RaqiSa

We make RAQISA® lifestyle, dance, and our RAQ THE BARRE® training method accessible for everyone!

Our founder, Soraya Doherty, has over 22 years in the fitness industry and a lifetime as a belly dance practitioner, both culturally and as an enthusiast. She is the creator of the patented RAQISA® Belly Dance Training Mat and Balance Plate, the only visual aid of its kind, designed to provide a 3-D teaching experience to help students learn basic belly dance with precision. Soraya drew from her many years in the professional acting and musical theatre industry, as well as her award winning belly dance style, to create her signature dance and barre fitness formats. In addition, she hosts Mediterranean Wellness Retreats designed to educate, elevate and inspire! Her empowering workshops always bring to life a piece of her mother's Lebanon, with healthy recipes, insightful body loving stories, and always a respect for her beloved inherited culture. She is ACE, AFAA, and AEA certified; she holds a BA from San Jose State, and an MA from San Francisco State, in the Theatre Arts, and is a Screen Actors Guild Member.

10/30/2026

Thank you Arab Students Association for another amazing dance session! Today you learned a new piece of choreography to a song prepared for RAQISA®️ (ROCK-E-SA) Female Dancer. Arabic. by a Lebanese musician DooZhen Music Academy! This piece featured a lot of hip and torso isolations and you did so well!

Thank you for your amazing support and dedication to sharing our culture at Holy Cross and beyond! Looking forward to 2027 🎉

10/27/2026

Which benefit are you most surprised by?

I’m still floating from an amazing weekend with Belly Dance Classes CT | MEDA! These amazing dancers relished each benefit and how it supports their dance practice! ✨

Yalla!

10/19/2026

New Englanders! You won’t want to miss out on this opportunity to train and challenge your dance education! Yalla! Register with Belly Dance Classes CT | MEDA today!

Shout out to Kelvia Mitri- Meda 🧿 | Belly Dancer CT for hosting this amazing event!

10/13/2026

RAQ THE BARRE®️ Master class opportunity in CT!

Registration: https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ASP/main_enroll.asp?studioid=207885&tg=&vt=&lvl=&stype=-8&view=day&trn=0&page=&catid=&prodid=&date=2026-10-25&classid=0&prodGroupId=&sSU=&optForwardingLink=&qParam=&justloggedin=&nLgIn=&pMode=0&loc=1

Or Venmo https://venmo.com/u/VivaDanceFitness

10/03/2026

Next in person training! Learn all you need to know to confidently lead our nationally accredited RAQ THE BARRE®️ by RaqiSa®️ program. You’ll learn step by step essential Bellydance, its breakdown, barre safety and set up….and above all the how and the why to merging Bellydance techniques at this barre.

This training is hosted in my home state, Massachusetts, and at a wonderful space where I can also provide an introduction to how to bring barre to the pool environment. Expand your teaching skills and lead with confidence and earn your CEUS!

Booking links in bio. DM with questions.

Hips & Heart, Soraya

10/02/2026

In person training! This opportunity includes an introduction to our Raaa-Aqua Barre class! Bellydance, Barre, and beyond! Learn More / Book Training:
https://raqthebarre.com/instructor-training

09/20/2026

For twelve years I’ve consistently made Raq The Barre®️ by RaqiSa®️ a part of my weekly workout, (guaranteed for two days a week.) Other days I’m teaching dance, rehearsing, performing but also walking, in the pool and definitely lifting heavy weights. But it’s this specific barre training method that keeps my dance technique fine tuned with a blend of strength & stretching to help me with my Oriental dance techniques. I’m dancing alongside youthful dancers and striving to be a good role model for how we can gracefully age and keep ourselves strong and graceful 😊

✨Shout out to the amazing Caesars Events team / dancers for their dance love and beauty which is so inspiring

✨ Arab Students Association for the opportunity to share fun RaqiSa®️ choreography each year! Loooove dancing with you all!!

✨ And as always to my Lillie Marie 🐇 who is my co-choreographer and forever muse ❤️

✨ To Siri Chilazi & Joelle Young Patil for their dance & fitness expertise and helping this method resonate beautifully to the world of wellness and beyond ❤️❤️

____________
My personal weekly combo:

✨ Raq The Barre®️ 2 days a week no exceptions
✨ Walking Daily (outside in nice weather on a walking pad in the winter - I’ve been upping my game in this one for a year now…love listening to Podcasts (Lisa Harper is my favorite) - or talking to my college kids ❤️❤️ or my siblings)
✨ Heavy weights 2 - 3 days a week
✨ Raaaa-Aqua Fitness at least once a week (this can fluctuate bc when I teach, I have to teach on deck to coach my students…I aim to fit in “me time” so I can enjoy the benefits too 😊)

Teaching is a great way of “doing” in most cases! It’s a great way to earn money and enjoy the perks of getting in a great workout too!

I would love to hear what’s your workout combo and favorite ways to keep occupied while you workout!

09/02/2026

From the barre to the dance floor! Yalla!

At one of my fitness conferences I remember a quote by an educator who stressed “perfect practice makes perfect”. In other words the quality of our training truly matters in helping us make lasting improvements.

Shout out to my longest student (and my favorite 🥰): my daughter Lillie Marie 🐇. Lillie started with me at the barre and has grown with me and this method❤️

07/21/2026

Teaching group exercise classes is such a rewarding job, especially when you can tailor your offerings to include all your favorite things bundled in one!

In the year 2000 I became a certified group fitness professional with and soon thereafter I did an aqua certification with , and because I’m a nerd, I added because I wanted to be a presenter.

In 2013 I began to build and focus on how to make Bellydance for fitness accessible for everyone AND to layer in my own dance training. This means I’ve been teaching students, fitness professionals and dancers this method and I continue to strive to share this with YOU!

This fall / winter I am narrowing down Sunday dates to offer my Raq The Barre®️ training to include a sample aqua class for participants to experience. Space will be limited, but the host location here in Westwood, MA is ideal ✨

Give me a 👍 if you’d be interested. I’d love to send a DM with more details.

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04/10/2026

RAQ your barre trainings with functional, clever, and fun transitions! The art of transitions can make a difference in your group classes! Here are three ways I add variety and value to each class for my students and stay consistent with my Bellydance Barre method. For me, I like to educate my students WHY we are doing various exercises….I love using the bands to boost my barre burn because it’s an amazing method to enhance our fitness - but particularly for serious dancers who seek to enhance their techniques at the barre & beyond.

✨ 1. Hand mobility is great for everyone; AND for my graceful RaqiSa®️ hands which need dexterity

✨ 2. Foot fitness is important for balancing and doing life with ease; AND to help me ground my feet firmly in the floor to improve my hip & torso movements

✨ 3. Hailing my inner Lebanese Dabke dancer with a Bellydance blend…I like to bring fun flair….my students LOVE this!!

I teach on a weekly basis RAQ THE BARRE®️, by RaqiSa®️ to group exercise students who are quite fit; seniors who love the mobility; dancers who are seeking to improve their Raqs Sharqi dance techniques.

Are you a teacher interested in our program? Our next training is coming up!

Address

Westwood, MA

Website

http://www.raqthebarre.com/

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