Give the healthy gift of dance:

Outfit provided by : Melodia Designs

A little about me: I am a fourth-generation bellydancer and entertainer. I began learning form my Mother, Judith Ann, and her troupe Sisters of the Moon. As a child I would accompany them to performances, classes and workshops. I took the knowledge of various belly dance forms and use the techniques to express the moment and music. I take the mood of the movement and extend it through technique.

The inspiration for belly dance is to celebrate life and movement through music and dance. My classes and instructional DVD's will uplift the spirit, inspire confidence, create physical and universal awareness, and enhance self-knowledge.

Resume:

-Co-Visionary Plant Powered Living 2010 - present
-Mermaid 2010 - Present
- Certified Yoga Instructor 2008- present
- Co -founder / Booking Agent for Nomad Artz Entertainment 2006 - present
- Troupe co-founder of The Shimmy Sisters 2005- present
- Certified / Licensed Massage Therapist 2004 - present
- Belly Dance Instructor 2002- present
- Published Journalist 1999 - present
- Belly Dance Performer 1982 - present

2013 Classes:

May 22 - July 10
Belly Dance
WED 6:00pm - 7:00pm
$50 for the 4 classes.
or $65 (4 classes + includes hip scarf)
Location: 1466 F Street, San Diego, CA 92101 619-884-7707

Get Fit

4 Belly Dance Classes $50.00 USD

"Heal Your Life. Movement, Mantra and Meditation."
Set up a workshop today.
It will change the way you experience your body.

Private Classes w/ Leilainia
Classes, Seminars & Workshops
available at various studios or at your home.
(Group, Private &
Semi-Private).
Belly Dance, Yoga, veil, zils, sword, Chi Gong, Meditation, Movement, Health/Food, Fitness in general.
email or call 619-884-7707 to set you date and time.

Ocean Meditations, Nature Meditation, Fitness Walks, Group and Private Belly Dance, Yoga, Guided Journeys, Girls Night Out, Meditation and Movement Classes.

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WORKSHOPS
Email me to host a workshop at your studio/ event.

Photo Craig Kiwi-Brayton
Alter by Rara Avis

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Cool Article:

The Shimmy Sisters explain how to
"Become One with the Serpent"
in Yallah Magazine.

................ .........

. CLICK HERE to see what my students are up to.

What students are saying: ....

"I hired Leilainia to help me prepare for an audition and it was the best choice I could have made for my career and my art. Leilainia came in and immediately
put me at ease with her sensitive and personable nature. She has an innate understanding of how to connect with her students and bring out their latent abilities. Using her intuitive awareness, she was able to tap into what I needed to develop my art further and spark the creative fire inside me. By the end of the hour I was dancing with passion, joy and immense pleasure. She guided me into making the shift between merely doing the moves into finding the depth, story and soul of the dance. I got the role I wanted and I know that Leilainia was a vital force in making that happen."
~Zoe Tantrum (of The Tragic Tantrum and Zoe Tantrum Productions)

"You can learn to Belly Dance with Leilainia, who has not only has been teaching for years, but has recently released a DVD with Acacia Arts. She is a third generation Belly Dancer.
The Dance flows in her blood and she patiently passes on the exotic tradition to her students. Join in on the fun and feel your feminine energy come to life!" - Bamboo Yoga

"For me going to Leilainia`s class is entering a different world. Her class is one hour in a world where nothing else exists - just you and the dance.You forget everything bad that happened to you during the day. Leilainia taught me not only dance moves, she showed me a new way of expressing myself and feel beautiful inside and out. I`ve been going to her classes for over 3 years and still feel more excited waiting for the next class."
Ina Dimitrova - Bellydancer of the Universe 2009 Veil Category

I stumbled upon your dance lesson video on HULU Plus on our TVYou are amazing & sweet & Oh my goodness you make it look easy but show us how to learn it. Such beauty combined with personality .. you are superb! Thank you for the belly dance lessons. -(Lozan) Lausanne Ham Maple Ridge, BC, Canada

"Leilainia's class was not simply a lesson in belly dancing, she had us get in touch with our emotions and express them through creative movement and colorful personal expression. So many of us are out of touch with the infinite wisdom our bodies possess and with the flowing presence of our emotions, which are both dying to be expressed. This class helped me get in touch with some emotions that I hadn't visited in a while and allowed me to experiment with their expression in a completely non-judgmental and supportive environment. The class also allowed me to move past some blocks in my confidence and self-expression as Leilainia encouraged all the women in the class to find our inner flirts and allow them to come out and play. I believe there is important growth to be had in self-confidence, expression and embodied wisdom in Leilainia's classes. In short, women need these classes ASAP!"
- Korrie Kashuba

"Leilainia teaches us posture, technique, and how to be graceful, but most of all she teaches us to have fun while we dance ." - Zaira

"Just wanted to let you know that I use bellydance posture during my surgery clerkship rotation and it SAVED my back and my feet. Some of the surgeries I went to take up to 8 hours, and you have to stand relatively still so you don't break the sterile field. The bonus is I got a nice little ab workout while I was standing there too. " -Wei-li

" Leilainia thank very much for everything, it was great to met you! You helped me a lot in my inner issues, it's incredible how the dance can make you feel so free, you teach with soul!!!"-Paulina Colli of Los Cabos

“I am thankful that you are in my life. You are a wonderful teacher and your enthusiasm and joy of the dance are truly magical. You were born to be a bellydancer and I love to see you dance. Your amazing beauty is matched by your beauty of spirit.” - Thalia

"[Your class] challenges me to use my body in a much more controlled and elegant way than I am used to.
Thank you for being an inspiring teacher."- View Photos of student troupe "Troupe Arabeca" @ The Alternative Healing Festival 5/6/06

"I have absolutely loved your classes so much. I can't even begin to tell you how much I've learned and how much I've grown in such a short amount of time. Your class is my 'happy place' and you are such a beautiful soul." - Joey

"I want to thank you. I look forward to your class for days and the second I enter Bamboo the stress of my day fades away. I love the sensuality and the joy in belly dancing. It challenges me to use my body in a much more controlled and elegant way than I am used to (I mountain bike, surf, and rock climb). Thank you for being an inspiring teacher." - Abbey Gurney

"I thoroughly enjoy and take tremendous pleasure in not only your class, but the entire experience of belly dance and belly dance culture. I do plan on joining you during the 6 week balancing class at Bamboo Yoga. " - Heather Kuhn

"I've really been enjoying your class ...... learning (and some re-learning) of the various styles, proper technique, correction when needed, music, atmosphere..............all is fabulous!" - Tracy Serakos

"Leilainia, you are such a wonderful dancer. I totally loved learning from you.
Thank you for welcoming a man into your class." - student

"Great Class! Very good instructor, easy to follow, very knowledgeable." - Shirley Huynh Management at Being Fit fitness center.

"Thank you!!! I've absolutely loved your class and your positive energy. You haven't seen the last of me yet!!"

ZOE TANTRUM

INA
Belly dancer of the universe competition

ZAIRA

Belly Dance Benefits: 
• improve core balance and coordination
• provides a good cardiovascular workout
• increase both flexibility and strength
• enhance your physical appearance
• increased blood circulation
• enhances the posture

What does it actually do?:
• tones, strengthens and tightens the arms, the abs, obliques, legs and back
• increases your physical awareness, core balance and coordination
• reduces the risk of osteoporosis
• builds cardiovascular strength
• increases metabolism.
• strengthens the abdominal and pelvic region
• eases menstruation and menopause discomforts
• burns as many calories as jogging, swimming or riding a bike.
• An hour of belly dancing can burn as much as four hundred calories.

READ MORE BELOW.

Learn Belly Dance
& Music Technique.
Buy the
March of the Gypsies
CD/ DVD.

This is a two disc set -
a 10 song CD and a DVD full of
music videos,
dance lessons, pictures,
and much more.

Can I Belly Dance if I am pregnant? YES!

YES! Belly dance was the first form of lamaze . It is a great form of pre and post labor therapy. The internal movements help to get in touch with muscles of the pelvic region. The pelvic area is the source of strength and storage of energy. For many women this area stores a lot of emotion. Stimulating the pelvic area with belly dance movements allows for the vital area at the base of the spine to open, freeing the flow of energy and releasing trapped emotions. Woman who have belly danced through their pregnancy find labor (and the entire birthing process) to be much less painful.

HEALTH & Benefits:

Belly Dance has tremendous, continuous effect in the quality of relaxation, breathing & rhythm, which increases body awareness & sensitivity & contributes to a heightened sense of well-being & self-esteem. And it’s a great way to slim down and tone your entire body. Belly dance is suitable for all ages and body types. The benefits of belly dance are both mental and physical.

Discover the beauty and power of your body and receive the physical and emotional benefits that arise from belly dance. Practicing the dance tones the muscles, gives a great work out, enhances the posture, strengthens the lower back, and mobilizes the abdominal and pelvic regions. Regular belly dancing of about sixty minutes not only strengthens trapezius and abdominal muscles but also strengthens the heart and increases circulation. Belly dancing also relieves menstrual problems and has been shown to be very useful during pregnancy and childbirth. Belly dancing has enabled women to overcome self-esteem issues and increased their libido. The best part of Belly Dance is that it challenges you to use your body in a controlled and elegant way. It is a sensual , powerful dance that make you feel feminine as your getting fit!

SPIRITUAL CONNECTION:

Belly dance is a great way to explore an ancient and spiritual journey. The dance evokes creativity, which within its self is deeply spiritual. Belly dancing is a powerful form of artistic expression. Learning this ancient art form will uplift the spirit, inspire confidence, create physical and universal awareness, and enhance self-knowledge. Through the movements you will also gain cultural, historical, and social content of the dances and learn the relationship between the movement and music. The dance will fill you with an inspiration to celebrate life. It strengthens bonds between community and expresses joy, pleasure and praises life. Instantly dancers will begin to embody the internal changes that come with this feminine dance and they will find deeper meanings to life and deeper connections to themselves. This dance nourishes the body and the soul. With any continuous study of movement (be it yoga, tai chi or dance) you will find a connection between movement and emotion. Connection with spirituality is not something you have to seek out. It's an everyday thing experienced within the dance of life. The enlightened mystic from India, Osho wrote about dance: “Existence to me is a carnival, it is just a festival. It is for those who know how to dance. And the dance need not wait for tomorrow – tomorrow never comes - the dance has to be now, here, this very moment. This very silence has to become the dance! “

TIPS:

- At first all the moves will feel very strange and foreign . As you continue to relax into the posture and the feeling of the dance it will bring out a sensuality and gracefulness you never knew existed within you. Just know that everyone goes through that uncomfortable stiffness at first.
- Tuck your tail bone under: This is the first and most important aspect of successfully learning Middle Eastern Dance. Bellydance uses the low back for support and the hips as the center of gravity. A spine straightened through the lumbar and sacral vertebrae creates a pleasing line and protects your lower back from injury.
- Always keep a slight bend in your knees.
- Open you heart to the world.
- Let the music guide and inspire you.
- Have fun with it and let your personality shine.