Our Instructors

Founder and director of Melbourne Belly Dancing Space Coast, established in December 2016. Originally from Louisiana, Zaira built a distinguished career in Dallas, Texas, and in New England, where she founded and directed a successful dance school and performed as the house dancer at many well-known Greek and Turkish restaurants.

Bringing her experience and passion for Middle Eastern dance to Florida, she has cultivated a vibrant community dedicated to artistic excellence and cultural appreciation. Since opening the studio, Zaira has taught, mentored, and collaborated with many talented students and instructors across the Space Coast and the US, and teaches at festivals such as the Bayou Belly Dance Festival in Lafayette, Louisiana.

She remains deeply grateful to the dance family, teachers, and supporters who are part of her journey.

Born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, Marcelly graduated in economics and worked for years in business, but was always drawn to the unknown, the mystical, and the exotic.

When she finally followed that pull, she began belly dancing and teaching yoga, deepening her studies in yoga, dance, and education. After an intensive 500-hour yoga teacher training she founded her first yoga studio, the COGU Collective, and later Ayurvelas, a handmade natural cosmetics line.

Since 2019 Marcelly has lived in Palm Bay, Florida, where she continues her studies in Odissi (Indian classical temple dance-drama), hatha yoga, and Middle Eastern dance.

Rachel began her dance journey as part of her injury rehabilitation and soon discovered a deep love for raqs sharqi, classical Egyptian belly dance. Drawn to the grace and allure of the Golden Era, she finds inspiration in the legendary Taheyya Kariokka.

She is a proud member of the Melbourne Belly Dance Performance Troupe. She has trained under Zaira, Marcelly, and Samarah, and in workshops with Ansuya, David Abraham, Fernanda, Janelle Isis, Marta Korzun, Naimah, and Samantha Diaz.

Rachel looks forward to continuing her dance journey and shimmying with you!