Ya Habibi Rock

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Welcome to the North Shore’s home of Belly Dance - Ya Habibi Rock Ltd.

Ya Habibi means ‘My Darling’ in Arabic.

The company is run by Fiona Harding, using her stage name ‘Fina’. Fiona has been learning, studying and teaching Middle Eastern Dance since the age of 12 years old and teaching since 1990. She aims to provide a fun learning environment where participants enjoy a rich, cultural experience of traditional Egyptian dance, giving great health benefits for all.

‘I believe everyone can dance and that dance and costuming should be available to anyone who has the call to learn! I aim to provide a rich, cultural experience for women that is fun and increases their fitness and wellbeing, beginners through to professional. My mission is to inspire and empower mind, body and spirit through traditional dance.’

Belly Dance Classes, which are run by term, are held in Devonport and St. Heliers

Regular ‘Haflas’ are held being a special celebration evening for participants – each one is a great party with Middle Eastern food, belly dance show, and dancing for invited guests of the dancers.

- to help create the dream costume for dancers and provide the performance evening for them to showcase their dance and costume for their friends and family. This involves using Fionas tailoring skills and offering a personal service of shopping together for the raw materials, to making up the costume for them, enhancing their unique specific individual needs.

- to source products and costuming items from Egypt, Fiona recommends Amera’s Palace.
Fiona first met Amera in Sydney in 1997 when attending her first Hossam Ramzy percussion and dance workshop following taking up the Egyptian Tabla. This is the place to shop! You can go online at www.ameraspalace.com.au

Fiona has taught dance to groups of students, both ladies and children, over the years since 1990, in both Australia and New Zealand.

Her business experience includes training as a Public Relations Consultant when working in Sydney, having gained the Advanced Public Relations Certificate in Sydney’s TAFE, working for the then Lady Mayoress of Sydney, who was actually learning belly dancing with her. Fiona has done recent Postgraduate study at Auckland University of Technology of International Business, Marketing Management, Business & Culture and Advertising papers.

‘While undergoing my university study I had the realisation how important culture is and that my knowledge and experience of this artform is what I would like to share, culture being the point of difference with this dance style’ Fiona said.