Serena has been dancing since she was 6 years old, studying ballet and jazz with instructor Rhonda McCulloch in her hometown of Stettler, Alberta.  In the fall of 1999 Serena moved to Calgary, Alberta to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in Contemporary dance at the University of Calgary.  After receiving her degree in 2003, Serena turned to Middle Eastern Dance and began extensive training with various artists across Canada and internationally.  Her deep interest in this art form is derived from her Egyptian heritage.  Though born and raised in Canada, Serena's mother, Nervine, was born in Cairo, Egypt, and currently teaches and performs belly dance professionally. Through the course of her belly dance training, Serena discovered she has an innate emotional connection to Arabic music and culture. Combining this connection with her powerful stage presence, Serena has developed her own personal style  that reflects grace, beauty and genuine artistry.  

Serena continues to perform professionally both as a soloist and with the Little Fish Belly Dance Company in Calgary under the artistic direction of her teacher, Jumanah.  Her performance highlights include the International Belly Dance Conference of Canada held in Toronto; she performed an acclaimed duet with her mother in the 2007 Main Stage event, as well as solo performances in 2008 and 2010.  In March of 2010, Serena debuted her first solo performance outside of Canada at the Randa Kamel seminar hosted by Little Egypt in Washington, DC.  In addition to stage performances, Serena provides belly dance entertainment for weddings, birthdays,  stagette and dinner parties as well as some corporate events. As a troupe member of the Little Fish, she has been in numerous Calgary events such as  "Bellies for Breast Cancer", and has hosted workshop seminars featuring Aziza. The Little Fish are actively involved in the Calgary belly dance community, performing in several shows hosted by fellow belly dancers and troupes.

 

Utilizing her BA dance degree, Serena has choreographed theatre performances for some of Calgary's popular dance shows.  Her choreographies include the exploration of Middle Eastern and Contemporary/Jazz dance fusion, and has showcased her work in Dance Montage 2007 & 2008 and Alberta Dance Explosions 2008.