The Desert Moon Dance Academy teaches and performs a variety of Middle Eastern dances encompassing ethnic, folkloric and belly dance styles.  The dance company has been in existence for more than a decade.  Our belly dancing classes are offered in West St. Louis County and in Edwardsville, Illinois.

Desert Moon Dance Academy's performances and classes are under the direction of Arleah, in St. Louis, Missouri and Fallon, in Edwardsville, Illinois. Our performing troupe is the "Desert Moon Dancers".

The Desert Moon Dancers are available to perform throughout the Midwest; primarily Missouri and Illinois.  Our performances range from exclusively entertaining to highly educational.  We perform at both public and private venues and are experienced in organizing Middle Eastern theme events.

Troupe members are also available to provide dance instruction at parties and special events.  We have offered guest teaching at numerous events including the week long "Taste of World Friendship" program for the Greater St. Louis Girl Scouts and the St. Louis Science Center's BJC SportsPark.

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide professional dance instruction in a friendly and warm atmosphere, to present Middle Eastern dance performances encompassing ethnic, folkloric and belly dance styles in a manner intended to enhance the public recognition and image of these artistic and beautiful dance forms, and to promote cultural understanding, peace and friendship through dance.

Our Slogan

For Fun, Fitness and Fulfillment

Fun:  Dancing is fun! We provide professional dance instruction while maintaining a friendly and warm atmosphere.

Fitness:  Like other dance forms, belly dancing is excellent for fitness.  Belly dancing promotes increased flexibility and strength and burns calories for weight loss.

Fulfillment:  Our students gain knowledge of foreign cultures and learn self-expression through dance.

Costuming

As previously mentioned, the Desert Moon Dancers perform Middle Eastern dances encompassing ethnic, folkloric and belly dancing styles.  We select costumes appropriate for the event and for the type of dance style to be performed.  Presently our costuming includes Khaliji dresses for our Khaliji dances (the group dances performed by women on all sides of the Persian Gulf), traditional Baladi, Ghawazee and other folkloric styles, and Bedleh (the modern belly dance beaded bra/belt/skirt costume, as pictured above).  We frequently have costuming events where we explore different costuming styles and provide assistance to students that wish to make their own costumes.  To insure that all accomplished dancers have an opportunity to perform, Desert Moon Dance Academy also maintains troupe costumes for use by the Desert Moon Dancers.

The Directors

Arleah, is the director of Desert Moon Dance Academy West (St. Louis) and has been teaching for more than seven years. She is a former aerobics instructor and a two year student of the University of Tel-Aviv, Israel.  During her residency in Israel, she studied Yemeni and Israeli Folk Dance extensively.  Her belly dancing instruction began in the mid nineties with several well known St. Louis belly dancers.

To enhance her dance skills, Arleah attended, and continues to attend, Middle Eastern dance seminars and workshops throughout the country with internationally and nationally known instructors including Dina (the renowned belly dancer from Cairo, Egypt), Hadia, Sahra Kent, Nourhan Sharif, Suhaila, Dalia Carella, Vashti, Tasha Banat, Jasmine Jahal, Karen Barbee, Leila Gamal, Ruby Jazayre, Jamilla Al Wahid, Margo Abdo O'Dell, Rana, Zada Al Gaziyeh, Jamila Zahran, Ohio's Shakira and others.

Arleah’s classes and performances reflect her love for music, dance, cultural diversity and education.  Graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in International Relations, she continues to research Middle Eastern history and cultures. Her dance classes include discussions on the origins of the dances performed by the Desert Moon Dancers.  In 2005, Arleah's dance classes were featured on the St. Louis television show "Get Hooked on Health." She has also been a guest instructor for numerous organizations including the University of Missouri St. Louis; the Alton, Illinois YWCA;  the St. Louis Jewish Community Center; the St. Louis Moolah Shriners Women's Club.  Arleah's high energy level and enthusiasm are brought to and reflected in each class and performance.

Fallon, is the director of Desert Moon Dance Academy East (Edwardsville, Illinois) and assistant director of Desert Moon Dance Academy West.

Fallon was born to dance. She was exposed to dancing and music at an early age. Her first solo stage performance was at the age of 5.  Her dance training has included, among others, ballet, tap, modern and African with the Katherine Dunham technique. In addition to touring and performing with dance companies in each of these dance genres, she has also toured with praise and worship groups, cheer leading groups and dance teams. Each of these different dance forms have helped her appreciate and master Belly Dancing. Fallon has studied under Arleah for 4 years. As a gifted dancer, she learned quickly and has been performing for almost 3 years.  To further enhance her belly dance skills and knowledge, she attends seminars and workshops with well known national instructors.

 In 2006, Fallon was a frequent guest instructor at the Saint Louis Science Center’s BJC SportsPark. Fallon’s ongoing belly dance classes are at the Edwardsville YMCA and Southern Illinois University- Edwardsville (SIUE).  At the beginning of each class session, Fallon advises her students that Belly Dancing takes discipline, endurance, perseverance, and determination and, throughout each session, encourages students to strive for excellence.

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