Stefanie Masters Instructor & Coach
She is the creator of the DFTS Masters Method for Health, Healing, & Living™ and the DFTS Format of Improvisational Belly Dance. She is certified in Health & Nutritional Coaching, Massage Therapy, Meditation, Yoga, Breathwork, and Dance.
She is a professional and award-winning Belly Dance performer, and has been featured in Time Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Journal Sentinel, M Magazine, and Belly Dance: A Raqs Sharqi Magazine.
She developed the Dance for the Soul (DFTS) teacher training format and was one of the first Belly Dance schools to have been approved at the State level by the Educational Approval Board.
Stefanie has been practicing holistic modalities in health and healing for over 30 years, and with this experience brings a unique and holistic approach to all her classes, workshops, and one on one coaching sessions. She is passionate about teaching her students and clients the benefits of integrative nutrition, lifestyle change, meditation, yoga, dance, and traditional fitness. She helps them understand and redesign the way they think in order to create a life that is balanced, magical, and filled with joy!
Stefanie has been featured in staged shows, weddings, benefits, and events throughout Alaska, California, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Having participated in the 2007 Midwest Belly Dance Challenge and awarded 2nd place she returned the following year as a judge. She performed weekly at Shiraz Persian Restaurant and at the Wisconsin and Alaska State Fairs, and graced the stage in 2006 with The Mutaytor at Summer Fest.
In 2007 while working on a special project with the ladies of Trillium, Jennifer Nolan, Marie Kaplan, and Traci Roberts, Stefanie was introduced to FatChanceBellyDance. She fell in love with the aspect of group improvisational dance and began her search for a teacher. After pursuing her own continued education, she received instructor certification in Kajira’s Djoumahna’s BlackSheep Dance, SGI Format. She was also invited to be featured in Kajira’s Level One and Level Two Instructional DVD’s, that are sold internationally. Stefanie continues to maintain a high level of integrity and continuity for the format, allowing her to help her students delve deeper into the aspects of building a connection to each other, and ultimately allowing healing and joy to manifest in the body and heart through dance.
Although a professional performer, Stefanie’s true passion is helping individuals facilitate their own healing by creating a safe and supportive environment and combining healing techniques with the power of movement. By teaching self-confidence through posture, breathwork, and movement, she helps individuals realize the beauty and power they hold within themselves to make positive, and lasting change.
Biography
Stefanie is the owner of Dance for the Soul - a dance and wellness studio dedicated to creating a space where everyone, regardless of age, gender, experience, or background can feel seen, supported, and free to move their bodies!
Through the power of movement, breath, and lifestyle change, she helps people heal and transform from within - nurturing the body, mind, and spirit.
The Journey
The dance is very personal & spiritual for Stefanie. Her philosophy is “The dance will always bring us back to the heart.” She believes deeply in the healing power of self-expression through movement.
Stefanie’s journey to helping others started with her own need to find help. Experiencing debilitating and chronic pain since early childhood, her parents sought out traditional medicine first. Seeing none of this succeed they shifted gears and took a different route through non-traditional healing. Utilizing chiropractic care, massage therapy, meditation, Craniosacral Therapy, and Shamanism practices, to name a few, Stefanie started to see results.
As Stefanie became an adult, she tailored her education around health, nutrition, the psychology of chronic pain management, meditation, yoga, massage therapy and other modalities to gain a deeper insight into her own healing process. It wasn’t until she started combining her educational background with dance and breathwork that things really started to shift for her.
Stefanie's mother, instilling in her the passion for dance at a young age, originally introduced Stefanie to Belly Dance. After starting her educational training in holistic therapy years later, she could to see the value in combining these modalities with Belly Dance. Teaching and performing professionally since 2000 she combines many differernt healing modalities with Belly Dance for a unique way to transform and heal.
With more than 20 certifications in health and healing Stefanie is dedicated to helping you reclaim your inner spark and passion for life!
Whether you are looking for a unique way to move your body through Belly Dance, or personalized programs in yoga, meditation, breathwork, or integrative nutrition and lifestyle coaching - Stefanie can help you bridge the gap between where you are now and where you want to go.
Utilizing her extensive training background and unique talents to get to the heart of any challenge, she can help you gain a clear understanding of where you are and where you want to go, assist in building your success plan, hold you accountable, and help you reach your goals.
Stefanie’s journey to a pain free and joy filled existence took many roads. Each one valuable in its own right. Let her help you find yours.
Education & Training
Stefanie’s lifelong dedication to movement, healing, and holistic living is reflected in more than three decades of study across dance, psychology, wellness, and the healing arts. Her work blends body, mind, and spirit—creating an integrative approach to wellness, empowerment, and self-expression.
Stefanie has been studying dance for over 25 years, attending workshops, classes, and seminars focused on different styles of Belly Dance. She is currently studying at Datura Online, focused on Datura Style Belly Dance and FCBD formats.
She is currently studying with Robbins-Madanes Training, deepening her work in transformational coaching and human behavior. Stefanie is also pursuing a B.A. in Psychology from South University Online (Milwaukee, WI, expected 2027).
Certifications & Licensing
Health & Wellness
Yin Yoga Continuing Education, Yoga Renew — Milwaukee, WI (2025)
Health & Nutrition Coach, Institute for Integrative Nutrition — New York, NY (2021)
Whole Food Plant-Based Cooking Certification, Forks Over Knives — Milwaukee, WI (2020)
Meditation & Prana Teaching Certification, Transformation Meditation — Milwaukee, WI (2013)
Certified & Registered Yoga Teacher, Feel Your Best Yoga Studio & Teacher Training Facility — Mequon, WI (2006)
Dance & Fitness
Zumba Fitness Instructor — Milwaukee, WI (2009)
Teaching Certification Level One, Kajira Djoumahna, Continued Education in Dance & Music — Sebastopol, CA (2008)
Teaching Certification Level Two, Kajira Djoumahna, Continued Education in Dance & Music — Sebastopol, CA (2008)
Fitness Instructor, Professional Career Development Institute, School of Allied Health (2007)
Massage Therapy & Bodywork
Massage Birth Doula Certification, The Somatic Institute — West Bend, WI (2006)
Pre & Postnatal Massage Therapy Certification, The Somatic Institute — West Bend, WI (2006)
AK Certified & Licensed Massage Therapist, Gatekey Health & Professional Center — Anchorage, AK (1996)
Specialized certificates in:
Lymphatic Massage
Zen Shiatsu
Touch for Health
Reiki I & II
Reflexology
Massage & Bodywork Sciences
Inner Child Psychology
Business Principles & Ethics, Community Outreach
Massage I with Human Sciences Certification, Gatekey Health & Professional Center — Anchorage, AK (1993)
Cranio-Sacral Therapy Level One Certification, Upledger Institute for Cranio-Sacral Therapy — Anchorage, AK (1992)
Fashion & Business
Image Consulting Certification, Fashion Stylist Institute — Milwaukee, WI (2015)
Business Course, University of Alaska — Anchorage, AK (1999)
Ongoing Growth
Stefanie continues to study and evolve her teaching through advanced education in dance training, anatomy, coaching, and integrative movement practices—bringing both wisdom and heart to every class, client, and community experience.