MOON is a contemporary belly dance company based in Columbia, MO. It is the formal joining of Moon Belly Dance Studio's previous two dance collectives: The DragonFlies Dance Company and Moon Belly Ensemble. Rooted in belly dance technique, artistic director, Kandice Grossman, explores the fusion of contemporary movement, emotional expression, theater, yoga, gesture and the senses. Performances are a unique, sensorial experience that feature original choreography, music and costumes. Recurring themes are the meeting point between earthly experiences and mystical phenomena, the cyclical female experience of maiden, mother and crone, dream messages and signs, and love of self and others. All work has a feminist consciousness underpinning. MOON is a community based company. Members are selected by artistic director Kandice Grossman and include a wide range of dancers in experience level. Principle dancers, aka The DragonFlies, are the most advanced students at Moon Belly Dance Studio and serve as leaders in the company. Building upon a foundation of strong technique, members develop as a group and as individual artists within the company.
Kandice Grossman
Kandice Grossman began studying belly dance in 1996 and has studied with some of the nation’s most renowned teachers. She is Level 3 certified in the Jamila Salimpour technique and is currently working toward her level 4 certification in the Suhaila Salimpour technique, with the renowned Suhaila Salimpour School of Dance in Berkeley, CA. In 2001, she completed a Master’s degree in Women’s Studies with a dissertation on the relationship between feminism and belly dance at the University of Manchester, UK. Her study of feminist theory and women’s empowerment is continuously weaved into her love of teaching dance. Kandice founded Moon Belly Dance Studio in 2002. In 2003, Kandice founded The DragonFlies Dance Company and, in 2005, Moon Belly Dance Ensemble. In 2015 she joined both company's into what is now MOON dance company and is the artistic director and head choreographer. Kandice’s background and love of a variety of dance styles and theatre is evident in her unique, story-like fusion choreographies. In 2014, Kandice became a 200 hour certified yoga instructor at Urban Breath Yoga in St. Louis, MO. Yoga is constantly fused into her teaching and practice. www.kandiceg.com
Nicole Beasley
Holding a BFA in Theatre/ Dance Minor, she has studied Ballet, Jazz, and Tap for over twenty years. During her college career, Nicole fell in love with Modern, Hip Hop, and Contemporary dance forms. Those studies also led her to explore cultural dance including West African and Classical Indian Dance. It was there she also met and married a musician. After graduating, Nicole began her study of Belly Dance in 2005 with Kandice Grossman. She quickly became a Moon Company Member and has been a lead teacher and principle dancer since 2010. Nicole has also served as Assistant Director, Choreographer and Costume Consultant for Moon Company. Having trained in pilates, yoga, and calisthenics, Nicole was attracted to the internal structure of the Salimpour formats. Nicole has studied with international artists such as Zoe Jakes, Amy Sigil and is continuing her certification in the Salimpour formats. Drawing from her artistic rock and roll lifestyle, Nicole loves to fuse theatrics, contemporary dance, and a little funk for her own style. She is forever grateful to Kandice and Moon Company.
Jennifer Parsons
Outside of a few scattered lessons as a small child, Jennifer began belly dancing in 2005 with almost no prior dance training. Today, she is proudly a Salimpour School certified dancer (Suhaila Level 2 and Jamila Level 1, with more hopefully to come), and became a principle dancer 2015. She also is studying to be a yoga teacher at Yoga Sol in Columbia, and is amazed to find that as her yoga practice has deepened and grown, how her understanding of dance has expanded as well. Jennifer frequently draws upon her love of literature, history, and drama for insight in her performances, but constantly finds that her greatest inspiration is her fellow dancers in the MOON Dance Company.
Alicia Ludden-Schlatter
Alicia has had a lifelong passion for dance and creative movement. As a child she studied ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, and lyrical, and became a competitive dancer and dance instructor in high school. She discovered belly dance in 2010 and immediately fell in love due to its beauty, artistry, and the unique technical skills it requires. She has been a member of the Dragonflies since 2015 and has served as choreographer and assistant artistic director. Alicia is delighted to be a MOON instructor and bring the joy of belly dance to her students!
Kandice Grossman
Kandice Grossman began studying belly dance in 1996 and has studied with some of the nation’s most renowned teachers. She is Level 3 certified in the Jamila Salimpour technique and is currently working toward her level 4 certification in the Suhaila Salimpour technique, with the renowned Suhaila Salimpour School of Dance in Berkeley, CA. In 2001, she completed a Master’s degree in Women’s Studies with a dissertation on the relationship between feminism and belly dance at the University of Manchester, UK. Her study of feminist theory and women’s empowerment is continuously weaved into her love of teaching dance. Kandice founded Moon Belly Dance Studio in 2002. In 2003, Kandice founded The DragonFlies Dance Company and, in 2005, Moon Belly Dance Ensemble. In 2015 she joined both company's into what is now MOON dance company and is the artistic director and head choreographer. Kandice’s background and love of a variety of dance styles and theatre is evident in her unique, story-like fusion choreographies. In 2014, Kandice became a 200 hour certified yoga instructor at Urban Breath Yoga in St. Louis, MO. Yoga is constantly fused into her teaching and practice. www.kandiceg.com
Nicole Beasley
Holding a BFA in Theatre/ Dance Minor, she has studied Ballet, Jazz, and Tap for over twenty years. During her college career, Nicole fell in love with Modern, Hip Hop, and Contemporary dance forms. Those studies also led her to explore cultural dance including West African and Classical Indian Dance. It was there she also met and married a musician. After graduating, Nicole began her study of Belly Dance in 2005 with Kandice Grossman. She quickly became a Moon Company Member and has been a lead teacher and principle dancer since 2010. Nicole has also served as Assistant Director, Choreographer and Costume Consultant for Moon Company. Having trained in pilates, yoga, and calisthenics, Nicole was attracted to the internal structure of the Salimpour formats. Nicole has studied with international artists such as Zoe Jakes, Amy Sigil and is continuing her certification in the Salimpour formats. Drawing from her artistic rock and roll lifestyle, Nicole loves to fuse theatrics, contemporary dance, and a little funk for her own style. She is forever grateful to Kandice and Moon Company.
Jennifer Parsons
Outside of a few scattered lessons as a small child, Jennifer began belly dancing in 2005 with almost no prior dance training. Today, she is proudly a Salimpour School certified dancer (Suhaila Level 2 and Jamila Level 1, with more hopefully to come), and became a principle dancer 2015. She also is studying to be a yoga teacher at Yoga Sol in Columbia, and is amazed to find that as her yoga practice has deepened and grown, how her understanding of dance has expanded as well. Jennifer frequently draws upon her love of literature, history, and drama for insight in her performances, but constantly finds that her greatest inspiration is her fellow dancers in the MOON Dance Company.
Alicia Ludden-Schlatter
Alicia has had a lifelong passion for dance and creative movement. As a child she studied ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, and lyrical, and became a competitive dancer and dance instructor in high school. She discovered belly dance in 2010 and immediately fell in love due to its beauty, artistry, and the unique technical skills it requires. She has been a member of the Dragonflies since 2015 and has served as choreographer and assistant artistic director. Alicia is delighted to be a MOON instructor and bring the joy of belly dance to her students!
Moon Belly Dance Studio is owned and operated by Kandice Grossman