Gina Capossela, MA, MSW, has been dancing since childhood. She has studied gymnastics, tap, jazz, ballet, hip hop, West African, Flamenco, Indian, and Central Asian Dance. She has been studying Middle Eastern dance for the last twenty-three years. Over the past several years Gina has begun to focus on classical, Bollywood and Bhangra forms of Indian dance, and she has added Bollywood and Bhangra dance to her list of dance offerings. Gina has also studied Italian Tarantella on site in Calabria, Italy and teaches various forms of Tarantella.

Gina earned a bachelor’s degree in Art History and Italian from Middlebury College, a Master’s degree in Social Work from University of Vermont, and a Master’s degree in Dance from American University in Washington, D.C. While in Washington, Gina had the great fortune to study and perform with the award-winning Silk Road Dance Company, specializing in Middle Eastern and Central Asian dance. As a company member, she performed for such dignitaries as the Ambassador of Egypt at the Egyptian Embassy, the Uzbek Embassy, the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights, National Geographic and the  Kennedy Center, among others.

Gina has studied Middle Eastern dance for 23 years in the United States, Egypt and Turkey with such notable teachers such as Raqia Hassan, Mahmoud Reda, Farida Fahmy, The Reda Troupe, Morocco, Yousry Sharif, Momo Kadous, Mohammed Shahin, Nadia Hamdi, Amel Tafsout, Hadia, Elena Lentini, Helene Eriksen, Anahid Sofian, Dalia Carella, Delilah, Aziza, Suzanna Del Vecchio, Fahtiem, Saqra, Keti Sharif, and Piper Hunt, among many others. As a professional, her greatest influences have been Laurel Victoria Gray (the Artistic Director of the Silk Road Dance Company), Artemis Mourat (one of the top Turkish dancers in the United States), and Sahra Saeeda (a world renowned scholar and performer of Egyptian dance). Gina is especially appreciative of Alia Thabit of Vermont for her first opportunities to perform, study outside of New England and, eventually, to teach.

Gina lives in Vermont, teaching and performing Middle Eastern and American Belly Dance on a full time basis. She teaches at local studios in Hanover, White River Junction, and Hartland, and has also taught in Woodstock, Windsor, Plainfield, Thetford, Bethel and Sharon. She also teaches academic courses on Middle Eastern and American Belly Dance history. Gina has taught dozens of workshops for businesses, schools and non-profits and is happy to tailor a program to meet your needs. Inquire about a Free Intro to Belly Dance class for your group!