Instructors
Diane “Daliana” Simons (Belly Dance, Ballet, Jazz, Tap)
I am the proud owner of Daliana Dance, providing instruction for many dance genres. I am also the artistic director and choreographer for Troupe Bellysima, one of the most prominent belly dance performance troupes in the Southeast, and Troupe Paprika, a new troupe in the making.
My classical training began at age 5 in ballet and tap at June Claire School of Dance in Long Island, NY. I later added jazz at age 9. I was introduced to and began belly dancing at the age of 12 and was honored to be a member of both the Long Island Ballet Theater for 4 years while also performing with a professional belly dance troupe, “The Sultan’s Delight”, in NY for 8 years. I then began performing as a soloist. I also competed nationally in baton twirling for over 6 years with the USTA.
I currently judge dance competitions within the Dance Masters of America network. I enjoy learning and growing in all areas of dance. I participate in belly dance workshops and classes with instructors from all over the world while continuing to participate in teacher training workshops for ballet, jazz, and modern dance with the Broadway Dance Center in New York.
I have done professional modeling thru Directions USA since 1995. Some of my work includes commercial print and film ads for companies such as Hanes, Playtex, Lowes Home Improvement, Plow and Hearth, and Ford Motor Credit just to name a few.
I am also an active member of the following organizations:
- United States Twirling Association
- NDA (National Dance Association)
- NCA (National Cheer Association)
- BOCA (Belly Dancers of Color Association)
- AAHPERD(American Alliance for Health. Physical Education,Recreation and Dance)
- ASCAP (American Society of Composer Authors and Composers)
- SESAC (Society of European Stage Authors & Composers)
- BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc)
On a personal note, I am happily married to Darryl and the proud mom of daughters Tianna, 21, Hallie, 16, and Summer, born July 2011!
Instructors
Sashame (Tribal) |
Sashame is a professional tribal fusion bellydancer who has taken her love of ballet and bellydance and artfully blended the two. She has studied under the most talented Rachel Brice, Zoe Jakes, Mardi Love,Tempest, Blue Moon Bellydance, and Hasam Houshan.
Sashame began ballet at the age of 7 and then went into gymnastics & Classical ballet under the instruction of her mother, Marilyn Bowman, and friend, Jamie Powell-Planck. Dancing in core, duets, and solos on both flat and pointe for 10 years, her life and its journies consumed her. After the birth of her second child, she decided to look into Bellydance as a form of dance fitness. She studied under Aten Rah, Faun Finley, and Carmen Cavanagh. While forming and dancing with Torque for over 4 years and being a beginner/intermediate Tribal Fusion teacher for 5 years, she longed to reach and educate more dancers about this amazing dance form. She had done theatre, dance, and an improve comedy troupe in KY. Her love of music, numerous dance styles and moods come together to give a different flavor to every performance. |
Wendy Weeks (Yoga, Pilates, Core Pilates) |
Wendy am a Certified AFPA Yoga/Pilates Instructor, Certified Absolute Core Barre Pilates Instructor, and CPR and First Aid certified. She has 5 years experience dancing tap, jazz, ballet and has studied bellydance with Daliana since 2005 and has been a Troupe Bellysima member and soloist since 2006. She has been practicing yoga since 2002 and weight training since 2004. Through these disciplines, she has lost and maintained a 40 pound weigh loss for over 7 years! Wendy has also been a bellydance fitness instructor since 2009. When she’s not at the studio, she has her own photography business, www.wendyweeksphoto.com. |
Yolanda Ciuro-Rivera (Zumba) |
Born and Raised in New York City I first came to Zumba Fitness in late 2009 at a place called Bubbles Playhouse in Staten Island. I immediately fell in love with the Zumba Fitness program as it incorporates all the Latin rhythms I grow up dancing in my Puerto Rican family. I relocated to North Carolina in 2010 the move was not easy for me and I quickly started to gain weight. I found a Zumba Fitness class and starting taking Belly Dance lessons with Paula Reid Stump a/k/a “Gypsy”. Hungry for more I came across Daliana Dance and it was love at first hip drop and I never looked back! Now I’m 45 pounds lighter, have two Zumba Fitness license, and am a proud member of Daliana’s Troupe Paprika! |
Antonio Edwards (Hip Hop) |
Antonion was born to a family of dancers. His mother was a break dancer and popper and his grandfather was a ballroom dancer. He has a Dance degree from NC A&T, and has competed in many competitions, winning most of them. He has also taught several teams, including high school and the highly talked about 102 Jamz dancers. |
Teacher Assistants
Talie Patalano (Predance, Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Creative Movement) |
Talie has been training in dance for 11 years. She has studied ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, modern, lyrical, African, Bollywood, baton, hip hop, and bellydance. She has danced with Centre of Performing Arts, Daliana Dance, Access to Arts Academy, and Anyutarussian Ballet. Her training also includes workshops with professional dancers at conventions such Carolina Dance Masters in Greensboro, NC and Dance Masters of America in Orlando, FL. Talie has been a competitive dancer for 8 years and competed at Carolina Dance Masters, Star Systems, Kids Artistic Revue, Bravo, International Dance Challenge, Star Power, Dance Masters of America, and Revolution. |
Victoria “Tori” Waddell (Predance, Mommy and Me, Creative Movement, Bellywood) |
Tori joined Troupe Bellysima in 2008 and is currently a soloist for the Troupe. Some of her past experience includes:
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Gennie Merritt, RN |
Gennie began bellydancing with Daliana in 2007 and became a Troupe Bellysima member soon thereafter. She attended DOULA training in 2010 and graduated nursing school in 1997. |
Alaina Allred |
Alaina’s love of belly dance began in 2004. Four years later, in 2007, she met and began taking belly dance fitness classes with Daliana and soon after that became a member of Troupe Bellysima! She is currently a soloist for the troupe. Alaina participated in cheer leading at five, served as co-captain in middle school and went on to Varsity as well as competition team in high school. Pageants began for her at age 4 and some of her titles include Little Miss Randleman, Jr Miss Randleman, Miss Randleman, Miss Fall Festival, Miss Teen North Carolina, American Renaissance, and The Treasures Queen. She is also a pageant coach. |
Erica Vasile (Zumba) |
Erica am a licensed Zumba instructor, has studied bellydance under the instruction of Daliana for 4 years, has been a member of Troupe Bellysima for 3 years and has been dancing Latin and Salsa for 7 years. She is CPR, First Aid, and Medication Administration Certified. |
Lisa Negron (Belly Dance Fitness) |
Lisa has studied bellydance under the instruction of Daliana since 2005, has been a member and soloist of Troupe Bellysima since 2006, and a bellydance fitness instructor since 2009. She enjoyed Baton twirling in her youth along with high school cheerleading. |
Cheer Coaches
Hallie Carter |
Hallie is a NCA (National Cheer Association) Member, has been a All-Star Cheer Leader since 2007 (2010 National Champion), Ragsdale Varsity Cheer Leader, Ragsdale Varsity Competition Cheer Leader (2010 State Champion), All-Star Cheer Coaches Assistant, JMS Middle School Cheer Leader and Captain, Miss NC Teen USA Pageant Competitor, and a National American Miss Pageant Competitor and Awards Recipient. She has studied Belly Dance with Daliana since 1999. |
Staff
Janelle Carter (Front Desk) |
Daliana’s love of dance has been with Jenelle her entire life, as Diance is her aunt! BUT, Janelle has always loved to dance as well. So much so, that from 2000-2001 she became a dancer on an MTV show called Direct Effect. This sparked her interest in the behind-the-scenes action of TV/Radio production! In the Spring of 2002, she landed an internship with the MTV network and in June of 2002 she graduated with an Associate of Arts degree from Nassau Community College with a concentration in TV/Radio Production. Janelle then headed to Greensboro, NC to continue her studies at UNCG, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing. Currently, she is a Notary Public and works as an Assistant Bank Manager. |
Andrea Cole (Website & Marketing) |
Although she doesn’t teach classes, Andrea’s involvement in Daliana Dance includes the website you see now, as well as general web and offline marketing. She’s been bellydancing for 4 years, 3 of which include dancing with Troupe Bellysima. When she’s not at the studio, she enjoys training for triathlons, making jewelry for her Etsy shop, and catching up on Hulu! By day, Andrea works for Beacon Technologies as a web marketing consultant and runs her own blog, The SEOptimist. Any questions or comments about the site can be sent here: Andrea[at] Dalianadance[dot]com. |
