Amy's Education & Experience
Bellydance Education
Amy has studied various styles of Middle Eastern dance since 1999, including classical Middle Eastern dance, Greek and Gypsy folk dances, Zambra (a folk style related to Flamenco), and American Tribal Fusion bellydance. Her primary instructor was Seattle’s Amelia Moore, with whom she studied intensely in 2000 and 2001. Amy attended Delilah’s 14-day Visionary Dance Retreat and intensive workshop in Hawaii in 2002. Amy has also studied with Zanbaka, Najla, Laura Rose, Elizabeth Dennis, Katrina McCoy, and Dahlia Moon, and taken workshops from Sabura, Zoe Jakes, Mardi Love, Rachel Brice, Amy Sigil, Fat Chance Belly Dance orginator Carolena Nericcio, and other masters of the art form. She continues to take classes and hone her craft.
Performance Experience
Amy’s performance specialties include emotive Turkish and Greek style dance, drum solos, skirt work, and candle dancing. She is currently the director of performance troupe Verbena Bellydance and she also performs as a solo artist at public and private events. Past performances include theatrical bellydance shows with Verbena Bellydance, Aegea Modern Bellydane, Le Serpent, and the Circle Dance Theater at venues such as the Bathhouse Theater, Northwest Actors Studio, the Ruins, the High Dive, Tost, Waid’s Haitian Lounge, Skylark, the Rosebud, Cafe Metropolitan, and Skin Deep Dance Studio; festival performances at Hempfest, the Northwest Folklife Festival, and the Mediterranean Fantasy Festival; and private performances for wedding and baby showers, birthday parties, fundraisers, and on the Nile Dolphin river cruise in Egypt.
Teaching Experience
Amy trained as a bellydance instructor under Seattle’s Amelia Moore and taught beginning and intermediate classes at Moore's Circle Dance Studio in 2002 and 2003. Amy joined Seattle Central Community College's Community Education faculty in 2004 and continues to teach noncredit classes there. Amy offers private lessons, performance-preparedness workshops, finger-cymbal workshops, art of choreography workshops, and a workout series for bellydancers. She believes bellydance is a positive means of expression and a safe form of exercise suitable for all people.
Amy’s bellydance knowledge is augmented by training in physical fitness, yoga, ballet, and Pilates, and she emphasizes proper alignment and body mechanics. She is also certified in Red Cross First Aid and CPR for the Professional Rescuer.
Amy has studied various styles of Middle Eastern dance since 1999, including classical Middle Eastern dance, Greek and Gypsy folk dances, Zambra (a folk style related to Flamenco), and American Tribal Fusion bellydance. Her primary instructor was Seattle’s Amelia Moore, with whom she studied intensely in 2000 and 2001. Amy attended Delilah’s 14-day Visionary Dance Retreat and intensive workshop in Hawaii in 2002. Amy has also studied with Zanbaka, Najla, Laura Rose, Elizabeth Dennis, Katrina McCoy, and Dahlia Moon, and taken workshops from Sabura, Zoe Jakes, Mardi Love, Rachel Brice, Amy Sigil, Fat Chance Belly Dance orginator Carolena Nericcio, and other masters of the art form. She continues to take classes and hone her craft.
Performance Experience
Amy’s performance specialties include emotive Turkish and Greek style dance, drum solos, skirt work, and candle dancing. She is currently the director of performance troupe Verbena Bellydance and she also performs as a solo artist at public and private events. Past performances include theatrical bellydance shows with Verbena Bellydance, Aegea Modern Bellydane, Le Serpent, and the Circle Dance Theater at venues such as the Bathhouse Theater, Northwest Actors Studio, the Ruins, the High Dive, Tost, Waid’s Haitian Lounge, Skylark, the Rosebud, Cafe Metropolitan, and Skin Deep Dance Studio; festival performances at Hempfest, the Northwest Folklife Festival, and the Mediterranean Fantasy Festival; and private performances for wedding and baby showers, birthday parties, fundraisers, and on the Nile Dolphin river cruise in Egypt.
Teaching Experience
Amy trained as a bellydance instructor under Seattle’s Amelia Moore and taught beginning and intermediate classes at Moore's Circle Dance Studio in 2002 and 2003. Amy joined Seattle Central Community College's Community Education faculty in 2004 and continues to teach noncredit classes there. Amy offers private lessons, performance-preparedness workshops, finger-cymbal workshops, art of choreography workshops, and a workout series for bellydancers. She believes bellydance is a positive means of expression and a safe form of exercise suitable for all people.
Amy’s bellydance knowledge is augmented by training in physical fitness, yoga, ballet, and Pilates, and she emphasizes proper alignment and body mechanics. She is also certified in Red Cross First Aid and CPR for the Professional Rescuer.