THE CREATIVE PATH
While traveling in Australia, Elizabeth was inspired by an exotic belly dancer performing with two huge boa constrictors. Enchanted, she immediately decided to explore belly dancing. Thus began her belly dance career in 1991 in Byron Bay, Australia. Upon her return to the States she began two years of intensive studies in ballet, modern dance, flamenco and dance conditioning classes at the Belltown Ballet and conditioning Studio in Seattle.

Elizabeth is one of the first Fusion Belly Dancers to perform regularly in the Seattle area. She pushes the edge of Fusion Belly Dance, featuring unusual props, subtle story telling, and eclectic music from all over the world. She is currently studying with the Suhaila Salimpour School of Dance and holds a current Level 2 certification in the revolutionary dance format.

Elizabeth’s journey found it’s meaning when she began to teach belly dance classes and realized that her students were her greatest reward for being a dancer.

THE BREAST CANCER JOURNEY
After her bout with cancer, Elizabeth realized that the gift of teaching this dance form could help to heal the mind, body and spirits of breast cancer survivors.

In 2005 Elizabeth was diagnosed with stage 3a breast cancer. She used her dance skills and extensive movement experience to heal fear, pain and stiffness after her mastectomy.

She has full range of motion in her shoulder and chest, thanks to moving and dancing. She continues to be cancer free.

The Belly Dance Community Steps Up to Help:
While in chemotherapy, her supportive belly dance sisters threw a magnificent benefit for her to help offset the burden of debt she had acquired from medical bills, and terrible health insurance. They raised $15,000 and covered the costs!

Suhaila Salimpour brought special workshops to Seattle so she could full fill her required class-time hours to keep her certification with Suhaila’s school. Thank you wonderful sisters for your support!

I love my belly dance sisters for how they were there for me, what a great community!

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
Elizabeth Dennis is the founder of Health and Vitality Belly Dance. Her dance background includes 17 years of teaching and performing Fusion varieties of Belly Dance, and studies in ballet, jazz, flamenco, yoga, martial arts and Pilates. She is also a breast cancer survivor. She brings healthful energizing belly dance to breast cancer survivors, and people of all ages, making it a healing and creative part of their lives. Her workshops blend several amazing movement and dance forms for a low impact dance workout. She also develops training formats for dedicated belly dancers.

Belly Dance:
Suhaila Salimpour School of Dance since 2001 and a current Level 2 certification, Suhaila Salimour.
Studies with instructors, Delilah, Sabura, Mish Mish, and other local artists.

Yoga:
Yoga Teacher training, The Yoga Tree, Theresa Elliot
Ashtanga, Iyengar and other influences, from many studios and instructors.

Flamenco:
Flamenco Danzarte, Ana Montes

Ballet, Dance Conditioning
Belltown Ballet and Conditioning Studio, Elaine Bonow

Graham Modern Dance:
Belltown Ballet and Conditioning Studio, Phyllis Stonebrooke

Tae Kwon Do:
Yun's Martial Arts, Master Yun

Tai Chi:
Kung Fu Club, Si Fu Paula, Morgan Martin, independent instructor

Orissi East Indian Classical Dance:
Ratna Roy and Jyoti Route

Pilates:
Maya Whole Health various instructors, and local teacher Melissa Ruby

Jazz and summer stock musicals:
Various theatres and instructors on Bainbridge Island and in Olympia, WA

AWARDS
Upon completing beast cancer treatment, Elizabeth flew to California to win two awards from the "Belly Dancer of the Universe Competition" for 2006. Champion for "Tribal Fusion Solo," and Second Runner-Up, "Fusion Solo."