Fees & Getting Started

Location:

Classes are held at Studio 1831, located at 1831 Brandywine Street,
one block north of Spring Garden Street in the Art Museum area of Philadelphia (zip code 19130).
Go to www.mapquest.com if you need to see a map.

Classes:

Most classes are held on an ongoing basis (unless noted), so there is no start date or session period. There's also no need to pre-register. Our doors are open to you 5 to 10 minutes prior to each class. Other classes are likely to be scheduled before yours so you may have to wait a few minutes until the earlier class lets out. Latecomers are welcome but please be courteous to other class members and enter discreetly.
What to Wear:

For all classes, wear comfortable clothing.

For Yoga, Pilates, and Bellydance you can wear bare feet. For bellydance, soft slippers are option.

Class Fees:

Yoga, Belly Dance, Pilates and Fitness classes:
  • A single class for $14
  • 10 class card for $120
  • 20 class card for $200
NEW: Student rate with valid, current ID
  • A single class for $12
  • 10 class card for $100
  • 20 class card for $180

Private classes are also available for $60 per hour or you can purchase a package of four private classes for $220. We accept cash, check or on-line credit card payments via our Acteva Website. There is no pre-registration required and classes are ongoing so you can join at any time.

Salsa Course with George Dennis. Register through George at 609-330-6804 or georgedennis@verizon.net.

Middle Eastern drumming classes are $16 for a single class, or $14 per class for a series of five or more. E-mail Bill to sign up for Drumming Class.

Purchase individual classes, multi-class cards, and other options by credit card through our secure Acteva Website.

Private classes:

Private yoga, belly dance, and fitness classes are available by appointment.

For more info:

Please call Valerie at 215-665-1991 or e-mail info@studio1831.com.

Class Descriptions:

Yoga

The word "Yoga" comes from the Sanskrit root "yuj," meaning to "bind, join, attach and yoke." Yoga, in its original sense, is the joining or union of the individual self with the higher self. Through the practice of yoga, we combine postures and breathing exercises that lead us toward harmony, balance and well-being. In the process, we reduce stress and acquire strength and flexibility as we develop the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspect of our being. Wear comfortable clothing.

Belly Dance I

Learn basic technique including shoulder and hip shimmies, hip drops and lifts, snake hips and figure-eights, as well as basic dance posture and placement. Wear comfortable clothing and slippers/dance shoes or bare feet.

Saturday Belly Dance I

Learn basic technique including shoulder and hip shimmies and circles, hip drops and lifts, snake hips and figure-eights, as well as basic dance posture and placement. Simple choreography and combination moves are also explored in this class. Wear comfortable clothing and slippers/dance shoes or bare feet.

Belly Dance II

Students continue to build on the Cabaret/Egyptian technique and begin to combine movements for an improvisational style. New belly dance students who feel comfortable with a faster pace may also enjoy this class.

Belly Dance III

Building on the dance skills learned in basic and intermediate classes, students take their dancing to the next level, with more challenging moves, increased layering, and improvisation. BDII students who feel comfortable with a faster pace may also enjoy this class.

Body Conditioning

This 45-minute class focuses on toning and strengthening the major muscle groups including, arms, legs, abs and glutes, using a variety of weights, resistance bands, and calisthenics. The class emphasizes proper technique to ensure a safe and effective workout.

Cardio Toning

This 45-minute class includes 20 to 25 minutes of cardiovascular conditioning through a combination of step and/or low impact aerobics. It is followed by 20 minutes of upper body toning using hand weights and resistance bands, which target abs and arms.

Drumming Class

Learn the basics of Middle Eastern drumming with Bill Koutsouros of the group Animus. Any goblet-shaped drum will do or bring your zils. A very limited number of drums are available -- contact Bill at billk@animusmusic.com.

Open Studio for Dancers and Drummers

On Thursdays at 8:40 p.m., Bill Koutsouros hosts an Open Studio for Dancers and Drummers at Studio 1831. Geared for beginner and intermediate drummers and belly dancers, this is a unique opportunity for lovers of these arts to practice dancing and drumming together on a regular basis. Bill "I-don't-believe-he-has-only-ten-fingers!!!" Koutsouros of the band Animus will lead the drummers and also include out taqsims for dancers' delight.

Cost is $15 for drummers and $5 for dancers.

Join us! The more people, the more fun! Questions? Want to get on the e-mail list? Contact billk@animusmusic.com.

Salsa

Catch Latin Fever! Learn the basics of Salsa Dancing. No partner required; just show up and have fun. Dance shoes or other shoes with smooth, non-stick soles are recommended. Participants do not need a partner to join the class.

Teacher George Dennis focuses on the "Salsa ON 2" or New York style, as well as body isolation and styling.

Register for the classes by contacting George Dennis at (609) 330-6804 or georgedennis@verizon.net.

Pilates

Pilates is a unique system of body conditioning developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 1900s. The Pilates Method focuses on creating strength and stability in the "core" abdominal area. It also focuses on a mindful approach to, enhancing flexibility, increasing coordination, and improving skeletal alignment, and strengthening the muscles without creating bulk. Previously practiced almost exclusively by dancers and professional atheletes, the Pilates Method has recently gained national recognition as a safe and effective means of achieving a strong, balanced physique.