About

Welcome to Ishtar Dance

The Ishtar Dance & Performance Academy was founded in 2009 by me Dorte, an international professional dancer, performer and teacher. It has since evolved to become a more encompassing school focussing on Wellness, Mindful and Somatic Movement Practises as well as dance and performance mentoring.

What can Ishtar Dance teach me?

What you need to learn depending on where you are on your dance and movement journey. I work with students come from all walks of life and their goals are all different.

Some come for a fun workout and wellbeing class, for others this becomes an important part of their regular self-care, as dance is scientifically proven to lower stress and improve physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

Others come to improve their posture or simply feel more confident, and some go on to perform publicly, whether that’s on a stage or in a boardroom. No matter what the background or goal is, I ensure my students and clients become the best they can possibly be and move forwards with their confidence and dreams.

Dance is really an analogy for life and all the skills that are taught in one of my movement classes are directly transferable to other parts of life. So if you’d like to learn the tools and techniques to support you, and also gain the confidence and knowledge to deliver a good performance and loose yourself in the fun of life, then you are in the right place!

Find out more on my blog.

Dance and Performance credentials

Having studied music, drama and dance since the age of 2, I started performing professionally as a dancer and actress from the age of 14, and have since been known for my strong stage presence skills. I later worked as a theatre choreographer, which teamed with my extensive training in Ballroom, Latin, Jazz and Middle Eastern dance, has given me a unique approach to not only performing but also teaching dance at a Master Teacher level. See a full list of my dance qualifications and achievements here.

Having travelled and worked all over the world, including Egypt, I moved to England in 2004. I have featured on national British television, been on the cover of various dance magazines including MOSAIC. I holds the only nationally recognised Belly Dance teaching qualification (JWAAD), but am also a trained educationalist and performer with a Honours Degree and Masters from University of the Arts, London.

In 2009 I started running regular classes and workshops throughout the South East, and also became a much sought after speaker on all things dance, including the history and culture surrounding Oriental Dance and Bollywood.

In 2011 I became a member of the celebrated performance group Johara, and featured in various staged performances in London as well as further afield, and was also shortly a member of Company of Dreams. After the arrival of my son, I decided to scale down my performance activity and started focussing more on the physical, mental and emotional impact of dance and mindful movement.

I specialise in Egyptian and postnatal Belly Dance, but also masters Turkish, Folklore and Fusion variations of the dance, as well as Bollywood, Ballroom and Latin.

I am also a Mindfulness, Meditation and Breath Work Teacher, and have studied Yoga and Somatic Movement extensively.

In 2019 I was invited to join the Harmony in Health Project in association with The College of Medicine, London, and the Harmony Project, as set out by the then HRH Prince Charles.

In 2022, I became a Director of Bellydance Now, an international organisation passionate about expanding the awareness, quality and benefits of this ancient art of dance.

Visit the gallery for more dance photos and videos. Read more about my dance experience here.

Want to know more?

Here are 5 random facts about me:

I was born and raised in Denmark, but have travelled and lived all over the world and speak 5 different languages [although not all of them equally good!].
I’m partly pescatarian, although I also eat ‘happy’ poultry, which has been raised in human and ideally organic and free range conditions [because growing up on a farm taught me to cherish animals and their welfare].
I’ve got a green belt in Jiu-Jitsu and have attended the Danish Open in Martial Arts.
I used to write and sing my own songs and even released a CD back in 2003.
I’m passionate about wildlife and nature, and believe we need to do more to help our planet and therethrough ultimately ourselves. I use a lot of ancient and Nordic wisdom in my Soul Coaching work and you can find out more either through my separate website or follow me on Instagram at @sustainablyhappyme