Scholarships

‘As a training organisation, we want to encourage learners to continue their journey whether with us or by studying elsewhere.  Whatever path you choose, it is the ongoing commitment to learning that is essential.’

Encouraging New Learning:  

We offer the ‘Yvette Cowles Scholarship’, twice a year, in memory of our late director, Yvette Cowles.

Yvette believed that we never stop learning and we want this prestigious award to encourage dancers to continue their development through our accredited courses that Yvette helped design.

Yvette wrote and starred in her one-woman show ‘Sequins on my Balcony’ about her experiences with breast cancer, as well as writing a book ‘Belly Dance and Beating the Odds’.  Both of these gave many women hope and helped people see that you can live a full and rewarding life whilst living with cancer.

This will only be awarded when there is a ‘deserving’ candidate.  If no one demonstrates the requested attributes then we will hold over until the next time.

Our Yvette Cowles Scholarship has been awarded to many dancers over the years from differing Bellydance disciplines.

  • We are now inviting applications for our on line music course:  Bellydance Music Explored
  • Your deadline:  31st October 2024
  • We welcome applications from committed dancers worldwide.
  • Scholarships of  50% off the annual subscription
  • We will review applications received and inform you within 2 weeks of the deadline.
  • If we still have some scholarship places available we will invite another round of applications.

Qualities we look for from applicants:

  • Evidence of ongoing Bellydance training
  • Evidence of a commitment to the wider dance community
  • Additional commitment to health and well-being is desirable but not essential
  • To Apply
  • Send an email to info@bellydance-now.com which includes:
  • Your name, address, contact number
  • Details of your personal dance journey: who you have studied with and your current situation.
  • Include any examples which illustrate the qualities we are looking for mentioned above.
  • Please tell us why you want to do the Level One teaching course – and what you hope to get from it.
  • Please take time to think about your application – we can only go on the information you give us.

Qualities we look for from applicants:

  • Evidence of ongoing Bellydance training
  • Evidence of a commitment to the wider dance community
  • Additional commitment to health and well-being is desirable but not essential
  • To Apply
  • Send an email to info@bellydance-now.com which includes:
  • Your name, address, contact number
  • Details of your personal dance journey: who you have studied with and your current situation.
  • Include any examples which illustrate the qualities we are looking for mentioned above.
  • Please specify which course you are interested in and what use you hope to put it to.

You can subscribe to our newsletter here for updates and reminders of deadlines.
Go to Bellydance Safely for full details on this course.
Go to Bellydance Music Explored for more details about this course

Recipients of our Yvette Cowles Scholarship Sept 2024
This scholarship was awarded to 4 dancers to help towards the Level 1 teaching course.

Danielle Goudarzi: I am so honoured to have received the Yvette Cowles Scholarship for the Level 1 Teaching course run by Bellydance Now. Bellydance has been in my life since I was a little girl, as my mum was a bellydance teacher and passionate about all things bellydance. I started taking bellydance more seriously after 2020 when I moved to Newcastle, and have loved every moment of my own journey. I particularly feel that my bellydance journey took a turn when I participated in the Bellydance Now International Challenge in both 2022/23 and 2023/24. I have seen so much growth in myself and dance – I have gone from standing at the back of the class in 2020 and freezing during improvisation, to willingly performing solos that I’ve created on my own, and traveling all across the UK to find opportunities to dance when I can! What has always stood out most to me, is what bellydance can do for confidence, self esteem, and overall well being. I am so excited to share my love of bellydance and mental health benefits with others in the future, and this

Jenny Cahill: ‘I’ve been studying belly dance for 18 years and in April 2023 I started teaching my own classes called, Parent Friendly Belly Dance. I was inspired by my own experience of dancing and performing through two pregnancies and beyond, even performing while baby-wearing. My teacher and troupe mates were very supportive throughout and made it possible for me to continue attending classes and performances while pregnant and then with my children in tow. 
This experience of inclusivity was instrumental for me in maintaining positive mental health and physical wellbeing, during the challenging period of matrescence. Now my children are older, I have the opportunity to let others share in this experience by creating a belly dance class which is adult centred, but where children are also welcome.  I am looking forward to the taking the Level One Teaching course in September in order to advance my skills and provide a better experience for my students.

Maisie Dawes: ‘Bellydance has been my anchor since I was 11 years old. After writing my dissertation on its incredible health benefits in overcoming trauma and reconnecting with our bodies, I haven’t stopped dancing and have dreamed of teaching it. This scholarship is the well-needed push to take that next step and I am deeply grateful.
Also a writer, and training to become a herbalist, I hope to align my passion for holistic therapies with the rhythmic movements of belly dance. I envision a future where I can contribute to the dance community through teaching its movements, but also prescribing dance in my herbal practice and writing books about its deep history and various health benefits.   So very excited to be furthering my knowledge and skills through the Bellydance Safely course – thank you, BellyDance Now, for this invaluable opportunity and for being a beacon of support on my journey!’

 

Samantha Roberts: ‘ I’d like to say thank you, I appreciate the support and belief you’ve given me. The Yvette cowles scholarship has made these first steps that bit more attainable and I look forward to starting my teaching course with this support, the first steps to sharing the arts with as many as I can. I can’t wait to express how amazing dance can make you feel, sharing that freedom and confidence with the world. This teaching course really will show that dancing holds no bounds, be it, size, age or ability, only your desire to feel the music and allowing yourself to move in harmony with it. ‘

 

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