Layla |
| Layla's Dance Tip: “Dance in Ballroom Heels. 2 1/2" is usually the perfect height for the heel. Wearing a heel gives a finished look, and most of all it, protects your feet. Ballroom style has a lot of flexibility so you will be able to move through the ball and the arch of your foot. You will still feel connected to the ground. In time, it will feel like you are dancing barefoot.” |
Layla is a Los Angeles native of Middle Eastern
decent, who comes from a long legacy of
female dancers. As a Russian-trained gymnast
and ballerina, Layla trained for the Olympics in
gymnastics and was offered a dance
scholarship in New York before she even
reached high school. However, her true
passion is belly dancing.
Her inspiration to pursue oriental dance, came
ten years ago when she was living in the
Middle East and read the life story of Tahiya
Carioca. This story inspired her to travel to
Egypt, where she studied classical, Egyptian-
style belly dancing under the world’s premier
belly dance instructor, Raqia Hassan.
As an acclaimed belly dance choreographer
and instructor, Layla has taught famous
individual artists such as Paulina Rubio and
Natasha Bedingfield, as well as local aspiring
dancers. During the summer of 2007, she had
the honor of being asked personally by Raqia
Hassan to teach at the Ahlan wa Sahlan
Festival in Cairo. She also choreographs for
her dance company, Layla and the Lotus
Dancers, who perform weekly throughout LA
and have performed internationally.
Last year she put out her first Belly Dance DVD,
“Twelve of the Hottest Belly Dance Moves”,
which was a beautiful celebration for her,
because she was four months pregnant with
her son, Rio, while shooting the video. Layla
has been very busy for the past year, being a
mom and raising her little boy, Rio Mica Luna,
who she considers her greatest choreography
ever.
Layla is currently represented by the elite
dance agency, DDO, and continues to perform,
teach and choreograph locally and
internationally.
decent, who comes from a long legacy of
female dancers. As a Russian-trained gymnast
and ballerina, Layla trained for the Olympics in
gymnastics and was offered a dance
scholarship in New York before she even
reached high school. However, her true
passion is belly dancing.
Her inspiration to pursue oriental dance, came
ten years ago when she was living in the
Middle East and read the life story of Tahiya
Carioca. This story inspired her to travel to
Egypt, where she studied classical, Egyptian-
style belly dancing under the world’s premier
belly dance instructor, Raqia Hassan.
As an acclaimed belly dance choreographer
and instructor, Layla has taught famous
individual artists such as Paulina Rubio and
Natasha Bedingfield, as well as local aspiring
dancers. During the summer of 2007, she had
the honor of being asked personally by Raqia
Hassan to teach at the Ahlan wa Sahlan
Festival in Cairo. She also choreographs for
her dance company, Layla and the Lotus
Dancers, who perform weekly throughout LA
and have performed internationally.
Last year she put out her first Belly Dance DVD,
“Twelve of the Hottest Belly Dance Moves”,
which was a beautiful celebration for her,
because she was four months pregnant with
her son, Rio, while shooting the video. Layla
has been very busy for the past year, being a
mom and raising her little boy, Rio Mica Luna,
who she considers her greatest choreography
ever.
Layla is currently represented by the elite
dance agency, DDO, and continues to perform,
teach and choreograph locally and
internationally.
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| Comments or experiences to share about Layla? Let us know! |
| For more information on Layla, visit her website at www.laylalotus.com |