Help us raise funds to open the doors to our very own physical location...how quickly we open is entirely up to our fundraising progress. Future plans include outdoor walking trails, campfire gatherings, sauna with woodland views, outdoor drum circles, relaxing hammocks, goat yoga & experiential glamping!

Join Dr. Megan as she leads our new "Move like a Goddess" Belly Dance Social Circle with two (identical) in-person sessions to choose from, 5-6:15pm or 6:30-7:45pm. Choose the start time that is most convenient for you!

Move like a Goddess - Belly Dance Social Circle is for ALL bodies & abilities!💃

Come learn the basics of belly dance through mindful movements & breathwork to unleash the Goddess within you!

No dance experience or bare bellies required!

Pre-register by pre-paying through any of the QR codes or through the ticket link for this event
Questions? Call or text 319-552-4267

Investment: $25/person pre-paid or $30/same day registration per 75 minute class, includes use of hip belts, veils, & complimentary infused water or tea & eucalyptus infused cool down refresher towel.

Learn new skills each week. This is not about becoming a dancer or performing for others. It is about learning new skills & embracing your body in a safe space.

Make new friends & share belly laughs as we collectively shimmy away the stress of the day utilizing drum rhythms & belly dance movements.

Come as you are. Move in the ways that feel right for you as we explore the connection between the mind, body, movement, and cellular healing.

When:

~~Thursday September 17th~~ ~~5-6:15pm or 6:30-7:45pm~~
~~Thursday September 24th~~ ~~5-6:15pm or 6:30-7:45pm~~
~~Thursday October 1st~~ ~~5-6:15pm or 6:30-7:45pm~~

Thursday October 22nd 5pm or 6:30pm

Thursday November 19th 5pm or 6:30pm

and we have a special 2 hour event happening on Friday November 27th 5-7pm join us for our Post-Thanksgiving Belly Dance Shimmy & Intention Setting: Reflect to Finish 2026 Strong Workshop

December Belly Dance dates to be announced…..
Location: 90 Twixt Town Rd NE Cedar Rapids
(Longbranch Hotel Fitness Center, (enter the former “Gold’s Gym” building/entrance in the building behind the restaurant El Viejo & the main hotel)

Warning Disclaimer: Common side effects of belly dancing may include increased self-confidence, an increased appreciation and new-found love for your body, improved sleep, reduced stress, increased joy, fewer stress & tension headaches, reduced hip & low back pain, improved pelvic floor health & functioning, improved libido, and a spontaneous desire to shimmy anytime you hear a good rhythm....past participants have reported sitting at their desks or in their vehicles at a red light and their song comes on...you know the one....and the sultry, confident person that is hiding within us all has to suddenly fight the urge.... you look left, looks right, and can no longer fight the urge & find yourself suddenly smiling and gently shimmying your gorgeous and strong shoulders at that red light. Suddenly your stressors of the day don't seem so heavy. The tension in your jaw & shoulders seem to melt away. Or perhaps you hear the beat as you are walking the aisles of the grocery store and your song comes on...and next thing you know your hips are gently shimmying as you push that cart down the aisle with a smile on your face. You've been warned.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What should I wear?

Wear comfortable, breathable clothing that you feel good in. You do not need a tight sports bra for this class. Movements are isolated, controlled, and always at your own pace. You are entirely in control of how quickly and how far you stretch and move. For footwear, we recommend either socks, bare feet, or clean shoes (no street shoes) to protect the studio flooring. The floor is a padded carpet. If you have an old pair of "jazz shoes" or suede smooth sole (Latin) dance shoes, those will help you easily twirl but any clean footwear will work great.

I don't have a friend willing to come with me.

Dr. Megan has talked with many people who have given this same reason as to their hesitancy about attending. She personally guarantees that as soon as you walk in the studio room you will we warmly greeted and soon meet new friends. You will instantly have at least one cheerleader in Dr. Megan & by the time you leave your first class you will have a room full of other fantastic people who are encouraging you. Honestly, single enrollment was one of our goals with the social circle as so many people post-pandemic have found their social circles have shifted or are nonexistent for a variety of reasons. Our goal is to enhance your social connections and create a safe space to let your guard down, meet new friends who may become a part of your lifelong social circle as you connect with others in our community through our activities at Mama's Sanctuary. We anticipate many participants will choose to grab dinner or drinks together after class....there is a delicious Mexican restaurant just across the parking lot from where we are holding class. If attendees are mostly able to attend our 5pm session, we might even combine into one larger group at 5pm and then continue the fun at the restaurant across the parking lot for a group dinner after class. No "liquid courage" is needed before class, I promise. You can do this & you will have fun! We ask that people refrain from attending only if they can not safely join in this type of community event. We ask that you do not attend if you are actively intoxicated, are under the influence of any illicit substances or if you have a communicable illnesses. (i.e. Stay home until that cough is gone and then please come join us!)

"I have two left feet." or "I have no rhythm." Do you really think I can do this?!?

100% you can do this even if you have no feet. Belly dance can be done entirely seated, you can do this laying on the floor. We all have a natural rhythm....our heart beat is just one of these many natural rhythms we hold within us. Trust Dr. Megan as she helps you learn to listen to the rhythms of your body and naturally move to the beat of the gentle drum music.

I'm in really bad shape. I don't think I could do this yet.

This beginner series is just that....for ALL bodies, ALL abilities, ALL endurance levels. Honestly, when you aren't in ideal shape is the perfect time to start because you will be able to better see and feel the progress than someone who is acutely aware of where each of their ab muscles is. (Yes, you read that correctly....we all have ab muscles. Some of our abs are safely hidden away far from the eyes of ourselves or others but they are there, we'll help you find them.) If you can breathe and consciously move at least one part of your body, you can belly dance.

My belly jiggles, nobody wants to see that.

If you are doing it right, it's going to jiggle...no matter what your body looks like. In actuality, nobody is likely to be looking at you directly and if they do, it will be in a "wow!" I love their hair, energy, movement, flow, etc. Everyone really more likely be focused on their own journey and feeling the music. In belly dance we actually add a hip belt or hip scarf to accentuate the curves and movements. Extra jiggle just further adds to the beauty of the dance. Dr. Megan may gently scan the room to identify anyone she can help assist by modifying any moves (to prevent injury, or to help you feel the rhythm) but nobody will be critiquing you, filming you or judging you. This is a SAFE space. We have social circle community rules & one of those is that we do not allow any "mean girl" (or "mean guy") behaviors, we do not allow negative comments about ourselves & we really encourage any negative self-talk to be deposited into the dumpster outside the hotel before you enter the class. Why? Because negative self-talk does not serve a healthy purpose. It takes up energy and space in our hearts & in our heads that we could use for fun activities and enjoyment instead.

My brain is so scattered, I can't remember choreography.

No problem! We aren't doing any type of pressured or formal choreographed dance. We will not be performing for the enjoyment of others...this is all about YOU. Moving your body. Increasing your confidence. Learning a new skill just for you. Dr. Megan will demonstrate a move or ways to piece moves together, we will learn and practice it, and then move our bodies beautifully to the various musical rhythms, utilizing both traditional drum beats as well as contemporary music because Belly Dance moves can be done with ANY body, ANY music and literally ANYwhere (seated, standing, or even laying in bed!)

Our Attendance Policy

Pre-registration is highly encouraged and preferred ($25 in advance, or $30 at the door), but not required. Pre-registration ensures you a spot and allows us to contact you directly in the event our gathering has an unexpected cancellation (we will also post on KCRG if there is a weather related closure). We are currently inviting a maximum of 20 people to our Belly Dance Social Circle gatherings due to both (current) room size & supplies (we bring the veils, hip scarves, yoga mats, beverages & towels). We know that illnesses, emergencies, and unexpected life events happen. If you reach out by texting Dr. Megan 319-552-4267 before 4pm the day of your scheduled gathering, she will offer you a pass to attend a future Belly Dance Social Circle Gathering (to be utilized before the end of that calendar year). Alternatively, you can choose to simply donate your tuition fee to the nonprofit for our "pay-it-forward" scholarship fund, which allows a local person who would benefit from attending but is facing hardships that create barriers to attendance and may be otherwise unable to attend due to financial need or other barriers. We offer scholarships for both complementary and reduced fee participation for most class/workshop offerings. Send us an email to ordersweetsofias@gmail.com with the subject line: "Mama's Pay It Forward Fund" and share with us your contact information and what program you would like to attend to apply.

Pay It Forward Scholarship Fund & Private Retreats

If attending isn't something that appeals to you or perhaps you are a supporter who lives far away from us, but you want to support our endeavors, you are welcome to donate to our Pay It Forward Scholarship Fund. This fund allows a local person/group who would benefit from attending but are facing hardships that create barriers to attendance. We also offer the option to bring the Belly Dance experience to you! If you'd like Dr. Megan to bring her Belly Dance Experience to your group (corporate or community) we are happy to bring the joy of this dance to your group. Dr. Megan has led large corporate retreats, small girlfriend social gatherings (perfect bachelorette party activity!) , and to long-term an senior care facilities for retreats and performances for many years. She welcomes the opportunity to bring this to you (or you can sponsor this for a local group). Send her a text 319-552-4267 to share more about your group/needs.

Pay It Forward Scholarship Applicants

We offer scholarships for both complementary and reduced fee participation for most class/workshop offerings. Send us an email to ordersweetsofias@gmail.com with the subject line: "Mama's Pay It Forward Fund" and share with us your contact information, which program you would like to attend, and share with us how this could impact you personally to apply. For scholarship recipients, your identity will remain private, nobody attending will know that you are attending through the benefit of this program except you. The only thing we ask for in return is that when you are in a position to be able to give to others, we ask you to consider giving back to others in some capacity.

Where are are located:

Enter the Gold Point Fitness Door of the Best Western Hotel (former Longbranch Hotel & Supperclub) at 90 Twixt Town Rd NE Cedar Rapids. This is our TEMPORARY location for Belly Dance Classes only. We are currently fundraising to fix up the our building on the lot adjacent to the hotel.

Move Like a Goddess - Belly Dance Social Circle with Mama's Sanctuary