Today we’d like to introduce you to Soraya Doherty.
Soraya, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My name is Soraya Doherty, owner and creator of RAQISA, a barre, dance, and lifestyle brand for women. I grew up in a loving Lebanese-American home. That means that in my home growing up, I ate peanut butter and jelly on Arabic bread and my hips would always move like a belly dancer to any pop song that played on the radio (and this was before Shakira)!
I am very proud of my Lebanese roots and the many beautiful artistic contributions which have hailed from my Mother’s homeland: from poetry, music, and dance – to delicious and healthy foods and quality camaraderie enjoyed around the dinner table. I am also very proud of being a US Navy Brat, and the 23 years my father dedicated to our country. I love America. RAQISA strives to bring forth the best of both the American Spirit and the Cultural Flair enjoyed across the Middle East into a dance and fitness training program!
RAQISA means Female Dancer in Arabic. Our brand emerged in response to the need for a body-loving wellness solution. Our goal is to motivate women to move with strength and grace; we want to encourage healthy eating habits, and to empower women to love their body every step of the way. We deliver what we know best: belly dance technique merged with barre-fitness exercises will result in a strong, graceful, and flexible, dancer’s body! We train qualified dance and fitness professionals across America to learn our RAQISA BARRE method.
This Fall, we are excited to be offering for the first time, our signature RAQISA barre and dance training for women at The Between Space Dance Studio, 486 Washington Street, Norwood, MA. This dance training series will run in eight-week sessions for 90 mins: 45 mins of RAQISA barre & 45 mins of RAQISA choreography. We are also in the process of building our online training so women across the globe can learn RAQISA technique with our patented products and training method.
Has it been a smooth road?
All businesses run into obstacles or challenges. While I love teaching my method in fitness studios or community centers, I had been searching for a dance space to offer my format for some time so that I can truly bring an authentic flair to my program, outside of a fitness club. I was looking for a space to merge my barre format and dance training. I am grateful to have found The Between Space Dance Studio, with owner Rick Smith, who has provided a beautiful and clean dance space with mounted barres and great mirrors!
Now I can teach both RAQISA dance and fitness in a studio that is easy to get to with public transportation or by car, and with great parking! (A bonus is that there is a grocery store to buy Middle Eastern cooking ingredients within walking distance!) I am looking forward to offering this to Bostonians who interested in our method!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with RAQISA – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
RAQISA specializes in barre-fitness and belly dance training. Currently, we are launching Fall RAQISA Dance Training for Women classes on Tuesday evenings, at The Between Space Dance Studio, in Norwood, MA (486 Washington Street, Norwood, MA), beginning October 2nd from 6:45 pm-8:15 pm.
Each class will include 45 minutes of our signature RAQISA barre method with 45 minutes of RAQISA choreography, for one amazing 90-minute specialized dance training session! We will offer three 8 week sessions of various styles of choreography: Drum, Modern Pop, and an elegant piece choreographed to a classical song of the Middle East.
We are proud that our RAQISA BARRE format is the only nationally accredited barre program which merges belly dance technique seamlessly with traditional barre-fitness exercises. Participants can expect to learn and train the seven fundamental belly dance movements. These movements are then put into beautiful choreography.
The benefit to this method is that your dancer muscles will be conditioned as you lengthen and strengthen your muscles, which ultimately will help execute the dance choreography with proper posture, ease, and precision. This method has been tested for over 5 years now, with a high success rate of students learning how to belly dance at the barre as they enhance their overall fitness level.
We are also excited that this winter our barre method will be presented amongst fellow fitness professionals at SCW Mania Fitness Conference, Boston! This will provide a wonderful opportunity to introduce our method, and to potentially train new candidates to the Boston fitness community! Our brand appeals to both fitness and dancers!
In fact, experienced Belly Dancers across America, who have trained with us are teaching our method and earning additional income as a RAQISA barre specialist in their dance studios!
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I like that our city is so culturally diverse! And it’s so great that I never have a problem finding a store to buy my Lebanese cooking ingredients! As a Navy wife, my poor mother had to get so creative with her cooking when we were stationed in places where there was a limitation of ingredients such as sumac and za’atar!
I also like that our city has great public transportation and is prepared for snow storms… but I don’t like snow that much so I avoid driving into the city a bit more in the winter! I would say long winters is my only dislike… but it makes Springtime that much more sweet!
Pricing:
- Session 1: RAQISA 8 week dance training for women $135.00 (90 mins class, 10/9)
- Session 2: RAQISA 8 week dance training for women $135.00 (90 mins class, 11/27)
- Session 3: RAQISA 8 week dance training for women $135.00 (90 mins class, 2/5)
- Purchase ALL THREE sessions and SAVE! $360.00
Contact Info:
- Address: 486 Washington Street Norwood Ma, 02062
- Website: www.raqisa.com
- Phone: (415) 640-5508 CELL
- Email: theraqisamethod@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raqisabellydancebarre/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raqisabarre/
- Other: https://www.thebetweenspace.com
Image Credit:
Jim Abrams with Shooting Star Photography, Rick Smith
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