Instructors
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Sera SolsticeFounder and Director of Solstice Studio Sera Solstice welcomes you to a loving community and powerful team of Instructors. It is our goal to bring to you the tools for accessing the many benefits of Bellydance. Our teachers focus upon bringing to their classes a well-balanced experience of dance: using Technique as the foundation (the how-to), and allowing this to be the gateway to feeling, expression, fun, and straight-up learning-to-dance. Listed below are our trained technique instructors, followed by specialty class instructors. Technique classes are means of developing your dance foundation. Specialty classes are intended as a supplement to technique classes, whereby dancers may receive a broader dance-experience. |
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DanielleAn Instructor of East Coast Tribal Technique Classes at Solstice Studio, Danielle is known for her warmth and joyful personality in class, and her powerful bold performances onstage. The emotional connection, beautiful artistry, and love of music is what inspires Danielle’s commitment to Bellydance. As a core member of Solstice Dance ensemble, and a trained instructor of East Coast Tribal Bellydance, and core assistant instructor for Sera Solstice. Also known as the Choreography Scribe to Solstice Ensemble. Danielle participates at several major Bellydance festivals each year as both a performer and instructor with Solstice Dance Ensemble. Danielle has taken multiple workshops from Tribal Fusion Dancers: Zoe Jakes, Mardi Love, and Heather Stants, and has studied intensively with Sera Solstice. Danielle's training in belly dance, pole dance, and hip hop, combined with her dedication to strength training has contributed to powerful and inspiring performances. |
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JessicaAn instructor of Beginner III, East Coast Tribal Technique class, Wednesday: 6:30-7:40at Solstice Studio. Jessica brings to her classes a superb understanding of bellydance technique with a love for drills and development of muscle-tone. A trained instructor of East Coast Tribal Technique at Solstice Studio, Jessica is a core member of Solstice Dance Ensemble with extensive performance experience with Solstice, under direction of Sera Solstice and her former troupe Mahalat, under direction of Michelle Devine. Jessica participates in several major Bellydance festivals each year as a performer and instructor with Solstice Ensemble. In addition to attending multiple workshops by Suhaila Salimpour, Jessica has studied with Michelle DeVine, Kim Leary, and intensively with Sera Solstice. |
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Noelle Beck BrowerInstructor of Beginner I East Coast Tribal Technique at Solstice Studio, Saturdays, 2:00-3:10 Noelle creates an energetic, supportive, and fun environment in which to explore these movement disciplines. Noelle is a member of the East Coast Tribal Soloist Salon, The Solstice Project, and has participated in international Bellydance festivals, and has taught internationally. Noelle is trained in East Coast Tribal, and has studied extensively with Sera, in addition to multiple workshops from Rachel Brice, Zoe Jakes, Heather Stants, and Mira Betz. Noelle is certified in OM yoga, a vinyasa-based yoga practice that focuses on building strength, flexibility and a deep understanding of alignment. Noelle’s movement background also includes training in Flamenco, Kathak, and Hip-Hop. When she’s not dancing Noelle is an award-winning Independent filmmaker. |
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BrennaInstructor of East Coast Tribal Beginner II Technique, Saturdays: 12:45-1:55, at Solstice Studio, Brenna strives to cultivate fierceness in dancers, while at the same time creating a light atmosphere by the use of comical imagery to aid in her concise breakdown steps. Brenna is a member of the East Coast Tribal Soloist Salon, and has studied intensively with Sera Solstice to be a trained instructor of East Coast Tribal. Brenna brings an extensive background of American Cabaret Bellydance to her classes at Solstice Studio. Brenna had the honor of studying with the legendary Serena Wilson before her passing in June 2007. Brenna is now an instructor at Serena’s studio. As Brenna continues to simultaneously pursue both Cabaret and East Coast Tribal, she is able to share first-hand the differences of these two types of bellydance. |
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Kayla JoKayla Jo is a co-instructor of Beginner I technique classes (Wed. 7:45). Kayla is a multi-talented, highly creative individual, With 9 years of ballet training, 4 years jazz, and 3 years of modern dance, a life-long Yoga practicioner: Kayla is known for a unique and special beauty and nurturing warmth. In her studies of meditation and health/wellness, she naturally reaches out to her students to foster calm, confidence, ease, and self-care. Kayla is sought-after by many of her community for her many unique gifts of creativity, wellness/spiritual advice, and make-up/hair/costume styling. Kayla is a member of Solstice Ensemble, and has studied in Sera Solstice's classes since 2005. She has studied bellydance with Ranya and danced in her company. Other commited Bellydance studies were with teachers: Roula, Anisa and Danisa in toronto. Kayla has also participated in Gabrielle Roths 5 Rythms classes and Parashakti's Dance of Liberation classes, and is a regular at underground dance parties. |
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ZuleikaCo-Instructor of Beginner I technique classes (Wed. 7:45). |
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DarshanAn instructor of Specialty class: Fusion Integration at Solstice Studio, Tuesdays 9pm--10:10 Darshan (Cammi Vance) is one of the pioneers of tribal fusion on the east coast. Back in Portland, Oregon, she began bellydancing cabaret style in 1991, tribal style in 1992. She was a proud member of renowned tribal company Gypsy Caravan for 9 years, performing at Peter Gabriel's WOMAD and the New Orleans Lazarus project to name a few. In 2003 she relocated to NYC to join the Dalia Carella Dance Collective, an ethnic contemporary dance theater company, in several off-Broadway productions and continuing work. Meanwhile, she has continued to develop her dance, creating several DVDs, traveling nationally and internationally to teach and perform, and co-founding dance activism network PURE. Darshan is a personal trainer as well as a dance coach, and is known for her articulate, lively and encouraging teaching as well as her dynamic and powerful stage presence. |
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Sarah "Jezebel" WoodInstructor of Specialty Class: Dark Tribal at Solstice Studio, Wednesdays, 9:00-10:10 Tribal Fusion Artist Sarah "Jezebel" Wood recently uprooted her thick roots in the Boston Bellydance scene to make a home in New York. Sarah is a member of Solstice Ensemble. Sarah's inspiration comes from what moves us all: that which drives us to express ourselves through movement. Sarah loves to nurture and cultivate the deep beauty and strength that we each hold as dancers. Before tuning in to the Tribal Fusion movement Sarah focused on free stylized "goth" choreography as a performer at Boston's premier "Goth" club Man Ray and Burlesque performance and choreography with the Boston Babydolls. Sarah has also studied traditional Indian dance: Bharatanatyam with Lakshmi Amman, and has adventured into the shamanistic fire circle community while while touring extensively with "Incus": a dark gypsy tribal rock band. Sarah has studied and performed Bellydance with Shakti Rowan and Naraya in Boston. |
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Mz Meaghan Tiggrr FearlessCurrently traveling, we await the return of Mz Fearless, and her Free-form Dance workshops at Solstice Studio. Mz Meaghan Tiggrr Fearless is a longtime student of moving poetry. She offers herself to the community as a performer, event producer, teacher, and temple priestess with the intention of inspiring others' self-expression thru mad dancefloor mojo. She is a founder of the infamous Freek Factory artist collective, Church, and Body Temple, and a core dancer with Gabrielle Roth's 5Rhythms Theater, CoSM, Akim Funk Buddha's Dha Fuzion, Soul Fire and Sub Swara. She has also performed ritual theater with the Mythmakers at Shambhala Music Festival, danced onstage at Red Rocks with Spearhead, and pounded dancefloors and headspaces at festivals and underground experiences too numerous and/or weird to list . She offer limitless gratitude for all the inspiration. |
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EUNICEHip Hop dance is offered at Solstice Studio, on Thursdays: 9pm-10:10 A graphic designer, painter, dancer, and choreographer, Eunice Kindred is a long-time veteran of the visual and performing arts. Eunice began her study of ballet at two years old in the Philippines and later joining the Ballet New England company in New Hampshire. When she moved to Tampa, Florida, she took a break from ballet in order to focus her energies toward her flourishing career as a young competitive champion bowler. Eunice returned to dance in her first year at Harvard through Expressions Dance Company and over her four years there, choreographed twelve pieces for the company while also serving as the group's PR designer and aassistant director. Currently she performs with her troupe, isa [dance], choreographing and dancing for up and coming and established artists such as Vaneli, Irena Hart, Akon, and many more. She also serves as a fitness group instructor for Crunch gyms, making regular appearances on major television networks and shows. |
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Casey BondInstructor of Doumbek Basics: Middle Eastern Drumming for Tribal Dancers, "Bringing the doum to the room!" Please contact Casey directly for Doumbek classes: drumndancegrl@aol.com Casey Bond has been performing for belly dancers and facilitating percussion workshops for over a decade. As the co-founder of the West African/Middle Eastern fusion duo Eastwinds Tribal Drumming, she was featured in an article in Zaghareet magazine and as one of Raquy Danziger’s “Messengers of the Month”. She and Eastwinds lead drummer Jeff Webb collaborated on the popular CD Full Circle. Casey is the bass doumbek player for Carmine Guida’s traditional belly dance band - The Turkish Band Camp All-Stars. She frequently appears with Scott Wilson’s band at The Grisly Pear in NYC. Other professional credits include performances at Tribal Bonfire, Night of 1000 Goddesses, Lafayette Grill & the Cloisters Medieval Fair. As a faculty member at Aviva Khadra’s Harem Belly Dance Studio, Casey will be participating in the studio’s “Festival of the East” at Adelphi University this May, joining such notables as Morocco, Tarik, Aviva Khadra, Carmine and… Sera! |
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Brad MackInstructor of Middle Eastern Rhythms Please contact Brad directly for new doumbek class at Je'bon on Sunday afternoons mack@bradmack.com Brad has studied and played with Souren Baronian, Karim Nagi, Carmine Guida and Raquy Danziger. He can also be seen playing from time to time at the Grisly Pear with Scott Wilson. As a percussionist he has most recentlybeen inspired by the playing of Faisal Zedan. He plays the weekly event Djam Under Je'bon with his band, Djinn, who are also featured annually at Rakkasah East, Rakkasah West and Spring Caravan. You can here him playing on Djinn's CD "The Middle East Side" and forthcoming release, "The Silent D". It's worth noting that Djinn got it's start in 2005 playing a weekly event organized by SERA at My Moon restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Brad is also the musical director for PURE NYC and has taught PURE music workshops across the U.S. He has taught percussion workshops in Kalamazoo to Hong Kong and performed in Shanghai in 2006. |
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Kai AltairInstructor/ Facilitator Reiki Workshops. Kai Altair is a Reiki Master, and student of ancient musical, healing, and movement traditions. Raised by a Johrei healer in the beautiful landscapes of the Adirondack Mountains, rural Pennsylvania, and The Virgin Islands, Kai began working with energy and magick at an early age. Her studies in sound healing, yoga, and work with the elderly and disabled create a broad base of knowledge for her to draw upon when teaching. She has assisted hundreds of people in becoming more attuned to their natural healing abilities, and utilizes many forms of “lightwork” in her daily life. A regular performer and singer at many of New York City’s music venues, Kai is currently working to fuse bellydance, and ritual into her live act. |
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Mz ImaniFacilitator of Portal Trainings, and the monthly womens New Moon Circle at Solstice Studio. Mz. imani is recognized as a shaman priestess healer for the community of Solstice Studio. She provides private sessions as well as group work. Please contact serasolstice@gmail.com if you are interested in diving into the alchemcal shaman world with Mz Imani. An alchemist, a drummer and a healer Mz Imani is a woman who follows her heart and hopes to inspire others to do the same. She is a mom, an artist, an event organizer and a spiritual activist. Since 2004, she has served as Shaman of the Drum for CoSM-NYC. Mz. imani helped to instigate the Full Moon Drum and Dance at CoSM, and has helped to hold a space for the comm(on)unity to explore conscious evolution, eclectic urban shamanism and collaborative art. |