File Photo/Rocky View Publishing

Airdrie's Suzy Quendack performs with her troupe at the 2012 edition of AirdrieFest at Airdrie City hall.

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Airdrie belly dancer preserving ancient dance

Airdrie’s Suzy Quendack has been belly dancing for 16 years, after falling in love with the art watching an Egyptian perform.

Now, she runs her own dance studio, Shimmy Dance Productions, and has performed all over the world.

Belly dancing is described by Quendack as an ancient art that celebrates the beauty of the feminine form. The dancing isolates muscles and different parts of the body.

“I started belly dancing for fun and exercise … and fell in love with the art form after I saw my first Egyptian dance,” said Quendack.

Quendack has been running Shimmy Dance Productions for 14 years, and has seen hundreds of students in that time. More recently, some of her attention has moved to teaching children the art.

“In the past few years, I have gotten into teaching children because my own children were asking when I would teach them,” said Quendack. “We are having so much fun with the kids, not only are they learning the art, they are learning about another culture. Movement and dance are universal, it doesn’t matter what kind of dance you are doing, they all translate.”

Each year, Quendack and her adult troupe perform at various events in and around Airdrie.

Shimmy Dance Productions has been seen at Globalfest, ARTember, the Home and Garden Show and most recently opened up for Belly Dance Club at Bert Church Theatre, which saw a group of five women from California, Belly Dance Superstars, perform for a packed house in February.

“We have always seemed to draw a good crowd, everyone really enjoys our performances,” said Quendack. “We have a great time doing it. If the performers are having a good time, your audience will enjoy it too.”

Quendack invites anyone interested in a good workout and learning a new dance to come drop in on a class.

“Come out and experience this ancient art form,” said Quendack. “We are a family. Shimmy dance is a family. That’s something that even my kids classes talk about. Some people have come and stayed for many years. Classes are always ongoing, people are welcome to come out anytime and give it a try.”

For more information about Shimmy Dance Productions, or to contact Quendack, email her at suzy@shimmywithsuzy.com or call 403-912-7899.