AVIANA is happy and proud to be part of Rhythm ‘n’ Dance as a faculty member. AVIANA is a musician and dancer originally from New York City. She was raised by immigrant parents of Haitian and Dominican ancestry.
continued her dance training in jazz, ballet, hip-hop at Broadway Dance Center in New York City where she studied exclusively under Rhapsody James, Jermaine Browne, Sheila Barker and the late Josh Widick. Additionally, Aviana studied extensively under Maurice Johnson at the Joy of Motion and Julie Miles at the Maryland Youth Ballet.
After a stint as a freelance artist in New York City and Los Angeles, AVIANA yearned for something new and thus began her studies of Belly Dance and Flamenco. AVIANA studied Flamenco dance from “La Genoveva,” and currently studies with Edwin Aparicio. AVIANA has also studied Middle Eastern Dance & Belly Dance with loved teacher Artemis, Classical Egyptian style and technique from Yasmin, Khaleejy dance and history from Saudi Arabian artist Khadijah. AVIANA focuses her studies in Belly Dance technique in the Suhaila Salimpour school. AVIANA is currently Certified Level 1 of the Suhaila Salimpour Bellydance Technique format and training for Level 2 certification. AVIANA’s style incorporates Belly dance technique, Flamenco, Jazz, Hip Hop, Caribbean and African dance movements. In January 2011, AVIANA was a feature performer in “Mudéjar,” a dance/musical production featuring music and dances from the Middle East and Flamenco. AVIANA performed alongside well-respected musicians and dancers including 2008Grammy Nominated Master Percussionist Souhail Kaspar of Lebanon.