Events & Classes
PLAY EMPOWERED
Weekly Classes
Belly Dance Technique & Performance Classes
Old Town School of Folk Music - Lincoln Square
Middle Eastern Belly Dance with Asali Naimah 8-week series
SUMMER CLASSES DATES
Level 1 - Sun, Jun 28-Aug 16 | 11:45 –12:45
Level 2 - Sun, June 28-Aug 16 | 1:00 –2:00
What to Wear & Bring
Wear clothing you can move in (leggings, dancewear, gym clothes).
Old Town School: bare feet, socks, or dance shoes.
Optional: hip scarves / coin belt.
Props: Finger Cymbals, Veil (Level 2 as req)
Bring water
Fiercely Feminine Movement
A 4-Week Expressive Dance Immersion
Build confidence, strength, and sisterhood through joyful movement.
All shapes, sizes, and dance levels are welcome.
August schedule coming soon…📍 Space Share Lab | Bronzeville, Chicago
Choose Your Way to Dance
Join the full series, attend a few classes that fit your schedule, or drop in for a single session.
4 Week Series - $75
Enjoy weekly dance fitness classes designed for your schedule. Perfect for busy weeks when you want to get in your body and work up a sweat.
Dates for August series in Bronzeville to be announced…
By purchasing, you agree to our Play Empowered Terms & Conditions. Prefer PayPal? Pay here.
Single Class Drop-In - $25
Join us for a single drop-in class and experience the energy of Fiercely Feminine movement. A great way to try the class before committing to a series.
Pre-registration & payment required
Dates for August series in Bronzeville to be announced…
By purchasing, you agree to our Play Empowered Terms & Conditions. Prefer PayPal? Pay here.
Meet Asali Naimah
Asali Naimah is The Work-Live-Play Strategist and the visionary behind Empowered By Asali, where she masters the intersection of professional presence and embodied movement. Her artistic foundation was forged at the Pittsburgh School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) and further matured while performing with Ebony Fire at Hampton University and founding the inclusive Majestic Dance Troupe.
A seasoned professional performance artist with international credits in Turkey and Egypt, Asali’s expertise in MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) dance is rooted in deep, long-term study with world-renowned masters. Her lineage includes extensive training with the legendary Serena Wilson, Virginia Mendes of Miami, Yousry Sharif, Cinzia Purificato and Jasmin Jahal.
Currently serving on the faculty at the Old Town School of Folk Music, Asali brings her passion for inclusivity and mastery to the Fiercely Feminine series at Space Share Lab. Here, she empowers women to reclaim their grace and confidence, contributing to the vibrant artistic legacy of Chicago’s historic Bronzeville neighborhood.
Fiercely Feminine Dance Workshop
📅 Saturday, June 28
⏰ 1:00 – 2:00 PM
📍 Old Town School of Folk Music - Lincoln Square
Ready to move, sweat, and feel powerful in your body?
Join Asali Naimah for a one-hour dance workshop blending Egyptian belly dance, contemporary, and hip-hop into a fierce, feel-good experience.
This is not about perfect steps.
This is about dancing in a way that feels strong, sensual, and true to you.
You’ll explore movement that helps you:
build confidence
connect to rhythm
feel stronger and more flexible
express yourself with ease
Expect uplifting music, cardio, and a stretch and cool down to leave you energized and grounded.
⚡ All levels welcome.
Come ready to move, explore, and celebrate your inner diva!
Pay online or contact Old Town School to register.
Mixed Level Choreo
Watch students perform to “Tahia’s Dance” by Ihsan Al-Mounzer
See my students perform
Level 1 Beginner Choreo
Watch this beginner Level 1 video to “Zeina” by Mohammed Abdel Wahab
Join Us: The Fiercely Feminine Collective
If Fiercely Feminine or any of my classes speaks to you but now isn’t the right time, stay connected through the Fiercely Feminine Collective and receive invitations to future
classes and movement experiences.
LIVE EMPOWERED
Ever feel like you’re stuck between being the "troublemaker" or just staying quiet to keep the peace? It’s exhausting to feel like you have to choose between your voice and your relationships. The truth is, it's not a personality flaw—it’s just a survival habit your brain uses to sabotage you whenever things get tense.
Learn to Speak Up Without Striking Out: How to Disagree Without the Combat
Rewire Your Brain's Habits
A POSITIVE INTELLIGENCE MASTERCLASSSaturday, Apr 18, 2026
10:30 am – 12:00 pm CT //
11:30 am – 1:00 pm ET
Join Work-Live-Play Strategist, Life Coach, Artist, and Experience Designer Asali N. Locke-Ellison for an interactive 90-minute session.
You’ll go beyond "tips and tricks" to understand how your mind actually works and build the skills to handle stress better, feel happier, and improve your relationships.
LEARN MORE! Ask how to enroll in my next 7-week Positive Intelligence Bootcamp.
LEARN MORE! Ask how to enroll in my next 7-week Positive Intelligence Bootcamp.