RaqiSa

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.

12/16/2025

🌟 “Mom and Me: Dance Battle!” 🌟

Watch as my daughter and I tackle a mini hip and torso challenge! It’s all about fun, laughter, with hugs and kisses!

💡 But it’s more than just a demo! This is our way of showing that age is just a number and that staying active can be a blast! 💪✨ Whether you’re a college student or a fabulous mom, join us in embracing joy and movement together.

💖 Let’s inspire each other to keep our bodies moving and our spirits high! Tag your dance partner below and challenge them to join in on the fun! 🥳👇

12/09/2025

A bit of advice: Bellydance [and our Bellydance Barre] program features the hips & torso…on days you know you will be rehearsing or performing, try to eat gently…for me that means:

❌ Heavy Meals
❌ Gassy foods
❌ High Acidic Foods

This is NOT nutritional advice, simply a reminder that you just might feel more comfortable with a calm belly! Dancers, can you relate?

I looooove hummus and lentils…but they have to wait on certain days!

End of year SALE! Perfect for certified fitness professionals looking to earn a generous 8 hours of continuing education...
12/01/2025

End of year SALE! Perfect for certified fitness professionals looking to earn a generous 8 hours of continuing education learning new and exciting ways to teach at the barre and beyond with authentic Bellydance technique! Yalla! Don’t miss this 48 hours access to your self guided learning!

OR join Soraya at the end of January 2026 for another expansive experience diving deeper into the method! Both are great learning opportunities!

You will see two master trainers are amazing talent in many of the videos who will inspire you that you too can master the method! & .barre.joelle ✨

O.8 ACE • 8 AFAA CEUS provided at the end of your learning. Binge watch or space it out within 48 hours! Yalla!

12/01/2025

From the barre to the dance floor is my personal goal for me and my students of dance training. Each barre progression builds on to each-other to make you stronger, stable and dancer fit & flexible! This sample is how I love to work with my more serious students of dance to help the level up their performance! No better student than my habibty ❤️

Raise your hand if you love Bellydance + Barre as a 🤌🏼 perfect blend of your favorites!

11/25/2025

Because, isn’t that what it’s all about? started off in my barre and dance classes, so you can imagine how happy I am to see her natural spirit come to life through movement.

Remember…incase you forgot, YOU (!!!) love to dance!

I want to thank the members, and President Mona Chahine of the Lebanese Syrian Ladies Society for hosting a successful c...
11/16/2025

I want to thank the members, and President Mona Chahine of the Lebanese Syrian Ladies Society for hosting a successful charity event with a focus on health and wellness! Topics included skin care and dance fitness. My portion demonstrated and shared posture, oriental dance grace, and functional fitness with everyday tips! All for a good cause!

(Skin Care by Rola: https://www.instagram.com/skinbyrola?igsh=M2o2c2xjdmwwZDVo)

11/14/2025

Own the room and smile! There is no forth wall, just you and the audience! Engage, interact, and shine! ✨

Proud to join my friend and the Lebanese Syrian Ladies Aid Society to share health & wellness! Tickets are still avail...
11/03/2025

Proud to join my friend and the Lebanese Syrian Ladies Aid Society to share health & wellness! Tickets are still available so please join us for a fun and educational evening!

Book in my bio for a direct link. Hope to see you there!

10/13/2025

Wondering what to do with all those apples this season? This visual is a great reminder to keep the space open between your chin and chest! This is a friendly reminder to lift your head high and confident today and every day!

Now who here went apple picking already? 🙋🏻‍♀️

06/05/2025

Yalla! I’m excited to share how and our program provides important and valuable insights and tangible solutions to our changing bodies with Bellydance movements and barre fitness to ease (and empower!) our beautiful bodies into menopause! Check out and the upcoming virtual summit with a host of experts who collectively bring their expertise to the table!

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Westwood, MA

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Our Story

​​Our founder, Soraya Doherty, has 20 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® Dance Training Mat & Balance Plate: the only visual aid of its kind, designed to provide a 3-D learning experience to help students learn and practice fundamental belly dance movements 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 the RAQISA® brand as an engaging and memorable experience for women to keep inspired with solution based dance and fitness programs! In addition to dance, her accredited RAQ THE BARRE® program trains instructors across America & Canada to teach this barre fitness • belly dance technique method to their community! In addition to online and live classes, Soraya offers dance lessons at the RAQISA® Studio; The Between Space Dance Studio in her home state Massachusetts as well as Mediterranean Wellness events in her home state: Monterey, California. Wellness weekends are always designed to educate, elevate and inspire i! Her empowering workshops always bring to life a piece of her precious mother's Lebanon, a beloved inherited culture which offers a beautiful perspective on life with healthy recipes and a “love & respect your body” attitude. Soraya 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.