Indulge your love of oriental Egyptian and American style bellydance while experiencing the culture, cuisine, and sunshine of Tuscany, Italy. This year’s Sands of Time retreat will take place in a 4-star seaside resort with private beach on the beautiful Tyrrhenian Sea. Learn technique and choreography from master instructors Faten and Victoria Teel, whose extensive expertise covers the spectrum of Egyptian and American bellydance from its folkloric roots all the way to more modern interpretations. This 6-day, 7-night retreat offers you the unique opportunity to learn from these renowned instructors in a small class setting. Dancers in all stages of their dance journey are welcome. The retreat is structured to encompass 20 hours of dance instruction as well as plenty of free time to relax on the beach and explore the area. Each day begins with breakfast at the resort. Lunch will be on your own. We will regroup in the evening to dine in quaint Italian restaurants in the area surrounding the resort, except on Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday we will be in Florence and you will be free to decide when and where to have lunch and dinner (see below). Thursday evening dinner will be on your own, so you are free to spend the afternoon and evening relaxing and exploring the area. For example, you could choose to visit the nearby city of Pisa which is just a 25-minute taxi ride away or 1-hour by bus. After classes on Monday, we’ll have an afternoon trip to a Tuscan countryside vineyard for a tour and tasting of regional wine, followed by a walkabout and group dinner in the picturesque village of Bolgheri. On Wednesday we’ll take the entire day off from dancing to visit the beautiful ancient city of Florence. The day will include private transportation to Florence and a 2-hour morning tour of some of the city’s notable sites, followed by free time for meals and shopping when you can strike out on your own or pair up with other dancers. On the final night in Italy, we’re planning a bellydance hafla. We hope you will consider packing a costume and sharing your talent with the group.