About
Dance & Movement for Every Body
Are You Looking For Inspiration And Motivation? A Way To Make Your Life More Fulfilling, With People Who Share Your Desire For Health And Happiness?
Join us and check out our fresh approach to a more fulfilling life through dance, fitness, and self-expression!
Hip Expressions Belly Dance Studio is a movement, a community, a collaboration - dancers, musicians, artists, yogis, students, professionals, and supporters, of all ages, shapes and sizes... all united around a commitment to community, wellness, and art.
It's never too late to start movement as joy... What are you waiting for? Learn more!
Our Mission:
To Nurture A Joyful, Creative Community, Welcoming Every Body, inspiring Exploration & Self-Development Through Movement Arts.
By graceful alignment of mind, body, and heart, we cultivate friendliness, compassion, inspiration, and equanimity. We promise a creative experience for every spirit. Our classes, performances, and events, invite well-being, cultivate self-expression, and encourage personal fulfillment. Come deepen your connection to bliss, release stress, and connect with others who value these same principles!
Welcome to the family
Hip Expressions idea began in 2000, when Johanna moved to St Pete and met Karen! Finding they aligned in their vision of community, fun and inspiration, they immediately started collaborating. Kimberly joined them in 2002, and they officially founded Hip Expressions in 2004 as a belly dance collective, dedicated to creating and sustaining a community of dancers. This started with weekly dance classes, and monthly showcases called 'haflas', as a place for dancers to share their art and their passion.
In 2008 Hip Ex opened their first studio on 62nd Ave. N, with about five instructors, consolidating from classes taught in St Pete, Seminole, Tampa, and at USF, and adding regular Polynesian, Jazz, and Burlesque classes. In 201 1, Johanna took the helm as Director, and the Studio expanded into what would be their home on 54th Ave north for the next 10 years. Here their community continued to grow, as their vibe attracted their tribe from various dance disciplines from Jazz to Nia and Flamenco.
In 2020, like many others, the Studio took a devastating hit; but turning lemons into lemonade, Hip Ex seamlessly added virtual classes to their repertoire and kept the community dancing through tumultuous times. Now, here in 2021, we are moving out into the community and forming new partnerships with arts organizations to offer Hip Ex classes all over town! The Hip Expressions mission continues to spread goodwill and self-acceptance, inspiration and motivation available to all bodies.
We welcome you as a participant in the evolution of our amazing community!
p: 727-251-5241