It all started when…

my need to pursue my Special Interest in dance overcame my self- doubt 😂 I opened Dance Life in 2010 with all the knowledge and unearned confidence of an early 20-something, and now here we are!

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 an abusive relationship and an eating disorder. Since opening, I’ve come out as queer, trans, and Autistic, and use my platform to combat anti-fat bias and other forms of social oppression.

My classes aim to bring the fun of dance and the joy of embodiment to those who have felt like dance wasn’t for them or their body type.

MORE COMING SOON