Lisa had several brushes with bellydance before it took root in her life. Finally, in 2005, a friend's DVD and information on Shira.net started her journey in earnest. A dedicated student, Lisa sought out resources when beginning her Middle Eastern dance study while attending university in a small town in Western NY. She spent many hours mastering technique and trouble shooting mechanics in her first years of study, giving her an exceptional ability to help her own students through any trouble spots.
From the beginning, Lisa has found joy in this dance and been driven to share it with others. She began performing professionally at the urging of her first long-term teacher, Hannah, in 2009 at the Greek family-restaurant, The Black Olive. She was a regular there for years and it is where she learned the importance of inspiring her audience to cast aside their worries and join the party.
After "graduating" form Hannah's classes, Lisa regularly traveled to NYC to study with Ranya Renee and the incomparable Egyptian star Nany. Lisa strives to cultivate a soft, earthy, and classic style that will transport those ready to come along for the ride to the glamorous golden era, all while infusing her signature sass and humor. This style, along her her attention to the the dance's context, has made her a favorite at weddings, cultural parties and educational events.
From 2015 to 2018, Lisa lived and performed in New York City, where she studied vintage American style with Zenaide of the famous Serena Studios, and Classical Egyptian with Ranya Renee. She also finished level 3 of Sahra Kent's Journey Through Egypt in 2018, and hopes to return to Egypt for level 4 in the future.
Lisa is also the instructor and director of the Nour al 'Amar (Light of the Moon) student troupe and is honored to teach this dance to others. She produces a semi annual student recital and hafla to help strengthen the community and provide a supportive environment for new dancers to develop the confidence that bellydance innately instills.
Following the credo "dance the dance you dance, don't dance the dance people that dance dance" her classes teach more than just steps: students gain the tools to express their own connection to the music, their own emotion, and to experience the joy of trusting your responses and being in the moment.
In the future, Lisa hopes to turn her leveled curriculum into a book, to help isolated dancers discover and move beyond what they don't know that they don't know, and to help other teachers provide structure to their classes.
From the beginning, Lisa has found joy in this dance and been driven to share it with others. She began performing professionally at the urging of her first long-term teacher, Hannah, in 2009 at the Greek family-restaurant, The Black Olive. She was a regular there for years and it is where she learned the importance of inspiring her audience to cast aside their worries and join the party.
After "graduating" form Hannah's classes, Lisa regularly traveled to NYC to study with Ranya Renee and the incomparable Egyptian star Nany. Lisa strives to cultivate a soft, earthy, and classic style that will transport those ready to come along for the ride to the glamorous golden era, all while infusing her signature sass and humor. This style, along her her attention to the the dance's context, has made her a favorite at weddings, cultural parties and educational events.
From 2015 to 2018, Lisa lived and performed in New York City, where she studied vintage American style with Zenaide of the famous Serena Studios, and Classical Egyptian with Ranya Renee. She also finished level 3 of Sahra Kent's Journey Through Egypt in 2018, and hopes to return to Egypt for level 4 in the future.
Lisa is also the instructor and director of the Nour al 'Amar (Light of the Moon) student troupe and is honored to teach this dance to others. She produces a semi annual student recital and hafla to help strengthen the community and provide a supportive environment for new dancers to develop the confidence that bellydance innately instills.
Following the credo "dance the dance you dance, don't dance the dance people that dance dance" her classes teach more than just steps: students gain the tools to express their own connection to the music, their own emotion, and to experience the joy of trusting your responses and being in the moment.
In the future, Lisa hopes to turn her leveled curriculum into a book, to help isolated dancers discover and move beyond what they don't know that they don't know, and to help other teachers provide structure to their classes.
Proudly powered by Weebly