Sandra Catena
New York, NY
" Welcome to my Site..."
Services: Belly Dancing, Core Conditioning, Reiki / Energy Work
- $6330 min
- 0Classes Taught
- 1Recommendations
My name is Sandra Catena and I'm a Middle Eastern Dance Master in New York City. I started belly dancing in 1975. By 1980, I was performing in Manhattan's Arabic nightclubs, and by 1990 had performed in Europe, West Africa and Canada. From 1996-1997 I wrote, produced, choreographed and performed in my own play, A BELLY DANCER'S STORY, off-Broadway at the Red Room Theater. After six weeks, my play was picked up by producers and produced for an additional eight weeks. For years, I made my living as a professional belly dancer. Teaching dance always took a back seat to performing, until my play was produced. After watching my play, so many women wanted to train with me in dance. I started teaching both group and private classes in Manhattan. In 1999, I created my own business, Big Apple Belly Dance, where I train professional and amateur dancers. Since then, I've produced 34 belly dance concerts in New York City. In March 2008 I wrote and published my first novel entitled, THE AFRICAN BELLY DANCE. My novel is the first and only belly dance murder mystery in the world. My second book is entitled, CREATE A FUNCTIONAL BODY: TRAIN LIKE A DANCER!
In addition, I am a Reiki Practitioner and Personal Trainer.
Student Recommendations
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Beata A. September 16, 2010
"On the day I went, the class was very small, so it was like a semi-private session. There was a feeling of real camaraderie, as it was obvious that the other students were regulars and had gotten to know each other well. They were all very welcoming. Sandra took us first through a thorough warm-up, and then the real work began. We moved across the floor using basic steps and combinations. If you're new to bellydancing- your arms will be tired!They are rarely at your sides, and you're holding them up most of the time. After we went through the basic steps, we moved into a more complicated series of movements, that was more of a routine. It was a lot of fun trying to keep up with Sandra. Another surprising thing was the amount of work your hands do. To really put the finishing touches on your dancing, watch how she moves her hands and fingers. Overall, the class was really fun, and a lot harder than it looks."