Fundamentals · Level One

Six weeks. Your FCBD®Style foundation, from the ground up.

Learn Level One straight from Carolena, the creator of FCBD®Style, in the original FatChanceBellyDance® studio. Then drill the details with teachers from across our global community. Three to four hours a week, all included in your FCBD®U membership.

6weeks, one step at a time
27classes on your path
3–4 hrsof dancing each week

After six weeks, you’ll be able to…

Stand and move in FCBD®Style posture

Organic alignment that carries you through every move.

Lead and follow in duets, trios and quartets

The formations that make our improvisation possible.

Play zils while you dance

Finger cymbal rhythms layered right on top of your steps.

Dance the core Level One vocabulary

Taxeem, undulations, Swivel Step, Bodywave, Pivot Bump, Circle Step, Shimmy and more.

Free companion workbook

Track your practice. Watch yourself grow.

Taking notes as you learn? Type right into the workbook, or print it and write by hand.

  • A page for every movement
  • A goals page for each week
  • A practice log for the days you danced
Not a member yet?

Join FCBD®U and start your six weeks today.

Your membership includes this whole Fundamentals program, plus our full library of 400+ classes, live classes and a global community of dancers.

Become a member
Week1

Posture & First Steps

Find your FCBD®Style posture and learn your very first vocabulary: Figure 8 (Taxeem), Wrist Rotations and the 4 basic steps.

PostureFigure 8 (Taxeem)Wrist Rotations4 basic steps
Week2

Duets & Swivel Step

Dance with a partner for the first time. Add Arm Undulations and the Swivel Step (Egyptian).

DuetsArm UndulationsSwivel Step (Egyptian)
WatchLet’s Figure It Out: only Part One this week.
WatchTribal Talk: LIVE Retrospective: only the Spring 1997 “Survival of the Fittest” session this week.
Week3

Zils & Drills

Add finger cymbals to what you learned in Week Two, and build the strength and elegance to play them while you dance.

ZilsPart Two reviewElegant arms
You’ll want a pair of zils (finger cymbals) this week.
Week4

Trios & Undulations

Grow your formation into a trio and find fluid movement with the Bodywave and Rhythmic Undulation (Arabic).

TriosBodywaveRhythmic Undulation (Arabic)
WatchLet’s Figure It Out: Part Two this week.
Week5

Torso Twists & Pivot Bumps

Find a fluid twist, then add the Pivot Bump and Choo Choo, the core of a whole family of steps.

Torso TwistPivot BumpChoo Choo
WatchAsk Carolena: just the June 2024 session, covering arms, the Pivot Bump family and stories from Carolena.
Week6

Shimmy & Quartets

Add the Circle Step, the Shimmy and the Quartet formation, then celebrate. You’ve built your foundation!

Circle StepShimmyQuartets
WatchLet’s Figure It Out: Part Three this week.
Week Six · Graduation

Congratulations, you did it!

When you finish all six weeks, email us at hello@fcbdu.com to let us know, and we’ll send you a special Certificate of Completion. Share it and tag FCBD®U so we can celebrate with you!

FCBD®U · Certificate of CompletionFundamentals · Level OneSix weeks of FCBD®Style
Questions

Good to know

Do I need any dance experience?

None at all. Fundamentals is where every FCBD®Style dancer begins, and experienced dancers love coming back to refine their foundation.

Is it really included in my membership?

Yes. Every class on this page is part of your FCBD®U membership. There’s nothing extra to buy.

What if I fall behind?

Go at your own pace. Your classes stay in your library, so you can pick up where you left off or repeat a week any time.

What do I need to get started?

Comfortable clothes, a little space to move, and a pair of zils (finger cymbals) by Week Three.

How do I track my progress?

Each class on this page shows your progress bar once you’ve started it, and many classes award their own certificate when you complete them. The workbook’s practice log helps you track the whole six weeks.

Your foundation starts with one step.

Uniting the world through dance, one posture, one swivel step, one shimmy at a time.