Belly dance had always been something I was interested in trying. About a year ago I was flipping through the GCC mailer catalog and saw that Leela offered a 6 week course. I took a chance, signed up, and I'm so glad I did! I had so much fun, I signed up for the next session before the first had even ended. Eventually I switched to her Tuesday night class because it's year round and there's no gap between sessions. Even then, I found myself looking forward to Tuesdays so much, I rejoined Monday nights as well. Both classes are full of all ages and ability levels. Leela starts off slow teaching the techniques and moves, gradually working up to speed and putting it to music. By the end of class, everyone is doing the choreography. Leela makes class so much fun. We dress up and take pictures to celebrate holidays. Be sure to let them know when your birthday is because we love celebrating birthdays each month. Everyone has been so welcoming. I've made so many amazing friends through Leela's Bellydance that I probably would never have come across in my normal day to day routine. Whether you're looking to learn a new skill, or just something fun to do to unwind once a week, I highly recommend checking out Leela Bellydance! read more

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What can I say? Leela was everything our group ever needed and wanted .She was more than just a belly dance instructor. She was kind, accommodating, professional and generous. Not to forget she is highly skilled as a dance instructor for belly dancing. We threw a 40th Bday bash for our sister and a group of girl cousins participated and we all had a ball! Leela brought her hip wraps and veils, had us choose which color we like and also taught us a lot of techniques . Taught us how to do the Zagareet. She was very funny and also very engaging! Her and her assistant Laurie were so amazing, I recommend them highly. read more

I've been taking belly dance with Leela for many years now. I always wanted to learn how to belly dance and finally I got the courage to try a class about 10 years ago. Leela inspires women to embrace their inner goddess within. Our troupe is a sisterhood. Regardless of your age, size or background all are welcome. Leela nurtures your creativity by embracing different dance forms and mixing them together for a whole bucket of fun. Sometimes after work I'm tired and I make myself go to class. When I leave there I have a big smile on my face and I'm so happy I was there to feel the joy and free my soul with a room full of beautiful women. read more

Leela and her amazing teaching skills helped me overcome my insecurities. Her classes are fun, I never thought I could do this! It's so freeing. She is beyond just a good teacher, she's kind, generous and MAGICAL! read more

I started first in Leela's Monday Night classes through GCC just because I wanted to mix up my fitness routine. I immediately fell in love with her positive teaching style that was challenging, but never made me feel pressured to be perfect. I actually started to look forward to Mondays because of her class! Slowly but surely, I improved and got the confidence to try my hand at actually participating in a performance with her troupe and the rest is history! It's so fun to be a part of such a positive group of women who support each other and work together to create joy and art! read more

I love taking dance from Leela! I've taken belly dance from other instructors who treated belly dance like a burlesque act, but not Leela. She's a class act. Besides being extremely knowledgeable about belly dance technique, she adds in different dance styles like Samba and Jazz to her choreography, so her classes have a wonderful flair. I highly recommend her class. read more

This past Saturday we celebrated a Girls Day Out for a cousins big 40th birthday celebration! We kicked off the day of celebrating with a "Learn To Belly Dance Party" with Leela and her assistant. This was a one hour long class. Leela provided all the beautiful costuming: colorful and fun hip scarves and scarves which we started the class with...selecting our costumes, the class and ended with a beautiful performance by Leela and then photo opps for the group! We had a great time and the event made for great memories with our group. Leela has everything you need for a turnkey group event...hip scarves, scarves, she even brought bottled water for the group and as well as little chocolate treats at the end. The scarves were all available for sale too in case you wanted a souvenir! Leela is a great teacher for any level, and very welcoming. She made it extremely easy for a big group to learn a routine. She is very personable and such a graceful dancer!!! I recommend this for any group event and all ages =) Thanks Leela! read more

Leela is such a phenomenal instructor, I just love her talent, creativity and fun loving personality. I have been attending Leela's classes for over three years, always feel welcomed and included. Belly dancing is such a beautiful and uplifting practice, makes my body sing. This class is a great place to learn the basics and choreography to go with it. We have such a blast! read more

So much fun! I have been taking classes with Leela off and on for many years and I always leave with a smile on my face. Lots of love and laughter, never judgement or a feeling of insecurity. If you're considering trying something new, or want to take your skills to the next level, it's all possible with Leela. Highly recommended, you won't be disappointed! read more

I would not recommend this place. The classroom is small and filled with too many people. The teacher takes your money without regard to class size. She then shoves you to the side to make room for her long term students. The dancing is not fluid. She can't even remember her own moves and has to constantly stop and restart to get it right. She yells at people and is generally unwelcoming. There are many other choices for belly dancing classes. read more

Leela has been voted Glendale's best dance teacher several years in a row. Her classes accommodate a wide range of abilities and offers performance opportunities. Her choreography is innovative, yet classic, fusing traditional belly dance with modern dance. She has a great deal of experience in dance and has produced many shows which have featured some of the most talented belly dance artists. If you want to learn belly dance from a real pro and have fun in the process, then Leela is your instructor. read more

Leela is a great teacher. Her classes are fun and inspiring. So fun to perform with.

I love Leela Bellydance. I look forward to class every week. I learn so much about technique, choreography and how to appreciate the body I have. Leela makes everyone in her classes feel welcome,beautiful and special. There is always such warmth in these classes. Its fun and joyful to be in that room with Leela. I love the diversity that Leela encourages in her classes. She makes you feel like there is nothing you cannot do..and that is a really special talent. read more

Leela teaches at different locations and offers several classes. She is just a gorgeous sexy woman with a lot of sass and fun! She moves like water and encourages us to play :) I love her energy and and she creates beauty with her body. And she's the only teacher who will call you (and everyone in the class lol) a beautiful mermaid and a sexy goddess! Love her! Go check out a class! Click on her site and watch her stuff on myspace and youtube. But it's way way more fun to just be with her in class! read more

Leela is the best!! Not only is she a fun and talented teacher, she really goes out of her way to make each lesson great experience! I've been in her classes for about 5 years now, both at the local Y and now in the dance studio, and I've learned a ton. The ladies who are part of her troupe are the best! We laugh, and shake off the stress of the day! I would recommend Leela to anyone who has interest in bellydance, or just wants a new form of exercise, because while you are having a blast in her class, you will feel the exercise in the morning! LOL! read more

Leela is a wonderful teacher and an amazing performer. Her classes are always a treat! She combines a lot of different techniques and works with all levels. I have seen students come in with zero experience and by the end of class, they are doing actual choreography! read more

I've taken Leela's classes for nearly 20 years, and I can honestly say that I have enjoyed each and every one. I am NOT remotely a performer and have never been part of any dance group, but Leela's classes are truly designed for every level, including beginners. There are always warm-ups, each new move is demonstrated, and she is especially good at breaking down new moves so that the steps are clear and easy to follow. Most important, Leela inspires us with her enthusiasm for this beautiful art form and with her excitement about sharing creative new dances. read more

Leela is among the smartest, quickest to learn, and most popular students I've ever had the pleasure of teaching. She's pure fun with lots of warmth and style, plus creative and entertaining both onstage and in class. Wonderful communication and social skills makes for a great way to enter the bellydance world with a wonderful instructor who presents the material very well while making you feel like one of the troupe. I say YES! read more

Our group hired Lela to learn belly dancing for a birthday party. She was a hoot! She made it easy for a big group to quickly learn and end up with a fine routine. She even helped us pose for pictures and provided awesome embellishments. Our pictures turned out awesome and everyone in our group had a blast. Thank you, Leela! read more

Leela jan (Dear), as I always call her, is my one and only Bellydance teacher. She breaks down the moves so that at the end of a 10 week session you will actually dance the whole choreographed piece all by yourself! She's incredible and I strongly recommend her classes. I love you Leela! read more

Yay Leela!!! I've danced with Leela since 2003, and still take a class at least once a year. She taught me how to make those moves that look like magic!! Leela leads everyone in her class to that space where you feel alive and beautiful, yes EVERYONE., read more

I have taken several of Leela's classes, a few workshops, and have performed in one of her shows. The classes are A LOT of fun! She explains all the moves in detail, and builds up to more complicated moves, so it's great for a beginner. In her series of classes and workshops, she teaches a complete choreography (usually to a 2-3 minute song) that is fun to perform for friends and/or spouses. The workshops are especially fun, since you get a whole dance in just 3 hours (this is great for people that can't make a class every week). Also, after taking a workshop, you can perform in one of her shows. Leela teaches cabaret-style bellydance (some other classes focus on tribal-style, and I personally prefer cabaret). During some class series she uses finger cymbals or a veil to complement the dance. Leela is very friendly, as are all of the women who take her classes. She has several 'regulars'. Even after I took a 2-year break, I still recognized many of the gals in class. The reasons I didn't give a 5-star rating: 1) sometimes the classes can move a bit slow if you already have experience 2) the classes are not always a great workout - but this depends partly on you too. read more

For my senior year in high school, I had to do a senior project and I chose to belly dance. Soon after, I found Leela Bellydance, and saw the fair prices and took a Bellydance course with her and others. Within a matter of 10 weeks, I learned a beautiful dance called Ice Princess, and performed it for my class and received a passing grade. I also performed with Leela for adults with special needs. She is very enthusiastic about teaching her skills to others and I was more than happy being able to learn and perform with her. I definately reccoment Leela if anyone is interested in learning how to Bellydance ! read more

A wonderful teacher and an inspirational dancer. Leela's greatest gift is that she makes belly dance accessable to everyone, whether you're a teenager or a grandmother- you'll soon be transformed into a dance goddess! Give her class a try - you'll be so glad you did! read more

Absolutely amazing! Super fun belly dancing teacher with all sorts of other styles thrown in including hooping! A total blast!

I have been performing in Leela's productions for six years now! No matter my schedule, I always make a point of being available for her shows. She is professional and also lends a personal touch to her production style so that everyone in the show feels valued and is able to perform at the top of their ability. This is evident in the audience reaction. The venues are always packed, whether on Hollywood Blvd or in the Valley. The show is entertaining, and makes you feel great. I am always inspired. All together, working with Leela is a pleasure. She has been invaluable to my start in Los Angeles. read more

Leela's artistry lies not only in her dance, but in her ability to teach, produce, and raise bellydance to another level. After attending classes with various other instructors I was lucky to have found Leela. I would never have learned to bellydance without her! She is able to integrate technique into a fun, creative, level appropriate dance which is broken down and taught to you step by step over the course of a session. Each course offers a new theme, dance and music - her creativity is inexhaustible! She is conscientious that we all have varied learning modalities, and caters to everyone by providing visual and verbal explanations as well as written notes so that you can practice at home. I (and many others) drove long distances to attend classes with Leela on a weekly basis - She is THE REAL DEAL! read more