Lisa began taking dance classes when she was 5 years old. Despite frequent moves around the world with her family, when she was able to, she studied ballet, local ethnic dances, hip-hop, gymnastics, yoga, and other forms of urban dance before finding the style of movement that would turn out to be one of the best things that happened to her: Oriental Dance.
Instantly and irrevocably addicted, Lisa approached Middle Eastern dance with great enthusiasm, finding that it fortuitously combined her passions for learning, travel, and music. She took classes locally from several teachers in North Carolina, studied with many internationally-famous dancers in workshops, and traveled across the country to study with other exceptional teachers—and this is just the start of a long relationship with the dance.
Currently, Lisa studies dance in the Bay Area of California with several influential instructors, including Suhaila Salimpour and Jill Parker of Ultra Gypsy. She has a Level 1 Certification in the Suhaila Salimpour Format and a certification in the complete Ansuya Comprehensive program. Lisa is continuing to push herself as much as possible in all aspects of the dance. She is eternally grateful to her first teacher, Aziza Fadwa for sharing her passion, opening Lisa's mind and body to the joy that is this wonderful artform.
You can see Lisa dance with the Ultra Gypsy dance theatre company, with friends, and solo at various performance venues around the Bay Area. She is one of Ultra Gypsy's featured dancers on their premiere DVD performance, dancing to The Upper Egypt Ensemble's song "Ismaaouni", as seen on the "Bellydance Underworld" DVD.
Lisa has been a troupe member and choreographer for:
Ultra Gypsy - Sept 2006-present
Anima (with Shana Subelsky) - May 2007-present
Voluptua (with Sarah Myers) - Oct 2005-May 2006
Flowers of the Desert - Principal Dancer, Business Manager, Apr 2003-May 2006