Shows
Belly Dance LifeTypical Archetypes in Baladi DanceIn order to find emotional connection with Baladi, you need to understand its cultural environment, and typical archetypes that are often associated with Baladi women. Let’s dive into this topic in this solo episode with Iana!Show Notes to this episode:Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Join the Iana Dance Club to have access to the Baladi intensive mentioned in the episode.Details and training materials for the BDE castings are available at www.JoinBDE.comFind information on how you can support Ukraine an...2024-05-1120 min
Belly Dance LifeAlla Kushnir: Building Lifestyle That Fulfills YouA well-known choreographer and dancer, Alla Kushnir has won many prizes and awards. She was a finalist at the TV show “Ukraine has talent“, silver medalist of the Lebanese TV show “Hizzi Ya Nawaem”, winner of Egyptian TV show ” Al Rakesa”, among many other awards and achievements. For Alla Kushnir Oriental dancing has opened a lot of previously unknown sensations. As a dancer and choreographer, she believes that this style of dance changes a woman’s whole attitude towards herself and her surroundings. Alla is a frequent guest in various talent search competition TV shows. In 2008, she appeared in the first film...2024-01-161h 15
Belly Dance LifeIana & Pedro: Music & Dance Discoveries in CairoPedro Bonatto is an internationally acclaimed photographer and drummer. Born in Brazil and based in Canada, Pedro works in fine art and fashion photography, with works published in Elle Arabia, Fashion Canada and a number of magazines and books. As a drummer, Pedro focuses on Middle Eastern music and its relationship to cultures from aroundd the world. He is also the creator of the world music and dance group The Blue Dot Ensemble.Show Notes to this episode:Find Pedro Bonatto on FB, Instagram, YouTube, and website. Artist Date show is available HERE...2023-10-2453 min
Belly Dance LifeWhat Is Egyptian Belly Dance StyleThis episode includes Iana’s lecture that was recorded specifically for the upcoming intensive at the Iana Dance Club “Cairo Dance Guide”.You will hear about Iana’s experience of attending a bunch of dance festivals in Cairo during summer 2023, and her observations about current trends present in the Egyptian dance style.Check the entire collection of available intensives at www.ianadanceclub.com/intensivesShow Notes to this episode:Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.Detai...2023-09-1924 min
Belly Dance LifeTips For Attending Dance Festivals in CairoThis episode includes Iana’s lecture that was recorded specifically for the upcoming intensive at the Iana Dance Club “Cairo Dance Guide”.You will hear about Iana’s experience of attending a bunch of dance festivals in Cairo during summer 2023, and a collection of practical tips that would be useful for your future activities at festivals.Check the entire collection of available intensives at www.ianadanceclub.com/intensivesShow Notes to this episode:Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dan...2023-08-0853 min
Belly Dance LifeThe Archetype of Goddess IsisThis episode includes Iana’s lecture that was recorded specifically for the new intensive at the Iana Dance Club “Archetypes of Egyptian Goddesses in Dance”.Feel like a goddess on stage with the help of Egyptian mythology! It's about your stage presence, and how the power of stories and myths can help you feel more confident, open and connected during your dance.Check the full intensive on Archetypes of Egyptian Goddesses in Dance at www.ianadanceclub.com/intensivesShow Notes to this episode:Details and training materials for the BDE ca...2023-06-2032 min
Belly Dance LifeWhy Do We Get Shy On Stage?This episode includes Iana’s lecture that was recorded specifically for her recent Mahraganat intensive at the Iana Dance Club.Since Mahraganat has a very particular mood, this style may feel uncomfortable for many dancers. Diving into such topic can be a great opportunity to train your acting skills, loosen up emotional boundaries related to shyness, and get out of your comfort zone. In addition, we are gonna work on a very fun and dynamic choreo which will provide you a bit of cardio workout. :)Check out the full intensive on Mahraganat: https://www.ianadanceclub.co...2023-04-1934 min
Belly Dance LifeSpecial Series: Student Voice with Fiona, Soukaina & EmilyThis is a continuation of our special series ‘Student Voices’ where I share my conversations with the members of the Iana Dance Club about life, dance and training. Some of participants are belly dance beginners, some are professionals, but all of us have one thing in common: we all remain being students of dance. :)Today you will hear three interviews at once! Enjoy these inspiring conversations with Fiona, Soukaina and Emily where they share their belly dance transformations with us.Show Notes to this episode:More interviews from our spec...2023-03-211h 45
Belly Dance LifeComparing my Vipassana Experience with the Process of Dance TrainingThis is a new solo episode with Iana! Last months I had my ever first Vipassana course, and I’d like to share some lessons that I had to remind myself during that 10-day meditation course. They perfectly apply to the process of dance training too, so I hope you will enjoy and use them in your own practice.Show Notes to this episode:Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club. Artist Date show is available to wa...2023-02-2152 min
Belly Dance LifeIana & Pedro: Dating a Belly DancerPedro Bonatto is an internationally acclaimed photographer and drummer. Born in Brazil, Pedro works in fine art and fashion photography, with works published in Elle Arabia, Fashion Canada and a number of magazines and books. Pedro is also a drummer focusing on Middle Eastern music and the leader of the world music and dance band Blue Dot.Iana Komarnytska is a professional dancer, teacher, choreographer, and passionate content creator helping dancers navigate their dance lives. She is a graduate from the professional dance program at York University (Canada), host of the Belly Dance Life podcast, creator of...2023-01-311h 45
Belly Dance LifeHow to Memorize Any Choreography FasterThis is a new solo episode with Iana! Sharing 10 practical tips that I use to memorize choreographies faster. These tips will be especially useful during workshop settings, when you need to learn a dance piece within very limited amount of time.Show Notes to this episode:Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.Check out Stackable Drills for your daily practice at www.stackabledrills.com.Details and training materials for the BDE castings...2023-01-2433 min
Belly Dance LifeThe Process of Developing New Dance HabitsThis is a new solo episode with Iana! We often make grand plans but fail on showing up and performing them. Or sometimes we do show up but don't put 100% of our energy into the task. How to make sure that your future New Year resolution list won’t transform by the end of January into a simple wish list of dance habits you’d like to have.Show Notes to this episode:Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana...2022-12-1451 min
Belly Dance LifeBest of: Don't Take Opportunity to Dance For GrantedFor all our guests and listeners dance is a very integral part of daily life. But sometimes we start taking it for granted, and forget that for many people opportunity to dance and perform is a luxury. Let’s listen to some stories from our previous guests.NEW episode with a selection of the best parts dedicated to the barriers and hardships of the decision to pursue a dance path. You’ll hear from Lebanese Simon, Sara Al-Hadithi, Mohanned Hawaz and Sabriye Tekbilek.Show Notes to this episode:Full interviews with our...2022-11-161h 04
Belly Dance LifeJillina Carlona - Navigating Through Changes in Personal & Professional LifePerformer, Master Instructor, Choreographer, Director and Producer, Jillina Carlano has devoted her life to dance. From 2003-09 she served as Artistic Director and Main Choreographer for the Bellydance Superstars and performed with them for over 700 shows in over a dozen countries. In 2009 Jillina created Bellydance Evolution to take Middle Eastern dance to a higher level worldwide. Bellydance Evolution has already appeared in over 20 countries and was a featured performer at the Mawazine festival in Morocco, performing for the Queen of Morocco. Jillina has won numerous awards from International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance and the Giza Academy, including Best Mo...2022-11-081h 17
Belly Dance LifeKaouther Ben Amor: Stay True to YourselfInternational master teacher and dancer artist, Kaouther Ben Amor is known for the theatrical dimension she gives to her expressive interpretations and original choreographies. After various shows in France where her name totally settled down as teacher and performer, she naturally moved on to performing abroad in prestigious theatres : Tokyo, New York, Dallas, Geneva, Brussels, Cairo, Torino, Amsterdam, Tunis, Venice, Rimini, Berlin, Amsterdam... Rachid Bouchared trusted her to create the choreography of the oriental ballet in his latest film “Outside the Law” (Cannes Film Festival 2010) and also for the Tunisian Director Elyes Baccar in the movie Tunis By Night.2022-11-021h 18
Belly Dance LifeAlisa Gurova: The Strength & Support of Our Belly Dance CommunityAlisa Gurova is a professional fusion dancer with a Master degree in contemporary dance from the College of Arts in Kyiv. Her performances combine fusion, belly dance, and contemporary dance with ballet. This has led her to winning “The Challenge” in the Ukrainian International Competition for Contemporary Jazz in 2015 and 2016, and winning Miss Belly Dance Ukraine in 2010. Her expertise is well known as she has been asked to judge the Let’s Dance Festival in Prague 2016, the Bellydance Festival in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine in 2016, and the Bellydance Festival in Kiev in 2015.In this episode you will learn...2022-10-261h 05
Belly Dance LifeWhen You Don’t See Much Progress in Your DanceThis is a new solo episode with Iana! Let’s talk about the frustrations of the learning process, and specifically the moment when you don’t see much improvements in your dance.Show Notes to this episode:Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.Check out the amazing collection at My Inner Dancer online store at www.myinnerdancer.com Use a promo code PODCAST for a 10% discount during the checkout.Find information on how you can support Ukra...2022-10-1828 min
Belly Dance LifeLoretta - Teaching Belly Dance in KuwaitOriginally from the Netherlands, Loretta is a modern international belly dance star and in-demand teacher of workshops worldwide. She is a winner of multiple international competitions, and known for her smooth graceful movements with intricate technique skills. Now Loretta lives and teaches belly dance classes in Kuwait, as well as continues to travel worldwide.In this episode you will learn about:- Mastering belly dance on your own from 0 to professional level- The importance of flexibility for dancer’s body- Teaching belly dance classes in Kuwait2022-10-1156 min
Belly Dance LifeShahrzad - Changes in The Cairo Dance Life During The Last 4-5 YearsShahrzad is an internationally known teacher and performer of Egyptian dance styles. She moved to Egypt in 2015 and enjoyed a 5 year performance career appearing in top night clubs, films, and music videos. Post-covid she opened her business ‘Shahrzad Studios’ which focuses on providing high quality education on Egyptian dance, music, and language both online and in person featuring her own instruction as well as promoting artists of origin.In this episode you will learn about:- Not-so-obvious reasons of why Cairo dance & music scene has changed so much after the lockdowns- Sh...2022-10-041h 16
Belly Dance LifeKira Lebedeva: Dance & PoliticsKira Lebedeva has been a professional Tribal Fusion dancer and teacher for almost 12 years, also teaching yoga for around 10 years. In March 2022 Kira has transformed her studio in Lviv into a shelter to host people from all over Ukraine who had to leave their own cities in search of a safer place.In this episode you will learn about:- The impact of the war on Kira’s dance life, and the experience of hosting a shelter at her dance studio- Expressing politics through dance- The beginning of...2022-09-271h 21
Belly Dance LifeBest of: What Do You Think About Your Own VideosWhat do you feel when you are watching your own performance videos? Let’s hear the experience of our star guests.NEW episode with a selection of the best parts dedicated to the self criticism and your videos. You’ll hear from Julia Farid, Aida Bogomolova, Yael Zarca and Diana Gnatchenko.Show Notes to this episode:Full interviews with our guests:Ep 52. Julia Farid: About Artistic Fulfillment, Individual Style and Teacher-Student RelationshipsEp 144. Aida Bogomolova: Paying Attention to Each DetailEp 162. Yaël Zarca: Spreading Light...2022-09-2135 min
Belly Dance LifeJasirah: How to Find New Business Ideas as a DancerJasirah is an international professional dancer, teacher and judge, and organizer of the Raks Glam Festival in Poland. For over 12 years she has been teaching regular classes of oriental dance in Poland and master classes around the world. You could meet her teaching and performing in over 20 countries on 4 different continents. In 2016 she played the main role of Cheshire Cat in "Alice in Wonderland" during a 3-month tour with BDE in China, and in 2017 she played the main role of Mermaid and Florist in “Sheherezade 1001 Night” show, during United States East Coast Tour. She is a multi-award winn...2022-09-131h 22
Belly Dance LifeNesma: Incredible Path From the Star Soloist to the Member of Folklore Troupe and BeyondFrom a family of artists, Nesma started to perform in TV shows and theatre when she was a teenager. She lived in Cairo from 1993–1998, where she obtained her extensive knowledge of Oriental dance, Egyptian folklore, Arabic music, culture and traditions. Nesma performed as a soloist with her own orchestra in over 3,500 shows on the most prestigious stages of Cairo. She broadened her artistic career in the National Egyptian Folkloric Ballet, The Reda Troupe. Since 1998 she has danced and taught around the world. In Spain she founded her own school and a prestigious dance company, Al-Andalus Danza. Creator of the ne...2022-09-071h 17
Belly Dance LifeTatiana Tarasova: Know Your UniquenessTatiana Tarasova is a professional dancer and choreographer, with a 7-year experience of teaching oriental dance in her own school in Melitopol (Ukraine). She is a festival organizer, and the winner of many dance competitions. Her most recent festival was planned for March 5th of 2022 but it was cancelled due to the war in Ukraine. Currently Tatiana resides in the Czech Republic, and is open for classes and event collaborations.In this episode you will learn about:- How the war in Ukraine made Tatiana move to a different place for the second...2022-08-311h 27
Belly Dance LifeHow to Dance to Tarab SongsDancing to Tarab songs is extremely responsible task. Such songs have a deep cultural meaning, and should be addressed thoughtfully and with respect. Let’s discuss this subject more in-depth.Show Notes to this episode:Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube , or contact via email info@ianadance.com . Intensives at the Iana Dance Club mentioned in the episode: Belly Rolls and Flutters & Tab Wana Maly (Tarab).Check out the next SharQui Instructor Academy beginning October 3rd. Apply at sharqui.com/teachFind information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrain...2022-08-2433 min
Belly Dance LifeTetiana Tesliuk: Dancing During The Time of WarTetiana Tesliuk is a professional bellydancer from Kyiv, winner of competitions in Ukraine and Europe, “Orientalisimo World Cup Champion” 2021. She also won over a dozen of ONLINE competitions in JUST 2021. Tetiana absolutely adores drum solo style, and creates unique drum solo choreographies! Because of the war she currently stays in Germany, but she is open for online classes, individual choreographies, and festival collaborations.In this episode you will learn about:- How the war in Ukraine impacted Tetiana’s life - Her decision to perform on stage despite the current situation- The...2022-08-171h 44
Belly Dance LifeMunique Neith: Marketing in Belly DanceMunique Neith is a Brazilian dancer of Arabic descent and one of the most prestigious master teachers in the world. Currently, she lives in Barcelona, Spain, and she is the first master owner of two Oriental Dance Schools in the country with more than 800 students and the biggest school in Europe exclusively for bellydancing. She participated as a dancer in the Netflix series The Crown in one of its 5th season episodes, taught Oriental Dance classes for Cirque du Soleil artists during their tour in Barcelona with the Saltimbanco Show, performed at the Palau de la Música Catalana, h...2022-08-091h 04
Belly Dance LifeAngella Kim: Belly Dance in Asia: Evolution & Current RealitiesAngella Kim is an internationally renowned and award-winning belly dancer from South Korea. She graduated from Dongguk University of Arts with a degree in theatre and first began her journey in Oriental dance in 2005. In 2008 Angella established her AFOD company in Beijing, China and began developing her teaching system, which is now used in over 24 provinces in China and more than 180 cities. From 2009-2012 Angella toured in Jillina's Bellydance Evolution company. She has also taught at the "Ahlan wa Sahlan" festival in Cairo, Egypt as well as Japan, Singapore, Argentina and many other countries.In...2022-07-291h 24
Belly Dance LifeBest of: Healing Power of Belly DanceNEW episode with a selection of the best parts dedicated to the healing power of belly dance. You’ll hear from Anna Schkade-Siytangco, Aszmara, Amel Tafsout and Cassandra Shore.Show Notes to this episode:Full interviews with our guests:Ep 135. Anna Schkade-Siytangco: Gaining Confidence & Overcoming FearsEp 159. Aszmara: Dance Gives Us Inner StrengthEp 103. Amel Tafsout: The Healing Power of North African CultureEp 168. Cassandra Shore: Progressing Through Years of DancingFollow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes an...2022-07-2133 min
Belly Dance LifeMahaila El Helwa: Finding Your Truth in DanceMahaila El Helwa is a renowned Brazilian instructor, performer and choreographer of Oriental dance. She is known for her unique style and precise technique. In addition to her work in Brazil, Mahaila has taught workshops and performed in many countries throughout the world. She improves her dance with great masters of oriental dance and travels constantly to Egypt to improve her dance. In 2017, she opened the "Mahaila El Helwa Studio - Arab Oriental Dance" in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Today, she is a beloved master teacher of many students who are intrigued and inspired by her personality and dance individuality.2022-07-121h 00
Belly Dance LifeEp 201. In-person Vs Online Classes - Student Voices w/ PriancaThis is a special weekend series ‘Student Voices’ where I share my conversations with the members of the Iana Dance Club about life, dance and training. Some of participants are belly dance beginners, some are professionals, but all of us have one thing in common: we all remain being students of dance. :)Enjoy this inspiring conversation with Prianca where she shares her belly dance transformations with us:Belly Dance TransformationsBefore: I’m so used to being in the studio, and having a teacher whom I can see, so starting to dan...2022-06-2635 min
Belly Dance LifeDiana Gnatchenko: The Story of Fan-Veil AddictionDiana Gnatchenko is a professional oriental dancer from Ukraine recognized around the world. She is the winner of multiple international competitions, guest teacher and judge at the most prestigious events worldwide. Her dance tours took place in countries such as Ukraine, United States, Italy, China, Spain, Argentina, Mexico, Korea, Chile, France, Malaysia, Sweden, Poland, Serbia, Brazil, Colombia and many other countries in the world.In this episode you will learn about:- How the war in Ukraine affected Diana’s life and dance activities- Why choosing students who fit you as...2022-06-232h 44
Belly Dance LifeEp 199. Belly Dance & Zumba Experiences - Student Voices w/ Shani BrownThis is a special weekend series ‘Student Voices’ where I share my conversations with the members of the Iana Dance Club about life, dance and training. Some of participants are belly dance beginners, some are professionals, but all of us have one thing in common: we all remain being students of dance. :)Enjoy this inspiring conversation with Shani Brown where she shares her belly dance transformations with us:Belly Dance Transformations:"A lot of the time it’s difficult to prioritize for ourselves, and to prioritize our dance because there are so many t...2022-06-1839 min
Belly Dance LifeVictoria Teel: The Story of Fan-Veil AddictionVictoria Teel is an award winning belly dance performer and instructor. In 2010, she was chosen along with 24 other dancers to participate in the world’s first ever belly dance reality show, Project Belly Dance. She placed among the top six contestants, earning her spot in the Final 6 instructional DVD released in March 2011. Soon after Project Belly Dance, Victoria joined Miles Copeland's Bellydance Superstars in Japan for the tour of Bombay Bellywood. Victoria is also the creator of the Teel Fan Method, a dance technique using fans and fan veils incorporating influences from Asian dances. Today, Victoria is base...2022-06-151h 02
Belly Dance LifeSelf-Curating Training Journey - Student Voices w/ Sandra Van BaarenThis is a special weekend series ‘Student Voices’ where I share my conversations with the members of the Iana Dance Club about life, dance and training. Some of participants are belly dance beginners, some are professionals, but all of us have one thing in common: we all remain being students of dance. :)Enjoy this inspiring conversation with Sandra Van Baaren where she shares her belly dance transformations with us:Belly Dance Transformations:"What helped a lot in my training was video taping myself. Often I’d look in a mirror and think that I...2022-06-0936 min
Belly Dance LifeBeata Cifuentes: Introducing Structured Belly Dance ClassBorn in Berlin, Germany, Beata Cifuentes started dancing at the age of six. Already as a child she attended her weekly ballet lessons with great persistence. Her decision to interrupt medical studies, as well as an intensive three-year course at Berlin’s Academy for Performing Arts, led her to discover oriental dance. She was fascinated by Arabic music when she heard the legendary singer Um Kalthoum – this was the start of a life-long passion for oriental dancing. After serious research, studies and travels to the Middle East, Beata founded the first-of-its-kind school for oriental dance in Berlin. She currently co-d...2022-06-021h 11
Belly Dance LifeKeeping Yourself Accountable - Student Voices w/ WendyThis is a special weekend series ‘Student Voices’ where I share my conversations with the members of the Iana Dance Club about life, dance and training. Some of participants are belly dance beginners, some are professionals, but all of us have one thing in common: we all remain being students of dance. :)Enjoy this inspiring conversation with Wendy where she shares her belly dance transformations with us:Belly Dance Transformations:"I needed to exercise, but I couldn’t make myself going to gym on a regular basis. Dance on contrary is just someth...2022-05-3041 min
Belly Dance LifeWarda: Discussing Origins of Belly DanceWarda is a professional national and international award-winning bellydancer. She has traveled to Egypt over thirty times to research and train and has won awards by top Egyptian professionals for her dancing. Warda is the director of the Shahrazad Dance Company , and has written ‘The Origins and History of Bellydance’, along with Egyptian Professor Dr. Hassan Khalil. She is a mentor and teacher of a number of prize winning dancers.In this episode you will learn about:- Traveling lifestyle as a part of military community- Bringing innovation to dance2022-05-261h 21
Belly Dance LifeAiming for Perfection - Student Voices w/ LiliaThis is a special weekend series ‘Student Voices’ where I share my conversations with the members of the Iana Dance Club about life, dance and training. Some of participants are belly dance beginners, some are professionals, but all of us have one thing in common: we all remain being students of dance. :)Enjoy this inspiring conversation with Lilia where she shares her belly dance transformations with us:"I’m battling perfectionism constantly.""In my mind ‘professional’ means ‘perfect’ which is not true.""I have several performances and competitions that I skipped because I thou...2022-05-2333 min
Belly Dance LifeHow to Keep Accountability in Your TrainingWe often make grand plans but fail on showing up and performing them. Or sometimes we do show up but don't put 100% of our energy into the task. This relates to dance training too, especially if we are talking about practicing on your own. How to be more accountable and stop finding excuses of being too busy, or too tired, or simply postponing for later? Show Notes to this episode:Find information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrainian belly dancers HERE.Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Y...2022-05-2017 min
Belly Dance LifeAccepting Your Own Pace - Student Voices w/ Lina MarieThis is a special weekend series ‘Student Voices’ where I share my conversations with the members of the Iana Dance Club about life, dance and training. Some of participants are belly dance beginners, some are professionals, but all of us have one thing in common: we all remain being students of dance. :)Enjoy this inspiring conversation with Tita where she shares her belly dance transformations with us:‘’I feel that I’m growing, and it’s wonderful to be 59 and still experience the growth in your body.""I started doing belly dance to help with my...2022-05-1444 min
Belly Dance LifeAmar Lammar: Adapting to a New Country & LifestyleAmar Lammar was born in Mexico City. Since a young age she showed interest in art, especially dance. At the age of six years old she began her studies of Polynesian dances followed by a short period of ballet together with Mexican folklore. At the age of 11 she got into Afro-Caribbean rhythms but finally discovered and pursued her studies of oriental dance at the age of 13. Her international career began in 2003 with her first contracts in India for the Sheraton hotel group. After this first successful contract, she expanded her career and performed in several countries including Ba...2022-05-101h 20
Belly Dance LifeYou Never Know Who You Inspire - Student Voices w/ TitaThis is a special weekend series ‘Student Voices’ where I share my conversations with the members of the Iana Dance Club about life, dance and training. Some of participants are belly dance beginners, some are professionals, but all of us have one thing in common: we all remain being students of dance. :)Enjoy this inspiring conversation with Tita where she shares her belly dance transformations with us:Before:- My body was stuck doing nothing my whole life. I had to learn to move every muscle, especially my hips.- It’s diff...2022-05-0344 min
Belly Dance LifeSemsemah: Don’t Be a Superficial DancerSemsemah has created a unique, innovative and modern belly dance style and became one of the most famous dancers of her generation. She knew how to develop a modern style while preserving the Egyptian soul. Artistic director of the Sesame Association, she regularly organizes events related to oriental dance (tours to Cairo, shows, training, festivals). She hosts the annual show "Bent El Balad" bringing together her students and renowned artists such as Aladin El Kholy, Gamal Seif, Hind, Salma, Hakim, Taly, Kareem Gad, Zomzom. Semsemah also co-organized the Eshtah ya Eshta oriental dance festival with the renowned oriental dancer...2022-04-301h 12
Belly Dance LifeQuestioning Reasons & Motivation to Dance - Student Voices w/ AleesaThis is a special weekend series ‘Student Voices’ where I share my conversations with the members of the Iana Dance Club about life, dance and training. Some of participants are belly dance beginners, some are professionals, but all of us have one thing in common: we all remain being students of dance. :)Enjoy this inspiring conversation with Aleesa where she shares her belly dance transformations with us:‘’I used to think that belly dance was silly, but 20 years later belly dance is a huge part of my life.’’‘’Dance provides a nice contrast [to my profession...2022-04-2632 min
Belly Dance LifeNataša Kočar: Decision to Become a Dance TeacherNataša Kočar is a certified oriental dance teacher and choreographer, and the co-founder and head of the KUOD Bayani dance company, She has a degree in geography and sociology from Ljubljana’s Faculty of Arts. Her dance education started at the age of 12 at one of Slovenia’s top dance schools, including 2 years of overall dance training and 4 years of jazz ballet).At the beginning of the new millennium, Nataša discovered her love for oriental music. She has attended more than 200 workshops with different teachers from Egypt, Europe, and America. From 2004 onwards, Nataša has been...2022-04-211h 12
Belly Dance LifeFacing Frustrations of the Learning Process - Student Voices w/ DimitraThis is a special weekend series ‘Student Voices’ where I share my conversations with the members of the Iana Dance Club about life, dance and training. Some of participants are belly dance beginners, some are professionals, but all of us have one thing in common: we all remain being students of dance. :)Enjoy this inspiring conversation with Dimitra where she shares her belly dance transformations with us:Before: - Resisted to attend a class because of the fear of embarrassment in a group of unknown people.- Didn’t know how to prac...2022-04-1838 min
Belly Dance LifeLeila: Navigating Life & Work BalanceLeila was one of the most popular working dancers in Cairo for 13 years. While in Egypt she performed for parties, dignitaries, and weddings in Egypt and throughout Europe and the Arabian Gulf. She also danced continuously for Nile cruises, in the best hotels and concerts on television. Leila is also a well-known actress and model and is a recognizable personality throughout the Middle East being involved in hundreds of TV shows, music videos, TV commercials and films. Leila has produced some of the best-loved dance CDs today (the only dancer to utilize a "live sound" in her pro...2022-04-151h 19
Belly Dance LifeGitza: Dance Movement TherapyGitza is a Mexican dancer, internationally renowned teacher, choreographer and artistic director, who started practicing Middle-Eastern dances in 2006. She is currently the director of the Gitza dance school, and the Raqs Sahira dance company. Her vision for belly dance is influenced by psychology and dance therapy. With these disciplines, she has developed tools for teaching dance in a creative and experimental way, always investigating personal experience as the main engine for creation and interpretation.In this episode you will learn about:- The concept of the dance movement therapy- How...2022-04-051h 17
Belly Dance LifeHealing Emotional Blocks and Traumas Through Belly Dance - Student Voices w/ Jacinda (aka Aliya Dalal)This is a special series ‘Student Voices’ where I share my conversations with the members of the Iana Dance Club about life, dance and training. Some of participants are belly dance beginners, some are professionals, but all of us have one thing in common: we all remain being students of dance. :)Enjoy this inspiring conversation with Jacinda (aka Aliya Dalal) where she shares her belly dance transformations with us:‘’Dance helped me to overcome my body image and eating disorders. It taught me to love my body not for how it looks like, but for what it...2022-02-1938 min
Belly Dance LifeMaking Self-Care Your Priority - Student Voices w/ Pratima NagarajThis is a special series ‘Student Voices’ where I share my conversations with the members of the Iana Dance Club about life, dance and training. Some of participants are belly dance beginners, some are professionals, but all of us have one thing in common: we all remain being students of dance. :)Enjoy this inspiring conversation with Pratima Nagaraj where she shares her belly dance transformations with us:Before: I used to have lots of judgements about my body, and I used to be very insecure person.I thought I could never dance because I ha...2022-02-1538 min
Belly Dance LifeRaquy Danziger: Drumming QueenRaquy Danziger is a world-famous American musician, teacher and composer based in Istanbul. She has released thirteen albums, five darbuka method books, and two volumes of her original compositions. Her educational offerings are available through her online darbuka school: Darbukaschool.com. More than a thousand students are currently enrolled in her courses. Raquy specializes in the split hand technique, which is a fast and elaborate Turkish drumming style. She also plays the mystical twelve- string King Kemenche Tarhu, a rare and exotic bowed instrument. She has also performed in Egypt as a soloist with The Egyptian "King of Tab...2022-02-051h 00
Belly Dance LifeFinding Time Slots to Dance - Student Voices w/ Sinda SandraThis is a special weekend series ‘Student Voices’ where I share my conversations with the members of the Iana Dance Club about life, dance and training. Some of participants are belly dance beginners, some are professionals, but all of us have one thing in common: we all remain being students of dance. :)Enjoy this inspiring conversation with Sinda Sandra where she shares her belly dance transformations with us:Before: thought that belly dance was not for someone like her, felt very shy.Now: dreaming to come back to Egypt, and this time to danc...2022-01-3039 min
Belly Dance LifeTiffany Madera (Hanan): The Impact of Hanan Arts and Havana HabibiSince 2002, Miami based artist Tiffany Madera (Hanan) has become a figurehead in the dance world by re-coding traditional Egyptian Raks Sharki dance as a tool for empowerment and social justice. As a performer, professor, activist, museum professional, filmmaker, and non-profit leader, Tiffany combines a highly aesthetic approach and academic scholarship to tackle the questions of our day. She holds a Master’s Degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center at Florida International University and a Master’s Degree in Performance Studies from New York University Tisch School of the Arts, both with...2022-01-251h 17
Belly Dance LifeDo You Really Understand What Marketing And Promotion IsThere is some sort of shame around putting these two words together: dance & money (or art & sales). And I strongly believe that this is one of the main blocks for many talented dancers on why their career is not as successful as they wish it to be. There is a misconception as if treating your art as a business will destroy the nature and essence of the art itself, as if suddenly you will stop being an artist. I honestly think that such belief is a very comforting excuse for many artists on not taking res...2022-01-1842 min
Belly Dance LifeCinzia: How to Become a Better TeacherCinzia is an international belly dancer, teacher and choreographer, based in Italy and appreciated all over the world for her power and charisma on stage. Cinzia studied classical dance, jazz and piano for 10 years and in 2004 she fell in love with oriental dance and folklore. Her style is refined and powerful, a mix of Arabic feeling and modernity. She teaches, judges and dances in many countries, such as Spain, South Korea, Taiwan, Ukraine, United States and Egypt and regularly performs in the most important Italian festivals. She has taught literature and foreign languages at her local high school for...2022-01-111h 10
Belly Dance LifeHelen Blondel: How to Start Charging For Your ShowsOriginally from sunny Miami, Helen Blondel has performed at a myriad of venues in Central & South Florida, including Kababi Cafe, Cleopatra Lounge, Hookita Lounge, Taverna Opa, Cedar's Lebanese Cuisine, & Dar Tagine. She has also appeared on Televised programs such as "Despierta America" and "Sabado Gigante" on Univision as a dancer and is a recent member of the MBC 2018 award-winning Belly Motions RAKettes Dance Company. Helen Blondel is the former Belly Dance Instructor of Florida International University recreation in Miami, and now resides in Orlando.In this episode you will learn about:- Charging...2022-01-041h 23
Belly Dance LifeBest of: Facing Rejection, Disapproval or JudgementNEW episode with a selection of the best parts dedicated to facing and overcoming rejection, disapproval or judgement from teachers, relatives, or community. You’ll hear from Alex DeLora, Artemis Mourat, Esmeralda Colabone and Alla Kushnir.Show Notes to this episode:Full interviews with our guests:Ep 21. Alex DeLora: Every Drum Solo Has Its Own MoodEp 125. Artemis Mourat: Seek Out Your Dance Mentors & ‘Angel’ MothersEp 151. Esmeralda Colabone: Living The Truth: Motherhood and Dance CareerEp 40. Alla Kushnir: Not Only Luck Makes You Number 1...2021-12-2847 min
Belly Dance LifeSabah: Ballet & Belly DanceSabah has decades of experience in classical, modern, and folk styles of dance. She has worked with the Chicago’s Festival Ballet, Ballet Chicago, and Alabama Ballet. She received her degree from Columbia College Chicago majoring in Cultural Studies and minoring in dance with a year abroad at the American University in Cairo, Egypt. There she joined the Egyptian Folkloric Company and received a contract to dance on the Nile Pharaoh cruise ship allowing her to hand-select a band and troupe of dancers. In 2006, she joined the international dance company Bellydance Superstars, directed by Jillina Carlano, and began touring th...2021-12-211h 17
Belly Dance LifeJoana Saahirah: Running Dance Courses OnlineJoana Saahirah is a world-renowned dancer, teacher, choreographer and author specialized in Egyptian Oriental and Folkloric dances. She’s written and published 2 books - “The Secrets of Egypt – Dance, Life & Beyond” and "Behind the Curtain", created the pioneering online platforms "Joana Saahirah´s World" and "Joana Saahirah´s Online Dance School" delivering authentic Egyptian dance, personal discovery & empowerment, and she is the creator of the upcoming "The Oriental Café" Podcast.Joana started her career in Egypt, where she performed and lived for 8 years, as well as worked with Mahmoud Reda, as his teaching and choreography assistant. Joana has been a...2021-12-141h 33
Belly Dance LifePedro Bonatto: How to Approach a Drum Solo Improvisation & Stop Being Afraid of ItPedro Bonatto is an internationally acclaimed photographer and drummer. Born in Brazil and based in Canada, Pedro works in fine art and fashion photography, with works published in Elle Arabia, Fashion Canada and a number of magazines and books. As a drummer, Pedro focuses on Middle Eastern music and its relationship to cultures from around the world. He is also the creator of the world music and dance group The Blue Dot Ensemble.In this episode you will learn about:- Differences between Arabic and Turkish style of drumming- Clay d...2021-12-082h 10
Belly Dance LifeJackie Barzvi: Discover More About Mizrahi Dance CultureJackie Barzvi is a raqs sharqi (belly dance) instructor and performer originally from Queens, NY, now based in North Carolina. She has been dancing all her life and focuses on folkloric dances from Egypt, North Africa, Iraq, and the Persian Gulf. She recently created the first ever Mizrahi Dance Archive to highlight specific Jewish dances from MENA regions. She has been teaching Middle Eastern dance since 2011 and is passionate about creating environments where people can dance, connect, and build community. The Mizrahi Dance Archive's mission is to collect and organize the information we have of specific Jewish d...2021-11-301h 27
Belly Dance LifeYousry Sharif: The Superpowers of Epic Musicality & PersonalityYousry Sharif is the embodiment of many greats when it comes to Egyptian Raqs Sharqi: a great original choreographer, a great teacher, a great mentor, a great music producer, a great presence, a great inspiration, a great mind, and the list goes on and on. A native to Cairo, his dance talents shone through at a tender age of seven. He grew up thoroughly trained in Egyptian folkloric dancing, plus various dance forms, including jazz, classical ballet, and flamenco, while working with various influential choreographers and teachers. After moving to New York, the USA, in the 1980s, h...2021-11-231h 12
Belly Dance LifeCassandra Shore: Progressing Through Years of DancingCassandra Shore, the founder of The Cassandra School (1978), is recognized as one of the world’s foremost performers and choreographers of Middle Eastern dance. Her artistic intensity, musicality, and technique set her apart from the average performer. She brings to dance lyrical grace, musical focus, and a sensuous quality of movement that brings mere technique to life. Her work has been rewarded with grants, commissions, and awards. Cassandra also founded the Jawaahir Dance Company in 1989 as a way to move Middle Eastern dance "beyond the museum," and create original, theatrically-inspired choreographies that blends traditional and contemporary Middle Eastern forms.2021-11-161h 10
Belly Dance LifeSharon Kihara: Talking About Tribal Fusion: Origins, Style Definition, Lack of Education, Physicality EvolutionKnown the world over as one of the pioneering forces in the field of Tribal Fusion belly dance, Sharon Kihara is regarded as one of the most seasoned and well-traveled artists in the genre, and is known for her avante-garde artistic sensibility that defies replication. She is both a dance and yoga therapy teacher, 200 RYT certified by Yoga Alliance.In late 2003, at the behest of friend Rachel Brice, Sharon was scouted to perform with the pioneering dance company Bellydance Superstars, created by music mogul and svengali Miles Copeland. Sharon spent over five years on tour as Tribal d...2021-11-091h 22
Belly Dance LifeDealing With Performance FearsThis is a solo episode by Iana where we’ll talk about two most common paralyzing performance fears: fear of being judged as not good enough dancer, and fear of forgetting choreography and not knowing what to do.Show Notes to this episode:If you want to work deeper on dealing with performance anxiety and building up your energy projection as a performer, check out the new intensive at the Iana Dance Club: The Power of Imagination.Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her teaching platform: th...2021-11-021h 14
Belly Dance LifeLuna of Cairo: Life Beyond DanceLuna is an international belly dance star who performed in Egypt's top hotels and Nile cruises from 2009 to 2018. She has an exceptionally exciting style of dance, and has been featured on Egyptian television. Luna has also appeared in the music videos of some of Egypt's most popular singers, and was a featured dancer in several movies. Luna is in high demand to teach belly dance workshops around the world. She has taught all over the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Egypt, England, Poland, Japan, China, and Vietnam. She is also a regular teacher at Raqia Hassan’s Ahlan wa Sa...2021-10-261h 03
Belly Dance LifeTommy King: The Importance of Charisma For Dance PerformersHatem Hamdy, also known as Tommy King, is a real showman! His unique and colorful style makes him a sought after teacher and dancer around the world. He started his professional career with skating. Between the age of 20 to 25 he worked as a coach-assistant in the "Sham's" club and later as a coach for mature students. He has earned 14 times the first prize for skating in Egypt, and won the second prize at the "African World" competition continuously for 5 years. He loved the idea of mixing oriental dance with skating, but eventually he took the direction of oriental dance...2021-09-161h 04
Belly Dance LifeMercedes Nieto: Finding Home Inside Your BodyMercedes Nieto is an internationally acclaimed oriental dance artist based in Budapest, Hungary. She is world famous for her delicate, elegant, and yet passionate dance style, which is innovative and unique. Mercedes has spent a decade touring around the world: since 2009 she had been teaching and performing in more than 50 countries at around 30 different oriental dance events yearly. While constantly traveling and sharing her knowledge, passion and unique vision for belly dancing, she kept organizing the highly acclaimed CAIRO! Fest Budapest. Also, Mercedes is producing Middle-Eastern music specifically for oriental dancers since 2012: she has released five albums that gained...2021-07-241h 53
Belly Dance LifeYaël Zarca: Spreading Light and PositivityYaël is an international Oriental dance artist living in Paris. She has a very personal and refined style combining tradition and modernity. She is regularly invited to perform and teach abroad (Japan, USA, Canada, China, Europe…) due to her skills as a teacher and the high level of her artistic work. Yaël conveys her passion with generosity and enthusiasm. She focuses on listening carefully to the music and interpreting emotions, while displaying an impeccable technique and creating a wide variety of choreographies. She teaches all Egyptian styles, from a soft and introverted Tarab to an energetic and catc...2021-07-061h 08
Belly Dance LifeMiasia: Life Before, During & After TV Show Al RakesaMiasia is a dedicated performer, teacher, trainer and workshop instructor with 25 years of cabaret and folkloric Middle Eastern Dance experience. As a performer, she has captivated audiences all over the US and around the world, including Turkey and Egypt, where she was featured on the renowned Egyptian TV show Al Rakesa. Miasia has been a performer at numerous special events, including national conferences like True Spirit. She has graced concert halls, nightclubs, restaurants and stages all over the globe, including the SF Pride Women’s stage where she was presented a prize for her award-winning shimmies. ...2021-06-191h 33
Belly Dance LifeAegela: Sharing Memories of Studying with Mahmoud RedaSince 1978, Aegela’s love of Middle Eastern dance has taken her throughout the US and to the heart of the art—Egypt. It was on her first tour that Aegela was awarded the coveted Lifetime Performer’s license by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, an honor held by only 11 foreigners. While working in Egypt, Aegela enjoyed the privilege of studying with famed dancer/choreographer Mahmoud Reda, of the Reda Troupe, and with Madame Busi, principal dancer with the National Folkloric Company.During her teaching career, Aegela has conducted classes for the deaf and hearing impaired, and devised a form...2021-06-071h 30
Belly Dance LifeAszmara: Dance Gives Us Inner StrengthAszmara goes beyond movements and steps to unleash your soul’s music. Her insight into movement, music and connecting emotions with dance marks her as an unforgettable teacher and performer. “Dance is Emotion in Motion” exactly describes Aszmara. For over 40 years, Aszmara has been inspiring dancers as a teacher and performer with international tours, workshops and seminars across USA & Europe. As a master teacher, her deep love for dance shines through to everyone she teaches, from beginners to professionals, leading them to find their own expressive passion in dance. In the 80’s and 90’s she was co-director of two dance comp...2021-05-211h 09
Belly Dance LifeHow to Structure Your 20-min ShowIt’s a mini-episode with Iana!Let’s talk about the structure of a 20-min belly dance program: how to survive as a performer, and how to keep it interesting for your audience.Show Notes to this episode:Check Business Course for Belly Dancers | Everything About Gigs: www.ianadance.com/businessGet a FREE Step-By-Step Guide here: www.ianadance.com/guideFind Iana on Instagram, FB, Youtube.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast2020-11-2347 min
Belly Dance LifeCommon Mistakes In Your Communication With Potential ClientIt’s a mini-episode with Iana!Let’s talk about common mistakes in the communication process with your potential clients!Show Notes to this episode:Check Business Course for Belly Dancers | Everything About Gigs: www.ianadance.com/businessGet a FREE Step-By-Step Guide here: www.ianadance.com/guideFind Iana on Instagram, FB, Youtube.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast2020-11-1431 min
BE ONE. BE YOU.®A Little Bit About Me, Iana LahiSend us a textSome insights on Iana Lahi.Thanks for listening to BE ONE. BE YOU.®You can check out my courses and trainings at - https://ianalahi.com Membership and course logon is - https://spiritgateways.ianalahi.comEmail me if you have any questions or want to have me as a guest on your podcast - info@ianalahi.comFrom my heart to yours.Thank you. :-)2020-11-0817 min
Belly Dance LifeRestaurant Gigs: Why To Do & How To Get IntoIt’s a mini-episode with Iana!Let’s talk about restaurant gigs: why to do and how to get into…Show Notes to this episode:Check Business Course for Belly Dancers | Everything About Gigs: www.ianadance.com/businessGet a FREE Step-By-Step Guide here: www.ianadance.com/guideFind Iana on Instagram, FB, Youtube.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast2020-10-1427 min
Belly Dance LifeWhat Exactly Are You Selling?It’s a mini-episode with Iana!Let’s talk about the nature of our dance services, and the main reason why clients hire us. :)Show Notes to this episode:Check Business Course for Belly Dancers | Everything About Gigs: www.ianadance.com/businessGet a FREE Step-By-Step Guide here: www.ianadance.com/guideFind Iana on Instagram, FB, Youtube.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast2020-09-2213 min
Belly Dance LifeBusiness Mindset for DancersIt’s a mini-episode with Iana!Let’s talk about business mindset, shame around selling your art, and waiting for jobs and clients to appear from nowhere… :)Show Notes to this episode:Check Business Course for Belly Dancers | Everything About Gigs: www.ianadance.com/businessGet a FREE Step-By-Step Guide here: www.ianadance.com/guideFind Iana on Instagram, FB, Youtube.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast2020-09-1425 min
Belly Dance LifeEsmeralda Colabone: Bringing Emotions Back Into Your DanceIt’s a mini-episode with Esmeralda Colabone!If you ever hit a professional dance depression, or stopped feeling emotions from your dance, there is a solution. In this mini-episode Esmeralda shares her own experience of going through such a common stage in the career, and hopefully her story will help you to overcome it too!Show Notes to this episode:Thank you for your support via Iana Dance Club: www.ianadanceCLUB.com.Find Valerick on Instagram, FB, website and Youtube. Full interview is available here: Ep 13. Esmeralda Co...2020-06-1314 min
Belly Dance LifeHow to Improvise Without Any PanicIt’s a mini-episode with Iana!Let’s talk about dance improvisation, and a top secret of how to avoid panic attack while improvising for the audience. :)Show Notes to this episode:Check My Inner Dancer, online store for belly dancers: www.myinnerdancer.com.Find Iana on Instagram, FB, Youtube.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast2020-04-1106 min
Belly Dance LifeRabia: Connecting People Via 9/8 RhythmsRabia found her love of music and dance at a young age in Turkey where she started dancing, drumming, and performing at traditional celebrations and social gatherings. Growing up listening and dancing to the complex rhythms of Turkey’s beautiful Aegean region was to her benefit during her formal dance education. Her unique dancing and teaching style is rooted in Turkish culture and tradition. She is an internationally acclaimed performing artist, researcher, instructor, choreographer and specialized in 9/8 dances of Turkey. She believes and advocates for the healing power of music and dance in a person's physical, emotional and mental we...2020-03-311h 21
Belly Dance LifeValerick Molinary: Don't Be Shy to Promote Your ServicesIt’s a mini-episode with Valerick Molinary!We are going though some challenging times right now. Many artists struggle because of their lost jobs, frustration and stress of uncertainty. And if most of us aren’t very excited about putting together the business side of their dance activities even during the calm times, then now it’s even more crucial to remember that self-promotion is a must have for any working dancer, and you should not resist it.Show Notes to this episode:Thank you for your support via Iana D...2020-03-2809 min
Belly Dance LifeOscar Flores: It's Time to Be RebornOriginally from Argentina, master teacher, artistic director and dancer Oscar Flores began his artistic career very early. His training is very varied, including ballet, flamenco, oriental dance, theater and musical studies. From 1995 till today, he has been working in the world of theater, dance and fashion. In 2001, he founded his first dance school, where he worked for 3 years before moving to Buenos Aires and continuing his studies with renown masters such as Amir Thaleb and Saida. In 2010, he founded his dance company where he worked until 2016, when he moved to China to become a part of the Bellydance China...2020-03-241h 25
Belly Dance LifeMohanned Hawaz: Things You Didn’t Know about Iraqi DanceMohanned Hawaz is a dancer from Iraq currently living in Sweden. He has trained both ballet and Iraqi folklore since childhood and was a member of the Iraqi International Dance Company. Mohanned has played an excellent role in bringing Iraqi folkloric arts and dance to European and international audiences. He is determined to bring Iraqi style dances and culture to the international dance community and, more importantly, to preserve the work of the Iraqi National Troupe and its founders, Hannah Abdullah and Fouad Thanoon. The troupe Enkidu, an all-female, 12-person dance troupe, was founded by him in 2010 in Gothenburg...2020-03-171h 31
Belly Dance LifeThe Impact of Current World Events on Belly Dance IndustryIt’s a mini-episode with Iana!Today the world is changing so rapidly. Let’s talk about the current events and their impact (immediate and in a long term) on belly dance industry.Show Notes to this episode:Thank you for your support via Iana Dance Club: www.ianadanceCLUB.com.Find Iana on Instagram, FB, Youtube.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast2020-03-1414 min
Belly Dance LifeJessaiah Zure: Searching for Individuality in Turkish Romani DanceJessaiah Zure began bellydancing in 1997, studying primarily with Katarina Burda, and later with Jamila Salimpour. In 2004 she began her 10-year journey of living and studying on and off in Istanbul, where she studied Turkish Roman Dance primarily with Reyhan Tusuz. Jessaiah was Reyhan’s second ever “student”. As the years progressed, she met more people and danced and studied with many more dancers, including professionals, women in the kitchen, Anadolu Atesi dancers and more. The locals in Istanbul were amazed at Jessaiah’s natural familiarity with the music and dance. While she was there, Jessaiah was a featured dancer at many...2020-03-101h 15
Belly Dance LifePedro Bonatto: Drummer, Photographer & Husband of a Belly DancerPedro Bonatto is an internationally acclaimed photographer and drummer. Born in Brazil, Pedro works in fine art and fashion photography, with works published in Elle Arabia, Fashion Canada and a number of magazines and books. His fine art project, The Orientalist, features dancers and musicians in scenes inspired by Orientalist paintings, photographed in 6 countries in 3 continents. Pedro's unique style is applied to his belly dance photography, having photographed a number of stars including Aida Bogomolova, Khaled Mahmoud, Marta Korsun, Julia Farid and many others. Pedro is also a drummer focusing on Middle Eastern music and the leader of the...2020-03-042h 10
Belly Dance LifeBest of - Your Health Should Be Your PrioritySome of the best moments from our previous episodes! Today we are talking about such an important topic as health: health and dance in general, and health as a dancer’s health specifically. Learn from Cassandra Fox, Jillina Carlano, Alla Kushnir and Aradia of Las Vegas.Show Notes to this episode:Ep 15. Cassandra Fox: Healthy Does Not Have a FaceEp 31. Jillina Carlano: How Food Can Influence Your DanceEp 40. Alla Kushnir: Not Only Luck Makes You Number 1Ep 101. Aradia of Las Vegas: How to Succeed as a...2020-02-2344 min
Belly Dance LifeEva Cernik: Studying with Khairiya Maazin, Interviewing Samia Gamal, and Figuring Out Turkish Romani Dance StyleAfter extensive training in gymnastics and ballet, at age 19 Eva Cernik was first introduced to belly dance by Anahid Sofian in New York. Eva worked as an Oriental dancer in London, Paris, Istanbul, and Cairo, and in-troupe in Baghdad and Spain. She also traveled in Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Morocco and 14 other countries. Returning to Egypt 26 times, Eva developed a friendship with families in Upper Egypt, and studied with Khairiya Maazin, and So'ad Maazin. She also returned to Turkey 11 times, to really grasp the very strong contrast of the Turkish and Romani styles to the Egyptian and American styles. In 2008...2020-02-141h 32
Belly Dance LifeAmaya: Creating & Documenting The History of Belly Dance in AmericaHaving performed in over 21 countries, Amaya was the first to introduce the passion of Flamenco with the sensuality of Arabic Dance through her interpretation of the song "Amayagueña", composed especially for her by top composer Ibrahim El Samahy. Her fusion work in the early 1990s sparked many dancers to follow on her path. She credits her mentor and dance partner, the late Roman Balladine, for opening many dance doors around the world for her (Europe, Australia, New Zealand…). Amaya ran away and joined the circus! Her circus work in Salome Traumtheater and Circus Conelli in Germany and Switzerland wer...2020-02-071h 11
Belly Dance LifeSara Al-Hadithi: About Popularization of Iraqi DanceAfter relocating from the UK to the USA, Sara Al-Hadithi got involved in the Middle-Eastern dance world and discovered an interest in Iraqi dance that has swept through the bellydance community. As an Iraqi, this area of performance was very surprising and personal to her, not just as a performer, but also as the daughter of one of Iraq's most well-known and respected vocalist and authority on Iraqi folklore. After partnering with dancer Uza of NYC, the collaboration of the Court of Morjana was born, the first English-language website dedicated to all subjects relating to Iraqi dance. Also, Sara...2020-02-011h 25
Belly Dance LifeKatalin Schäfer: Accepting Art Instead of Defining ArtI’ll be honest: it was very tempting to title this episode as “From Egyptian Traditional Style to Burlesque Dancer”, but our conversation with Katalin Schäfer was much wider than just these two dancer styles on an incredible artistic arc that will definitely challenge your understanding of the art.Katalin is an accomplished international performer, choreographer, instructor, and costume designer from Hungary. In 2004, together with three other master teachers, she established a dance company called Art of Orient, and soon after she established her own dance company with Arab boys and Hungarian girls. In the same year, s...2020-01-2458 min
Belly Dance LifeNabila: It's Never Too Late to Start and SucceedNabila is a worldwide known Oriental dancer, characterized by her appealing elegance and soulful music interpretation. As a member of Jillinas Bellydance Evolution Team Nabila has been involved in all three previous productions of Bellydance Evolution Theatre Shows in Europe (2010 – 2015), including the leading role of “Cheshire Cat” in May 2015 in Dornbirn, Austria. Her great ability to bring the emotionality of egyptain expression of the oriental dance on stage leads her to be one of the few of Randa Kamel choosen European guest dancers on the stage of the closing gala at Randa’s Raqs-of-Course Festival in Cairo.In...2020-01-161h 13
Belly Dance LifeTeacher-Student Relationships & Mixed Levels ClassIt’s a mini-episode!January is typically a month of new classes for beginners students. Many struggles may appear in teacher-student relationships, that’s why in this mini-episode I’m featuring two topics:- How to set up boundaries in your relationships with students, and- How to structure your class if you have both intermediate and beginning students.Show Notes to this episode:Thank you for your support via Iana Dance Club: www.ianadanceCLUB.com.Submit your questions for ASKianaDANCE show at www.ianadance.com/as...2020-01-0921 min
Belly Dance LifeAmel Tafsout: The Healing Power of North African CultureRaised in Algeria, Amel Tafsout grew up around traditional healing practices of her native country. In the mid-1970s, Amel moved to Germany where she founded the Pan-Arab dance company called ‘Banat As Sahra’ (Daughters of the Sahara Desert), and in the late 80s Tafsout moved to London, U.K, where she performed at various dance and music festivals and created a new dance company called ‘The Tafsoutettes’. She was also active member of the Latin Jazz band ‘Chakchouka’, the North African music ensemble ‘Mambo Duniya’, the Arab-Turkish band ‘Noor Shimaal’ and later the North African music ensemble ‘Saladin’s Orchestra’ with her hu...2020-01-021h 45
Belly Dance LifeAradia of Las Vegas: How to Succeed as a Full-Time PerformerAradia has performed as a soloist throughout the United States, Canada, Barbados, Egypt and Switzerland. She has danced at many of the top hotels, restaurants and clubs in Las Vegas, performed for Celine Dion's wedding, BlockBuster's premiere opening for "The Mummy", and Maxim Magazine's party in Las Vegas. She has appeared in several TV spots on Discovery, Bravo and the Travel Channel. Her love for Middle Eastern dance began at the age of 7 as a second generation belly dancer. Aradia is a sought after instructor and choreographer, and her professionalism and friendly personality makes her one of the most...2019-12-251h 10
Belly Dance LifeBest of - Let's Talk About Social MediaSome of the best moments from our previous episodes! Today we are talking about such complex topic as social media, and its influence on belly dance world and individual careers. Learn from Sadie Marquardt, Cassandra Fox, Mercedes Nieto and Carmen Fragoso.Show Notes to this episode:Belly Dance Life Podcast CHALLENGE: http://www.ianadance.com/challengeEp 14. Sadie Marquardt: Before & After Social Media Hit: https://www.ianadance.com/bellydance-life/episode14Ep 15. Cassandra Fox: Healthy Does Not Have a Face: https://www.ianadance.com/bellydance-life/episode15Ep 45. Mercedes...2019-12-031h 02
Belly Dance LifeTips on Creating ChoreographiesIt’s a MINI episode with Iana!Have you ever felt frustration trying to create a dance: “Oh, I don’t know what should I do with this music? How to even start putting a choreo together? This is too complicated, too scary, too stressful….”Well, here are some of the tips I’m sharing in this new podcast episode:- Listen to the song as many times as possible.- Find out the translation of the lyrics.- Start with improvising and listening to your body.- Understand...2019-05-2339 min
Belly Dance LifeBest Of: Belly Dance on TelevisionShow Notes to this episode:Participate in Iana’s current Giveaway on Instagram (@iana_dance) ! More details HERE.Ep 09. Founders of Orientalisimo: Social Media as a Bridge Between Dancers & General PublicEp 27. Meher Malik: Fusion, Confusion and Female ObjectificationEp 34. Brenda: Building Dance Career in Cairo Without a ManagerEp 40. Alla Kushnir: Not Only Luck Makes You Number 1Find Iana on Instagram, FB, Youtube, websitePodcast: www.ianadance.com/podcastBellydance Evolution and information about their new program and casting: bellydanceevolution.com2019-01-2259 min