About Me – Valeria Lo Iacono
Taking up belly dancing back in 2003, for me was a revelation. I love it so much, that I have completed a Ph.D. exploring Egyptian raqs sharqi as a form of cultural heritage in Cardiff Metropolitan University (in Cardiff, UK).
You can email me on valeria (at) worldbellydance.com
My PhD Research
As I have an academic background in preservation of cultural heritage, I have decided to put together my passion for belly dance with my academic training, which has led me to want to explore raqs sharqi from the cultural heritage perspective.
The idea behind this, is that cultural heritage is something that is embodied and part of us and it can influence our lives in a deep and meaningful way, whether we embrace a tradition that comes from our culture of origin or from a different culture.
The starting point for the idea was the 2003 UNESCO Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage and my research progressed from this initial idea. Please feel free to contact me for:
- Academic queries and cooperation.
- If you would like someone to give a talk on the topic of dance as cultural heritage.
- If you are a dancer who practices or has practiced Egyptian raqs sharqi at some point in her/his life and would like to be interviewed for my research.
- Any other research-related query or information about dance for academic or non-academic purposes.
Professional Certifications
- Level 2 – Certificate in Teaching Exercise to Music from Fitness Wales.
- Level 2- Introductory Certificate in Team Leading from Training Services Wales LTD.
Professional Memberships
Member of the Laban Guild for Movement and Dance.
Heritage, Dance, and Qualitative Researcher
- Experienced UX customer experience and human factors researcher specializing in qualitative research.
- Experienced in Digital Humanities (providing training, teaching, and as a conference speaker).
My Dance Background
I was introduced to this type of dance by a friend Jeanan Haddad, from Iraq.
My training includes ballet, jazz, tango, contemporary, and other forms of dance, but oriental dance has been my favorite form of dance since I started practicing it.
I am a qualified exercise to music fitness instructor and I am currently doing a Ph.D. in dance anthropology, focusing on Egyptian Raqs sharqi.
I have been attracted to belly dancing first of all because I have always loved Arabic music, but also because it is a form of dance that transmits an idea of fun.
Every time you look at a belly dancer performing or even at someone doing this form of dance socially, you have a feeling that they are having great fun and enjoying the time of their life.
Also, oriental dance encourages a healthy body image in people. It does not matter what size or age you are, you can be a good belly dancer.
In addition to this, Middle Eastern dance is very natural for the body and does not force the dancer into unnatural positions, hence the risk of injuries is lower compared to certain other dance forms.
I can say for sure that it did a lot of good to my back.
When I was 10 I was diagnosed with scoliosis and the doctor told me that I would suffer from backache in my thirties.
I started suffering from light lower backache at some point, but it disappeared for good after I started belly dancing. Read here for more information on oriental dance’s health benefits.
Since I started learning belly dance, I performed in Seoul, South Korea, in various venues while I was living there and throughout the years I have kept studying and improving my technique with great dancers such as Dandesh, Aida Noor, Yasmina, Sarah Farouk, Randa Kamel, and Khaled Mahmoud.
My dance style is focused especially on Egyptian Raqs Sharki, with some use of veil and finger cymbals.
In addition to practicing oriental dance, performing, and teaching, I have created this website, because I wish to give information on this art form.
I try to make the site as informative as possible and also make it useful for the dance community, by writing about information and tips and my own experiences.
Originally I was born in Sicily, Italy but I am now based between Somerset, England, the UK, and Catania (Sicily, Italy).
I travel to Egypt and Turkey usually two or three times a year and I am presently involved with belly dance in conjunction with dance therapy.
Learning about dance therapy is an area in which I am particularly interested in for the future.
I continue to enjoy belly dancing and I can be seen at many workshops and classes in the UK. You are bound to see me at some point if you dance in the UK.
If you want to learn belly dance in Crewkerne, Somerset, you can contact Valeria.
Past Performances – In the Media
Click on the image below to read the large version
While living in Seoul, South Korea for 2 years, I performed twice in Egyptian restaurants. Read the news story which was in South Korea’s main English written newspaper, the ‘Korean Herald’, all about their performances.
I have fond memories about this event, as it was my first performance as a beginner after 6 months of practicing belly dance, having first learned in South Korea.
My teacher at the time was Jeanan, an Iraqi-American friend who taught English in Seoul and to whom I taught Italian in exchange for belly dance lessons.
Since 2003, when I first started practicing belly dance in South Korea, my passion for this art form has kept on growing.
If you want to learn belly dance these days in South Korea, you can ask in the Arabic restaurants in Itaewon, the most cosmopolitan area in Seoul.
