Teacher Feature: Kim Leary

Waking Persephone is pleased to welcome, Kim Leary, appearing at WP for the first time as one of our guest instructors! She will presenting "Funkloric Fusion© with Kim Leary" on Saturday, October 15th.  
About Kim's workshop: Get your groove on with Kim Leary in this funk and folkloric inspired dance party! Learn sassy moves and combinations that’ll make you glad you got up this morning! Get in touch with your inner pulse with fun and easy polyrhythmic infused movements. Discover ways to develop the vibe of folkloric North African and Middle Eastern dance through grooves you have been dancing to all of your life. If you’ve ever wanted to experience the funky fun that Groove Merchant Drum & Dance Ensemble has on stage, you won’t want to miss this class. No experience needed.

Kim Leary (Alexia) is a belly dance performer, choreographer and instructor in Central New Jersey. 2014 marked her 25th year exploring and working in world dance & music. Kim Leary’s (Alexia) dance accomplishments include teaching both credit and non-credit dance at Princeton University. She is Co-Artistic Director with Dave Merritt of the highly acclaimed Groove Merchant Drum & Dance Ensemble which has been voted Favorite Performers and Favorite musicians by NJ Bellydance.com in 2012 through 2015. She is Co-Director of her school, The Drum & Dance Learning Center in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

Ms. Leary has performed at numerous prestigious venues such as Lincoln Center, The Ohio Theatre (SOHO), CAMI Hall (NYC), DanceSpace (NYC), FIT (NYC), The Evolving Arts Theatre (NYC), The Black Box Theatre (NJ), as well as at many colleges, universities, and festivals as a soloist and with SaZ Dance Theatre, , her own dance company- Groove Merchant Drum & Dance Ensemble, Jamila Salimpour's Bal Anat and Dalia Carella's DNA Project Kim holds a certification in Training & Development as well as in Multiple Intelligences and the Arts from Kean University. She is a Level 2 Certified Dancer since 2000. In 2008 Kim became certified Level Two in the Jamila Salimpour Dance Format and earned a Level Two Certification in Sahra Saeeda's Journey Through Egypt Program. Kim received an Educator’s Dance Scholarship Award from Dance New Jersey and was voted New Jersey's Favorite Belly Dance Teacher. She has taught a variety of workshop topics at many festivals and events including Rakkasah East, Spring Caravan, Art of the Belly, Jewels of the Orient and The Austin Belly Dance Convention.