Christine Perez speaks a universal language.

“Belly dancing is one of the most beautiful art forms,” says Christine Perez, who has been dancing with Simone Belly Dancing since February. “It uplifts women of all walks of life.”

Christine should know. At age 23, she has already backpacked through Asia. There, she taught English, climbed Mt. Fuji, earned her scuba-diving certification in Malaysia, became certified in Thai massage, and experimented with acupuncture in China.

She solicits cheers from onlookers at Casbah Café, one of the venues Simone frequents, but Christine had never taken a dance class before joining the belly dancing troupe.

“Dance is a raw element of the human state,” she says. “When you watch someone moving, the message is universally understood. For most art, you have to be educated to appreciate it.”

Christine has spent most of her life educating herself and pursuing the art of writing. She went to Florida State University for Creative Writing.