Instructor & Bio
Mariela www.marielabellydancer.com Mariela, of South American background, moved to Los Angeles in 1991. She began her Belly Dance studies under the instruction of renowned dancer Ansuya and her mother Jeneani. Inspired by the passion of this dance form, Mariela devoted several years to studying Belly Dance in classes and workshops from many accomplished dancers, such as Jillina, Heather Stants, and Saida among others. After travelling through Europe and South East Asia, where she also shared her talents as a teacher and performer, Mariela relocated to San Diego, California, where she co-founded Dunya Dance Theater under the direction of Angell Estrada. Mariela continues to perform locally and abroad, mostly limiting her performances to private venues. Aside from dancing, Mariela is currently pursuing her Doctorate degree in Psychology.
Sabrina Fox www.atashmaya.com I have a background of 25 years in music and various dance forms that include African dance, yoga, jazz, lyrical, ballet, modern, tap, hip hop, theater, along with Middle Eastern and African percussion. I have been studying American Tribal Style dance for 7 years where my group Atash Maya’s unique style of Tribal Fusion belly dance branches from now. With those influences and inspiration from friends and group members I have created a Tribal Fusion style of dance unlike any other. I am also deeply involved in positive social change, organizing fundraisers, and giving to the community through dance every way I can.
Kirti Srivastava www.myspace.com/dilsedance Kirti Srivastava has been studying dance for 20 years. Her dance history is rooted in classical Indian Dance and has expanded into African, Latin and Hip Hop dance styles within the past 10 years. She began studying Kathak at the age of eight and fell in love with Odissi when she was 13. In 2002, she moved to New York to receive her Masters Degree in Education and become a member of New York’s first Odissi Classical Indian Dance Theater Company, Nayikas. This past year she furthered her studies in Orissa, India, with her teacher, Manoranjan Pradhan. Her love for world music is an obvious reflection of her being a first generation American growing up in an artistic and creative Indian home. Practicing an Indian lifestyle with family while simultaneously being exposed to Jazz, Hip-Hop, Latin and African music through friends, it is inevitable that Kirti has grown into a dancer with respect towards all types of music and dance, combining her Indian movements with African dance and rhythm. Her passion for this dance fusion has allowed her to open up for artists such as Akim Funk Buddha, KRS 1, Medusa, Culture, and Angelique Kidjoe. Currently, she mostly performs for Cheb i Sabbah in the Los Angeles area, teaches locally in San Diego and is receiving her Yoga certification to bring dance and yoga together in “Nrittya Yoga”.
Frank Lazzaro www.frankdrums.com Frank Lazzaro has been teaching and performing middle-eastern drumming for 15 years. He is currently on staff at World Beat Cultural Center, San Diego, and performs regularly for belly dancers with the Golden Belly Award winning group Middle-Earth Ensemble.