Classes

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

MAGIC HEALTH AND FITNESS HOLISTIC STUDIO, Candolim, North Goa, India

Palm trees surround our peaceful studio situated in a quiet location off the Candolim-Calangute Road near to cafe Coffee Day. Just one minutes walk to Candolim beach. We are featured in the Lonely Planet, South India and Goa.

Please email for summer/monsoon daily class schedule.

Holidays! If you are thinking of visiting Goa and would like to include private tuition, accomodation and trips please see the 'HOLIDAYS' page for more information of the exciting options we can offer you!

Instructors! We also hire our space for courses, classes and rehearsals.

Teacher Training India and Morocco! On application.

Classes in the UK and Europe: For exact dates and venues see the NEWS and EVENTS page for listings. This is updated regularly. 

If you would like to book Katie for an event or workshop please contact for availability.

 

TESTIMONIALS:

Hi Katie, Just felt the need to email you, to tell you how much I enjoyed your performance at the barefoot festival, we meet briefly before you went on stage. I was so amazed by your performance it was very beautiful and so entrancing. I did not get a chance to speak to you after so I decided to look you up and say well done. After reading your web page I now understand what an interesting journey your life has been and how you have become such an outstanding dancer. I find it very inspirational to here alternative roads that people’s lives have taken.

Good luck in your future

Robin Thomson. UK. Aug 2011.

 

"Katie is an amazing dancer and I had so much fun in her class!  She is also a great teacher and creates a very positive and inspiring energy in her classes.  She has a talent for relating the dance movements to her students in a way that they understand.  Katie is able to accommodate both students that just want to have fun and the serious that want to make a career out of middle eastern dance (belly dance).  She teaches dance in a fun yet elegant and classy way.  I recommend her to all and look forward to learning from her in the future!"
-Robyn Lynch, USA. 2011
 
'Dear Katie, I was deeply motivated by your article published in Mosaic (Issue 51). Actually, believe it or not, I wrote your words in my planner “If you can trust and leap into the void it always works out o.k.”   As an archeologist myself, I felt these words in my heart, I know what it is like to stay in other countries and immerse yourself in different cultures with all the enjoyment and difficulties it presents. Your courage and enthusiasm light a fire in my own feelings, your adventures in India spark my own desire to experience life fully and once again to “leap into void”.

I am experiencing a very hard time in my life, I lost my father and with it my desire to achieve, to travel, to dance and to do archeology.  Your article gave me a reawakening; I am not sure how it happened, I only know it did.  May be because it had the spirituality and magnetism that many ancient civilizations possess, it was intervening between the lines of your writing that reached my spirit, reviving it!

Following the lines from your article that “No circumstances or meeting in life is by chance….” I decide to practice harder, to perform more, to travel even further and to continue to purse my PhD in archeology to unveil more mysteries of ancient civilizations and of our souls.'

Sincerely, Tatiana Zelenetskaya Young (Kahina Asurah) UK. feb 2010.

 

'IN PRAISE OF KATIE AND BELLY DANCING.....Belly dancing is not just for the young, the slim and the lithe. It is for every woman. I am nearly 61 years old and last year I had a very bad accident, shattering my elbow and fracturing my hip in two places. Having physically recovered from my injuries, I decided to get fit and I discovered Katie and her belly dancing school. Feeling very nervous at the thought of belly dancing, I nevertheless went to see Katie and took one lesson. Fantastic! After eight lessons, I don’t think I’m a very good belly dancer but have I had fun, guided by a very good teacher. Also, I can now balance on my injured leg, my arm, whilst not perfect, is feeling a lot stronger and I have improved my fitness and stamina whilst loving every minute of the dancing. Apart from that I feel very womanly, sensuous and aware of my own bodily movements and posture. Thank you very much Katie. I’m looking forward to my next course of lessons and to seeing all the wonderful women of all ages and nationalities who have discovered the joy of belly dancing. 'Barbara Green. Feb 2011. Goa, India

'Katie's bellydancing classes have been amazing. From walking in as ashy, shift, hipped irish woman I feel more confident and secure in myself and the hips have loosened out to no end. Not only has it been great for your body but its terrible good craic! You get to meet great ladies from all over the world. sweat and laugh your way to Katies class - you will not regret it! Thanks Katie.'
Aoife landers. winter 2010/11. Goa, India.
 
'I think you are a wonderful teacher; you make it fun and easy by adding on new moves step by step. You have the ability to form a loving group where it feels like everyone is accepted exactly where they are. I also liked how you gave feedback to each one of us individually. With each lesson I left, I ran home and wrote down all the new steps, excited to dance on my own, because you gave good basic moves to play around with. The veil workshop was more than amazing!

I hope everything is fine with you, hopefully our roads will cross each other’s again! I definitely found a new passion in my life, thanks to you. Anette' (Candolim, Goa, 2011)  

'A note of thanks for your amazing series of workshops at Majma. You really are dynamite. Loved them all and even though with my knee playing up in the Bolly one, it was very enjoyable to watch. The waka waka afro belly was fantastic- loved the choroegraphy.
It was great fun to learn and your teaching technique is so incredible, you seem to make the impossible, possible. Never thought we'd be able to do a whole choroegraphy of that calibre in the time. I loved each of the workshops and each of the dances.
By the sun morning I was able to join in the Samba choroegraphy which was fab. My fellow ReBellyOn pals who were in some of the workshops and myself were all saying how great it would be to attend weekly classes with you though I fear India may be a little far- not that I would need any excuse to go back to India again! Your performances, as always were impeccable. You looked gorgeous in your costumes. You bring the stage alive and are a joy to watch. I especially loved the cheeky Bolly one- so high energy but totally captivating. I really hope to see you again either during this trip to the UK or another one or even perhaps see you at one of your training courses in Morocco- sounds excellent and would be great to try and further my learning and actually gain some qualification. Thank you again' - Hannah Newton. March 2011. UK 
 
'Hi Katie, I just wanted to say Hi and thanks very much for the weekend workshop at Brightlife. I had a fab time and have been practising the moves everyday I love it!! And it's also helping me exercise which is not one of my favourite things. 
Looking forward to getting the music from the girls in the office then hopefully the full routine will come
back to me. Thanks for your passion and enthusiasm it was really appreciated. Safe journey back to Goa. Love Jody.' Isle of Man. March 2011. 

'I went to India for 2 weeks and had 10 private bellydance lessons with Katie Holland. Lessons where beyond my expectations, not only did we clarify some tricky movements for me I also learned to choreograph! As an teacher Katie is motivating, fun and firm. She is also an exellent dancer and her choreographs are gorgeous'

Minna Tukiainen, Goa November 2010

'I came along to my first class in October 2003 and I was immediately hooked and stunned by the way Katie danced. When she explained the moves and broke them down it was so easy to understand and do. I love her unique style of dancing and teaching. She has inspired me in so many ways, in my dance and in my life, I am much more of a confident woman. She has encouraged me a lot as I started my own classes and I encourage all my students to do all of her workshops whenever they possibly can'.

Jane Brooker, UK. Feb 2009.

 

'As a bellydancing beginner, I studied with Katie for one week, for four hours a day. Katie was incredibly thorough and meticulous in her teaching, as well as encouraging and kind. I came away from my week of dancing feeling very enthusiastic and as if I had been given all the skills to go on and continue learning. Katie is truly inspiring as a teacher; not only is she a beautiful and graceful dancer, she is also very knowledgeable about all aspects of the dance, from the rich history behind bellydancing, to the various kinds of rhythms and beats.

The setting in Goa was wonderful; it was so amazing to swim in the sea or just chill on the beach after several hours of dancing. I really enjoyed my stay and my dance lessons and hope to return again in the near future!'

Annie Bumgarner, America/Korea. Feb 2009

 

'Katie is such an excellent teacher and I have really enjoyed and benefitted from her classes. She explains and demonstrates in a way that is easily understood and ensures you can follow this before pushing you out of your comfort zone, thereby continually improving. Her skills and ability as a dancer make her classes fun and suitable for all levels.'

Isabelle Whitten, UK. 2008

 

'It has been about 16 classes of Belly Dance which I have been following in South Goa (Colva) from Katie. I truly enjoyed Katie's classes and wished I could have followed more of her classes. The classes are easy to follow because of the comfortable set-up of the class. Clear explanations followed by ample amount of practice. Keep it up!!'
Claudia Kanth, Goa, India 2009

It was a great pleasure to attend the Egyptian dance workshop at Brightlife in the Isle of Man this weekend. Our very talented dance teacher Katie Holland gave us an exquisite demonstration of how beautiful this form of dancing can be, then spent the next two days gently and supportively guiding us through a wide variety of steps to incorporate into our repertoire. She was assisted by Simon Webster, a superb percussionist who helped to drum this new knowledge into our heads. His input helped us to clearly recognise the beat and patterns, enabling us to match the steps to the music with ease. I would recommend this course to anyone who likes dancing at any level and wants a brilliant weekend with lots of laughs. I’ll be back!  

Beth Martin, Brightlife. Isle of Man 2010

 

Dear Katie

I love to dance and having joined your belly-dancing classes in Goa last season, I thoroughly enjoyed learning the various moves that are involved.
It is so much fun shaking my hips and booty as well as learning the control involved in making my belly perform for me! I made some good friends there too and was pleased to find that, with regular practice, my body became more supple and firmed up - hooray for that!.
I try to regularly practise the routine you taught us and fully intended to create other routines to the music you gave me.
Unfortunately in April this year I was brought up short by a fall which broke my hip. That set me on a long road to recovery!
However, I am now getting much stronger again, starting to wiggle those hips again! I believe that the belly-dancing did in many ways help me to get back onto my feet more quickly.
Looking forward to seeing you again when I am next in Goa and to having fun developing my skills even further.
Love & Blessings
Susan U'Ren
Goa, August 2010

Above, here are some of my lovely ladies warming up for their weekly Egyptian dance class at The Old Barn, Worthing, West Sussex.