Meet Veronica Lynn | Belly Dance Artist & Choreographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Veronica Lynn and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Veronica, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The most important ingredient in the success of my dance practice is the network of friends and artistic co-conspirators that I have developed over long years. Growing those relationships is a years-long process but the pay off is enormous! There are no true “solo” artists: we all benefit from the support of friends, and lean on the talents of others who excel in areas that complement our own work; musicians, designers, videographers, costumers, emcees, and of course other dancers, are the people who make the work possible. Community is everything. Without a network of artists and professionals to lean on, I would not be able coordinate big projects and put on great shows. Community connection is the most important factor behind my success.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
A long time ago in a galaxy not so far away, called Tampa Bay, Florida, I first laid eyes on fusion belly dance. Seeing a troupe of belly dancers performing to live music at the Renaissance faire impacted fifteen-year-old me in a most profound way. Immediately I sought out the tutelage of a local teacher, Lacey Sanchez, and within a year I resolved that I wanted to be a belly dancer when I grew up.

I still haven’t grown up, but I have faithfully continued on my chosen path. My journey began with moving alone to Austin, Texas at 18, and starting my career by performing for $50 a night at a Mediterranean restaurant. Despite the pay I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to perform there, as it’s where I began sowing the seeds that later blossomed into wonderful artistic relationships and friendships. At that restaurant I met a band that I began to perform with in the local festival circuit, then one member of that band invited me to perform with his OTHER band at their weekly residency in a downtown venue, and there I met some other dancers who invited me to perform with them, and so on.

Eventually that same downtown venue became the first place I ever produced my own dance show. That show was a pivotal moment for my career: the feeling of seeing all of these incredible artists together, sharing a stage with them and experiencing what “community” really means, was a moment of realization that this would be my mission within the realm of dance. If we’re not having fun, what’s the point? Since that first event, I have continued to produce ensemble shows and facilitate workshops both in Austin and in Los Angeles. The gathering of the shimmying masses: that is my calling.

In 2020, my husband and I moved from Austin to Los Angeles. There is an incredible scene of dance artists in Southern California and I am so grateful to have joined this community. I perform as a solo artist and I also direct a dance company, Disco Iskandar, that is touring in January 2023. I teach fusion belly dance classes in Torrance and produce dance shows in the LA area. In addition to my solo pursuits, I am also a member of the long-standing dance company The Sahlala Dancers directed by Jill Collins.

I am so, so excited to be taking Disco Iskandar on the road this January! We are touring twelve cities in the South– maybe we’ll see you there! This is the biggest passion project of my career so far– it is a full length show with many varieties of belly dance, props, a set, and an incredible cast of dancers including Liz Azi, Ariel Celeste, and Devin Alfather. I have choreographed the majority of the pieces in the show, and I’m fortunate to be able to work with other Los Angeles area choreographers to put together a truly diverse and unique production. The tour runs from January 6th 2023 to January 25th 2023.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Stop number one is Korean barbecue in K-town! The food is absolutely my favorite thing about living in Los Angeles. I cannot emphasize enough how amazing the Korean barbecue is here. Following that feast might be a stop at a burlesque show, in Hollywood or downtown LA. My favorite burlesque show in town is the weekly Belle Book & Candle show in Silverlake. Additionally, any time Dita von Teese or Donna Hood are performing, I’ll drag all my friends along with me to go see them. My favorite spot for breakfast is Eggslut at Grand Central Market in downtown. I’d follow that with a trip to the flower district, then a stroll through the fashion district. It really is a wonder of the world and it defies description– one must see it in person to understand. I am a frequent patron of Alamo Drafthouse in downtown. After you see a movie at Alamo, no other movie theater will be the same again.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Community is everything! There are so many people that have impacted me along the way. My partners in dance who are both my teachers and my friends, among them Devin Alfather, Hannah Lily, April Rose, Ariel Celeste, Liz Azi, Jill Collins, Colleen Pannell, and many others that deserve more than I can ever repay them! Rose Movement Studio, Wild Garden Dance, and The Sahlala Dancers are institutions to whom I owe a great deal of thanks for helping shape me as a dancer.

Website: veronicalynndance.com , discoiskandar.com

Instagram: @veronicalynn_xo

Facebook: facebook.com/veronicalynnxo

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs9ubd-lqVHztT5UrYdvoww

Image Credits
Yellow/blue pic and orange costume pic by Jason Harpole Red pic by Sequoia Emmanuelle Flamingo Cantina group shot (bottom) by Heather Mason