Belly Dance Life

Roxxanne Shelaby is a Southern California–based performer, teacher, and producer whose work is rooted in her Lebanese/Brazilian heritage and a lifelong immersion in Egyptian Style Oriental Dance. Raised in her family’s legendary nightclubs, Fez and Cascades, she grew up surrounded by live Middle Eastern music and dance, learning directly from iconic artists such as Feiruz Aram, Marie Silva, Sahra C. Kent, and members of Egypt’s Komeya Troupe. Roxxanne began performing at age five and professionally at sixteen at the request of Farida Fahmy, later studying with masters including Mahmoud Reda, Fifi Abdo, Aida Nour, and Ahmed Hussein. She spent 11 years performing with and serving as Assistant Director of Sahra C. Kent’s Ya Amar! Middle Eastern Dance Company, appearing in major U.S. festivals and international performances. Beyond performing, Roxxanne produces the showcases with live Arabic music, teaches internationally, and is the producer/director of the acclaimed Fez Documentary, preserving the history of belly dance on the U.S. West Coast while honoring its pioneering artists.In this episode you will learn about:- The story of The Fez club in Hollywood and why it changed belly dance history forever- The surprising origin story of the Maya movement term and the dancer it was named after- The journey from “this should be a book” to creating a 90-minute documentary against all odds- The loss of long-form performance and what modern dancers are missing because of it- Why watching other dancers perform is as important as performing yourselfShow Notes to this episode:Find Roxxanne Shelaby on Instagram, Youtube and website. For more information and purchase options, please visit The Fez Documentary website: www.TheFezDoc.comDetails and training materials for the BDE castings are available at www.JoinBDE.comFollow 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

Fascinated by the arts since childhood, Nivetha Shree discovered Belly Dance at the age of 21 and has since trained with renowned teachers around the world. She holds certifications in DanceCraft – Key of Diamonds by Zoe Jakes and Krysalis – Invocation by Kami Liddle, and is an FCBD® Teacher, proudly leading the first officially recognized FCBD® Sister Studio in India. A Level 2 Yoga practitioner certified by the Government of India, she integrates a holistic body–mind awareness into her dance practice and teaching. As a solo artist and director of Saara – The Tribe, Nivetha has performed on leading dance platforms and, through Saara – The Bellydance Space in Bangalore, cultivates a supportive environment where dancers grow with confidence and self-expression. Her performances and workshops across India, Germany, the UK, and Australia reflect her mission to share the depth, artistry, and joy of Belly Dance worldwide.In this episode you will learn about:- How growing up with a dancer father shaped Nivetha’s creative foundation and artistic discipline.- Why costuming became an extension of her storytelling rather than just decoration.- Her deep connection to music as the core inspiration for choreography and improvisation.- The philosophy behind her fully improvised performances and how she accesses “flow state.”- Co-creating energy with the photographer instead of just posing.Show Notes to this episode:Find Nivetha Shree on Instagram, Youtube and website.Details and training materials for the BDE castings are available at www.JoinBDE.comFollow 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

Snigdha Sachdev is a Delhi-based fusion belly dance artist and dedicated yoga enthusiast. A Biotechnology graduate with a master’s degree in Stem Cell Technology, she discovered her pull toward belly dance at a very young age. Her dance journey began with extensive training in Jazz, Ballet, Contemporary, and Kathak—foundations she later blended to deepen her belly dance technique and develop her own distinctive movement style. In 2019, Snigdha co-founded The Dance District, a studio that has since expanded to multiple locations across Delhi NCR. Today, the studio offers a range of dance forms, and Snigdha leads the belly dance division, where she continues to share her passion, discipline, and unique fusion approach with dancers across the region.In this episode you will learn about:- The secret to creating choreography that actually feels alive: improv first, structure later- Her class-building process: 90 minutes of prep for every hour of teaching- The “punishments,” the homework, and the tough-love philosophy her students know well- Why collaboration thrives in India’s tiny but fiercely supportive belly dance community- The ethics of taking inspiration vs. copying—and how she credits her teachers with integrityShow Notes to this episode:Find Snigdha Sachdev on Instagram.Details and training materials for the BDE castings are available at www.JoinBDE.comFollow 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

Gracie Mandujano was born in Honduras, a land rooted in ancient Mayan traditions, and from an early age felt called to reconnect with life’s true purpose and the depth of her courageous spirit. Guided by yoga and dance, she returned to her physical body and divine power, dedicating herself to ancestral arts and becoming a healer and light worker. Her lineage eventually led her back to the ways of her ancestors, committing to the Camino Rojo and the Danza de la Luna, where she studies traditional forms of ceremony, prayer, and healing. Uniting these paths, Gracie and Estelle co-created a series of transformative containers under the school Modern Organic Dance & Sacred Arts, sharing this sacred space of essential growth with women and men across the world.In this episode you will learn about:- Gracie’s journey from dentistry to discovering tribal fusion and Oriental dance.- The hidden energetics behind “inward” and “outward” movements in Oriental dance.- How class energy, rhythm choices, and even the moon cycle shape her teaching.- The story of healing a pre-cancer diagnosis through intentional dance practice.- The birth of “Modern Organic Dance” and why belly dance didn’t feel like the right label.Show Notes to this episode:Find Gracie Mandujano on Instagram, FB, YouTube, and website.Details and training materials for the BDE castings are available at www.JoinBDE.comFollow 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

Esmeralda Colabone has dedicated herself to Arab dance and culture since 1999. From 2002 to 2014 she worked with Belly Dance Brazil and Lebanon’s famed La Maison de L’Artiste, becoming the agency’s youngest dancer at 19 and spending 12 years performing across the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Syria, and Lebanon. She was the first Brazilian to tour the Maghreb and held one of Tunisia’s longest foreign dance contracts—experiences that shaped her both artistically and personally. After her “Enta Omri” video went viral in 2015, her influence spread worldwide. She helped popularize Lebanese style globally through her 2014 workshop and even co-created the first belly dance shoes with Capézio Brazil. A soloist, teacher, choreographer, judge, writer, and producer known as “The Turban Dancer” and “The Tunisian Treasure,” she has performed in 38 countries, inspiring dancers everywhere with her musicality, presence, and lived connection to the Arab world.In this episode you will learn about:- The painful gap between YouTube criticism and the power of her live performances.- Feeling “outdated” in an industry racing with new trends and younger dancers.- The birth of the Silver Tour and her decision to call it “one last time.”- The hidden reason behind her tribute performances—and how they helped her survive emotionally.- Feeling more like a displaced performer rather than a true teacher.Show Notes to this episode:Find Esmeralda Colabone on Instagram, FB, website and Youtube.Previousinterview with Esmeralda:Ep 151. Esmeralda Colabone: Living The Truth: Motherhood and Dance CareerEp 13. Esmeralda Colabone: Music as Your Guide & MentorDetails and training materials for the BDE castings are available at www.JoinBDE.comFollow 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

Leli Neeraja is a dancer and teacher who has dedicated over a decade to guiding others toward inner balance through movement. Her work is a continuous exploration of fusion between East and West, blending the grace of Indian classical dance with the expressive freedom of contemporary forms. She spends several months each year in India, deepening her study of traditional disciplines that help her explore and love her inner world. These experiences have profoundly shaped her artistic voice, where echoes of Odissi and other Indian styles merge seamlessly into her unique Fusion dance. Deeply inspired by the beauty, refinement, and spirituality of Indian culture, Leli feels a calling to share its essence in Italy—keeping her artistic journey ever-evolving through new encounters, discoveries, and creative adventures.In this episode you will learn about:- The spark that made Leli leave music to pursue dance full-time.- How studying Odissi in India made her body “vibrate” with new awareness.- The deep connection between dance and yoga through alignment and breath.- Dance as her therapy for anxiety, anger, and panic attacks.- Launching a handmade clothing line inspired by Indian textiles.Show Notes to this episode:Find Leli Neeraja on Instagram, FB, YouTube, and website, and the Insta page of her dance wear collection. Info about her upcoming tour to India is available HERE.Details and training materials for the BDE castings are available at www.JoinBDE.comFollow 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

Suhaila Salimpour, of Sicilian-Greek and Kurdish-American heritage, is a second-generation belly dancer and a pioneering figure in the global dance community. A former house dancer at the legendary Byblos nightclub in Beverly Hills, she toured internationally for over a decade, performing across the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and North America. As the visionary creator of the first codified pedagogy and certification system in belly dance, she transformed both performance and teaching, building a worldwide network rooted in discipline, anatomy, and cultural respect. Now directing the Salimpour School of Dance, she continues her mother’s legacy through global online education, choreography, and community leadership. A recipient of the Gerbode Foundation’s 2024 dance award and the Isadora Duncan Special Award (2023/24), she also serves on multiple dance boards and is completing her MFA in Dance at Saint Mary’s College of California.In this episode you will learn about:- Suhaila’s decision to pursue an MFA in Dance after decades on stage- The need for Arab and immigrant voices in academia- Her research on how colonization codified cultural dance forms, and the idea of “outside and inside colonization”- The growth of the Salimpour School into a full online institute- Three generations of Salimpour women carrying the dance forward.Show Notes to this episode:Find Suhaila Salimpour on Instagram, FB, YouTube, TikTok, and website.Previous interview with Suhaila Salimpour: Ep 156. Suhaila Salimpour: Renegotiating Your Dance IdentityDetails and training materials for the BDE castings are available at www.JoinBDE.comFollow 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

Badriyah is a professional oriental dancer based in Belgium, dedicated to Egyptian classical and folkloric styles, modern fusion, and the Golden Age of belly dance. With over a decade of teaching experience, she offers regular classes at Shoonya Dance Centre in Ghent and travels across Europe to teach and lecture. A former lead and troupe member of Jillina’s world-touring company Bellydance Evolution, Badriyah has performed more than 60 shows across 13 countries, from Hollywood to Morocco. Passionate about preserving dance heritage, she is also the founder of the Raqs Sharqi Museum project and a devoted collector of vintage belly dance artifacts dating from the 18th to the 20th century, bridging the past and present of this art form through both performance and research.In this episode you will learn about:- How becoming a mother and going through a divorce reshaped Badriyah’s life, art, and priorities.- The transformation of her dream of “Raqs Sharqi Museum” from a private project into a global cultural collaboration.- How the war in Gaza profoundly affected her worldview, anxiety levels, and artistic expression.- Practical methods for managing anxiety and creative burnout — from micro-task planning to “first aid for the mind” through movement.- Her unique approach to storytelling in Golden Era acts — blending historical recreation with deeply personal authenticity.Show Notes to this episode:Find Badriyah on Instagram, FB, Youtube and website, as well as Raqs Sharqi Museum and Leylet Raqs festival. Find out more info about the T-shirt project mentioned in the interview HERE.Previous interview with Badriyah: Ep 147. Badriyah: Dreaming Big, Digging Deep!Details and training materials for the BDE castings are available at www.JoinBDE.comFollow 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

Melissa Gamal is an award-winning dancer, instructor, and event producer based in Toronto, Canada. As the director of the Ya Amar School of Dance, Melissa is dedicated to providing comprehensive training in Egyptian dance, blending refined technique with a strong awareness of history and cultural context. Her work has taken her across North America and to Egypt, where she continues her studies to bring the most authentic and up-to-date knowledge to her students. In recent years, she’s gained recognition for her elegant Golden Era style and her mastery of sagat—culminating in a remarkable performance at the Cairo Opera House in 2021.In this episode you will learn about:- The turning point that made her quit a stable 9-to-5 job to follow dance full time.- The moment she decided to open her own studio instead of staying “comfortable” with already established organization.- The story behind her performing as a zill player at the Cairo Opera House.- The advice she’d give her younger self about self-doubt and body image.- Why dancers must go beyond aesthetics and stand in solidarity with cultures of origin.Show Notes to this episode:Find Melissa Gamal on Instagram, FB, YouTube and website. Watch Melissa’s performance at Cairo Opera House HERE.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

Virginia Danielson (PhD, Ethnomusicology, University of Illinois, 1991) is an associate of the Harvard Music Department and a visiting scholar at New York University Abu Dhabi. She is the author of The Voice of Egypt: Umm Kulthum, Arabic Song and Egyptian Society in the 20th Century (University of Chicago Press, 1997), the first English-language biography of the Arab world’s most celebrated singer. Through rich ethnographic insight and historical analysis, Danielson traces how Umm Kulthum—known as “the voice of Egypt”—rose from rural beginnings to become a unifying cultural icon whose songs shaped modern Egyptian identity and Arab popular culture. Danielson’s work illuminates the complex interplay between gender, media, and nation-building in 20th-century Egypt, showing how one woman’s artistry transcended social boundaries to define an era.In this episode you will learn about:- How a village Imam’s daughter became Egypt’s most celebrated voice through talent, strategy, and relentless discipline.- The clever business deals and radio contracts that secured Umm Kulthum’s financial and artistic independence.- The myth-making and media control behind her carefully protected public image.- The musical evolution of Umm Kulthum’s ensemble, blending classical Arabic poetry with modern Western instruments.- Why audience described her concerts as a national ritual where “life stopped” every Thursday night.Show Notes to this episode:Find Virginia Danielson on FB. You can find her book “The Voice of Egypt. Umm Kulthum, Arabic Song, and Egyptian Society in the 20th Century” on Amazon and other major book platforms.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