Albuquerque & Metro Area
Belly Dancers listed are members of New Mexico Belly Dance and adhere to the principled ethical standards of the association.
Adriana- ABQ
Style of Dance: American/Egyptian Cabaret, traditional Raq Sharqi, Folkloric
Available for: Online classes, In-person, Group instruction, Private Instruction
Adriana has been dancing a total of 26 years between 3 main styles: Mexican Folklórico (9 years), Flamenco (5 years) and Middle Eastern dance (currently 12 years and going). What Adriana loves most about Middle Eastern music and dance is the wide range of rhythms, styles and emotions it conveys.
Adriana loves that Middle Eastern dance stems from social, folk dancing for anyone to dance and enjoy at events such as birthdays, weddings and other celebrations but also can be part of a professional stage production with rehearsed choreographies.
Alex Rubi- ABQ
Style of Dance: American/Egyptian Cabaret, traditional Raq Sharqi
Available for: Online classes, In-person, Group Instruction, Private Instruction
Alex has been doing yoga for 7 years and teaching for 5 years. She loves all the physical, mental, and energetic benefits that yoga gives her. Yoga helps with her everyday pains and aches. It helps improve her mental health through mindfulness and helps her have more energy to do work and other tasks.
Yoga has also really helped Alex in her dance practice to build strength, flexibility and move safely and mindfully. Her focus in class is the connection of breath and movement with an emphasis on alignment. She is known for making all her classes challenging but accessible! When she is not teaching or doing yoga, she is dancing, hiking, or cuddling her pets.
Amaya- ABQ
Style of Dance: Fusion, American Cabaret
Available for: Online Instruction, Group Instruction, In-person Instruction, Private Instruction, Events
An internationally acclaimed dance performer, Amaya, also known as the Gypsy of the Desert, has danced all her life and in many facets of show business, even “running away to join the circus” (Circus Conelli in Zurich, Switzerland). In the early stages of her career, Amaya won First Place in a competition in Cairo, Egypt. She has also won Dancer of the Year/ International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance Award.
Amaya produces her Annual Wise Woman Retreat every summer dedicated to all kindred dance spirits from throughout the world, held in Albuquerque, NM.
She was the first in the U.S. to introduce the fusion of her loves, the Spanish dance flair with her Arabic moves. Her dance is an unusual showcase of Spanish/Arabic styling with soul-stirring taksims (slow, dramatic dance). This fusion expresses the heart of Andalucia with the spirit of Arabia.
Thirty+ years of teaching has helped Amaya in expertly instructing the beginning dancer to the professional dancer by incorporating basic level steps to “super-embellished” moves while using dynamic music---all mixed with a healthy dose of humor and life philosophies.
Enchanting Erica- ABQ
Style of Dance: Raqs Sharqi
Available for: Events
Enchanting Erica began her belly dance journey in 1999. She has been a regular performer with Bad Weather Burlesque, Vixen Variety Shows, Kismet, Mistryl Shimmy Guard, and the Flaming Hips. Erica was an active part of the local Fargo, ND dance community. She was the 2013 Fargo sponsor for Club Belly Dance, and a Shimmy Mob Team Leader in 2014, 2015, 2019, 2020, and 2022.
Her mission is education and cultural appreciation of Middle Eastern Dance, and she has given talks and demonstrations for community groups, library programs and even Head Start.
Enchanting Erica moved to Albuquerque, NM in 2016 and has been studying and dancing with the wonderful community here. She is an advisory board member for New Mexico Belly Dance.
When not dancing, Erica is sewing costumes both for belly dance and for cosplay, baking yummy treats, playing board games, and acting as masquerade director for a local anime convention, Con-Jikan.
Emily Villas- ABQ
Style of Dance: Transnational Fusion
Available for: Group Instruction, In-person Instruction, Private Instruction, Events
As an Albuquerque native, Emily discovered belly dance in 2001, and since then has focused primarily on improvisational (formally known as tribal) style for most of her belly dance career. Other styles include “triberet,” ATS, Fusion, and various fun props such as sword, basket, veil, fan veil, and poi veil.
Her teachers have included Flo of the Rogue Bindis, Krissy, Michelle al Farfesha, Rosanne of al Jinan, Rachel Brice, Zoe Jakes, Mardi Love, Terri of Troupe Salamat, Elsanne of Studio Libuela, Sarah of Santa Fe, Sadie of Sirena, among others.
While currently without a troupe, Emily has danced with several troupes including Gypsy Wind student troupe, Rogue Bindis, Sol Sisters, and Saharni, while teaching at many of the major studios in Albuquerque. Collaborations include Farfesha and Sirena, as well as various members of our belly dance community.
Kayla Snell- ABQ
Style of Dance: Belly Dance Fitness
Available for: Group Instruction
Kayla Snell has been dancing ever since daycare when she spied a kids’ dance class through a window and insisted on getting involved. Since then, she has studied many forms of dance including jazz, modern, hip hop, belly dance, a touch of ballet, some African dance and most partner dances (country, ballroom, Latin, and swing).
For the past two decades Kayla has been teaching dance for fun and fitness — she enjoys sharing her favorite music, providing a safe space for expression and watching students discover they can move in ways they never thought possible!
Kayla's lighthearted and patient approach to teaching focuses not so much on getting the steps “right” but on having fun and making the moves work for each individual to get what THEY need out of class, whether it be cardiovascular endurance, building confidence, love for their bodies, or engaging with community in a meaningful way.
Korsha- ABQ
Style of Dance: FatChanceBellyDance® Style
Available for: Events
Korsha has been in love with dance her whole life, studying belly dance since 2007. Since 2017, she has continued her dance journey in the FCBD® style and studied with Carolena Nericcio and several of the FCBD® Troupe members through Workshops/ATS Reunion and Melody Bustillos of Salt City Tribal (FCBD Style).
Korsha is the Director of the Sassy Sages Dance Troupe and whether a troupe performance or solo performance, Korsha and the Sassy Sages’ passion for the dance comes through.
She loves the emotion and intensity of US and world music. When dancing she is either telling the audience a story or bringing an emotion to the audience. Korsha is a member of the New Mexico Belly Dance Advisory Board.
Mariella Qetesh- ABQ
Style of Dance: American/Eqyptian Cabaret/Traditional Raq Sharqi/Trance/Transnational Fusion
Available for: Events, Private Parties, Group Instruction, Private Instruction
Since a young age, Mariella has been moved by the freedom of dance as ecstasy. Her dance, over the years, has blossomed into a complete expression of joy. Mariella has been dancing since age 2 in her own way and form, and she strives to embody the old expressions of dance before modern times. She is passionate about World Folk and Trance Dance and how it has developed into the Raqs Sharqi and Transnational fusion that we have today.
Mariella has been studying and performing Middle Eastern Dance for 10 years. Four of those years were spent intermittently touring with a live Middle Eastern band across the East Coast, dancing at festivals and gatherings. Another five has been spent in New Mexico dancing for restaurants, events, and community happenings.
Her intensive dance experience has cultivated deep ease, musicality, and fluidity in her dance and she is always seeking to invite her students (The Ilahi Dancers) and patrons to delve deeper into the ocean of dance as a transformation. Find her on Instagram or Facebook to connect.
Michelle al Farfesha- ABQ
Style of Dance: American/Eqyptian Cabaret/Traditional Raq Sharqi
Available for: Private Instruction, Events
Michelle is a dynamic instructor, able to break moves and concepts down in many different ways so that every student is able to learn.
She has also taught at Leyla Jouvana's International Oriental Dance Festival in Germany, one of Europe's largest belly dance events, Amaya's International Shake & Bake, and the southwest's biggest festival Ya Halla Y'all in Dallas.
Michelle was the founder and director of Farfesha Studios and Farfesha Dance Troupe, one of the longest running troupes in New Mexico!
RaqsZia- ABQ
Style of Dance: American/Eqyptian Cabaret/Traditional Raq Sharqi
Available for: Events
Raqzia is a professional dance troupe out of Sirena Studio in Albuquerque directed by Adriana Sandoval and Sadie Adai. The troupe specializes in Egyptian Raq Sharqi, Oriental and cabaret style of belly dance.
Sadie Adair- ABQ
Style of Dance: Transnational Fusion, Raqs Sharqi
Available for: Online Instruction, Group Instruction, In-person Instruction, Private Instruction, Events
Sadie Adair is the Director of Desert Darlings Belly Dance, Co-director of student company Wicked Muse Dance Project, and Owner of Sirena World Dance Studio, LLC.
She began her studies in Egyptian Style Belly Dance with Diane Eger when she was 12 years old after seeing belly dancers at a Gypsy Festival in Madrid, NM. From there she went on to learn Tribal Style Belly Dance at Pomegranate Studios in Santa Fe.
Sadie has traveled to California, Texas, Nevada, and Illinois to study with dancers such as Mira Betz, Ashley Lopez, Zoe Jakes, and more. Sadie has completed Level 1 of Dance Craft with Zoe Jakes in Oakland, CA.
Theresa- Rio Rancho
Style of Dance: American/Eqyptian Cabaret/Traditional Raq Sharqi
Available for: Group Instruction, In-Person Instruction, Private Instruction
Theresa has over 15 years of belly dance experience in traditional Egyptian and American Cabaret styles of Belly Dance and is the founder of New Mexico Belly Dance.
She is a member of Farfesha, an internationally recognized Belly Dance troupe and founder of New Mexico Belly Dance.
International instructors she has studied with include Aziza (Canada), Ansuya, Amaya, Nourhan Sharif, Kamala Almanzar, and Devilla. However, Michelle al Farfesha has been her mentor, advisor, teacher and sometimes counselor in the Belly Dance world.
Most importantly, Theresa considers herself a forever student of the art form. She is passionate about helping others discover Belly Dance and is committed to the belief that Belly Dance is for every BODY!