About IONA, Belly Dancer & Instructor

SCROLL DOWN for more about IONA and her PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS

AFFILIATIONS

Iona currently teaches Belly Dance classes at Tulane University's Reily Student Recreation Center in New Orleans and at Tapas Yoga and Movement Studio in Metairie. She has had the pleasure to teach belly dance as a guest instructor at Crescent Lotus Dance Studio in New Orleans, at former Bayou Shimmy Dance Studio in Baton Rouge, and at Touro Infirmary's Alternative Therapies Center.

Iona is a member of MEDALA and was 2007-8 Vice President of the Middle Eastern Dance Artists of Louisiana, which services dancers and musicians in the state. Iona is a recurrent Emcee for Belly Dance showcases, lending her Theatre skills and humor to the evenings' events.

Iona is the director and choreographer for the Beledi Jewels recreational troupe in New Orleans. She is also a continuing performance member of the Betty Karam and the Desert Dancers ensemble. (Thanks, Betty! Smooches!) She is the owner/ manager of IONA Productions, LLC based in Metairie, Louisiana, USA.

Along with dance, Iona works in allied health as a Speech-Language Pathologist. She is licensed by the Louisiana Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (LBESPA) and is a practicing SLP in a school setting. She is nationally certified and is a professional member of both American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and Louisiana Speech-Language Hearing Association (LSHA).

LOCALE

Iona is available for belly dancing performance and instruction in the Greater New Orleans area and most of southeastern Louisiana.  Additional travel is possible. Please check out Iona's Booking Options and email for your specific price quote.

PERSONA

With a background in Theatre production and Fine Arts, Iona truly takes an artistic and audience-focused approach to every performance. While Iona's dance energy is playful and sensual, she maintains a joyful stage persona that is both warm and family-oriented. Her name Iona, 'purple jewel', is a tribute to her grandmother, Iona Meneray, also an Arts enthusiast and New Orleans native.

STYLES

Iona performs and teaches glitzy Cabaret, earthy Folkloric, and Gypsy Fusion styles of Belly Dance, also referred to as Raks Sharki or Danse Oriental. She employs props to add flair, drama, and grace to performance, including Candles and Candle Trays, Cane, Isis Wings, Sword, Veil, and Zils (finger cymbals). Balancing skills are her specialty, including both sword and candle tray.  As a troupe leader and instructor, Iona fosters the students' interests in stage presentation and performance. 

TRAINING

Iona's performance presence is strengthened by Master's level Theatre training and dedicated study. Iona thanks her theatre stage movement/dance teachers, Dollie Rivas and Yvonne Olivier, for inspiring her to explore other genres of dance. Iona has studied and performed belly dance since 2001. In Louisiana, she has trained principally with Betty Karam, and also Layla Isis and Shamsi. She continues her education and training by attending classes/workshops with other internationally renown dance artists including Amaya, Amel Tafsout, Ansuya, Artemis, Eva Cernik, Hadia, Jillina, Morocco, Rachel George, Roxxanne Shellaby, Sahra Saeeda, Sonia, Suhaila Salimpour, the late Serena Wilson, and with percussionists Jeremiah Soto, Tobias Roberson, and Shelly Plaissance. 

PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS

Stage, TV Appearances, and Special Events

Bayou Beledi Showcases, Lafayette, Lake Charles, and New Orleans                            Bellementals: A Pharoah's Dream, New Orleans                                                      Cultures in Motion, New Orleans                                                                              DramaRama, Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans                                           Femme Fest, New Orleans                                                                                      Fest for All, Baton Rouge                                                                                        Good Morning New Orleans, ABC26                                                         International Food and Music Festival, Tulane University, New Orleans                Jillina Workshop Showcase, Charleston                                                       Komenka's Ethnic Fallapalooza,  New Orleans                                                              Le Chat Noir, New Orleans                                                                                        New Orleans Musuem of Art Odyssey Ball, New Orleans                                          Oasis Raks, Lafayette                                                                                             Roast of the Town, Eric Paulsen; Delgado College Benefit, New Orleans                   Royal Orleans Hotel, New Orleans                                                                               Russian Winter Festival, Jefferson                                                                    Tipitina's, New Orleans                                                                                               The Villavicencio Show, (repeat guest) NOATV                                                       Winter Wonders Showcase, Battered Women's Shelter Benefit, Baton Rouge       Wise Woman Hafla with Amaya, Albuquerque

Restaurants (Louisiana)

Aladdin's, Covington                                                                                            Arzi's, Baton Rouge                                                                                                   Bank Street Bar and Grill, New Orleans                                                                     Four Points Sheraton, Metairie                                                                                   The Grapevine, Baton Rouge                                                                                    Hookah Cafe, New Orleans                                                                             Phoenicia's Restaurant, Metairie                                                                            Red Velvet Hookah Lounge, New Orleans                                                            Zaynati's Restaurant, Slidell