Biography

About Lenora

I help dancers eliminate imposter syndrome. You belong on the dance floor! 

A life-long dancer, Lenora studied dance as a minor to her studies in college. It was there that she fell into love with belly dance and began to pursue her path in this art form.  Since 2013 she has been teaching and performing belly dance across Arizona and has had the honor of performing with and learning from many belly dance greats. 

Performance Style: She is continually inspired by Golden Era, Oriental and Modern Egyptian dance.  Although belly dance has become her predominant style, she enjoys fusing her past dance styles in modern and ballet into her belly dance choreography on occasion. You can expect anything from a classical musical piece to a party starting and energetic shaabi or mahraganat dance! 

Teaching Philosophy: I help first-time and experienced dancers build technique from the ground up. My mission is to share the history as well as the foundational movement to aspiring dancers and to help them break through barriers and achieve their dance dreams. 

Teaching Experience

BELLY DANCE

Upward Light and Healing Yoga, Mesa, AZ. July 2022- Present

You Can Belly Dance! Class series offered in 6- week session format. Multi-level with performance optoins

Arizona State University. Tempe, AZ.  August 2019-May 2021

Beginning and intermediate belly dance choreography and technique under course code DCE 111 and DCE 211

Apache Junction Parks and Recreation. Apache Junction, AZ. March 2018-November 2019

Beginning belly dance and beginner and intermediate choreography and technique. 

Phoenix College. Phoenix, AZ. September 2014- December 2015

Assistant teacher for introductory belly dance class. Created lesson plans and corrected technique to provide a safe foundation in dance for beginning students.

Studios 806. Phoenix, AZ. May 2013 - April 2014.

Taught beginning belly dance technique including proper posture and introductory choreographies

EARLY CHILDHOOD DANCE

Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. January 2013 - May 2013

Part of curriculum for minor in Dance at ASU. Taught preschool-middle school children dance lessons based on their academic curriculum incorporating Laban movement principles and Arizona Dance Standards in collaboration with fellow student teachers.

Dance Training

Belly Lab Hot Raqs. Clovis, CA  |  February 2022 - June 2022

Intensive study program run by Amanda Rose via distance coaching culminating in live group performance.

Belly Lab Phoenix. Phoenix, AZ  |  August 2019- November 2019

Intensive study program run by Amanda Rose via distance coaching culminating in live group performance.

Samantha Karim. Phoenix, AZ  |  October 2017 to August 2019

Lisa Zahiya. Asheville, North Carolina  |  February 2018 to February 2019

Year-long "Year of You" mentoring program centered on dance technique, goal-setting, teaching, marketing and more. 

Aziza. Montreal, Canada | July 2016 to  February 2019

Week-long Intensive Studies through Aziza's Dream Camp and year long "Year of You" mentoring program

July 2016, June 2017, February 2018

Amanda Rose. Phoenix, AZ and Spain  |  January 2015- April 2021

Egyptian, Oriental and Shaabi. In-person classes.

Online intensives and mentorship in Choreography Creations, Musicality, and various stylings. 

Ava Fleming of Studios 806, Phoenix, AZ  |  August 2011 to December 2015

Classical Egyptian style belly dance, fusion belly dance, props (including sword, veil and zills), dance fitness, and history 


Academics

2019 Northern Arizona University  |  Graduate Certificate in Educational Technology

Studied adult learning and teaching, instructional design, and technology

2017 Arizona State University  |  M.S. Global Technology and Development

Capstone Title: Dance regulation and reclamation: Dance, technology and meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

2013 Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ  |  B.S. Anthropology with a minor in Dance

Relevant coursework includes: Modern Dance I and II, Raqs Sharqi I and II (Belly Dance), Moving Histories, Ethnography of Dance Practices, Creative Approaches to Teaching Dancing, The Body Conditioned, and Anatomy and Physiology, Dance: Cultural & Global Contexts

Research Presentations

2017

1st Annual School for the Future of Innovation in Society Research Symposium

Dance regulation and reclamation: Dance, technology and meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

2013

3rd Annual School of Human Evolution & Social Change Undergraduate Research Symposium

Orientalism, Ethics and Cultural Appropriation in Raqs Sharqi (Belly Dance)

2012

2nd Annual School of Human Evolution & Social Change Undergraduate Research Symposium

Body Language: Communication Through Dance–Can cultural dance be used as an educational tool?

Certifications and Affiliations

This 20-hour intensive lecture course is taught by Sahra Kent (a.k.a Sahra Saeeda) whom studied Dance Ethnology at UCLA, during which time she spent 6 years in Egypt researching and writing her master’s thesis on the zeffah, and opening doors to all kinds of knowledge. Her research has culminated the the creation of Journey through Egypt Levels 1-5. You can learn more about this program here.

“Journey Through Egypt 1 is an overview on the movement, posture, clothing, history, and cultural diffusion in the different regions of Egypt. Sahra’s unique perspective follows how the dance transforms from the homes of the people to the sparkling stages of Cairo.

These dances are put into the context of the local culture and histories. Their transformation from homestyle to the stage is also covered in depth. For several of the dances the students break from lecture to stretch their muscles and learn the movements that can traditionally be found in these dances. The way that these dances have been interpreted and adapted for the stage is also discussed and shown.

The course also covers many of the rights and rituals that can be found throughout Egypt, such as zeffah, zars, and moulids. Whenever possible, these rituals are described and explained with video Sahra has taken on one of her own research journeys to Egypt. Here you’ll find a play by play of what you’re seeing and how it is affected by culture and people’s perceptions.”–Text from Journeythroughegypt.com.

"In addition to addressing movement and culture, we are introduced to core Dance Ethnography concepts. Sahra brings to JtE Intensive Courses concepts and experiments taught to her by her professors, pioneers in the field of Dance Ethnology, at the University of California, Los Angeles.

During the process of preparation and discovery in JtE-2 we begin to form our personal interests and questions, the base of our future research and specializations.

This 20-Hour Intensive Workshop includes dance and ritual movement of the “Dance Zones of Egypt” with special work in a variety of dances, such as Awalem Shamadan Farrah style, Cairo examples of Hassaballah, Beja Bravery Dance of the Eastern Desert, Bamboteyya of the Suez Canal, Awlad Ali Bedouin Hagallah dance, Zaggala of Siwa, Saidi Assaya, Firqit Zeffah, and much more." –Text from Journeythroughegypt.com.

Recognition