The sport of movement.

If you’re looking to get a head start in your fitness journey through a dance that most speaks to you, here are some of our picks to get you started.

Ballet and Barre

Although ballet is known to be one of the most elegant types of dance forms, it is also a great form of exercise, due to its toning abilities and its myriad of benefits such as posture, speed, flexibility, coordination, and ultimate strength.

1. Jeddah Ballet Academy

The Jeddah Ballet Academy is a performing arts school offering ballet classes to all levels, allowing students to advance in their ballet skills and partake in the exhilarating, elegant yet beneficial dance sport.

Instagram: jeddahballetacademy
Location: Al Mohammadiyyah Dist.

2. Sculpt Studio

A boutique studio specializing in sculpting and toning the body, Sculpt Studio offers barre classes of different types including a class titled Bounce It on the Barre, where you can get the most out of what barre has to offer.

Instagram: sculptbyram
Location: Al Olaya Tower, Prince Sultan St.

3. iBallerina

Founded by Sera Mcknass, the iBallerina – Saudi Ballet Academy, is a classical ballet studio that trains aspiring and advanced ballerinas of all ages, as well as offers barre classes to maintain fitness as well as ballet techniques.

Instagram: iballerinajeddah
Location: Muhammad Abd Reda St., Al Salamah Dist.

Belly Dancing

Belly dancing is one of the oldest and most traditional forms of dance, that not only is an incredible boost of confidence, but also has a multitude of health benefits. Belly dancing can promote incredible balance, strength, and coordination, and even improve digestion. As well as it being a highly expressive and fun dance form, it will definitely keep you in shape too.

1. B-It

Burning calories in a fun way, B-It’s belly dancing classes for women will tone the body, straighten posture, and burn fat, all while feeling like you’re doing minimum exercise and dancing the class away.

Instagram: bit.fitness
Location: Al Hamra, Al Marwa, Al Shatie, Al Fayha

2. Loca Studio

A Jeddah staple in the contemporary dance sports scene, Loca Studio also offers belly dancing classes with multiple instructors that will leave you sweaty, refreshed, and definitely in your feminine energy. It is worth a try.

Instagram: locastudios
Location: Al Mohammadiyyah Dist.

Tango by Zenah Kazim

We spoke to Tango dancer and instructor, Zenah Kazim about her journey and experience in regard to the benefits of Tango. After accidentally stumbling upon Tango at the American University in Dubai, Zenah Kazim fell in love with the dance, stating that “it transported me to another world”.

Zenah considers Tango not only a type of sport but also a form of meditation. Closing your eyes and feeling the music by moving your body to the rhythm has a myriad of benefits for your physical and mental health. It’s all about transferring the energy of the male leader to the female follower. Zenah also talks about how Tango can teach you skills such as patience, rhythm, and detachment.

Due to the physical demands of Tango, it will leave you feeling breathless while placing a strong focus on posture by targeting the core as well as balance and strength. Zenah says it’s easy to spot a Tanguera, a tango dancer, from her toned legs as the dancing is all done in high heels, which will put a large focus on the legs. Zenah started off teaching Tango to kids and then moved on to her female-only workshops entitled ‘Teaching Ladies Style Tango’ which teaches Tango to beginners with a partner.

Zenah was recognized as the First Saudi Female Tango Instructor in 2022, and teaches a specific kind of Tango that incorporates Pole Fitness, coming up with ‘Tango Pole Dance’, which she describes as ‘gracefully danced’. Her Ladies Style classes are intended to be taken first as a prerequisite to then later move on to dance with a partner.

Instagram: thefit_room
Location: Al Sulimaniyah, Riyadh