Meet Emily

Emily teaches Belly Dance every Friday at 5:45pm here at The Movement Apothecary.

Learn more about Emily and her class below:

Q&A

Q: When did you first start teaching belly dance?

A: I started teaching belly dance with TMA in August of 2024. I've been teaching belly dance classes in Fort Collins for 12 years now.

Q: What got you into belly dance?

A: I did not have a formal dance background prior to belly dance and I was drawn to the beauty of the music, costuming, and sinewy movements. I've danced through injuries, pregnancies, and other physical hurdles thanks to the accessibility of this style of dance.

Q: What can students expect in your class at The Movement Apothecary?

A: Students can expect to challenge themselves with unfamiliar isolations and experiment with various props. They'll also learn the musicality and cultural context that are vital to appreciating this dance style. They can also expect to put on a coin belt and make some noise by shimmying in a low-pressure group of awesome humans.

Q: What are your favorite ways to stay healthy?

A: I keep active and de-stress through dance, including popping in to the other dance classes at TMA. I like to bike, garden, camp, and go on walks as much as I can. I have two kiddos, so I spend a lot of time getting fresh air at the playgrounds.

Q: What are your favorite hobbies or ways to spend your free time?

A: In my free time, I play music with my band, the Shifty Tellys. I'm also usually working on at least one costume, covering inanimate object in rhinestones, or working on a sewing project. When I have a quiet moment, I'll binge-read books.

Q: Coffee or tea drinker?

A: I'm both a coffee and tea drinker. I love a hot beverage, so I'll drink coffee and black tea in the mornings, and herbal teas at night. My go-to coffee order is a cortado. I've also been jamming on Turkish coffee and hibiscus tea since I went on a trip to Egypt at the beginning of the year.

Q: Any extra fun facts you’d like to share with your students?

A: Fun facts about me...I wear many hats and have a few more day jobs. I'm also a Girl Scout troop leader and an industrial seamstress, where I sew car wash awnings and pig sling for veterinary clinics.

Join Emily for Belly Dance every Friday at 5:45pm at The Movement Apothecary. Also keep a look out for any workshops she hosts at the studio and shows she performs in around town!

Blog by Hannah Rust and Emily Alligood