Ellie is a belly dancer, teacher, and researcher who approaches Raqs Sharqi with a deep respect for its cultural roots and a focus on connection through movement. Dancing since childhood, she discovered belly dance in 2014 and has since spent over years teaching and performing, cultivating a practice centered on confidence, femininity, and ongoing learning. Alongside her dance career, Ellie holds a PhD in Mental Health and brings a research-based perspective to understanding the psychological and emotional experiences of dancers. She has trained and certified with leading international instructors, including Kaeshi Chai and Keti Sharif, and further deepened her connection to the dance through studies in Egypt and Turkey.

In this episode you will learn about:

- Why belly dance can feel both empowering and intimidating at the same time

- The difference between hobbyists and professionals — and the hidden pressures of making dance a career

- The darker side of the dance world — competition, insecurity, and even bullying within the community

- Simple but powerful tools for self-care — from shimmies to emotional awareness

- And how belly dance continues to create connection, belonging, and a sense of home across the world

Show Notes to this episode:

Find Ellie on Instagram, FB, and website.

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

Kamilia is a Brazilian-born belly dancer who built an international career performing across Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt, where she became known for her powerful stage presence and deep connection to Oriental music. Beginning her dance journey at the age of six, she went on to become one of the youngest dancers featured on LBC TV and trained under renowned figures including Caracalla. At the height of her performance career, she appeared in top five-star hotels in Cairo, sharing stages with icons such as Lucy, Mona Said, Fifi Abdou, Dina, and Hendeya, and performing with large live orchestras of up to 45 musicians. Today, Kamilia works as a teacher, artistic producer, and event organizer, dedicated to building a supportive and professional global dance community.

In this episode you will learn about:

- How Oriental dance has shifted from local Arabic dominance to a global, foreign-led scene

- How economic changes transformed belly dance performances into shorter, simplified formats

- What does it mean to be prepared for the dance improvisation

- Why foreigners must train their ears differently to truly understand Arabic music

- What it means to remain a “forever learner” after 30+ years in dance

Show Notes to this episode:

Find Kamilia on Instagram, and FB.

Previous interview with Kamilia:

Ep 62. Kamilia: Dreaming of a Big Supportive Community

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

Julieta Maffia is a dance artist from Buenos Aires, Argentina, specializing in what was formerly known as Tribal Fusion Bellydance. She is the founder of Saturnus Studio, where she teaches regular classes and develops a wide range of artistic projects. Her work has been recognized internationally, allowing her to present the Argentinian approach to this dance form across different cities worldwide. Through her travels, Julieta continues to expand and refine her artistic voice, integrating diverse influences into her creation, teaching, and performance.

In this episode you will learn about:

- The ongoing search for femininity and sensuality beyond stereotypes and expectations

- How politics and media shaped public perception of belly dance in Argentina

- Why growth happens through discomfort, failure, and real performance experience

- How stage performance can unlock a level of freedom unavailable in daily life

- Why workshops inspire—but real transformation happens through consistent training

Show Notes to this episode:

Find Julieta Maffia on Instagram, and YouTube.

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

Tamalyn Dallal is an internationally renowned belly dancer, teacher, and author celebrating over 50 years in dance. She began her career in 1976 and toured South America in the 1980s performing for Arab communities before founding the Mid Eastern Dance Exchange in Miami Beach, a nonprofit school and performing company that operated from 1990 to 2007 and trained many professional dancers. She later created and produced the Orientalia International Dance Festival for 14 years, presenting leading artists from around the world and expanding the festival internationally. Tamalyn has performed or taught in 44 countries, was one of the original Bellydance Superstars, and has written four books, produced music recordings, and directed ethnographic dance films including Zanzibar Dance, Trance and Devotion and Ethiopia Dances for Joy.

In this episode you will learn about:

- What it means to celebrate 50 years in belly dance and how the industry has transformed over five decades

- How teaching online requires a completely different kind of presence, connection, and preparation

- How choreography can expand a dancer’s vocabulary—but why true performance must go beyond memorized steps

- The challenge of comparison in the age of Instagram—and why individuality matters more than perfection

- How dancers can adapt to trends without losing their artistic voice

Show Notes to this episode:

Find Tamalyn Dallal on Instagram, FB, YouTube, and her website. Join Tamalyn's Substack for essays and articles.

Previous interview with Tamalyn:

Ep 51. Tamalyn Dallal: Following Her Heart & Destroying "Us Vs Them" Stereotypes

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

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

Sandra Kahloun, born in Tunisia and raised in the world of Oriental music, grew up surrounded by some of the greatest names of Egyptian art. Her father produced the renowned Egyptian orchestra Abdel Aziz Mahmour in 1970s Paris, and her mother was an interpreter of Oum Kalsoum’s repertoire, giving Sandra a deep musical foundation from childhood. She trained extensively in Cairo with masters such as Ibrahim Akef and Sammy Abdelhalim, studying dance and repertory for over a decade at the Theatre and Arts Academy of Cairo. In 1986, she created “Sandra’s Method,” a codified teaching system centered on musical interpretation, repertory structure, and improvisation. Founder of one of the largest Oriental Dance Academies on the Côte d’Azur, she has trained dancers and choreographers worldwide and is known for her rigorous musical standards, technical precision, and dedication to preserving the depth and integrity of Egyptian dance traditions.

In this episode you will learn about:

- Why classical belly dance is making a comeback — and why more students now crave musical depth over trends

- The difference between copying choreography and truly interpreting a song

- What it really means to be a teacher — and why great dancers are not automatically great educators

- How Sandra’s structured method trains dancers for improvisation, not memorization

- Why festivals and quick workshops cannot replace long-term musical training

Show Notes to this episode:

Find Sandra Kahloun on Instagram, FB, YouTube, and her website.

Previous interview with Sandra:

Ep 47. Sandra: Rules Of Improvisation

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