Arielle

Meet Arielle!

Hi, I’m Arielle Juliette (he/him and she/her) and I am the owner of Dance Life. Dance and liberation are my passions, and I hope to be able to share both of them with you!

I began dancing in 2004 with Mona N’wal, an instructor here in Madison. I immediately began traveling the country, learning from the top names in dance including Yousry Sharif, Suhaila Salimpour, Mahmoud Reda, Virginia Mendez, Mohamed Shahin, and many more. I have a deep passion for Egyptian dance, and many of the other styles that fall under the colonized term “belly dance”.

Writing this bio in 2024, Dance Life has seen me through some very traumatic periods in my life, including gaining and recovering from an eating disorder in an attempt to “look like a belly dancer”. Since opening, I’ve come out as queer, trans, and Autistic, and use my platform and lived experience to combat anti-fat bias and other forms of social oppression, all while bringing the joy and passion of embodiment.

My classes aim to bring the fun of dance to those who have felt like dance wasn’t for them or their body type. I want to help you find the same peace and liberation that I’ve found, all while we learn about some of the world’s most beautiful artforms!

Classes offered:

Belly Dance Fundamentals

Burlesque Fundamentals

Belly Dance Level Up

Experimental Burlesque Troupe