On a Tuesday evening in the Marston Building's fourth floor, the sound of zills—those tiny brass finger cymbals—cuts through downtown traffic. Twenty women and three men, ranging from college students to retirees, are learning Egyptian-style hip isolations in front of floor-to-ceiling mirrors. Six months ago, instructor Alimah Hasan had trouble filling a single Monday class. Now she runs eight a week, with waitlists that have doubled since January.
Belly dance is having a moment in Delphi City. The Delphi Arts Council added the art form to its spring grant program for the first time this year. Three new studios have opened in the past eighteen months. And according to local studio owners, beginner enrollment is up across the board.
We spent two weeks visiting classes, interviewing instructors, and reviewing student feedback to find the most worthwhile options for every type of dancer. Here are four standouts.
How We Chose These Studios
We selected studios based on four criteria: variety of dance styles offered, genuine beginner-friendliness, geographic spread across Delphi City, and verified student reviews (minimum 4.5 stars across 50+ reviews on Google and ClassPass). Every studio below offers at least one introductory-level class with no prior experience required.
Alimah's Academy: Old-School Technique in Downtown Delphi
Best for: Dancers who want traditional training with performance-level standards
Price: $22 drop-in; $180 for 10-class pass
Location: 4th floor, Marston Building, Downtown
Schedule: Beginner fundamentals Monday/Wednesday 6:30 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.
Founder Alimah Hasan spent six years training in Cairo and performed with the Nile Troupe before opening her studio in 2019. Her beginner classes focus on Egyptian-style isolations—controlled movements of the hips, chest, and shoulders—rather than choreography-heavy routines. Students practice with weighted hip scarves (provided) and learn zill patterns from week three.
The standout offering is the monthly "Mystical Moonlight" workshop ($45, 90 minutes), which introduces veil work under deliberately low lighting. "It's dramatic without being performative," Hasan says. "You feel the fabric more than you watch yourself in the mirror."
Student note: Classes fill two weeks in advance. Book online.
Zara's Zest: Where Belly Dance Meets Hip-Hop
Best for: Dancers bored by traditional formats or cross-training from other styles
Price: $25 drop-in; first class free
Location: River North Arts District
Schedule: "Belly-Hop" fusion Tuesday/Thursday 7 p.m.; jazz fusion Sunday 11 a.m.
At Zara's Zest, founder Zara Okonkwo has built something genuinely unusual: a fusion program that respects belly dance technique instead of borrowing aesthetics superficially. Her signature "Belly-Hop" class pairs Egyptian isolations with street-dance footwork and break-inspired floor work. The result is high-energy and technically demanding, but Okonkwo breaks down combinations slowly enough that beginners can follow.
The studio's "Belly Dance & Beyond" series rotates quarterly; this season features jazz fusion and Afro-Latin belly dance. "People come because they want something athletic," Okonkwo says. "They stay because the isolations are harder than they look."
Student note: Arrive 15 minutes early to warm up. The pace moves fast.
Nadia's Nook: Community First, Technique Second
Best for: Nervous beginners, older adults, or anyone seeking social connection
Price: $18 drop-in; sliding scale available
Location: Westside Community Center, Delphi Heights
Schedule: "Belly Dance for All" Tuesday 6 p.m., Thursday 1 p.m. (senior-friendly); Saturday social monthly
Nadia's Nook operates out of a former church hall with scuffed wood floors and a tea station in the corner. Founder Nadia Rahman, a former social worker, designed her "Belly Dance for All" classes explicitly for people who might otherwise feel unwelcome in a dance studio. Students range from age 22 to 74. There are no mirrors. Rahman emphasizes confidence and camaraderie over precision.
The monthly Belly Dance Social ($10, open to the public) features a 30-minute beginner lesson, potluck snacks, and a short performance by the studio's amateur troupe. "It's not about being good," says regular student Denise Marlow, 61. "It's about showing up."
Student note: Wear whatever lets you move comfortably. Gym clothes are common.
