Jacqueline Chapman - Britain's best-known belly dancer

Jacqueline Chapman - Britain's best-known belly dancer Jacqueline Chapman has won national & international acclaim as a quintessential English dancer who is able to perform and choreograph with authenticity and genuine feeling for this Middle Eastern art-form.

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INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY: "She is the doyenne of British belly dancing"


EVE Magazine {Hong Kong}:"High priestess of the dancers in Britain"


She has danced in London, Egypt, Paris and New York. Arab royalty, celebrities and the rich and famous have been amongst her audiences at London venues such as The Dorchester, Cafe Royal, The Reform Club, and many more top establishments. She has worked with, amongst others, Ronnie Corbett, Nigel Kennedy, Ernie Wise, Boy George, Green Goddess, & Dr Miriam Stoppard (more information can be found on the Performances page).

HERALD & POST: "The Queen of Middle Eastern Dance"


Her deep knowledge and understanding of this skilled art-form makes her a favourite of the media, as her countless T.V. and radio appearances, magazine and newspaper articles show. Her personal accolade is to have been compared by Arabic media with Samia Gamal, a legendary film star in Egypt in the 1950's.

OSRATI {Arabic Magazine}: "She has perfected her art and approached the standard of the stars like Samia Gamal and Tahia Carioca"


Her aim is to enlighten, inform and correct unhelpful myths regarding this liberating form of middle eastern dance. As a Raqs Orientale dancer, Jacqueline's passionate advocacy has led the profession between classical and cabaret middle eastern dance, sweeping aside the corrupt form, often called 'Belly Dance'. This much-maligned art-form has, for too long been danced for the titillation of men in the Western World.

MARYLEBONE MERCURY {London newspaper} : "Jacqueline Chapman is to classical Belly Dancing what Egon Ronay is to food"


Jacqueline's performances elevate this dance far above the levels we have become accustomed to. A ten year nursing career as an R.G.N.,with obstetric training, was abandoned so that Jacqueline could turn professional in 1980. Her nursing skills and knowledge of the human body, are invaluable in helping all, with or without medical problems, to benefit from learning this ancient art-form.

SUNDAY TIMES : "using her Middle Eastern art-form as a fitness aid to retain her feminine curves after four pregnancies"


INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY : "She is certainly a glowing advertisement of what she preaches"


Jacqueline leads regular classes and workshops at various venues and gives Lecture and Demonstration evenings, as well as performing solo cabaret.

SUNDAY EXPRESS : "The best classes in town"


Belly Babies ante-natal class is her own innovation using obstetric training and middle eastern traditions.

SUNDAY TIMES : "Undoubtedly The country's most unusual ante and post-natal classes for which Chapman carefully choreographs beneficial movements"; "Belly babies devotees switch to Chapman's belly dancing class as a weekly pilgrimage post-natally"


Her diverse background of ballet, acting and nursing; and 30 years researching, choreographing and teaching belly dance; provides the experience. Her personality and her love for middle eastern dance makes her the true professional that she is well known as.

EVENING TELEGRAPH {Peterborough}: "An international success - an inspiration to other women"


Jacqueline Chapman - acclaimed internationally as a quintessential English dancer who performs and choreographs with authenticity and genuine feeling for this Middle Eastern art-form.
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