Photo by Michael Campbell

Bellydance Superstar Ansuya is one of the most talented and accomplished performers, choreographers and instructors in the bellydance world today. Her style is unique, blending the best aspects of bellydance with Indian, Spanish and African moves. Energetic, sensual and innovative, Ansuya is a master of improvisation, musical interpretation, emotional expression, original moves and costume design.

Students are captivated by Ansuya's unparalleled skill as an instructor. With 25 years of experience, she remains accessible and fun, having a great time with students while helping them to achieve their best.

Ansuya is a multi award winner and has been seen on television shows, music videos and commercials as both a bellydancer and an actress. She has performed for countless celebrities and her top selling instructional videos are some of the best reviewed on the market. She is a second generation bellydancer with secrets handed down from mother to daughter, adding mystic and legend to her soulful performances and devoted instruction.

Ansuya is originally from a small town called Ojai in California. Nicknamed Shangri-la by Hollywood for being a picturesque valley perfect for filming locations, Ojai has been home to artists such as Beatrice Wood, philosophers such as Krishnamourti and actors such as Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.

Ansuya learned to bellydance by the age of four from her American mother, Jenaeni, a renowned bellydancer popular in Los Angeles and New York in the sixties and seventies. A celebrity in her hometown, Ansuya started performing as a little girl in her mother's annual concerts featuring her troupe "Yaleil" which means "the night" in Arabic. She was invited to act in local commercials and was eventually crowned "Miss Teen Ojai 1989".

With a love of tropical weather, the family moved to Hawaii where Ansuya set out to become a model. After several print jobs, she was invited to model in Tokyo, Japan, her first of many trips abroad.

Upon Ansuya's growing success, mama Jenaeni decided it was time to try Hollywood. For eight years, they made Santa Monica their home where Ansuya continued to work as a teacher, performer and also as an actress.

With over one hundred students in the classroom, requests for her seminars across the U.S., and several instructional videos out on the market, Ansuya was in high demand. Catching the eye of fitness leader, Kathy Smith, Ansuya collaborated with her to create the bellydance for fitness video, "Flex Appeal", distributed by Sony.

A sought after choreographer, she worked for CBS and for her own dance company, "Yaleil," which was now under her directorship. Yaleil was nominated for Best Troupe by the International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance. Ansuya herself was voted Best Cabaret Dancer of the year 2001 and received the Golden Belly Award for Best Cabaret dancer in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

As a performer she had contracts at famous Los Angeles clubs such as Al Amir and Byblos and appearances at Hollywood hot spots such as The House of Blues, the Roxy, Chasens, Spagos, the Four Seasons, the Regent Beverly Wilshire, and L'Orangerie. Added to these engagements were countless performances at private parties, weddings and special events including overseas appearances in Japan, India, and Egypt.

From the stage to the screen, Ansuya appeared in music videos for artists such as Beck and Sons of Funk, in commercials for Fox, and on television shows such as Jack and Jill, The Nanny, VIP, Weird Science, and the Jim Jay and Ann show. She can also be seen in the title sequence of the DVD version of the Bond film classic, Octopussy.

Studying with leading acting coaches, such as Lynn Redgrave, Ansuya developed her additional talent as an actress and has had a recurring role on the daytime drama Days of our Lives and a guest spot on primetime series, Judging Amy.

Ansuya was named a Bellydance Superstar when she was asked by record producer, Miles Copeland to be one of eight bellydance leaders to choose their favorite songs to compile onto one CD.

A performance tour was arranged around this great CD which kicked off at the House of Blues in Anaheim, CA and the Roxy in Hollywood, CA.

From there, they traveled to Bali where they performed at the World Peace Music Awards, telecast live to millions of viewers.

The tour continued in the summer of 2003 as part of rock extravaganza, Lollapalooza during which time they were named the "must see of the second stage at Lollapalooza" by Rolling Stone magazine.

They then began their independent touring with several trips across the U.S. and Canada, gathering up press on numerous morning shows, newspapers, magazines, the Jimmy Kimmel Live show, the John Mackenroe show and MTV where Ansuya was able to use her on camera skills. They also did several press junkets in Borders Book Stores and Virgin Record Stores across the nation.

Their next adventure was to Barcelona, Spain where they had a run at the Victoria Theatre.

Continuing in Europe, the company performed in England, France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, and Italy, gathering up European television press. They even had a run at the famous Folies Bergere theatre in Paris.

There are also two documentaries about the Bellydance Superstars -"Behind the Shimmy", directed by Jordan Copeland and "American Bellydancer", directed by John Brandise. "American Bellydancer" played at the Tiburon Film Festival in Northern California this Spring.

Ansuya is now continuing her independent teaching and performance tours which have taken her to California, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, Canada, Texas, Utah, Arizona, Illinois, Oklahoma, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Florida, Japan, India, England, France, Spain, Paris, Taiwan, Korea, Mexico City, Tijuana, Canada, Miami, Philadelphia, Columbia and Portugal.

She also continues to appear with the Bellydance Superstars with a recent tour of the U.S. and recent television appearances on Mexican TV Show, Otro Rollo and the Regis and Kelly Live Show.

In 2006 Ansuya developed and shot three new DVD's: The Magic of Bellydance, Advanced Finger Cymbals and Luscious Layers.

She was also delighted to create the brand new program called The Ansuya Comprehensive. This is a certification program in Ansuya's entire Bellydance style that is now being held in the glamorous vacation spots of Honolulu, Hawaii and Naples, Florida, where Ansuya now resides, as well as across the world as sponsors desire to bring The Ansuya Comprehensive Program to their area.

To keep track of upcoming events and products keep an eye on www.ansuya.com.