Belly Dance Life

Yasmina, sometimes known as 'The English Rose of Cairo', has over twenty-five years of experience in the field of Egyptian oriental dance. Originally from the UK she spent many years travelling and dancing her way around the Middle East before settling in Cairo in 1995. Here she performed with her orchestra for eight consecutive years, appearing at major Cairo venues such as Meridien Heliopolis, Safir, Pyramisa and the Semiramis Intercontinental hotels, the Nile Maxime, Tivoli Heliopolis, as well as hundreds of weddings and parties in Cairo and around Egypt. She has also worked extensively as a photo-journalist in Cairo and writes regularly for several Egyptian and foreign publications. Based at her home beside the Giza pyramids she is the coordinator and co-host for several international belly dance tours each year, and provides back-up to both groups and individuals in their adventures in Egypt.

In this episode you will learn about:

- Differences between dance contracts in Gulf area and work in Cairo

- Yasmina’s decision to stop active performance career, but still be based in Egypt

- The evolution of Cairo dance scene since 1995 till now

- Where can you do belly dance photoshoots in Cairo

- Yasmina’s unique Bed & Breakfast accommodations for dancers.

Show Notes to this episode:

Find Yasmina of Cairo on Instagram,Facebook, and website. Classes and tours with Yasmina via bellydance-now.com. For details regarding Yasmina’s Belly Dancers B&B email to [email protected].

Details and training materials for the BDE castings are available at www.JoinBDE.com

Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.

Find information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrainian belly dancers HERE.

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Amie Sultan is an Egyptian belly dancer and classical ballerina. She was born and grew up in Singapore to an Egyptian family that was working extensively in South East Asia. Having established herself first as a successful ballet dancer, she has toured across the world dancing in Swan Lake, La Dame Aux Camellias, Jeune Homme Et La Mort, La Bayadere and Raymonda. In her quest to add a new layer to her dance repertoire, it is Amie's goal as a performance artist to restore the glamour and brilliance of the belly dance technique that was at its height in the 1940's and 50's.

In this episode you will learn about:

- How Amie transitioned from a professional ballet career to the belly dance world

- Difficulties of being a dancer in Egypt

- Bringing this dance to institutions such as museums.

- Creating the Taqseem Institute and Tarab Collective

- Relationships between belly dancers that affects the reputation of the dance

Show Notes to this episode:

Find Amie Sultan on Instagram,Facebook, and Youtube. More info about Taqseem Institute HERE.

Join SharQui - The Bellydance Workout at sharqui.com/online

Details and training materials for the BDE castings are available at www.JoinBDE.com

Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.

Find information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrainian belly dancers HERE.

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Eva Charkina is the winner of the DariyaM Cup 2018 in the category “Youth. Lovers.”, winner of the competition “The way to the stars” 2018, and many other Ukrainian and international dance events. She has a university degree in modern choreography from the Kyiv University of Culture. Currently living in Kyiv, Eva stays as an active dancer and teacher both in Ukraine and abroad.

In this episode you will learn about:

- Her first belly dance performance after the beginning of the war in Ukraine

- Creating choreographies for competitions

- The importance of a dance repertoire

- Finding individuality as a dancer

- Teaching classes

Show Notes to this episode:

Find Eva Charkina and her events on Instagram,Facebook, Youtube.

Join SharQui - The Bellydance Workout at sharqui.com/online

Details and training materials for the BDE castings are available at www.JoinBDE.com

Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.

Find information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrainian belly dancers HERE.

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

We haven’t had many of best of compilation episodes this year so far, so it’s time to fix it! Let’s talk about the nutrition.. You will hear from Cassandra Fox, Jillina Carlano, Alla Kushnir, and Mercedes Nieto.

Show Notes to this episode:

Full interviews with our guests:

Ep 15. Cassandra Fox: Healthy Does Not Have a Face

Ep 31. Jillina Carlano: How Food Can Influence Your Dance

Ep 40. Alla Kushnir: Not Only Luck Makes You Number 1

Ep 163. Mercedes Nieto: Finding Home Inside Your Body

Join SharQui - The Bellydance Workout at sharqui.com/online

You can find details about Joana Saahirah online school and available courses at www.joanasaahirah.com

Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.

Find information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrainian belly dancers HERE.

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Silvia Brazzoli is a professional dancer, instructor, yoga teacher, painter, and pizza lover based in Italy. She found her biggest love for oriental dance at the age of 18. Since then she has been dancing and teaching professionally all around the world. The growth of a dancer is a never-ending journey and Silvia is constantly researching, traveling and training in oriental dance and other dance styles, influencing the development of her own style.

In this episode you will learn about:

- How dance and yoga can compliment each other

- Silvia’s transition into a professional dance life

- Sharing knowledge as a teacher

- Teaching ongoing classes vs one-time workshops

- How to be yourself through dance

Show Notes to this episode:

Find Silvia Brazzoli and her events on Instagram,Facebook, Youtube, andwebsite.

Join SharQui - The Bellydance Workout at sharqui.com/online

You can find details about Joana Saahirah online school and available courses at www.joanasaahirah.com

Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.

Find information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrainian belly dancers HERE.

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Native Egyptian Nada El Masriya grew up belly dancing fully immersed within the rich cultural and historical environment of metropolitan Cairo. Her first formal dance training began early, with her high school’s folkloric troupe. At Cairo University, Nada earned a degree in Egyptian Law, minored in the History of Egyptian Culture and Dance Traditions. At early age Nada began her intensive training and performance with the prestigious Reda Troupe School. In 2002 she emigrated to Canada inspired by a passionate desire to accurately preserve and pass on her rich historic native Egyptian culture.

In this episode you will learn about:

- The benefits of cutting back and prioritizing your projects

- How to approach your hesitation to raise prices

- Mindset trick of stop being afraid of competitions

- Why smaller niche can bring bigger income

- Nada’s two big festivals in Egypt and Canada

Show Notes to this episode:

Find Nada El Masriya and her events on Instagram,Facebook, Youtube, andwebsite.

Previous interview with Nada:

Ep 28. Nada El Masriya: How Studying Folklore Can Make You a Better Belly Dancer

You can find details about Joana Saahirah online school and available courses at www.joanasaahirah.com

Join SharQui - The Bellydance Workout at sharqui.com/online

Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.

Find information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrainian belly dancers HERE.

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Oleksandra Kovalova is a professional dancer, teacher, choreographer, and certified judge. She is a director of oriental dance school Amberly based in Zhytomyr (Ukraine), and an organizer of the big international festival Yalla Bina. Oleksandra is a winner of Nile Group competition, as well as a mentor for her award-winning students. After living and teaching classes in Germany during past year, she is currently back to Ukraine, and just managed to run a very success edition of her dance festival, gathering dancers from all over Ukraine.

In this episode you will learn about:

- How war in Ukraine influenced Oleksandra’s life and dance activities

- Teaching belly dance classes in Germany

- Why continuing dance activities in Ukraine is so important

- The nuances of festival organization considering the current situation in Ukraine

- How dancers’ approach to belly dance is changing

Show Notes to this episode:

Find Oleksandra Kovalova on Instagram andFacebook.

You can find details about Joana Saahirah online school and available courses at www.joanasaahirah.com

Join SharQui - The Bellydance Workout at sharqui.com/online

Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.

Find information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrainian belly dancers HERE.

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

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.com/intensives/mahraganat-(street-shaabi)

Show Notes to this episode:

Join SharQui - The Bellydance Workout at sharqui.com/online

Details and training materials for the BDE castings are available at www.JoinBDE.com

Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.

Find information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrainian belly dancers HERE.

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Yunseo is a young talented belly dancer from South Korea. She is the award recipient of the Midas Goldentouch Bellydance Competition, Reina Oriental Dance Festival, Elkaff Festival, Malaysia World Oriental Dance Art Festival, and many others. Her beautiful unique style blends elements of traditional belly dance mixed with contemporary and other non-belly dance genres.

In this episode you will learn about:

- Belly dance in Korea

- The importance of competitions

- Differences between competitions in Korea and Europe

- Overcoming failure at contests

- Mixing belly dance with other styles

Show Notes to this episode:

Find Yunseo on Instagram and,Facebook.

Join SharQui - The Bellydance Workout at sharqui.com/online

Details and training materials for the BDE castings are available at www.JoinBDE.com

Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.

Find information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrainian belly dancers HERE.

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Anusch Alawerdian is an Armenian oriental dance performer, instructor and choreographer. She has been interested in dance since she was little, taking up several dance courses like ballet, folk dance and jazz. At the age of seventeen Anusch fell in love with the oriental dance style and traveled the world in search of the best dance instructors to teach her the art of bellydance. She opened her own oriental dance school in the Netherlands in 2002. She is now based in the United Arab Emirates and performs all over the world. In 2011 she also established an International dance festival “Summer Bellydance Festival” in Netherlands. Currently, Anush focuses all her energy on teaching activities and developing her project “Bellydance Abu Dhabi”.

In this episode you will learn about:

- Having 250 students once she started teaching in the Netherlands

- Organizing a festival while living in a different country

- Teaching belly dance classes in Abu Dhabi

- Receiving UAE golden visa for artists

- Becoming a local influencer

Show Notes to this episode:

Find Anusch Alawerdian on Instagram,Facebook, and Youtube. Her classes in Abu Dhabi HERE.

Join SharQui - The Bellydance Workout at sharqui.com/online

Details and training materials for the BDE castings are available at www.JoinBDE.com

Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.

Find information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrainian belly dancers HERE.

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast