About Krisenna
Krisenna’s formal dance training began at the tender age of 3. She wowed audiences with her enthusiasm for performance as a dedicated dancer for the Talent Factory. Years of gymnastics, tap, jazz,hip-hop, ballet and ballroom classes built a strong foundation for her path as a professional choreographer/performer and dance/gymnastics instructor. When Krisenna was 8, her step mother introduced her to Cabaret belly dance. Krisenna’s vocal training and piano lessons also helped to shape her understanding and love of music as a creative outlet.
Krisenna’s passion for music and art flourished early on, but it wasn’t until after college that she became a formal student of belly dance (at Shimmy Shakti Studio). Discovering the tribal fusion style presented Krisenna with a new focus which she has studied with ignited zeal by traveling all over the nation to attend workshops, intensives, and classes from some of the most highly acclaimed dancers in the world including Zoe Jakes, Kami Liddle, Amy Sigil, Sharon Kihara, Rachel Brice, Audra Simmons, Lady Fred & Mira Betz. She has completed intensives and certified to teach Unmata ITS Beginning, Intro, Intermediate & Advanced (later changed to a " Levels System").
Krisenna directed the Pretty Hard Corps dance troupe in New York (2012/2014). She moved to Casa Grande AZ in the middle of 2014 and started dancing with RaMagik (2014-2019). In 2016, she started dancing with Shahrazad Dance Company (2016-2018) in Phoenix and was part of the trios that captured international titles at the Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival in Cairo. In Cairo, Krisenna was honored to study with some of the most notable dancers in Egyptian / Oriental dance (Dina, Hoda, Mohamed Salah, Lucy, Daria Mitskevich, Kasumi, Darina Konstantinova, Aziza Cairo, Dr. Mo Gedawwi, Soraia Zaied, Maryam Aguirre & Leyla Lanty).
In 2017, Krisenna produced the first annual Amethyst Dance Festival, and in 2019, she formed the Amethyst World Dance Company.
Krisenna is especially grateful for her mentors, Christina Gonzales and Jenna Harder( of Shimmy Shakti Studios), Connie Jones and Amy Sigil of Unmata.
Krisenna is currently offering belly dance instruction at her Castle Drive home studio in Casa Grande, Arizona - at Thrive Cultural Academy in Casa Grande, Arizona and at The Studio in Casa Grande, Arizona.
Intensives Continued
Amy Sigil - Unmata
Ala Carte Classes (Jill Parker & Lady Fred) - Tribal Massive in Las Vegas - 2012
Advanced/Professional Track - Tribal Massive in Las Vegas - 2013
Advanced/Professional Track - Tribal Massive in Las Vegas - 2014
Basic Black Intensive (Darkside Studios - Toronto Canada - Audra Simmons) - 2013
Lavender Intensive (Darkside Studios - Toronto Canada - Audra Simmons) - 2014
Costa Rica ITS Retreat - 2015
Completed Rachel Brice's 8 Elements™ Phase 1: Initiation with Recognition - Portland, OR - 2015
Amanda Rose Online Musicality Intensive - 2015
Tribal Massive in Las Vegas, NV - Week 2 - 2016
Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival (Cairo, Egypt) - 2016
Mega Massive in Las Vegas, NV - 2017
Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival (Cairo, Egypt) - 2017
Amanda Rose Online Tarab Intensive - 2018
Deb Rubin - Dance Theraputics in Arizona- 2018
S.I.G.I.L Certification 2018
April Rose's Belly Dance Cohesion Certificate Program - at Massive in Las Vegas - 2019
Mira Betz Weekend Intensive - 2019
Mega Massive 2020
Tommy King Intensive Certificate Program - 2020
Studio Training
Shimmy Shakti Studio (Twin Falls, ID) - Tribal Fusion
*Instructors: Christina Gonzales & Jenna Harter
Over 600 hours
CSI (College of Southern Idaho) - Fundamentals - Cabaret - 1 Session
*Instructor: Cindy Woods
Bellydance Basics Course
Connie Jone's Studio - Cabaret / Oriental - Customized Session
Instructor: Connie Jones
Fort Drum - Oriental Belly Dance 1.5 years
Instructor - Hoonam Kim
Belly Dance Tucson Studio - ITS - 1 Session
Instructor - Chandreyee Mitra
Casa Grande Community - Belly Dance Basics
AZ Sundance Studio - Egyptian Style - 3 Years (3-4 hours per week)
Instructor: Warda Shahrazad
ATS Session
Instructor: Becka Bomb
Workshops & Courses
Amy Sigil (Unmata) - Choreography, Working in the Moment (3x), Human Adventure (3x) ITS
Christina Gonzales - Combinations
Jill Parker
Sabeya
Dahlia - Shimmies
Sedona Soulfire - Choreography / Drum Solo
Linda Faoro - Hip Hop Fusion
Samira - Hula Fusion
The Lady Fred - Tribal Fusion
Sherri Wheatley - Tribal Fusion
Calamity Sam - Combo's
Myra Kiren - Flamenco / Lecture
Cecilia Rinn
Zoe Jakes - The Lady and the Lion
Zoe Jakes - Tribal Fusion
Zoe Jakes - Indian Fusion
Kami Liddle
Sharon Kihara
Mira Betz - Costuming
Audra Simmons
Tess Meyers
Ava Fleming - Hamstrings Focus / Choreography
Farha - Belly Dance History (Series)
Nikolai Ruskin - Instruments & Rhythms
Hannah (Hannah's Hips)
Mira Betz - Tribal Fusion
Michelle Sorenson - Dance Hall Fusion / Arms / Layering /
Amanda Rose - Saidi
April Rose - Belly Dance History / Choreography
Ionah
Kaeshi Chai - Fusion
Azita
Yasmina Parker - Veil
Carrie Konyha - Shabby
Ophelia
Rukshana - Sword / Tray
Divine Chaos - Skirt
Ranya Renee
Samantha Karim - Fan Choreography / Choreography / Sensual Dance
Maryam Aguirre - Modern / Choreography / Shabby/ Drum Solo
Innah Raks - Lines & Extensions
Mohamed Fouadhelmy - Musicality
Dina - Choreography
Daria Mitskevich - Mergence / Shabby
Innah Raks - Stretching Techniques
Sample of Krisenna's Dance Training / Performance / Judging & Teaching Experience
Intensives
Amy Sigil - Unmata
ITS Intro/Beginner - Level 1 (Dec. 2010) - Hot Pot in California
ITS Intro/Beginner - Levels 1 & 2 (July 2011) - Hot Pot in California
ITS Intermediate - Level 3 (Dec. 2011) - Hot Pot in California
ITS Advanced -Similar to Level 4 (Jan. 2013) - Hot Pot in California
Private Instruction:
Christina Gonzales
Jenna Harder
Kari of Unmata
Dahlia
Warda Shahrazad
Lois Sanders
Mohamed Fouadhelmy
Connie Jones
Samantha Karim
Shahrzad of Cairo
Festivals and Events
Fusion Fest in Idaho- 2010
Tribal Fest in California- 2011
Fusion Fest in Idaho- 2011
I Love Hot Pot Event in Idaho - 2012
Queen of Hearts Hafla in New York - Featured Instructor and Performer - 2013
Belly Dance Ball in New York - Featured Instructor and Performer - 2013
420 in Idaho - 2014
Snowball Retreat in Montreal Canada - 2014
SABA Event in New York - Featured Instructor and Performer - 2014
Swap Meet in Arizona - 2015
Swap Meet in Arizona - 2016
Desert Queen Festival in Arizona- 2016
Phoenix Rising - 2016
Swap Meet in Arizona - 2017
Arab American Festival - 2017
Amethyst Dance Festival in Arizona - 2017
Phoenix Rising - 2017
Cairo Nights Event in Texas - 2017
Swap Meet in Arizona - 2018
Amethyst Dance Festival in Arizona - 2018
Fusion Day in Arizona - 2018
Raqs Gone Rogue Competition in Arizona - Featured Performer and Judge - 2018
Fusion Fest in Idaho - 2018
Phoenix Rising Instructor - 2018
Yasmina's 25th Annual Swap Meet Instructor - 2019
Queen of the Prairie Dance Festival in Iowa - Featured Instructor, Performer & Competition Judge -2019
Temple of Ishtar Theatrical Show in Arizona - Cast Performer - 2019
Amethyst Dance Festival 2019 - Director - Headliners Shahrzad Cairo and Christina and Jenna of Shimmy Shakti
Amethyst Dance Festival 2020 - Headliners - Victoria Teel & Sara Lynn
Amethyst Dance Festival 2023 - Headliner - Sahira
2024 Miss Arab USA Pageant Performance - AZ Belly Dance Collective
AZ Belly Dance Chemistry - 2024 - Featured Instructor/Performer
Supplemental
Dance and Gym USA TEACHING CERTIFICATION- 2015
Piyo TEACHING CERTIFICATION - 2015
Bollywood (at The Studio) - 2015-2023
Modern (at The Studio) - 2015-2018
Jazz (at The Studio) - 2015-2017
Tap (at The Studio) 2019-2023
Shimmy Mob - 2018 - 2019 - 2020-2021-2023
CLI Studios - Teaching Certification 2019
Folklorico - 2019 - 2021
CLI Studios - Teaching Certification 2021
CLI Studios - Teaching Certification 2022
CLI Studios - Teaching Certification 2023
Workshops & Courses Continued..
Darina Konstantinova - Choreography
Aziza Cairo - Choreography / Shaabi
Leyla Lanti - Zills
Issam Houshan - Rhythms
Ustada Azra - Zills
Mia Donna - Fusion Combo's
Alma Gul - Bollywood / Choreography / Basic Saidi / Spins
Na-il Ankarah Ali
Soraia Zaied - Shabby
Nathalie Dance - Saidi
Draconis - Isolations
Inanna LeFay - Fusion
Mohammed Salah - Saidi
Dr. Mo Gedawwi - Choreography
Raquia Hassan - Choreography
Ryan Yanguochao - Choreography
Hoda Ibrahim - Saudi
Mayte Garcia - Lecture / Choreography
Melisula - Sassy Drum Solo
Kelly Binder - Bollywood Series
Ashley Lopez
David Badyal
Sarah Hinson - Flamenco Fusion
Poise and Panache Course - Carrie Meyer
Belly Dance Ethics Course by Terri Allred
Demelza Fox of the UK - 2019
Belly Dance Teaching Course - Sara Shrapnell - 2019
Journey Through Egypt Fundamentals - Sahra Saeeda - 2019
Kamrah - 2020
Aradia Wynn - 2020
Sara Lyn - Super Goo & Sharp as Nails 2020
Karolina Lux - 2020
Joline Andrade - 2020
Esmeralda Colabone COLLECTION Online Course 2020
Nikolas Kazakos - Saidi and Baladi Workshop 2023
Yahlia Online Courses - Baladi - 2023
Sahira - Zills Revolution - 2023
3 months - Raqs Sharki & Iraqi Dance Basics - Noreen Baladi 2024
Sahira - Zills Revolution - 2024