Natalie Nayun is an international teacher and performer specializing in contemporary and folkloric dance traditions from Central Asia and the Middle East. With over 20 years of dance experience and 15 years of teaching, she has studied extensively in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Oman, conducting research and training through grants including the HAAS Scholar Award, CLS, and FLAS for Persian language study. She is a well-known soloist and Assistant Director of Ballet Afsaneh, choreographer for the UC Berkeley Central Asian and Middle Eastern Dance Company, Sorayya, and former director of Adara Dance Company. Natalie has completed residencies with state dance ensembles in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and continues to travel regularly to the region for research and collaboration.

In this episode you will learn about:

- The powerful difference between social dance and theatrical folk versions shaped by government agendas

- What Natalie discovered studying in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan: 5 a.m. training, government ensembles, village libraries — and people drumming on tables to show her their dance

- How weddings, birth rituals, and even mourning ceremonies keep dance alive as a lived, communal practice

- The creation of a global online platform dedicated to the Central Asian dances, which supported 40+ teachers worldwide during the pandemic time and afterward

- Why art is often the first thing silenced by governments— and what that reveals about its power

Show Notes to this episode:

Find Natalie Nayun on Instagram, FB, YouTube and website. Check online classes at her Pomegranate Garden Dance platform.

Details the BDE shows and training programs are available at www.JoinBDE.com

Details the BDE shows and training programs 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

Summer Deng is one of the most sought-after Chinese professionals in the world of Oriental dance, celebrated for his exceptional technical precision, artistic expression, and groundbreaking contributions as a male dancer. He has performed, taught, and judged across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas, conducting hundreds of workshops and intensives in over 80 cities in China alone. Known for his versatile style—blending high-energy, dramatic movements with fluid, intricate technique—he has inspired countless dancers through his masterclasses, helping them grow, transform, and deepen their connection to Oriental dance.

In this episode you will learn about:

- What it meant to be one of the first male belly dancers in China—and face 10 years of silence from his family

- Why Summer walked away from Chinese classical dance to fully devote himself to Raqs Sharqi

- How copy-paste choreography culture is weakening artistic identity in China

- His mission to build a transparent, fair festival system in China starting in 2015

- The rise of China and Korea as serious forces in the Asian belly dance competition scene

Show Notes to this episode:

Find Summer Den on Instagram.

Details the BDE shows and training programs are available at www.JoinBDE.com

Details the BDE shows and training programs 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

Belyssa is a pioneering figure in Australian belly dance who founded the Belyssa Academy of Danse Orientale and the Flames of Araby troupe, establishing a legacy of dramatic, classical artistry. Over the past 30 years, Belyssa has dedicated herself to documenting the raw, earthbound rhythms and movements of isolated Bedouin tribes in the Sinai and Western Desert, far removed from the theatrical polish of Cairo stages. This deep anthropological work defines her current teaching philosophy, "Just Dance," which focuses on transmitting authentic micro-mannerisms and a profound, respectful connection to community traditions rather than mere choreography. Today, she holds a massive, sensitive archive of cultural documentation and continues to mentor dancers globally, advocating for the ethical preservation of dance as a living memory of its people.

In this episode you will learn about:

- How dance lives in social contexts that most performers never witness

- What she discovered about Bedouin celebrations, gender dynamics, and who actually dances — and when

- The ethical dilemma of carrying stories that are not fully yours when sharing her research publicly

- Her firsthand experience of Ramadan and how it shifted her perception of cultural moments

- The difference between staged folklore and lived embodied practice

Show Notes to this episode:

Find Belyssa on Facebook, and her Academy Page.

Details the BDE shows and training programs are available at www.JoinBDE.com

Details the BDE shows and training programs 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