🌟 Getting ready to shimmy at the Ohio Bellydance Festival! ✨ It’s the ultimate celebration of dance with amazing local talent and fabulous guest teachers! Can’t wait to share sparkles, swords and Shimmies with ou fellow dancers!
Our Instructors
Babette
Babette Soleil is a professional bellydancer, choreographer, and instructor originally from Northeast Ohio, now based in Atlanta, Georgia. A third-generation dancer, she began training at the age of three under the guidance of her mother, Leyla Soleil. Growing up immersed in the Dance du Soleil legacy, Babette developed a strong foundation in ballet, jazz, lyrical, and Middle Eastern dance.
She began performing professionally at just 12 years old in restaurants throughout Cleveland and later went on to teach through Dance du Soleil. Today, she is Co-Artistic Director and instructor of Dance du Soleil, where she leads technique-focused training for intermediate and advanced dancers.
Her performance credits include appearances with Bellydance Evolution, as well as multiple award-winning performances in competitions across the United States. She is also a sought after choreographer, creating work for companies and dancers beyond Dance du Soleil. Babette continues to perform at events and venues throughout the Southeast and is a regularly featured performer in restaurants and nightclubs in Atlanta.
As an instructor, Babette is known for her clear, detail oriented teaching style and her ability to create a supportive, encouraging environment. She is passionate about helping dancers refine their technique, deepen their musicality, and perform with confidence.
Aminah Louise
With a background in both music and visual arts, Aminah was first captivated by the world of Bellydance at the age of 13 when she came across an image of a Bellydancer in a magazine. The intricate costuming and powerful poses instantly sparked her fascination. However, it wasn’t until she was in college that she took her first dance class, marking the beginning of a lifelong dedication to the art form.
Since then, Aminah has committed herself to mastering the diverse styles within the Bellydance umbrella. Her training spans across a variety of approaches, including Folkloric, American Cabaret, and Fusion, among others. She has also crossed trained in styles such as Lyra (aerial Hoop), Burlesque and Popping and Waving.
She teaches weekly at classes at Cleveland Eclectic Dance and when she’s not busy being the ultimate Sass Master, you can catch her in Cleveland’s only Horror Cabaret Company, The Monster Dolls.
Noura
Noura has been a dedicated professional belly dancer for many years. Originally starting her dance career in tap, jazz and aerobics, after discovering bellydance, she knew she’d found her passion. From then on out she studied with Legends such as Dahlena, Serena, Morraco, Suhaila, Ergallis, Zahra Zuhair and many many more..
Noura worked with an entertainment company for years, dancing daily for birthday parties, anniversaries and corporate events etc. From there she branched out creating her own company with her husband, “Bellydancers for Birthdays” where she performed daily for 20+ years. Noura was the featured performer with the Kakias Family Band, Performing at nightly supper clubs such as “The Agean”, “Fisherman’s wharf” and “The Brown Derby”. As well as festivals and private events.
. She has taught many various workshops over the years, including teaching for The Ohio State University and Ohio University. She has also earned the Governors award for Artistic Endeavors.
Anastasia
Anastasia grew up surrounded by the Bellydance world. Her father played Greek and Mediterranean music nightly for bellydancers and party goers, and she was right there with him. Mother, Noura, is a professional bellydancer, as well as godmother Zingualla and Uncle, Ergallis.
The Beautiful Grecian Bellydancer took the stage professionally at age 18, dancing four shows every weekend at Mykonos Taverna as their featured performer for 8 years, performing to a live band.Immediately following the closing of Mykonos, Anastasia was hired for bi-weekly performances at Kan-Zaman supper club in Cleveland OH, where she performed for 5 years, until the pandemic. She continues to perform annual festivals and events.
She grew her family during the following pandemic years, and began teaching weekly classes. She has grown to become an event producer and teaches many workshops each year. With 10 years of tap and jazz dance training in a classic dance school, She also took private lessons with her mother regularly in the house. Since becoming a professional bellydancer, Anastasia travels for workshops every year in order to expand her dance knowledge and explore the Bellydance universe.
Ohio Bellydance Festival 