Alisa 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 about:

- Fleeing the war in Ukraine, and being robed on the first day in Spain

- Processing the hardship of the current situation through dance

- Alisa’s competition experience in the contemporary jazz style

- The necessity of professional higher education for belly dancers

- The evolution of terminology in the dance world

Show Notes to this episode:

Follow Kira Lebedeva via Instagram, FB, and YouTube.

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

Check out the next SharQui Instructor Academy beginning January 2nd. Apply at sharqui.com/teach

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