Hi I’m Michelle
I delight audiences through dance and I work with people to help them learn to function and thrive in the body they have now!
Michelle is a multifaceted mash-up of artist and geek - her background in fiber arts brings forth the design and construction of her costumes; her fascination with movement and function led to becoming a certified Feldenkrais teacher.
Michelle has been entrancing audiences since 2010. Michelle brings her Egyptian-inspired, American Cabaret-influenced eclectic style to the stage, presenting classic and modern raks sharqi along with audience-pleasing folkloric favorites such as saidi, beledi, shaabi, khaleegi and more.
She performs both as a soloist and as a member of the Karavans Dance Troupe . Michelle feels that her extensive background and training in visual and fiber arts and current training in the Feldenkrais Method give her a unique perspective through which she can share the joy and passion found in movement to music.
Dance Journey
After spending her early 20s overseas Michelle returned home to the PNW longing to return to her dance and performance roots (colorguard and Seattle Cascades Drum and Bugle Corp Alum!) At first drawn into belly dance/Raks Sharqi by the costumes and mesmerizing performances, Michelle truly became hooked on the art form after taking her first class in 2010. The way the dance allows someone to become the visual representation of the music was everything Michelle loved about her previous performing experience times 10, and she didn’t need a full marching band or football field to enjoy it.
Since then Michelle has continued her studies with with legendary teachers of the PNW and international stars. She has deepened her cultural knowledge by completing Journey Through Egypt Levels 1 & 2, online study and visiting Cairo. Always a student Michelle continues to hone her technique and performance skills at every opportunity. This dance has also allowed Michelle to continue to expand her fiber arts passion for design and she has created most of her costume wardrobe.
She performs at many Seattle Restaurants including; Marrakesh Seattle, Ephesus and Taki’s Mad Greek.
teaching journey
When it comes to learning dance Michelle considers herself one of the lucky ones since she is a visual learner and a quick mimic. She always knew this was not the case for everyone but it wasn’t until she began to teach bellydance that she confirmed this fact. She discovered that students responded better to moves when they were able to grasp an internal “felt sense” of what their body was doing. Michelle was also starting to deal with her own body issues, due to habits or age when she discovered Feldenkrais®.
The Feldenkrais® movement practice focuses on letting ones own body be the teacher. Through group classes, called Awareness Through Movement®, or private sessions students are guided through tiny movements to discover new options and paths in life. This practices had led Michelle to a better understanding of her own body allowing her to refine movement further than she had before.
Thus in 2018 Michelle enrolled in the Feldenkrais Training Academy Program, and is now certified to teach Awareness Through Movement® classes. She graduated in 2022 and continues to love to share the art of moving better.
