LVDEmoves :: Shimmy with Carmen: An Introduction to Bellydance

Dates :: Tuesdays 7-8pm: July - 7, 14, 21 & 28
Rate :: $15/drop in
Free for current Cedar Crest Students with ID
Level :: All levels of experience

Steinbright Hall Dance Studio
Cedar Crest College
100 College Dr, Allentown, PA 18104

WHAT TO EXPECT :: Curious about bellydance? Join Carmen for a fun and welcoming introduction to this beautiful dance form. Learn basic bellydance movements, shimmies, posture, and simple combinations while improving coordination, confidence, and body awareness. Come ready to move, laugh, and discover the joy of dancing in a supportive, judgment-free environment. Suitable for all fitness levels.

ABOUT THE ARTIST :: Carmen Garrison is a bellydance performer and instructor with over 20 years of experience and a licensed professional counselor with 25 years in the mental health field. Blending her extensive knowledge of movement, culture, and psychology, her work is rooted in fostering confidence, self-expression, and personal empowerment in both artistic and therapeutic spaces. She is the creative director and founder of Banat Al Sahra, a community bellydance performance group dedicated to cultural appreciation, artistic development, and community connection, and is also a member of Tabla Raq, an Arabic drumming ensemble.

Trained in Egyptian-style dance, Carmen brings authenticity, musicality, and emotional depth to her performances. She performs as a soloist and is a dedicated educator, teaching in a variety of community settings and creating welcoming spaces for dancers of all experience levels. Across all of her work, Carmen is passionate about helping individuals build confidence, develop a positive connection with their bodies, and discover the transformative power of movement and self-expression.

Questions? Please email: lehighvalleydanceexchange@gmail.com

This programming is part of our "Gift what you can Give" fundraising campaign. Additional donations will help keep Lehigh Valley Dance Exchange moving!

In 2024, Lehigh Valley Dance Exchange spent 85% of its budget to pay 20 artists who either taught, performed, or helped facilitate programs that kept dance thriving in the Lehigh Valley. The remaining 15% went towards boring but necessary things like website hosting and marketing to make sure people know about dance happening in the Valley. We have been doing this since 2009, and we need your help.

It takes at least $6,000 to produce our annual programming which will include our 14th Annual SpringUP Dance Festival, scholarships for students in financial need, master classes & workshops, and performance opportunities like Dance EXposure at SteelStacks.

With your donation gift, you are getting our organization closer to our $3,000 fundraising goal. Thank you for helping Lehigh Valley Dance Exchange, which then directly helps the individual dance artists that make our local community vibrant.

Donate any dollar amount at checkout or make a tax deductible donation by visiting our Fractured Altas Fiscal Sponsor Campaign here, https://www.lvdanceexchange.org/donate