Arianna – Belly Dancer

Arianna currently performs as a soloist and with her belly dance company Alimah Samra throughout the Tri-State area.  Arianna graduated from The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City, where she studied with David Martin and performed in many showcases, cabaret performances, and played Joanna in “Sweeney Todd” while she attended school.  She had danced professionally with The New Jersey Ballet Company from the age of 11, where she studied with Chartelle Arthur and Evie Lynn, and then later was a principal dancer with Opus Dance Company in Harlem, stemming from Alvin Ailey, whose passionate and highly athletic modern dance troupe also incorporated African dance and hip hop.  She also studied hula in Hawaii.  She studied opera and musical theatre singing with Bruce Kolb in New York City.

Arianna has toured extensively with the Phantom of the Opera and with Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus.  Some of her favorite roles in professional regional theatre companies include Ado Annie in “Oklahoma”, Adelaide in “Guys and Dolls”, April in Steven Sondheim’s “Company”, Dulcie in “Boyfriend”, and the Moorish dancer in “Man of La Mancha”.  There were four roles written for her, two of which she performed Off-Broadway in the plays “Test Patterns” and “Wichita Skyline” with Jacob Hoffman and she recently played Professor Eve St. Clair in “The Fearless Honka Hunters” in Oklahoma in return performances from previous years with The American Indian Theatre Company.  She trained and competed in karate and capoeira, and taught kickboxing and a women’s karate class for some time.  She also teaches pilates, yoga, spinning, and ladies styling in Latin dance.

Arianna founded her current belly dance company Alimah Samra and is artistic director and choreographer for her troupe.  She also danced and choreographed for Balibabes and Tribal Ties dance companies.  She began her studies of belly dance in San Diego, where she also taught and performed Salsa dancing.

Arianna pulls from all of her facets of dance, acting and musicality experience in her belly dance performances and classes.  She composes choreography and fusing dance forms to create a unique, emotionally moving and fearlessly athletic style emphasizing technique and artistry.  Arianna focuses on strength, flexibility, and fluidity and evokes the goddess within, which makes for an exciting work of art for audiences and students to enjoy.  She often performs with the celebrated musician Rodney Azagra.  She currently teaches at the Studio 808 and Kinetics in Highland Park, LA Fitness, and for Piscataway Continuing Education.  Arianna holds workshops in the area and performs for parties, weddings, festivals, and other celebratory events.