Rosie T Fitness

By most standards, Desert Rose is a young studio, having being established in 2011, but it’s already created a reputation for being ahead of the curve when it comes to trends.

“We like to see what’s out there and try to bring in things when it starts to get popular,” says Zahra Ismail, a dance instructor and co-owner of Desert Rose. “We started doing burlesque dances in the studio, back when it was relatively unheard of. Now, there’s a real burst of interest in it.”

“We were on top of the Zumba dance wagon just when it first jumped into Edmonton,” adds sister and co-owner Yasmeen Ismail. “Now it’s everywhere.”