Explore every episode of the podcast Belly Dance Podcast A Little Lighter

Zoe Jakes of Beats Antique, Kaeshi Chai of Belly Dance Superstars and Dalia Carella of New York City in a fascinating conversation about the history, current state and potential future of Belly Dance and Fusion Dance

This interview with Rachel Brice dives deep into recent American belly dance fusion history and fashion. Rachel reminisces about her influencers Suhaila Salimpour, Carolena Nericcio of FatChanceBellyDance® (formerly ATS), and Jill Parker, and opens up about inclusiveness and past mistakes fusing dance forms. 

Most dance in our era is performative, but dance can do so much more. Harlem High School Assistant Principle and dance teacher Kierra Foster-Ba talks about dances for healing, transformation, connection, and acceptance.

Salit of NYC on the sisterhood of belly dancers, the politics that divide our community of Arabic music lovers, and how focusing on our belly dance technique rather than our appearance brings us more happiness.

Dr. Valerie Poppel, aka Nefertiti, is a Clinical Sexologist and belly dancer who lived in Cairo. Find out what Nef warned about Soul Ties when she was featured in Cosmo yet again and how shimmying can improve our sexual health.

Author of 22+ belly dance costuming books, Dawn Devine talks about current belly dance fashion trends in Egypt and Turkey, how to make assuit fabric feel good on your skin, and how to get more out of your belly dance costumes.

Being injured is part of every dancer's life, and all dancers want relief from pain. Pema teaches how to befriend our pain, forgive ourselves for getting hurt, and turn poison into medicine.

Melodia of Melodia Designs has been designing amazing dance wear and comfortable-AND-sexy street clothes for over 20 years. But do you know about her intriguing dance past with the Belly Dance Superstars and Urban Tribal Dance Company? Listen and find out! 

World-famous Egyptian raqs sharqi dancer Randa Kamel on the importance of belly dancing to live music, feeling the music, and why oriental dance developed in Egypt.

The nightclubs were open, famous Egyptian dancers including Randa Kamel and Aziza of Cairo performed, live bands played, and belly dance costume shopping continued. Hear about Naimah of Baltimore's adventures on Black Cat Belly Dance Tour in 2021. 

NYC raqs sharqi dancer Natalie of Puerto Rico shares how to belly dance authentically to mahraganat and shaabi, as well as her love for Egyptian colloquial Arabic, culture and daily life. 

Get inspired by the health, beauty and dance tips from some of the most influential belly dancers in the world who were interviewed on this belly dance podcast in 2021. Feel grateful, make a dance goal, drink some water, and dance yourself down the sidewalk.  

Learn some of the secrets of recreating Golden Era belly dance moves and costumes from Badriyah. Find out the best belly dance scenes from classical Egyptian movies with Samia Gamal, Naima Akef, Taheya Carioca and hear Badriyah's dreams of opening a Belly Dance Museum.

New York City dancer Danielle Hutton speaks on magical intentions, powerful productions, and why washing your hair on Venus's Day is a damn good idea. 

Belly Dance Superstars Choreographer Jillina Carlano on courage, contribution, and marinating yourself in music. From performing in prison, touring the planet and stumbling forward through the reckoning in the dance community. This is an amazing podcast interview.

Brooklyn-born belly dancer and fusion artist Brenna Crowley tells us how she went from looking down at the ground to strutting sidewalks like a runway model and dancing like a superhero.

Award winning belly dancer Amanda Hart talks about how "A little progress each day adds up to big results", her own growth from being part of Jillina's Belly Dance Experience, and her love for the Lebanese singer Fairuz. (Results quote from Satya Nani) 

Trans masculine belly dancer Kamrah of Chicago talks about key differences in Egyptian and Lebanese belly dance and highlights a big mistake that many of us make when dancing with a sword...  

The founder of FCBD Style speaks on the origin of ATS costuming, cultural appropriation, and the shift back to the name FCBD.

What is the difference between Popping and Locking? Find out from this amazing fusion belly dancer who has toured with Belly Dance Superstars, Belly Dance Evolution, choreographed for Zoe Jakes's shows, and is featured on Rachel Brice's Datura Online. This show is packed with deep health and beauty secrets as well as a love for festivals and shenanigans. 

Hear how Eshe travelled to Turkey to study with belly dance legends Sema Yildiz and Princess Banu, why the word "Roman" needs to replace the G* word, and why Fifi Abdou's new performances on Instagram may be even better than her iconic dance performances.

Forget about writing a useless New Years Resolution. Here's a better way for dancers to prepare for the best year of our lives. Listen and find out what it is! This episode gives you time to reflect and create. 

"Hafla Prince" Carmine Guida of NYC has played oud, cümbüs and percussion for thousands of delighted belly dancers. Hear Carmine's tips for helping the band love to play for you and for making  it super fun.

Healing yourself is possible, even in rich dark nights of the soul. Find out how Ceremonial Botanical Bodywork practitioner Rachel Fisher heals, how she became friends with Rachel Brice, and hear how she got 250,000 followers on social media and then let them go. 

I met Erin in my first belly dance class in 2000 at Cornell. For 20 years we danced together on stages, streets and around fires. Erin passed away in May 2020 during the Covid Era, and I continue seeking a dance floor that can help heal the pain. 

Singing belly dancer Helen of South Florida gives us some tone-at-home fitness tips we forgot about and shares how she moved past fear to create her own online dance program and write "Belly Dance Business 101".

Tired of feeling tight and stressed? One of the world's most down to earth Buddhist teachers shows us how to soften, relax, create space, and find meaning in our dance lives and daily lives. 

Veil poi innovator Maëlle shares belly dance secrets from the Lebanese night clubs of Brussels, palaces of Dubai, and Suhaila Salimpour's dance studios. Hear her story. 

For 12 years Sabriye performed all over the Gulf and North Africa. Hear her tips for keeping the soul in Saidi and how to do Khaleeji hair throw moves safely. 

Flashy Floridian Belly Dancer Ciana talks about the difference between dance cardio classes and straight up belly dance classes, the importance of foundational strength for preventing injury and aiding expression, and how much fun it is to wear big drag lashes when you dance.

What should we call tribal fusion now that Indigenous leaders have spoken? Professor Keyes from the Salimpour School hashes out what educated belly dancers should know. 

Find out how podcast host Iana Komarnytska has made her passion for Middle Eastern dance into an abundant business, get tips for creating a clear website, and hear why it is so important for belly dancers to study folk dance styles.

Find out how Suhaila, Jamila and The Salimpour School have shaped the history of belly dance and fused elements of hip hop dance with traditional Middle Eastern Dance.

Hear Naimah's tips on great eye makeup and how to get your dance costume to stay in place. And find out how modeling and studying burlesque can help us belly dancer better. 

New York City Belly Dancer Kaeshi talks about touring the world as a dancer, screaming when dancing, and Beauty Reimagined. And her doumbek playing husband Brad Mack gives us tips on how to become a better performer. 

Third generation belly dance star Isabella shares what she learned from Suhaila and Jamila Salimpour, talks about the magic of Bal Anat, and reflects on dancing illegally in Egypt at 8 years old.

New York City belly dancer Zobeida on Anahid Sofian's floor work, how to dance to 9/8 Turkish Roma style and how to find time to dance when you have kids.

California belly dancer and twerking instructor Cera Byer talks about fearless improvisation, clear choreography, and taking "exquisite care" of ourselves.

Find out why Suhaila walked off the nightclub stage at 28, how we can show respect for the cultural origins of belly dance, and how her mother Jamila Salimpour danced her cooking. 

Here's some treatment for Coronavirus depression: Join the Dancing with Myself Movement, try Belly Dance Chi Gong, and relieve stress by laughing like crazy Laughing Yoga style.

Suhaila's student and friend Anna Horn shares some of the surprising elements of Suhaila's format, reminisces about Jamila Salimpour's finger cymbals, and shows us how the pets we love can inspire us to dance.

Hear how murder mystery writer Jo loves the process of preparing for a performance even more than the show and values sharing experiences with other dancers more than perfection in the spotlight. And she likes to set drinks on fire...

Want to feel beautiful and juicy in your body? Listen to this. Let's reveal what belly dancers can learn from burlesque culture and find ways to take exquisite of ourselves.

Find out what makes Egyptian dancers look authentic and what makes Western dancers look a little fake, what makes dancers sexy, and why belly dancers in the Middle East are still stigmatized.

Dance feeds our feminine, and the child inside of us longs for the freedom to play dress up and dance. But problems can stop us from dancing. Hear from Tony Robbins and his wife Sage how we can turn problems into gifts and create habits that make us happier.  

Learn this essential tip for any dancer who plays zills, dance confidently to the droning medieval keyed fiddle we call the hurdy gurdy, and have fun hearing the wild Renaissance Festival times of musician and dancer Roxanne Dresden Bruscha.

Jill Parker shares what she wishes she knew when she first started dancing with Fat Chance Belly Dance, talks about tattoos, beauty secrets, and the sorcery of dance.

Where did belly dance come from? Who are the most famous belly dancers? What are the different styles of belly dance? This podcast will answer so many of your questions, and you'll love it.

Celebrate 1970s Strictly Belly Dance records by Eddie the Sheik, admire the moves of Egyptian belly dance star Mona Said, and take a peek into stigma and the gritty lives of many belly dancers in Cairo now.

Johanna relives the breast cancer diagnosis that birthed her first dance studio and expanded her commitment to community. She shares her secret to layering a shimmy and undulation, and also urges us to meditate by focusing on 1 thing at a time.