Crescent Lotus Dance Studio

Ali Arnold is a principal dancer in local tribal bellydance troupe n.o.madic tribal (www.nomadictribal.com), and has been performing weekly in New Orleans for over four years (sans Katrina, of course).

Over the years with n.o.madic tribal, she's performed at a number of venues in the city including NOMA, the CAC, Tipitina's, Cafe Brasil, Blue Nile, Hi-Ho Lounge, One-Eyed Jack's, the Hanson Gallery, the Michalopoulos studio, and more. You can catch her and n.o.madic tribal any Friday night at the Dragon's Den (435 Esplanade Ave).

Her tribal bellydance roots reach back to 1999 when she began her studies with Teresa Tomb of Rakadu Gypsy (www.meccadance.com); upon moving to New Orleans, Ali was lucky enough to meet and study with Megha Gavin, student of and Tribal Pura partner with Carolena Nericcio of FatChanceBellydance.

Megha shaped Ali into the performer she is today by pushing her onto the stage as an original member of Devyani (now located in Birmingham, AL (www.devyani.net).

Ali continues to honor her teachers in all that she does, even as she garners influence from other dancers including Rachel Brice, Sharon Kihara, Kami Liddle, Cammie Vance, Paulette Reis-Dennis, Sharon Moore, Myra Morris, Morocco, Aisha Ali, Amel Tafsout, and of course, Carolena Nericcio.

A teacher of English during the day, Ali has also had the pleasure of teaching Tribal bellydance in New Orleans and around the Southeast. Before Katrina, she taught two weekly classes to local dancers, many of whom who've gone on to create their own troupes since the storm.

Both before and since that fateful fall, Ali as the co-director of n.o.madic tribal, taught Tribal dance workshops in Gulfport, MS; Tallahassee, FL; Dallas, TX; and Chattanooga, TN. During these and more travels, she's been honored to perform with musician Tobias Roberson and to share the stage with dancers and dance troupes like FatChaceBellyDance, Awalim, Gypsy Caravan, Urban Gypsy, Dandasha, InFusion Tribal, RedLotus, Clandestine and others.

Above all, Ali sees dance as a way to make music visible, to connect to her highest self, and to share both of these beauties with those who care to watch.