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.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

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 Career

Ep 13. Esmeralda Colabone: Music as Your Guide & Mentor

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

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.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