Northern New Mexico
Belly Dancers listed are members of New Mexico Belly Dance and
adhere to the principled ethical standards of the association. Learn more…
Annya Ishtara - Taos
Style of Dance: American Cabaret, Turkish, traditional Raq Sharqi; Qigong for Women
Available for: In-Person Group Classes, Private Instruction (In-Person and Online)
Annya Ishtara began belly dance lessons in 1991, and was instantly hooked on the beautiful movements, vibrant music, exotic costuming, and the discovery of Middle Eastern cultures from which this dance comes, and she hasn’t stopped learning since! She especially loves all things veil and find great joy in improvisational dance. She has produced hundreds of belly dance performances and danced in hundreds more.
In addition to belly dance, Annya has studied a vast array of world dances including Haitian, West African, Cuban Orisha, hula, Rajasthani Gypsy dance, and Turkish Roman (Gypsy).
With her wide background in movement, energy training, physical body studies, as a trained massage therapist and as a certified Qigong and Tai Chi instructor, she helps dance students safely and effectively train their bodies to easily and gracefully perform the movements of belly dance. Annya comes from an internal body-centered perspective which she blends with a visceral understanding of energy so that dancers can truly understand and develop tools with which to inhabit their bodies more fully and joyfully.
Areena Estul - Santa Fe
Style of Dance: American/Egyptian Cabaret, Traditional Raq Sharqi, Folkloric, Other Fusion
Available for: In-Person Classes and Events.
Areena is a seasoned performer, both as a soloist since 2004 and as a troupe member first with The Saltanah Dancers 2006-2018, since 2019 with her own company Badass Bellydancers (Bellyreena Alchemy Dance Association) and currently with a collaborative group of peers she invited to form the Constellation Dance Collective. She has produced shows in Santa Fe since 2019: live music & belly dance, haflas and an 18+ variety show series at Cabaret Paradiso.
Deborah Newberg - Santa Fe
Style of Dance: American/Egyptian Cabaret, Traditional Raq Sharqi, Folkloric, Other Fusion
Available for: Online classes, In person, group instruction, private instruction
Deborah Newberg is the founder, director and lead choreographer of the Saltanah Dancers and Saltanah Studios.
Since 2005, the Saltanah Dancers have presented over 750 performances in NM, at venues ranging from the Santa Fe Bandstand on the Plaza to the Lensic theatre, from Cleopatra's Cafe to the Scottish Rite Temple.
Deborah has been on the faculty of the Dance department of Santa Fe Community College since 2008, and also teaches at DanceSpace Santa Fe. Her student troupe, the Habibis, also performs regularly with the Saltanah Dancers.
Deborah is known as an enthusiastic and giving teacher, and as a dynamic and musical dancer and choreographer. Deeply rooted in the traditions of Middle Eastern Belly Dance, she also enjoys contemporary innovation and cross-pollination.
Her work is enriched by continuing study and performance of a variety of dance styles, especially Egyptian-style Oriental Dance (aka Raqs Sharqi or Belly Dance), Folkloric Middle Eastern Dances, Persian Dance and Turkish Roman, as well as focused study of Middle Eastern music. Her passion for dance travel and study has taken her to Egypt, Morocco and Spain.
Myra Krien - Santa Fe
Style of Dance: American/Egyptian Cabaret, Traditional Raq Sharqi, Transnational Fusion (ATS), Fokloric, Other Fusion
Available for: In-Person and Online Classes, Private Instruction, Studio Available for Rental.
Myra Krien is a renowned Middle Eastern dance artist, an international performer, choreographer and teacher of belly dance. Krien has performed on some of Americas most prestigious stages, toured internationally, performed for PBS and Japanese television and been reviewed by national publications such as Dance Magazine, Bliss and the Santa Fean.
Myra is the owner and director of Pomegranate Studios and the founder of the Self-esteem, Empowerment, and Education through Dance (SEEDs) program, a non-profit youth mentorship program for social change, founder of the Funk-Ex fitness program, and founder of the Mosaic Dance Company (MDC).
Myra was the recipient of the Santa Fe Mayor’s Arts Award in 2019 and serves as the Board President of The New Mexico Dance Coalition.