Belly Dance Life

Nataša 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 teaching 7-9 classes per week and she has around 70 regular students each year. She organizes workshops and events and have passionately produced and co-produced 10 theatre dance shows (in Slovenia and abroad).

In this episode you will learn about:

- Developing a teaching career in dance

- Nataša’s passion for folklore styles

- Differences between teaching adults and children

- How Nataša came up with the idea to write a book

- The process of publishing the book.

Show Notes to this episode:

Join online event ‘Spring Will Come’ organized by Julia Farid in order to support Ukrainian dance teachers: https://tips4hips.com/andspingwillcome . Find even more information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrainian belly dancers HERE.

Follow Nataša Kočar via website, FB, YouTube and Instagram.

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

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

This 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 practice on her own. Had unrealistic expectations regarding how her dance should look like.

- ‘When we were learning new movement and I couldn’t do it right away, it was blocking me. I was not able to move at all.’

Now: 'With time I realized that it’s ok if I don’t get something right away. I must do those mistakes, and that’s how I will learn. Seeing the progress in my dance was the moment of feeling almost unstoppable.'’

"Belly dance makes me feel free and connected to the feminine flow. It became a big and integral part of my routine. I see it as a self-love ritual."_Dimitra

Show Notes to this episode:

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

Check Dimitra’s community page at the Iana Dance Club website.

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

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Leila 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 productions). She was the founder of Camp Negum, a yearly live music dance festival in Egypt for 8 years.  She has taught workshops around the world and after moving to the states in 2015, she continues to teach online and in person focusing on the connection between the music, culture and self expression behind the dance. Her writings about dance and culture are utilized by scholars and dancers around the world. 

In this episode you will learn about:

- Taking classes with Raqia Hassan

- Beginning of Leila’s career in Egypt

- Tough lessons she learnt in Egypt

- Dance career during pregnancy

- Leila’s approach to teaching, and her thoughts about competitions.

Show Notes to this episode:

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

Follow Leila via FB, and Instagram.

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

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Gitza 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 the classes on dance movement therapy work

- Incorporating dance movement therapy into belly dance classes

- Common phycological patterns among belly dance students 

- Pregnancy experience as a belly dancer.

Show Notes to this episode:

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

Follow Gitza via FB, Instagram, Youtube and website.

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

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

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 can do. It felt very liberating.’’

‘’I realized that I can’t compartmentalize. If I want to have emotions in dance, I have to have emotions in life.’’

‘’Many of us are afraid to express emotions because we are afraid that it will overtake us. But dance helped me to get in touch with my emotions.’’

‘’I became fascinated with the potential for this dance to heal for women with trauma.’’

"This dance saved my life in so many ways. It saved my health. It helped me to overcome my eating disorders. I helped me to see value in myself, not just as a dancer and artists, but also as a human being. It helped me to connect with the world. It helped me to become a more open person. It helped me to be in touch with my emotions, which allowed me to be supportive of others in their emotions."_Jacinda

Show Notes to this episode:

Check Jacinda’s community page at the Iana Dance Club website. Also, check her website and Instagram pages.

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

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

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 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 had two left feet.

Now: I didn’t realize first that belly dance would boost my confidence.

Being ok with all my imperfections became easier.

It took away judgements and brought confidence in my body.

Gave me confidence that I CAN dance!

It made me feel sensual.

I see the difference in my mood when I don’t dance for week or two.

‘It’s my choice! Nobody tells me that I have to dance. But I’m feeling joy when I dance.’ _Sinda Sandra

Show Notes to this episode:

Check Pratima Nagaraj’s community page at the Iana Dance Club website. Also, check her website and Instagram about health and life coaching.

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

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Raquy 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 Tabla" - Said El Artist, and his drumming orchestra in the great concert halls of Egypt. She has performed at the Lincoln Center, CRR concert hall in Istanbul, and in many festivals. In 2005, she was the recipient of the Meet the Composer grant. Raquy has appeared on Good Morning Egypt, Leila Kebira, O TV, the Culture Channel, Turkish Television, Arabs Got Talent, and has been interviewed on Al Jazeera.

In this episode you will learn about:

- Drummer as a lead musician or as an accompanist 

- Raquy’s drumming experience in Egypt

- Learning the Turkish style of drumming

- Her special notation system for drummers

- Tips for dance-music collaborations.

Show Notes to this episode:

Follow Raquy Danziger via FB, Instagram, Youtube and website. Check her Darbuka school HERE. Apply promo code DARBUKA15 for 15% off on any Raquy’s online courses.

Take a look at our intensive Dancing to Turkish 9s created in collaboration with Raquy HERE.

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

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

This 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 dance on stage!

Before: was afraid that she didn’t have time for such activity.

Now: successfully finds time pockets to practice on a daily basis, believes that when you have hobby that you like very much, you always find time to work on it.

‘It’s my choice! Nobody tells me that I have to dance. But I’m feeling joy when I dance.’ _Sinda Sandra

Show Notes to this episode:

Check Sinda Sandra’s community page at the Iana Dance Club website.

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

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Since 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 a focus on intercultural dance and film. 

Tiffany’s cultural background, professional and academic experience make her an impact driven and effective non profit leader positioned to bring complex work into fruition through strategic partnerships and collaborations. Her projects have garnered support and awards across the world including a $100,000 Knight Arts Challenge award with a full matching grant from the Ware Foundation among numerous state, county, municipal and national foundation awards. 

In this episode you will learn about:

- Dancing My Mother’s Body initiative

- Havana Habibi festival and documentary film

- The healing power of belly dance

- Running the non-profit organization Hanan Arts

- Writing grants and raising money through fundraising and sponsorships.

Show Notes to this episode:

Follow Tiffany Madera and Hanan Arts via FB, Instagram, Youtube and website.

Save your spot at Iana’s free webinar How to Start Performing Solo, and Get Paid: www.ianadanceclub.com/event

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

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

There 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 responsibility for ALL aspects of their work. It feels much safer to stay in the comfort zone of a dance studio, focusing only on the training element of your profession, and ignoring everything else. 

But you don’t have to choose between art and business. There IS a way on how to stay true to yourself and your art, AND make a decent living as a professional dancer.

Show Notes to this episode:

Save your spot at Iana’s free webinar How to Start Performing Solo, and Get Paid: www.ianadanceclub.com/event

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

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast