Today we’d like to introduce you to Yulianna Voronina
Hi Yulianna, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started my dance journey at the age of 4, practicing ballet and ballroom dancing, and at 13, I began studying belly dance. After finishing school, I enrolled in both choreography and economics universities in Ukraine. In 2007, I opened my own dance school, Empire, where more than 200 students learned belly dance, and I became the Ukrainian champion in belly dance. I won hundreds of championships in Ukraine and abroad. In 2009, my team and I became world champions in belly dance.
Belly dance completely changed my life. Thanks to belly dance, I started receiving invitations as an instructor to conduct masterclasses, and I visited more than 50 countries, training over 30,000 dancers.
I organized two large-scale international festivals in Ukraine – “Orient Empire” in the city of Odesa. Dancers from 21 countries participated in the festival.
I never imagined that my hobby could turn into a dream job that would bring me high earnings. I made more money than I could have ever imagined: I bought expensive real estate, cars, traveled the world, and can now afford anything I want. Dance made me stronger, helped me lose weight, made me more feminine and confident. For 18 years, I have been teaching at the world’s largest festivals and in my own school, Empire.
My students have achieved outstanding results: they have become world champions and won prestigious international festivals. Thanks to me, hundreds of women have learned to love and accept themselves, lost excess weight, and normalized their metabolism and digestive system. Belly dance has a beneficial effect on digestion, women’s health, and prepares the female body for childbirth, while also helping women recover quickly after giving birth.
Thanks to dance, people lose weight, become happier and healthier, and are filled with energy and strength.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There were temporary inconveniences when COVID hit. Before COVID, I had a dance school and conducted masterclasses at festivals in different countries around the world. But when the lockdown started, everything was shut down. However, COVID did not break me—I completely transitioned my offline lessons to online lessons, launched online courses for instructors and dancers of different levels and ages.
My online lessons brought me more than $35,000, and the courses are still being purchased to this day, remaining highly popular. And despite the fact that I became pregnant and gave birth to my daughter during COVID, thanks to my online belly dance course, I was able to earn a great income. Belly dancing helped me quickly regain my physical shape, and I lost 62lb
When COVID ended, I was in excellent physical condition, resumed traveling, and started giving masterclasses again.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I help women become more feminine, graceful, and confident, accept themselves, and love themselves. The most important thing is that any girl or woman, at any age, can practice belly dance.
Belly dance is not dangerous or traumatic—in fact, it helps solve many health-related issues. Unlike other dance styles that have restrictions on height, age, or weight, belly dance is for everyone!
I don’t just teach movements—I help reveal each student’s charisma, identify their strengths, and develop them. We work with energy, expression, and I teach them how to convey emotions.
I have a unique style and teaching methodology in belly dance. I create complex choreographies that win competitions while adhering to the rules and traditions of Egyptian dance. This is why dancers are eager to learn from me.
What are your plans for the future?
I plan to develop belly dance in the USA and have already created the Empire show group in Dallas, Texas. I also aim to establish show groups in different states, and I already have partners in several states. Additionally, I want to provide job opportunities for American dancers, open a large belly dance studio, and create a creative space for women’s gatherings and workshops.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @yulianna_voronina_bellydancer
- Facebook: Yulianna Voronina
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@yuliannavoroninabellydance?si=3LC-nYzQSvyaU988
