American Belly Dance Club

Maddie's interest in belly dance began decades ago when she saw dancers at a
medieval event in Colorado. There she studied with a small troupe who would
perform at City Events. After she moved to Florida, she eventually found this club. She has continued to dance and has been involved with this club behind the scenes for years. Besides tribal style belly dance, yoga is her other passion. You can find her teaching the morning yoga classes at workshop events and then performing to non-traditional belly dance music.

Bianca is a Florida native from Titusville and very active in her community. Before and while studying the arts,  Bianca began practicing and studying the ancient art of yoga in 1996 and is also a brown belt with Shorin Ryu Karate. Bianca's belly dance journey began with a VHS tape and her mother. "I remember dancing and laughing with my mom, it was such a fun workout." She studied and practiced on her own until she found a Master instructor Ansuya Rathor who spent years training Bianca and certifying her in: Professional Performer Certification, Teacher  Certification, Zill Master, Veil Master, Drum Certification, Sword Certification, Bellydance Fitness Fusion, and Sacred Sinuosity Bellydance Yoga. Bianca has had the opportunity to train with many others such as Sadie, Ebony Qualls, Arish Lam, Serena Ramzy, and so many more. Bianca loves mixing it up. She is also a certified Bollyx Instructor. 

Laura, also known as "River", joined the American Belly Dance Club in 2010 for her first Hafla, fall of that year. She started in cabaret lessons and loves exploring all styles of belly dance as they each give a unique way to express oneself through dance. Tribal fusion became her home a couple years later but her love in incorporating all styles of dance together is what drives her creative endeavors on stage.  As your board member, she strives to make things as smooth and seamless as possible during workshops and Haflas.  In addition, she embraces new technology as a means of making it easier to bring us all together with the minimum amount of fuss.

Bianca - Vice President

Vicki Merrick was one of the founders of the American Belly Dance Club along with Lisa Myers and Kathy Hubbard. The organization has always been open to all persons interested in traditional and contemporary styles of belly dance and very proud it continues today. She has been a continuing student in the art of belly dance for over 20 years and has studied with Tambil, Shevah, Melanie La Joie of A*Magi Dance Troupe and Lacy Sanchez.  Her strongest influence was instructor Lisa Myers who introduced her to Tribal Style belly dance of which she is eternally grateful. 
Vicki and her troupes have performed at many different venues including Brevard Renaissance Fair, Henegar Theater, Festival of the Nile, and many other local and community events.  

Frances Garver is a Florida Notary and an Office Manager and Realtor for Laurel Agency, Inc. Real Estate located in Vero Beach.  She is also a Florida native, born and raised in Vero Beach.  She graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and a Minor in Marketing. She started Belly Dancing at Yvonne's School of Dance in 2010 and the Salimpour School in 2011. Currently certified in Suhaila Level 1 and Jamila Level 2. What started out as fun quickly turned into something she is passionate about. When she is not dancing, Frances enjoys reading, hiking, kayaking, biking, and trying new experiences

Maddie - Secretary

Laura - Board Member

Vicki - Board and Founding Member 

Frances- Treasurer

Dhana - President

Hailing from the tiny Island of Jamaica, Dhana also known as Thalya, has been dancing to her own beat for a very long time. There is a freedom in dance whether it be from reggae, steel drums, carnival music. She started out with Nadia Sahar in Vero Beach and have taken workshops with Sadie, Jilliana, Sadia, Asmahan, Virginia, Vanessa of Cairo, & Nadirah Joharah just to name a few.  Bellydance has been a large part of her life for a long period of her life. She loves the friendships that have been built and the community that can come from us all working together and learning from each other. She is the instructor and leader of Adorn Bellydance and performs regularly in the Melbourne and Vero Beach Area. She looks forward to serving this community and bringing lots of variety to the club.