The Dark Side Studio

The Dark Side Studio Belly dance school, specializing in Creative Movement and Tribal Fusion/Modern belly dance.

Belly dance classes & workshops, home of Lavish Dance Co & the Dark Side Student Troupe

My first belly dance teacher, Yasmina Ramzy Arts - Academy, influenced me in many ways. But she spoke of 2 things that h...
10/02/2026

My first belly dance teacher, Yasmina Ramzy Arts - Academy, influenced me in many ways. But she spoke of 2 things that have stuck with me and shown up in my work repeatedly over the past 27 years. Sometimes they arrived unconsciously, but lately I’ve been actively bringing them into the light.

First, how many of the belly dancers she was influenced by improvised their performances. They played, they made it up in the spot, in real time as we say now.

And secondly, how a ‘good’ Egyptian belly dancer could perform in a single square foot. It wasn’t about taking up space, it was about WHAT they did, and how they did it.

My recent solo at Alchemy Fest Ottawa • Dance Showcase was a homage to those ideas.

Thank you Alchemy Fest for having me and for supporting my work. It was an inspiring and wonderful evening!

Photo by Guylaine De Gregorio

Sunday is the first PHRASE EXCHANGE! Create with intention and clarity in this workshop for all levels and styles. We’ll...
09/24/2026

Sunday is the first PHRASE EXCHANGE! Create with intention and clarity in this workshop for all levels and styles.
We’ll start with a prompt (could be a movement cue, concept, or emotional landscape) and you’ll create and shape movement to complete the phrase.
This workshop is open to all, and is suited for any style of dance.
Drop-in friendly, included in all monthly subscription packages.

Interested but can’t attend live? All participants received unlimited recorded access.

🔗 in bio

I’m excited to start up the Fireside Chats again! Our first is this Friday, September 25 and we will be listening to and...
09/23/2026

I’m excited to start up the Fireside Chats again! Our first is this Friday, September 25 and we will be listening to and talking about MUSIC!

In the living room at my studio, I had an old electric fireplace and mantle that we used to gather around and talk. Probably my favorite Fireside Chat was when I shared stories about my involvement in the early days of Tribal Fusion (waaaay back in 2003) or the jewellery one where Field and a well travelled mom of one of my students brought some beautiful antique jewellery for us to drool over).

The one this Friday is ONLINE and will be focused on listening to music. We’ll talk about what we hear, what we like, how it makes us feel, and much more!

Everyone is welcome. FREE.
Please register through my website for the Zoom link.

Friday, September 25
7-8 pm ET

09/11/2026

Some days things are easier than others. This was not one of those days.

09/03/2026

Without You by is a perennial favorite of mine… danced complete with bed head this morning.

08/25/2026

I’ve been practicing dance for… a long time. And it took almost 1/2 the song to let go of the “MAKE THIS GOOD, THE CAMERA IS ON” voice in my head.

To let go of the need to show every technical thing I know how to do, to hit every sound in the music, to be expressive and emotional. There’s a time and place for all that (maybe?!) but I’m actually deliberately trying NOT to do most of that here.

Practice connects me with myself and my body. These days, that’s why I dance. It’s for me. Everything else it gives me is extra.

08/24/2026

Rainy day flow in subtlety.

Excited to be offering two new items into my fall schedule! Details coming soon.
08/22/2026

Excited to be offering two new items into my fall schedule! Details coming soon.

08/19/2026

🎶 Duvet by Niklas Paschburg

More progress. Flow with repetition and variation.

08/14/2026

Progress isn’t flashy. It’s not algorithm friendly. It doesn’t attract attention. It can feel tedious, dull and pointless. It can be confusing. It tests us.

Until one day it shows up. Maybe for a second, if you’re lucky longer. But it rears its head.

And that is just enough to keep me going.
Pushing for more. More clarity of ideas and of movement. Plowing forward despite so many things.

Today, I saw progress.

Address

244 Augusta Avenue
Toronto, ON
M5T2L7

Telephone

+14165756549

Website

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