Christen Ross and Katelynn McKenzie recently participated in a belly dancing workshop in Toronto. (Christen Hope/Facebook)

By Derek Cornet

immersion

Dancers travel to Toronto for intensive belly dance workshop

Aug 12, 2025 | 4:59 PM

It was a memorable trip to Toronto for two Lac La Ronge Indian Band members who are interested in learning more about raqs sharqi, a form of Egyptian belly dancing.

Christen Ross of La Ronge and Katelynn McKenzie from Hall Lake travelled to Toronto earlier this month for a four-day intensive raqs sharqi workshop hosted by well-known teacher, choreographer and director Yasmina Ramzy.

The workshop included performance feedback, technique drills, meditation, pro gigging tips and fostering respect for Middle Eastern culture.

“Yasmina went over professional gigging tips, she went over respectability to the culture, how to dress accordingly, how to behave during performances and when you do get gigs,” Ross explained.

“Overall, it was just another great experience. She’s an absolutely wonderful teacher and I also really wanted to give an acknowledgement to Dance Saskatchewan for helping fund myself and Katelynn McKenzie. Katelynn came from Hall Lake. That was her first big trip.”

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Ross is in her second year learning raqs sharqi and she is a former member of a local belly dancing group that disbanded. It was also Ross’ second time participating in a workshop led by Ramsey as she already did so in August 2024.

“This year she did a little bit of a different approach,” Ross remarked.

“She did a little bit more folklore performing rather than just the technique. We also had live musician Dr. George Sawa, his wife Susan, and on a separate day, we had a live drummer which was incredible.”

The workshop was about six hours per day with time for dance and formal education. Ross learned about the cultural practice of sufi, the golden era of belly dance and what the future could hold for it. She also had time to visit Arab and Lebanese nightclubs, where they were welcomed into the Middle Eastern community.

Ross also had the chance to do a volunteer-based fundraising performance with proceeds going towards food aid in Gaza.

“Katelynn and I spent a little bit more time in Toronto to go and be tourists for a couple of days,” she said. “We got to immerse ourselves in everything Toronto got to offer.”

Having recently moved to Calgary, Ross hopes to continue honing her belly dancing skills. She’s looking forward to more opportunities to perform in a more professional setting.

“I am very excited to continue my solo journey,” Ross added.

“I really do miss when there was a troupe in La Ronge. I know Katelynn is feeling the exact same way. I am very, very excited to immerse myself into the dance community here and I have the confidence to do that.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com