vibes (1,5 hour)

Using a famous Tunisian song, participants will learn a full choreography that highlights musicality, energy, and the unique feeling of Tunisian dance. This workshop puts into practice everything learned in Workshop 1, allowing dancers to embody authentic Tunisian vibes through expressive movement.

workshopSpicy Saadeoui with Chaima and Chronis (1,5 hour)

This session introduces a second rhythm, along with new techniques and foundational movements involving both the belly and the feet. Participants will experience the rhythm in an immersive way, accompanied by live percussion—adding excitement, connection, and a deeper understanding of traditional movement.

CHRONIS TAXIDIS

Chronis Taxidis is an internationally recognized percussionist and expert in Middle Eastern music. He began studying Arabic rhythms at a young age and later graduated from the Arabian Music Institute in Cairo, earning diplomas in rhythmology, composition, and percussion pedagogy.

A former student of the legendary Khamis Henkesh, Chronis became highly skilled in working with belly dancers and teaching musical communication, live tabla improvisation, dancing with orchestra, sagat technique, and Arabic rhythmology.

He is the founder of the percussion ensemble Tabbal and the composer of popular music used by dancers worldwide. Chronis has released multiple albums, including World of Arabic Rhythmology, Underworld, SkyDance, My World, and Timeless.

He has contributed to several major educational projects for dancers and has taught workshops across Europe, Africa, and beyond.

lecture How to Dance a Tabla (Drum) Solo – Theory & Practice (1 hour)

In this lecture I will explain the structure of a traditional and modern tabla solo, how dancers can interpret rhythmic phrases, and how to build improvisation safely and musically. Demonstrations and short practical exercises included.

lectureIntroduction to Classical Arabic Music – History & Evolution (1 hour)

A journey through the foundations of classical Arabic music, its historical roots, the development of maqam and iqa‘at (rhythms), and the evolution to modern styles. How this heritage influences contemporary dance and performance will also be discussed.

workshop Dancing Live Improvisation with Egyptian Tabla Solo – Traditions & Modern Approaches (1,5 hour)

Focuses on how dancers can respond to live tabla improvisation. We will compare traditional and modern phrasing, explore accents and breaks, and practice real-time communication between dancer and drummer. Participants will work with live rhythms to experience musicality and expression in improvisation.

SHEYLA

He has contributed to several major educational projects for dancers and has taught workshops across Europe, Africa, and beyond.

workshop Drills for Beautiful Shimmy and Smooth Layering (1,5 hour)

Intense warm-up followed by one hour of focused technique drills that take us back to the essence of oriental dance — our center, our muscles, and yes, our brain. All of these must work together to improve isolation, stamina, and the ability to layer movements. In this class, we will drill various shimmy isolations, layer movements on top of one another, and even combine the “un-combinable.” Bring a towel!

The Venue

Our retreat center offers cozy shared rooms for 2–4 participants.
If you’re traveling with friends, we’ll gladly arrange rooms together.

Spacious dance hall (118 m²) with mirrors and equipment
Unlimited wellness access – sauna, jacuzzi, outdoor “pool”
Optional massages available for an additional fee

Venue: Starý svět, SREET Amerika 9, ZIP CODE 259 01 CITY Votice – Czech Republic

✈️ Travel Information

Fly to Prague International Airport (we suggest you enjoy day or two sightseeing in Prague)
Take the train from Prague Main Station to “Votice” (5 minutes from the retreat center), this route is around 1,5 hour long, we will send you exact schedule based on your itinerary
– We’ll pick you up at the train station.

If available, we can also organize car pickup or shared group transfer (for an extra fee), either from the airport or Prague center.

Prices and conditions

All-Inclusive Price

Everything is included: accommodation, meals, classes, and wellness access.

Prices
585 EUR for first 10 reservations (667 USD)
645 EUR for the rest of reservations (749 USD)
Deposit: 200 EUR to reserve your spot (217 USD)
Balance due: by 15 February 2026

The only thing NOT included is the transport. Please read Terms and conditions carefuly.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

By reserving your spot and paying the deposit you confirm that you have read and understood the Terms & Conditions and you agree with them. Please, take time to read through it.

Payment options:
1) PayPal
2) Bank transfer for EURO accounts
3) Online card payment in USD
Other options can be discussed individually.

RESERVATION

To reserve your spot we need a deposit 200 Euro. The rest of the cost must be paid before 15th February 2026.