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Alicia Dhanifu Bellydancing: A History & An Art (1979) Alicia Dhanifu is a college educator and performing artist. She directed, produced, wrote and appeared in the documentary, Bellydancing — a History & an Art, while a student at UCLA. As co-producer of Penitentiary, she has been a guest speaker at the Rotterdam and Florence film festivals. Dhanifu also wrote, produced, and directed the American scenes of the Italian drama, Summer Affair. Dhanifu wrote, produced and served as host for the cable television series, “Fitness for You,” which featured celebrity guests. She was the writer, producer, and director of "To Be Young Today's Musical Drama," which premiered to standing ovations in a special presentation in Atlanta in 1990, in Brunswick, Georgia, and at the University of Arkansas in the Hathaway Theater in 2000. She was the first American to be hired at Creative Production and Television Company in Kingston, Jamaica, writing, producing and directing projects that were distributed throughout the Caribbean. Her work there included an series of three Environmental infomercials on coastal resources; "Building Bridges, a program sponsored by UNESCO that addressed issues concerning gender bias against women who worked in non-traditional jobs in the Caribbean; and the documentary Meadowbrook United Church, which highlighted the scope and reach of the church's diverse outreach programs. She currently teaches language arts and performing arts in the Los Angeles Community College District, primarily at Los Angeles City College. She is also the writer, producer, and director of the Fitness and Fun Instructional Series. As a wellness/lifestyle consult, she offers multicultural life skills and educational seminars and workshops. Dhanifu is a member of SAG, AFTRA and the American Federation of Teachers.