Timetable & Workshop descriptions

Full details of our workshops are here.  The timetable for the festival – and below that individual workshop descriptions.  Some of our workshops are in smaller rooms and we have had to close the bookings.  Where you can no longer book on workshops there is no link.
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In 2026, Fantasia starts on Friday 20th February.  
We have 2 afternoon workshops and our International Bellydance Showcase.  We have a fabulous package available which includes Stage Presence and Connect with your drummer workshops and a ticket for the Friday night show.  
And entry to our Drum Solo competition on the Friday night – perform a 2 minute solo with Joelle on stage in front of our panel of judges with a supportive audience:  Drum solo package EB rate:  £100
Or you can book on individual workshops.

Friday 20th Feb 2026	City Academy
13.30 – 15.00	1/  Stage Presence with Dorte/Ishtar	£25
15.15 – 17.15	2/  Connect with your drummer – class with live tabla:  Tabla:  Joelle Barker Teacher:  Carmen Tormo	£50
	Conway Hall
18.30 – 22.30	International Bellydance Showcase: audience ticket:  Includes Drum Solo competition, Open stage and Disco	£20 (£25 on the day)
	Drum Solo competition
	Sign up for this competition and enter either the development or professional category.  Perform a 2 minute live solo with Joelle Barker in front of our panel of judges and a supportive audience.	£35

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Saturday:  We have a range of fabulous workshops with amazing teachers.  For some it is their first time teaching in the UK.  We have 3 packages available on the Saturday and Sunday – or just book individual workshops.  Read about our packages on the Fantasia homepage.

Fantasia 2026	Saturday 21st	Conway Hall
	Main Hall	Room 1	Room 2	Talks/Drum
9 – 11am	3/  Kamelia Mourad:  Cairo Technique £60	4/  Zara Dance: Badass Baladi  £40	5/  Tevec:  Entrances with Veil £35	6/  10 – 11am Learn to drum with Joelle  £20
11.15 – 13.15	7/  Anna Chepets Majense  £45	8/  Zara Dance: Maharaganat: understanding /technique  £40	9/  Yasmina: Interpretation of lyrics in your dance £40	10/  11.15 – 12.15 Intermediate drums with Joelle  £20
				11/  12.25 – 13.25Passant:  Zoom talk  £10
13.30 – 15.30	12/  Kamelia Mourad:  Saidi Orientale  £60	13/  Katie Alyce: Drum solo choreography  £35	14/  Anna Chepets – Focus on arms and styling  £45	15/  13.35 – 14.35Passant:  Zoom talk  £10
				16/  14.45 – 15.45 Candi Bell:  Beyond the Pyramids  £10
15.45 – 17.45	17/  Zara Be Unforgettable £40	18/  Anna Chepets:  Debke    £45	19/  Jo Wise:  The Art of Taksim  £40
18.30 – 22.00/30	Fantasia Gala Show	Includes final of BDNIC and our amazing teachers from around the world.	£35 in advance £40 on the door

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Sunday 22nd Feb 2026	City Academy
9.30 – 11.30am	20/  Zara: ‘Explore Sawah’ by Abdel Halim Hafiz  £40	21/  Moyra Banks: Feel and Flow:  Transitions and movement £25
11.45 – 13.45	22/  Kamelia Mourad:  From old style Shaabi to modern day £75	23/  Anna Chepets Iraqi – in context of Egyptian show.    £45
14.15 – 16.15	24/  Kamelia Mourad:  Baladi Egyptian style:  Taksim and baladi song:  £75

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Descriptions:
Friday:
1/   Stage Presence with Dorte: Learn techniques to light up your performances and command the stage when performing
2/   Connect with your Drummer with Carmen and Joelle:  Carmen and Joelle work together to help you understand cues between dancer and drummer.  How to create an amazing drum solo.
3/   Technique with Kamelia Mourad:  Join Cairo superstar and focus on technique – learn some of Kamelias unique technique.
4/   Badass Baladi with Zara:   Discover the essence of a true Baladi! Are you ready to master one of the most captivating solo performances a bellydancer can showcase? Join us for an enlightening workshop where we dissect the elements of a traditional Baladi tableau.
5/   Veil Entrances with Tevec:  How to make stunning entrances using your veil in different ways.
6/   Learn to Drum with Joelle – bring your own drum or clap out the rhythms.  Basic drum technique using a range of rhythms.  Good to reinforce your rhythms as well as learning to drum.
7/   Majense with Anna Chepets:  Choreography to this exclusive entrance piece written for Anna.It includes some Saidi, Baladi, Shaabi and a drum solo.
8/   Understanding Maharaganat with Zara Dance:  Zara explains about the music and looks at how the dance style has developed – technique and lots of great music.
9/   Interpretation of Lyrics in your dance with Yasmina of Cairo:  Yasmina takes a classic song and looks at ways of interpreting the lyrics – includes some use of gestures and ways of channeling the emotion.
10/  Intermediate Drums with Joelle:  For those who already have basic drum technique – Joelle will look to develop your techniques.
11/   Bellydance and Egyptian women – with Passant:  Zoom talk.  Passant is unable to join  us in person.  Join her for this fascinating insight into what bellydance means to Egyptian women today.
12/   Saidi Orientale with Kamelia:  Kamelia has adapted traditional Saidi giving it a more feminine flavour which is suited to her style and shows.  Bring a stick.
13/   Drum solo choreography with Katie Alyce.   Expect something fun, funky and very exciting!
14/   Focus on Arms and Styling with Anna Chepets:  Anna looks at developing amazing arms to enhance your dance – technique and a small choreography to incorporate these techniques.
15/   Bellydance and Egyptian women – with Passant:  Zoom talk.  Passant is unable to join  us in person.  Join her for this fascinating insight into what bellydance means to Egyptian women today.
16/   Beyond the Pyramids with Candi Bell:  Talk on interesting alternative sights to go and see when in Cairo.  Beyond the normal touristy list.
17/   Be Unforgettable with Zara:  show stopping secrets and audience interaction from a cabaret queen
18/   Debke with Anna:   Anna will share lots of information about the history and culture as well as teaching technique and choreography. 
19/   The Art of Taksim with Josephine Wise:  Jo looks at the structure of a taksim and how your body can interpret different instruments.
20/   Explore Sawah by Abdel Halim Hafiz with Zara: This workshop will cover history, cultural context, musicality, song translations and understanding and hence Improve your improvisation expression in your dance.
21/   Feel and flow with Moyra Banks:  A great start to Sunday – look at transitions, movement and flow.  This will really help your dance.
22/   From old style shaabi to modern day with Kamelia Mourad:  Kamelia explains how the music has changed and how you can interpret it differently.
23/   Iraqi in an Egyptian context – with Anna Chepets: Anna explores Iraqi dance, history and context within an Egyptian show.
24/   Baladi Egyptian Style with Kamelia:  Kamelia has chosen a taksim to use followed by a baladi song.  Choreography and technique.