A short history of who I am…

I am Ziah McKinney, a middle aged, Disabled, Queer, Full Spectrum Doula, that has specialized in advocacy. My other loves are being a dance instructor, food forest gardener and a mom.

In 1998 when I came to Atlanta I became a dance company director and award winning event producer, creating safe and brave spaces for Femme, LGBTQI, BIPOC, and MEHNAT people. and I continue to teach the longest continually running bellydance classes in the area. I originally found my way into bellydance after spending my teen and college years looking for an exercise form that strengthened my fragile, Disabled body that was continually in pain. My family’s disabilities, and diagnosis 25 years later with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome/EDS, has led me to the world of Patient Advocacy and training in the ECHO programs with the Ehlers Danlos Society. My infertility, miscarriages, and subsequent birth of my daughter, plus a wide variety of experiences with family and friends’ reproductive and birth experiences, lead me into research and involvement in the Reproductive Rights Movement. I have slowly grown to understand that the Reproductive Justice work my family did when I was young, along with my own medical advocacy, work on creating safe and brave spaces for people in order to feel free to move their body to music, and disability advocacy studies were all funneling me into being a Full Spectrum Doula. 

Disabled white woman, smiling with glasses, in red leggings and a blue v neck top with black boots sitting in a small chair, background is a green bush. There is a brown wood table with childbirth educational books and teaching materials.
Ziah in a red and orange bellydance costume, dancing on a stage with a flame colored fan veil. Backdrop is purple with gold swirls.
Disabled white woman, smiling with glasses, in zebra leggings and a purple v neck top with black boots squatting on the ground, background is a green bush.
  • Birthing Advocacy Doula Training Certified Full Spectrum Doula

    Certifications

    Birth Advocacy Doula Training/ BADT- Full Spectrum Doula

    Birth Advocacy Doula Training/BADT- Childbirth Education

    "Dancing for Birth™" Training- Dance for Pre and Post Natal health, Birth Education, and Optimal Fetal Positioning

    Massage Therapist with over 25 years experience

    Dance Instructor with over 25 years pedagogy trainings and certifications

    Read more about Doula Support
  • Evidence Based Birth® Instructor

    Trainings

    Evidence Based Birth®- Childbirth Education Instructor

    Birth Advocacy Doula Training/BADT- Birth and Disability Workshop

    Birthing From Within- Crossing the Threshold

    Seahorses and Unicorns: Trans Birth for Birthworkers with Trystan Angel Reese

    Reclaim the PostPartum webinar w/ Layla B

    Birth Arts International in person Doula Training w/ Kira Kimble

    Ehlers Danlos Syndrome/EDS Society ECHO Clinician's Advocacy Training

    Minding My Birthing Business, Kuluntu Reproductive Justice Center- training to build inclusive businesses.

    Salimpour School- Suhaila and Jamila Level 1 Trainings

    Fat Chance Group Improv Level 1 Training

    Read more about Childbirth education classes
  • Dancing for Birth I danced my baby into the world

    Specialties

    Patient Advocacy

    LGBTI+, BIPOC and MEHNAT Support

    Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) Support

    Dance Movement Teacher

    Event Production

    Unique Religious Affiliations

    Public Speaking

    Learn more about Birth Dance Clasess

Why do I dance?

I began bellydance classes as a young college kid when I was trying various forms of exercise for to strengthen and support my poorly put together body. Bellydance was the perfect blend of low impact, gentle joint articulation, endorphin releasing, solo practician, repeated movement, and personal pursuit that was perfect for my (as yet undiagnosed) Ehlers Danlos/EDS body. During class, because of the endorphins, I was not in pain plus I was slowly building strength in my joints. Through my teachers and friends I developed an intense love for the Middle Eastern, Hellenic, North African, Turkic (MEHNAT) and Indian cultures, community, music, and food.

I began teaching bellydance over 25 years ago and started a dance company shortly after that. I dance every single day for strengthening, pain relief, and sheer joy of the control I have over my body to physically express the music I hear. I plan to dance until the end of my days.

My Birth Dance classes grew out of incorporating my life of using dance for therapy, with my Reproductive Justice Doula studies, and studying Dancing for Birth™. My unique experiences in Disability support, decades of professional dance instruction, and my multiple certifications in Birthwork and Childbirth Education/CBE. Each class has some Childbirth Education/CBE components, dance instruction, and group question and answer time. Classes are for both pregnant and postpartum people, babies that can be worn or kept in a carrier welcome.