About IONA, Dancer & Instructor

AFFILIATIONS

Iona currently conducts Belly Dance classes in New Orleans at Tulane University's Reily Student Recreation Center, at Tapas Yoga and Movement Studio in Metairie, and as a guest instructor at Crescent Lotus Dance Studio. She has also had the pleasure to teach at Bayou Shimmy Dance Studio in Baton Rouge as a guest instructor. (Thanks, Ladies!)

Iona was 2007-8 Vice President of the Middle Eastern Dance Artists of Louisiana, which services dancers and musicians in the state. For 3 annual MEDA Bayou Beladi showcases, Iona lent her Theatre skills and humor to the evenings' events as the hosting Emcee.

She is the troupe leader and choreographer for the Beledi Jewels and also a continuing performance member of the Betty Karam and the Desert Dancers ensemble. (Thanks, Betty! Smooches!)

Along with dance, Iona has entered her new profession in the allied health field of Speech-Language Pathology. She is a practicing SLP-CF and professional member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

LOCALE

Iona is available for 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, who was an Arts enthusiast. Iona, like her grandmother, is a native of New Orleans, LA.

STYLES

Iona's belly dance styles include both the glitzy Cabaret and earthy Folkloric. She incorporates props and balancing when possible to add flair, drama, and grace to performance, including use of Candles, Cane, Isis Wings, Sword, Veil, and Zils (finger cymbals). Whirling and balancing her sword, in particular, is one of her favorite specialties!   (for ATS/Tribal instruction & performance in the New Orleans area, visit the gals of n.o.madic or Indudala Tribe )

TRAINING

Iona's performance presence is strengthened by Master's level Theatre training and dedicated study. From 2001 to the present, she has studied principally with Betty Karam in New Orleans and is grateful to perform as a soloist and troop member with Betty Karam and the Desert Dancers. Iona has also studied with Layla Isis, Shamsi, Serena Wilson, with other prominent dance artists like Amaya, Amel Tafsout, Ansuya, Artemis, Hadia, Jillina, Morocco, Sahra Saeeda, Sonia, Suhaila Salimpour, and percussionists Jeremiah Soto, Tobias Roberson, and Shelly Plaissance.  Iona gives special thanks to her early stage movement/dance teachers for inspiring her to explore other genres of dance: Dollie Rivas and Yvonne Olivier.

PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS

Stage Venues and Events

Bayou Beledi, Lafayette, Lake Charles, and New Orleans LA                                       Cultures in Motion, New Orleans LA                                                                           DramaRama, Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans LA                                           Femme Fest, New Orleans LA                                                                                 Fest for All, Baton Rouge LA                                                                                       Jillina Workshop Showcase, Charleston, SC                                                   Komenka's Ethnic Fallapalooza,  New Orleans LA                                                       Le Chat Noir, New Orleans, LA                                                                                    NOMA Odyssey Ball, New Orleans LA                                                                           Oasis Raks, Lafayette, LA                                                                                    Royal Orleans Hotel, New Orleans LA                                                                          Tipitina's, New Orleans LA

Restaurants

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