Asha Sa'id
Riverside, CA
" Welcome to my Site..."
Services: Belly Dancing
- $2530 min
- 0Classes Taught
- 9Recommendations
Asha Sa’id was born and raised in Sacramento, CA and moved to Riverside, CA to pursue a bachelors degree in Linguistics from UC Riverside. From the time Asha first started walking, her parents put a tambourine in her hand and thus began her love of music. Through years of piano lessons, playing around on her older brother’s drums and bongos and playing her tambourine in her father’s church each and every Sunday, Asha developed a love and appreciation for various style of music.
It wasn’t until later in life when Asha's world opened up and was first exposed to the world of bellydance. Visiting a friend's bellydance class, she was captivated by the music with its earthy drums, and mesmerized by the beauty, grace, strength and exotic movements being taught to the students. It was then that Asha knew that this was something she had to try for herself.
Asha was first bitten by the bellydance bug after her very first class in Riverside from well-known Middle-Eastern performer and instructor Aziza Sa’id, and has not stopped dancing since. Hungry for any and all things bellydance, Asha continues to expand her knowledge by exploring various styles of bellydance from American Cabaret to Gothic Fusion and everything in between. Asha’s hard work and passion for the dance has lead her to continually seek out dance opportunities for herself and her dance sisters. Asha is a key member of Scimitar Dance Company, a professional performance troupe, and The Cleopatra Club, a pro-am performance troupe, both under the direction of Aziza Sa'id. Asha is also a class coach in Aziza’s student coaching program and participates in Aziza’s mentoring program.
Asha has performed at the Riverside County National Date Festival, Bedouin Bazaar, Beyond Our Borders Temecula Fundraiser, Arabesque Bellydance Competition Show, Riverside Ghost Walk, as well as other private parties and events.
Student Recommendations
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Helen C. December 19, 2010
"I took Asha's beginning belly dance class for one year. She has the talent of being able to break down the movements and help beginners get solid foundation of the basics. Most importantly, her class is FUN! The music is great, the students enjoy her teaching style, and Asha really puts a lot of thoughts into making the class educational for all. Often, there are two senior assistant coaches present at the class as well. They provide the extra individual attention to help students polish their movements. If you re in the IE region, this is the best class to be in. Highly recommended!!"
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Helen C. December 19, 2010
"This class focuses on layering of different movements, musicality, improv, zills, and veil. Asha has so much to offer and each class is different. The class begins with warm up and polishing and layering of different movements. Then, we may either work on beginning zilling or veil work. Asha puts special attention on teaching the students to listen and feel the music, so it's not just drills, but truly bringing out something unique in each person. We have homework assignments, which push students to a higher level of excellence. I can see my classmates blossom over time, especially when we admire each other's performance of our homework assignment. Asha's class is a space of learning and beauty. "
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Shauna R. December 19, 2010
"Asha Sa'id is a skilled bellydance teacher who excels in empathy, good humor, and ability to communicate information. She comes to class organized and knowing what she plans to teach. She gently urges her students to dare new things and encourages them to become better and better without forcing anyone to do something she is uncomfortable trying yet. She sets an excellent example for her students because her own dancing is elegant, graceful, and sensual. I recommend her for beginning and intermediate bellydance classes and for private lessons."
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Aeron S. December 20, 2010
"Asha instills confidence and provides simple, clear instruction in a no stress, enjoyable atmosphere. I took my first lesson in October 2009 as a complete novice to bellydance and she made my experience fun and educational. Asha also gently corrects posture and stance issues to prevent common injuries. The music that she uses is easy to dance to, along with being upbeat and enjoyable. Her teaching format allows you to start at any time of the year - you attend until you've mastered the range of basic moves needed to advance to the next level of instruction offered. Instruction is very affordable - an exceptional value for the fun and fitness that is offered. Anyone that is interested in learning to bellydance should put Asha at the top of their list for instruction. "
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Aeron S. December 20, 2010
"Asha excels in teaching the more advanced forms of the dance using veil and zills. She takes everything a dancer has learned in the beginning level course and builds upon that foundation, introducing new styles and rhythms. Exercises are fun and challenging while the class atmosphere is relaxed and uplifting. Anyone that takes this class will learn the techniques that are needed to dance group choreographed numbers, perform veil as a soloist or with two or more dancers interacting, create an effective drum solo, or improvisation and taquim. Instruction is affordable and an exceptional value. Prepare yourself to have fun and learn to express yourself in new and wonderful ways."
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gazzella S. December 23, 2010
"Asha Sa'id was my first beginning bellydance instructor, and continues to work with me as an instructor, mentor, and peer in our intermediate level, choreography, and troupe classes. Asha has a gift for simplifying the dance into its most basic parts without oversimplifying it, to be able to lead a very beginning student through the basic forms of the dance and into and through the intermediate and advanced layers that make it the divine orchestrated art that it is. We are so very blessed to have dance instructors like Asha Sa'id here in Riverside! "
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gazzella S. December 30, 2010
"In Asha's Intermediate Level Bellydance classes, she continues and deepens the skills introduced in the Beginning Level class. Zills, drums and rhythms, veil, taqsim, improv, drum solo, and performance technique are all covered. The class moves at such a pace to keep both those who have just transferred in and those who have been there awhile interested and motivated. Homework assignments are fun, challenging, and highly relevant. Asha's greatest strength, however, lies in her ability to bring out the best in each and every student through positive feedback and strong and loving support. ~gazzella!~"
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gazzella S. January 16, 2011
"Asha's choreography class moves at an appropriate pace, and she breaks down choreographies into their simplest parts easily. If we have questions, Asha takes her time answering them completely. She has an excellent sense of pacing lessons. The choreographies we are learning are often demanding troupe pieces, yet I feel we master them with relative ease, thanks to Asha's expert leadership."
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gazzella S. January 16, 2011
"In my very first private lesson with Asha, she asked my friend and I to dance to a fast piece and a slow piece...by ourselves....to pieces of music we had never, ever heard before. About two months into my bellydance studies, my initial reaction was, "WHAT??" That was the first time I had improvised, ever, and after it was over...we both wanted to do it again. Asha not only helps one-on-one or one-to-two with technique and technical skills, she also has a beautiful way of inspiring her students to bring out the best in themselves. Her caring encouragement I know has helped me become the best dancer I can be in this moment, and an ever-evolving dancer for years to come."