FCSD - Romani inspired Skirt Dance Classes
Please note that I am not Romani and I do not teach any traditional Romani style, but rather that my skirt dance creations are inspired by the Romani dance styles all over the world.
The one thing in common for my creations is the big full circle skirt.
The Roma people spread all over the world over centuries and with that created multiple sub groups and their music and dance styles evolved in different regions.
My dances are focused on thefollowing: Expressions, Story-telling, fast-paced at times and designed for performances at Shows and Community events. The side effect will be a good workout in class.
The one thing in common for my creations is the big full circle skirt.
The Roma people spread all over the world over centuries and with that created multiple sub groups and their music and dance styles evolved in different regions.
My dances are focused on thefollowing: Expressions, Story-telling, fast-paced at times and designed for performances at Shows and Community events. The side effect will be a good workout in class.
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Workshop
Sunday, 13th September at 1:15pm Romani style influenced skirt dance to a Turkish pop song Session type: Turkish Romani influenced skirt dance where the skirt acts as partial prop throughout the dance for expression. Level: L4 and up When: 13th September 2026 at 1:15pm Duration: 2,5 hours Where: St. Peter's Church Hall Additional info: Intermediate/Advanced level, A wide skirt should be worn to get the most out of this workshop as the skirt also acts as a prop to highlight moves with expressive swishing and wrapping. A circle skirt/ wide bohemian style skirt would be ideal. Performance opportunities: Autumn Showcase on 22nd November 2026 Woodley Carnival 2027 on 12th June ( time for be confirmed ) Bastille Day Festival 2027 - to be confirmed |
FCSD Drop in Classes
Session type: Full circle skirt drop in classes, learn moves, technique and combos, have fun whilst staying fit! When: Tuesdays @ 1:30pm Thursdays @ 1:30pm Duration: 1 hour Where: Sunflower studio in Lower Earley, RG6 3** Additional info: Open level, beginner friendly Pre-registration and minimum sign up required for classes to run. These are weekly classes held in Sandy's home studio in Lower Earley, where we focus on technique, musicality and learn/refine our moves. These classes are suitable for beginners. Please note: This class requires signing up at least 24 hours before to ensure we do not exceed maximum capacity. Once registered, the class will not be refunded, should you be unable to make the session. In the unlikely event of cancelation by Sandy Maya's Dance, you'll get notified and a full refund will be issued or the credit can be used for another class where minimum sign up is reached. |
Skirt swishing Workshop 2026
£35.00
Skirt swishing Workshop
Romani influenced skirt dance
Session type: Romani influenced skirt dance where the skirt acts as partial prop throughout the dance for expression.
When: 13th September 2026 at 1:15pm
Duration: 2,5 hours
Where: St. Peter's Church Hall
Additional info:
Intermediate/Advanced level,
A wide skirt should be worn to get the most out of this workshop as the skirt also acts as a prop to highlight moves with expressive swishing and wrapping.
A circle skirt/gypsy style skirt would be ideal.
Performance opportunities:
Autumn Showcase on 22nd November 2026
Woodley Carnival on 12th June 2027 tbc
Bastille Day Festival Reading tbc
Circle Skirt Dance Drop in Classes ( every Tuesday at 1:30pm )
£11.50
FCSD Drop in Classes
Session type: Full circle skirt, drop in classes, learn moves, technique and combos, have fun whilst staying fit! These classes are romani dance inspired from all over the world.
When:
Tuesdays at 1:30pm
Duration: 1 hour
Where: Sunflower studio in Lower Earley,
RG6 3**
Additional info:
Open level, beginner friendly
Pre-registration and minimum sign up required for classes to run.
Saver pass for the relevant month accepted.
These are weekly classes held in Sandy's home studio in Lower Earley, where we focus on technique, musicality and learn/refine our moves.
These classes are suitable for beginners.
Please note:
This class requires signing up at least 24 hours before to ensure we do not exceed maximum capacity.
Once registered, the class will not be refunded, should you be unable to make the session.
In the unlikely event of cancelation by Sandy Maya's Dance, you'll get notified and a full refund will be issued or the credit can be used for another class where minimum sign up is reached.
Circle Skirt Dance Drop in Classes ( every Thursday at 1:30pm )
£11.50
FCSD Drop in Classes
Session type: Full circle skirt drop in classes, learn moves, technique and combos, have fun whilst staying fit!
When:
Thursdays @ 1:30pm - beginning September 2026
Duration: 1 hour
Where: Home studio in Lower Earley,
RG6 3**
Additional info:
Open level, beginner friendly
Pre-registration and minimum sign up required for classes to run.
These are weekly classes held in Sandy's home studio in Lower Earley, where we focus on technique, musicality and learn/refine our moves.
These classes are suitable for beginners.
Please note:
This class requires signing up at least 24 hours before to ensure we do not exceed maximum capacity.
Once registered, the class will not be refunded, should you be unable to make the session.
In the unlikely event of cancelation by Sandy Maya's Dance, you'll get notified and a full refund will be issued or the credit can be used for another class where minimum sign up is reached.
Saver Pass Option available for this offering
A bit about the Romani folk, how I understand it and why I am so fascinated by it.
Before you start reading, please note that, jsut like with the art of Oriental Dance, there may be several different accounts of its history, depending on the narrator. Happy to receive any corrections or further insight into this topic. By no means am I an expert on this, yet I feel there is a lack of appreciation for these beautiful dances that evolved over time with influences from so many places in the world, yet keeping the essence, the soul of origin alive in the music and storytelling by using traditional dance moves. I wish to celebrate the beautiful art of this dance form in a respectful way, honouring the roots.
If you are a bit like me and saw or heard the name: Romani dance, you couldn't picture what is meant by it. In contrast, would someone mentione Gypsy dance or Gypsy music, images and impressions may have flooded into your head. That is what happened to me. My thoughts went to energetic and soulful music, beautiful, enchanting, free spirited dancers that at the same time seemed to carry the burden of a heavy heart, a longing for a place which they never seem to find as they stayed constantly on the road.
When I was little, my mum, who was fascinated with "Zigeuner" ( the German term for the group of people ) Frome hereon out, I shall refer to the group of people as Romani, as there seems to be a wider consent that those terms ( Gypsy, Zigeuner ) are deemed degrading and direspectful and it is not my intention to be disrespectful. Occasionally the word Gypsy will come up as it is used as a collective umbrella term for educational purposes and in truth, not all groups under that umbrella prefer the term Romani.
So, back to my childhood and a memory associated with early impressions of Romani people.
I had a Barbie doll, or 2 and so did all my friends. At the time, all the Barbies looked the same and the only differeence was the clothing the Barbie came with when you bought it.
One day my mum gifted me a special Barbie, one that did not look like the branded Barbie. It was a different maker, but I would not remember who it would have been by. What I do remember is that she was beautiful, long, back, thick hair, big cat like eyes, golden earrings, and she had movable hands. I remember that I was not used to seeing that type of beauty, since I grew up way up north, just by the border to Denmark. Most people were fair skinned and had light hair, and then I remember thinking that I undestood why my mum was so fascinated by Romani people, because my mum had dark hair and green eyes, which until that time I never analized. It may also have been that time growing up, that I wished my hair was darker so I would look more like my parents. They both had darker hair, my mum dark brown with green eyes, my dad light brown with blue eyes and I was very blonde as a child, like my aunt, coming from my grandad's side of the family.
So there was my first impression of their beauty. In movies Romani people were always on the move, traveling in caravans and with their horses. They entertained and enchanted people with their outgoing nature and creativity.
One day, I must have been even younger than my memory of the doll, we had a fair come to our village. Since I am from an island where everyone knows everyone, it was exciting to see, what I now believe must have been Romani people, back then, I would not have known what they were or where they came from exactly.
But us kids were hanging about, watching them set up their tents and performance area. They had animals with them and then there was a lady in a tent who did Tarot readings where kids were not allowed in. But I believe it was that woman who walked around the fair with a massive snake around her shoulders. As fascinates as I was by the snake, I remember the woman to be very beautiful, although I would not be able to tell you now what she looked like or what she was wearing. I do however remember that I was allowed to touch the snake and it felt very different to what I thought it would feel like. From that day on I loved snakes ( I never did not like them, I just had no opinion of them ). The other memory of the fair adventure was the sword-swallower, I was scared he would hurt himself and I temember the stench, a smell that I could not assign to a name as I had not smelled it before. Now I know it was the liquid used by firebreathers.
So, all in all, I found Romani people fascinating and intriguing. They seemed to have all the fun, to my young and innocent impressionable mind.
It took a long time for me to become aware of Romani dance as being a dance style that could be learned and danced by non Romani people. So I only began my journey to understanding this artform in 2025 when I decided to perform to David Garretts "Gypsy dance" Sorry, it is the name of the actual music piece. And it was before I was aware that this term should not be used to nowadays.
As I was ploughing my way through youtube videos to get an idea what footwork would help me keep up with the fast paced music, I went down the rabbit hole to discover more and more. It was only after my performance that I dove deeper into the styles and music. I then came across Sahira Dance and what do you know? They had an upcoming workshop on for which I could do online. So I signed up: Romani & Tsifteteli Workshop at Sahara Dance Online with Sophianna and Odiney .The workshop was great as it also included a presentation of the Origin of Romani dance. A new world opened to me there and then.
I had already started a Romani inspired Choreo term with my group Fatamorgana and was able to embed some of the knowledge I gained from the workshop, even though the style of the dance itself, nor the music was covered in that workshop. The session left me hungry to learn more and so I also found Silvia Brâgagnollo who teaches DANÇA CIGANA, brazilian style.
( please note that in some countries the name given to the Romani people does not reflect the degrading and respectless connotation as perceived in other countries ).
The term Gypsy is said to be a label given by those who believed that the ethnic group came from Egypt
( gypsy=short for Egyptian ). That was based on information available at that time. However it took many years before the travellers even arrived in Egypt. This may be the reasn why this term was rejected by the majority of the group who refer to themselves as the Romani people. Nobody likes to be labeled, especially when the label depicts you as coming from a specific place that you may never have called home. But even then, within the Gypsy collective, not everyone is in favour of being called Romani, as this excludes the roots of some groups.
So where did the Romani come from and when did it all start?
Well, you know, noone ever knows for sure, but let's see what is currently known/perceived from information we have here and now.
From the northwest of India, westward to Persia, into Europe, a long journey over a very long period of time, searching for a safe home. Some stayed in certain regions where they felt safe, accepted and were able to build a life, but the majority continued their way and with that spread their craftmanship and artistic skills. When nothing ever is certain, you become the best in what you do, so you can provide for your tribe along the way. Craftmanshop aside, but not to be dismissed, I am focusing soley on the dance aspect of this group, well knowing that moves and gestures will have evolved from the groups way of life.
Their journey started centuries ago. 2 main tribes took their nomadic lifestyle westward and their path is believed to have been in this order:
- Early migration waves by the nomad tribes of Northwest India are thought to have taken place as far as 500 BCE.
- One of the earliest settlements were in Persia where the groups fused well with its culture and enriched the folcloric dance and music of the region.
- According to linguistic findings, it is believed that some Dom people passed through Armenia already in the 9th century.
-The Romani people are said to have left India in early 11th century, some to avoid taxation for not converting their faith.
-lived through the Byzantine Empire ( countries today known as Italy, Greece, Turkey, Spain, Egypt, Israel, Syria and North Africa )
-until the Ottoman Empire took over in the 15th century, ruling over the people, including the Roma.
It is said that the highest Romani population is settled in today's Turkey, however it is not factually known as the travellers refuse to register in fears of discrimination. There is an estimate f over 10 million Romani people living in Europe.
- According to written accounts, they entered the Balkans and Central Europe in the early 15th century.
-Migration to Spain bringing influences to Flamenco dancing in Andalusia is said to have happened in the mid 15th century.
- Migration waves into Russia began in 1500 with more Ruska Roma anesters moving in from Poland in the 18th century
- In the late 16th century, their first arrival in Brazil came about by being exiled from Portugal to Brazil during the colonial era. Later waves of migration followed to expand in Brazil and with that, their impact was had on the cultural, folklore, music and even regional Carnival celebrations.
- In the 19th century the travel community also entered the USA, keeping a lower profile to protect themselves from prejudice, an estimated 1 million Romani live there and brought their song and dance to the land as well.
Being aware of their journey over the centuries, touching so many cultures as they moved through and at times stayed in some places. And even though the overall Romani group identifies into so many sub-groups, it is clear to see the similarities of their spirit carried over into the different regions and cultures they touched.
There are also links to the bohemian culture.
If you are a bit like me and saw or heard the name: Romani dance, you couldn't picture what is meant by it. In contrast, would someone mentione Gypsy dance or Gypsy music, images and impressions may have flooded into your head. That is what happened to me. My thoughts went to energetic and soulful music, beautiful, enchanting, free spirited dancers that at the same time seemed to carry the burden of a heavy heart, a longing for a place which they never seem to find as they stayed constantly on the road.
When I was little, my mum, who was fascinated with "Zigeuner" ( the German term for the group of people ) Frome hereon out, I shall refer to the group of people as Romani, as there seems to be a wider consent that those terms ( Gypsy, Zigeuner ) are deemed degrading and direspectful and it is not my intention to be disrespectful. Occasionally the word Gypsy will come up as it is used as a collective umbrella term for educational purposes and in truth, not all groups under that umbrella prefer the term Romani.
So, back to my childhood and a memory associated with early impressions of Romani people.
I had a Barbie doll, or 2 and so did all my friends. At the time, all the Barbies looked the same and the only differeence was the clothing the Barbie came with when you bought it.
One day my mum gifted me a special Barbie, one that did not look like the branded Barbie. It was a different maker, but I would not remember who it would have been by. What I do remember is that she was beautiful, long, back, thick hair, big cat like eyes, golden earrings, and she had movable hands. I remember that I was not used to seeing that type of beauty, since I grew up way up north, just by the border to Denmark. Most people were fair skinned and had light hair, and then I remember thinking that I undestood why my mum was so fascinated by Romani people, because my mum had dark hair and green eyes, which until that time I never analized. It may also have been that time growing up, that I wished my hair was darker so I would look more like my parents. They both had darker hair, my mum dark brown with green eyes, my dad light brown with blue eyes and I was very blonde as a child, like my aunt, coming from my grandad's side of the family.
So there was my first impression of their beauty. In movies Romani people were always on the move, traveling in caravans and with their horses. They entertained and enchanted people with their outgoing nature and creativity.
One day, I must have been even younger than my memory of the doll, we had a fair come to our village. Since I am from an island where everyone knows everyone, it was exciting to see, what I now believe must have been Romani people, back then, I would not have known what they were or where they came from exactly.
But us kids were hanging about, watching them set up their tents and performance area. They had animals with them and then there was a lady in a tent who did Tarot readings where kids were not allowed in. But I believe it was that woman who walked around the fair with a massive snake around her shoulders. As fascinates as I was by the snake, I remember the woman to be very beautiful, although I would not be able to tell you now what she looked like or what she was wearing. I do however remember that I was allowed to touch the snake and it felt very different to what I thought it would feel like. From that day on I loved snakes ( I never did not like them, I just had no opinion of them ). The other memory of the fair adventure was the sword-swallower, I was scared he would hurt himself and I temember the stench, a smell that I could not assign to a name as I had not smelled it before. Now I know it was the liquid used by firebreathers.
So, all in all, I found Romani people fascinating and intriguing. They seemed to have all the fun, to my young and innocent impressionable mind.
It took a long time for me to become aware of Romani dance as being a dance style that could be learned and danced by non Romani people. So I only began my journey to understanding this artform in 2025 when I decided to perform to David Garretts "Gypsy dance" Sorry, it is the name of the actual music piece. And it was before I was aware that this term should not be used to nowadays.
As I was ploughing my way through youtube videos to get an idea what footwork would help me keep up with the fast paced music, I went down the rabbit hole to discover more and more. It was only after my performance that I dove deeper into the styles and music. I then came across Sahira Dance and what do you know? They had an upcoming workshop on for which I could do online. So I signed up: Romani & Tsifteteli Workshop at Sahara Dance Online with Sophianna and Odiney .The workshop was great as it also included a presentation of the Origin of Romani dance. A new world opened to me there and then.
I had already started a Romani inspired Choreo term with my group Fatamorgana and was able to embed some of the knowledge I gained from the workshop, even though the style of the dance itself, nor the music was covered in that workshop. The session left me hungry to learn more and so I also found Silvia Brâgagnollo who teaches DANÇA CIGANA, brazilian style.
( please note that in some countries the name given to the Romani people does not reflect the degrading and respectless connotation as perceived in other countries ).
The term Gypsy is said to be a label given by those who believed that the ethnic group came from Egypt
( gypsy=short for Egyptian ). That was based on information available at that time. However it took many years before the travellers even arrived in Egypt. This may be the reasn why this term was rejected by the majority of the group who refer to themselves as the Romani people. Nobody likes to be labeled, especially when the label depicts you as coming from a specific place that you may never have called home. But even then, within the Gypsy collective, not everyone is in favour of being called Romani, as this excludes the roots of some groups.
So where did the Romani come from and when did it all start?
Well, you know, noone ever knows for sure, but let's see what is currently known/perceived from information we have here and now.
From the northwest of India, westward to Persia, into Europe, a long journey over a very long period of time, searching for a safe home. Some stayed in certain regions where they felt safe, accepted and were able to build a life, but the majority continued their way and with that spread their craftmanship and artistic skills. When nothing ever is certain, you become the best in what you do, so you can provide for your tribe along the way. Craftmanshop aside, but not to be dismissed, I am focusing soley on the dance aspect of this group, well knowing that moves and gestures will have evolved from the groups way of life.
Their journey started centuries ago. 2 main tribes took their nomadic lifestyle westward and their path is believed to have been in this order:
- Early migration waves by the nomad tribes of Northwest India are thought to have taken place as far as 500 BCE.
- One of the earliest settlements were in Persia where the groups fused well with its culture and enriched the folcloric dance and music of the region.
- According to linguistic findings, it is believed that some Dom people passed through Armenia already in the 9th century.
-The Romani people are said to have left India in early 11th century, some to avoid taxation for not converting their faith.
-lived through the Byzantine Empire ( countries today known as Italy, Greece, Turkey, Spain, Egypt, Israel, Syria and North Africa )
-until the Ottoman Empire took over in the 15th century, ruling over the people, including the Roma.
It is said that the highest Romani population is settled in today's Turkey, however it is not factually known as the travellers refuse to register in fears of discrimination. There is an estimate f over 10 million Romani people living in Europe.
- According to written accounts, they entered the Balkans and Central Europe in the early 15th century.
-Migration to Spain bringing influences to Flamenco dancing in Andalusia is said to have happened in the mid 15th century.
- Migration waves into Russia began in 1500 with more Ruska Roma anesters moving in from Poland in the 18th century
- In the late 16th century, their first arrival in Brazil came about by being exiled from Portugal to Brazil during the colonial era. Later waves of migration followed to expand in Brazil and with that, their impact was had on the cultural, folklore, music and even regional Carnival celebrations.
- In the 19th century the travel community also entered the USA, keeping a lower profile to protect themselves from prejudice, an estimated 1 million Romani live there and brought their song and dance to the land as well.
Being aware of their journey over the centuries, touching so many cultures as they moved through and at times stayed in some places. And even though the overall Romani group identifies into so many sub-groups, it is clear to see the similarities of their spirit carried over into the different regions and cultures they touched.
There are also links to the bohemian culture.
References used:
Sahara Dance Online with Sophianna and Odiney
https://www.worldhistory.org/Romani/
Wikipedia Romani people
Wikipedia Bohemia
Videos below
Sahara Dance Online with Sophianna and Odiney
https://www.worldhistory.org/Romani/
Wikipedia Romani people
Wikipedia Bohemia
Videos below
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