Oriel’s Mirage Bellydancers

Artist Statement

Oriel first started belly dancing in 1991 at the Academy Of Middle Eastern Dance.

She has participated in workshops in belly dance with Dr Mo Geddawi, Araby Belly Dance Academy, Elenie, Rosanna, Amera and many other visiting teachers. She also studied Egyptian drumming under Adel Amin and was honoured to drum with Adel and Hossam Ramzy when he was in Australia. Oriel has completed the Belly Dance Trainer Certification and holds a current Blue Card.

She has performed at Medieval festivals and Pine Rivers Shows for many years, Newcastle Dance Festival, Multicultural days and other events.

After five years of dance, Oriel started her first class with seven young girls. “It was an afternoon class,” Oriel reflects “And we commenced by everyone running round and round the hall screaming, to let out all the pent up energy from school.”

Oriel first teacher, Azizza was teaching a class at Margate at the time and asked if Oriel would take over her classes, run under the auspices of the very traditional Academy of Middle Eastern Dance. These classes continued for three years through Oriel’s last pregnancy. “Bellydancing is very good for anyone planning to have a child,” says Oriel. “Provided you have been dancing for at least six months, you can dance all the way through your pregnancy.”

With a small child, classes became difficult to manage and Oriel relinquished the class to another teacher. However, fifteen of her students wished to stay with Oriel and so she built a studio at her home in Bray Park. These classes eventually moved to Redland Bay in 2008 and have now moved to the islands.

The Non Traditional Role of Bellydance

Oriel’s days of dancing and teaching outside the Academy have shown her there is room for other styles of dance within the umbrella of bellydancing. Today bellydancing has fused with tribal, burlesque, Gothic and Bollywood. “When I first broke out on my own,” Oriel laughs “I was this weirdo who danced to non traditional music. Now I am almost mainstream. I love to fuse many of the styles together, giving the dance my own unique signature.”

Today Oriel teaches modern and traditional Egyptian dance, Turkish style dance with zills, American tribal dance, gypsy and Bollywood dancing and Burlesque.

Costuming

Costumes were more difficult to source in those early days of bellydancing when there was less available on EBay. Oriel fondly remembers her mum, though quite sick at this time, loved showing her the art of beading and sequining. Oriel continues to make most of her own costumes to this day and is happy to give beading lessons to her pupils. The photo below is one of the many intricate belts used in her performances.

Class Times

Bellydancing classes are held weekly on Macleay Island at the Community Centre every Thursday from 1pm - 2pm. Bi-monthly classes are held on Russell Island at the Community Hall on the first and third Saturday of the month, from 11am - 12 noon. For more information, call Oriel on 0421 603 568.

Workshops

Oriel conducts workshops from time to time. These are advertised on this site and throughout the islands.