The Adam Basma Dance Company

The shop is shady– if you plan to buy things here, negotiate! They totally ripped me off on some CDs when I went here, as a totally naïve and gullible dance student.
Also– Adam Basma is pretty racist, against, well anyone! He’s pretty douchey and made me feel like shit because I was asian :(

I wrote this review when the studio was apparently in transition to new management. It’s now open under the name of the Los Angeles Bellydance Academy. The studio is still pretty tiny, but has been redone and is very classy and nice inside. Sherri still teaches here, and I still stand by everything in this review. Great teacher, great classes. Worth a shot if you haven’t checked them out before!
Due to scheduling conflicts I’m not dancing here any longer, but I’ve happily sent friends their way, and will continue to do so. I’ll be reposting this review under the new studio’s business listing.

Sahar is a fabulous belly dance instructor for a beginner. I’ve been taking classes with her for a couple of years. She was teaching a real dance class at LA Fitness Gym on La Cienega at 18^th Street when I first saw her. I liked that her class was not one of those mixes of dance with aerobics that just makes everybody look like bad cheerleaders.
Sahar is authentic. She’s a professional dancer who has danced for celebrities and princes. She is Egyptian and teaches traditional/​classic technique but is very eclectic in her own personal music taste and dance influences.
She goes just the right speed for a beginner. The movements are simple and you certainly get a workout! There is just enough looseness built into the class so that you can just have fun without being to worried about doing everything exactly right.
The classes are also very affordable as she is starting out. Actually, the price is unbeatable.
Also, since the studio is behind Adam Basma’s Belly Dance shop, you can also buy your gear there as well. There is an amazing assortment of items. The owner of the shop, Adam Basma, sometimes teaches a bellydance class right after Sahar’s so sometimes you can double up and do 2 lessons in a row.