The ancient art of traditional Belly Dancing is set to become the hottest alternative to the current jaded aerobics and fitness scene on the Costa del Sol with the announcement that Britain’s best-known Belly Dancer JACQUELINE CHAPMAN (R.G.N., O.N.C) has relocated her highly successful Jarabic Dance School from London to the Costa del Sol. Classes are currently being held in the Fitness Room at the Bel Air Club de Tenis y Padel, Urbanizacion Bel Air, Estepona. There are regular classes, most Saturdays, 11.30am to 12.30pm. Private tuition is also available at this venue; and later this year both regular and private classes will be available at Jacqueline’s new private studio in El Paraiso, to the west of Marbella.
Comments JACQUELINE CHAPMAN – “Most people have only seen belly dancers in restaurants or on holiday. That is only one aspect. Classical Arabic belly dancing is graceful, emotional, skilful and sensual, not overtly sexual. It is mainly danced in the Middle East by women, for women to show love and respect for each other without men’s presence. Dance is fitness – and Belly Dancing is an imaginative and exciting alternative to keep fit and feel beautiful. Whatever form of dance or exercise you take up dictates your body shape. Belly dancing inspires a womanly, hour-glass figure with natural curves. It’s the ultimate way to maintain a great body and achieve a fabulous feminine figure.”
The astonishing rise of the classically trained dancer, a UK State Registered Nurse for 10 years, rising to the level of Ward Sister, and mother of four, to become one of the world’s finest exponents and teachers of classical Arabic Belly Dancing is truly remarkable. JACQUELINE CHAPMAN only took an interest in Belly Dancing at the age of 30, when she read a magazine feature that claimed ‘Belly dancing cures all backache’. As a nurse, she suffered from the problem and within months she had not only found the cure for herself, but had also become totally immersed in the movements, history, culture and philosophy of the subject.
She has subsequently won international recognition and acclaim as a quintessential English dancer who is able to perform and choreograph the oldest of Middle Eastern art forms with total authenticity and genuine feeling. She has captured the plaudits of the sternest of Arabian critics from London and Paris to Egypt and the USA and been compared favourably in the Arabic press to the most legendary of Middle Eastern dancers and film stars, Samia Gamal.
JACQUELINE, cited by the Independent on Sunday as ‘the doyenne of British belly dancing”, reached another pinnacle of her career when she was chosen by Derek Evans – the renowned “Mr Motivator” – to present a series of half-hour programmes of the BodyFile television series. This series of 6 programmes remains, to this day, the only series of programmes on belly dancing ever shown on UK national television. The series was subsequently networked internationally by ITV2 and, more than 10 years later, can frequently still be viewed on a wide range of TV channels across the world (and also on YouTube, via the links on her website).
JACQUELINE CHAPMAN is a professional performer and teacher. She also undertakes personal tuition at various venues and innovative Belly Babies ante-natal classes utilising her obstetric training and Middle Eastern traditions which were described by the Sunday Times as ‘Undoubtedly the country’s most unusual ante-natal classes, for which Chapman carefully choreographs beneficial movements’.
Editors’ note: Jacqueline is available for media interviews, film choreography, professional performances, classes, workshops, and personal training. For further details, please contact Jacqueline (telephone or WhatsApp) on +34 633 21 53 22 or +44 (0)7958 348204; e-mail her at j@baileoriental.es; or visit her website at http://www.baileoriental.es.
