Seana Dishun
Professional Tribal
and Middle Eastern Belly Dance
Professional Tribal
and Middle Eastern Belly Dance
Professional Middle Eastern and Tribal Belly Dance
About the Artist
Seana has over 30 years of formal dance experience, including study, performance, choreography, and instruction. Since 1993, she has been devoted primarily to belly dance, studying it intensively, while supplementing with other disciplines to enhance her artistry. She spent the four years between 2004 and 2008 studying in the Dance Program at UW-Madison, the nation's first degree program in dance. Her repertoire of dance forms includes ballet, modern, contact improv, jazz, ballroom, Flamenco, Bharat Natyam, African, Gypsy/Rom, Middle Eastern, Tribal style improv, and Tribal Fusion belly dance. Her 10 years of musical training in flute and piccolo, and her 4 years of Middle Eastern drumming inform her dance, as well.
Seana's performance career began in 2001 when she became one of the founding members of the nationally-acclaimed tribal dance company, Blue Lotus Tribe from Chicago, IL. While performing with the group around the region at various fairs and theatrical venues, she also began her solo career as an oriental style dancer, appearing at such Chicago area restaurants as 773 Chicago and Kan Zaman. After relocating to Madison, WI, Seana set her sights on jump-starting the tribal belly dance scene locally. In 2006, she founded Ashar Dance Company. In the next two years, Ashar grew to include three more of Madison's most notable belly dancers, Mahela, Ayperi, and Tashar. Ashar Dance Company is now Madison's premier, award-winning Tribal/Tribal Fusion troupe, bringing exciting and innovative performances, including sword and fire dancing, to audiences around the Midwest.
In 2003, Seana began teaching classes in both Middle Eastern and tribal style belly dance. Over the years, her instruction locally has landed her invitations to teach at out-of-town workshops, such as Midwest Tribal Mafia, brought to the Chicago area by Hipnotic Tribal Belly Dance and Christina of Blue Lotus Tribe. In 2008, Seana was invited as a guest artist by the Beloit College Dance Program to serve a two-week residency with Christina to select a group of dance students and set upon them a tribal performance piece, "Rasha". The piece was featured in February 2009 in the college's annual dance concert, Chelonia. Presently, Seana teaches many classes in the Madison area. The newest addition will be Ballet for Belly Dancers, drawing on her 13 years of ballet experience to help fellow dancers deepen their practice and performance. She will offer this class in January 2010 as a way to give back to the local belly dance community.
In the future, Seana hopes to expand the number of classes she teaches in the area, while researching further residency opportunities at colleges and universities around the country. Along with Ashar Dance Company, she is always looking for new performance opportunities and venues. She currently performs solo once a month at the Mediterranean Hookah Lounge and at various other venues both as a soloist and with Ashar. Please check the Classes Page and Performances Page for up-to-date information.
Seana has over 30 years of formal dance experience, including study, performance, choreography, and instruction. Since 1993, she has been devoted primarily to belly dance, studying it intensively, while supplementing with other disciplines to enhance her artistry. She spent the four years between 2004 and 2008 studying in the Dance Program at UW-Madison, the nation's first degree program in dance. Her repertoire of dance forms includes ballet, modern, contact improv, jazz, ballroom, Flamenco, Bharat Natyam, African, Gypsy/Rom, Middle Eastern, Tribal style improv, and Tribal Fusion belly dance. Her 10 years of musical training in flute and piccolo, and her 4 years of Middle Eastern drumming inform her dance, as well.
Seana's performance career began in 2001 when she became one of the founding members of the nationally-acclaimed tribal dance company, Blue Lotus Tribe from Chicago, IL. While performing with the group around the region at various fairs and theatrical venues, she also began her solo career as an oriental style dancer, appearing at such Chicago area restaurants as 773 Chicago and Kan Zaman. After relocating to Madison, WI, Seana set her sights on jump-starting the tribal belly dance scene locally. In 2006, she founded Ashar Dance Company. In the next two years, Ashar grew to include three more of Madison's most notable belly dancers, Mahela, Ayperi, and Tashar. Ashar Dance Company is now Madison's premier, award-winning Tribal/Tribal Fusion troupe, bringing exciting and innovative performances, including sword and fire dancing, to audiences around the Midwest.
In 2003, Seana began teaching classes in both Middle Eastern and tribal style belly dance. Over the years, her instruction locally has landed her invitations to teach at out-of-town workshops, such as Midwest Tribal Mafia, brought to the Chicago area by Hipnotic Tribal Belly Dance and Christina of Blue Lotus Tribe. In 2008, Seana was invited as a guest artist by the Beloit College Dance Program to serve a two-week residency with Christina to select a group of dance students and set upon them a tribal performance piece, "Rasha". The piece was featured in February 2009 in the college's annual dance concert, Chelonia. Presently, Seana teaches many classes in the Madison area. The newest addition will be Ballet for Belly Dancers, drawing on her 13 years of ballet experience to help fellow dancers deepen their practice and performance. She will offer this class in January 2010 as a way to give back to the local belly dance community.
In the future, Seana hopes to expand the number of classes she teaches in the area, while researching further residency opportunities at colleges and universities around the country. Along with Ashar Dance Company, she is always looking for new performance opportunities and venues. She currently performs solo once a month at the Mediterranean Hookah Lounge and at various other venues both as a soloist and with Ashar. Please check the Classes Page and Performances Page for up-to-date information.
