Michelle Joyce is currently a working dancer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Formerly a social worker, she has used her counseling skills to develop workshops that help dancers to overcome stage fright, body image issues and and creative blockages.

In 2007, she edited and produced her first belly dance performance DVD, By Dancers For Dancers, a collaborative project by local dancers who had decided to stop waiting for someone else to "discover them" and took matters into their own hands. The success of this DVD launched Cheeky Girls Productions, a company that produces and distributes belly dance instructional and performance DVDs internationally.

She generously donates back to the belly dance world. Every holiday season she creates a $2,000 scholarship fund for dancers who are struggling with serious illness or caring for a sick loved one.

Career Highlights:

2011
Workshop and performance - Zagreb, Croatia
Workshop and performance - Torquay, England (Headliner at Celebrating Dance Festival)
Workshop and performance - Tulsa, Oklahoma
Workshop and performance - Boise, Idaho
Judge - Belly Dancer of the Year Competition

2010
Created Project Belly Dance (a reality show)
Judge - Belly Dance Nationals Competition

2009
Workshop and performance - Sydney, Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne, Australia
By Dancers For Dancers Live DVD Shoot - Berkeley, California
Club Med - Port St. Lucie, Florida

2008
Workshop and performance - Torquay, United Kingdom
Club Med - Ixtapa, Mexico
Workshop and performance - Zagreb, Croatia
Workshop and performance - Tokyo, Japan

2007
Founded Cheeky Girls Productions
Club Med - Columbus Isle, The Bahamas
Workshop and performance - Brisbane, Australia

2006
Gar Gazino - Istanbul, Turkey
Club Med - Antalya, Turkey
East Coast Classic Competition - 1st place - Virginia
Palace Grounds - Bangalore, India
North Valley Competition - 1st place

2005
Sirens in Sanity Competition - 1st place
People's Choice Awards - 1st place

2004: Tour of India

2003: Sayaji Hotel - Indore, India
1999: Lounge DandyD - Nagoya, Japan
1998: Orient Nightclub - Istanbul, Turkey

Michelle Joyce started her professional bellydance career while living in Istanbul, Turkey. She studied under Sema Yildiz, the Turkish dance legend, and became the headlining act at The Orient Nightclub in Istanbul in 1998.

In 1999, she moved to Australia, where she performed with the Harem Groove Bellydance Troupe in Brisbane.

While in Australia, she was recruited to bellydance at an upscale Japanese nightclub. She spent four months living in Nagoya, Japan, performing on a nightly basis.

New Years Eve 2003 was her infamous performance at the five star Sayaji Hotel in the conservative city of Indore, India, which sparked protests and a riot. Her sold-out show was aired live throughout India. To read more about Michelle's adventures in India, and the extremists who protested at her show, visit the Gilded Serpent or view the video podcast here.

Michelle has won several belly dance competitions including People's Choice Bellydance Awards (2004), Star Cabaret Performer (2006), Live Music Soloist (North Valley Compeition 2006), and East Coast Classic Champion (2006).

In 2007, she edited and produced her first belly dance performance DVD, By Dancers For Dancers, a collaborative project by local dancers who had decided to stop waiting for someone else to "discover them" and took matters into their own hands. The success of this DVD launched Cheeky Girls Productions, a company that produces and distributes belly dance instructional and performance DVDs internationally.

In 2010, she produced the world's first belly dance reality show, Project Belly Dance. It was distributed online and immediately went viral.

Michelle also designs websites and promotional material for fellow dancers. See samples of her work here.

Michelle frequently travels around the world to perform and to teach workshops.

Her critically acclaimed line of belly dance instructional DVDs continue to be top sellers worldwide.

Michelle is currently the house bellydancer at several Middle Eastern restaurants and nightclubs in the San Francisco Bay Area.

She is an experienced dance teacher and certified personal trainer, and has always been very active in sports, gymnastics and dance. She spent many years doing gymnastics on horseback, for which she has won several national awards.

Michelle has a Masters in Counseling, and though she belly dances full-time, she uses her counseling skills to help dancers overcome stage fright and to improve their performance skills.