Best Bellydance Podcasts (2024)

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Ep 287. Izel Kirana: Exploring Tribal Fusion & Indian Kalbelia Dance 50:01

7d ago50:01

50:01

Izel Kirana started her dance journey almost 15 years ago. Originally from Barcelona, she fell in love with belly dance, tribal fusion style, and eventually Indian culture and art. 5 years ago she embarked on multiple journeys to India in search of its classical dances and folklore, training in Rajasthani folklore dance, Kalbelia dance, Kathak danc…

1
Ep 286. Amanda Rose: Therapeutic Effect of Belly Dance 1:19:19

10d ago1:19:19

1:19:19

Amanda Rose is an internationally acclaimed instructor and performer based in Barcelona, Spain. In addition to over a decade of teaching experience, and almost 2 decades of experience with Raqs Sharqi, she also has a master's degree in Dance Movement Therapy from La Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Alongside her background in sociology and langua…

1
Ep 285. Raphael Cormack: Book Discussion of Midnight in Cairo: The Female Stars of Egypt’s Roaring ’20s 1:01:50

16d ago1:01:50

1:01:50

Raphael Cormack has a PhD in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies with a focus on Egyptian theatre from the University of Edinburgh. He is currently Assistant Professor in Arabic Studies at Durham University. An award-winning editor and translator, Cormack is the editor of The Book of Cairo and the co-editor of The Book of Khartoum. His writing on Ar…

1
Ep 284. Colleena Shakti: Exploring Femininity Through Belly Dance & Indian Odissi Style 1:09:15

24d ago1:09:15

1:09:15

Colleena Shakti is an artist of great subtlety and depth. Trained extensively in Odissi classical dance under Smt. Sujata Mohapatra and well-versed in many styles of dance from India and beyond, Colleena lives an artistic path steeped in rich tradition. Yoga, aesthetics and related philosophies are an integral part of her holistic vision of art ins…

1
Ep 283. Julia Farid: Pregnancy, Motherhood, & Dance Career 1:00:15

30d ago1:00:15

1:00:15

Julia Farid, a professional oriental dance artist, instructor, and choreographer originally from Ukraine, is renowned for her elegant and feminine dance style. Her contributions extend beyond the stage, as she has organized prestigious events like the Isadora Cup Festival, "Dream & Dance" Intensive Course, and founded Tips4hips online platform. Wit…

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Ep 282. Boženka: Working With Shakira, Performing For Sean Connery & Competing As a Bellydance Superstar 1:16:47

1M ago1:16:47

1:16:47

Bellydance Superstar Boženka is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed dancer performing and teaching worldwide. Boženka hosts The Mediterranean Dance Lab, a dance intensive and cultural retreat on the island of Crete, Greece, where she currently resides. She has recorded several best-selling instructional and performance DVDs and has toured e…

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Ep 281. Dipika Vijay: Comparing Dance With Design And Geometry 1:13:24

1M ago1:13:24

1:13:24

Dipika Vijay is an academically trained designer, and a belly dance artist by passion. Her belly dance company is called Badass Belly Dance and her fitness classes fly under the name Firefly Aerial Fitness. She lives in Mumbai but grew up in multiple cities in India and as a result picked up folk dance forms like Bhangra, Garba, Bollywood apart fro…

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Ep 280. What Does The Term “Baladi” Mean? 15:56

2M ago15:56

15:56

As belly dancers we often use the term “Baladi” in reference to a particular dance style. Also, we sometimes call Masmudi Saghir rhythm as Baladi rhythm, which is common a mistake. But in Egyptian culture the word “Baladi” isn’t the name of a dance. So what is it? Discover in this episode! Show Notes to this episode: Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, a…

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Ep 279. Hend Elbalouty: Book Discussion: Mahraganat in Egypt. Between Acceptance & Rejection 1:23:41

2M ago1:23:41

1:23:41

Hend Elbalouty is a choreographer, performer and author. She holds a MA in Performing Arts from Kunsthochschule für Medien, a BA in Production Design from the Institute of Cinema Studies in Egypt and a 3-year degree in Contemporary Dance from Cairo Contemporary Dance Center. She works across mediums combining and mixing them in accordance to the pr…

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Ep 278. How to Analyze & Improve Your Dance Mistakes 49:49

2M ago49:49

49:49

In today's episode, we're diving into a fascinating topic – using dance videos not just for social media posts, but as a powerful training tool. We'll explore why simply repeating choreography isn't enough and how to pinpoint and fix specific mistakes or weak spots in your dance. Plus, we'll chat about the importance of practicing without a mirror …

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Ep 277. Sonya of Cairo: Performance Stories From Cairo 1:07:41

3M ago1:07:41

1:07:41

Sonya of Cairo is a professional dancer and choreographer. She has been immersed in oriental dance since childhood. Her mother, Marianne DS, founded The Sun Dance School 17 years ago in Paris, the largest association in the city. Sonya began her training with Marianne DS and has studied with some of the best Egyptian professionals. She stands out f…

1
Ep 276. Arielle: Dancing Despite Health Limitations 56:58

3M ago56:58

56:58

Arielle is a passionately dedicated dancer from the USA who currently performs daily in Cairo, Egypt. She teaches and performs bellydance, samba, folklore, fusion, burlesque, hip hop and many other styles of dance full-time. Although Arielle is American, she grew up in Egypt and has been performing Middle Eastern Dance since the age of 10. Arielle …

1
Ep 275. Alla Kushnir: Building Lifestyle That Fulfills You 1:15:14

3M ago1:15:14

1:15:14

A 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 unk…

1
Ep 274. Training Tips From The Stars 1:16:34

3M ago1:16:34

1:16:34

This is a best of episode! You will hear a collection of tips and practices from the belly dance stars. Find out how they approach their own training, and see what you can implement it in your life too. You will hear from Jasirah, Cassandra Fox, Victoria Teel, Aziza, Nabila, Hayal, Jillina Carlano and Amar Lammar. Discover what is blocking your dan…

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Ep 273. How to Achieve Amazing Dance Growth in 2024 50:21

4M ago50:21

50:21

Improve those couple things in your dance habits, and unlock an amazing growth in your dance skills throughout 2024! January is time of planning and building hopes for the New Year. But often we make grand plans , and 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 sue t…

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Ep 272. Chudney: Conquering Anxiety In Class & On Stage 1:11:18

4M ago1:11:18

1:11:18

Chudney is a professional oriental dance artist who has competed and danced around the world. She opened her own oriental dance school in 2017, to give students easier access to her weekly in person classes, and share her unique personal style and technique on demand. Chudney was selected in 2016 as part of the international cast of Virginia’s “Ref…

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Ep 271. Hayal: Functional Training For Belly Dancers 1:18:51

4M ago1:18:51

1:18:51

Originally from Brazil, Hayal is a professional dancer who has been passionate about oriental dance since she was 17. She taught and danced all over the world, as a soloist and in collaboration with other dancers. She worked as a dancer and choreographer with the Portuguese company Mahtab and participated in several shows of the American troupe Bel…

1
Ep 270. Delya: Motherhood As An Inspiration For Kids Book About Belly Dance 55:50

6M ago55:50

55:50

Delya is a French belly dancer currently residing inn Switzerland. She has been involved in oriental dance for 20 years, and currently works as a full—time performer. She is the resident dancer at a 5 stars hotel in Zurich in collaboration with musicians. She does projects together with a Syrian musician Zaher Assaf who studied music at the conserv…

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Ep 269. Iana & Pedro: Music & Dance Discoveries in Cairo 53:30

6M ago53:30

53:30

Pedro 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 wo…

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Ep 268. The Importance of Studying The Roots 47:38

6M ago47:38

47:38

We fall in love with belly dance for many different reasons. One of those reasons is freedom, and vast opportunities for creativity. But we may get carry away with dance experiments. Let’s listen to the stories of Jillina Carlano, Meher Malik , Mohamed Shahin and Aubre Hill on why it is important to study the roots of this dance form. Show Notes to…

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Ep 267. Farah Nasri: Different Types Of Performance Venues In Cairo 1:05:36

6M ago1:05:36

1:05:36

Farah Nasri is a UK qualified teacher in dance and foreign languages. She began her belly dance career when she was a college student in London, and in 2014 she moved to Cairo. Today her Farah Nasri Dance Labs is the place to find the highest quality classes in Egyptian dance, theory, history, language, and culture! She is an active performer in Ca…

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Ep 266. Tiffany: Virtual Assistant, Online Marketing, and Belly Dance Bundle 1:07:56

7M ago1:07:56

1:07:56

Tiffany started the Bellydance Bundle in 2017, bringing together dancers who had content online to create one massive showcase for what was available at the time. Now, year over year she brings together teachers and builds communities around the idea of an at-home practice. From lectures on language and culture to dances of all different MENAT & fu…

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Ep 265. Shining: Documenting Dance & Life of Legendary Khyria Mazin 1:25:12

7M ago1:25:12

1:25:12

Shining is a performer, instructor and researcher of Egyptian traditional dances, whose work emphasizes the cultural and historical influences on the medium of dance in and from Egypt. She is the founder of http://www.banatmazin.com, a website dedicated to the legacy of the famous Luxor-based family, created in cooperation with Khyria Mazin to prov…

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Ep 264 - What Is Egyptian Belly Dance Style 24:05

7M ago24:05

24:05

This 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 collecti…

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Ep 263. Charafe of Morocco: Pursuing Dance Career in Morocco 1:06:48

7M ago1:06:48

1:06:48

Charafe is not just a dancer, he is one of the few, if not the only, male belly dancer in Morocco. He tries to lead a life as normal as possible in Casablanca. He teaches dance, makes choreographies for belly dancers, and participates in modern dance performances of his friends Ahlam and Wajdi. Charafe managed to establish dance classes in Casablan…

1
Ep 262. Inspired By The Folklore 41:27

8M ago41:27

41:27

We all love belly dance. But there is so much beyond oriental, in the field of folklore dances. Let’s listen to the stories of Apsara Afsanesara, Nada El Masriya , Samantha Burnstein and Gigi Dilsah, who found joy in exploring various folklore dances of the Near East and North Africa. Show Notes to this episode: Full interviews with our guests: Ep …

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Ep 261. Zara: Fighting For Her Identity As Egyptian Belly Dancer 1:30:38

8M ago1:30:38

1:30:38

Zara is an Egyptian dancer currently based in Cairo. She has worked professionally as a dancer for over 17 years, including last 6 years specifically in Egypt. Zara has stared in various music videos and Bollywood films. Most recently she was featured in a film together with famous shaabi singer Shaaban Abdel Rahim and in a Ramadan special TV drama…

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Ep 260. Diana Soto: Discovering Belly Dance During Cancer Recovery & Transforming It Into A Successful Career 1:05:13

8M ago1:05:13

1:05:13

Having a multidisciplinary background and an unending thirst for all things dance, Diana Soto has performed in belly dance companies as well as flamenco and modern dance companies. She believes that the best innovation is rooted in tradition, so she has travelled to Egypt, Turkey, Spain and lived for a while in Beirut to study in depth the roots of…

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Ep 259. Khaled Mahmoud: Focusing on Life Values, Not Just Dance Career 1:15:08

8M ago1:15:08

1:15:08

Khaled Mahmoud is an Egyptian dancer from Cairo, currently based in London, UK. He specializes in oriental Raqs Sharki style, although his knowledge is also deeply routed in all kinds of Egyptian folklore. His style is very energetic and graceful at the same time. Khaled was a star at the International Bellydance Congress in the UK, and he is very …

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Ep 258. Tips For Attending Dance Festivals in Cairo 53:47

8M ago53:47

53:47

This 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 t…

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Ep 257. Passant: Belly Dance at Gyms & Henna Parties in Cairo 1:23:44

9M ago1:23:44

1:23:44

Meet Passant Gemeay, a self-taught Egyptian bellydance teacher, choreographer & ladies-only performer. She has fiercely joined the world of dance. not knowing that it would become her ultimate passion in life. Having a great experience by attending classes and connecting with star dancers, she managed to have her own attractive style mastering all …

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Ep 256. Mohamed Shahin: First I See Projects In My Dreams 1:21:11

9M ago1:21:11

1:21:11

Mohamed Shahin is an inspirational instructor, world-renowned performer, and challenging choreographer of Egyptian Oriental Dance. A native of Cairo, Egypt, Mr. Shahin discovered his passion for Egyptian Dance at the young age of fifteen. Throughout Shahin’s childhood, he was fascinated by all forms of dance, and after receiving his degree as Mecha…

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Ep 255. Marta Korzun: Dealing With Identity Crisis As a Dance Professional 55:02

9M ago55:02

55:02

Marta Korzun is an internationally recognized bellydance teacher from Ukraine. She is acknowledged for her unique teaching method and clear and concise explanations, and regularly holds training workshops worldwide. She started her career in 2006 by taking part in many competitions in Ukraine and abroad, including Cairo. She has been titled the Bel…

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Ep 254. Making Change in Dance Career 49:36

9M ago49:36

49:36

As much as dance brings happiness to your life, sometimes there are moments when you need to take actions and do some changes. Let’s listen to the stories of Luna of Cairo, Joana Saahirah, Anjelica Scannura and Aradia of Las Vegas on how they pivoted their lives and artistic adventures. Show Notes to this episode: Full interviews with our guests: E…

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Ep 253. Kareem Gad: Connecting All Dots Through Dance 1:07:54

10M ago1:07:54

1:07:54

Kareem Gad is an Egyptian master teacher, co-founder and co-director of Bell’Masry Dance Company based in Paris, France. Since childhood, his curiosity about art led him to discover and study the art of singing, music, poetry, percussion, acting and dance. He was a solo dancer, coach and choreographer at the official troupe of the Egyptian Ministry…

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Ep 252. Morjana: Exploring Tahtib As A Practice, Not Just A Dance 1:18:44

10M ago1:18:44

1:18:44

Morjana is a professional dancer, choreographer, researcher, teacher, as well as a percussionist (darbuka). She is currently based in Egypt, although she also travels extensively all around the world. She is a winner and award-recipient for many dance competitions, as well as a participant of several music projects in Cairo, including Estabena, a m…

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Ep 251. The Archetype of Goddess Isis 32:49

10M ago32:49

32:49

This 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 du…

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Ep 250. Safaa, Aya, Menna & Fagr: Taqseem Institute in Cairo 1:38:45

10M ago1:38:45

1:38:45

Today we are having a conversation with the team of Taqseem Institute of Cairo. Taqseem Institute is an integrated dance institute/lab with the main objective of providing increased access to culture (Egyptian Music and Dance), improve the environment where those expressions can thrive and contribute to social cohesion, targeting females; the segme…

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Ep 249. Yasmina of Cairo: Dance, Photography and B&B Business in Cairo And Beyond 1:34:26

11M ago1:34:26

1:34:26

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…

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Ep 248. Amie Sultan: Thinking Big: Changing How This Dance Is Seeing In Egypt 1:00:23

11M ago1:00:23

1:00:23

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…

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Ep 247. Eva Charkina: Competitions, Individuality and Dance Repertoire 55:47

11M ago55:47

55:47

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 teach…

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Ep 246. Talking About Nutrition 50:31

11M ago50:31

50:31

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: Ho…

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Ep 245 - Silvia Brazzoli - Therapeutic Effect Of Belly Dance 1:02:57

12M ago1:02:57

1:02:57

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, travelin…

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Ep 244 - Nada El Masriya - Prioritizing Quality Over Quantity 1:23:44

12M ago1:23:44

1:23:44

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 Traditio…

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Ep 243. Oleksandra Kovalova: Healing Wounds With Dancing 55:16

12M ago55:16

55:16

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 a…

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Ep 242. Why Do We Get Shy On Stage? 34:47

1y ago34:47

34:47

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 shyn…

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Ep 241. Yunseo: Belly Dance in Korea 47:07

1y ago47:07

47:07

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…

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Ep 240. Anusch Alawerdian: Different Chapters of Dance Career in Abu Dhabi 1:24:27

1y ago1:24:27

1:24:27

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 …

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Ep 239. Linda Hathor: Emotional Expression in Dance 1:14:40

1y ago1:14:40

1:14:40

Linda Hathor began her studies in belly dance in 1998, in Paraná (Brazil), and since then, she has dedicated herself professionally to this art as a dancer, teacher, choreographer and director of the Hathor Group of Oriental Dances. In 2003, she received her professional registration by the Union of Artists of Paraná . For several consecutive years…

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Ep 238. Special Series: Student Voice with Fiona, Soukaina & Emily 1:45:51

1y ago1:45:51

1:45:51

This 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 inter…

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