Our Instructors

Mandy - Belly Dance

Mandy is the owner of House of Hips, as well as an instructor. She teaches belly dance and contemporary belly dance - an American style of belly dance that fuses traditional belly dance movements with Western dance styles and music.

Mandy has been belly dancing since 2004. During that time, she studied with Kadri of Heartbeat of the East, Nedra of The WNY Bellydance Association, and many other top belly dancers in Buffalo, WNY, and throughout the world. She holds a BFA from Daemen College where she learned to express herself visually through art. Always learning and looking for new movements to add to her belly dance repertoire, Mandy takes her inspiration directly from the world around her; from video games, sci-fi movies, martial arts, football, and anything else.

She enjoys pushing the boundaries of what belly dance can be and strives to make her classes and performances unique. You can see this showcased in her solo performances, as well as in her performances with her dance troupe, Zuut.

Abhi-Shake - Bollywood, Bhangra, and Bolly-Hop

Abhi-Shake is an avid dancer and choreographer who has entertained in a gamut of dancing styles including Bollywood and Bhangra, with a forté in Hip-Hop. His dance experience extends to choreographing dance reality TV shows, music videos, and national stage events. He has proved his mettle by being 2nd runner up in a major Indian TV dance competition. He holds 20+ years of camera/stage choreography & teaching experience in India, Canada, & the USA. He’s currently associated with various Buffalo dance companies and also practices as an independent choreographer.

He believes in ABCD - Any Body Can Dance!

Tori - Modern and Jazz/Heels

Tori has been dancing since the age of 9. She has taken many classes locally here in Buffalo, as well as workshops in Los Angeles, Hollywood, and San Francisco. Her main focus of study has been in modern, jazz, heels, and hip hop.

Tori feels very strongly that dance should be fun and liberating. She caters her classes to the way her students' bodies move naturally. Her classes are designed to be a safe space for you to just be and enjoy yourself.

Tajaé - Dancehall, Twerk, and Afrobeat

Tajaé is the owner of Whine & Workout Buffalo - the first and only Dancehall, Afrobeat, and Soca dance classes located in Buffalo. This is the place to let them hips do what it do! She loves being able to teach women of all backgrounds simple dancehall moves while having fun.

Tajaé helps you on your fitness journey by having fun while you workout!

Maia - Belly Dance

Maia Alexandra is an acclaimed instructor, multi-award winning performer, and enthusiast of the arts. She has won multiple first place awards, is an event producer, a bellydance instructor, acclaimed workshop teacher, a performer with the fire performance collective Pyromancy, and founding member of belly dance duet Darkly Sparkly as well as a soloist.

Maia is known for her sense of humor as well as great dramatic flair,
instantly putting all audiences at ease.

Teaching the art of dance since 1999, Maia has a deep love and respect for all forms of movement. Maia loves teaching, and lives for those “lightbulb over the head” moments when a student comes to life in class. When was the last time you learned so much when laughing? You owe it to yourself to experience this!

Siobhán - Belly Dance

Siobhán is a dancer, visual artist, and yogi born and raised in Buffalo NY. Starting with ballet at age 4, Siobhán eventually made her way to bellydance via her mother, who is also a local WNY bellydancer.

Siobhán is also a certified yoga instructor, receiving her 200 hour certification through Yogis in Service in 2021.

Miss J Kiss - Burlesque

Miss J Kiss is the Godmother of Buffalo Burlesque. As one of the first to resurrect the Art of the Tease back in 2004, she then went on to be one of the founding mothers of Buffalo’s longest running Burlesque troupe, The Stripteasers.

Burlesque classes are open to dancers & non-dancers alike or all genders and backgrounds.

Lala - Heels, Twerk, Dance Fitness

LaLa is the owner of La’Movement Fitness, LLC. She began her dance journey in her hometown Buffalo, New York. Motivated by a passion for performance, she completed an undergraduate degree in Dance from SUNY Buffalo State College and a certification to teach Zumba.

For years, LaLa channeled her skills into teaching others. As a certified, LA Fitness , Group Fitness Instructor, she taught Aqua Fit, Spin, Bootcamp, and Body Pump. By 2013, Her enthusiasm for dance-inspired fitness and love of community inspired LaLa to develop and launch new choreography in the form of La'Movement Dance Fit - the first signature class of La’Movement Fitness, LLC.

La’Movement Fitness started in a local community center where LaLa provided easy access to affordable classes. Using her challenges with unhealthy eating habits and weight loss as advocacy for change, she began calling on women, families, and children to maintain an active lifestyle.
She also raised awareness of the disparities faced by lower-income groups in need of healthier food and exercise options. Soon the G.U.G.A. (Get Up & Get Active) movement took off.

Monitor Touro - Capoeira

Monitor Touro started training capoeira in 2006 and has been teaching in the Buffalo area for over 10 years. Touro trains under Mestre Carcará as part of Capoeira com Expressão out of Rochester, with a contemporary capoeira style that seeks to establish a game based on creativity and sound technique.

Capoeira is an art-form originating in Brazil but with African roots. Enslaved Africans brought to Brazil by Portugal, developed capoeira as a means of self-defense but disguised it as a dance. As slavery became a thing of the past, capoeira evolved into the current blend of dance, music and improvisation that is seen today.

Sherry - Cheer

Sherry began her dance journey in high school. She was a squad member of the Buffalo Jr. Jills (Former Buffalo Bills Professional Cheerleaders), Buffalo Jr. Bandettes dance team (Buffalo Bandits Lacrosse), and a squad member of the Jr. Buffalo Bombshells dance team.

Sherry continues her dancing now at House of Hips under the training of Mandy. Sherry trains as a belly dancer and has danced in many major Buffalo events. These events include Music is Art and The Taste of Buffalo.

Sherry loves to help dancers gain confidence and self esteem through dance.

Alia - Heels Dance

Alia has been dancing for as long as she can remember, and movement has always been one of her favorite forms of self-expression. Her dance journey began with ballet as a child, continued with hip-hop throughout high school, and expanded in college, where she was a member of her school's drill team and the Afrobeat dance team, Sankofa.

Alia believes dance is a language that allows people to express themselves, embrace their femininity, and connect with others in a meaningful way.

Her goal is to build a community where women feel comfortable stepping outside their comfort zones, growing in confidence, and leaving each class feeling empowered and more like their best selves.

Katya - Turkish Dance, Belly Dance

Katya grew up learning Turkish cultural dances from her family members and dancing them at every event in her Romani community in rural central New York. Katya’s maternal and paternal families are both of Romani origin. Katya’s maternal family come from a long line of belly dancers and musicians from Istanbul, and her paternal family came from a nomadic tribe that traveled between St. Petersburg and Moscow in Russia performing music, songs, dances, and skits.

Outside of the Romani community, Katya has also learned western dance styles such as jazz, ballet, and tap. Growing up, Katya was part of a community theater that performed musicals and plays. When not dancing, Katya enjoys figure skating, aerial, and being with her friends & family.

Benjamin Berry - Hoop Dance, Hoop Flow

Benjamin Berry (they/he) is a modern hoop dancer, circus artist, instructor, and performer based in Buffalo, NY who specializes in making creative movement accessible for all abilities. In 2015, they connected with the online hooping community by participating in Hooping Idol Season 5 and the Electric Forest Hoop Troupe contest, ultimately earning them Hooping.org's "Male Hooper of the Year 2015," as well as nominations for "Tutorial of the Year," "Instructor of the Year," and "Video of the Year." Since then, they have embarked on multiple cross-country workshop tours, having taught in over 50 cities nationwide.

In 2017, they moved to Buffalo and began working as a full time teaching artist at the local level, helping share circus arts in over 100 schools, libraries, eldercare facilities, and other settings since then. In 2021, they launched Accessible Circus Project, an initiative that aims to share the holistic benefits of creative movement with people of all abilities.
www.benjaminberry.com

See Your Name Here!

Are you a Dance Instructor in WNY looking for a space to share your passion? Do traditional dance studios not feel like the right fit for you? Consider making House of Hips your home! We are always looking for friendly and encouraging instructors to increase our diverse class offerings to our adult beginner dance students. Learn how you can get started as an independent contractor with us today.